Review of the Week

I am pleased to share the following review for The Curse of Selwood, which a reader sent me not so long ago.  This should be up on Amazon.com soon:

A mournful train whistle cuts through the dusty plains of southern Nevada en route to a wedding – a cry signaling murder.  When Warlock-Sheriff James Doliber arrives on the scene, the horror and devastation aboard the doomed passenger train make two things painfully clear: some supernatural force is loose in Selwood, and it has no respect for the sanctity of marriage – or the law.

A “horned eight” scratched in blood at the scene of the massacre dredges up fears of an ancient curse laid upon the settlers of Selwood.  The bride-to-be of the mayor’s son is discovered missing among the train’s slaughtered occupants – the first act of vengeance to be inflicted upon the small town, and their only clue.

With his faithful deputies at his side – the beautiful elf maiden, Joella Grimes-Talus, and her unlikely husband, the stout-hearted dwarf, Boron Grimes – Sheriff Doliber aims to set things aright using his wits, his sidearm, and his skills as a Journeyman Warlock – knowing his powers may prove insufficient against this potent source of evil.  To complicate matters, US Marshal, Ned Rogers, who holds no love for the Warlock-Sheriff, tries to investigate matters in his own way, outside the law if necessary.

And so opens Martin Ingham’s latest chapter in the West of the Warlock series, The Curse of Selwood – a supernatural murder mystery in an “old western” setting unique for its drunken elves, pistol-packing dwarves, and shady leprechauns.  With a surprise appearance from the shade of the notorious Jesse James, The Curse of Selwood is a rootin’-tootin’ tale of mystery, action, and adventure, successfully merging the spirit of the old west with time-honored elements of fantasy and horror.  The characters Ingham creates are well-developed and engaging – particularly the troubled Joella Grimes-Talus, and the story is compelling.  I recommend you put your spurs up a spell and give The Curse of Selwood a read.  You’ll be pleased you did, partner.

Check out free samples, and links to buy the whole book here.

The First Review of The Curse of Selwood

Yes, the word is beginning to circulate about The Curse of Selwood, and the first review has been posted on Amazon.com.  This one comes from a loyal fan, Kevin Finnegan, who has been reading my stuff since Virtual Wiles.  This is a man who has a lot of integrity, and he gives honest reviews.  Have a look at what he has to say about The Curse of Selwood:

Just finished reading this and I must say the author has written a terrific story. I've read all his other works, and while "Rogue Investigations" has always been my personal favorite this latest work may cause me to revise my list. The major characters of Selwood are fleshed out in this 2nd installment and their personal struggles and character traits add depth to the story.

When I compare the "Selwood" stories to "Rogue Investigations" and "The Guns of Mars", it's quite clear how Ingham is growing and developing as an author. Those earlier stories were good but the characters were not as fully developed as in these latest efforts. Ingham takes the time to include some personal history of each character in order to show what drives them. Because we see this we are made aware of their individual strengths and personal flaws and so come to care about them. That's what makes me want to keep turning the pages - I care about the people in the story and I want to find out what happens to them.

I don't know of any other stories that involve sword and sorcery imagery and are set in the Wild West. It's quite unique. Ingham makes reference to some well-known historical figures and events, which helps the reader fill in the details of the Selwood universe from his own imagination. That too, makes it a "fuller" world.

Ingham includes some detailed information when describing various firearms used in the story and it's obvious that he has a great deal of personal knowledge on the subject. He takes many opportunities to describe some aspects of these weapons in the story; describing some element of their construction, their use in the field, their relative strengths and weaknesses and how their owners actually feel about them. To me, a pistol is a pistol and a rifle is a rifle. I don't own a firearm and I've never given much thought to using one on regularly. But many of the characters in the story have very strong preferences about firearms. It has piqued my interest in them to some degree.

There's a lot left to explore in the Selwood universe. I'd like to see more stories involving these characters, and even some of the minor characters, like the bartender, are quite intriguing and their involvement in future stories can only enhance the series. Thankfully, Ingham sees no need to include immoral content or offensive language, so his stories can be enjoyed by younger (teenaged) readers as well.

Now, go out and get your own copy of The Curse of Selwood, and see if you agree with this 4-star review.  If you're really generous, think of sharing your own opinions about this work, as well.  Spread the word, and keep the story alive!

Kindle Version

Print Edition

The Curse of Selwood –Early Release

Yes, it's true.  After much work and waiting, the Curse of Selwood is finally ready for store shelves.  The final formatting has been completed, and the book is now available to order from Amazon.com, in both print and kindle formats!  Those who have a kindle can begin reading it immediately, though the print copies will take a few weeks to produce.

Print Edition

Kindle Version

For those of you who put in a pre-order, please be patient.  While the book is now "released," it will be several weeks before the print copies are available.  Also, for various reasons, I won't be ordering stock until January 1st, so it may be a couple of weeks after that before I can sign and send these special editions.

