47. [Interview] Rob J. Hayes on Viking Martial Arts, Achieving Success as a Self-Published Fantasy Author, and Turning Messy Drafts into Great Stories

March 3, 2020March 2, 2020 ~ Jed Herne ~ Leave a comment

Rob J. Hayes is the author of the Amazon Best Selling The Heresy Within, the SPFBO-winning piratical swashbuckler Where Loyalties Lie, and the critically acclaimed Never Die, amongst many other novels. After doing an episode on Never Die two weeks ago, I’m delighted to follow it up with an interview with the author himself!

Or click here to listen online.

Website: www.robjhayes.co.uk

Twitter: @RoboftheHayes

Show Notes:

My grimdark fantasy novella, Fires of the Dead, just became the #1 bestseller on Amazon’s ‘Fantasy Adventure Fiction’, ‘Sword & Sorcery’, and various other charts. Read it here: https://jedherne.com/firesofthedead

My Novel Analyst episode 46 on Never Die by Rob J. Hayes: https://anchor.fm/novelanalyst/episodes/46–Never-Die-by-Rob-J–Hayes—Choreographing-Excellent-Ensemble-Casts-easrko

Novel Analyst episode 41 on The Ember Blade by Chris Wooding: https://anchor.fm/novelanalyst/episodes/41–The-Ember-Blade-by-Chris-Wooding—Nailing-the-Opening-48-Pages-e96cua

My book – Fires of the Dead – is FREE for the next 4 days!

February 28, 2020 ~ Jed Herne ~ Leave a comment

My fantasy novella, Fires of the Dead, is free on Amazon for the next 4 days!

Click the link below to read it:

https://amzn.to/32BIwjC

During its free period, it’s reached:

#1 in Gaslamp Fantasy (Kindle Store)
#1 in Action & Adventure Fantasy (Kindle Store)
#1 in Alternative History

Blurb:

Wisp is a pyromancer – a magician who draws energy from fires to make his own flames. Leading a misfit thieving crew, he enters a desolate wasteland to steal a dead sorcerer’s skull. But his crew aren’t the only ones on the hunt, and the forest isn’t as barren as it seems …⁠⠀
⁠⠀
A lot of fantasy is so huge you’d be lucky to finish it in a month. I love that. ⁠⠀
⁠⠀
But that’s not the case for this book. ⁠⠀
⁠⠀
I wanted Fires of the Dead to be a fast-paced, pulse-pounding thrill-ride – a book you could burn through in one breathless night. Based on a lot of reader reviews, it’s done that for quite a few people!⁠⠀

It’s only free in eBook form, but you can download the free Kindle app to read it on any device or computer. Enjoy!

2020-03-03T16:00:00

days

hours minutes seconds

until

^ Time until it goes back to normal price

★★★★★ “A common misconception about fantasy novels is that they are all epic, thousand page long tomes. […] Fires of the Dead proves that you don’t need to write reams of narrative to fit all the components of a classic fantasy novel into one tale.” – Reviews Feed

★★★★★ “A gripping, fun, twisted tale of a band of misfit thieves as they adventure through charred forest to retrieve a valuable, magical item with a mega payload. […] Be prepared to smash this book out in one reading; you’ll be left wondering what’s next at every damn turn.” – Mitch Bruce, Amazon review

★★★★★ “I loved every second of it. I didn’t want to put it down. After I finished, Fires of the Dead left me wanting to continue reading about this world. Highly recommend this book for someone who loves a quick read full of action and suspense.” – Dannielle Leotta, Amazon review

★★★★★ “I could not put this book down! I wanted to keep on reading and not sleep, and ended up the next day being a very moody person with a good story on the brain. I am so glad I read this and will be keeping an eye on books by this author.” – Sarah Coleman, Amazon review

★★★★★ “A great fantasy novella, a real page turner (it gave me goosebumps), I highly recommend it.” – Caitlin Shaw, Amazon review

46. Never Die by Rob J. Hayes – Choreographing Excellent Ensemble Casts

February 18, 2020February 17, 2020 ~ Jed Herne ~ Leave a comment

In this episode, I analyse the brilliant dynamics behind Rob J. Hayes’ eclectic crew in his wonderful grimdark fantasy book, Never Die. Enjoy!

Or click here to listen online.

Show Notes:

Listen to me read chapter 1 of my latest fantasy novel, Across the Broken Stars: https://anchor.fm/novelanalyst/episodes/Sneak-Peek—Chapter-1-of-Across-the-Broken-Stars—My-Upcoming-Space-Fantasy-Novel-ea9cnk/a-a1b1bre

(Or just scroll down in the podcast feed to find it manually).

Book Launch Party for Across the Broken Stars by Jed Herne

February 12, 2020February 15, 2020 ~ Jed Herne ~ Leave a comment

Buy Across the Broken Stars here: jedherne.com/acrossthebrokenstars

Today’s episode features the audio recording from my latest book launch. Enjoy!

(Below the podcast links, I’ve also included the video version of this event).

Or click here to listen online.

00:00 – 10:20 – Jed’s thoughts on how to become more creative

10:20 – 21:12 – Jed reads scene 1 from Across the Broken Stars

21:12 – onwards – Q & A from the audience.

