Welcome to the Book Log where you will now find, amongst other things:
Reviews of Books I have enjoyed
Notes on My Current Ideas and Projects
Some thoughts on How I Write, influences, inspiration etc.


MORE CURRENT PROJECTS – THE DRAGON AND THE WARLORD

This is a retelling of a Chinese folk story called The Dragon’s Pearl, which I’ve expanded and altered a little from the original. I’ve written it for the publisher Barrington Stoke (see also the blog entry entitled BOMBER BOYS, below). They suggested the new title, which I think suits the way I’ve retold the story very well. I came across The Dragon’s Pearl just after I’d finished writing the first draft of WORM IN THE BLOOD. I was astonished. I’d just written a book about a boy who turns into a dragon and here was a folk tale on the very same subject! WORM IN THE BLOOD ends with a flashback that shows Sam, the main character, in his early childhood. It’s a scene where his mum is telling him a story. It didn’t take much to change things so that the story she is telling Sam is the story of the Dragon’s Pearl. It was great to be able to write my own version of the tale. I’ve completed the first draft and sent it in to the publisher. Now the editing has to be done, which, with Barrington Stoke, can be quite a lengthy process (again, see BOMBER BOYS entry below for more details). The story will be published as part of a series called “Re-booted”, sometime next year, I think.