A happy Fourth of July to all those celebrating Independence Day, the 249th anniversary of the founding of the United States of America. In Blighty, it's another day, but then again, growing up on a farm, holidays almost all had to be, with the exception of a precious few going-away vacations; work continued, albeit with big jobs paused or delayed on the Sabbath, Christmas, and other specials—days of rest in relative terms. Still, animals needed feeding and care, and they didn't stop breaking things or themselves because it was a holiday. Writing is the kind of work that, for the most part, is fun to do. Still, doing it well requires hard work. You'd think it's nothing like the muck and toil that is farming, and sure, it's not physically tasking. Sometime somewhere, I heard farming described as a rich man's hobby or a poor man's folly, and that's probably true for the arts, including writing, for most people. It's also often a personal business; self-employed means deciding to work. Deadlines can be as fixed as springtime and harvest. It means for me, at least a thousand words a day, even if they end up in the trash can; today, the icon on the desktop rather than the office's waste-paper basket. Writing can be lonely, which is why feedback from reviews, as well as newsletters like this, and help from beta readers is so invaluable. |
To avoid the downside of being sedentary, I have a dog that won't let me sit still for too long.
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The idea for ESPI, titled "The Spectral Detective", came to me in a dream. November 16, 2021, making it an early entry in my dream journal. I began recording my dreams on October 4 of that year. A short but arresting dream about a comic book pulp era type hero, in the classic noir setting of the Private Investigator's office, "a secretary, and it's not clear how or why the man is blind, his eyes are white, and there is scarring around the sockets in the common trope." There's then a visitor in the femme fatale "the sense of a European implied Germanic, Aristocrat, so implied by the trope as the "Nazi" villain."
I began writing Fiction again in earnest in March 2023, creating "Flash Fiction", which is a very short story of, in my case, around 600 words, based on my dreams. I began using material from this year but stalled by the end of April. I picked up the endeavour in December and have stuck with it since. When I restarted, I began at the beginning of the journal, meaning early in 2024, I revisited this short dream from late 2021.
As "adventure" dreams go for me, this is relatively short on detail and action, yet I felt drawn to the idea and began plotting a novel treatment. However, before starting a new work—my first book, "Dragons Unleashed," needed some long-overdue attention, at least addressing spelling and grammar errors. I also expected to correct some sentences, adding or deleting words and rephrasing them. Famous last words. This process, a thorough polishing of the prose, combined with the usual pressures and distractions of real life, took longer than I had anticipated, which also delayed my work on both the Spectral Detective and other projects. Next came the prologue giveaway book for "Dragons Unleashed," i.e. "Dragons' Shadows", which I released last week! I am currently writing the prologue to the Spectral Detective series; those. Those interested in beta reading some of the completed chapters can apply here.
"The Monster Of Grug" by Richie Billing
People vanishing in the woods. Reports of monsters. Someone has to investigate.
It wasn't uncommon for people to disappear in the woodland named The Fingers, but when twelve people vanish in a week, questions are asked, and answers sought. "Monster of Grug" by Richie Billing is a well-crafted short story that combines atmospheric setting, strong character development, and thrilling action, exploring themes of fear and duty in the dark fantasy world of Tervia.
For those seeking a gripping tale, battling monsters within a well-thought-out fictional world, this story offers a compelling narrative, showcasing Billing's talent for creating immersive and emotionally resonant fantasy.
"The Source of Strife" by Alex Arch
Energy can neither be created nor destroyed. Only stolen.
Mages feed on catalysts like Dinnie to enhance their spells, and since she’s the most formidable weapon alive, they will stop at nothing to control her. Even her parents, leaders of warring realms, wage a battle for her custody, imprisoning her to prevent the other from gaining the upper hand. No more.
For the first time, Dinnie isn’t alone. With the help of Ghost, a glum deserter shackled to his past, she intends to flee this madness. But as they witness the horrors unleashed to retrieve her, one thing becomes clear: Her parents will never abandon their claim. Death and destruction follow in Dinnie’s wake, and she must decide if her freedom is worth the cost. With a unique magic system and engaging characters this epic fantasy with a dash of Western is the perfect read for fans of Red Dead Redemption and Brian McLellan.
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© C J Charles 2025