Hello Readers,
My new ‘Official Website’ is now open and you can check it out at: AllanWalshAuthor.com
I will not be posting to ‘Allan Walsh Author – A Writer’s Journey’ any longer. For those of you who have followed this site, I have moved you across to the new one and you should now receive blog posts from ‘Allan Walsh Author – The Official Website’.
Thank you for your loyalty over the years and I hope you like the new official site just as much.
Happy Reading.
Hello Readers,
This is just a quick note to let you know about a change in a previous strategy I had. You may recall a post a completed a while ago detailing the release strategy for my Blood Rage series. The plan was to have book 1 exclusive to the boxed set. The boxed set has 3 books:
Book 1 – Blood and Fear (a short story),
Book 2 – The Crimson Guild (a novella), and
Book 3 – Blood Rage (a novel).
My idea was to price the boxed set low enough that it was better value than buying books 2 and 3, and you would get the exclusive short story too.
Well, I have not had much luck with this strategy. While I have had sales on book 2 and 3, there were very few sales of the boxed set. I also think that book 2 and 3 sales are lower than they could be, because some readers wanted to read book 1 first, but could only get it by buying the boxed set. And who wants to take a chance on a 3 book boxed set by a new author, when they may not like the author’s style?
Because of this, I have re-thought my strategy and decided to try again. Blood and Fear is exclusive no more. I have decided that I will make book 1 free so that readers can take a ‘no risk’ chance on my fantasy writing. Hopefully, they will like the story and go on to read books 2 and 3.
The good news is that Blood and Fear is now free on most retail platforms. You can also get it for free from my website home page. Why not grab yourself a copy today?
Happy reading!
Image by Jcrakow
Hello Readers,
My blog has been a little quiet lately, I know. I’ve been focussing on running a promo for Easy Prey and testing some AMS ads out for both The Crimson Guild and Blood Rage. The promo went quite well with 50 downloads over 3 days. This isn’t bad considering I only used free advertising on a few newsletters. I also feel like I am making some progress with my ads. People are clicking on them, that’s a start. The next step in the process is converting the clicks to sales. So I have been revisiting my book blurb for Blood Rage. Reviews also help out with converting clicks to sales and thankfully I have had a few come through recently. They act kind of like a recommendation from a friend, so thank you to every one of you who have left a review so far.
This has been taking up a lot of my time, but in the midst of it all I have been trying to write. I haven’t made much progress here, but I have been creeping forward with a fantasy story I have been working on. I have also been fleshing out another fantasy/sci fi idea that I have knocking about in my head. I really want to get a few more stories out this year, so at some point I may have to lock myself in a room with no internet access and get stuck into my writing.
As for reading, I have made some headway this year. I think I have read 5 books to date (though a goodreads glitch says I have read 2 of them twice on my reading challenge) and I’m over half way through a beta read I’m doing for another author. I’m also 25% through another book, but I’m struggling with this one. The story is original and quite good, but the writing style is not working for me and I think it is going to be a DNF (Did Not Finish). I’ll see how I go, I really don’t like not finishing a book as I like to post a review when I’m done, and polite, constructive criticism can help an author to improve.
Anyway, that’s about it from me, take care and happy reading!
Picture by Shannon Hauser
Hello Readers,
I was having a look to see if I could find any good fantasy novels/authors to read and while trawling through lots of blogs and webpages I thought to myself “I wonder what my readers really enjoyed reading?” That gave me an idea. Why don’t I ask? So I put this quick blog post together just for that reason. I’ll share some of my favourites with you first.
Okay so there are four of my favourites. Now it’s over to you… What are your favourite fantasy novels?
Allan Walsh writes Fantasy and Horror. If you’re looking for something new to read in these genres, why not check out his books here.
Never: Prequel to The Amber Isle by Ashley Capes
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
Book Review – Never: Prequel to The Amber Isle by Ashley Capes
Never: Prequel to The Amber Isle by Ashley Capes is a short fantasy story about a thief with bad blood (hmmm… why does that sound familiar to me). We follow the story of Never as he steals he way towards a cure.
