Half-Way There Hi.
I'm Robert E Kreig and I make stuff up. Today, I've reached a milestone in the re-release of the ten books of The Woodmyst Chronicles. I've just approved the proofs for The Huntress of Woodmyst (book 5 of the series) which officially means I'm half-way there. I'm so happy to have come this far, to enable you to meet Alice who is, by far, my favourite character in the series. She is strong willed and sensitive, makes both good and poor decisions throughout her journey. But, by the gods, she is vicious and unrelenting in battle. The Huntress of Woodmyst sees the development of Alice progress from a simple twelve-year-old girl who possesses great physical strength and burgeoning powers of sorcery into an influential role. I may have said too much. Containing edge-of-your-seat action, violence and carnage, The Huntress of Woodmyst and the books to follow won't disappoint. I hope you enjoy reading about Alice as much as I did writing about her. Happy reading, Robert.
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A Big Favour To Ask Hi.
I’m Robert E Kreig and I make stuff up. Today, I thought about how you could help to promote indie authors, like myself, and how I could shamelessly advertise my most recent book, The Calm Voice. We’ll start with the shameless advertisement. For those who have been reading my work for a while, The Calm Voice is an updated republication of I Am Calm Voice. It’s the story of a troubled young girl who embarks on a violent set of tasks, driven by a voice in her head. The story culminates in a tragic and shocking conclusion. The reason I released The Calm Voice with a new title and some refined editing is because of my desire to transfer all of my works to paperback books. The Calm Voice is available in print and ebook formats. For more information and links to book stores, please click here. Now, to how you can help promote indie authors. It’s quite simple. Every time you purchase a book online, I ask you to leave a review at the site you bought it from. It’s a strange thing to ask, I know. But, more reviews for books by indie authors means the higher up the search lists those books appear. In other words, popularity assists promotion. Please take the time to promote your favourite books and authors by leaving reviews. A press on the rating (please give all of my work at least 5 stars) and a quick word or two about how outstanding the book is. That’s it. I thank you in advance on behalf of all indie authors and wish all of you all the best. Happy reading. Robert. New Update For the new year Hi.
I’m Robert E Kreig and I make stuff up. When I first started my indie-writing journey, I knew it would be hard work. The ongoing balancing war between work and leisure; professional and personal life; as well as the many things that life throws at you unexpectedly; continue their burdensome onslaught daily as I press on to produce the books I like to read. This past year, I’ve taken to re-releasing my works into print format. To do so, I cut ties with a company who distributed my works so I could try a different avenue. The company I previously chose wasn’t a terrible company. They are exceedingly professional and do exactly what they advertise, and I have only good things to say about them. I changed my path for this journey because it suited me to do so. The first, and probably the major, choice I made this year was to start my publishing company. I created Whitekeep Books and registered it as a working publishing house. So far, I’m happy with this decision as including the company’s logo on the spine adds an element of professionalism to the product. In a way, I can say an actual publisher has published me. On the other hand, I’m not taking clients. But who knows what the future holds? The second decision, to go with Ingram Spark for the creation and distribution of my works. For anyone considering Ingram Spark, I can sincerely vouch for them. I’ve heard very few negative stories about their support, but I’ve not had any problems getting in touch with someone and getting the help I need within a very short timeframe. In saying that, the negative stories I’ve heard are mostly from the USA. I live in Australia and have neither heard any dreadful stories about Ingram Spark from here, nor experienced anything of the sort. If I have ever experienced anything worthy of complaint, it’s because of my actions, not theirs. Third, I chose a brilliant cover designer for The Chronicles of Woodmyst series. Dee Dee Book Covers is one of the most brilliant and extraordinary individuals I’ve ever had the opportunities to work with. It’s amazing to see what she can do with just a brief description of the book from me. I’m so looking forward to her next project and can’t wait for you to see the entire series upon completion. Fourth, I purchased a subscription to Atticus for the sake of book designing. I’ve toyed with it a little, using an incomplete manuscript to test out its capabilities. Like Ingram Spark, which has its own book building tool, Atticus offers several templates to choose from. Unlike Ingram Spark, Atticus offers customisation of templates, allowing you to produce unique layouts of your work. Admittedly, because it is a relatively new platform, I struggled with a few things in Atticus. It works simply enough and its operations are straightforward. I had issues with personalising certain templates until I discovered the customise options. Again, like with Ingram Spark, I reached out for help and received a response within the hour. That’s not bad considering I’m in Australia and they’re in the United States and the time difference indicated it was beyond bedtime over there. Last, I’ve started writing another novel. This might not mean that much to you, but it’s a big deal for me. For the past year and a bit, I’ve struggled with starting a new project, mainly because of moving from Sydney to Canberra for work. Work itself played a major part in hindering my writing, as with starting at a new workplace can also provide many hurdles. On top of that, we had the Covid disruptions whereby we worked from home and/or had to go in to work the work site with a skeleton crew of staff. I could write a whole other blog containing the many, many things that school staff members (particularly teachers) work through daily, but Covid presented so much more. In truth, I felt exhausted when we returned to work full time again. Sitting down to write just didn’t appeal to me. But, with some reinvigoration, I’ve started plotting and planning for the next book. If all goes to plan, it will be the first in a new fantasy series. If not, it will be a stand-alone book. We’re in the early phases at the moment, so there is a very long way to go yet. With that, I think I’ll wrap things up here. Final words, I'm writing this in Friday 31st December 2021, waiting 2022 to begin. My hope is for the new year to be a far better one than the previous and current. One way readers might contribute is to please leave reviews for any books you purchase on the bookstore sites you purchase them from. Also, be sure to visit the site links below. http://www.robertekreig.com/ http://www.whitekeepbooks.com/ All the best, pleasant reading and Happy New Year, Robert. THE STRUGGLEHi.
