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November 6, 2015
The lights are on in the Human Legion writing shed. Image (c) mik38 – Fotolia.com
It’s been a tough week in the Human Legion writing shed (pictured). Ian and I had written 18,000 words for War Against the White Knights, the fifth Human Legion book, but we needed to meet to discuss the next stage. Unfortunately, I’ve been too ill this week to write books.
Every writer is different, but for me I find it relatively easy to get my head in a place where I can come up with story ideas, but to get in the mental place where I can craft scenes effectively and efficiently is much harder. In a good working day dedicated to writing, I might write 5,000 words of story. Half of that will come in an intense 90-minute burst when the writing is flowing easily. It feels so good, it’s difficult to describe. That 90-minute burst will not only be the fastest-written but also the best writing of the day. The rest of the time the words come much harder.
I know from experience when I’m not feeling well that this full-on writing mode will elude me, but coming up with ideas is still possible.
I’m so excited about this book! Image (c) The Life Tre-e Project / Shutterstock.com
So I met with Ian yesterday after postponing him from the start of the week, and even though I felt rough we finished plotting through to the end of book 5 and beyond. I’ve got to say I am very excited about how all the threads of the story are coming together quickly now. I can’t wait to get writing properly again on Monday.
Blog posts are also something I find very easy to write, so I wrote one for you this morning about the Hugo Awards and their effect on book sales. I’ll post that up in a mo.
However, I don’t want to leave the Human Legion alone today, so I’ve a couple more things for you.
Firstly, I want to thank you for your support with the new book. It’s going to reach about 4,000 sales in its first month, and I estimate the series is going to be close to 75,000 sales in its first anniversary coming up at Christmas. Thank you. That means I shall be writing novels again next year.
Secondly, although this is something my marketing head says I should wait and talk about closer to the launch of War Against the White Knights, we’ve got so many exciting things coming up in the next book that I can’t wait to tell you about them. So I’m going to start a few teaser posts about things to look out for in the next book, starting right now with the Amilx.
SPOILER ALERT! Don’t read after the fold if you haven’t reached Book 4! SPOILER ALERT!
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Building up to an Earth-shattering climax. Maybe literally. Image (c) Bertrand Benoit/ shutterstock.com
We first encountered the Amilx in Indigo Squad when Themistocles and Beowulf chanced across a strange ship they labelled Bonaventure. The crew appeared human, but their technology was beyond anything the Human Marine Corps had encountered. The ship and its crew vanished in mysterious circumstances that Indiya described as reality being ripped apart and stitched back together again.
And it hasn’t escaped our characters’ notice that the name looks like an acronym for Arun McEwan, Indiya, and Lee Xin, as if the universe is trying to give them a clue in the most unsubtle way possible.
Except the Legion characters don’t believe in Fate or in coincidence. There’s no need since they suspect that a lot of what they’ve done has been according to the plans of puppet masters working in the shadows. They’ve spotted the Night Hummers operating in those shadows, but are there other conspiracies and puppet masters? You bet!
You’ll have to wait until the end of Book Six, The Battle of Earth, to see all the puppet masters in the shadows fully revealed, but in War Against the White Knights we will meet a member of the Amilx, and even if you’ve read this teaser, you will not see it coming!
The next teaser will be up very soon.
18 Comments
Glad that you are back on track, hope you feel better soon!
Agreed!! And I hear that ale can cure what ails you! 😉
I think I’ll be able to have one tonight 🙂
Many thanks 🙂
I am glad that you are doing better, though extremely jealous of your 5,000 words a day writing skills!! I wish I could hit those numbers. Congrats on your sales milestones, we hope to see many more and hear the great news that Hollywood has come knocking!
Thanks. If I’m just writing, then I’ll do 3,500 to 7,000 per day, although the latter is exceptional. It’s all about getting my head in the right place first. So I have to have the right morning coffee or else the day’s a write-off!
What is “the right morning coffee” for you? Black, like the souls of the White Knights? Or sugar, so it’s as sweet as Springer seems? Maybe with some mothers milk, an ode to those unborn babies Springer killed? 🙁 Spill it Tim!!!
Black and strong from Costa Coffee. Except when I need a Mocha for extra pep.
Sergeant Mike, you just aren’t right sir… 😳🤔
Darlin, I was an infantry sergeant…… the very definition of ‘aint right.’ If letting my inner grunt out isn’t right, the I wanna be wrong! LOL!! Of course, my wife would lead you to believe that I’ve been domesticated since my discharge….. Ask Corporal Gordon how successful that really is when the chips are down!! LMFAO!!! Okay, maybe offer him immunity and the assurance that his wife wont see his reply!!! As for me, well I guess I “am” a mite more socially acceptable these days, but that doesn’t even begin to move the needle over towards the civilian side of the equation.
I think Corporal Gordon better remember the wartime posters, such as this one. http://media.iwm.org.uk/iwm/mediaLib/279/media-279214/large.jpg
LOL, probably good advice…. but I’ve been known to ignore good advice! 😛
I don’t need the poster Tim. As any Yorkshire man knows the moto goes “hear all see all say nowt” I won’t say the remainder.
Keep Calm and Carry On Sgt. Mike
Spoken like a true corporal, practical and driven towards self preservation!!! LOL!!! Good for you CPL GORDON!!
[…] but Vox Day’s book kept in the mid-440s for longer. Human Empire sold 4,000 in its first month [see today’s update and next-book teaser here]. I would guess Vox’s book sold closer to 6,000 in its first month. I stopped looking regularly […]
Love to hear that you are doing better and your session with Ian was a success. Can’t wait for the next book…guess I can go back and reread the books before it. Hope you continue to get better. And SGT MIKE, I am glad you are friend and not foe and a really big Tim fan…I have been one a while now and he never, never disappoints.
Ahh, thanks. 53Bryanm, you have always been a great support to me. Even through the toughest times.
Don’t hesitate to re-read the books! I find that reading them a second and third time gives me more enjoyment every time. This maybe because the complexity of the plot becomes more understandable or it may be that I forget what I have read as soon as I turn the page and discover more excitement.