John Irvin's Author Blog and Book Library
So, I thought to finally give a short update for my patrons and followers on Patreon. Forgive me for the long absence. I will probably only be hopping in and out maybe once a month or so.
There are a lot of things going on in my life right now. But as I say in my Patreon update below, I promise I will return to a more vigorous author/writer lifestyle. SOON!
In the meantime, check out my update:
Patreon.com/A-Little-Update-from-the-Ghost-of-an-Author
When the Tyrants of the Milky Way arrive, it’s time for some good old-fashioned resistance.
The very first novel I published was StarQuest. It’s hard to believe this book turned six years old two days ago!
The story of a group of freedom fighters who became a galactic task force to find a New World where they could reestablish a nation based on their own principles and ideals.
Yes, today being 4 July is the reason I’m bringing this book up.
A national resistance becomes a galactic resistance.
General Johan Eryn and his task force take the USS Patriot on an excursion across the Milky Way and they discover… we are not alone.
But surprise, the other worlds were actual colonies from Ancient Earth—we’ve merely been out of contact for millennia. Now, these other colonies are being oppressed by a tyrannical race called the Clongoth.
Can the rebellion unite a whole galaxy against this powerful race? How will all these “primitive” races form a strong-enough front against a technologically advanced force?
Oh, did I mention, if you sign up for my Super Supporters on Patreon, you’ll receive a free hardcopy of this first novel of mine! On top of that, you also get the option of choosing one of several ebooks I’ve also published.
There are two short ebooks in the StarQuest world: Forgetfulness and Epix. These both take a setting before the novel on the timeline. So, if you join the Super Supporters tier level, you could grab a free copy of one of these too!
Forgetfulness is sort of explanatory. The team can’t remember who they are or where they come from. They’re servants at some royal palace in some strange world they believe to be their homeland.
Epix is about the time when the USS Patriot is given a whole new addition to its spaceship body and becomes the USS Patriot Ultimatum. Everything in this story is oversized! Even the moon god that threatens the planet’s existence.
I want to mention before I leave today, soon, I will write a third short ebook, which will take place after the novel. After that, there’s a second novel planned and it’s going to be even more epic because I am a far better writer now (it’s not bragging if it’s true). There will be some original characters and lots of new ones too!
So, on that note, come join our space ship and explore the galaxy with us!
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
I am so glad I moved out of the city.
Waking up to birds chirping or even the rooster crowing is so much more serene than waking up to a train blaring its horn. I am so thankful for this residential move out to the country. Yes, the drive to the store is a bit longer, but still, I’ll take the peace over the hustle and bustle of the city.
Maybe I’ll take a horse too.
There is something about nature and the enjoyment of creation that gets the creator in me stirred up.
With everything going on in so many different parts of my life, I haven’t had much writing in my books. But, next week, I’ve planned a whole day of writing. I’m going to first finish the proofreading work I’ve got on my schedule, then make sure I’ve hit some goals in my sales and marketing nutrition and health business.
Once that is taken care of, I’ll just set aside a whole day where all I’m going to do is write. It’ll be mostly in Longevity, Book 5: Treason as I’m behind schedule with that. Hopefully, I’ll get close to finishing that first draft thanks to the writing day.
It’s been a while since I had a writing day (meaning, spent several hours in one day just writing). I think it’s high past time for another.
I would like to do some writing in my Children of Alia series, volume 2. We shall see. This writing day will be my day.
I should also work on something for my Patreon subscribers. You should hop over there and check it out and let me know what you think.
I could start using my Dungeons and Dragons saga I’ve been working on off and on, but we’ll see.
One thing I plan to do with my next paycheck is to buy a map creator program that some fellow author friends of mine have been recommending. I love maps. I love creating them. I love studying them. There is something about a good map that just thrills the creator in me.
When I’m sketching a map, the creator in me wants to know what the biomes are and where the people live. Who are the people? What are their characters? What do they look like? How do they act?
See, I’m just letting these words flow out while my brain thinks of the maps I’ve created in the past that inspired the stories I’ve either published or will be publishing soon.
Speaking of publishing, I’m still working on an issue with Longevity, Book 3: Wandering. It seems the pdf file that IngramSpark requires didn’t have all its fonts embedded. So, after all that work and money fixing the file, it still has another issue. I’ve reached out to IngramSpark and they just got back to me, offering an idea of how to fix it.
I can’t get to it right now as I’m busy trying to get other things finished. But soon, my friends, soon! You’ll finally be able to continue Ihon’s (pronounced Ian’s) journey!
In the meantime, you can check out the array of books I have listed on my website: johnirvinauthor.com.
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
A brief explanation of my vanishing for the past half a year.
I was seriously not planning to ghost all of you for six months. I started a side gig on top of my freelance proofreading and for a little while I wasn’t doing much writing. I’m still not, but maybe a little bit.
Today, I actually managed to work in a couple of hours of researching for some of the stories I’m presently working through. I have two story summaries for two different ideas and then I’m also working on the first draft for Book 5: Treason in my Longevity series. I was planning to be done with that first draft end of April, but things have just been busy.
I know, I know, that’s not good. It’s not a good type of busy when it steals your time from writing.
But, there was some good in it. I moved residences. Thankfully, moved out of a rotting trailer and I’m not living at a brick farmhouse with plenty of space and slightly dependable internet.
I also reached a goal for my four-month-old side gig—it’s a sales and marketing company, I’m a distributor for one of the top lines in nutrition and agriculture. Now, I’m hoping to reach the next goal before the end of the month. Seven more days, it’s still doable.