There are still a few signed and numbered editions available, and I'm still offering the Pre-order for The Curse of Selwood.  If you're interested in buying a signed and numbered copy, go to my AuthorStore and click on the submission form.  For $11.00, you can't beat the value!

In other news, formatting has been completed on the 2nd print of West of the Warlock, and it will be coming out sometime next.  At present, Amazon still has the first edition available for sale, so if you're still eager to get a copy of the first printing, you'd best do it soon.  I can't say how much longer the book will be available.  You may want to hold out for the Martinus edition, though there will be obvious collector value to the original release.

The Temporal Element still needs submissions, though I expect to see quite a few stories after the Holiday season.

The Curse of Selwood Cover Reveal & Pre-Order

Things are already coming together for Martinus Publishing, and I'm pleased to announce that The Curse of Selwood will be released in January 2013.  The specific date is not yet decided, though it will undoubtedly be before that month is over.  I have the manuscript already formatted for the printers, and thanks to Hall Brothers Entertainment, I have the cover!

Without further delay, here is the fantastic front cover to The Curse of Selwood:

As you can see, we settled on a format that remains similar to the first book in the series, and I'm hoping to carry this theme on to the third book in the series when it's time for that to be released.  In addition to the exceptional story, the book will also contain a bonus extra; a rare look into the creative process and how we (the Hall Brothers and myself) decided upon this design over other possibilities.

With everything set into motion, it's time to give everyone the chance to reserve their copies.  Yes, I'm offering a pre-order special for my loyal readers.  For the discounted price of $11.00, you can reserve yourself a signed copy of this book, but that's not all.  The first 13 pre-orders will receive one of the famed Lucky Thirteen numbered editions.

Also, anyone who pre-orders (not just the first 13) will receive an extra bonus while supplies last.  When I was writing The Curse of Selwood, there were times where I let the keyboard remain silent and took to pen and paper.  I have dozens of pages of hand-written notes and story, and each person who is kind enough to order their print copy early will also receive one of these pages, penned by yours truly!  You never know; it may be worth something someday.  At the very least, you'll get a fascinating look into my rough draft, assuming you can decipher my handwriting.

The pre-order price includes shipping to the USA.  Foreign sales will cost more, and therefore require a postage fee, but I'll do what I can to keep it as affordable as possible, and I will ship worldwide.

Pre-Order The Curse of Selwood with my AuthorStore Form.

A New Beginning!

This has been a hard year for my writing career on many levels.  With the economy in decline, sales have been stagnant on most titles (West of the Warlock being the only major seller), and the marketing of new works has been surprisingly difficult.  It seems there are fewer and fewer markets that are interested in publishing the sort of stories I write, and even the stuff I read.

At the same time, during different writing exercises and contests, I have uncovered a lot of really good writers who aren't getting published much, even though their stuff is way better than a lot of the stuff that is being pushed by the bigger commercial markets.  I don't know if it's just my personal tastes which are out of whack with the mainstream, but there is clearly a growing niche of sci-fi and fantasy that is underrepresented in the marketplace.  It's about time I did something about that.

The closure of Hall Brothers Entertainment was just the final straw.  That tragic loss has finally given me the impetus to move forward with something I have been considering for years.  That is the formation of my own publishing company.  Without further ado, I hereby announce the birth of Martinus Publishing!

While still in the "conceptual phase," I foresee Martinus Publishing as a viable small press, seeking to publish an eclectic selection of Science Fiction & Fantasy works, both single-author novels and multi-author anthologies.  I am also considering a line of historical novels, though let's not get ahead of ourselves.  It's important to start out small, and see what happens.  No sense over-extending myself, right?

The first book that I'll be releasing will be The Curse of Selwood.  It is all ready to go (thank you, HBE), and I should have an official release date soon.  In addition, I'll be re-releasing West of the Warlock about the same time, with a fresh postscript.  In the meantime, I have put up fresh "sample" pages at my website:

http://www.martiningham.com/warlocksample.html

http://www.martiningham.com/selwoodsample.html

Speaking of websites, that is something I will have to handle, as well.  I will have to set up a separate site for Martinus Publishing.  It's a fairly simple thing to do.  Give me a hundred bucks and I'll put something together.  It may not be big and flashy, but it'll work.

After West of the Warlock & The Curse of Selwood, the next release will have to be The Temporal Element, which is still open for submissions at this time.  This first anthology will establish Martinus Publishing as a genuine small press, and not just a shill company for publishing my own work.  The first artwork I'll have to commission is a cover for this anthology, since I'd like to have something nice and professional.

Once these outstanding projects are released, then I will move forward, and start seeking some new talent.  I expect to handle a couple of novels each year, and possibly a couple of anthologies as well.  With any luck, this will be the start of a long-lasting endeavor, which will bring fantastic fiction to life and hopefully produce enough of a profit to keep itself afloat without eating away at my limited revenues (yes, wishful thinking, I know).

