jamescallumwrites-blog

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Cover reveal for Sylvie Asleton and the Coven of Glas! 

Still looking for some ARCs! The book is up on Booksprout if you’ve got an account (it’s free and totally awesome btw) just follow these links if you want to help an indie author out:

Book One: https://booksprout.co/arc/13389/sylvie-asleton-and-the-shrike-s-curse-brookmoors-magi-book-1

Book Two: https://booksprout.co/arc/13386/sylvie-asleton-and-the-coven-of-glass-brookmoors-magi-book-2

I’ve included Book One (short read ~45k words) as a little bonus so you’re not going into Book Two blind. If you happen to enjoy one (or both) feel free to hop over to the Brookmoors Magi Reader Group at https://www.callumbooks/com/newsletter for the free short story.

Or don’t. I mean, that’s cool too. Either way, enjoy!

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Want to help an indie Author?

Indie authors face an uphill battle as the landscape of publishing becomes more and more a pay-to-play experience. You can do your part to help an indie author by remembering to rate and review their books. Hell, throw out the Top 100 rank of books on Amazon and go digging into the depths of 500k rank and beyond. 

Leave a review and rating, let the author know somebody cares. You have no idea how much encouragement that means to us. Really, just reading a book that may be struggling or not in the best ranking boost the rank considerably.

Especially if you’ve got Kindle Unlimited, go make an author’s day!

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Free Short Story!

To celebrate the upcoming release of the Brookmoors Magi sequel: Sylvie Asleton and the Coven of Glass, I’m including a free short story on my newsletter: www.callumbooks.com/newsletter

Disclaimer: Because the short story features everybody’s favorite fiery vixen, Pyx, it would greatly benefit you to read: Brookmoors Magi Book One, Sylvie Asleton and the Shrike’s Curse available here: https://amzn.to/2XnETK7 via @amazon

I’m also looking for ARC (Advanced Reader Copy) readers for the second book!

If you’re interested, DM me here, on Twitter, gmail, or reply to the newsletter. As of this writing there’s only 7/20 slots available. When the slots are filled that’ll be all the ARC readers invited until the next book comes out, so get ‘em while they’re hot!

Cover reveal Coming Soon™

[jamescallumwrites-blog]

Quote from my book. Presently working on the 2nd in this fantasy series, Brookmoors Magi. Please check it out if you’re interested, it’s always been my dream to be an author. 

[jamescallumwrites-blog]

Wana read more? Check out my urban fantasy book here! 

[jamescallumwrites-blog]

I need more coffee in my life.

And books, so many books. Rereading tolkien’s work atm. 

[jamescallumwrites-blog]

Like my book, Sylvie Asleton and the Shrike’s Curse

It’s a good book, you can trust me. I wrote it. I’m totally not biased.

....

I’m totally biased.

[jamescallumwrites-blog]

I’m like a Sim with a need bar for books.

Good books, mind you. Like this one.

I’m totally not biased or anything.

Y’know, since I wrote it.

[jamescallumwrites-blog]

Unless it’s overextracted, and the power goes out.

Cause that would happen.

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Always been my dream to be an author, so please check out my work if you enjoy urban fantasy and stories with magical schools.

Description: 

Sylvie's life has been haunted by shadows for as long as she can remember. They've chased and tormented her from one foster home to another, ruining anything good she might have had. As she got older they forced her into a cycle of depression, paranoia, and abject poverty as she bounced from job to job, barely keeping her head above water. She thought she'd finally put them behind her when she lucked into a decent job. But an errant act of kindness put an end to that. Fired, and on the brink of homelessness Sylvie fears she's been pulled back into the dark cycle again. It'll take a miracle to save her. When a mysterious letter arrives, inviting her to Brookmoors Academy of Sorcery and Invocation, she realizes what she needed all along wasn't a miracle. It was magic. The offer to learn magic isn't as simple as it seems. She'll have to pass strange esoteric tests, interviews, and trials without any knowledge of the arcane. As she embarks upon the unknown she begins to wonder if her mental illness, paranoia, and fear of shadows that has plagued her entire life may be something more sinister. Something that doesn't want her going to Brookmoors and learning magic. Magic may be everything Sylvie ever dreamed of, but she'll have to survive long enough to learn it.

[jamescallumwrites-blog]

Self-Doubt & Depression Do Not Make You a Better Writer

There's a subtle, but cunning divide between being critical and having self-doubt. Learning the difference is key.

Self-doubt is bad. There's simply no way it's good for you.

Being critical of your own work is good, however. It helps you to see the faults and cracks. It lets you improve.

People often conflate the two and think that because they're suffering, they're improving. Suffering has negative influence on your ability to create and work properly. Several studies have proven that being in pain (mental or physical) diminishes our capacity to learn, grow, and create.

Please don't idolize the concept of the tortured artist.

That being said, the most dangerous thing is to be over-confident. Thinking your work is the best. Your idea is the best that nobody's ever thought of. That's the real knife in the dark. It's the one most of us never see until reality claims its due.

This is the same way with music, and with programming too. Everybody only sees the end result. You don't see the hours of thought, the times you've woken up in the middle of the night to jot down some plot point that came to you suddenly. People don't see the hours of staring at words you hate, rewriting them, hating them more, and then finally moving on with a note to go back later to avoid what I call "Rewrite Hell" (constantly rewriting the same passage/paragraph/chapter over and over ad nauseam instead of continuing your story).

People only see the finished - in some cases with trusted friends, the semi-finished - work. Getting words on a page, even the most trivial, banal, tiresome tripe you can put on there is better than a blank page. You can always go back and re-sculpt, but first you need something there to improve.

Write. Write prolifically. Write crap. Write tiresome tropes. Write.

An exercise I particularly enjoy is watching a mystery or thriller. I'm a huge fan of Cosmic Horror (Elder Gods, Old Ones, etc.). One of the greatest things that horror books/stories/movies do, is they get your mind moving. You start wondering, "what is it that's out there?" and you begin to question and make up monsters all on your own.

You'll often find that your own monster, idea, or concept is superior to the one that is in the story. Take that and write about it. Flesh it out.

All this is to say: 

[jamescallumwrites-blog]

It's missing the crippling depression and self-doubt, and the super tempting side-path that says "Real Jobs This Way" as if writing was easy but other than that it's too real!

[jamescallumwrites-blog]

When people say, “Writing isn’t a real job, anybody can write a story.”

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I mean...it’s not entirely wrong.

Personally, I prefer to use a dice to see how many I’m going to kill off first. That’s normal right?

Support libraries and find out who was killed next… There’s never been a better time to start a monthly donation to EveryLibrary. All new monthly donors will receive an “I Love My Library” pin and donations will be matched by ByWater Solutions: action.everylibrary.org/bywater.

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Holy shit, you guys. I found the origin of the caffeinated skeleton!

Y’all. I found it. The crown jewel of shifty finds. This is the chariot that I’ll ride into hell. Buy it today at West End Antique Mall, Richmond VA