I'm Robert E Kreig and I make stuff up. Lately, I've been struggling with getting my ideas written down. This isn't to say I'm not writing or that I have writer's block. I'm preoccupied with other things at the moment. Like most independent writers, I have a day job that occupies a great deal of time. I'd love nothing more than to become a full-time writer but bills and other expenses need paying. I find the struggle between work life and time for creative writing a bit of a hard juggle. My day job, teaching, demands time outside of regular work hours. I spend a great deal of that on a computer, tapping away at the keyboard and staring at the screen. When I'm done, I don't always want to look at the screen or tap on keys anymore. This produces a conundrum as writing requires more screen time. Hence, the struggle. Another project I've taken on is to start my own publishing company. This coincides with reproducing my past titles onto another platform. Let me explain. My books were all available as ebooks up until recently. I requested their removal from the company's catalog I paid for distribution. This wasn't because I'm displeased with the company. In fact, their services are excellent. What I wanted to do was release the books into print format as well as ebook formats. I could do this with the company but it required deeper pockets than I currently have. So, I moved over to Ingram Spark. I then created a publishing company, registered its name and logo so I can stick a little badge on the spine of my books. I'm happy with this decision, for now. But, my new ideas are sitting on one of my mind-shelves, mostly in Scrivener, while I prepare my past works for the transition. I'm finding this perplexing. New ideas keep coming. Plot points keep advancing. Characters keep developing. I place these onto the proverbial mind-shelves, or scribble them into my notes, but that is as far as they go. I made a commitment to the transition. I intend to transfer my titles over and it will take time. I'm revisiting each book, running them through ProWritingAid and tidying them up before posting them onto Ingram Spark. It takes time and is proving to be a slow process. Especially with a high-demanding day job. For my readers; hang in there. We'll get there, eventually. For other writers; I know many of you struggle with the same thing. Work, family and other commitments often tie us up. My advice, and this is to myself as much as any other writer, write when you can. In my previous article, I wrote about the writing tools I use. I've mentioned two in this piece but would like to also include one that I'm using to write this article. It's called Hemingway Editor. Hemingway Editor is like ProWritingAid where it offers advice on readability. Hemingway Editor obviously offers advice for grammar. But, it uses colour to highlight issues with passive voice, phraseology, sentences and word count amongst other things. It even offers an estimated reading time. Hemingway Editor is available online and as a desktop app. I think it's worth taking a look at. Well, these books aren't going to upload or edit themselves. Until next time, keep writing, keep reading. All the best, Robert. My Writing ProcessHi.
