I've got quite a bit in the pipeline now for the Department of Magic series, and just wanted to share that with you.
Book 7 - Hidden Relics
The first and second drafts are finished, and it's been e-mail to the editor. It will be ready about a week before Christmas. I'll post the cover in a couple of weeks. It's a great one!
Book 8
Both 8 and 9 have very detailed outlines, which will make the drafts much quicker to produce. Right now, I've just started the first draft for Book 8, and should be finished before Christmas. I'm hoping for a late January publishing date for Book 8. I'll announce the title and show the cover (which is ready) in December some time. Book 9 shouldn't be too far behind, with an expected publishing date of late February.
Secrets In Stone: Gabe
The long-promised short story will be out by Christmas. It's with the editor right now, and unfortunately that's all I can promise at the moment. :)
Science Fiction
My side project is coming along nicely. I'm still in the outlining stage before i start the first draft, and Tim is working on some designs for the details and the covers. I will start drafts of those as soon as DOMA 9 is finished. I'm pushing for a January or February release for the first Sci Fi. More updates to come on that.
Wednesday, November 14, 2012
Blog Hop
The Next Big Thing
Author Kate Aaron last week tagged me
in her blog post. What does that mean? Well there's a series of questions doing
the rounds and when you're tagged, you've got to answer them. The questions
relate to my upcoming publication, Hidden
Relics, the seventh book in the Department of Magic series.
What is the title of your next book?
The title of the 7th Department of Magic book is Hidden Relics.
What is the title of your next book?
The title of the 7th Department of Magic book is Hidden Relics.
Where did the idea come from for the book?
The idea for this book started to develop earlier this year. It bridges the gap between the first half of the series and the last half.
The idea for this book started to develop earlier this year. It bridges the gap between the first half of the series and the last half.
What genre does your book fall under?
Young Adult and Fantasy
Young Adult and Fantasy
Which actors would you choose to play your characters in a movie rendition?
That’s a tough question. I’ve put a little thought into it.
For Cadan Ogden, I would cast Drew
Van Acker, from Pretty Little Liars and Tower Prep. For Jude Bishop, I’ve
always gotten the Alex Pettyfer vibe, and for Madison Taylor, I would cast
Ashley Benson, also from Pretty Little Liars. Josiah Ogden would probably have
to be Josh Brolin.That’s a tough question. I’ve put a little thought into it.
What is the one-sentence synopsis of your book?
Cadan Ogden has spent 6 books trying to get everyone together and away from the evil Department of Magic, but in Book 7, he basically splits everyone up and sends them on various missions that need to be accomplished to defeat the Department of Magic, and the end will put the characters in a worse position than they’ve been yet.
Will your book be self-published or represented by an agency?
Self-Published
How long did it take you to write the first draft of your manuscript?
The first draft for this book took a significantly less amount of time to produce as I have had a very clear vision of the book’s direction for some time now.
What other books would you compare this story to within your genre?
That’s a tough question. Most fantasy books deal with imaginary worlds, and this one is set in our Earth. I’ve taken Epic fantasy in the vein of Robert Jordan and George RR Martin, with dozens and dozens of characters and complicated sub-plots and placed it in the center of our world. Elements of this story are inspired by other authors that I’ve read since my teenage years, but I can’t really think of one in particular that it is similar enough to for a comparison.
Who or What inspired you to write this book?
The inspiration for this book dates back to a few years ago. For years I designed this fantasy world and populated it with dozens of characters, rich history, and locations. But I didn’t want my first novel to be a traditional fantasy. I always knew that the Ogdens, the main family that I follow in this magical world, would eventually come over to Earth. While I hadn’t developed that story at the time, I decided to start there. Most of what I write after this series will be about what came before.
What else about your book might pique the reader’s interest?
I strive for diversity in everything that I write. So much of fantasy is populated with straight, white characters. In my fantasy and in the world that I created, there is a sense of diversity that I haven’t found in any other fantasy work. My main characters are of every ethnicity, which I personally find refreshing, and several of my main characters are GLBT. It’s less about any kind of political statement, and more from the point of view that I want to represent a real slice of life. I think that anyone can read this series, and find someone that they can identify with.
Now it's my turn to get tagging. Carry on following the hop by checking out the author below to find The Next Big Thing!
Wednesday, October 24, 2012
Two more character portraits....
Since I don't have a lot of book news to add, I decided to post two more character portraits: Kyla LaFontaine and Nolan Burrell.
You may recognize that Kyla's appearance has changed for Book 7. In previous books, she was described as wearing elaborate dresses and fur coats, but now that she is going to reside in a different location, her look has changed. As always, Tim did an amazing job capturing the look and feel of both characters.
You may recognize that Kyla's appearance has changed for Book 7. In previous books, she was described as wearing elaborate dresses and fur coats, but now that she is going to reside in a different location, her look has changed. As always, Tim did an amazing job capturing the look and feel of both characters.