So, let us begin!

The Horrible News

I have some sad news to report.  Hall Brothers Entertainment, the publisher of West of the Warlock, its forthcoming sequel, The Curse of Selwood, and my upcoming anthology, The Temporal Element, have closed down.  Time and financial constraints forced them to make the hard decision.  Therefore, we place another tombstone on a small press, and must find a way to move on.

First off, I'd like to assure those of you who have submitted stories to The Temporal Element that I am not shutting down.  I will press forward with this anthology, and seek to find another publisher for it.  I have a few industry contacts, and I'll figure something out.  Those of you who have been accepted, you're still in, though I'll have to work up a new contract for your stories (since the HBE contract is now null and void).  Those of you who are still thinking of submitting, please do so.  The anthology submission period is still open until January 31.

Now, what are we going to do about West of the Warlock?  Undisputedly, this has been my most popular work to date, but in a few short weeks it will no longer be available.  Finding another publisher for it may be a precarious proposition, as few publishers are interested in "reprints" these days.  This is something I will have to sleep on before making any rash decisions.

The Curse of Selwood is going to be less of a problem for various reasons.  First, it was never published, so it can still be marketed as "new."  However, as a sequel, publishers will again be less inclined to pick it up, especially if the first book in the series is out of print.  I'll have to figure out what to do with West of the Warlock before moving forward with a full-scale marketing campaign for the other books in the series.

The third book in the series, The Man Who Shot Thomas Edison, never had the chance to reach any sort of production stage.  I was hoping to have HBE release it in 2013.  Maybe luck will give me the chance to get it out by then, but I wouldn't hold my breath.

This really sucks, damn it.  Seeing the demise of Hall Brothers Entertainment is like having a good friend die—it leaves you with a lot of tumultuous emotions and can cause a lot of troubles.  Plans and dreams often die in this manner, and going forward is easier said than done.  Yet, we must press on.

I have a lot of work to do...

The Curse of Selwood (Week 6)

Today, we reach the end of our free installments for the second Fantasy Western novel.  Witness the unexpected shock and horror in part six, "Hanging Party," which sets things up for the rest of the book that will be coming out shortly.  Also, if you've missed any of the previous five chapters, they're still available to read for free at Hall Brothers Entertainment!

If you aren't excited to read the rest of this book after going through these first six freebies, check your pulse and seek medical attention, for you might be on the verge of death.  Well, that, or you just don't like fantasy fiction... but, then, why would you be reading a Fantasy Western?  Oh, heck, just buy the book when it comes out!

As we wait for the official release, do you have any questions/speculations about the rest of the story?  Feel free to share.

The Curse of Selwood (Week 4)

Today, we're starting in on the back half of our free preview of The Curse of Selwood, and this week things get really exciting.  Follow Joella Grimes-Talus, the deputized lady elf, as she faces a molestation plot, envious prostitutes, and the sinister schemes of Marshall Ned Rodgers in "One of Those Days."

Only two more chapters remain in our free preview series.  Get ready for the official release of the book in the coming weeks!

The Curse of Selwood (Week 3)

The third installment of The Curse of Selwood comes out today, as we hit the mid-point in our series of free episodes.  Only the first six chapters will be released for free online, so get on over to Hall Brothers Entertainment and read the next section of story, "Runaway Train."

This week, Ron and Doliber investigate the train massacre that kicked off the book, and they run into all sorts of trouble.  Nefarious cow punchers have it out for them this time around, as the plot thickens.  All this, and a real-life Leprechaun in this week's exciting excerpt from The Curse of Selwood!

The Curse of Selwood (Week 2)

The second installment of "The Curse of Selwood" is up and running at Hall Brothers Entertainment.  Two down, four to go, as we count down to the official book release!

Picking up from last week, an angry mob seeks vengeance, and it's all Ron Grimes and Marshall Rodgers can do to keep them cool.  Meanwhile, Joella finds herself the target of blackmail in the Marshall's mysterious machinations, as the true "curse" of Selwood continues to unfold.

Don't miss this thrilling episode in the second Fantasy Western!

The Curse of Selwood (Week 1)

At last, it's here!  After all the months of writing, editing, and pre-publication setup, the Curse of Selwood is ready.  The final cover art is being commissioned as we speak, and the first episode is posted for free online.  Go over to Hall Brothers Entertainment to read "Blood on the Tracks," the first of six free installments that will be shown prior to the book's release.

In week one, readers will reconnect with the characters they came to know and love in West of the Warlock.  See Ron Grimes and Joella Talus in action, and peer into the life of warlock sheriff James Doliber, as he does some soul searching.  On top of that, meet the horrific creature stalking the Nevada desert, and experience its bloody wrath.  It's just the beginning, so return to the wild west the way it wasn't with "The Curse of Selwood."