I’m Robert E Kreig and I make stuff up. Many people ask about the writing process and, I must admit, I find this is different for every author. Some write with loud music thumping in their ears, whilst others need to have a certain herbal tea to help them think. My process is a little different from this. I’ll get into that later. Other things I’ve noticed people ask authors about is how they write. By this I mean, where do they jot down notes and write their manuscripts. Most people could answer by retorting, “word processor.” But which word processor? Surely, they must utilise more apps or softwares to aid their writing. I know I do. So, some authors may wish to be secretive about the process they use. I won’t. And this is what I intend to share with you today. My writing process. Disclaimer This is the part where I need to add a disclaimer. I am in no means being paid or subsidised, sponsored or high-five from any of the brands I refer to in this article. These are apps and softwares I used to help me with writing. They, by no means, help with content. I make this statement because I have read questions on some social media feeds asking how to come up with stories for novels. That’s something you need to discover yourself. It usually requires a creative mind. Some might say you either have it or you don’t. There are many apps and sites with prompts that hopefully engage one's thinking. But do they help? For the creative mind, yes. I’ll leave it there. The Process My process may differ totally from your process. If you don’t have a process yet, because you’re just starting out, try different things until you find your niche. Stephen King’s On Writing gives examples of the master of horror’s process, setting a daily word count and a place to write, as well as other elements to establish a disciplined approach to writing. I recommend any budding writer to read it. Personally, I have a full-time job that demands a lot of time. So, I write what I can, when I can. I Need Coffee Before I sit down to plan, write, or edit, I need coffee. I need something to reward myself after writing a line, paragraph or chapter. Coffee is that reward. This is where I mentioned herbal tea that some writers need to help them think. It’s coffee for me. I’m sure it’s just a mind-set, or perhaps a caffeine addiction, but I need coffee. I don’t care whether it’s instant, percolated, plunged, in a can, sachet or jar. I need coffee. Notepads and Exercise Books Some people use the notes app on tier phones to make quick messages to themselves as ideas pop into their heads. I prefer to use a pen on paper to scribble on. I make rough notes in exercise books and post-it notes of plot points, character traits, settings and whatever else pops into my brain. I then expand upon these notes when planning my narratives on software that helps with organisation. Grammarly Installed on my computers, Grammarly set up in the background, always checking my writing as I write. I don’t always agree with Grammarly’s choices. But, I can choose to ignore or change the suggestions as I wish. This also applies to all apps and softwares I mention in this article. Check out Grammarly here. Scrivener This is where I organise, make more notes, expand upon ideas and write my manuscript drafts. Scrivener is a fantastic tool where you can outline, keep research notes, links to website pages, character maps… you name it. It’s an all in one place for writing. Some have claimed Scrivener is hard to use. I totally disagree. My brain doesn’t like things too technical and I find Scrivener is pretty user friendly. Admittedly, it takes a little bit of time to set it up how you like it, and after using it for a few years, I’m still discovering things it can do. But, I’d be lost without it and it saves on using more paper than I already do. A worthy investment. Check out Scrivener here. ProWritingAid After I complete a chapter in Scrivener, I run it through ProWritingAid for grammar and style editing. ProWritingAid is an online grammar checker, style editor and writing mentor in one package, according to the website. It’s proven to be an extremely useful tool for picking up readability and passive voice issues in my writing. It offers monthly, yearly and lifetime subscriptions. I advise purchasing a lifetime subscription, especially if you intend on being serious about your writing and plan to go long term. You can download ProWritingAid onto your computer or utilise the online editing tool. Check out ProWritingAid here. PerfectIt PerfectIt is a new app for me. I’m still getting my toes wet with it before I dive right in. But, it seems to be pretty intuitive. PerfectIt calls itself proofreading software for professionals. It attaches onto Microsoft Word, which works well for me as Microsoft Word is the final application/software I use to tidy up my manuscript. It’s also the preferred platform most editors and publishers like to receive manuscripts. PerfectIt does all the editorial things the ProWritingAid does, but it picks up a lot of the things the previous app missed. It works like that the other way around too. If I used PerfectIt first, ProWritingAid picks up a lot of the things PerfectIt missed. No editing app is perfect. And this is important to note as we move into my next point. PerfectIt is a little pricey but, because I also use it for my day job, it’s proving its worth. An Editor I’m not referring to software or apps here. This is where you reach deep into your pockets and pay a professional to read your manuscript. Offering some advice here, do your research regarding editors. There are five major types of editors; copy editing, line editing, substantive editing, mechanical editing, and developmental editing. What does all that mean? It’s detailed, and I’d need another article to explain. Instead, check out this article at Enago for more details. Alternatively, check out this article from Kindlepreneur, Master Guide to Selecting the Best Book Editor. An editor, as in an actual person, will pick up on readability, writing style and consistency in ways a machine cannot. If you intend to write for a human audience, you need to hire a human editor. Publishing Depending on feedback from your editor, you will either need to start rewrites or you may be ready to put your work out into the world. Usually rewrites. If you’re ready to publish, you have two options. Traditional or Self. If you want to go down the traditional publishing avenue, good luck. If you want to self-publish, do your research. There are many vanity-publishing services that are quite happy to take your money and don’t do too much to help their authors, if anything at all. I was lucky to use a “vanity-publishing” firm in Australia who looked after me and offered help where they could, when I needed it. Recently, I moved away from them, taking my books to Ingram Spark. At the moment, I’m happy with the service they’ve provided. An alternative is the Kindle Direct Publishing program through Amazon (KDP). The difference between KDP and Ingram Spark is that KDP is exclusively Amazon stores only. Ingram Spark distributes their catalog more widely. Ultimately, it’s up to you. Last Words So, that’s how I write. As mentioned earlier, every writer has their own way to achieve their writing goals and I dare say, if you’re intending on taking your writing seriously, you will find your own way too. Hopefully, this article has been of some help. Thanks for stumbling upon my blog. Good luck. All the best. I need coffee, Robert. long valley published with whitekeep books Hi.
