The “Planes of Ascalon” companion booklet is going well! This PDF features the specs and history of the various aircraft featured in the Ascalon Circle books.
Volume 2 features the PBY Catalina, of course, but also the Lioré-et-Olivier H-198, the Mitsubishi Type 96, the Caudron Simoun, and several others! A must-have for vintage aviation enthusiasts, and completely free!
A quick note to inform you all that I have pushed back the release date of “The Kerguelen Cat” two weeks, from May 1st to May 15th, 2021.
This slight delay is caused by certain marketing requirements. Work on the book is still going fine, I’m currently going through the last rounds of edits before being professionally reviewed. After I pass it on to my editor next month, I will be finalizing the paperback cover design, and begin work on the typesetting for both ebook and paperback format. Then, it will be the final checks and proofreading before release, followed by the elaboration of the Ascalon companion booklet.
It feels funny to be talking about plans for 2021 after the chaos that was 2020, but to be honest things are looking great.
The 2020 retrospective
1. Well, the obvious big news of 2020 was undoubtedly the release of “The Dragon Run”! I’m very happy that I was finally able to finish, edit and deliver this on time for the release date that I had set, and I’m looking forward to the next one! Speaking of which…
2. The first draft of “The Kerguelen Cat” is DONE.
3. The pandemic lockdown caused a certain number of things to be delayed, chief among them the boat project, of course. However, I have good hopes of putting it back on track soon, because..
4. I got a new job! The offer came just before the Christmas break and I will be starting in January. I won’t go into specifics here, but the details will be in my LinkedIn bio when that happens if anyone’s interested in checking it out.
And coming in 2021…
1. Well, the new job is an awesome opportunity so I’ll definitely be looking forward to that.
2. “The Kerguelen Cat” is scheduled to come out on May 1st. I will be starting the editing process when I’m back from the holiday break, and it will then go to my editor in February. While it’s there, I’ll finalize the design of the cover, before putting the final touches.
3. The next WIP will not be an Ascalon Circle book! I will be working on the rewrites, edits and completion of my science fiction epic “The Uncertain War”, a work that’s been in progress since 1994 in various forms. It started off as a time travel thing inspired by Jurassic Park, and evolved into something completely different. If anything I’ve done so far can be called a magnum opus, it’s this bad boy. I don’t have a release date yet, but I’m aiming roughly at a rolling 2022 release schedule for the three volumes. Yeah, it’s a big one!
4. I will also order and supervise the translation of TDR to French for a release in Q4 2021.
5. Lastly, conditional on favorable post-covid conditions… I will finally get my hands on my dream boat, if it’s still waiting for me where I left it last March.
I might have other news, but these are things I’m not ready to share on this platform quite yet.
I feel fortunate and grateful that 2020 was not a bad for me as it was for others, and I realize how privileged I am to be able to say this, and that 2021 is looking brighter as the last days of the year pass by us. I am also grateful to everyone who bought my book or downloaded some of my free material, your support means a lot. A heartfelt thank you to all of you! I wish everyone a happy new year celebration, and a magnificent 2021!
The future is ours to take!
My most successful NaNoWriMo yet, I’m ending NaNoWriMo2020 with over 55,000 words logged in 30 days!
I’m super happy at how “The Kerguelen Cat” is turning out, an action-packed sequel that will complement “The Dragon Run” very nicely! I can’t wait to have you guys read it! 😃
5,893 words today and wooohoooooooo!!! 4th time I’ve completed the challenge! 🥳💪🤪 The first draft of “The Kerguelen Cat” is almost complete at close to 60K overall!
“The Kerguelen Cat” uses a degree of creative license when it comes to some of its featured aircraft. One in particular is inspired by the futuristic Horten designs of the 1930s and 1940s.
Pioneering the “flying wing” concept with both gliders and powered prototypes, the Horten brothers later scaled up their ambition with the massive H.XVIII pictured here but the project never left the drawing board…
The sequel of “The Dragon Run”, available now in paperback and ebook, “The Kerguelen Cat” is scheduled for release May 1st, 2021. Pre-order now!
Calling all passengers for boarding, your flight to the 1930s is ready for take off!
“The Dragon Run” is now LIVE on Amazon, for Kindle, on Kindle Unlimited, and on paperback. Grab it while it’s hot: https://amzn.to/34Ko42l!
There’s more! If you want to know more about the Dragon Rapide and other featured planes, TDR comes with “Planes of Ascalon”, a free companion booklet to satisfy your curiosity. Download it here!
Today’s other goodie is the unveiling of the cover for “The Kerguelen Cat”, scheduled for release on May 1st, 2021. Part II of the Ascalon Circle series is bound to amp up the stakes so keep your seatbelts on!
Happy reading! 💜
Last finishing touches on the website updates, ahead of “The Dragon Run” launch and “The Kerguelen Cat” reveal… One day to go!
D-3 before “The Dragon Run” arrives in your Kindle, barely more to wait for you paperback lovers…! I’m so excited that it’s finally getting in your hands, because it means the next one is also around the corner! Stay tuned for the cover reveal of book #2 of the Ascalon circle series, “The Kerguelen Cat”, next Sunday!!
A glimpse into the companion piece I’ve been working on for “The Dragon Run”: “Planes of Ascalon”, an illustrated booklet with more info on the planes featured or mentioned in the story. A little nugget for all of you aviation geeks!
Available November 1st for free, here on my website!