Tag: Author YouTube vlog

Posted on

I have Returned and Here’s the Upcoming Plans

I can’t believe we’re already twenty days into November!

by John Irvin

Okay, so I thought I’d already blogged the first week into November, but come to find out, no it’s not here. Weird.

Time gets away from me these days.

I have an excuse for last week’s absence. I was literally absent from my computer. I took the annual camping trip with friends to Oak Mountain State Park in Alabama.

But, now I’ve returned with more zest to accomplish more goals. I love how nature does that to me. It’s like a natural refresh or recharge. Not that I’m a robot or anything.

Anyhoo, you ever get something done and think, phew! I feel so accomplished and I made it through. Then you listen to the work you finished and the audio seems so quiet you’re disappointed with your life?

Yeah, me too.

That’s what happened to today’s YouTube vlog. It took a lot of gathering pictures and audio recording and background music. Then I published it and listened and… YUCK!

I can barely hear myself.


So, for today, I’ll just share the transcription below and next week, hopefully, I’ll do better. Thanks for understanding!

YouTube Episode 123 Transcription:

It’s been over a month since I last posted a vlog. There was a reason for that. You recall how my vlog normally coincides with my blog?

Well, the past few weeks, the blogs have been a sub-series about my dream cast for the first three books in my Longevity series. And, since I would have to post pictures, in order to keep away from copyright issues, I decided to forgo the vlog side of it.

My readers could simply google the actors and actresses while they read the articles.

It was enjoyable and I’d love to see these movies come about within the next couple of years. Of course, I’d have to have a little face time in each one, I’d be a random Scotsman in a kilt running across the background in a scene or plowing a field in France in another scene, depending on which movie.

Then I finished that fantasy and went on a camping trip with friends last weekend, so there was no blog either.

We’ve returned safe and sound and now I’ve been working on an outline for my upcoming work.

I’m finishing up the first draft to an old book idea I conceived years ago. It’s called Strangers to the Realm. It has elves, orcs, faeries, ancient prophecies, parallel realms, and blossoming romance.

I plan to finish that before the end of November—this is possible, I only have four chapters left to write.

Then I’ll switch gears and work on a short proofreading book for my independent proofreading business. I’ve been told by several entrepreneurs and influencers that this would do well for the credibility for my business, so I’m going to try it.

Then it’s finally back to the world of Longevity. A brief summary again.

Longevity, Book 1: Revelation is about Sir Ihon Iraes discovering he is not human, he’s from the Wolf-Born Race. Then he goes on his first adventure. There’s love, grief, self-discovery, action, and mystery.

Book 2: Independence: Sir Ihon returns to the world of men to find his native country in the middle of a war for independence. He meets the famed Sir William Wallace and becomes best friends. There’s plot twists and world travelling as with the first book.

Book 3: Wandering: Still not out in print, but in ebook format, that will be fixed soon. Sir Ihon finds himself in inner and outer turmoil thanks to Zandra the Immortal. It takes wandering throughout the world and meeting so many different renowned historical figures for him to find himself again.

And when I return to that world next month in December, I plan to start where I left off. I’ve already written the first draft for Book 4: Revolution. So, I’ll begin with the first draft of Book 5: Treason and over the next year make my way through Book 6: Discovery and Book 7: Premonition to finally completing the first draft of the final book in this main series, Book 8: Extinction.

This series has been eleven years in the making. One more year to go—I can’t believe I’m this close. Of course, it’ll probably take a whole year after that to get through the second and third drafts then editing and proofreading and designing cover art. But who knows, we shall see! I’m excited.

Well, there’s the plan, y’all. And hey Magic’s Time Split was ten books and I finished and published all those, so this is possible for the foreseeable near future.

Until next time, sign up for my newsletter and get your free copy of Magic’s Time Split, Book 2: When Kingdoms Arise.

If you enjoyed this post, you should sign up for my newsletter! I don’t spam and you can unsuscribe at any time. I only send out emails on Fridays. Sign up here: SIGN UP!