I'm Robert E Kreig and I make stuff up. Today, I'd like to proudly announce, Long Valley is published with Whitekeep Books in both print and ebook versions. Whilst some retailers are yet to house Long Valley, it may not be too long before you see it on a store bookshelf. In the meantime, you can purchase Long Valley from Amazon This one has been a long time in process with rewrites, edits and many attempts at placing it out there for you to enjoy. Be sure to grab the latest edition of Long Valley. All the best, Robert. LONG VALLEY P.O.D. AVAILABLE NOWHi.
I'm Robert E Kreig and I make stuff up. Today, I'd like to announce the release of LONG VALLEY in paperback format. It is available online through all Amazon stores via the Print On Demand service. This is great news for me as it is the first time any of my works have become available in hardcopy versions. I'm very excited. Grab a copy for yourself at your Amazon store. Alternatively, the ebook version will be released in July and is currently available for preorder. Robert. LONG VALLEY PREODERS Hi.
I'm Robert E Kreig and I make stuff up. Today, I'm happy to announce (after a very long time of silence) Long Valley has just become available for preorders on Amazon Kindle. It will become available for downloading in early July and will be available in every Amazon store worldwide. Long Valley is a high octane action piece with horror and science fiction mixed in, making it a fun, edge of your seat read. Make sure to preorder your copy now and enjoy the carnage. Robert. P.S. Keep your eye out for the print version, also soon to be available in all Amazon stores. Home Before Dark, A recommendation Hi.
My name is Robert E Kreig and I make stuff up. I don't usually recommend TV shows, or any forms of visual media on this site, but I recently found a gem on AppleTV I thought worth sharing with you. Home Before Dark is a wonderfully well put together show with a terrific cast and a very entertaining story. If you are in the mood for something binge-worthy that doesn't require deep intellectual examination, try Home Before Dark on AppleTV. You can read my recommendation for Home Before Dark here. Happy reading, or shall I say "viewing". Robert. Interview by jess carpenterHi.
I'm Robert E Kreig and I make stuff up. Recently, I was interviewed by the lovely Jess Carpenter of jesscarpenterwrites.com about the writing of The Walls of Woodmyst. Jess has written a small bio on her website that I absolutely love. I've decided to include it here as I don't think anything I write could do her justice. Jess Carpenter is the author of Les is More and has a B.S. in psychology and an M.S. in health. She spends her days writing, making endless snacks, and giggling with her toddlers and husband. The interview is a candid look at my writing style, particularly around how I approached The Walls of Woodmyst, as well as aspects of what I have learnt about writing along the way. Well worth following the link to have a look. Whilst your there, take the opportunity to explore Jess' site. She's also a writer an has a new romantic comedy novel, Les Is More. Heres the link to the interview. https://jesscarpenterwrites.com/indie-author-spotlight-robert-e-kreig/ Happy reading, Robert. Been A While Hi.
I'm Robert E Kreig and I make stuff up. It's been a while since my last blog entry and, in case you've been on another planet or totally disinterested in what's going on around here, it's been a rather busy time. With the current situation evolving, revolving and mutating around the Covid-19 virus, many of us have gone into isolation to maintain the practise of anti-socialism without prejudice or discrimination. Others have turned to working from home whilst places of work are continuing to operate as per usual. Whilst I have symptoms of influenza and am currently behind closed doors, I have not contracted the virus, thankfully. However, I am someone who has a chronic illness and may be informed by my medical practitioner to isolate after the symptoms have abated. This being the case, and considering that I've been away from my workplace for two weeks already, I understand the comments on social media about the varied levels of boredom people are already suffering from. To overcome such boredom, particularly if you are an avid reader and looking for something new to sink your teeth into, consider searching for free books online (ones offered up by the authors or publishers themselves, not bootleg copies from questionable websites) as there seems to be a trend by a number of authors who are offering their works during this tumultuous time. Also, consider searching for independent, or self-published authors. There is a great deal of excellent writers out there who haven't been snapped up by the traditional publishers for various reasons. Quite often, their books are considerably cheaper and give you an opportunity to fill your library with quality material, if you're willing to do the searching for it. Lastly, because I am self-indulgent and want more sales, consider leaving a review for an independent/self published author. It helps with the marketing and boosts the ego of the writer. In other words, I actually smile when someone leaves something in the review area. It means I'm being noticed, sometimes hated, mostly loved. Being that I'm isolating for the time being, a nice review is the closest thing to a hug. Until next time, stay safe, stay healthy, stay at home and happy reading. Robert. I Can't wait to write something substantialHi.
