News

23 January 2019

I keep saying I'm going to update this more often, and, as you can see, I never do. So what's my excuse this time? Well, it's a pretty big one. It seems my gall bladder, a small organ near your liver, has decided to stop cooperating with the rest of my body to keep me alive, and instead wants me dead. It's started to make gallstones, which then go wandering around my body, causing me pain, vomiting and general nastiness like that. But soon, NHS permitting, it will be gone, and I'll be pain-free but living on a diet of salad and vegetables. Yuk!

Anyway, enough of that. I've started making video games now, another attempt to make my mark on the world which will probably end in oblivion like all the rest. They're very simple, and really just a bit of something to add to my portfolio to impress any games companies I apply to for a job.

Not much else going on really. Still no word from my business partner, I presume that's the end of it and I'll have to go to court to get it sorted. It's not something I'm going to worry about at the moment, not in my condition.

Otherwise, it's just waiting for the train crash that is Brexit and for Trump to start the nuclear holocaust.



1st of March 2018

I've decided to be a bit more active on the interwebs. To this end I have started blogging more, and have created a Patreon page in order to, hopefully, offer some regular advise to other writers about this lark we call writing.

I've not done much with Twitter yet, not sure it's worth the effort. There seems to be a lot of traffic and I'm thinking most of my tweets will just get lost in the rush.

I have a Facebook page, had it for years, but to me it looks like it's just a place to chat and share photos of your dinner, your pet or yourself in a snood. Perhaps we should all go back to Myspace?

In other news, I've started playing Black Desert Online. I got tired of waiting for Star Citizen, which will be at least another year before it's worth playing, although I do keep dipping into the Alpha. I got it for four quid on special offer, BDO that is. It's ok, keeping me playing for now, but Final Fantasy it ain't.

In other, other news, the UK has been brought to its knees by a few inches of snow. This storm, dubbed the "beast from the east" has crippled the entire country, closing schools and causing havoc on the roads. Other countries must be laughing at us, well, they do that anyway, but they have regular snow at set times. Our weather changes too fast, next week it will be sunny.

9th of January 2018

Ok, so it's not six months later, but there has been a major development. I can't say too much about it pending legal action, but my involvement with Fireclaw has been somewhat curtailed by the other person involved, who has changed all the passwords and basically locked me out of the company's resources! I'll let you know as soon as things are sorted out, one way or the other.

In other news, I have taken the plunge and bought a package for Star Citizen, which is still in early Alpha, but is already amazing! I'm also keeping my eye on Dual Universe, and will probably give it a good try when I can, then see which holds my attention the longest.

See you later.

20th of September 2017

I told you it would be another six months! Ok, so it's eight, who's counting? (Me, obviously.) Well, I have been busy this year. The second book in the Society series is done and published, and two, yes two volumes of my comic Earthborn... woah there steve-0! what do you mean comics? There's been no mention of comics before. Obviously, because it was top secret. Now it isn't top secret because they're all over the internet and now I'm telling you, ok? Beg your pardon, carry on. So, the first issue of my YA SF comic, Waking Nightmare, was released a few months ago, and now the second issue, Space Scavengers, is also out now, and both, and indeed all Fireclaw's comics, can be bought and paid for on our website Fireclaw.uk. We're also selling a few select comics on Comixology, Amazon, iBooks, Kobo, Drivethru comics and Lulu. (No, not the singer, the website.) So there you go. Work continues on further comicy related goodness, so keep your eyes open for them.

In other news, the search for an MMORPG to play continues. I went back to EVE for a while, but it's too boring. I'm trying Otherland now, but I think I'm on the server alone, so not so much MM. I might try Dual Universe when it comes out, but that's a way off yet, or Star Citizen, which looks great but has PVP, although I hear it has a slider to reduce such encounters. If they do a free fly offer I'll give it a try.

In other, other news, the summer wasn't that bad, certainly warm, and on occasion far too hot for the likes of me.

That's it really. See you again in about six months-ish.


9th of January 2017

Hello again.

I can't believe it's 2017! Where the hell did 2016 go! I'm glad it's gone to be honest, it wasn't one of the finest years on record for many people. Although the whole Brexit/Trump/Russia-China-US-Macho-Posturing thing doesn't bode well for this year.

