Robert James

Robert James Blog - September 2020
          www.robertjamesbooks.co.uk/blog
          
          Following Jaime pushing out the advertising for the ‘Rake’s Drift’ series, it has been amazing and a real honour to see the number of people who first downloaded the first in the fantasy series ‘Rake’s Drift’ to read, then moved straight onto ‘Entropy, a natural principle’, and then downloaded ‘A suit of white armour.’
          While the initial fantasy trilogy was equally downloaded as either a digital order or through Kindle Unlimited, what I have found really interesting is the number of people who I could track the pages read though using their Kindle, and the number who rapidly went from book to book – now I just hope they continue their interest in the fantasy series with book four – ‘A mother’s role’ being available to download – all fingers crossed that you enjoy the latest in Rake, Tenkini and Elaina’s ventures in Pantogan.
          With the fourth in the fantasy series written, I am now working on a novel to bridge the ‘No solution’ action series into the ‘QIZ’ science fiction series, not easy and a real challenge to pick up and run with the loose ends to be found here and there, and with the number of primary characters involved it is a real bun fight to work out who the spotlight will fall on to bring life to the plot – time will tell!
          So as swirls and spirals of character development merge in and out of plot lines for ‘Between ones and zeros’ – the running title for the next book to be written, I am hoping next month to have a better idea of the beginning hook, middle build and ending payoff for this action and science fiction hybrid adventure; I am sure I will share the frustration of my limited progress in next month’s blog – in the mean time I hope this blog entry finds you and family all well.

Robert James Blog - August 2020
          www.robertjamesbooks.co.uk/blog
          
          So ‘A mother’s role’ is finished, and while there is always the tendency and temptation for one last edit, the latest in the ‘Rake’s drift’ fantasy series is complete with the words ‘final draft’ following on from the book’s title; when you have the finished Word document sitting on the desktop, it does make me wonder how this creation ever came into being, the thoughts and actions of so many characters playing out across a fantasy world, and it also makes the inevitable closing of that chapter (no pun intended!) and then moving onto the next project a little daunting.
          Now begins the next task of sending out the book to publishing agents, in the hope that one of the agents will connect with the snippet of the book sent to them – truly the most challenging part though is attempting to summarise a near on four hundred page book into a single page – not easy!
          An update on the promotional video, Rob has finished the labour of love that has been the soundtrack and it is now with Jaime and David to focus their artistic talents into selecting and layering the imagery to fit with the music and themes we are attempting to portray that will showcase three of the book series written to date; whilst this project is now well over a year old we are still very excited about sharing this with you when complete, the images and music do very much seem to have taken on a life of their own over time!
          I hope this blog post finds you, your family and friends well, take care.

Robert James Blog - July 2020
          www.robertjamesbooks.co.uk/blog
          
          So after two years of on/off plotting, planning and aborted attempts at sketching out plans; going back again and again to the characters that reside within the fantasy land of Pantogan, to ensure their next steps would be the ones they would choose to make willingly or otherwise, so ‘A mother’s tale’ is written and has been subjected to a series of painstakingly painful edits, ‘A mother’s tale’ being the fourth in the Rake’s Drift series.
          Each of the fantasy action adventure books have been designed to hold its own as a standalone title, but naturally to fully see the character’s development over time I would recommend starting with Rake’s Drift – if you do not have the time, then please do jump straight in with ‘A mother’s tale’, no spoilers to follow but from the first few chapters of the ‘beginning hook’ I hope you will find that you are truly hooked into the ensuing plot playing out as the characters interact in a fully fleshed out Pantogan fantasy land.
          I am reminded time and time again that a character is unaware if they are a primary or secondary character, we just perceive this as readers depending on the time that is spent upon and with them.
          I enjoyed having the opportunity to really explore and try to portray the perspective of those Bronze warriors who flock to Armastad’s flag; while it was not at all easy to attempt to relate to their crazed, cannibalism nature, only by really working with them over time was it possible to try to portray their hopes and aspirations as they face an increasingly desperate King’s Army attempting to keep the Bronze force from broaching the Kirkswell Pass that enables travel from the great lakes to the west and traversing east offering access to the capital of Pantogan, Amble.
          One final editing run awaits, a final polish to follow the five previous edits that have...
          ***Continued on my website***

Robert James Blog - June 2020
          www.robertjamesbooks.co.uk/blog
          
          The case of the missing book!
          Imagine the scene, I am looking through my website tab for Amazon at the Robert James books published on Kindle Direct Publishing, and there is a plot line and characters that I cannot find. The puzzle deepens when I switch across to Goodreads, no sign of the plot line there, and then finally I try my website, and again no relenting of the confusion as the plot line is not to be listed on the books published to date – all very strange!
          A wander away for a mug of tea, and I wonder if lock-down is finally getting to me, was this a book that I dreamt, imagined I had written but was actually stored away in the subconscious, ready for the actions of the characters to pour through my fingers and onto the Apple laptop?
          Fortunately a friend brought enlightenment onto the puzzle, and it turns out that we had decided to unveil ‘Nature says otherwise’, an action adventure fiction novel in the ‘No Solution’ series onto Wattpad, and after the novel’s time on Wattpad had finished, ‘Nature says otherwise’ had simply hunkered down in a holding pattern, waiting patiently to be rediscovered, dusted off and so the last week has been spent going through the novel with one, last final edit, though the reality is that the edit may well be a well-intended excuse to lose myself with those characters once again.
          The timing is perfect, to re-engage with Tolland, FBI Agent Collins and Ralph Danhauer once more, as when the series of edits to the fantasy book ‘A mother’s tale’ are completed, my next project will be the book that aims to connect the ‘No Solution’ series to that of the QIZ science fiction work.
          I hope this month’s blog finds you all safe and well – take care and choose kind.