The Cover: Okay, I’m adding a new section for cover design in my reviews as I feel they need to be spoken about. I love the cover on this book and probably would not have bothered to pick this title up if not the beautiful artwork. It screams fantasy to me, provoking a mood of gritty action and danger. Just my kind of book.
The Bad Stuff: The name of our protagonist threw me off. Every time I read his name I was confused by the actual meaning of the word, expecting a sentence to form somewhat differently. The writing style didn’t grip me and pull me in either, I found it a bit passive.
The Good Stuff: I must say that once I got over the character’s name and the writing style, I actually enjoyed this story and the world building that was developed over this short story. It is certainly a fantasy set in a world I enjoy to read. The characters were also quite well rounded for a short story. The storyline isn’t bad at all, but as with any new author you read, it may take a few pages to get into the swing of things. I’d say give it a chance and see what you think, I found it free on amazon and if the end matter in the book is up to date, you can get the following book free if you sign up to My Capes Newsletter.
Overall the story was interesting and well-paced, I wasn’t fully invested in the characters, but feel if I were given a little more time with them, I would form a stronger bond. If you are looking for something quick to read with a fantasy setting, I’d say give it a go. I’m giving this one a shadow hugging 3 out of 5 golden bookmarks.
Allan Walsh writes Fantasy and Horror. If you’re looking for something new to read in these genres, why not check out his books here.
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Book Review – Blood Rage by Allan Walsh (Author Review)
Blood Rage by Allan Walsh is a fantasy novel about a thief, Conall O’Lorcan, who begrudgingly takes on a job that seems too good to be true. It is… and everything starts to go wrong. His world spirals into chaos as a power hungry Baron plots to take over the realm. With so much more than just his reputation at stake, Conall is determined to set things right.
The Bad Stuff: Blood Rage was the first story I ever wrote. Some parts of this novel were very easy for me; action scenes conjured themselves up in my mind and just seemed to flow onto the paper. But other parts I struggled with. Tough parts I did not want to write and spent hours slogging through, trying to piece the scenes together. As I was new to writing, the result was terrible, but blinded by ignorance, I thought it was fantastic! Fortunately, when I was researching how to publish, I took on advice to get my work critiqued and have it professionally edited. I joined a writers’ group and spent the next year reworking the story, then sent it to an editor I met through the group. These were some of the best decisions I’ve ever made. The crux of it is that I did not plan this novel when I wrote it, I did not consider the story arc or the character arcs, writing styles, etc… these things came after in the re-writing. Therefore you may find this story a little rough around the edges.
The Good Stuff: I have mentioned above that I spent a long while gaining critiques and rewriting Blood Rage. Then after my editor went through it, I rewrote it some more. In the end this has become one of those stories where, as the author, there are some parts I’ll read and think ‘did I really write that?’ It blows me away when I get that feeling from my own writing and makes me feel like I am doing what I should be doing – not for me, but for my readers. I’m not saying that I’m the next Joe Abercombie or Brandon Sanderson, I’m saying that sometimes I surprise myself. I just hope I can surprise my readers in the same way and give you stories you really enjoy. Blood Rage has action and tension, an array of creatures – some not commonly seen in the fantasy genre, and others that are more familiar. It has underlying Celtic and pagan themes that I think give the story an originality of its own. And it turned out better than I could have expected, I hope you too enjoy ‘Blood Rage’.
Overall this fantasy is fast paced and action packed. I may be a little biased, but I like this story and it gets a solid blood rushing 4 out of 5 golden bookmarks from me.
Allan Walsh writes Fantasy and Horror. If you’re looking for something new to read in these genres, why not check out his books here.
Picture by wackystuff
Hello Readers,
I have previously blogged to let you know my books are available in my local libraries, but I was recently reviewing the distribution channels for my books, and I realized that I have not yet told you they are available on Overdrive. Why am I telling you this now? Because Overdrive is a service used by many libraries for e-books and audio books. It means that if your local library uses Overdrive, my books will be listed on their catalogue. And more importantly, if they do not currently have a copy in stock, you can recommend that they go ahead and order one in. Once they receive a stock copy of a book it becomes available for library members to check out.
