Coming Soon: Pike's Progress

I'm pleased to say that the manuscript for Pike's Progress, the third book in the Sandy Pike series, is now written and in the hands of my editor.  Sadly, that does not mean the book is finished.  There is more to the publishing of a book than just the writing, I have learned.

My editor will review it and suggest changes.  Generally, these changes are minor.  There's always the chance he discovers a larger problem, though, that would need significant revising.  I hope that's not the case, but that's why I have an editor.

Cover design is another step.  The cover artists I have used for the Pike books have been very good at adapting my concepts but they move in their own time.  I'm not the only project they have.  Once they get started, it's usually pretty quick, but waiting for them to get to me is always a test of my patience.

Finally, once I have a front cover design and the book has been edited, I will send it for pre-publication reviews.  These, we hope, will be the source of enticing nuggets (blurbs, as they are known) that I can use on amazon and the back cover of the paperback and hardcover versions to convince people to buy and read the book.  

What this all means is that the publication of the book will be mid-May at the earliest, and more likely, toward the end of the month.  While that might be disappointing, at least these final processes have begun, now that the writing is complete (as long as my editor agrees).  I am as eager and excited to get these things done as anyone.

After this, I turn my attention to the next book in the FitzDuncan series.  There are other concepts I have been noodling as well.  The one that has the most meat on its bones is a prequel to the Halberd series that covers the formation of the Commonwealth and its early years.

As always, I appreciate your readership, your interest and your support.  I enjoy writing these books and having interested readers provides extra motivation.  Until the next time, 

JS

Between two holidays...

 Greetings of the season to you!

After a busy fall in my "real" job (teaching Latin and coaching sub-Varsity football), and with publishing stuff, the Thanksgiving break was welcome.  Classes resume tomorrow, so I thought I would take a moment to jot down some of the things happening in the different universes I've created.  There is something moving forward in all three.

FitzDuncan's Alchemy was released ten days ago.  The pre-publication reviews were gratifying.  The post-publication reader comments and ratings are strong.  Knowing that people enjoy my work is rewarding in so many ways.  Thank you.

The third FitzDuncan book is well underway.  I have no idea when I will finish it but the way it's going, it will be sooner rather than later.  Stay tuned.

Pike #3 is begun but moving slowly.  I know where I want to take the plot and the characters but the starting point doesn't feel quite right.  My progress on it has been stops and starts.

Gallantry in Action, the first of the Halberd series (and the first book I published) is getting a makeover.  New cover art is underway and what I've seen of the rough drafts has me very excited.  It's also in the hands of an editor, to clean up many of the inconsistencies (mostly grammatical and with punctuation) that I've since learned to avoid.  If the new cover is well-received, the other books in the series will get updates also.

Audiobooks are now available for Pike's Potential, FitzDuncan, and Gallantry in Action.  The audiobook for Pike's Passage is complete, just waiting for Audible to bless it.  The audiobook for FitzDuncan's Alchemy is in production.  After that will come the rest of the Halberd series.

There was extremely good news from the BookLife Prize folks, covered in my last posting.  Pike's Potential was named the finalist for the sci-fi/fantasy/horror sub-group of fiction.  It is one of only five books remaining.  The winner will be announced in mid-December.

Several months ago, Pike's Potential made it to the "Short List" in the Cygnus Book Awards for Science Fiction.  I won't learn until February if we made it to the Semi-Finals.  Fingers crossed.

That's all the news for now.  Thank you for your support.  I do appreciate it.

BookLife Prize Finalist

 Just received the news that Pike's Passage has been named one of five finalists in the annual BookLife Prize.  Pike's Passage is the finalist in the category of Sci-Fi/Fantasy/Horror.  Here's the link: https://booklife.com/news/authors/11/17/2021/announcing-the-booklife-prize-finalists.html

FitzDuncan's Alchemy: first review

 First review of FitzDuncan's Alchemy is in. Book is due to release on 12/1. Here's the review, from Jennifer Ibiam at Readers' Favorite:

Casimir is at it again after a faceoff with Prince Wim, who wanted to usurp the throne from his brother. Casimir was the bastard son of the Earl of Eastern March, who earned money by helping others recover treasures. In FitzDuncan’s Alchemy by John J. Spearman, life was better as he made more money and courted Lady Darling with her father’s permission. Lord Tulley showed up in Casimir’s life with a new job of helping him recover a large amount of money fleeced off him by Nils Pedersen’s boy. A new adventure began for the hunter, but the stakes were high this time. Nils wasn’t a person to toy with, and Casimir would plan the trickiest scheme of his life yet. Will he succeed in his quest? Find out!