Robert James Blog - May 2020
          www.robertjamesbooks.co.uk/blog
          
          20:00 on a Thursday evening, neighbours stood clapping their hands together enthusiastically, fervently, feet planted resolutely upon their front door steps, a uniform show of solidarity, a focused attempt to project an utmost respect for the UK’s national health service and the people within an institution that are willing to go into work day and night to confront the virus taking near on a thousand lives each day in England yet behind the arms thrust forwards, hands clapping vigorously?
          Each person present on the street, every household represented, lips pressed together into a smile that few truly feel, everyone’s eyes scanning, flicking over each face present, an errant cough from one sucks in attention and even though we are separated by many metres from one another a cough or sneeze can have the impact of a grenade going off, others recoiling and the look of shock, horror, very real concern exhibited scours the mask of neighbourly camaraderie from features barely covering the very real fear that all present share, inhabit.
          Whilst we all do clap with true admiration for the respect we feel for the women and men of the NHS, the very real danger that they expose themselves to on a daily basis to care for those who are hurt, injured, or seriously unwell in addition to those infected with the COVID-19 virus; it is that fear we feel for what could inhabit those amongst us, our fellow neighbours who may have, may be carrying the coronavirus that brings an evident sense of relief when people at the end of the two minutes of respectful clapping quickly turn on their heels to return to the relative safety of their homes, front doors firmly closed.
          As we all follow the rules, the expectations of lockdown and for very good reason, so I find myself increasingly thinking back and reflecting on ‘The Truman Show’, a Science-Fiction movie starring Jim Carrey as an insurance salesman...
          ***Continued on my website***

Robert James Blog - April 2020
          
          COVID-19, I feel as if I am living through the imagination of a writer in a post-viral Science fiction book, the telepathic connection between reader and writer established, ground rules agreed that the plot will play out against a backdrop of character development; except this time the character development is our own.
          Whilst social isolation brings about an enforced calmness, an eerie purity of quiet, attending the local supermarket, early in the morning was anything but.
          The supermarket carpark, just after 06:00 reminded me of a scene played out each year before Christmas, the car park almost full and adults, children racing with either empty trolleys towards the store, or carts with bulging bags in a reversed direction speeding to waiting cars to whisk them away.
          Yet the atmosphere in store, no yuletide happiness and keening anticipation but a perceptible edge to the human whispers and squeaking of wheels, staff and customers unwilling to make eye contact as people navigate the store at pace, any errant sneeze of cough that would normally have found someone offering ‘bless you’ now met with startled shock before witnesses racing away.
          Yes, shopping for foodstuffs, essential items is hardly an activity that we all look forward to, but the underpinning atmosphere of cutting tension, an easy acceptance that if their favourite brand of ketchup was not in stock there was am open gratitude that at least another brand was present, and hey let’s get two just in case. People racing in with their trolleys, a sigh of relief that there are patchy supplies present, a race around the stores that would be ample practice for any wannabe Monaco Formula 1 driver; no time given to check the receipt after nervous exchanges at the till, and so to breath once again back in the four wheeled, metal place of sanctuary.
          Please do stay safe, a time to use electronic devices to stay in touch with loved ones, friends a distance away; take care.

Robert James Blog - March 2020
          www.robertjamesbooks.co.uk/blog 
          
                  Elaina could feel her child’s weight drift away from her, the youngling snoring gently, contentedly, a midday nap for the young one, a chance for escapism for his mother.
          The room disappeared, cumbersome and inefficient limbs melded with wings sculpting a land breeze to enable lift for her hawk that the Queen of Pantogan chose to embody, a vision that could trace even a hamster what must she be, near on half a kilometer high, deft touches translated into a neat curl in the air currents, a quick glance around and Elaina quickly established her whereabouts, just to the north of the great mountains of Sorn.
          
          The best laid plans, I am back at home after a week away sucking in some winter sun a fair few miles from the storm swept British Isles.
          Time spent on holiday saw me hunched over my faithful laptop for a good three hours on a run, the sheer luxury of a solid chunk of time where I could become immersed, dig down deep into the fantasy land of Pantogan and allow the fingers to ping away at the keyboard recording raw chapter after chapter with editing cast aside for a long time away into the future.
          Holiday time, I especially find away from home where you can make all of these hugely optimistic plans about dedicating time to this project, musing over prioritising writing time; all well and good until back to the day job and both the energy fades and real life steals away any proposed semblance of time over thirty minutes.
          The good news is that I am now onto the fourth of five sections, six out of seventeen chapters in the penultimate section roughly written very much in first draft mode; we will see what next weekend brings but with work demands clanging loudly, the sad reality shows that the luxury of significant episodes of undisturbed time will have to wait for another week or so; fingers crossed each weekend can spare space for a chapter or two.

