Dorth's Cunning Plan

Dorthonion · **Posted:** Sat Dec 05, 2015 12:37 pm

Thank you. These are the downscaled monochrome versions I am using in the e-books. The working versions I have for writing purposes are far too big - typically 10000 x 10000 and above.
I have an entire planet to map...

Dorthonion · **Posted:** Sat Dec 19, 2015 6:58 pm

It is rather humbling to receive a unique Christmas present. This one is unique. It is the only one in existence. I was gobsmacked. I still am. Friends of mine have created a hardcover version of my first book, fully bound, slipcased and with a velvet outer cover and a guide on how it was done. Incredible work. I am utterly chuffed!

Dorthonion · **Posted:** Thu Dec 24, 2015 2:06 pm

Holidays have started, meaning more time for everything including working on my books.

Dorthonion · **Posted:** Sun Jan 17, 2016 11:33 am

I just checked my word counter for all published items and works-in-progress. 1452459 words as of this moment. That is way too many. I need to say more in less verbiage but then some of the story threads would be lost in the three longer books (the first two were 'normal sized'.
Just for comparison, War and Peace is 561304 words.

Dorthonion · **Posted:** Fri Jan 29, 2016 6:41 pm

In the middle of a huge sea battle... arrrr!

Dorthonion · **Posted:** Sun Feb 07, 2016 1:43 pm

Arrrr! Sea battle over, heading for the coast.

Dorthonion · **Posted:** Thu Feb 11, 2016 7:40 pm

Psychological warfare in a fantasy setting: you don't get that very often. Well I am exploring some unfamiliar avenues though there are sound reasons for doing so.

Erunion · **Posted:** Thu Feb 11, 2016 8:55 pm

Psychological warfare makes perfect sense in any setting! And who better to right about it than someone who's half-crazy anyway!

Dorthonion · **Posted:** Sun Mar 13, 2016 4:52 pm

Major siege phase 2 in progress. The second loudest thing on two legs is running the show at the point I am writing. People are shooting arrows at him and he just points a sword at them and issues a command to his 'helpers':
‘Send them to Hell, ladies and gentlemen!

Note to self - never type comments in a hurry...

Dorthonion · **Posted:** Mon Mar 28, 2016 12:14 pm

Things are drawing to the grand conclusion in the siege and land war. I have tried to keep an awareness of how the poor and more importantly slow communications of ancient times (well more or less up until the telegraph wires appeared) would have hampered all sides in a conflict.

On the other hand, some people have other tricks up their sleeves

Dorthonion · **Posted:** Sun Apr 10, 2016 4:13 pm

Still working on the books despite a seemingly endless series of real world annoyances. It will be one year since 'Instrument of the Empire' was published this month so I am contemplating a way of marking that little anniversary.

Dorthonion · **Posted:** Sat Apr 16, 2016 7:56 am

I published my first e-book a year ago, and two more since then, with more
in the advanced stages of writing or existing as detailed drafts.
Some of you have read the books or part thereof (judging from the number
of free downloads). I thought it appropriate to acknowledge the support I
have received by offering a discount on the full version of the titles to those
who have liked my Authors Page at:
https://www.facebook.com/pages/JC-Ramsa ... 5384480587
The discount codes apply to the 3 published titles:
https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/536954
https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/569360
https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/590814
Notifications will be sent directly to those who have liked the Author's Page.
The coupons will be valid until 31st May 2016.

The first 25% free download still applies across the board so people can get a sample of the books and see whether this is the sort of thing they would like to read. Since the 3rd book is almost half a million words the sample is as long as most novels

Happy reading folks!

Dorthonion · **Posted:** Sat Apr 23, 2016 8:29 pm

Writing about a villain can be intriguing, especially where you can dump all the social niceties and inhibitions and be utterly evil to everyone. But it has to be done in an intelligent fashion for it to work. Oh you can have your demented megalomaniacs and lunatic fringe ideologies (10 a penny in the real world unfortunately) but every story needs credible antagonists. Baron Draegyss is becoming a favorite of mine, though Godfrea's story is better fleshed out and much of it has not been revealed (yet).

At this point I feel obliged to go 'Muah-ha-ha-ha-ha-haaaaaaaaaaaah!'

Highlordell · **Posted:** Mon May 23, 2016 5:03 pm

Hi Dorth, just had a brief scan through this thread, and I've got to say I'm a bit blown away by the amount of work you've put in. I've just finished writing a 20,000 word dissertation for University and I thought that was a lot.

That being said, I (like just about everyone) do harbour ambitions to write of novel or two in future. I started working on some drafts about a year and a half ago, but haven't really had time with university work (which I'm due to finish this week!!). Just wondering if you had any tips for a) Staying motivated to actually write (as opposed to just holding everything in your head) and b) fleshing out the text, as I tend to detail events in too little space and struggle to find ways to elaborate without diverging from the story itself (if that makes sense).

I'll make sure to read the summaries and initial pieces when I get time, looking forward to updates.

