Pleeaaaaase Release Me...

Let me go!
The time for release is here. To almost no fanfare at all, Sorrow's Herald is unleashed upon an unsuspecting world! 
The world won't know what hit it. Quite literally. I suspect it won't notice at all.

If you're not familiar with Crystal, the main protagonist of Sorrow's Herald, then you can catch up on her adventures in the first of the series, Crystal Eyes, for free if you get it from Smashwords. Just check out with the coupon code LA48J

This week I've been doing some pics of Crystal in a rough, painterly style. And here they are

It's Crystal time...

...and there's no need to be afraid!
Reference from 1985 there - that's how up to the minute I am with modern culture. Last blog post it was Olivia Newton John, this post it's Band Aid. 
Zeitgeist, I am in you!

Back to the point, SORROW'S HERALD is out on the 10th of July! That's less than a month away! And you can pre-order it now! Exclamation mark!
EXCITE! A bit, anyway.

If you're looking at it and thinking "But Allen, that's a sequel and I've not read CRYSTAL EYES yet, how will I know what's happening?"
Well, first of all, shame on you! But I hold no grudges so allow me to help you rectify this egregious mistake:
If you go to Smashwords, buy CRYSTAL EYES and check out with the code LA48J, you will get it for FREE!
Look at all those capital letters, that's how you know it's exciting.

Aside from all this book-based nonsense, I'm still decorating. Slowly. Because I'm terrible at it. Also it transpires that the garden is essentially a weed-jungle and now I'm lowering the tone of the whole neighbourhood because I haven't got round to starting on it yet. I sprayed some weed-killer around but they all seem to be immune to it. 
I did stop the back door from creaking. The fact that something so trivial registers as a DIY success for me should give you some indication as to my level of competency with such things. To be fair, the creaking was really getting on my wick.

That's all for now!
Later,
Al

Let's get physical!

Let me hear your body talk, or something.
And now I've infected you with that ear-worm, hello and welcome! And the reason for me inflicting that song on you? Heroes Wanted is now available as a paperback (see, cos it's a physical thing. Hilarious)!
After going through a couple of proofs (one of which I formatted so poorly it was unreadable - I may give that away at some point) I'm really pleased with how it finally turned out.
It's not the cheapest (that's print on demand for you) but you do get a free copy of the digital edition as well. Not sure exactly how that works, all I did was tick the box in the setup screen to include it in Kindle's match book program.
It's a fun, light-hearted adventure that will, at the very least, put a smile on your face. Please tell your friends and, if you enjoyed it, leave a review. I mean, I guess you could leave a review if you hated it as well but I'm less enthusiastic about that happening.
Reviews, Likes and word of mouth are the lifeblood of books like this so anything you could along those lines would really help me out (looks pointedly at Heroes Wanted on the US Amazon store that has not a single review on it. Clears throat loudly).

Speaking of things to spread the word about - the pre-order for Sorrow's Herald, the sequel to Crystal Eyes, is live and will be released on the 10th of July. Join Crystal and friends on their continuing adventures - there will be shooting, things will end up on fire, there may even be explosions.

Away from the world of literature, I'm still decorating. Things are being painted, albeit slowly and badly. I am not, I have discovered, a naturally talented decorator. If I can keep 90% of the paint within the intended area then I consider it a win.
I haven't accidentally painted the dog yet so I guess it could be worse.

There are also many lambs in the field behind the house, jumping, bleating, occasionally getting their heads stuck in the fence so I have to go and get them out (that has happened - momma sheep was NOT happy).

That's all from me, be excellent to each other!
Altogether now!
Let's get physical...

New book announcement (and also parrots)

Hello, beautiful people (yes, even you), I hope you're doing well out there in internet land.
First of all, I am getting settled into my house in Kirkby Stephen. Still got a lot of decorating to do, not least because I bought some truly crappy paint that I tried out on one of the windows and I'm now going to have to remove. Seriously, it was like treacle. Some nice walking around here for the dog to look at while I'm carrying her because her poor old legs are tired.
Also, there are parrots. It's a truly surreal sight, seeing such a bright flash of colour go flying past against the backdrop of a cold, grey, wintry Cumbrian town (this place is a long way from resembling the Caribbean). They make a hell of a noise as well - get four of them in the same area and it's like a dozen cats trying to kill one another.
Here you go, in case you think I'm imagining things

View fullsize

They were on the chimney on my neighbours house. Very weird.
Also, I'm now officially announcing the forthcoming release of the sequel to Crystal Eyes - Sorrow's Herald, due out on the 10th of July!
The journey continues for Crystal and friends, trying to stay one step ahead of the Solanist preachers who are following their trail. With shooting, running, angst, more shooting, jumping, stabbing, fire, and even more shooting!
If you feel inclined to travel along with them, it's available for pre-order right...about...now! At least it's available from Amazon now, it's not quite filtered through to the other retailers yet but it shouldn't be long.
Here's a peek at the cover!

I'm also in the process of setting up the hard copy versions of both Sorrow's Herald and Heroes Wanted, soon to be available from Amazon!

Other stuff...I've been playing a load of Heroes of the Storm (Sylvanas for the win), and quite a lot of Elder Scrolls Online as well - definitely worth a look since it dropped its monthly sub fee.
Also, Star Wars trailer! WOO HOO! And that little droid thing was awesome, I badly want one.
Been watching Daredevil as well. Got a couple of episodes left I think. Man, it's good but it's not one for the kiddies - the whimsical, pithy Marvel of Joss Whedon it is not.

That'll do for now.
Later,
Al

Terry Pratchett

A few minutes ago, as I was sitting on the sofa drinking a tepid cup of coffee, bemoaning the ache in my back from cleaning nicotine stains off the ceiling and wondering which wall I should test the paint on that I had bought the previous day, the news appeared on Twitter that Sir Terry Pratchett had died and everything else was rendered completely unimportant.
Terry Pratchett has been a hero and an inspiration to me ever since I first borrowed Guards! Guards! from my local library over 25 years ago. His books shaped everything about me, from the way I write to how I look at the world. Whatever redeeming qualities can be found in either my stories or my personality stem to a large extent from him.
The world and characters he created often seemed more real to me than this world and, as selfish as it is, I find that I'm mourning the fact that I will never learn any more about the lives of Rincewind, Granny Weatherwax, Vimes, Nanny Ogg, Vetinari, Carrot and everyone else whose adventures filled up my life, almost as much as I'm mourning the passing of a wonderful man. But the fact that all those people existed at all is something to be celebrated and something I will forever be grateful for.

I suspect Sir Terry wouldn't approve of this hand-wringing nonsense so I'm going to try and stop being quite so maudlin and, instead of that, I'm going to say bollocks to decorating, make myself a fresh coffee (with perhaps a splash of Irish Cream in it), and see if I can find the box where I packed all my Pratchett books, because if there's one thing I've learned over the last quarter of a century it's that reading one of those will always make things seem a little bit brighter.

Goodbye Sir Terry, and thank you.