The Writer’s Diary: Double Winners, Multi-Platform Releases, and Podcast Features

Busier than a busy bee

​If you had told me at the start of the year that the month of May would bring contest wins, a major multi-platform re-release, a podcast feature, and an audiobook production hitting its stride all at once, I’d have thought you were spinning a grand sci-fi yarn. But here we are, and the pond is absolutely buzzing.

​A Double Victory for Memory Letters

​The wait for the mid-contest results in the Open Novella Contest on Wattpad is finally over, and I am absolutely over the moon to share that Memory Letters has been named both an Official Round 2 Winner and an Ambassador Pick!

​To make both of these prestigious lists is an incredible honour, and it is a massive boost to my confidence as a writer. We are still playing the waiting game for the final Round 3 judging phase—the final hurdle before the coveted Longlist is announced—but whatever happens next, Jane's story has already exceeded my wildest expectations.

​Speaking of Jane, the audiobook version is progressing beautifully. The Voice Artist has let me know that roughly a third of the narration is now complete, and the tension of the story is translating brilliantly into audio. She also told me that she's really enjoying the book, which is always lovely to hear. 

​Out Now: Divided Hits More Digital Shelves

​In other major news, I’m thrilled to announce that I have officially re-released Divided, my urban fantasy/paranormal story. If you enjoy a mix of supernatural mystery and gritty reality, this one is for you.

​I've re-edited and refreshed it somewhat and I've hopefully removed some errors that had slipped through several edit phases.

The story follows Jimmy Jones, who, after a harrowing near-death experience, finds himself suddenly able to see ghosts and spirits. In fact, his new best friend, Henry, happens to be a spirit and the two actually met in the operating theatre before the doctors managed to revive Jimmy. With Henry by his side, Jimmy has to navigate this strange new reality while going on a desperate search for his missing sister.

​I’ve wanted to get this story into a better shape and out into more outlets for a while, and it is now widely available to download on Kindle, Google Play Books, and Kobo / Kobo+.

​Tuning In: The Failing Writers Podcast

​If you are reading this on Monday, then today is a very special day. My 999-word flash fiction piece, Dust, was accepted by the team at The Failing Writers Podcast!

​They have featured as part of their Hypewriter slot it in the brand-new episode releasing today (25th May). They kindly sent me a sneak-peek copy of the audio ahead of the release, and I can honestly say the performance is outstanding. Hearing professional voices bring your words to life is a surreal experience, and I can't recommend today's episode enough.

You can find links to the episode, and others, at https://www.failingwriterspodcast.com/ 

​Spinoffs, Space, and the Sanctorum

​With the celebrations and releases sorted, the daily grind of the keyboard continues across my other ongoing projects:

• ​Sanctorum’s Veil: The total refresh continues. I’ve completely reworked the first three chapters, sharpening the hooks and tightening the prose to match the momentum I found during the ONC.
• ​The Void Between: The first chapter of my psychic HFY saga is down, and I’m letting the universe breathe a little before I launch into the next segment of the Sol Explorer’s journey.
• ​Forever Jupiter: The architectural work is paying off. I’ve completely fleshed out the plan to expand this from a 2022 novella into a full-length novel. Better yet, the new brainstorming sessions have unlocked a wealth of ideas that will easily allow me to stretch James Hamlin's immortal Roman history into a sequel or two!

 

​The Writer’s Diary: The Waiting Game, Space Dust, and Roman Shadows

Waiting for the Dust to Settle

​The end of April brought with it the closing of Round 3 for the Open Novella Contest. After the intensity of the last few months, the silence is a strange change of pace. 

Now, all there is to do is wait.

I'm a patient person, but as any writer knows, "waiting" is just another word for "working on the next thing."

​The ONC Limbo

​The deadline for Round 3 passed on the 31st of April, and Memory Letters is officially in the hands of the judges. I’ve been a bit on edge this fortnight, but I’m incredibly proud of the over 32,000 words I’ve put down. 

Whatever the result, Jane’s story has found its wings (and its voice, as the audiobook production continues!).

​New Tales from the Pond

​I’ve managed to complete two new short stories recently, each exploring very different corners of the imagination:

• ​The Custodian: This is a sci-fi piece about a lone pilot who discovers a ship so ancient that it has either been swallowed by an asteroid or built directly into one. It’s a story of ancient secrets and some truly horrifying possibilities for the man who found it.
• ​Dust: After my last submission to the Failing Writers Podcast was a bit too long for their "Hypewriter" feature, I’ve penned a new flash fiction piece specifically for them. Dust clocks in at exactly 999 words, or 1,000 if you count the titles. That's safely under the limit! Fingers crossed it makes the cut.

​Deep Space and Ancient Rome

​My long-term projects are also seeing some major movement:

• ​Sanctorum’s Veil: I’m continuing the heavy lifting of expanding the original 12 chapters. Now it’s becoming a much richer, more detailed world with every pass. And I'm really enjoying the process.
• ​The Void Between: I have officially put pen to paper (or fingers to screen ... because i mainly use my tablet) on the first chapter of my new HFY story. This is the first entry into what I’m calling The Voidborne Saga, and it feels great to finally start exploring the tension between the human race and the Renth.
• ​Forever Jupiter: I’ve been deep in the replanning phase for this one. Transitioning it from a novella into a full-length novel requires a lot of architectural work, but James Hamlin’s journey from a Roman Senator to a 21st-century survivor is a story that feels like it has so much more to give.