I'm Robert E Kreig and I make stuff up. Today, I'm looking at the calendar, counting down the days, hours and minutes left until the school holidays. Why? Because I really want to sit down and write something of substance. It seems that this term has been a particularly busy time for all my colleagues and myself. Some might say, when is teaching never busy? Well, you're right. It is always busy. However, this time of year is busier, shall I say, than the rest of the year. What with end-of-year report writing, end-of-year functions, future planning for next year, regular parent meetings before and after school, farewells to students, farewells to staff, farewells to sanity, I barely feel able (let alone awake enough) to plot and write anything outside of my regular day job. I really need a break. I really need to write. So, this is why I haven't placed anything in my blog for a while and also why there hasn't been too much action from my end in the past month or so. I am aiming to change that very soon. This is my apology to those who may have been eagerly waiting for something from my twisted mind. I hope you understand. Until next time, happy reading. Robert. It's Here. The Weapons of woodmyst is available. Hi.
I'm Robert E Kreig and I make stuff up. It brings me great pleasure to announce the release of The Weapons of Woodmyst: The Woodmyst Chronicles Book IX. This is the second to last book in the series and continues directly on from The Gods of Woodmyst. I think followers of this series are going to enjoy this one. The action is amped up to eleven and the gut churning tension intensifies with each page turn. Great for the Halloween season. Be sure to get your copy now from your preferred ebook store. And don't forget the first book of the series, The Walls of Woodmyst, is still free to download. Gift it for a friend, family member, or your grandmother. She'll love it. Don't forget to drop a review of the books you have read so far. Every kind word and star mash or two makes an indie-author smile rainbows. Until next time, happy reading! Robert. not too far away! Hi.
I'm Robert E Kreig and I make stuff up. I thought I'd take the time to let everyone know that the next instalment of The Woodmyst Chronicles is virtually around the corner. The Weapons of Woodmyst: The Woodmyst Chronicles Book IX. Some last minute fix-ups and a few back and forth emails with my publishers have just been completed. I have given my approval for distribution and now we simply need to be patient. I'm pretty excited about this one as it is the second to last book of the series. I don't really want to say too much about it here as it picks up where The Gods of Woodmyst left off. I will say these last few books in the series have been a joy to write as they are one continuous story instead of a broken arc, like I wrote for the first four books. I considered writing six books into three, longer narratives, thus fulfilling the traditional style of fantasy writing structure, but decided against it. Let me explain this a little. Most fantasy novels contain somewhere between 80, 000 and 150, 000 words per book, usually sitting on the higher end of the scale, sometimes venturing well over. I tried to average around 80,000 to 90,000 words. The reason I stuck to this formula of writing shorter novels for the series was because I believe it worked well for The Sons of Woodmyst and The Heir of Woodmyst (books 2 and 3 of The Woodmyst Chronicles). Again, these two books could have been written into one story, but I loved the cliffhanger at the end of The Sons of Woodmyst. I didn't want to lose it amongst the chapters, and I couldn't resist sharing its impact. This formula worked extremely well with the last books in the The Woodmyst Chronicles and therefore, what could have been three additional books after The Warlords of Woodmyst (book 4) have become six. Hopefully, that isn't too confusing to make heads or tails with. So, The Weapons of Woodmyst will be available very soon. Keep your eyes peeled for its impending release. Expect a few little twists, some unexpected occurrences, lots of blood and plenty of adventure. Until next time, happy reading. Robert. OUT FOR EDITSHi.
