“Talus and the Frozen King” Review Roundup – 4

We're another week closer to the official UK launch of the paperback edition of Talus and the Frozen King (it's out in the US, and available as an ebook, already), and here are the latest reviews … Crime Fiction Lover More than just a whodunnit – this is a story about the power of stories, and a reflection … Continue reading “Talus and the Frozen King” Review Roundup – 4

“Talus and the Frozen King” Review Roundup – 3

There are plenty of reviews still coming in for Talus and the Frozen King. Here's this week's crop … Adventures in Sci-Fi Publishing The manic energy of modern day our modern Sherlock Holmes is a difficult thing to transpose to a book. To take such a character and place them in the Stone Age without the aid … Continue reading “Talus and the Frozen King” Review Roundup – 3

Neolithic Houses of Skara Brae

My Neolithic detective novel Talus and the Frozen King is set largely on the remote island of Creyak, in an icebound and unnamed land that bears a suspicious resemblance to the north-west coast of Scotland. The model for Creyak is the Neolithic village of Skara Brae, which was inhabited between 3,200 BC and 2,200 BC. My tale … Continue reading Neolithic Houses of Skara Brae

“Talus and the Frozen King” – US Launch Day

It's launch day! Talus and the Frozen King is now out in the wild. So, stop reading this announcement and go buy yourself a copy. Now! If you're in the UK, your buying options for the paperback may be limited until the official release on 6th April 2014, but you should be able to pick up … Continue reading “Talus and the Frozen King” – US Launch Day

Neolithic Names

Character names are a thorny issue for writers of fiction. If a name doesn't remind you of your old Uncle Henry, it probably conjures up an image of a famous actor or politican. Perhaps a notorious serial killer. Give your hero a long name and you'll be sick of writing it out by the time … Continue reading Neolithic Names

“Talus and the Frozen King” Review Roundup – 2

With one week to go until Talus and the Frozen King is published, it's time for a second roundup of blog reviews. While I'm delighted to say Talus is being warmly received so far, there's some good criticism here: Bookonaut has some interesting views on the thorny issue of naming Neolithic characters, while Sense of Wonder debates the question … Continue reading “Talus and the Frozen King” Review Roundup – 2

“Talus and the Frozen King” Review Roundup – 1

Although the official publication date of Talus and the Frozen King is still a few weeks off, my Neolithic detective novel has started picking up its first reviews from the blogosphere. Here’s a quick roundup of extracts from this week. Drunken Dragon Reviews There are three things about this book that I absolutely loved. The … Continue reading “Talus and the Frozen King” Review Roundup – 1

Talus is in Da House

Yes, my comp copies of Talus and the Frozen King have arrived from Solaris Books. Forgive me for not writing more, but now I have to log out and do my happy dance. Believe me, that's not something you want to see. Besides, it's only a big box of books. How exciting can that be? … Continue reading Talus is in Da House

“The Old Man and the Water” – A Tale of Talus

Many thousands of years ago, in a cold and ancient land, a wandering bard undertook a long journey north. His name was Talus, and he told many a tall tale, around many a blazing fire. This is one of them: Once, there was an old man who walked across a desert to fetch water for … Continue reading “The Old Man and the Water” – A Tale of Talus

Copy Editing “Talus and the Frozen King”

Here's how the copy editing process works. Your editor emails you a copy of your manuscript in Word format, conveniently marked with proposed changes and pithy comments using the handy Track Changes feature, accompanied by a request that you read through their remarks, accepting or rejecting their suggestions as you see fit, before returning it for … Continue reading Copy Editing “Talus and the Frozen King”