There has been a huge five year gap between the release of my last book – Origin of Shadow (a novella in the Light and Shadow Chronicles) and my latest release – The Sins of Silas. There are a number of reasons for this. First of all, I have had some huge life changes in this time: A divorce, two house moves, two mental breakdowns, two new jobs, a world pandemic, a new engagement, a new career path. Oh, and five cats.
It was very hard to focus and be creative with all this upheaval in my life. The passion to write was still there, the stories and characters still shouting in my head, but having the physical and mental capacity to pay heed to them was difficult.
But there was another reason for the delay. As part of my writing development, I began to research the writing craft in further detail – from writing convincing dialogue, to planning story arcs effectively, to wrenching the heart out of your reader emotionally. And the information I picked up was so revolutionary to me, so utterly critical, that I needed to seriously overhaul the way I had been doing things.
I was mid-way through the initial editing stages of The Sins of Silas (the first draft having been completed just before the cataclysmic changes occurred) when I began to undergo all this research. The things I learned along the way were too tantalising to not implement into my works-in-progress. Unfortunately, as I was learning how to plot effectively, I was looking over a novel draft in which I had done everything wrong!
So, I overhauled everything, changing huge plot points, writing in sub-plots, altering the entire flow of the book. When I come to write my next book, I feel confident that I’ll be able to impart the new knowledge from the off, but for poor Silas, the process had to be slow and painstaking.
The research I undertook came in a variety of formats, but was all triggered by one very significant revelation.
My friend (a true fantasy conoisseur) had been raving about Mr Sanderson for a long time. I am a little slow to act on recommendations sometimes, but when I began the first book in the Mistborn trilogy, The Final Empire, it was as if a switch had been thrown inside of me. This was how I wanted to write.
Sanderson has this truly remarkable ability to produce extremely vivid mental images, thoroughly detailed worldbuilding and magic systems and characters I would lop off a limb for (Kelsier, I’m looking at you…). And he miraculously manages to do it all without the reader realising it’s happening. There are no purple passages of boring description, no long and tedious explanations of how things work. Every piece of information is somehow discreetly hidden amongst funny and charming dialogue, and thoroughly riveting action.
I truly don’t know how he manages it. Sorcery. it can only be sorcery.
So, I began to overhaul my writing style by looking at the ample resources offered for free by Brandon Sanderson himself on his blog and Youtube channels. Not only is the man a GOD at writing, but he spends his life educating others in the art and allowing access to all his lectures and wisdom for FREE. What an amazing human being.
After binging as much of his Youtube material as I could, I discovered that this man (who I was coming to idolise) also had a podcast, talking about writing, with a group of other authors. The Writing Excuses podcast was my next port of call – a true treasure trove of knowledge. And the good thing about this podcast was that I could pick and choose the elements I wanted to brush up on, because each episode is only 15 minutes long – because I’m in a hurry, and they’re not that smart 😉
The next discovery that blew my mind was The Story Grid by Shawn Coyne. A book that completely changed the way I did EVERYTHING. And not only a book, but a podcast that detailed how to plan out and execute an effective plot. This methodology is perfect for me and has revolutionised my writing.
I ran all my existing books through the Story Grid methodology to see where I had, and hadn’t, succeeded (that was interesting… if a little concerning…) From there, I rejigged all the chapters and story beats of The Sins of Silas until I had it just as I wanted it.
I also teach a story writing club at the High School where I work and I have started working on the Story grid methodology with them. So it has benefitted me in two areas of my life.
Other books that gave me a great deal of crucial knowledge:
When my publisher, Next Chapter, contacted me to say a voice actor had been found for the audiobook version of The Phoenix Project, I was apprehensive. After all, how could anybody do justice to the book I had cried and sweated over for 10 years?
But all of that anxiety drifted away as soon as I heard the voice of Sunny Patel. He could not have been more perfect for the role.
So here is an interview with this talented voice actor. I give you Sunny Patel:
Interview with Sunny Patel – Voice Actor for The Phoenix Project Audiobook
What is a day in the life of a voice actor?