45. The Left Hand of Darkness by Ursula K. Le Guin – Crafting a Slow-Burning Narrative

February 4, 2020February 3, 2020 ~ Jed Herne ~ Leave a comment

The left hand of darkness analysis and book review by Jed Herne

The Left Hand of Darkness is a visionary sci-fi story about a lone human ambassador to Winter, an alien world whose inhabitants’ biology allows them to choose—and change—their gender. His goal is to facilitate Winter’s inclusion in a growing intergalactic civilization. But to do so he must bridge the gulf between his own views and those of the completely different culture that he encounters. Exploring psychology, society, and human emotion on an alien world, The Left Hand of Darkness is as a landmark achievement – especially considering that it came out in 1969!

In this episode, I examined how despite being very slow-paced (or, perhaps, because of this), Le Guin’s novel is incredibly engaging. Enjoy!

Or click here to listen online.

Show Notes:

Read my latest space fantasy novel, Across the Broken Stars (out today!): https://jedherne.com/broken

Got thoughts? Email me at jed.herne1 (at) gmail.com – I love hearing from you and I respond to as many messages as I can.

[Announcement] My latest book, Across the Broken Stars, is out today!

February 3, 2020 ~ Jed Herne ~ Leave a comment

Click here to buy your copy.

Leon has a secret. He was once an angel – a winged warrior sworn to protect Paya, a realm where people live on discs that float in space.

He failed.

Now, Leon’s a broken man, trying to forget the past. He thinks he’s the last angel. But then a young fugitive stumbles onto Leon’s doorstep. She’s an angel, too. And she has a riddle leading to a place where angels still live. Or so the stories claim …

Desperate for redemption, Leon begins a perilous quest through myth and folklore. But will Leon and the fugitive find their legendary destination? Or will Leon lose his last chance for salvation?

Brutal and gripping, this is a story about a flawed man’s search for forgiveness.

> Buy a copy here: jedherne.com/broken

And if you buy a copy before midnight Feb 9th, email your receipt to jed.herne1@gmail.com to receive free bonuses, including:

The unedited first draft (which was 20 000 words shorter than the final novel)
My original outline
A free companion short story
Other behind-the-scenes looks into my process.

Praise for Across the Broken Stars:

★★★★★ “The details that went into the creation of this world were fantastic. It is unlike any other sci-fi world I’ve ever read about.” – Darian Seese.

★★★★★ “Gripped me from the start. I loved that Leon, the protagonist, was kind of a screw up. His actions and emotions are so achingly normal which is something rarely seen in fantasy novels.” – Jaimee Camilleri.

★★★★★ “The most unique part about Across the Broken Stars, and my favorite element hands down, is that the realm of Paya is made of discs in space instead of worlds as we know them. […] The discs make for a unique setting and at times add great tension to the story. If you are looking for an epic fantasy that has a unique setting, this is it.” – Kate Valent, Reedsy Discovery Starred Review.

Enjoy!

– Jed Herne, host of the Novel Analyst Podcast

44. Master of Sorrows by Justin Call – Crafting Compelling Magic Systems

January 23, 2020 ~ Jed Herne ~ Leave a comment

An in-depth look at creating interesting, cohesive magic that improves your story in meaningful ways.

This is a follow up to an interview I did with the author a few weeks ago. We had an excellent chat about his book as a whole, and to complement our discussion, I wanted to do an episode diving deep into his magic system – which I really enjoyed and made the book feel super unique. Enjoy!

Or click here to listen online.

Show Notes:

My interview with Justin, author of Master of Sorrows: https://novelanalyst.com/2020/01/07/justin-call-interview/

My upcoming space fantasy book, Across the Broken Stars: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/49125250-across-the-broken-stars

[Sneak Peek] – Chapter 1 of Across the Broken Stars – My Upcoming Space Fantasy Novel

January 19, 2020January 19, 2020 ~ Jed Herne ~ Leave a comment

To celebrate the upcoming release of my epic space fantasy novel, Across the Broken Stars, I’m sharing chapter 1 of the book – read by yours truly. (If you want to read it instead, click here).

The book releases on Feb 3rd, 2020. I’m so excited to share it with you!

Click here to learn more (and to buy the book once it releases):

jedherne.com/acrossthebrokenstars

Or click here to listen online.

Blurb:

Leon has a secret. He was once an angel – a winged warrior sworn to protect Paya, a realm where people live on discs that float in space.

He failed.

Now Leon’s a broken man, trying to forget the past. He thinks he’s the last angel. But then a young fugitive stumbles onto Leon’s doorstep. She’s an angel, too. And she has a riddle leading to a place where angels still live. Or so the stories claim…

Desperate for redemption, Leon begins a perilous quest through myth and folklore. But will Leon and the fugitive find their legendary destination? Or will Leon lose his last chance for salvation?

Brutal and gripping, this is a story about a flawed man’s search for forgiveness.

“If you are looking for an epic fantasy that has a unique setting, this is it.” – Kate Valent, Reedsy Discovery.

43. [Interview] Justin Call – Author of Master of Sorrows – board games, fantasy, and the creative life

January 7, 2020January 3, 2020 ~ Jed Herne ~ 1 Comment

Justin Call graduated from Harvard University in 2012 with a Master’s in Literature and Creative Writing. He has studied fantasy literature for almost two decades and is the author of Master of Sorrows, Book 1 of The Silent Gods tetralogy. Justin is also the CEO of Broomstick Monkey Games and co-designer of the games Imperial Harvest, Royal Strawberries, Royal Scum, and 8 Kingdoms. He currently lives in Park City, Utah with his wife, his two sons, his Great Dane (Pippa) and his St. Bernard-Mastiff (Herbie).

In this interview, we dive deep into his creative process, explore how designing board games has helped his world building, and discuss how he’s writing one of the most challenging and subversive fantasy series of this decade.

Enjoy!

Or click here to listen online.