So, if you get your books from your local library and want to (literally) check out my books, why not jump online and see if they have them in stock. If they do not, I’d suggest recommending that they order a copy and put it on hold for you when they receive it. If they like your recommendation, they will order a copy in (this usually only takes a couple of weeks). Once it arrives you’ll be notified via email and you can log in to check it out.
That’s my tip on checking out my books from your local library. On that note, I’d just like to say that our libraries do a great service for the community and can do with all the support they can get. So if you do not currently make use of their facilities, why not give them a go.
Hello Readers,
After doing my wrap up of what I achieved in 2017, I got to thinking more about my year in review. This sparked an idea. Why don’t I do a post on “a year in reviews” and thank my readers for taking the time to not only read my books, but for posting a much appreciated review. Here’s what I came up with, some snippets from the reviews that have been posted over 2017 and a personal thank you from myself. I hope you enjoy the read.
Comments on The Crimson Guild (Blood Rage Series) – Fantasy Novella:
“A wonderful bit of escapism and fun to this little read.”
– William B
Thank you to William B, Amazon customer, for your wonderful review.
“The banter between characters was a highlight of this story; they are quick witted and hot headed street urchins.”
– Melanie Hill
Thank you Melanie Hill, Goodreads member and fellow author, for your kind review.
“I really enjoyed this book. Great characters and an interesting storyline”
– John
Thank you John, Amazon customer, for reading and reviewing my book.
“Wow! I didn’t really know what to expect from this book but it turned out to be an absolute delight to read.”
– Rachael
Thank you Rachael, Goodreads member, for your lovely comments.
“I hadn’t really been in the mood for fantasy lately, until I read this.”
– Michelle
Thank you Michelle, Goodreads member, for your kind review.
Comments on Blood Rage (Blood Rage Series) – Fantasy Novel:
“The introduction of new characters was done in such a way that you thought you already knew them.”
– William B
Thank you William B, Amazon customer, for going on to read the next book in the Blood Rage Series and sharing your kind thoughts.
“Been a while since I’ve read a good fantasy book and this hit the spot.”
– Aaron C
Thank you Aaron C, Amazon customer, for reading my story and leaving a review.
“Enjoyed this book. Loved the characters of Conall and Erin. Good setting.”
– Ashleigh
Thank you Ashleigh, I’m so glad you enjoyed the read.
Comments on Easy Prey – A Short Horror Story:
“The characters were interesting especially Judd. It felt like he was the creepy one.”
– Talitha Gelah
Thanks Talitha Gelah, Amazon customer, for taking a chance on my writing and leaving a review.
“This was an interesting read!”
– Michelle
Thanks Michelle, Goodreads member, for your review.
“Thank you for the good story. I gave it 4 stars. I am hoping for a more extended version of this. It was interesting you know.”
– T.G.
Thank you T.G, Goodreads member, I really appreciate your review.
Comments on Darkness In Shadows – A Short Sci-Fi/Horror:
“Short, but plenty to slake your appetite.”
– Kirstie
Thank you Kirstie, Goodreads member and fellow author, for taking the time to read and review my short story.
Comments on Low Life – A Short Horror:
“… this story had a good creep factor to it,”
– Joyce
Thank you Joyce, Goodreads member, for reading and reviewing my short story.
Once again, thank you all, your reviews help me as an author. They provide ‘social proof’ to other readers, proof that may just persuade someone else to pick up one of my books and give me a go. Without readers, writing just wouldn’t be as much fun. You give authors like me a reason to keep writing! I look forward to writing more stories for you all through 2018.
Allan Walsh writes Fantasy and Horror. If you’re looking for something new to read in these genres, why not check out his books here.
The Crimson Guild by Allan Walsh
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Book Review – The Crimson Guild by Allan Walsh (Author Review)
Here is a little blurb, just for this review. The Crimson Guild by Allan Walsh is a fantasy novella about Conall O’Lorcan, a boy with magical abilities, who is forced to leave his village after he loses control. In the outside world, Conall must hide his abilities. After living rough on the streets, he finds refuge in a guild of thieves, but the threat of his secrets always looms over him.
