Trials and smiles of a wannabe author part 2

It seems a long time since I posted anything about the continent of Ragaris, or the novels about life and murder there that I am hoping to inflict on the world.

There is news.

As far as writing goes – I am still seeking to publish Ragaris book 1 (“We Do Not Kill Children”), I’m looking for comments on the latest draft of Ragaris book 2 (“The Tenth Province of Jaryar”), and I’m starting tentatively to write book 3 (as yet unnamed).

The publishing has been a long haul.

I previously explained, after discussing genres, that:

“I can proudly say that “We Do Not Kill Children” is an interstitial blend of low fantasy with historical murder mystery, perhaps with elements of tragedy of manners…”

And that it was proving difficult to place with agents, perhaps because it wasn’t good enough, but also perhaps because

“It remains the case that the book is: a fantasy without (much) magic; a feminist book (SWORDS WITHOUT MISOGYNY!) where the main character is a man; a book about warriors with very little fighting; a book with a Christian setting that includes swearing, violence and homosexuality… this doesn’t make it easy to categorise, or (perhaps) to sell.”

Last time (29^th Jan) I said I was having to decide between 1) simply uploading the manuscript to Amazon; 2) doing this plus a lot more in order to get a printed version as well (self-publishing); or 3) paying another company to do all this for me.  Scornful purists say that this third option is not true “self”-publishing.

However, soon afterwards another possibility emerged.  A friend amazingly said she would like to read it; she did, and I hope not so amazingly liked it; very amazingly she had a contact with a small local publisher, and put me in touch.

And now I have a publishing contract.  I have a publishing contract.  I have a publishing contract.

It is with an independent publisher called Mightier than the Sword UK.  Its founder and main author, CS Woolley, writes a slightly different brand of Christian fantasy (“The Chronicles of Celadmore”), and children’s books (“The Children of Ribe”), and murder stories (“The Raven series”), with considerable success, energy and skill!  I am very grateful to her, and Mightier than the Sword, for giving me this chance.  The book should be coming out, in print and e-book form, we hope before Christmas.

Please allow me to say: Wheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!!!

A few more points:

1. Small publishers of this kind, for various reasons, have little access to high-street booksellers (although I do have a contact in Waterstones, who has been extremely helpful), so don’t expect to see large signs with my name on in WH Smith or Tesco;
2. You can remind yourself about Ragaris and the books by exploring the rest of this site. BUT it would be as well for me to commit myself now to the following: I AM NOT ASKING, AND I WILL NOT ASK, NOW OR EVER, ANY OF MY FRIENDS OR ACQUAINTANCES TO BUY OR READ A BOOK THEY DON’T WANT TO BUY OR READ.  Please hold me to this.  I may at some future stage ask them to consider spending say 60 seconds pondering whether they might like to read it (or buy it for someone else…)
3. You can also find out what Mightier than the Sword are saying about me and indeed their other books on their website. (mightierthanthesworduk.com. If you just google Mightier than the Sword you will get the novel of that name by Jeffrey Archer.)  Here my book is described as “young adult”, either because we’re all young at heart, or because young adult fantasy is the stuff that everyone, after Harry Potter and the Hunger Games, is reading these days.

So now I’m busy with final final revisions to the manuscript, and pondering cover design!

Love from the PPI Blogger, author of “We Do Not Kill Children”, the first of the Tales from Ragaris