Tao Wong

Book Release & Conference Over

The First Stop from A Thousand Li has released today. I'm sure you've all read it, but it's out! WOOT!

Conference is done. Waiting at a coffee shop in Edinburgh right now. First chapter of Book 8 will release either today or tomorrow, depending on whether I get enough time to add it to this. I wrote 0 words on Rebel Star during the conference.

I did finish my short-story, but there'...

Welcome new patrons

Hi guys;

Not much posting this month because I'm traveling. I do have some chapters written but not as much as I'd like and I'm working on getting the short story done. I love the idea, it's a ton of fun and showcases both Galactic Society and Roxley. However, it's nowhere near where I'd love to get it which is the problem. Hoping to finish it by Wednesday since I'm supposed to be writing...

Writing Update

Alright, spent most of Sunday on a train. That - along with getting up at 4am-6am - means I got more writing done. I'm nearly finished with all the pre-written work, though I'm wondering if some of it is a bit more meandering than normal. *Sighs* I like the chapters though, they're fun and in some ways important. So I'll probably leave them in, at least for now.

I'll start posting new cha...

Travelling with kids & work

Trying to get work done while travelling and not messing up the holiday. Of course, the entire holiday is like 2 months long (not fully a holiday since I've got like... 2 1/2 weeks of conventions and the like in it) but I don't get home till mid-September. Which means I need to make sure writing gets done.

Thus far, I've been able to sneak in time for admin - reading over and editing othe...

Quick Updates

So, got back First Stop and book is now uploaded. Need the paperback cover before I can upload that, but once that's ready, I'll get it up.

Do people want the PDF or a mobi file for the final?

The 3 short stories I accepted are in the editing stage. Sent back notes for 2 of 3. Need to do 3 of 3.

I updated and sent the edited issue 2 of the comics. New artwork/etc to come in th...

Admin work, the anthology and slow-typing

This month is going to be an editing and admin month.

I'm currently editing issue of the System Apocalypse Comics comic script. Would 10+ patrons be interested in seeing the original scripts (edited that is) for both?

Also going through the deleted chapters from book 7 that I shifted to book 8, stitching that and the newly written words together to get the book together. So, not wri...

Spending time camping & reading

Spent most of this weekend camping and reading. Didn't do any writing but I did read 7 out of 9 entries which puts me nearly at the point where I'm ready to start making choices. Some good work there, some stuff that might be good with some polishing. Perhaps the biggest mistake I've found is a misunderstanding of the System , sometimes people forgetting things that have been explicitly stated,...

Happy Canada Day!

Hope you all had fun. It's really smoky up here - not as bad as Vancouver was last year, but smoky nonetheless. Damn wildfires.

Spent the day at a knife making workshop (only handles), but it was fun. Learnt a few things, so don't be surprised if that comes up. 

Rebel Star has me at chapter 2. Was slow going at first, but finally got moving on Friday then, of course, the long w...

The Three Adventurers (Children Short Story)

Because I've been telling these stories to my kid and he loves them. And I took forever to get a series of books out, I figured I'd write this on the back (in parts).

Heee.

Thinking I might make this bonus content for anyone buying 6 or more books in series. 

-----

Once Upon a Time

There was 3 Adventurers

Who vowed to kill a dragon tha...

The First Stop Cover

Cover for the First Stop. Releasing August 1.

New FB Group

As many of you know, I run the Cultivation Novel group. It's a generic group for letting anyone who likes cultivation / xanxia novels chat about them. It's not really meant to be my own personal FB group.

Originally, I figured I could just avoid creating my own group and have my fan page. But some recent events have made me realise that I probably should have an actual fan group. Not nece...

190624 Writing Update

Had a non-working weekend. 

Did some research reading, spent a few hours doing the edits for book 2 of the Thousand Li. And that was pretty much it. Once I finish the edits, I'm on to book 8 of the System Apocalypse. I also spent a little bit of time rewriting the arcs for the System Apocalypse, so that there's a rough guide of the various themes that I intend to use. It looks like t...

System Apocalypse Short Story Anthology Character

Alright, I've got to add a short story for the anthology (assuming it happens). The plan is to write the short story during the writing workshop I'm going to in early August.

Let me know who / what you want. Not sure if the poll allows other people to add stuff, but if not, add your suggestion (if it's not below), in comments and other people can comment in on those too if it strikes thei...

Posting slowdown - Pain break

Hi guys;

Sorry. Going to be slow on doing posts. I promise to get the rest of the 6 chapters (13 total right now) that are done up soon.

But i got to take a few days off from doing stuff. My tendinitis is flaring up like mad along with some other issues that is putting me on the lower end of motivation & energy. If I don't cut down on stuff, I'm going to be not doing much at all...

Self-employment blues

Written about 500 words in the last 4 days. I took the weekend off entirely.  I was sick for most of that, not horribly, just enough of a cold / fever thing that my motivation to write died. So, I didn't.