I'm Robert E Kreig and I make stuff up. It's been a while since I took to writing anything in my blog. So, I thought I'd do something about that and share something with you today. For the past few weeks/months, at least since the beginning of the year, I've been putting most of my effort into work, as in my actual day job. This has hindered some of my attempts to keep to my writing schedule. I haven't really written any new material for some time. Don't worry, I am working on something. Most of my leisure/writing time has been allocated to editing and working on a couple of books I've had on file. Readying them for publication. The first of these is The Weapons of Woodmyst, book nine of the Woodmyst Chronicles series. I'm at the point where I'm about to send it off to the distributor. If you've been reading the series up to the most recent book, The Gods of Woodmyst, you'll know that the story continues. Alice and her band of warriors move to free the land of Takmel and his tyrannical rule. Needless to say that swords clash, blood is spilt, sorcery is conjured and dead rise. Just another day in the land of the realms. The second is the follow up to this. It's not quite ready for me to part with it. There's little I want to share about it at the moment as it also continues the story and I don't wish to reveal any spoilers. The third is Long Valley. It was the first book that I ever self-published. I sent it off into the world too hastily and was never really satisfied with it. So, I pulled it off the eBook shelves and gave it a polish. The small changes and restructures work a little better, I think. Long Valley is now residing with my editor, Sally Odgers, an award winning author whose work you can catch a glimpse of here: sallyodgers.weebly.com www.printscharmingbooks.com larksinger.weebly.com (adults only) I've asked her to give me a little assessment Long Valley on top of necessary edits, so it could be some time before we see it return to the publishers. Until next time, best wishes. Robert. Long valley: currently unavailable Long Valley has always been a work in progress. Originally, I self-published Long Valley as a dare. It is a good, action packed narrative that received some great reviews, but I feel it needed some closer attention and readjustments.
Please hold off from downloading files of this book from any websites offering them. They are illegally distributing my intellectual property, and you're being ripped off if you're paying for it at the moment. Long Valley will be available again (when I'm done with what I'm doing with it) at registered and legitimate online book stores such as those listed on various pages within my site: www.robertekreig.com Stay tuned. Robert. The Gods of Woodmyst Hi.
I'm Robert E Kreig and I make stuff up. Today, I'm announcing the latest instalment of The Woodmyst Chronicles has just been released. The Gods of Woodmyst is book VIII in the series and continues the story of Alice Warde, a young girl coming of age, a dragon rider, the Kayl'sro of the Agrodien, the prime of her coven and the leader of a great army. Determined to overthrow the tyrannical Maji, she sets her eyes to the west and begins her journey to war. But, the Maji has other plans. He begins to gather his forces for the final conflict and conjures many obstacles for Alice to face along her way. With enemies lying in wait, some of which were once close friends, Alice must push on and fight her way through them all to reach him. The way is long. The enemies are many. Happy New Year. I've Hit A Wall.Hi.
I'm Robert E Kreig and I make stuff up. This is my first blog post for 2019 and so far not so good. I've hit a wall with my writing. It was bound to happen eventually as I've had a pretty good run up until now. But, I am working through it and can see the land of milk and honey on the other side. I am currently working on a slow burn thriller/horror set in Australia. It is grizzly and macabre and unsettling. Quite often, I've found myself feeling the heaviness of desolation pushing down inside my mind as I've expanded upon certain character traits. So much so that I've had to walk away from the project a few times just to find something fun to do, to remind me that there is some happiness in the world. The PS4 and Crash Bandicoot have been working overtime as a result. The wall I've come upon is research. After writing a great portion of the story I found that there were elements that didn't work for me. I needed to go back and change a great deal of the content. This is a first for me, as I usually write the first draft entirely before going back to make any changes. The upside of the whole experience is that I'm writing this story on Scrivener. Every piece of research I've done is stored inside the one box (so to speak). The story I'm writing and the notes I'm keeping, along with the research including images, is all there in one place. It has to be the best tool for organisation that I've ever come across. Before Scrivener, I was using paper notes, post-its, folders of information. This covered my desk and was quite difficult to navigate, especially when my regular day job consists of keeping notes and folders of information that piles up quite quickly. I still keep a note pad for spare of the moment scribblings. Scrivener can't follow me everywhere. If an idea hits me when I'm out and about, I need to jot it down (or use my phone to record a message to myself) before I forget. In saying that, you never forget the good ideas. They stick with you and never leave. Which brings me back to my current work in progress. It was, and still is, an idea that has stuck around in the back of my head for a very long time. I had images of the opening and closing sequences spinning around in my creative vortex for years, but didn't know how to link them. The chain I'm creating is a little complex and, thus, the research needs to be done. So, I must return to the grind stone. I wish everyone a Happy New Year and all the best for 2019. Robert E Kreig. PS: For the budding writers out there, I've started using an App called ProwritingAid for grammar and readability checking. I'll always say that nothing beats an editor, but it helps to clean up the manuscript a bit before sending on to a professional for checking. Well worth a look. WRITING ON SCRIVENER FOR THE FIRST TIME. Hi.