Dorthonion · **Posted:** Thu May 26, 2016 12:59 pm

Staying motivated: I want more from life than software or middleware development and all the bureaucratic baggage of working for a large employer where HR and Finance rule even though they don't make any of the money (or get calls in the wee small hours to fix stuff that has broken)
Fleshing out text: hard to give advice as i probably write far too much. I have oodles of ideas and keep a record of them. Where they get used depends on the circumstances. I am not writing any books on the scale of 3, 4 and 5 again (3 is nearly half a million words and the other 2 are unfinished and are both larger so editing and revisions are required. That's what happens when you have oodles of characters, multiple threads and it all ties in together and also acts as a springbord for further tales and prequels. I have 3 of those in early outlines for Omari alone - he is special.
Sometimes you detail a little moment because that is what life is, and long series of little moments, like when Gandalf and Pippin conversed as the Trolls and Orcs tried to batter down the gate. I include side stories that will be fleshed out in other novels that are in the (very long) pipeline - I have material for at least a dozen of the scale of IOTE each... (note to self: take tablets)...
Dissertations are a good discipline as there is a word limit so you are forced to work out how to say something concisely and accurately in as few words as possible because every one of them is important. You don't need to be quite so strict with novel writing but do not get carried away (like me).

One other piece of news:
33% discount on any of the 3 published ebooks for anyone who likes the authors page before the end of May 2016
Books available on Smashwords, in all ebook formats, payment via Paypal on Smashwords

Author Page:
https://www.facebook.com/JC-Ramsay-1424935384480587/

Instrument of the Empire
https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/536954

A Note of Defiance
https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/569360

Phantom Ships, Ghost Flotilla
https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/590814

There will be other offers at later dates as more works are published and those who like the author's page will be given first notification and exclusive deals as a token of appreciation for their support

Dorthonion · **Posted:** Sat Jul 30, 2016 1:48 pm

One of THOSE weeks: the last of the Jack Russell's passed away on Thursday, the end of an era. I was gardening on Friday and some wasps took umbrage so I was stung on the right hand and right ear and was lucky to get away with just that - I also had taken antihistamine for allergies and I reckon that reduced the pain and minimised swelling though my ear is still inflamed and my right forefinger burns somewhat.
Just to add to the fun my boss tells me I should be doing more of a certain kind of work, which amuses me as it is up to him to allocate work, not me

(sighs)
I have heard from my good friend who created the leather bound version of my first book. She is going to strangle me for making the third book so long. She has had to split it into three volumes. I do not deserve the hours of work she has put into this. However I have threatened to create a character loosely based on her

Dorthonion · **Posted:** Fri Aug 12, 2016 6:15 pm

The results of a very good friend's labours on my extremely long third book - 'Phantom Ships, Ghost Flotilla' - note how she ghosted the titles on the spine! That was a very clever touch.

The novella is really a little background to several of my female characters, and the book at the top of the pile is 'Instrument of the Empire'.

Dorthonion · **Posted:** Fri Sep 02, 2016 7:52 pm

I have been doing a huge amount of painting preparation today so no work on novels.
Unfortunately the subject of the painting is the kitchen and dining room.....

Dorthonion · **Posted:** Fri Oct 07, 2016 5:02 pm

I have been doing a modest amount of writing for the past couple of days - almost nothing was done for 6 weeks due to circumstances beyond my control. We are still dealing with some fallout from that but at least I have some spare time back again.

On the topic of the books, as you can see from the post on 12th August, my third book is just a bit large; well it is 3 times the size of a normal longish novel. And it is part of a trilogy... and all of them are long. So, I will have to do some severe editing and revision work, but even that will not bring them down to 'normal' length, so I am considering a suggestion from the friend who backed the existing novels, and that involves splitting them into smaller publications.

On the surface that seems like a simple suggestion, but in actuality it adds to the complications as you do not want to leave readers hanging on a thread at the end of each book in a series. I have done some thinking about this and my current plan is to finish the first draft (very nearly there!) and then begin rereading all of the unpublished material. I need to find places where I can draw a line and say this section of book 4 is now 4a, and do the same for the rest of that and the final book.

Why are the books so long? They feature a multi-threaded story describing the conduct of a war on land and at sea with a host of characters and minor players (not all of them human).

The other element of the strategy will be to launch books4a, 4b, 4c etcetera all at the same time, followed later by 5a, 5b, 5c and 5d... (hopefully no 5e). The downside is that now I need more cover images, titles, maps and so forth.

No rest for the wicked in this house

Dorthonion · **Posted:** Sat Dec 10, 2016 9:31 pm

I did not publish anything new in 2016, despite adding 560,000 words to the growing saga. In the meantime, here is a discount on all the books published so far - remember you can still read the first 25% FOR FREE so you can assess whether this is something you would like to read. Each book has a different discount code but all are 25% off until 31st January 2017:

A Note of Defiance
Coupon Code: WJ37E
https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/569360

Instrument of the Empire
Coupon Code: YB74X
https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/536954

Phantom Ships, Ghost Flotilla
Coupon Code: LE93E
https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/590814

Please like my Facebook page (if you want to of course!)

https://www.facebook.com/JC-Ramsay-1424935384480587/

Dorth's Cunning Plan

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