Took the time to finish reading Everyone Else is a Returnee which is probably not what I should have done either. I really need to NOT start any new series. Heee.

It's one of ...

Random Story Fragment - Prologue Isekai Superhero

So, I mentioned I did this when I had no access to the Internet and felt like writing something. It was tossed together and mostly written for fun. So... here's the prologue.

Prologue

“Thank you, Hero.”

“Thank you.”

“We could never have done it without you.”

“The Demon Lord will not return for at least a millenia. W...

Launch day nerves

I know a lot of authors get them. I... don't, or at least, not directly - inability to focus, nervousness, lack of sleep or appetite. None of that really affects me.  

In fact, I've spent launch days working quietly and getting words down. Beyond the usual plugging and occasional replies on social media (which does kill your productivity), most launch days are just another day. Not ...

The goods & the bad

Yay! Stars Awoken released. 

That's the good.

The bad...

I accidentally worked on the wrong file for The First Stop. So now, I have to read the entire thing again - or at least, the first 8 chapters - and get it sorted.

I hate editing.

That is all.

Business Musings

So. I think I might have mentioned this before, but I went wide with 3 of my Adventures on Brad audiobooks. Doing that means I lose 15% of my royalty rates from ACX (i.e. sales on iTunes and Audible) but I get to access a LOT of other people. Since Audible is only like... 40% of the market, it seemed worthwhile to test.

Here's the 1st month results:

 3 books. 2019-05-31 16:33:49 +0000 UTC View Post

Patreon Benefits

I'm going to be adjusting the Patreon membership levels in a bit. 

While I want to keep the higher levels (even if there is no one on it), I might reduce the number a bit to only $20 and $50 sets.

Since I'm out of randomly written stories and half-stories, I need to adjust that portion. And, as many of you realise, I don't take a lot of suggestions for my writing. So... I'm rem...

Editing, editing, editing

So. I'm editing now. What does that  mean? It's worth noting that editing and the writing process is very different for everyone. I call my first, complete book my first draft. But, as some of you know, this 'first' draft might have been rewritten like 2 or 3 times (see A Squire's Wish and Stars Awoken). Other writers might consider the book the 3rd/4th draft since I've rewritten the scene...

Patron Feedback

Alright. So you've read the comic & the books. 

Comments? Thoughts? 

How about the Patreon itself? Enjoying yourself and what not? For obvious reasons, there's going to be a shortage of posted chapters for the next few days or so while I edit the First Stop. 

Then I'll start posting the AoB chapters I've got written. But are you guys happy? I've stopped with...

Thousand Li Book 3 Prep

Just a hint of what might be coming...

The System Apocalypse Comic #1

Here's the link to download it. It's in PDF form . Download and use as necessary.

As always. Don't share. This was an expensive process and it still isn't up on the most important site for comics (Comixology). That's going to take up to 3 months for them to REVIEW the file, nevermind the 8-12 weeks before they release it.

Ugh.

URL: 2019-05-23 03:06:58 +0000 UTC View Post

Comic Cover

So. I had JC make the comic cover too and of them all, I think this is probably the most appropriate. Once I get the high res files, I'll be ready to publish the comic.

Hopefully this works out well, though I know the cost ballooned a bit - mostly 'cause I had so much fun getting covers and stuff. 

oops...

Thousand Li: First Stop Update

This is what I just typed:

THE END

Wu Ying will be back as the shadows of war loom in book three of A Thousand Li: The First War

Just under 90k words. I am in the midst of adding notes for all the different scenes and things I need to loo out for in the editing process. There are at least 2 scenes (maybe just a paragraph for one ...

The business of writing and choices

There's a term that some authors use to discuss what we do - indie publishing. They prefer the term from self-publishing because it better emphasizes what we actually have to do - all the various aspects of publishing, from editing, managing contractors, proofreading, cover design, rights management and marketing. 

It's one of the things that, the more time I spent in various author ...

Audible Codes - Get them While they're Hot

So. I posted this on FB. I'm sure you are all on it. But if not. Audible is changing the way they are doing codes. So.

I have a BILLION UK codes and still a bunch of US codes.

Let me know if you want coupon codes and how many. They all give you credits, so hell, if you have my books already and want a couple for other authors, let me know and I'll send a couple ov...

Comic Covers

So, this isn't the finished product. I wanted him to edit the tree because I wasn't happy with the way they looked. It's definitely post-apoc, but the work itself is... well, not what I expected. So, this was attempt no.1. I'll (of course) pay for the work, and it might be an alternate cover I get done, but overall, this isn't likely going to be the 'real' cover.

I then got a 2nd cover do...

Short Story Anthology - thoughts and musings

So. If you haven't realised, I'm intending to launch a short story anthology (http://www.mylifemytao.com/652-2/). 

I won't got into details here about it, but I figured I'd write about the backend process.

The Why

There were a few reasons for doing this. One, I loved the idea when...