Short and sweet post for May. I have been really busy with the day job and all the trivial things that go on in the ‘real world’, so my online presence and writing has taken a bit of a back seat recently. I have several ideas for blog posts, it’s just getting the time to write them. Plus I really need to prioritise writing TNS2.
Because I have split the sequel to TNS1 into two books I have had to go back and rewrite large sections of it. I have written the first draft up to chapter 8 which means I have around 4 chapters to go, possibly more. So I think that is roughly 2/3 finished. These chapters are proving fairly hard to write so I am currently working from the ending backwards. Hopefully that will make things easier. I’m hoping to have it all sorted to start revisions by the end of July and have it published in December as originally planned. Fingers crossed. Word count so far is just shy of 65 000 words.
I also have a novella in the works too, something that happened as a spin-off from writing the beginning of TNS2. The novella is set in the time period between TNS1 and 2 but with entirely different characters. I have been writing it for a while now and the first few chapters are sorted, I know the ending and have that fleshed out but like TNS2 it is the section in the middle that has me stumped a little. I know generally what has to be written, it’s just finding the words to write it. Word count for this project is 16 778 words, so for a novella I think it is nearly done. After adding the first few chapters for TNS1 on Wattpad I have had a really good response from readers so I thought I would release the novella on there first and then publish on Amazon et al for free afterwards.
In addition to this I have managed to write two feature articles for two other writers’ blogs.
‘When the flowers don’t smell so sweet’ can be found on A J Sefton’s blog. A J writes Dark ages fiction like myself but from a slightly earlier period and from the Mercian perspective. Both Mercian and Northumbrian kingdoms had a long standing rivalry with each other during the early dark ages and my post looks at the beginning of these hostilities, in particular the rivalry between King Eadwin of Northumbria, King Penda of Mercia and King Cadwalla of Gwynedd (modern day northern Wales).
C J Brightley has recently welcomed the newest addition to the Brightly clan, so whilst her family adjusts to the new baby, her blog has been featuring guest posts on all sorts of topics about writing and publication. My post on what the TV show Vikings has taught me about writing will be featured in the near future, but I encourage you all to check out the work of other fantastic writers in the meantime, including C J’s own novels.
Until next month,
A H Gray
A H Gray 
My wife is coming towards the end of reading your book The Northumbrian Saga, my being from Northumbria and her having visited it and enjoying the Vikings/Game of Thrones style series. She often tells me how much she is enjoying reading it!
I’m so glad she is enjoying it 🙂 thanks for the kind words! Made my day 🙂