The Adventures of Sir Edric – out now

The Adventures of Sir Edric is now available to buy at Amazon, for the frankly demented price of 99p (price will go up in the near future).

Amazon UK: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Adventures-Edric-Hero-Hornska-Book-ebook/dp/B01DOSP9ZK/

Amazon US: http://www.amazon.com/Adventures-Edric-Hero-Hornska-Book-ebook/dp/B01DOSP9ZK/

Obviously, this is a magnificent, witty, hugely enjoyable book, and I hope you check the samples and see if it’s for you. There’s also a new review extolling the delights of Sir Edric and his assorted shenanigans:

 https://thetattooedbookgeek.wordpress.com/2016/03/31/the-adventures-of-sir-edric-a-hero-of-hornska-book-review/

Thaddeus

The Adventures of Sir Edric – first reviews

The first two reviews for my forthcoming fantasy-comedy, The Adventures of Sir Edric (releases in just under a week), have come through (several more are expected in the next couple of weeks). I’ll add these to the Reviews tab above, but as release is near I’ll also post short blog articles adverting readers to new reviews.

Quite pleased, as the current ratings are “I’m obsessed” and “9/10”. So, if you’re considering buying The Adventures of Sir Edric but are unsure if it’ll be your cup of tea, check the reviews and see what you think.

Here are the first two reviews:

"He is far from perfect and he does not strive to be perfect. However, despite all these flaws, you can’t help but root for him. Dog as well. The two play off each other perfectly. Dog has morales, but is unwavering in his service to Edric, and often does most of the fighting and saving. It makes his character as interesting and important as Edric himself."

"So overall, if you’re looking for humor, an unwholesome character, and a great adventure, I highly recommend this book."

LK Evans reveals she's obsessed with Sir Edric.

"The Adventures of Sir Edric is a well written, well-paced story, set in a colorful, well-planned world.  If you haven’t read too much comic fantasy (like me), this is a great book to start with.  But bring some tissue… you’re gonna laugh ‘til you cry!"

Cathbad gave Sir Edric, and his adventures, 9/10.

The limited edition hardback can be pre-ordered here,

[Initial release will be the hardback and e-book, but no pre-order for the e-book, as yet].

Thaddeus

Tips: Writing Comedy

With The Adventures of Sir Edric to be published on 31 March (initially as an e-book and signed limited edition hardback, which can be pre-ordered here, paperback to follow), I thought a piece about writing comedy might be apt. [I’m toying with the term mirthjape as a counterpoint to grimdark].

Consistent, But Not Repetitive

A consistent level is important. You can’t have cunning political satire one moment, and then expletive-ridden slapstick the next because readers will feel like they’ve been enjoying Yes, Minister only for the tape to be changed halfway through. At the same time, variety to the jokes will help the book feel less like a one note gong.

Why I Don’t Like F-Bombs

F-bombs, as the Yankee Doodles say, are not to my taste in writing. The problem is that the word and its various forms are so useful that you can shove them in anywhere. Personally, I prefer trying to come up with more varied and original terms. Plus, ye olde insults like rapscallion and scallywag are a bit more charming.

The Hidden Joke

I don’t do this too often, but sometimes I like to include a hidden joke (maybe once or twice a story). A hidden joke is either one that only makes sense in the context of a later event, or one that is subtle enough for a reader to miss it entirely. The advantage is that if you see it, it’s amusing, and if you don’t then you don’t miss out on anything because you don’t know it’s there. Obviously, this means they might not be visible to all readers, which is why I only do it once or twice in a story, so people who re-read might get something they didn’t see the first time.

Not Everybody Will Laugh

Along with music, comedy’s probably about as subjective as things get. And some people don’t like satire, others dislike slapstick, and so on. Not everybody will like your style. Some are very politically correct, others (who are handsome and from Yorkshire) are not. So, don’t worry about it if some people don’t like your particular style. Unless everybody hates it, of course…

Satisfy Yourself First.

It’s important to be at least slightly amused by your own stuff. If it doesn’t (the first time) make you smile, then why will anyone else enjoy it? The first person you need to satisfy is yourself. Then beta readers/editors and, finally, readers.

Get A Second Opinion (And Then A Third)

It’s all very well laughing at your own jokes [in private], but what really matters is when Other People like your stuff. Beta reader feedback is even more useful, I’d venture, for comedy than serious writing precisely because it’s so subjective. Just be sure your beta readers are brutal enough to be honest if your jokes are terrible.

So, those are a few basic suggestions for writing comedy.

Do give The Adventures of Sir Edric a look. It’s more amusing than a mongoose wearing a fez. If you’re unsure, here are some free short stories for a taster.

Thaddeus

2016: Publishing Plans

Depending how things go, I’m hoping to have 2-3 things published this year (as it stands, off-chance I might have an extra short story or two).

Forget Me Not, a short story of mine, features in the horror anthology The Haunting of Lake Manor Hotel, published by Woodbridge Press and due out soon. I’ve beta-read a couple of the other 12 stories, and know a few of the other authors, so I’m confident this is going to be worth a look.

