I made a conscious decision in Galligan’s Edge not to talk about chronology. There’s no mention of the year. Sure, there’s details of past events. Many of those events are critical to the story, such as the Daeva Caris’ forthright chattery about the Battle of Ephalus. But generally Edge is a linear novel and very focused on getting to the next thing. There’s no real flashbacks, only discussion of past events.

Obviously, I can’t go through a fantasy series never setting up timelines.

I think it will be useful to have a timeline reference, both for me and anyone reading the Torrodil series. Dates won’t correlate with Earth’s history, but I was inspired by the 16th and 17th century in particular when I first started writing Torrodil. Hence the two warring countries...

In the run up to Galligan’s Ashes II, I’m going to answer a few questions about characters, worldbuilding, timelines, and all that good authory stuff. A pastime of mine is listening to writers dissect their work, but bear with me if I go off the beaten track. I’m on the second book in a fantasy series, and it’s very likely that my writing is going to get longer, fatter, and less intelligible.

The Girl of Galligan’s Edge

Ree Galligan is the central heroine in the Torrodil series. She’s fifteen, fiery, stubborn, and tries to do everything herself. That’s ultimately Ree’s fatal flaw. She’s so busy trying not to depend on anybody that she pushes a lot of good people away.

In Galligan’s Edge, Ree starts the book working in a pokey tailor’s shop for Marlene Munslow, Queen of Confectionery (s...

Because it’s autumn (but feels like January), I’m reading a lot of classics. That means Journey to the Centre of the Earth, Brideshead Revisited, and The Fellowship of the Ring. I’ve always like Fellowship the most out of the three books, and the Peter Jackson film is my personal favourite out of the adaptations. I’m not a massive fan of the dark side of fantasy (I prefer to stay delusional), so the banter and humour in Fellowship hits the spot.

Brideshead Revisited is one of those books that is so dense I have to read something else at the same time. It goes down like a five-course dinner, which is pretty much the whole point. I feel tired reading it. I fall asleep...

Galligan’s Ashes II, which admittedly sounds like a horror schluck sequel, will be released on December 2nd.

If there is a power cut, this book will be released.

If my keyboard is claimed as a home by tropical fire ants, this book will be released.

If, God forbid, I am struck down by a potentially fatal viral respiratory disease, told that I have days to live, I will be quarantined with my wireless-enabled computer and a notebook, or else not quarantined at all.

Galligan’s Ashes II is coming out on Sunday December 2nd and that is that.

I’m also going to do a whole string of free days on Amazon until then. Every day from now until December 2nd, you can pick up an eBook of mine chock-full of wit and crazy from Amazon, and the best part is you don’t have to pay anything...

The Ghost of Shamwick Gallows, a wickedly humorous short story for Halloween, will be released on Amazon today. It’s very much Downton Abbey meets Thief, and features Lady Kara Wetherby from the Torrodil series as she attempts to delve into the secret goings-on of the lunatic asylum of Shamwick Gallows. Dum, dum, duuuuuum.

No, really, it’ll be on Amazon soonish.

I had a blast writing this story. Probably one of my best experiences of writing to date. It came out a little longer than I thought (around 9,000 words). Hopefully you will find it as enjoyable to read.