series – Page 6

The final part of the tale has yet to be published, but the end of the series is written. I’m pleased to report that I’m now in the editing stages. I will edit, leave to rest, and edit again. The sequence will continue over the next two months, but my aim is to publish by early November.

Why publish in early November?

As I’ve drawn on the experiences I gained over a 23-year military career, I’ve enjoyed reliving many conversations and situations. I’ve recalled men who have passed on, to that big army in the sky, or wherever it may be. Some of those guys were taken too early, while I’m pleased to say, others lived beyond what was a regular life.

I’m rapidly approaching my 65th birthday (early November), which means I’ll have been out of the military for 25 years. If I use November as my target for publication it will be the 48th-anniversary of when I joined the army and will be a celebration of a story I’ve already researched and have been writing for several years.

Many of my memories of those days are enjoyable and as clear as yesterday.

Why was this an important project for me?

There are a few reasons for writing a story such as A Life of Choice. As I’ve said in interviews and in previous posts, there are hundreds of books out there which relate directly to a modern conflict and real soldiers. Life and death coexist, and graphic photography removes any doubts.

Yes, in any military story there are plenty of facts and the scenes are laced with an abundance of emotions. Having written this tale several times, I aimed to inject as much humour as possible, while maintaining the thread of the protagonist’s life and career.

Is there anything else to be done apart from editing?

I’ve decided to pay for a professional cover design for the series. I created the present covers myself using the corps colours of the Royal Signals, but when the fifth book is established, I’d like to give the series the best possible chance of appealing to a wide audience, which means eye-catching covers.

Will the series only appeal to serving or ex-Service personnel?

I’m pleased to say that from the reviews I’ve seen so far, the answer is no, which is what I aimed for from the outset. This has never been a series purely to feed the memory of old soldiers (male or female), although I’m sure many would enjoy the tale. To some readers, there might be too much detail in certain areas, but my aim throughout is to create a credible backdrop.

Imagine a life without computers or mobile phones, and when airports didn’t cater for several languages on their notices. In Part One, the miniskirt was still a statement fashion and cars didn’t come with a radio as standard. A pint of beer and a 20-pack of cigarettes would have cost … well, I’m not going there, because some of you wouldn’t believe me.

To put it all in perspective, it is the tale of a young man who left school at 15, and at 17 was venturing into the unknown. For those who have served, it may bring back memories, and for those who considered serving, but did not, it may answer questions. For those who never contemplated military service, it will provide insight.

All of the links to Amazon or BookLinker are available at my author website on the Anthologies page:

http://www.tombensonauthor.com/anthologies/4591486548

Go on, take a look …

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2016-so-far — Graphic links to Anthologies page of author website.

Before this year got underway I set myself certain targets regarding my writing. Among my aims I wanted to cut down on casual social networking. Yes, it’s the mainstay of our marketing for self-published authors, but I’m working on the theory – if I have more titles with quality time spent on them, it’s better than pushing the present catalogue.

I’m delighted to report I’ve been true to my goals … for most of the time. In the past I’ve gone from conducting a minimum of marketing to going overboard, and this year I’ve aimed to strike a balance.

I tend not to advertise too much prior to publication of a title, and so far, I haven’t embraced the ‘pre-order’ idea. This year so far I’ve produced five titles, but none were rushed. Due to my method of working, I have three projects underway at any given time. I may work on one book for a week or a month, and when it is left to simmer, I pull up one of the others. Of the five titles in the banner above three of them had been rewritten several times before 2016.

Working on different projects in such a way may not appeal to everybody, but I’ve found it maintains my interest, and my productivity – if I avoid the distraction of social media.

I have an allegiance to, and certain responsibilities regarding the Indie Author Support and Discussion group, and it’s never a hardship to work towards the success of the group. The IASD has been and will remain the exception to my personal rule about social media visits.

Exposure of my writing has come about, in the sense I’ve continued with my monthly ‘Freebie’ weekends on Amazon. This month the free book appears on the 15th/16th.

Apart from the regular free books, I update the News page of my author website monthly, and the detail is posted in all the usual places.

What have I got in store for the remainder of this year?

I’m presently sharing my writing time between four projects. Before the end of the year I’m hoping to publish: the third title in the series A Life of Choice, the final part of the Beyond The Law trilogy, and if the characters will misbehave for me – the third in the Highland Games erotica novella series.

The fourth project (not shown in graphic), is my next anthology Temptation: and other short stories, which is under constant revision.

Of the aforementioned titles I’ve discovered a peculiarity. The Highland Games series carries the lowest priority for me, but when I feel the need to get away from another project, or I simply want to escape into a world of fantasy, the words flow easily with my erotica series.

When I’m out and about in life and my notebook makes an appearance, it is invariably to jot down a new idea, character, or situation for one of the series.

However the rest of my writing year goes, my readership may rest assured I’ll be putting every effort into producing my best entertainment.

As always, thank you for your time, and any comments.

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