Happy New Year and welcome to 2024’s first Author Diary! 🎉
This year, my main focus is on growing our community on Ream and enhancing our subscription experience.
📝 This Week’s Highlights:
Doubling Down on Subscriptions: Join me as I share my vision and plans for moving more into a subscription model.
Writing Punks Versus Zombies Episodes 17-19: This week, I’ve been working on the first drafts of these thrilling new episodes.
Subscription Course for Authors: I’ve been enhancing my knowledge with a course specifically tailored for authors focusing on subscriptions
🌟 Community Interaction:
Your thoughts and feedback are invaluable. Let’s discuss in the comments: What do you look forward to in our community this year? What would you like to see more of in Punks Versus Zombies?
Don’t forget to like, share, and subscribe for weekly updates, insights, and more from my author’s journey. Here’s to a fantastic year ahead!
🚀 Book Launch Update: I’m thrilled to share the latest on my book launch for “The Fall of Wolfsbane,” Ravenglass Legends, Book 1. The journey is heating up as the paperback version is now live! Plus, mark your calendars – the Kindle edition releases on January 18, 2024. Get ready for a captivating read!
🎄 Christmas Special on Substack: Don’t miss out on my festive treat! “Lord Sidebottom and the Christmas Caper” will be available on my Substack on Christmas Eve. It’s a holiday story you won’t want to miss. Check it out at joncronshawauthor.substack.com.
📚 This Week’s Reads:
“Endgame”: Diving into this revealing exposé on the British royal family. It’s an eye-opener!
“The Eye of the World” by Robert Jordan: Continuing my journey with this epic fantasy saga.
Stay tuned for more updates, insights, and bookish conversations. Don’t forget to like, share, and subscribe for more author adventures!
It’s been a week full of writing, refining, and some fascinating reading. Join me as I delve into the progress of my current projects, tackle the art of book descriptions, and explore intriguing new literary horizons.
📚 Welcome to this week’s Author Diary! 📚
What’s in Store This Week:
🔪 Working on “Scoundrels” I’ve been immersed in developing my thief fantasy novel, “Scoundrels.” This novel is a prequel to “Dawn of Assassins,” featuring the same beloved characters but set before the events of the original story.
📘 Crafting the Book Description for “The Fall of Wolfsbane” Condensing a 108,000-word novel into a 120-word book description is no small feat! This week, I’ve been chiselling away at the book description for “The Fall of Wolfsbane.” I’ll discuss the challenges of distilling a complex narrative into a brief yet compelling summary.
📖 Reading Highlights My reading list this week has been quite diverse. I’ve dived into “TerrorTome” by Garth Marenghi, a horror parody novel that’s as entertaining as it is clever, and “Mud Ride” by Steve Turner, an exploration of the grunge band Mudhoney. I’ll share my thoughts on these reads and how they’ve influenced my thinking.
🌑 Discovering Nobledark Fantasy I’ve recently stumbled upon the fantasy sub-genre ‘nobledark.’ This discovery has been a revelation, as it perfectly encapsulates the thematic essence of my writing: flawed heroes navigating tough circumstances guided by their personal moral compasses. I’ll talk about how this genre resonates with my work and my future explorations in this realm.
It’s been another action-packed week in my writing world, filled with progress, creativity, and some intriguing learning experiences. Let’s dive into all the updates and explorations of the past week.
What’s Inside This Episode:
🧟 “Punks Versus Zombies” – New Episodes!
Exciting news for fans of “Punks Versus Zombies” – I’ve written two more episodes! The story continues to evolve, and I can’t wait to share these latest instalments with you. Get ready for more action, drama, and suspense in the world where punks clash with the undead.
🗡️ “Guild of Assassins” – Responding to Feedback
Based on some valuable feedback, I’ve added an extra chapter to “Guild of Assassins.” Crafting a story that resonates with readers is a journey, and I’m dedicated to making each chapter as engaging as possible. I’ll discuss how feedback influences my writing process and the importance of staying adaptable.