The Bad Stuff: There are parts of the story that are glossed over; some scenes could have been developed to show more of the characters hardship, creating a stronger bond between the reader and the protagonist. The Crimson Guild was originally part of a novel I wrote called ‘Blood Rage’. I split the novel after receiving feedback that there were three distinct stories in the book that would stand alone. As an author, sometimes you can spend your whole life reworking and editing your books and never release them. I fear that if I had decided to go for three novels, I may well have put this series into a drawer and left it there. After all the time and effort I had already invested into ‘Blood Rage’ I really just wanted to release it and move on. So, I tweaked this section of ‘Blood Rage’ into a stand-alone novella and The Crimson Guild was born. I believe it could have been better, but only if I could have shifted my mindset at the time, and I really needed to move on to something new.
The Good Stuff: I think this works well as a stand-alone novella and I really enjoyed writing the banter between the characters. I tried not to saturate the book with description. Personally I think too much description slows the reading and holds a story back, so I have tried to give enough to solidify the world in the readers mind, but not so much that the reader gets bored and closes the book.
Overall this fantasy novella is a quick, fun read. I believe the characters are likeable and, where required, appropriately dislikeable. Some readers may be disappointed that it is only a short story and I’ve glanced over some of the details that could have made this a great novel. Who knows, maybe I will expand it into a novel in the future. As a novella that stands alone and is also part of a bigger story in the ‘Blood Rage’ series, I would have given this 3.5 Golden Bookmarks, but as Goodreads doesn’t do anything in halves, for me, this one just sneaks in and steals 4 out of 5 golden bookmarks.
Allan Walsh writes Fantasy and Horror. If you’re looking for something new to read in these genres, why not check out his books here.
Visit the ‘Hall of Whispers’ here for updates, special offers, etc…
Hello Readers,
Books are wonderful things aren’t they? As a reader they can take you on a journey to new worlds, meeting new people, experiencing new things. They can bring back feelings or memories you had forgotten about. They can offer an escape from the real world or plunge you deeper into the realities that exist in peoples lives. As an author they can increase your creativity. They can teach you how to be a better writer by showing you what works and what does not. They can make you feel the emotions you strive to stir within your own readers and give you tips on how to achieve these reactions.
This year I set myself a reading challenge to read 26 books. So far I have completed 23, but I am almost 70% through another and I still have time to achieve my goal. I must admit, I cheated a little by reading some Manga and a few short stories, but it all counts in my mind. Anyway, here is the pick of my favourites:
The Final Empire by Brandon Sanderson.
I really enjoyed The Final Empire, book one in the Mistborn series, and its original magic system. The characters are well defined and the story is interesting. If you haven’t read it, give it a go, it is definitely worth the time.
The Well of Ascension by Brandon Sanderson.
This is the next episode in the Mistborn series and it does a great job of building on the first story. It gives you more insights into the story questions and things that happened in book one. The magic system also gets a little deeper, though I felt Sanderson went over a lot of old ground to bring readers that missed book one, up to speed on the use of magic. Still, the book was a good read and is worthy of investing your time in.
Red Country by Joe Abercrombie.
If you follow my reviews, you will already know that I love Joe Abercrombie’s books. He has got to be my favourite author to date and while I enjoyed this book, it is my least favourite of his works. Red Country has a real ‘Cowboy and Indian’ Western feel to it and it was not what I expected, nor what I was looking for. It still had the same gritty feel that I love about his work and some old favourite characters, but I felt somewhat removed from the story because of the setting. Still a good book in my opinion and if you like Abercrombie’s style, you will like this one.
Mortal Engines by Philip Reeve.
This is an old YA dystopia/steampunk novella with some original ideas. The characterisation is done well and it is an enjoyable read, though a little predictable in places. I believe that Peter Jackson is currently directing the movie adaptation for the big screen and that is something I am looking forward to seeing.
So there you have it, my favourite reads of 2017. What are the best picks from your 2017 reading list?
Allan Walsh - Author 