I’m also a Patreon artist—the cool thing about Patreon is it allows people to support artists by monthly pledges which allow the artists to have more time to work on their own passions. Here is my account: PATREON.COM. If you’d like to support me, I would be eternally grateful!

I’ve now been hosting a YouTube channel called John Irvin, Author Journey Series. Check it out at YOUTUBE.COM/AUTHORJOURNEY

Follow me on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram. Or email me at john@johnirvinauthor.com

Posted on

A Question-and-Answer Session for today’s Blog

What am I? I’m an Author.

By John Irvin

First, before we start, I want to bring up the fact that I did publish the series finale for my Patreon-exclusive Ikkilion Chronicles last weekend. It felt so good and a bit bittersweet to say farewell to Pwyll and Fea Libane. But I’m happy I accomplished something else.

What am I going to do next for Patreon? The only way that can be answered is if you become a sponsor here on my page:

Patreon Irvinnovelist

While I’ve been steadily writing steadily every day in my Strangers to the Realm novel, I’m also looking at getting to know more people on mostly Instagram and LinkedIn. It really is all about engagement and content creation and making connections.

So, here’s a little Q&A for today’s blog. I’ll also work on this for my YouTube vlog for today as well. Here is the link for your viewing pleasure.

            First question: Have you ever gotten reader’s block?

            Answer: Yes, I’ll admit, there have been days where I simply don’t feel like reading. That’s mostly from exhaustion, I think. So, I understand—to a point—when my friends say they just don’t feel like reading. But there does come a point where I make myself get back into reading and I find I wonder why I’d been blocked in the first place.

            Second question: If you could tell your younger writer self anything, what would it be?

            Answer: Have patience. Don’t be so quick to self-publish a book. Make sure to hire a better editor and be willing to wait and save up for a good artist. Quality takes time.

            Third question: As a writer, what would you choose as your mascot/avatar/spirit animal?

            Answer: That’s easy, I’ve already chosen. A wolf. Many of my books have variations of werewolves. They are such magnificent creatures and can teach us humans a thing or two, such as loyalty, faithfulness to one’s spouse, community, etc.

            Fourth question: What does literary success look like to you?

            Answer: I think I’ve finally decided what this looks like to me. Literary success, to me, would look like me being able to buy a house with the book royalties alone and paying off the mortgage in less than ten years.

            Fifth and last question: Do you read your book reviews? How do you deal with bad or good ones?

            Answer: Yes, I definitely read all my books’ reviews. So far, I’ve had one bad one and it was ridiculous. I don’t respond to negative reviews, I’ll laugh and move on. Good reviews are highly encouraging and I appreciate them so much. If there is good constructive criticism in a review, I’ll take it to heart.

If you enjoyed this post, you should sign up for my newsletter! I don’t spam and you can unsuscribe at any time. I only send out emails on Fridays. Sign up here: SIGN UP!

I’m also a Patreon artist—the cool thing about Patreon is it allows people to support artists by monthly pledges which allow the artists to have more time to work on their own passions. Here is my account: PATREON.COM. If you’d like to support me, I would be eternally grateful!

I’ve now been hosting a YouTube channel called John Irvin, Author Journey Series. Check it out at YOUTUBE.COM/AUTHORJOURNEY

Follow me on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram. Or email me at john@johnirvinauthor.com

Posted on

A New Schedule and More Promo!

Testing, 1, 2, 3…

By John Irvin

            If you’ve checked the post I made on my Patreon page, you’ll know that I’ve done a little rearranging. Yes, instead of Thursdays for my blog and vlog, I’m moving to Saturdays. And the same goes for my Friday Broadcasts, they’ll be moved to Saturdays as well.

            I may be shooting myself in the feet here, but we’ll see how this goes.