It’s still a pretty normal life. The great thing about voice acting is that you are your own boss and I have my own schedule, and I try to be flexible with it. So for example, if I do discipline myself to do voice work between 9-3 everyday, and decide one day I want to meet my friends or play tennis etc that I give it a break and do voice work later in the evening. I don’t take my work too seriously that it takes over my life. Voice acting is meant to be fun and for me it is, so I try to stay relaxed and not ruin my voice by overdoing it. Of course you have to do the things like vocal warm ups and stay hydrated and watch what you eat, but again, I don’t let it suck the fun out of my life and I give myself a bit of a break at times.
What, beyond talent, do you feel one needs to book work and keep working as a voice actor?
Self-belief, persistence and discipline. But I think self belief comes from persistence and discipline, especially for those who aren’t very confident about their abilities. I was sort of like that. It’s important first of all that you find the connections just so you can audition for work. E.g, join ACX, Backstage, Casting Call, voices.com (if you have the money), upwork, or even voice acting facebook groups (where you will occasionally get somebody posting a job).
It’s not getting the jobs that’s important, it’s about getting the chance to audition. Bryan Cranston said in his biography that as an actor the work does not start when you get the part. Your auditions are your job and you should treat it as such. So audition, audition, audition! And don’t worry if you don’t get jobs straightaway. You have to be persistent and keep doing it, and discipline yourself to keep going. My first paid gig took months of auditioning and it’s only now after 5 years of voice acting that I am getting more regular work. My self-belief grew, and I now know I will get paid work. It may not be every week but I know it will come as long as I persist.
What in your life experience was most helpful to you in becoming a voice actor?
Well, I have to be honest, having a deep voice does help a lot. But sometimes having a baritone is not enough. You need skill to be able to voice many characters in an audiobook. To be able to understand what they sound like based on what the author has written about each character is important and it takes skill to execute that. For that you need life experience and to meet people. I have travelled the world, and have had different jobs, and grew up in a multi-cultural place where I heard many languages and people speaking English in different accents.
I was always a people-watcher, so naturally I liked to get to know people. For fun I always mimicked people (I still do), and tried to imitate their body language and their accents. I also used to watch a lot of movies as a kid. When I am voicing characters in audiobook or doing a voice-over commercial, I will just try to sound like a person, whom I know is exactly like the character in the book, or close enough. So travelling and being a people-person has been helpful, but the best part about it was that I wasn’t trying to be a people-person. I just was. Just put your phone down, and go out there and talk to people, or maybe let them talk, and just listen.
Any classes, books or programs you recommend?
In all honesty, I did not read any books about voice acting, but I watched a lot of YouTube videos and I communicate with other voice actors on Facebook. I also have read a lot of articles on it and do listen to other voice actors’ work. So there’s a lot of books that people will recommend, but I choose not to confine myself to the opinions of one or two authors. I like listening to the experiences of a wide variety of seasoned and even amateur voice actors, and it has gotten me far. Social networking has helped but I don’t overdo it. I also try to give my own advice to other struggling voice actors where I can. One thing I would DEFINITELY recommend is taking acting classes. I started doing acting to help with my voice acting, and not only am I better voice actor but I loved my time on the stage, and being an actor is my main goal in life.
How do you handle stress and pressure?
For work stress and pressure, I don’t feel it that much. The voice acting world is a lot friendlier than most professions. Clients can be flexible if you don’t deliver work within a certain amount of time, if you have good reason. So to be honest I have never had much to stress in that department. In terms of dealing with other life stresses, I find sometimes doing my work helps relieve some of the stress and pressure or I just go play tennis, or better yet talk to a friend.
Why did you want a career as a voice over artist?
Voice acting is fun for me, and I was tired of doing work which I found non-creative. So I chose this route. I never thought about being a voice actor. Most people said I had a nice voice, so I thought I would give it a go. I did, and it’s fun. Voice acting for me is creative and storytelling specifically is a tough art. Every voice acting gig you do is you telling a message, and getting people to listen is a tough challenge to master, and I enjoy the challenge.
Is it your only job?