I'm Robert E Kreig and I make stuff up. Except for today. Today, I'm writing to you about something that other writers might find useful. Recently, I purchased Scrivener 3 through the Mac App store to organise and write my books. I've read a great deal of reviews about the software, watched a lot of YouTube videos and weighed up the cost compared to other products out there as well as my "up to now" way of writing. It took a little bit to get a handle on how things operate in Scrivener, but once I set it up to how I like it, I fell in love. So, what is scrivener? Scrivener is an app that helps with organising your research, notes, character biographies, location details, chapters, everything related to writing. There is a spell/grammar check that helps, but I have found it to be a little faulty at times. It picks up on the major issues, but it also keeps telling me that "to" should be "too" in a sentence like, "He fell on his knees and pleaded to be set free." Apart from those kinds of little hiccups, Scrivener is brilliant. Everything is in one place and time is saved by having it all right there in one app. Up until I started to use Scrivener, I have multiple documents open on the computer and scraps of paper containing my scribbled notes all over my desk. Now, I can fit my extra large mug of coffee on a coaster and concentrate without the mess. It isn't just for the novelist either. Scrivener contains templates for fiction and non-fiction writers alike. The templates can even be modified to your preferred calibrations. There is so much more that Scrivener can do. I could write on and on about the features of the app, but I would like to get back to my novel writing eventually. Scrivener is Mac friendly at the moment. They are making efforts to work with Windows operating systems, but I have seen a few reviews from PC users who have found that they have had more negative experiences that those of us blessed ones who prefer the apple symbol. I am still working out the full potential power of Scrivener 3 on Mac and have discovered more and more with each use. A great tool for writers, in my opinion. I must note that I have not been paid by Scrivener for this little review. These are my thoughts and the thoughts of the voices in my head. If you want to learn more about Scrivener, this is a good place to start: www.literatureandlatte.com Another good place to get an overview of a much more experienced user of Scrivener is here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AO2t33J22yY Happy reading. Happy writing. Merry Christmas. Robert E Kreig. Here Come The Brides Hi.
I'm Robert E Kreig and I make stuff up. I haven't written anything on my blog for some time because I've been researching for a new book that I've just started to pen. During this time, the next instalment of the Woodmyst Chronicles has been undergoing some minor touches. I am at a point where I'm completely happy with Book VIII, and so it is now in the hands of my publisher. Some reviewers have already given their feedback about The Brides of Woodmyst and so far, it has been positive to say the least. The Brides of Woodmyst by Robert E Kreig is an exceptional addition to the Woodmyst saga. Jamie Michele for Readers' Favorite Things began so simply for Alice, but things were never easy. To see her claw her way to where she now stands is amazing, and she is not alone in such growth. This is one story where the characters, events, and plot all drive the reader forward, making it impossible to put this book down. K.J. Simmill for Readers' Favorite The Brides of Woodmyst is a powerful and gripping story set in a beautifully developed fantasy world. The characters are strong and well developed, with a cast that is a beautiful mix of male and female characters, with realistically varying levels of strength and skill. Regrets, tears, mistakes, victories, joy, and smiles fill this story, giving us a glimpse into the lives of all of those portrayed. The style of Kreig’s writing makes it easy to effortlessly lose oneself in the story, and the descriptions are detailed and varied enough to allow your imagination to run wild through the scenery. Sarah Westmoreland for Readers' Favorite Keep an eye out for the imminent release of The Brides of Woodmyst: The Woodmyst Chronicles Book VIII. In the meantime, happy reading. Robert E Kreig. THE WOODMYST CHRONICLES: UPDATE Hi.