📖 Redrafting “Ravenglass Legends Book 2”
The journey continues with the redraft of “Ravenglass Legends Book 2.” Delving back into this world is always an adventure, and I’m making steady progress. Join me as I share some behind-the-scenes insights into the redrafting process and how the story is shaping up.
🎧 Podcast and Learning Insights
This week, I’ve been engrossed in the “Tales from the Rabbit Hole” podcast, exploring the fascinating world of conspiracy theories. Additionally, I’ve been listening to the Great Courses lectures on Conspiracies and Conspiracy Theories. It’s been an enlightening experience, and I’ll share how these topics have sparked new ideas and influenced my thinking.
What a week it’s been! From major progress in my writing to embarking on a legendary literary journey, this episode is packed with exciting updates and insights.
📚 Welcome to Jon Cronshaw’s Author Diary! 📚
✍️ A Productive Writing Spree
I’ve had a tremendously productive week, penning down five new episodes of Punks Versus Zombies.
The story is escalating—higher stakes, intense emotions, and fraying nerves.
It’s been a productive and exciting week in my writing journey, and I can’t wait to share all the latest developments with you. From revisiting old projects to celebrating new achievements, there’s plenty to talk about!
🌟 Welcome back to my Author Diary for this week! 🌟
It’s been a productive and exciting week in my writing journey, and I can’t wait to share all the latest developments with you. From revisiting old projects to celebrating new achievements, there’s plenty to talk about!
In This Week’s Episode:
📚 Back to “Ravenglass Legends Book 2” After a few months’ break, I’ve returned to redrafting the second book of the “Ravenglass Legends” series. I’m diving deep into the world and characters once again, and it feels great to be back. Join me as I share some insights into the redrafting process and what it’s like to revisit a project after time away.
🧟♂️ “Punks Versus Zombies” Episode 9 The ninth episode of “Punks Versus Zombies” is written and ready to thrill! I’ll be talking about the latest happenings in this adventurous serial and what you can expect in this new installment.
🎨 New Cover Reveals! I’m thrilled to share the brand new covers for “Punks Versus Zombies“, freshly delivered from the designer! We’ve got covers for the book, podcast, and YouTube video, and they look fantastic.
📖 Book of the Week: “The Pagan Lord” by Bernard Cornwell This week, I indulged in Bernard Cornwell’s “The Pagan Lord”. It’s historical fiction but ticks all the boxes for a fantasy lover like me. I’ll share my thoughts on this captivating read and why it resonated with me.
🔮 Looking Ahead As always, I’ll give you a glimpse into my plans for the coming week.
This week’s author diary is a bit more personal and introspective, as I navigate through the ups and downs of a writer’s life, including dealing with SAD, creative revelations, and some critical decision-making.
🌨 Coping with SAD
Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) has been a hurdle this week, but understanding and acknowledging its impact every November gives me a sense of empowerment.
It’s a reminder that self-care is as important as productivity.
Despite these challenges, I’ve completed the final draft of episode 8 of Punks Versus Zombies and penned the first draft of a new Lord Sidebottom short story.
Pushing through the fog of SAD to create these pieces has been a challenging but rewarding journey.
And I did take some time off to rest and immerse myself in the comforting world of Terry Pratchett’s Lords and Ladies.
It’s amazing how the right book can act like comfort food.
🤔 A Revelation About Dawn of Assassins
A recent one-star review led to a startling realisation: my Dawn of Assassins series is misclassified.
It’s not so much about assassins as it is about thieves and their moral journey around the idea of becoming or not becoming assassins.
This has me pondering—should I relaunch the series with new covers and titles that more accurately reflect its content, or should I leave it as is?
The decision to possibly relaunch Dawn of Assassins is a complex one, balancing the authenticity of the series against the practical aspects (and, let’s be honest, expense) of rebranding.
Thank you for joining me in this week’s author diary, where the journey of writing is as much about self-discovery as it is about storytelling.
Join me this week for an update brimming with new beginnings, exciting launches, and some seasonal festivities. Here’s a sneak peek at what’s been happening:
Hello from sunny Morecambe!