I have another side-hustle. I work in a call centre as market research interviewer, where I now have the luxury of working from home due to Covid lockdowns. Saves me the journey to work, and it also means I can do both my jobs at the same time. Which is incredibly convenient. I also am an actor, so if I get an acting gig, that’s a bonus.
What type of character/genre do you prefer working with?
I have no genre preference. I have done sci-fi, fantasy, spy thrillers, action, memoirs and I am currently working on a book that is an epic fantasy, reminiscent of Lord of the Rings. I prefer to stay open with my genre preferences because I know I am versatile. I would however like to do some children’s stories. As for favoured characters, alpha characters suit me, but I prefer the challenge of being a beta. Or even being a comic sidekick.
How do you feel about doing accents/genders etc?
I was always pretty good with accents, but I have improved in that department. The fact that I have booked work including audiobooks with US, Caribbean, Indian and Middle Eastern, and Scottish has helped. But there is still room for improvement. Genders has been the challenge for me since I have a deep voice. Doing a child’s voice too. I can’t remove the baritone voice for their parts, but there are some tricks that I have seen from my youtube videos or just listening intently to women (and even mimicking them), that has helped me to alter my voice when doing female characters, and I have improved drastically.
Have you ever been asked to voice a character you have truly despised?
Not yet. But that time will come.
What about one you’ve completely fallen in love with?
I wouldn’t say fallen in love with. But I have felt a deep connection to some. My favourite was Mehran in True Lover’s Knot. A very realistic portrayal of an Iranian man, who fled to America after the revolution in his teens, whose hardships and losses were difficult to fathom. But he still remained a kind and caring person after all that. There are people who I have met like that and have read about who really leave you dumbstruck, considering the vast majority people who face such trials end up embittered and angry. They really remind you of how powerfully complex the human spirit is. The body can die, but the ability to be so forgiving and kind despite the incredible cruelty they face is just beyond impossibility. I don’t get inspired easily, but Mehran’s compassion really left me thinking. Mehran’s character was so well written and his adversities and how he overcame them was utterly believable. And I have used his ethos and principles in my own everyday life.
Where do you see your career heading in the next five years?
I don’t focus on a specific vision on the future of my career. Whether that’s five years, or ten or twenty years. Like I wouldn’t say I see my self doing voice overs in a Hollywood Studio, replacing Morgan Freeman as the voice of “Through the Wormhole”, or playing a Pixar character. All I know is that in five years, I will be in a much better position than I am now. If I end up in Hollywood then awesome, if I don’t, then I won’t be disappointed because considering the trajectory of my career in the last 5 years from where I started, I am doing tremendously well, and I can only see myself getting better in the next five years, and most importantly I will be happy and really enjoying my work. And hopefully other people will be enjoying listening to it. I will only keep getting better and one day, I will get a job that I never even imagined I would get. It’s going to happen, and I can feel it. All I have to do is be persistent.
What would be your ideal booking?
Narrating a wildlife doc for the BBC.
If you could narrate any famous classic, which would it be?
Maybe Lord of the Rings I guess. It’s not just an action-packed fantasy, there’s a lot of things going in there that takes you on a journey through the human emotional spectrum. A story of friendship, love, struggle, sacrifice, determination, betrayal, the power struggle between good and evil. Depending on how you look at it, it’s an allegory of tiny little allegories that maybe we can draw some value from to change modern life for the better. It’s a great story, and I would love to give it a go. Plus it has a lot of incredible diverse characters, so I imagine I would have a lot of fun doing it.
Can you share with us what you are currently working on?
I am currently working on a book called “Legends of Agenor”. Some of the characters in there really remind me of Lord of the Rings, but the storyline is of course different, and it’s brilliant. Every character has depth and enough detail for you to feel them around you. The great thing about it is that, unlike Lord of the Rings, this epic fantasy crosses over to the Eastern world, so there are Indian, Persian / Middle Eastern characters, even Caribbean pirates. A truly diverse novel. Which is refreshing as epic fantasies tend to be western-centric.
Interested in booking Sunny Patel for voice over or acting work? You can find out more about his work, and contact him on his website HERE.
In a world ravaged by war, the paths of two warriors are about to cross with world-shattering consequences.