            Speaking of which…

            And back to my present WIP for my Patreon subscribers, The Ikkilion Chronicles. I have only the Finale left to publish. It was due this week, but I don’t want it to feel rushed. People have told me in the past, they can tell when my writing is rushed. So, I’m postponing to next Saturday (18 September).

            Just a reminder about the premise for the techno-fantasy serial my sponsors get to enjoy:

            The story begins with a man and wife who are both amateur mages. They’re summoned by a usurper, the Witch Queen, who demands the location of what she calls the All-Stone. They have no idea what she’s talking about. So, like all good tyrants, she throws them in her dungeon. They escape and a long chase comes about that takes these two across several kingdoms.

            The Ikkilion Chronicles is Patreon-exclusive, which means, it will not be published anywhere else. The only way you can read it is to subscribe as a one-dollar-a-month patron. There will also be extra goodies in the near future too. So, don’t miss out.

            Before I continue, here’s the link to my Patreon, so you can join in the world:

www.patreon.com/irvinnovelist

            Now, on to this week’s spotlight of my own published books.

            The complete collection of my Shattered series is in PRINT! It has been for over a year now. The end of the old North American nations is turning out a little differently than I imagined, but still.

            New nations form after the global blackout caused by a natural EMP in the atmosphere. But can these new nations survive? Can they even thrive possibly? With some people still wanting to resurrect the old regimes, will these new nations be launched into a North American War and can they win?

            Here’s the page link: https://johnirvinauthor.com/book/shattered-the-complete-collection/

If you’ve been keeping up with my author journey, you’ll know that I’m also running a YouTube channel. I may not post EVERY week, but I do try to post often. They usually run about two to three minutes long just giving updates or promoting one of my books or a book I’ve been reading.

          And for your viewing pleasure, here’s the video for today’s episode:

If you enjoyed this post, you should sign up for my newsletter! I don’t spam and you can unsuscribe at any time. I only send out emails on Fridays. Sign up here: SIGN UP!

I’m also a Patreon artist—the cool thing about Patreon is it allows people to support artists by monthly pledges which allow the artists to have more time to work on their own passions. Here is my account: PATREON.COM. If you’d like to support me, I would be eternally grateful!

I’ve now been hosting a YouTube channel called John Irvin, Author Journey Series. Check it out at YOUTUBE.COM/AUTHORJOURNEY

Follow me on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram. Or email me at john@johnirvinauthor.com

Posted on

There are more Worlds than You know!

I want to talk about two totally different worlds today and I hope you enjoy and tag along.

By John Irvin

            Okay, where did this week go? I feel like I just sent out my Friday Author Broadcast yesterday, but no, that was six days ago and I’m already due for another one tomorrow.

            But for today, I’m going to bring up two of my most prominent worlds I’ve published and shared with this world you and I live in.

            Magic’s Time Split is my biggest series so far and, if you’ve been reading my posts, you’ll know the first book is permanently FREE. All you have to do is pull it up on Amazon—or go to the page on my website menu—and download it into your Kindle app on your phone or iPad or whatever. It’s also permanently FREE on Nook for you Barnes&Noble lovers!

            There’s a group of families who want to start a settlement and forget the corruption of the present day. Their leaders manage to find a means of time travel and they arrive at Hidden Lake, Montana Territory, in the year 1815.

            But, unbeknownst to the rest of the travelers, two of the leaders have ulterior motives. It seems, there’s an ancient Egyptian idol tucked away inside Hidden Lake. An idol of the god Thoth, the creator of Magic. This idol supposedly encases Magic itself.

            What happens with a crystalline idol imbued with all Magic shatters into a thousand shards?

            Why don’t you download the book and find out? Also, there’s a Call to Action in the first book, if you sign up for my Author Broadcast, you get Book 2: When Kingdoms Arise for FREE too!

            And back to my present WIP for my Patreon subscribers, The Ikkilion Chronicles. I’ve got two more episodes to write and I’m so happy to announce the completion of the serial.