Robert James Blog - February 2020
          www.robertjamesbooks.co.uk/blog
          
          ‘The Lady Anya, her entourage due here today…’ The mother began, her words thoughtful, measured.
          ‘Loane.’ Denver gestured outside. ‘Loane.’ The single word spoken again, reverence and awe sounded out in equal measure.
          The man’s eyes narrowed. ‘If the Lady Anya is here, then she will have her barrel of an Arc’monk Hause by her side.’ His right thumb poked to scratch at a saggy, sallow chin that spoke of skin that experienced all of the elements under the diminished intensity the sun would throw down upon them.
          Work continues on the third section of ‘A mother’s role’, I never seem to tire of playing around with the focus underpinning each chapter; having a rough idea of what the chapter is aiming to convey is down to the fingers that fall upon the keyboard, to decide the perspective taken as a director would for a movie, how much and how little to reveal, from whose standpoint will the material be sensed, delivered, and with this often brings with it unforeseen ramifications and knock-ons for those characters on or off stage, my fingers often momentarily stiffening in surprise before a swift return to their staccato tip-tapping dance.
          I have been very fortunate this month to hear the raw soundtrack that Rob and Derek are writing and continue to record, layering sound upon sound, to convey their musical translation of the fantasy world around ‘Rake’s Drift’, science fiction and the ‘QIZ’, and the ethereal Norse mythology-driven soundscape of ‘Missing’. My mouth hung open, all I could do was ask for the series of tracks to be played on repeat, time and time again. The disparate sounds they have created are truly amazing and while they bring in friends of friends to add additional instruments, so the wait surely comes to an end for Rob and Derek to finally release their aspect of the project to Jaime and David for the visuals to compliment...
          ***Continued on my website***

Robert James Blog - January 2020
          www.robertjamesbooks.co.uk/blog
          
          Happy New Year one and all!
          As the end of term approached, students in school becoming more and more excited at the rapidly accelerating reality of Christmas, teachers stretched and smiles worn a little thin, winter’s curse of a virus to be found spread equidistant across the staff body, a continuum of light and heavy colds to be judged by the scarlet hue of a nose, shadows under the eyes, microscopic parasites (not the students!) ebbing away any final remnants of energy, the customary breaktime mug of coffee replaced by the citrus fumes of steaming lemsip inhaled before knocked back glup after warming gulp, a moment taken before paracetamol sent to course and prop up a waning immune system, hold the fort for only a few more days.
          I always find the first weekend of a holiday as the best of times; a week, two weeks stretching ahead in front of me untouched, no blemishes on the horizon.  Yes there is a little work that pays the mortgage to be done, but at least five days when I can retreat back into the fantasy world of the Pantogan, a minimum of ten chapters scheduled to write in pure draft mode, the mental torture of edit upon revising edit can wait till early February.  Now is the time to shift some digital ink upon the laptop screen, traverse from the staccato clicks of a keyboard to be safely stored within solid state memory, it is hard not to hold back a faint smile as I type this; the third block of Pantogan’s history waits impatiently to be written.  The mug of lemsip to my diagonal right replaced by a generous double measure of Islay’s finest warming fluid, my fingers awakening to their task find their way to skip and dance over QWERTY and accomplices, best intentions surprisingly holding to make the most of this oh so very welcome break and balance spending time with loved ones,...
          ***Continued on my website***

Robert James Blog - December 2019
          https://www.robertjamesbooks.co.uk/blog
           
          The seasons
          With now the given necessity to be wearing at least four layers of clothes before I even consider stepping outside to walk the dog, I am convinced that winter is upon us.
          As we step from one season to another, I find the change to be gradual, an incremental drift and then suddenly ‘bam’ and we find ourselves firmly transitioned from one season to the next, and so the year progresses.
          Why this sudden interest in seasons?  I was trying to put some words onto paper (or digital ink upon computer screen to be more truthful) and I was really struggling in the description aspect of the scene, the feel of it was not quite right, not in tune with the sense I was attempting to convey, and then with a push back of the chair and stretch of the legs I realized that what I was trying to write about was a scene from the latest fantasy novel ‘A mother’s role’ set out under the midday sun in the height of a drought-ridden summer; very unlike the driving rain caught under a street light found outside the house window, voluptuous droplets of water held frozen in their diagonal motion, the strobing lamp highlighting a battle between gravity and a gusting wind on the final placement of the rain upon glistening fluid rich tarmac.
          A quick re-shuffle of the order of chapters to be written ensued, a half smile as I pulled upon those themes in the book that linked to winter, those to summer pushed back in the queue, to be called onto the laptop in May at the earliest.