Sunday, October 7, 2012
Two character portraits
Here are two character portraits that Tim did recently. Both Josiah and Jackie will appear on the cover to Book 7. As always Tim did an amazing job capturing my vision for both of these characters, and I look forward to unveiling the final cover for Book 7.
Update on what's coming....
I haven't posted in a while and that's mainly because I've been hard at work putting together a detailed outline for the next three books in the series. I've also started developing another series, this one Science Fiction, and will post more information about that one here, too. Here's an update on my WIPs:
Book 7: Hidden Relics
I'm in the early stages of a first draft. I'm hoping to have this one out by Christmas. I will keep everyone updated on the progress as I get closer.
Secrets In Stone: Gabe
This poor short story! I've continually put it on the back burner, mainly because the story that I tell in it will be more relevant for Book 7. It will tie into Gabe and give you some more information about the few years of his life before DOMA, and will explain many aspects of his character, such as why Hazel gives him dirty looks, why he was living with the Fatales in Book 1, and more about the relationship between Fairies and Gargoyles. One other aspect of the story that I could not get away from was telling you more about the enigmatic Fairy Queen Nikki West. Even though she hasn't been seen much, she is a vital character to the series, and this story will set the tone for what will occur in Book 11.
Book 8 and Book 9
I have titles and a detailed outline for these books. I will probably start a draft of Book 8 before the end of the year, but in 2013, these two works are my top priority, so look for them to be published in January or February.
Books 10-12
I've started rough outlines for these books. I've got a good handle on the large storyline and some of the minor details, but I'm working on construction a scene sequence, which is one of the most time consuming aspects of the writing process. I will post more information about them as we get closer to those books.
Science Fiction
There's a story that's been mostly in my head for a while now that I really wanted to tell. Taking advise from some author friends, I've decided to publish this by putting out one book that is approximately 60K-80K words, and several sequels to follow. The sequels will each be approximately 20K words, and I will release them once a month in a serial format. Once I get the first book out, the shorter ones will not hinder me much from working on DOMA, which is my primary focus right now.
Thank you for being patient! I will post a couple of pictures of some characters to tide you over. :)
Book 7: Hidden Relics
I'm in the early stages of a first draft. I'm hoping to have this one out by Christmas. I will keep everyone updated on the progress as I get closer.
Secrets In Stone: Gabe
This poor short story! I've continually put it on the back burner, mainly because the story that I tell in it will be more relevant for Book 7. It will tie into Gabe and give you some more information about the few years of his life before DOMA, and will explain many aspects of his character, such as why Hazel gives him dirty looks, why he was living with the Fatales in Book 1, and more about the relationship between Fairies and Gargoyles. One other aspect of the story that I could not get away from was telling you more about the enigmatic Fairy Queen Nikki West. Even though she hasn't been seen much, she is a vital character to the series, and this story will set the tone for what will occur in Book 11.
Book 8 and Book 9
I have titles and a detailed outline for these books. I will probably start a draft of Book 8 before the end of the year, but in 2013, these two works are my top priority, so look for them to be published in January or February.
Books 10-12
I've started rough outlines for these books. I've got a good handle on the large storyline and some of the minor details, but I'm working on construction a scene sequence, which is one of the most time consuming aspects of the writing process. I will post more information about them as we get closer to those books.
Science Fiction
There's a story that's been mostly in my head for a while now that I really wanted to tell. Taking advise from some author friends, I've decided to publish this by putting out one book that is approximately 60K-80K words, and several sequels to follow. The sequels will each be approximately 20K words, and I will release them once a month in a serial format. Once I get the first book out, the shorter ones will not hinder me much from working on DOMA, which is my primary focus right now.
Thank you for being patient! I will post a couple of pictures of some characters to tide you over. :)
Thursday, August 9, 2012
Book 7 Title!
I am pleased to say that I finally have a title for Book 7. It's been tough as there were many I was considering, but I finally narrowed it down and with my friend Jenny's help, it's chosen!
So Book 7 will be called Hidden Relics. By the time you reach Book 5 or 6, it will be obvious why that name was chosen. I will be starting the first draft at the first of September.
So Book 7 will be called Hidden Relics. By the time you reach Book 5 or 6, it will be obvious why that name was chosen. I will be starting the first draft at the first of September.
Cover for Book 6 - Second Exodus
I am very pleased with this cover. It shows (from left to right): Cadan, Luca, Tess, Jackson, and Caira. The five Paladin leaders have orchestrated a plan, and this cover shows their united front very well. I especially love the way that Cadan and Caira have linked their magic. Great job Tim!
Look for Second Exodus to be available on Kindle and Nook later this month. I'm a little behind on the paperbacks for Books 5 and 6 so those might not be available until mid-September.
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