            The story begins with a man and wife who are both amateur mages. They’re summoned by a usurper, the Witch Queen, who demands the location of what she calls the All-Stone. They have no idea what she’s talking about. So, like all good tyrants, she throws them in her dungeon. They escape and a long chase comes about that takes these two across several kingdoms.

            The Ikkilion Chronicles is Patreon-exclusive, which means, it will not be published anywhere else. The only way you can read it is to subscribe as a one-dollar-a-month patron. There will also be extra goodies in the near future too. So, don’t miss out.

            Before I continue, here’s the link to my Patreon, so you can join in the world:

https://patreon.com/irvinnovelist

            If you’ve been keeping up with my author journey, you’ll know that I’m also running a YouTube channel. I may not post EVERY week, but I do try to post often. They usually run about two to three minutes long just giving updates or promoting one of my books or a book I’ve been reading.

          And for your viewing pleasure, here’s the video for today’s episode:

If you enjoyed this post, you should sign up for my newsletter! I don’t spam and you can unsuscribe at any time. I only send out emails on Fridays. Sign up here: SIGN UP!

I’m also a Patreon artist—the cool thing about Patreon is it allows people to support artists by monthly pledges which allow the artists to have more time to work on their own passions. Here is my account: PATREON.COM. If you’d like to support me, I would be eternally grateful!

I’ve now been hosting a YouTube channel called John Irvin, Author Journey Series. Check it out at YOUTUBE.COM/AUTHORJOURNEY

Follow me on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram. Or email me at john@johnirvinauthor.com

Posted on

News, Updates, and Goals

The Twentieth Episode is out on Patreon, and My Brain is Out Planning the Rest of the Summer

By John Irvin

            So, you know about my Patreon. I’m a creator over on that artist-focused website. I’ve got my own profile and my own single tier level. I call it my tip jar. But, it only works if people actually tip.

            Do I sound like I’m desperate? Because I’m actually not, I’ve been doing all right running and working my independent proofreading business. But when it comes to my writing life, it is definitely a reward to see my work is appreciated.

            The Ikkilion Chronicles is Patreon-exclusive, which means, it will not be published anywhere else. The only way you can read it is to subscribe as a one-dollar-a-month patron. There will also be extra goodies in the near future too. So, don’t miss out.

            Before I continue, here’s the link to my Patreon, so you can join in the world:

https://www.patreon.com/irvinnovelist

            If you’ve been keeping up with my author journey, you’ll know that I’m also running a YouTube channel. I may not post EVERY week, but I do try to post often. They usually run about two to three minutes long just giving updates or promoting one of my books or a book I’ve been reading.

            Make sure you subscribe by clicking through the link below.

            In other news, I’ve started the first draft for The First of All, a legend novella in the Longevity series world. If you know about Longevity, you know there have been three books published. Revelation and Independence (Books 1 and 2) are in hardcover, paperback, and ebook format. Book 3, Wandering, is in ebook only for now. If I remember correctly, it is the latest book I’ve published and that was last year.

            I’ve taken a break from publishing anymore as I want to see more love. But, people can refuse to buy my books and, though that breaks my heart, it will not deter me from writing. I will keep writing until I die, if the good Lord sees fit.

            On that note, I have three books that I’ve pulled off the back shelf. I started work on them predominately back in 2017 and then shelved them for a bit. I’ve got an itch to get back into those worlds and finish the work. And here lately, on top of continuing the Ikkilion Chronicles and starting The First of All, I’ve been doing a bit of work here and there with those three. I’ll share the titles at a later time.      

          And for your viewing pleasure, here’s the video for today’s episode:

If you enjoyed this post, you should sign up for my newsletter! I don’t spam and you can unsuscribe at any time. I only send out emails on Fridays. Sign up here: SIGN UP!

I’m also a Patreon artist—the cool thing about Patreon is it allows people to support artists by monthly pledges which allow the artists to have more time to work on their own passions. Here is my account: PATREON.COM. If you’d like to support me, I would be eternally grateful!