Chaos is a soldier of The Children of the Light, and fights in the name of destiny, honor and glory. Arrogant and headstrong, he believes he is the strongest warrior in the land, until a fateful coincidence puts him at the mercy of the demon Anathema.
The two strike up an intense rivalry, but their obsession to destroy one another only leads them closer together. When the forces of light and dark collide, where will their loyalties lie?
Well, summer 2016 has been a busy one. As a primary school teacher I have six weeks summer vacation in which to catch up with all the writing and editing I can’t do in the school term.
So, what have I been up to in these six weeks?
Aside from looking after my hyperactive, cheeky little 5 year old son, I’ve been away on two holidays – Snowdonia in Wales, and a cruise to the Norwegian fjords. Both had beautiful, mountain scenery – just what I need to get my writer’s inspiration flowing.
These two breaks, as well as a significant amount of time at home have allowed me to achieve the following:
Camp NaNoWriMo
My editor (and awesome friend) Pam Elise Harris asked me this July to take part in Camp NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month) I was terrified of the concept of only having one month to complete a writing project, but I decided to go for it. As it was my first challenge, I set myself a manageable target of 20,000 words and started a brand new novella entitled ‘Origin of Shadow’.
I am delighted to announce that I managed to completed my target! I now have a shiny Camp NaNo winner’s certificate to be proud of!
This story was written to complement Genesis of Light – a similar sized novella. Each of these novellas tells the story of the origin of one of the armies in my Light and Shadow Chronicles series. Origin of Shadow lets readers in on the secrets of how the Brotherhood of Shadow were formed.The two novellas will need to go through editing but I hoping to release them sometime next year (My cover designer, Irina French, is due to start work on the covers shortly!)
Author talk at Newbold Verdon library
On Wednesday 10th August I gave my first ever author talk at my local library. I did this 2.5 hour presentation/interactive Q&A with a fellow author named Stewart Bint (we live 500 yards from each other!). It was so much fun and the engagement from our audience was wonderful! I am pleased to say I even managed to sell a few copies! I can’t wait to do more events like this in the future.
#Writestorm marathon day
July 31st was our first #writestorm marathon. Facebook group ‘The #Awethors’ (of which I am co-creator) joined in with a 24 hour writing marathon. People were not required to write all day (that would have been crazy!) but they were asked to select certain hour long periods entirely dedicated to adding words to their current Work-In-Progress. The #writestorm methodology is a concept developed by talented author Andy Mengel, which involves short, intense periods of writing which are timed and structured. This method allows authors the chance to blast out a high word count without distractions, and helps to feed motivation in the next writing session.
The event was a huge success! Between us we managed to write 41,000 words! No small feat of accomplishment for 24 hours. We’ll be sure to run more events like this in the future.
For more about the #writestorm process – check out the official handbook:
I’ve finally finished the first rounds of edits for The Shield of Soren!
The next novel in my Light and Shadow Chronicles series is ‘The Shield of Soren’. The books in this epic fantasy series are not chronological so this new installment could be read before or after the first release ‘A Chronicle of Chaos’ (available to buy here – just saying…) There are some characters who will appear in The Shield of Soren whom you might know from A Chronicle of Chaos: Raven, Deacon, Callista, Vincent, the mysterious tattooed man in black…
Now I’ve finished first round of edits, the book will be heading back to my editor for round 2 and I am hoping to be finished editing by the end of 2016, with a view to release in 2017.
What writing advancements has this summer brought for you?
This week the incredible J.B. Taylor (author of a whole range of exceptional stories and novels) has released two fantasy stories entitled ‘Wizarding Protection Program’.
Take a look and grab a copy!
Wizarding Protection Program 1
Wizarding Protection Program 1 – Christine is an actress, a breakout star in truth. She never believed in wizards. She never knew of the darkest wizard ever to have existed … Mortem. But Mortem knows of her. Christine is the sole survivor of his assassination of two wizarding journalists that resulted in a destroyed café and many dead civilians. Fearful her rising celebrity will bring his great plan to take over the wizarding world into the consciousness of the public he seeks her out, and Christine is forced on the run.