FitzDuncan’s Alchemy by John J. Spearman is the second installment in the FitzDuncan series and a riveting read. The plot and story were unique, insightful, brilliant, and captivating. FitzDuncan’s Alchemy is a mix of laid-back atmosphere and action if you can imagine that. I loved the concise recap at the beginning of the book. It helped me understand the essence of the first installment, even if I hadn’t read it. John developed excellent characters that I connected with throughout the book. Casimir was my favorite cast member for his great sense of humor, witty personality, and street smartness. I also loved Freddy, maybe a little too much. He was a method actor who made me laugh a lot. The lighthearted banter, stylish writing, and first-person narrative helped me understand the story. I fell in love with this novel from the first paragraph. Write more, John!

FitzDuncan's Alchemy

The next FitzDuncan adventure is undergoing editing right now.  It should be ready for release later this fall.

 

FitzDuncan review

 Historical mystery readers will find FitzDuncan is set in medieval times and tells of P.I. Casimir FitzDuncan, whose latest case revolves around a woman seeking to escape an oppressive marriage contract with man who holds a reputation for abuse.

 

After their initial meeting, she is kidnapped, prompting FitzDuncan to embark on both a mission to recover her and an effort to clear his own reputation, called into question since he was the last person to see her.

 

When the story opens, however, it's FitzDuncan who has been abducted, awakening in prison with a knot on his head and his quasi-friend Sir Oliver (Ollie) grilling him about the whereabouts of Miss Julienne Traval.

 

One satisfying feature of this story is that FitzDuncan operates on both sides of the law. Neither good nor bad guy entirely, his reputation for both brings with it a murky set of objectives and influences that cause many to doubt his word and intentions.

 

Despite his ancestry (he's the eldest son of Duncan Barry, Earl of the Eastern March), FitzDuncan goes his own way and has developed a wry sense of propriety and impropriety that often lands him in trouble as well as lending him a reputation for fact-finding savvy.

 

Both get him into dire straights in this story, which excels in presenting a flawed hero who doesn't always make the right choices.

 

As the tale progresses, John J. Spearman deftly juxtaposes history, fiction, and P.I. investigative tactics in a multifaceted story designed to please a diverse audience, whether they originate from historical interests or choose the story for its investigative mystery components.

 

It's no light task to represent medieval politics, culture, and people in such a way that all come to life; especially for readers who may be unversed in this era. Spearman accomplishes both while viewing events from the first-person perspective of FitzDuncan, which lends a personal and immediate tone to the world around him and his choices.

 

As the mystery evolves, a surprise is embedded when FitzDuncan discovers that the target of the kidnapper isn't actually obvious at all.

 

From the political conundrums he faces on who to trust and who is dangerous to his pursuit of a dangerous force steeped in deadly rituals, FitzDuncan interacts with royalty and dark forces alike.

 

His pursuit of a questionable truth and elusive justice is especially well written in the first person and presented through his encounters with friends, superiors, and those who confront him: "I thought quickly. “Your Majesty, I have prayed that you would listen to what I have to say with an open mind. Your willingness to dismiss your son from our meeting gives me hope that you will. I must also beg for your patience since it will take time for me to explain to you what I know. As for my innocence or guilt, I requested the King’s Justice. That will be for you to decide.”

 

Spearman does more than provide mystery readers with a detailed investigative probe. By setting his character in medieval times and thoroughly immersing him in the politics and processes of this era, he brings history to life, personalizing it with a first-person observational style that requires no prior familiarity with history in order to prove accessible.

 

The only prerequisite to enjoying this story is an interest in problem-solving and a rollicking good read that romps through cultural norms and politics, turning them on end as FitzDuncan struggles to arrive at the truth even as his beliefs get in the way of reality.

 

History and mystery collections alike should select the well-detailed FitzDuncan as a crossover title appealing to a broader audience than either genre alone.

Rviewed by D. Donovan, Senior Reviewer, Midwest Book Review

Coming soon...