What am I working on now?
So now that the Hospitaller Trilogy is finished (or is it…?) you might be wondering what I’m working on now.
Well… I have a few ideas burning and smelling up the deep recesses of my mind, but first I am committed to finishing up my Keepers of Kwellevonne short story series. I have really neglected this series and feel bad about leaving my handful of readers hanging. Originally I had intended it to be an ongoing series that I could write a story for in between novels as a kind of break from doing my longer works. But the short stories never sold very well, and with the expenses of covers, editing, and time each story took to bring to market, I guess I lost my drive. However, I love some of the characters and they refuse to leave me alone. So, I have come up with a solution.
I will finish the current plotline, which will make the series 6 stories in total, 3 of which are already published. The 4th is written, so I just need to write the 5th and 6th. I will end up with something about the length of a novel, so I will then bundle them all together and be able to sell the whole thing as a novel-length work which will make it more cost-effective to package and promote (whether anyone buys it is yet to be seen). Of course I will make it available at a steep discount for those of you on my mailing list. Then, from that point on, I will only write novel-length works in that world. There will be at least one, because I cannot stop thinking about the idea/character! Anyone heard of the Dark Monk? That’s all I’m going to say about that particular train of thought.
I aim to have the Keepers of Kwellevonne published by September 2020. After that…well, I think I will leave that up to you
14 Comments
Leave a Reply
Books by J. K. Swift
I loved the Forest knights books so please write another. Thank you.
Thans for the input Michael. I do have an idea for another Forest Knights novel, so I may have to stop using the word “duology” when I talk about those books 🙂
I like all your works the I would like another forest knights the story felt like there was more to tell. I think you are correct with the Kwellevone world do novel length stories. To be honest I like your writing style so the loner tyher story the better. i like the imaginary worlds as much as the historical fiction.
Thanks very much for your input Richard. Much appreciated. What I’m hearing from quite a few people is that they would like to see another Forest Knights novel…
Loved them all!
Music to my ears! A little update on the survey: I just checked and “Hospitaller Book 4” has taken the lead away from the “Forest Knights Book 3”. Currently 39% to 36%…this is way closer than I thought it would be…
If you have an idea for the forest knight do that one, although I just got hospitaler no 3 so when that one is finished. I want no 4 straight away, to make it more confusing. I wonder how long does it take you to write a book?
In a series like the Hospitaller Saga where I already have most of the characters fleshed out, it takes me four months of writing plus two months of editing and throwing out the bad parts! So, basically 6 months per book if I can work on it full time.
I am trying to buy the book 1410 but I have not had any luck why. Its on Facebook
Hello Peter,
I’m afraid I didn’t write a book titled 1410, but I had a look on Amazon and see there is one by Simon Fairfax that looks interesting: https://www.amazon.com/Knight-Spy-1410-Simon-Fairfax-ebook/dp/B08GQ6TGWM
If you do buy it and enjoy it, let me know. I’m always on the lookout for my next read 🙂
JK Swift
I am reading the Hospitaller now and have read all the other books available on Kindle as they are about less explored historical themes and written well. I’ll buy your next book with closed eyes as they say because I know I won’t be disappointed. Keep writing.
Thanks very much for reading. Much appreciated!
Your books are very interesting. After reading several thousand books, I know what piques my interest. The qualities (in no special order):
Action! This isn’t mindless, but is driven by, or flows by the use of intelligent to emotional dialogue.
Well laid storyline. If historical Fiction, then Have it Follow fairly closely real history, but fill in the little points and the action points With believable And creative actions, relationships, and results from reality ( more restrictive than Fantasy Land, and often more challenging).
Believable number of characters with memorable names. Keep overall # of main characters to about a handful, with supporting characters that aren’t quite as filled in.
Keep the dialogue real and believable for the society and time in history. Such as. Nothing like “groovy” when a 19th century western in the good old USA is the plotline structure. Or some old English characters use “bloody wankers” when talking of their disdain for 13th century Saracens.
Ending: make it resolve issues brought up during the story, but in a natural real way. Keep from making it feel that you have to run through a final listing of characters in the last chapter when the protagonist is asking each one what they’re going to do at the end of the story.
‘Nuff said for now.
Thanks very much for your insights, Ric.
Jk