My name is Robert E Kreig and I make stuff up. It is a time of mixed emotions for me as I send my tenth book of the Woodmyst Chronicles to my editor for corrections. I feel a certain relief as I've drawn the story to a conclusion, but I also feel some sadness because I've been emerged in the world surrounding Woodmyst and its inhabitants. I've enjoyed the transference of protagonist throughout the narrative. Essentially, it is the story of a particular family starting with Alan Warde, a soldier of Woodmyst who harbours a dark secret that is uncovered in The Walls of Woodmyst: The Woodmyst Chronicles Book I. We are introduced to a young boy, Tomas, who grows up between the first and second books to become leader of his people during The Sons of Woodmyst and The Heir of Woodmyst (books 2 and 3). By the time I was writing the fourth instalment, I had worked out who the true hero was. It was the youngest of Tomas' daughters, Alice. Although Alice was still a small child and didn't play a major role during The Warlords of Woodmyst (book 4), she displayed traits that made her stand out, and that I wanted to explore further. Thus, the writing of books 5 through to 10 begun. The journey that this little girl took me on was exciting and gut wrenching at times. I'm not too sure how other writers fare in such situations, but when it came to Alice, she was the driver behind the story. I thought I knew where we were gong, but she had other ideas. Even towards the end, I wasn't certain how it would conclude. I frequently paused my incessant tapping on the keyboard to ask myself whether or not Alice's bravado and folly would see her meet her fate and just how she would get out of this situation, if she did indeed. By the final book, there is so much at stake. Not only in the bigger world surrounding Woodmyst, but in Alice's immediate world of family and loved ones close to her. Knowing that there was a possible future for Alice, an extension of the narrative, teetering on a knife's edge had formed a lump in my throat as I wrote the final chapters of book ten. I honestly wasn't sure how it would end up. I believe that I have accomplished what I originally set out to do. I have written a fantasy series. I also believe that I have created something distinct from most fantasy stories. I have written a fantasy series that is action oriented. So far, books one to six are available to purchase online. Book seven (pictured) is coming. In the meantime, The Walls of Woodmyst (Book I) is available to download for free. Visit www.robertekreig.com for more information. I hope people take the opportunity and time to read and enjoy The Chronicles of Woodmyst as much as I have taken pleasure in writing the books. All the best, Robert. www.robertekreig.com HUGEOrange Publication Review Alice Warde is a young lady who has recently discovered powers she didn’t know she had. And she needs them as her home and world are being threatened by multiple enemies. The Shadow of Woodmyst is the sixth volume in The Woodmyst Chronicles. Author Robert E. Kreig has written an intriguing and absorbing a fantasy epic that is hard to put down.
“And now the colours have appeared again.” Gruloch looked to the travellers. “The Black Witch rules from Woodmyst.” Alice felt her stomach tighten. “How do you know this?” she asked. “The words on the wind speak frequently to one another,” he told her. “I listen to their tales. I listened to how a young girl with strange abilities was shunned by her own and sent into exile. I listened to how that young girl became a leader of a nation and willingly opened her homeland to others seeking refuge. I listened to how she defeated my warriors and frightened my dragons with sorcery. “I so wanted to meet this girl. I needed to see this one the shadows talked about. I must admit that I knew far more about you than I originally led you to believe, Alice.” Oh yes, there are dragons! In an unexpected event, Alice is given the gift of a baby dragon. Alice breathed a deep sigh as she looked upon her gift. The dragon inched towards her, lowering its head submissively as it chirped. She placed her hands upon its snout again and rubbed the scales above its nostrils. A soft, soothing rattle resonated from its chest as it fell into a deep sleep. “I have a dragon,” Alice said to herself. Recommended for those who love fantasy and for those on the fence with this genre, try it. It’s a well-written action adventure by a gifted writer who knows how to write dialogue. He also is a master at descriptions that pull you in and won’t let you out. You’ll be thinking about this story and the well-developed characters long after you’ve finished this book. You could read this book as a standalone, but you will be eager to read the rest of the story. I didn’t want it to end and eagerly await the next instalment. THE SHADOW OF WOODMYST IS HERE Hi.
I'm Robert E Kreig and I make stuff up. Today, I am please to inform you that The Shadow of Woodmyst: The Woodmyst Chronicles Book VI, is now available for your downloading pleasure. The Shadow of Woodmyst is the continuing story of Alice Warde and her journey as leader of the Agrodien. We meet old enemies, new friends and fresh dangers from afar and from within Alice's circle of trusted allies. This book is the sixth out of ten tales that complete the saga. Full of action and edge-of-your-seat moments, The Shadow of Woodmyst is a thrill-filled stepping stone that leads Alice into an adventure that won't reach its ultimate climax until book ten. I hope you enjoy The Shadow of Woodmyst: The Woodmyst Chronicles Book VI. Robert. EXCITED! Hi.
I'm Robert E Kreig and I make stuff up. I'm excited! Why? Because, today, I received copies of my latest book in the Woodmyst Chronicles, The Shadow of Woodmyst. Not only was I happy that they are pleasing to the eye, but I am full of anticipation as the release date draws nearer and nearer. This step in the process is one that makes me a little nervous as I know it will only be a few days until The Shadow of Woodmyst: Book VI is unleashed upon the world. It is the continuing story of Alice and picks up directly where The Huntress of Woodmyst left off. The remaining books in the series will continue this trend, building until the final chapter of Book X. I have posted a book trailer for The Shadow of Woodmyst in anticipation. You can see it on the page dedicated to Book VI of The Woodmyst Chronicles. In the meantime, as we await the arrival of The Shadow of Woodmyst, the first five books of the series are available from all good online e-book stores. The first in the series, The Walls of Woodmyst, remains FREE for all to download. Enjoy! Robert. THE MONSTER ROACH FROM HELL |
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