For over a decade now I have been writing and publishing fantasy novels and what a rewarding thing it is! My first novel was originally self-published, then sold to a traditional publishing company. This change carried with it some positives and some unforeseen negatives. By releasing my rights to AMG Publishers I lost marketing control and, starting a few years ago, that company suffered some setbacks and my first three novels have hung in limbo ever since. The result? My writing career took a big stumble that was beyond my power to fix. But the good news is: all of that turned around this week!
I have often said that I think the biggest mistake I made in my writer career was to sell my first novel to a big publisher. But I was young and flattered by the recognition, and eager to let others shoulder some of the burden of marketing and selling my work. At the time of the sale to AMG my first novel, Swords of the Six, was rocketing to success. My wife and I were full-time on the road and I was selling to bookstores and schools in several states. The momentum was building just as I’d hoped it would. But when I signed the contract I had to stop production on my first novel (until the publisher could re-release it). I had to get off of the road and settle into a regular job while waiting for the book to be published again.
This week I have acquired the rights to my first three novels from AMG and I am so excited for what this means! Total creative control is now back in my hands and I can market and sell the books wherever the opportunity presents itself.
Swords of the Six, Offspring, and Key of Living Fire will be published with new designs and the stories themselves will receive fresh edits! Each sequential book in the series will be published with the new design as well.
The e-book editions were overpriced through the other publisher. With Flaming Pen Press we will grow the digital reader audience and drop the price to a competitive level. This is a market that I feel my books have largely ignored and in which I see a lot of opportunity.
Print editions will now include both a paperback and a hardcover option. I love a nice hardcover edition! Which I know many of you collectors out there will appreciate.
Audiobooks will come last. I know I have been promising audiobooks for a couple of years now, and tying the new design to e-book, paperback, hardcover, and audiobook will make everything easier to find in search engines and sites.
When AMG published my second novel their buyers objected to the cover art that I had commissioned for it. It was absolutely stunning. A depiction of Oganna kneeling in the cave when she lifts her sword Avenger and her blade boomerang out of the stone floor. Now, at last, I can release the Offspring cover as I wanted you to see it with that artwork! Offspring will also be retitled Dragon Offspring. A subtle but important title change.
Over the next couple of months I will start releasing these new editions, beginning with Swords of the Six. For you, my readers, this means my novels will become unavailable for a little while. During this transition the new editions of The Sword of the Dragon novels will be designed and prepped for publication. Big things are in store! Let’s bring this epic fantasy journey into fresh territory.
Q: Which part of this change interests you the most?
Woohoo! This is exciting! I will definitely be adding the hardcover editions to my shelf. I still have the ARC copy of Offspring with the Oganna/cave artwork, so it will be really cool to see the finished result on the hardcover.
I forgot you had the ARC from that title. There aren’t too many of those around!
what about the kindle edition? Will that have to be rebought, or will it update?
Hi Amanda,
The prior Kindle edition was owned by AMG Publishers. I have no access to update the file so it will be republished with the new cover and updated/edited content. Swords Of The Six will be offered at a significant discount to lure new readers into the other books in The Sword of the Dragon series.
So I was wondering if the new brand means that your adding more story into your first three books?
Hi Braden,
Yes, in the case of Sword Of The Six it does mean adding more story. The original time-jumped in a few places that really would have been better to simply tell the story. Also, in some areas the writing was unnecessarily vague. I’ve expanded it considerably. So far it has jumped from 85,000-words to 98,000-words!
At the moment my biggest interest now is see what the new edits will be. I have every intention to buy them as soon as I can. I don’t read as much as I used to but I have always made an exception for the sword of the dragon series
I’m glad The Sword of the Dragon books are the exception!
hi i was wondering are you still writing in search of dragons? I can’t wait to finally meet Venom Fier
Hey Micah,
Yes, I am but it has been delayed. As I spoke of in this article the original novels have to be re-published now under my own company Flaming Pen Press before the sequels can be launched. In the long-run this is a very good thing because we do not have to worry about the original publisher delaying things anymore and all creative control is in my hands again.
Over the years I have learned a lot more about writing and editing, so right now I am reworking Swords of the Six. This edition of the book is expanded and edited. So much better than the original!
Don’t worry! I have plenty of other books that I will publish in The Sword of the Dragon world. And, yes, after re-publishing the first novels, In Search of Dragons will be next on the market!
I recently bought your first three books of The Sword of the Dragon series. I finished the first one the other day and am on the second now. All good. It’s good to see people write fantasy for God. At 62, I build churches in the villages I find in Minecraft and make sure Christianity is spread in Civilization 4. Now we need some Christian sci-fi movies and TV shows. Thanks for writing these book.
I’m glad you are enjoying the books, Joe! There are many more to come.