Wizarding Protection Program 2 – A disciple of Mortem is on the hunt, killing those who’ve offended him deeply. Christine has survived one dark wizard and is forced to flee yet another. Help proves to come from the strangest of places. And maybe, just maybe, Christine will prove magical after all.
The Phoenix Project is available to buy for just $0.99 / £0.99 from July 11th – July 17th. After that, the price returns to $4.99 – so why not grab a copy of this psychological dystopian thriller now!
How can you fight to the death, when you’ve given up on life?
A thought provoking and compelling dystopian world that will change the way you view justice.
Britain has descended into chaos, as violence and terrorist attacks seethe across the once-peaceful country. Outraged by the steady stream of lawlessness, citizens demand a harsher penal system, and the Phoenix Project is born.
In prisons across the country, inmates fight to the death in a weekly bloodbath while the nation cheers them on.
Raven Kennedy, a prisoner who has never forgiven himself for his unspeakable crime, struggles against his own guilt and self-loathing. But even as the real war rages on within himself, Raven is forced to battle some of the prison’s most ruthless killing machines.
Fighting for his life and a chance for redemption, can Raven survive long enough to unravel the anger and regret that shackle him – and find the forgiveness he seeks?
“A superbly written debut, soaked in tension and intrigue.” Jack Croxall, author of the ‘Tethers’ trilogy.
Today is #IndiePrideDay – a day when independent artists come together and celebrate their success and creativity. Indies don’t have teams of marketing agents behind them, and if they don’t get their own work out there, nobody else will. Each and every Indie has worked so hard to get themselves to where they are today.
So today I am standing beside my fellow Indies and feeling proud of our achievements!
To celebrate this day, my children’s book ‘Soren’ is FREE on Amazon for the next few days! Grab a copy here:
The cover for my newest novelA Chronicle of Chaosfeatures a shield with eight symbols carved upon it. Each of the symbols represents a different army, faction or group of people within the series. Over the next eight days, to complement the release countdown, I will be posting about each of the symbols to give some background on the armies you can expect to learn about in Chaos and the upcoming novels in the series.
The LAST symbol I will be talking about can be seen on the bottom left of the shield:
This is the sigil of Valhalla Elite, a small band of elite soldiers within the Brotherhood of Shadow. This battalion of soldiers was set up by one of Vincent Wilder’s sons by the name of Silas.
After suffering greatly at the hands of Raven Lennox and Avalanche, Silas set up a Brotherhood equivalent of the elite faction, naming it Valhalla Elite. Most of the soldiers in this unit are other children of Vincent Wilder and his many concubines.
Characters from this army that you can expect to see in A Chronicle of Chaos include:
Silas Wilder – Silas takes few things in life seriously and instead chooses to indulge in all manner of pleasures. Underneath his complacency, he is intelligent and cunning but his mind is starting to falter, giving way to visions and delusions. After a chance meeting with the Brotherhood’s shadowy adviser, the Bavelize, Silas decides to do everything in his power to exact his revenge upon Raven Lennox, before his waning sanity gives out completely.
A Chronicle of Chaos is now available from Amazon!
The cover for my newest novelA Chronicle of Chaosfeatures a shield with eight symbols carved upon it. Each of the symbols represents a different army, faction or group of people within the series. Over the next eight days, to complement the release countdown, I will be posting about each of the symbols to give some background on the armies you can expect to learn about in Chaos and the upcoming novels in the series.
The SEVENTH symbol I will be talking about can be seen on the left of the shield:
This is the sigil of D.U.S.K – the Democratic Union of Separatist Knights.
D.U.S.K. is an independent nation set up by a mixture of deserters from both the Children of Light and the Brotherhood of Shadow. Disagreeing strongly with the politics of the eternal war, these people left Alcherys and Meraxor to set up a nation where everybody would be treated equal, regardless of their background, race or family history.
There are no characters from this faction in A Chronicle of Chaos, but stay tuned because they will be featured in an upcoming novel in the series!
A Chronicle of Chaos is now available from Amazon!
Immersive fantasy fiction 