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 Post subject: Re: Dorth's Cunning Plan
PostPosted: Thu Oct 08, 2015 6:37 pm 
Ringwraith
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Book 3 is being proofread and tweaked at present. Entitled 'Phantom Ships, Ghost Flotilla', this one introduces a lot of new characters, new locations and gives more background information on the world I have created. It is over 460,000 words plus maps and table of how Imperial military units are structured.
And you also get to meet Rolani and Tayani again :)
And Her Majesty - she is not what you might expect.

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 Post subject: Re: Dorth's Cunning Plan
PostPosted: Wed Oct 14, 2015 8:56 pm 
Ringwraith
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93 chapters done, only 27 to go and some maps to finish off. But those are long chapters....

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 Post subject: Re: Dorth's Cunning Plan
PostPosted: Sun Oct 18, 2015 7:39 pm 
Ringwraith
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The main proofreading is done - I discovered I had missed a chapter heading at one point near the end but that is fixed. Still some map work to finish off but I might just be able to have the book ready for Halloween.
The problem with the maps is that I have to shrink them and reduce detail for the sake of the overall file size for the book, making life a bit complicated when your story encompasses an awful lot of territory...
I am also including the structure charts for Imperial military units. That will become MUCH more important in books 4 & 5 :)

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 Post subject: Re: Dorth's Cunning Plan
PostPosted: Tue Oct 20, 2015 7:00 pm 
Ringwraith
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It is an impressive feat to write novels, let alone flush them out with detailed maps. You must be quite chuffed with your achievements. Are they popular?

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 Post subject: Re: Dorth's Cunning Plan
PostPosted: Thu Oct 22, 2015 4:46 pm 
Ringwraith
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Not yet....
But everything has to start somewhere :)

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 Post subject: Re: Dorth's Cunning Plan
PostPosted: Sun Oct 25, 2015 9:01 pm 
Ringwraith
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I am on the final (!) proofread of book 3 (Phantom Ships, Ghost Flotilla). Almost half a million words... 10 maps...

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 Post subject: Re: Dorth's Cunning Plan
PostPosted: Sat Oct 31, 2015 6:42 pm 
Ringwraith
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As fireworks explode all around and hordes of hideous little monsters (I believe the other word for them is children) roam the streets demanding sweets, I labour on at the final read through. I had hoped to be finished tonight but that ain't gonna happen.
But there is a chance I will have it done late tomorrow :)
Definitely sometime this week.

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 Post subject: Re: Dorth's Cunning Plan
PostPosted: Mon Nov 02, 2015 1:41 am 
Craftsman
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Its late tomorrow. Is it done?

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 Post subject: Re: Dorth's Cunning Plan
PostPosted: Wed Nov 04, 2015 5:43 pm 
Ringwraith
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Hi 'a Hobbit'.
Proofreading has taken a little longer than hoped - I am about to start tonight's session - I am currently in the midst of Chapter 113 (out of 121!)
Updates on progress and some of my other activities are here:
https://www.facebook.com/pages/JC-Ramsa ... e_internal
I hope to have the book published by this weekend.

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 Post subject: Re: Dorth's Cunning Plan
PostPosted: Wed Nov 04, 2015 11:14 pm 
Craftsman
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How much did it cost to make the ebook?

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 Post subject: Re: Dorth's Cunning Plan
PostPosted: Thu Nov 05, 2015 4:42 pm 
Ringwraith
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It's an e-book only at the moment: I know from experience that getting published in physical print is a nightmare, even if you have a good book. So I went for indie e-publishing from the start.
As for cost - I am working non-stop at these stories using up essentially all the 'free' time I have available. That adds up to a lot of hours over the last few years, so putting even a low pay rate on it for myself would still run into a substantial sum. I do the artwork, maps, proofreading, all of it.
I have 2 more big books more or less written though the second of those needs a lot of work - it is the conclusion to the storyline I began with 'Instrument of the Empire'.
Then I have 4 more stories featuring Master Omari, at least 2 on Hedar, the Spear Point Invasion tale, the last Narrowlands War, what happens after the current lot and more. I think that takes care of the next 10 years for me :)

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 Post subject: Re: Dorth's Cunning Plan
PostPosted: Thu Nov 05, 2015 10:37 pm 
Craftsman
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So that means that it costs nothing to make an ebook? Me and a friend are making one.