If you are interested in finding a US-based, personal supplier for meal replacement shakes, soap, energy drinks, vitamins and supplements, protein shakes, toothpaste, shampoo, perfume, makeup, and home accessories—basically, over 300 products—then just email me at john@johnirvinauthor.com or reach out to me on Instagram if you follow me there.
We can set up a call or video chat and possibly find a handful of items of most value to you in a few minutes.
But today, the couple of hours of research I squeezed in was pointed to the Longevity series. One of the items on my list to research was for more actors for my fantasy cast list for the movie version of the series. It’s a little hard finding the right actors, but a little easier finding the actresses. I’m not going to try to explain that haha.
Oh, in the proofreading department, I’ve hit a record when it comes to manuscript length. This book I’m presently proofreading is 417 pages long! That’s the longest I’ve ever proofread. I thought that was cool. So, all in all, I’m hitting records and goals and I’m thrilled to see what happens the next six months.
I also published my first nonfiction book, it’s a proofreading tips book for writers, editors, and publishers alike.
Make Your Writing Zing With Proofreading A Through Z!
But, I promise, I will try to work better on publishing more blogs over the next six months. Forgive me for being so late with this one.
I’ve also updated my Patreon profile, you can check out the first goal I have on there and maybe help me attain it.
As you can see, I’ve got a lot to manage these days and I seem to be adding more and more. But it’s all in the long-term mindset for building an empire. I’m loving the process because I can believe the finish line is somewhere on the horizon.
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 allows 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
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
The Dream Cast: Who would I want to see be cast in the roles of this fourth and final list from my Longevity series?
by John Irvin
Today marks the 280th blog post on my website. Wow, that’s a lot of writing. It’s also the final part in this Dream Cast series as you can read above. This little sub-series has been so much fun. Today, we’ll actually have a couple more than the usual number of characters.
Longevity, Book 3: Wandering was quite a piece of work. I enjoyed every second of my main character’s journey through his life and the vast array of historical and fictional characters he met along the way.
But, again, a forewarning: if you see any printed copies (hardcover or paperback) on sale for this book, do not order. It is ONLY supposed to be out in ebook for now thanks to the formatting issue in the printing process.
Back to the tale and my dream cast. In this book, Sir Ihon Iraes (pronounced Ian Eraze) returns home after a long time in the Haven with Zandra the Immortal. He finds a new structure built into the place where his old house used to be. Castle Iraes is managed by Lady Celia Stuart.
She is the daughter of Desi Wallace, Sir William Wallace’s daughter and Ihon’s ward. While Ihon had gone away, Desi had married an upstanding Scotsman and they’d had the funds to build the Castle Iraes and leave it in charge of their daughter who now runs it with her own daughter Lady Molly Stuart.
These two women play a decent-sized role in the beginning of the book. I’m combing lists of actresses I think worthy of their parts and have decided Helena Bonham Carter would give Lady Celia the proper air I envision her having as ward of Castle Iraes and its valley tenants. From her roles as Bellatrix from the Harry Potter saga to Queen Elizabeth in The King’s Speech, I tell you what, she would be a superb fit.
Lady Molly is young and slightly naïve, but extremely curious about this strange Laird of the Iraes estates. She wants to know the mystery behind his long life and journey. I believe Haley Pullos could play an excellent Molly Stuart. She’s from General Hospital. I’ve never heard her make a Scottish accent, but you never know!
This next one is one of the few men who play a major role in Ihon’s journey through this third installation. John Knox, the Scottish Reformer, is one of the few humans to actually stumble upon Sanguiatro, the Capital of the Wolf-Born Race. Tucked away into the Highlands, it’s supposed to be well-hidden from human or Spawn eyes. I wonder how James McAvoy would feel about playing this eccentric role. Something to ponder, Mr. McAvoy? I mean, you are a Scotsman.
On his wanderings, Ihon finds a solitary life in the forests of medieval France. There he meets a young girl by the name of Joan d’ Arc and sort of becomes a mentor. She, believing him to be a spiritual apparition of one of the saints, claims he is one of three. I’d like to see Mia Talerico being cast in the role of Joan.
She’s the baby star from Good Luck, Charlie. Such a cutie!
The other two supposed “saints” to give Joan her tutelage in the ways of religion and warfare are two sisters Ihon actually meets. The three of them have a short tryst together you might say. I’m not going to spoil any more. But their names are Guinevere and Margot—they are French Wolf-Born who actually choose him as the alpha of their little pack.
I’d love to see Alexandra Daddario as Margot and Scarlett Johansson as her older sister Guinevere. Perfect match. I fell in love with Alexandra as Annabeth Chase from Percy Jackson and the Olympians. Scarlett was why I fell in love with Black Widow from her very first scene in Iron Man 2.
But good things come to an end and Ihon must move on after a dilemma that has to do with the Supreme Council and other officers of the Creed Army.
And now, the final character I want to dream cast an actor for—or rather an actress—is the Princess of the Chitimacha tribe. Ihon actually makes his way to the New World and ends up continuing his wanderings into the vast wilderness there. He stumbles across a native tribe that sees him as a fulfillment of a prophecy. The chief’s daughter, Fawn, is supposed to wed a white stranger, according to this prophecy, and they would bring great prosperity to the tribe.
Fawn, is played by Emma Watson. Made famous by her role as Hermione Granger in the Harry Potter saga, and every nineties baby’s crush, I’d love to have her cast in this romantic role.
Well, there you have it, my dream cast for the first three books in my Longevity series. I hope you enjoyed this as much as I did.
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