🌙 Finishing “The Long Night” I’ve put the finishing touches on my short story, “The Long Night,” and I can’t wait for you to read it. This tale is set to unfold on my Substack in the coming weeks.
Subscribe to My Substack at joncronshawauthor.substack.com
📦 “Dawn of Assassins” Books 1-3 Boxed Set Launch The wait is over! The first three books of my dark fantasy series “Dawn of Assassins” are now bundled into a thrilling boxed set. It’s available on Amazon, ready to take you on a journey filled with danger and intrigue.
😂 Live Laughs with Garth Marenghi I had the joy of experiencing Garth Marenghi live in Manchester – a blend of horror and humour that makes for an unforgettable night. It’s always refreshing to see how comedy and horror can intermingle so brilliantly.
🎃 Halloween at Blackpool’s Illuminations Halloween was a blast this year, as I found myself amidst the iconic Blackpool’s Illuminations. The lights were spectacular, adding a bit of sparkle to the spookiest night of the year.
In this week’s episode, I’m juggling short stories, audio projects, and boxed set preparations. Here’s a rundown of what’s coming your way:
Hello from chilly Morecambe!
In this week’s episode, I’m juggling short stories, audio projects, and boxed set preparations. Here’s a rundown of what’s coming your way:
🎅 New Short Stories: “Lord Sidebottom and the Christmas Caper” & “The Long Night” The festive season may be approaching, but it’s not all mistletoe and mince pies. Get ready for “Lord Sidebottom and the Christmas Caper”, a holiday escapade that’s sure to tickle your fancy. Meanwhile, “The Long Night” serves as a gripping prequel to my upcoming “Ravenglass Legends” series.
🎧 Audio Stories for YouTube I’m continuing to add to my YouTube channel with a couple of narrative treats. Look out for the audio version of the “Dawn of Assassins” prequel, “The Little Thief”, as well as a story set in the Ravenglass Universe, “Clockwork Titan”.
📦 “Dawn of Assassins” Boxed Set Launch Mark your calendars! The “Dawn of Assassins” boxed set is set to launch on October 31st. It bundles together the first three books in the series and it’s available for a special introductory price of just 99c/99p on Amazon for a limited time.
🔔 Don’t forget to like, subscribe, and hit the bell icon so you’re always in the loop. 🔔
In this week’s episode, I have some exciting updates for all you bibliophiles out there.
📚 Hello from sunny Morecambe! 📚
In this week’s episode, I have some exciting updates for all you bibliophiles out there. Here’s what you can look forward to:
🖋 Finishing Guild of Assassins Guild of Assassins is complete, and it feels like a massive weight has been lifted off my shoulders! If you’re into tales that blend dark schemes with edge-of-your-seat action, then this book is for you.
🎩 New Steampunk Story–Lord Sidebottom and the Quicksilver Quandary That’s right! I’m diving into the Steampunk genre with a brand-new story. Expect cogs, gears, and a heap of adventure as Lord Sidebottom tackles his most perplexing quandary yet. You can listen to the audio version now on my YouTube channel.
📝 Starting the Outline for Guild of Assassins: Book 2 It’s never too early to plan for the next book, and I’ve just started outlining the sequel to “Guild of Assassins”. Stay tuned for updates!
📖 The Fall of Wolfsbane – Ravenglass Legends Book 1 The Fall of Wolfsbane is currently with the proofreadier and is almost ready for release. It’s the first instalment in the Ravenglass Legends epic fantasy series, and I can’t wait to share it with you all.
📣 Call Out for ARC Readers In the coming weeks, I’ll be making a call for Advance Review Copy (ARC) readers for The Fall of Wolfsbane. If you’re interested, make sure to join my Facebook group, The Ravenglass Universe for a chance to be among the first to dive into these stories.
🧟♀️ “Punks Versus Zombies” Now a Podcast Great news for fans of my ongoing zombie serial! Punks Versus Zombies is now available as a podcast, as well as on YouTube and Substack. Now you can enjoy the zombie apocalypse on the move!
🔔 Don’t forget to subscribe and hit the bell icon so you don’t miss any updates. 🔔
👉 Join the Facebook group: The Ravenglass Universe