I’ve now been hosting a YouTube channel called John Irvin, Author Journey Series. Check it out at YOUTUBE.COM/AUTHORJOURNEY

Follow me on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram. Or email me at john@johnirvinauthor.com

Posted on

My Patreon Supporters now have a New Episode!

After almost four months of absence, I’m finally back again with more fun short stories and other writing articles.

By John Irvin

          Wow, is it just me, or did the time vanish? I don’t know what happened honestly. I got caught up with my proofreading work and, I think, the blogging and YouTube vlogging kind of took a back burner.

          But hey, what matters is I’m back! I’ve returned with more news and announcements.

          No, I haven’t published a book in a spell, but maybe later this year? I do have two or three ebooks ready—they’re only waiting on their cover art.

          As for today’s blog—number 270—we’ll be talking more about my Patreon creator site.

          Patreon is something I’ve talked about before. I was away from it for the time I was focusing on trying the whole GoFundMe fundraising thing. That didn’t work out. My team and I were planning a book tour that would take me from Pensacola, Florida, to Los Angeles, California.

          But a certain pandemic happened that forced it to a later date. Then no one was giving except a couple of our own teammates. It was a disappointment, but we don’t blame anyone. The whole world has been through a lot and is still going through crap right now thanks to humans in charge.

          Anyways, on a brighter note. Patreon. Yes, that’s where I was. Patreon is a site for creatives like me to garner patrons. Some do it on a weekly basis, a pay-per-view, or a monthly basis, with rewards. That’s my ordeal. I’ve had it set up for an episode a week for anyone willing to send me a dollar a month. I call it my tip-jar.

          What’s a dollar a month? That’s not even a cup of coffee! So, you could send me a dollar and still get that latté.

          And the really cool thing about this, it works almost like a fundraiser. The more people who give a little, the higher support I have for chasing my dreams. Imagine if five hundred people gave a dollar each a month. That pays for cover art and publishing fees for one book.

          I could literally get back to publishing a book a month like I was doing a couple of years ago! Lord knows I have enough books written, I could do that after a little revision.

          So, maybe you’ll help me out? Will you? And share with your friends who might like a bit of techno-fantasy in their lives.

          Techno-fantasy? What’s that? Well, I’m glad you asked.

          The Ikkilion Chronicles was originally going to be a steampunk saga—it was my first attempt at the genre. But, after only a couple of episodes writing into the story, I knew that wasn’t going to work out. I need to do more reading in the genre before I try again. But, there’s still technology in this world called Ikkilion, even with the magic.

          So, I decided I’d just start calling it techno-fantasy.

          And now, I’ve published sixteen episodes on the backlog for my Patreon sponsors. No one else gets this series, except you if you sign up!

          A little about the story:

          Pwyll and Fea Libane are having a happy life together—despite the fact Pwyll’s parents vanished a few years earlier. The story begins when they’re summoned by the Witch Queen—a usurper of the throne of Eraterra.

          She demands something they have no idea about.

          There’s possibly an escape from the dungeons and a massive trek across the kingdom. Will these two make it through the traps and threats among the lawless and higher echelons of society?

          Only one way to find out.

          Today, I am posting the seventeenth episode! My Lost Home, Episode 17 of the Ikkilion Chronicles.

          Episode 17: My Lost Home.

          And for your viewing pleasure, here’s the video for today’s episode:

If you enjoyed this post, you should sign up for my newsletter! I don’t spam and you can unsuscribe at any time. I only send out emails on Fridays. Sign up here: SIGN UP!

I’m also a Patreon artist–the cool thing about Patreon is it allows people to support artists by monthly pledges which allow the artists to have more time to work on their own passions. Here is my account: PATREON.COM. If you’d like to support me, I would be eternally grateful!

I’ve now been hosting a YouTube channel called John Irvin, Author Journey Series. Check it out at YOUTUBE.COM/AUTHORJOURNEY

Follow me on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram. Or email me at john@johnirvinauthor.com