When I visited the Caerleon Lit Fest recently, I saw an author talk that inspired me. The man doing the talking was none other than Tim Lebbon. Horror and Dark Fantasy writer.

This guy has written around thirty novels so far and has won many awards in the process. They include: The Bram Stoker award for short fiction, British Fantasy Award for best short fiction and the Scribe Award for best adapted screen play - 2007 30 Days of Night. He's only recently been commissioned to write a new novel for Del Rey/ Star Wars books. The novel will be called Star Wars: Dawn of the Jedi - Into the Void. Not just any author is asked to do something as important, as you know Star Wars; books, comics and movies are known the world over. He was kind enough to chat and give me a few pointers, on the day. I aspire to be as good as him someday.

The cover design for 'Crank Tech One: DESTRUCTION is ready, and does look really fab. The pages are being set up at the printers and will be put into a template, shaped into book pages. I'm writing the prologue as I write this. I know the launch is a while away yet, Saturday September 22nd at Waterstones Cardiff 2012, but all these things must be set in place before hand.

  The book also has to be registered with an ISBN number (a serial number specifically for that book. Like a National Insurance Number that identifies us). This puts it on a database so shops can order it. The blurb (the information on the back cover that gives a hint about the story), is also set and the price and so forth.

It is an exciting time for an author, I know, I've already produced five books, to date, but it's always special when the next comes out. I can still hope that one day all this will be done for me, when I get a publishing contract with one of the biggies. Until then though, I have to produce and distrubute the books myself. I do this in book-signings at Waterstones shops and indies (independent book shops), throughout Wales and the UK.

I've already done a seventh manuscript (the hard copy of a book before it actually becomes a book) - still needs a few tweeks,though. I'm also a third the way through book eight - House of Darke. I've also got the idea for Crank Tech One: Guardian, which will be the second book in the Crank Tech series of stand alone novels. Projects, projects, projects...I'm always working on something.

Keep watching and I'll fill you in on what's happening.

I spent a wonderful evening at the Swansea Town Hall on Wednesday July 4th 2012. I gave a talk on writing and publishing. Also I talked about how to promote a book and deal with customers in book-signings. Alan Bryant runs the writing circle and Catrin Collier is the chairman.

 David Thorpe, joined the group the same night as I did the talk. He is an award winning author of Hybrids, published by Harper Collins Childrens Books. There was a lot of fun and information bouncing around the hall. The audience enjoyed the evening and my wife and I loved it.

 Thank you to the members of the circle for making it a great night.

Tallyberrry Publishing, is my own publishing house. I self published my first series Wizards' Kingdom with Athena Press. This (author funded) publisher has since 'gone under' and I retain the software and hope to reprint in the future.

    The Curious World of Shelley Vendor, was traditionally published by North Staffordshire Press under the editorial guidance of Malcolm Henson. When it came to the sequel; The Curious World of Katie Hinge, Malcolm's finances were stretched (recession and so forth) so, what was I to do? I'd had great success with Wizards' Kingdom and now that was frozen! I had a second series that I couldn't produce with my publisher, and I was at a loss.

  My wife suggested that 'we' go alone. To be honest, I was scared. I'd always had someone else doing all the printing and setting of cover design (Derek Jones the artist though, never let me down), ISBN numbers and so on. But, it was do or die. I had by now built up a relationship with Waterstones book shops in the UK. My books were selling pretty well too.

  So, in August 2011 with the help of Glenside Printing (Glyn and Mandy and their team) Tallyberry Publishing was born. We reprinted Shelley Vendor under the Tallyberry umbrella and produced for the first time The Curious World of Katie Hinge. Since then, and at this point in time; Crank Tech One: DESTRUCTION is in the middle of production in 2012. I have sequel's and new projects on the backburner, so Tallyberry will go on. I will honestly still try and get a traditional publisher and agent in the future. That has always been my goal.

E L James, author of Fifty Shades of Grey, Fifty Shades Freed and Fifty Shades Darker has done what all author's would love their novel's to do. Sell in their MILLIONS.

James's trilogy has become the fastest selling books in history. She is earning on average £850, 455.00 a week. That is totally amazing!  Her books so far have reportedly sold 4 million paperback copies and her ebooks 1 million downloads by June 2012. I honestly don't know what the reason is for the explosion of sales.

  The books are a soft porn series, that have appealed mainly, to women. They seem to be buying the erotic stories, by the bucket load. 

  It is reported, that because of the secrecy of the download phenomenon, women are buying them and reading them in private, where normally they wouldn't buy the paperback version in the shops.

 The story, due to the main male character ; Mr Grey, has a thrilling sexual adventure that is tailored to females rather than males.

 Not just women I would surmise are buying them though. I haven't read them myself, but I am totally amazed by the interest in the material. Especially, as there are probably plenty of this type of sexual content on the market.

  But, I take my hat off to Miss James. It does give us smaller author's hope that some day it could happen to us.

Meet The Authors

I'm going to the Caerleon Lit Fest on July 7^th 2012, to attend an author talk by legendary Horror and Dark Fantasy writer Tim Lebbon. Tim is New York Times bestselling writer, and he's from South Wales. He has won 4 British fantasy awards, a Bram Stoker Award, a Scribe Award and has been a finalist for International Horror Guild, Shirley Jackson, and World Fantasy Awards.

  As a writer, I'm always ready to learn about how other author's do their thing. It will be really cool as well to maybe have a chat with him afterwards. Also on the bill is Catherine Fisher, she's the first ever Young People's Laureate for Wales, a Fellow of the Welsh Academy and probably Wales' best known children's writer. An international bestseller, her Oracle Trinity was translated into twenty languages.

Festivals are a great way to see your favourite stars, and get a signed book too. If you ever get a chance to meet the author you've been following, grab it with both hands. I've met various writers in my career such as R J Ellory, Ali Sparkes, Darren Shan and Catrin Collier to name but a few.