Anyway, in more pleasant news, I've co-authored a book with Matthew Lloyd, which was released yesterday. It's about AI's and their impact on humanity, but is character based. It was an enjoyable experience, working with Matthew. He has lots of deep and huge ideas, but can still see their effect on humans. I'm used to working alone, but it's definitely something I'd do again, should the opportunity present itself. This was book one of a trilogy, so I'm looking forward to working on the next one, hopefully soon. It's called "The Society's Demon", and is available on Amazon as a paperback or a Kindle download.
I'm also working on the top secret project I can't talk about, which is an RPG complete with setting and rules. There's also another project which shares some of the same canon (No, that's cannon) and is also top secret, but will be revealed very shortly indeed.

In other news, I still can't find a decent MMORPG (Mostly Men Online Role Playing Girls) to play. I'm looking for a Sci-Fi setting, maybe post-apocalyptic, but without PVP, or at least optional PVP. I'm just not a fan,OK? Some people love it, I don't. So if you have any suggestions, feel free to let me know. You'll also be glad to hear that the mid-winter festival has yielded a bumper crop of White Toblerones so I'm set for another year. Despite the fact the manufacturer has reduced the weight of each bar, the shear number of them adequately compensates for it.

In other, other news, winter has been something of a damp squib here in the UK. We've had a few frosts, but nothing wintery. It's mostly been raining, which is a shame because I like it when it snows.

So, that'll hold you for another six months,

Bye! (I'm waving at the screen for some inexplicable reason.)


23rd of August 2016
Hello everyone, he said ironically.

I can't believe it's over a year since my last post. As you can probably guess, our top secret project isn't yet ready to launch, mainly because it isn't finished. I know what your thinking, "I wonder if No Man's Sky is the game for me." To be honest, it's been playing on my mind of late also. I've also been wondering if they should have called it No Person's Sky, because there are female gamers as well. Anyway, back to the task in hand. It isn't finished because these things take time and money. Although we have the time, we don't have the money. So a new strategy has been devised, and we are now going to write some comics, and use the money we earn from those to fund the completion of the top secret project. Cunning in its simplicity!

In other news, I made myself a desk, a huge slab of a thing, with plenty of room for my puter and stuff, loads of dice, some rock samples and the key to Erebor. So here I sit in comfort and joy, listening to the traffic reports and laughing, because that used to be me in that three mile queue. Working from home is great, but there are so many distractions. People knocking at the door, the phone ringing, dogs barking, huge flies coming in the window and attacking me, knowing there's a huge white Toblerone mere inches from where I'm sitting. It's not easy, but the alternatives are too terrible to contemplate.

In other, other news, both the tram works and the A453 are complete. I personally don't really use either of them, but they have improved the area.

Anyway, enough for today, I've got chocolate to resist.

Byeeee!


29th of June 2015
Hello!

So, (See below) I've been very busy doing stuff and things, and not least my major, top-secret project I can't talk about, but you can have a shufty at this website, if you promise not to talk about it. Are we cool? Great.

This has been taking up a lot of my time as you can imagine, being as it's a huge and epic, and probably unending piece of work. It's more awesome than lego. That's right, you heard it here first.
I'm not going to lie, we've had problems, but we're working through them one at a time, like a tortoise on a banana, and soon we'll be asking you all for money. No, come back! I mean, we'll be launching a Kickstarter campaign. Unless one of you has several thousand quid they don't need at the moment? No? Damn.

In other news, I've decided to stop watching tele. Not that I watched a lot anyway. But twenty minutes of 'sponsored by', adverts, trailers, another 'sponsored by' and then a recap of what happened in the first half, what's coming up in the second half, and then, finally, ten minutes of content is not my idea of a good time. Now, I have more time to write, and to play, huzzah!

In other, other news, the A453 roadworks finished ahead of schedule, but they've had to dig up the road again for the tram works, apparently they used the wrong type of concrete. How difficult can it be to go down B&Q and ask for concrete suitable for trams? It's a farce.

Anyway, I'm done,

Byeeee!


5th of February 2015
Hello everyone!

You can shut up before you start! I know how long it's been since my last entry, it says so right there!

Any road up, I've been busy with...stuff. So, the new thing is with people who are well educated to start sentences with 'so...' I don't know why.
I can't remember what I came on for...oh yes! I have a new book out! It's a collection of inter-related short stories inspired by some artwork done by the very talented Alex Gutierrez Franco. They're about a bunch of people who live on a plateau above a dangerous forest. It's called Flesh and Stone, and it's available now to download to your Kindle or other device what can read Kindle files, which is pretty much most things that have a screen, but probably not your washing machine or the back door. (Multicultural joke there!)