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 Post subject: Re: Dorth's Cunning Plan
PostPosted: Thu Nov 05, 2015 11:03 pm 
Ringwraith
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Only if you regard the many hours it will require as being financially worthless - there is no guarantee that any book will sell or will sell in sufficient numbers to make a living out of it.
'Phantom Ships, Ghost Flotilla' has just been published. I am crawling off to bed now, tired but happy. Good night all :)

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 Post subject: Re: Dorth's Cunning Plan
PostPosted: Fri Nov 06, 2015 10:59 am 
Ringwraith
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Just to give you a better idea of the scale of the stories, here are a couple of the maps:
First the Narrowlands province.
Image
Second, the City States, Principalities, Sheylon and Rectoria. The Narrowlands is that tiny wee thing up in the top left corner.
Image
A lot of thought has gone into these, and frankly you are seeing very much downsized versions - my working maps are 15000x10000 pixels and upwards.

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 Post subject: Re: Dorth's Cunning Plan
PostPosted: Sat Nov 07, 2015 3:24 pm 
Craftsman
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Dorthonion wrote:
there is no guarantee that any book will sell or will sell in sufficient numbers to make a living out of it.

We're not planning to make a living off it, it's just for fun :-D

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 Post subject: Re: Dorth's Cunning Plan
PostPosted: Sun Nov 08, 2015 11:12 am 
Ringwraith
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I do want to make a living out of it - eventually. There comes a point in life when you just get fed up doing things for other people who basically don't give a damn. So I am laying the foundations for my own little enterprise.
I enjoy the writing and associated artwork and research. I get annoyed at how often my time is usurped by others, but I keep going nevertheless. If you want to do it for fun - go ahead. Why not? That's what life is about - trying something new.
If people mock you for doing it, ask what they are doing with their lives. Don't be a monotonous drone conforming to everyone else's ideals and preferences.
Don't remain a respectable hobbit! Go chase that dragon :)

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 Post subject: Re: Dorth's Cunning Plan
PostPosted: Wed Nov 18, 2015 7:38 am 
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692 pages into first pass read/edit on next book - 'Journeys Through The Fog of War'. The strange thing is that since I had been away from this part of the overall tale for a few months, it is like reading something written by someone else. I had forgotten a lot of one-liners and little vignette scenes but not the general threads (yes, multiple threads to the storyline). It is hard work but satisfying for me.

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 Post subject: Re: Dorth's Cunning Plan
PostPosted: Sun Nov 29, 2015 9:10 pm 
Ringwraith
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After several bad days I had hoped to get more done this weekend but after one unexpected bit of bad karma, it has all gone downhill a bit. Not a happy or productive weekend.
(Sighs) And tomorrow is Monday. Oh great...

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 Post subject: Re: Dorth's Cunning Plan
PostPosted: Fri Dec 04, 2015 4:08 pm 
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It is windy and raining outside but I do not care.
I am reading and tweaking the dialogue and action on a siege at present. Catapults, trebuchets, heavy bolt throwers - the lot.
Just for variety I have been working on another set of naval engagements and other skullduggery.
Spies, plots, arcane devices of unknown provenance and a spot of simple honest affection thrown in for good measure (note: not romance. Read Mills & Boon if that is your thing.)
And the fantasy elements? Well in books 4 and 5 you do get to meet at least one demon, and then there are the Great Sabres. Big cats but uncannily clever in ways that defy explanation.

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 Post subject: Re: Dorth's Cunning Plan
PostPosted: Fri Dec 04, 2015 10:52 pm 
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Love the map :)

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