Probably after that, The Adventures of Sir Edric (Volume One) will be published by Tickety Boo Press. This will include both the excellent Sir Edric’s Temple novella [previously self-published], and the entirely new novella Sir Edric’s Treasure. It’ll be my first traditionally published solo work and (as the title suggests) is intended to be the first part of an ongoing series.

[Sir Edric’s Kingdom, a novel-length third story, is in the final throes of finishing, and I have vague plans for a fourth large story, with a working title of Sir Edric and the Plague].

In the second half of the year, Kingdom Asunder may be released. It’s largely done (does need a final check), but there are some other things to consider. As the first part of a trilogy, I’d prefer to avoid large gaps between publishing instalments. The second story, Traitor’s Prize, is currently undergoing an initial redraft, and I haven’t started the final part yet.

It’s also possible, as mentioned, I might have extra short story releases, either as part of anthologies or for the excellent Kraxon magazine.

Anyway, The Haunting of Lake Manor Hotel and The Adventures of Sir Edric (Volume One) should both be out within the next few months. When I have firm dates in hand, I’ll be sure to bang on about them.

Thaddeus

A publishing deal with Tickety Boo Press

As the incredibly subtle title may have revealed, I've got one of those publishing deal thingummyjigs with Tickety Boo Press.

In addition to the currently self-published Sir Edric's Temple, Sir Edric's Treasure (the second instalment in The Adventures of Sir Edric) will be released by Tickety Boo at some time in the future.

The books will be sold separately rather than bundled, so if you were one of the wise fellows or ladies who bought Temple already you won't have to fork out for it a second time just so you can read Treasure.

No ETA for release. I'm hoping it'll be sometime next year. The basic text for both is done, though small changes are likely (I shall not be adding the "That's about as tempting a prospect as a handjob from Edward Scissorhands" joke, though. Just too anachronistic).

So, thanks to Tickety Boo for the opportunity, to my beta readers for pointing out the many flaws in my writing, and, most of all the readers, who will hopefully buy Temple and Treasure in enormous numbers to help me walk a little further along the road from struggling artist to obscenely successful writer.

Thaddeus

This was originally posted on my site, at http://thaddeuswhite.weebly.com/writing-blog/a-publishing-deal-with-tickety-boo-press

Blog Hop

This was passed onto me by the delightful EJ Tett, author of various books (mostly YA fantasy), including The Power of Malinas Trilogy.

What am I working on?

My main work-in-progress (WIP) is Sir Edric's Treasure, the second story in The Adventures of Sir Edric. The eponymous hero finds that it's not nice to be wanted when it means a gang of ruthless bounty hunters are after you. To procure funds to pay off his huge bounty, Sir Edric (accompanied by his trusty manservant Dog) takes part in a competition to try and win an enormous inheritance. But he's not the only competitor, and he'll need all his cunning to stay ahead of his rivals, and the bounty hunters.

How does my work differ from others in its genre?

It's pretty rapid-paced fantasy comedy, and I try to add a certain dose of healthy cynicism to fantasy. Sir Edric's a selfish, sceptical, worldly wise fellow. He has no aspirations to world domination (or saving it either), he just wants to make some money, have as much sex as possible, and not die in the immediate future.

Why do I write what I do?

I enjoy it, and (hopefully) other people do too. I like grimdark a lot, but I also enjoy a lighter approach. Other people raising a smile or laughing out loud at my work (ahem, in a good way) is greatly rewarding. Besides, often when reading fantasy certain peculiarities do spring to mind, and it's nice to point these out in a gently mocking way. An example I haven't written about yet would be Mount Doom, and Sauron being the most stupid chap in the world.

There's one place, just one, in all the world that can destroy the Ring. Sauron has an enormous army of Nazgul, orcs, elephants (more or less) and so on. How many men does he assign to guard the solitary entrance to the only place that can undo him? 10? 1,000? 10,000? None. Not one. He's an utter blithering idiot.

How does my writing process work?

Work is such an... optimistic word.

For comedy, it operates with a sense of chaos and uncertainty. Planning is minimal (excepting the basics of the central storyline) which has its ups and downs. Each chapter tends to be more spontaneous than it otherwise would be, and I think that helps creativity and comedy. On the other hand, it does sometimes make progress slow.

I also have four unfortunate beta readers in whose general direction I fling chapters every so often (if possible I prefer to have each chapter read by at least two beta readers, with all, if possible, reading the first and last). Without them everything would be much, much worse, because I'm hopeless at objectively assessing my own comedy (when you've read a joke seven times it becomes an act of guesswork to try and assess how amusing it would be to someone else).

Due to some computer issues (and, er, being so absent-minded I have to check several times a day I'm still wearing trousers), I only remembered to get one more person to carry this on, but she is a delightful one, worth twice the average at the least:

LK Evans is the author of Keepers of Arden (The Brothers volume 1), with a sequel in the works.