Proof copy

Well the proof copy of Crossing the Rubicon has arrived today and joined its predecessors on the shelf I reserve for books I either wrote or am acknowledged in.

Book Two of the Contact War is available for PRE-ORDER

I’m please to announce that book two of the Contact War Series, is now available for pre-order on Amazon. Picking up where book one left off, the peoples of Earth and the Aèllr Confederacy are left counting the cost of the Battle of War. Is now the opportunity for the two sides to step back from the brink, or has the Rubicon of war already been crossed?

Over the next month I’m going to be releasing some excerpts from the book as well as talking about where the series goes from here.

If you read and enjoyed book one be sure to order now and if you haven’t already, please put a review up on Amazon. Visibility is the lifeblood of writers and reviews are means most available to readers.

The paperback option will also be available. I am currently awaiting the arrival of my proof copy.

Coming soon…

Well after longer than I like to think about, the second book of the Contact War series is nearly here. Just a last few details to work out.

Contact War Book Two – UPDATE

It is fair to say I have not been active here for… (looks up, winces) yeah, lets go with a while. Okay, time is short and I need to cover the points so this is going to be at least in part in bullet points for speed.

• Para Bellum was launched in August 2020 – aka, the before times. Where’s the sequel?
• I have finished writing it. It is currently with the Editor and the Cover Artist.
• Projected release, early summer. Unless something goes sideways.

Super, so why has it taken you three years and a pandemic to write this thing? Surely you had plenty of time Edmond?

You’d think, but no.

• My partner and I had a child during this period, making me a dad for the first time.
• Kids and babies in particular take up a lot of time.
• Who knew.
• Also in the same time period my day job changed into the first job I’m ever had that I actually enjoy but it does burn time and mental bandwidth.
• Finally because Covid19, I didn’t get on a train for most of two years and guess where I used to do 90% percent of my writing?

Okay, book two is coming? Two down, one to go.

Yeahhhh…. about that. Here’s the new cover of the Para Bellum.

Wait, new cover?

The eagle-eyed might notice that the word ‘Trilogy’ has been replaced by ‘Series’. The trilogy is dead, long live the series.

Joking aside when you are writing a multi-book story, breakpoints are important. A book has to have a conclusion that feels logical and satisfying for the story so far. Bonus points if it feels like the story could end right there satisfactorily but has enough to launch off again without feeling forced.

As I was writing Book Two, I realised that where I originally thought it would end wasn’t going to work. Either it would end up grossly long or a lot of ideas would have to be cut down or cut out. It would also leave book three having to cover a stupid amount of ground. Of course no one would have known that if I had put ‘series’ on the cover instead of stupidly putting ‘trilogy’ there instead – live and learn.

So two more books. I am hoping to get better over the next year, get back into the rhythm of writing on the way in and out of work on the train. But that said the writing is not and can not be anywhere near the top of my priority list in the way it could back in say 2011.

The sad truth is that the self publishing thing is not what it was a decade ago. Frankly, this writing thing, does not pay its way, it is a cost to me, not a revenue stream. This is a labour of love for me, a story that I’ve had in my head for twenty odd years and I will get it out but it will take a while. Obviously if someone drove a dump truck full of money up to my door that would change the mathematics, but I’m not counting on that.

In the meantime, keep an eye on this blog, I will soon be announcing a title and release date.

Author’s interview

So a new year, new new motivation to do more updates to this poor ignored blog than I did last year. Last year I updated it… [checks notes] once. Once? Really? Yep, just once.

Oh boy…

Talk about setting the bar low.

Anyway, I recently did an author interview that has been published at:

Please click on the link below to hear what I’m up to.

LINK

So that’s last year at least matched, only one more entry to exceed it!

State of the writer address

(or I’m not dead [again])

Wow, it has been a while since I’ve been here. Sorry about that folks and this one is also going to be a brief update and we’ll go through by numbered points.

1. The second book in the Contact War series is currently WIP. I have finished the first draft.
2. Historically I tend to get the broad brushstrokes of the story and characters in the first, changes thereafter tend to be refinement.
3. So do I know when it will be ready?
4. No. This is because this last year…
5. My wife gave birth to our first child – hello progeny, goodbye sleep!
6. I got a promotion in my day job. It turns out that tends to come with more responsibility – who knew?
7. Covid19 – technically because of working from home I’ve had more free time but I did 90% of my writing on the train home from work. I haven’t set foot in a train in more than a year now.
8. Which I accept isn’t a great excuse, but it’s what I’ve got.

So, there’s where we are. Feel free to drop me a line, it will get answered but probably not quickly.

Stay safe.

• 

Book Competition – THE DRAW

The time for the book competition draw has come.

 

Book Competition

Just a reminder folks that if you intend to enter, time is running out!

 

 

BOOK COMPETITION! – Win a paperback copy of Para Bellum

Yes, you read that right. In conjunction with Octocon 2020 – The National Irish Science Fiction Convention I am running a…

 

A BOOK COMPETITION!

What’s the prize?

A signed copy of this:

Well to be more exact, this:

This is a pre publication proof copy, one of only five that will ever exist. So if you’ve ever had a hankering to own a rare book this is your chance.

 

So how to enter?

Email your answer to ONE of the following questions (although good for you if you can answer both)

A) In the appendix of the Nameless War what is it advised that you don’t use concussive maintenance on?

or

B) Which famous writer was the first guest of honor at Octocon?

 

Then email your name and answer to:

ebarrettbookcomp@gmail.com

Closing date will be midnight the 7th October 2020, with the draw made over the Octocon weekend.

Runner up prize: A signed copy of my 2017 book Out of Era.

About Octocon

Octocon The National Irish Science Fiction Convention is this year going virtual and free to join. So, if you have ever been curious about going to a science fiction con or seeing what’s happening in speculative fiction, you will never get a better chance.

 

 

 

 

Author Reading – Out of Era Part 10 and closing words

So that bring us to the end – or if you have been waiting, the opportunity to listen to it all at once.