Right, here's the link, go get it!

By the way, those worried about the tram works and A453 widening, they are still on-going, tram works are taking far too long, the roadworks are on schedule. And it's raining and no I don't yet have a new blind.

Ok, that's me.

See ya!



3rd March 2014

Hello peeps! Me again. (Who were you expecting, it's my website?)

Anyway, look, I've added a new section! I've literally read the entire Internet to find some of the best news stories of the last few years, and collected them together for your entertainment and delight! I'm great, I am! I'm not sure if some of them are true or not, just read them and make up your own mind.

Also, I'm off to Em-Con in a few weeks, the East Midlands premier Sci-Fi convention. You can pop along and see me if you like, say hello, buy some books or an autograph or even a photo.
Just joking, the autographs and photos are free!

And if you want to know what I've been doing since the last time I updated the News page, it isn't slacking off and playing Final Fantasy XIV far too much! (Ok, it sort of is a little bit.)
I've been working on a novel, writing for a secret project and doing some writing on a secret project. (Damn you NDAs!)

As soon as I am able, you'll be the first... well second after me, and the publisher, and my wife, the dogs, my friend Huw, the neighbours, some other people I've forgotten... look, you get the picture ok? You'll be the first ordinary people to know.

In other news, the Tram works are now over-running, if you'll pardon the pun, but at least there are now several hundred meters of track. The A453 widening scheme is going a pace, it stopped raining for almost a full day, and the sun is actually shining. It's in my eyes, as it happens, I really need a new blind.

Right, get back to work the lot of you, I've got things to kill, I mean writing to do.

P.S. why do people use P.S. in emails? You can just go back and edit it.


Snood!



16th May 2013

Hello!

Some good news and some bad news this time. Which would you like first? Bad news? Good choice.

The bad news is my latest novel has been delayed by the worldwide economic recession. (I don't do things by half do I?) Due to these unforeseen financial reasons, you'll have to wait a while longer for the novel's arrival.

Now for the good news. My first novella, 'Soulkeepers' has received a 4-star review on Amazon.com, and by no less a person than Nicholas Grabowsky! Yes indeed. Thanks man!

Otherwise, I continue to work on my top secret, world-changing project, and some other stuff.

In other news, the tram works are still on-going, although they have actually laid some track now, about 3 metres. Woo!

Until we 'meet' again,

Hugs!



12th March 2013

Hello again. Lots to report this time. I've broadened my scope yet again and have been writing articles for the video game industry. I'm writing articles previewing future game releases for a website called gamearrivals.com.

If that wasn't enough, I've also done some spoof news articles, for questionablenews.com.

I'm continuing to work on my novel, and I've also just started another project, a top secret writing project that will change the way we read books forever! And no I can't talk about it!
You'll just have to wait and see!

In other news, the roadworks for the new tram-line are getting really annoying!

Until next time,

See ya!


21st January 2013

2013 and still alive, which is a bonus, I suppose.

Anyway, my latest novel, see below, is in layout and final preparation, so should hit the (e)shops soon!

Also, look out for a series of 5 short stories I've been working on for a while, they too should be available soon.

And now, I'm writing another Science fiction novel, aimed at the upper end of the YA market, this one is set aboard a colony ship heading for the stars. This is nearer to mainstream than my usual stuff, you'll see what I mean when you read it. This is not so much deliberate than I think the story suits that kind of treatment. Time, being a bit of a blabbermouth, will tell.

And, the snow looks great in my garden, which is full of robins (not literally, the garden isn't that small nor are there enough robins in the area) ahhh!

8th October 2012

My latest novel has just gone off to be edited by an English professor! I'm not sure if that's because it's so bad it needs that level of expertise, or because it's so good it's attracted the attention of such an esteemed mind. I prefer the latter, of course. Time will tell.

I can't tell you too much about it at the moment, suffice to say it's a SF/F type YA novel. I'll give you more information as and when I can.

5th October 2012

I've switched from a traditional website to this Blogger version so I can update it and generally mess about with it whenever I like. A big thank you goes to "The" Ray Wilson, a young but talented man, a guru and future businessman of the year, for making the transfer painless.

1st October 2012

It's raining.