After watching the Story Trailer for Fire in the Void and further inspired by a comment from Melissa, I decided to have some fun and create a story trailer for Refuge of Delayed Souls.
Here's the two minute video in all it's glory - I've even posted it on You Tube!
Enjoy :D
Update: Parts 1-61 have now undergone the first edit - nearly there!
I'm really thrilled with Gail's latest illustration - I wonder if you can identify which characters are pictured above? (Click on it to see a larger image). I can't thank Gail enough for all the hard work, time and effort she has put into both this illustration and the previous one of Elizabeth I'm excited about the next planned illustration too and can't wait until it's underway!
Apologies for the delay in posting the next part of the story and for the erratic posting schedule lately. I promise to improve and return to regular weekly posting after Easter.
Meanwhile, parts 1 - 45 have been edited, and I'm continuing to work with Jessica and hope to complete the remainder in the next 2 - 3 weeks.
There have been a lot of new readers to the story lately, one day alone last week witnessed over 1000 page views! I would like to thank each and every one of you for your support (both past and present) and hope that you will continue to bear with me during the next couple of weeks.
I have my fingers crossed that some of our new readers will poke their heads out of the blog ether and take the time to leave a comment -- it would be great to meet them!
Frankie 'Boy' Blade was not a character to mess with. Billy knew his place. He waited quietly until one of Frankie’s men approached him and invited him to join them. For someone with any sense at all, these were dangerous men to be getting involved with. Billy never claimed to have much sense anyway - he had always been more brawn than brain.
Macca, a heavyset bruiser with a nose as flat as a pancake and ears to match, indicated with a grunt and a nod where Billy was to sit, a little to the side of those who were already seated. Billy took his place and waited patiently while Frankie Boy continued in whispered conversation with the small group gathered around him. Macca was Frankie Boy’s piece of muscle. The other two, Gorgeous George and Dan the Man, were known thieves and criminals of the lowest order. Billy had morals when it came to thieving; he’d rob anything from anywhere yet sticking up an individual was out of the question. Gorgeous George and Dan the Man had no morals whatsoever.
Billy couldn’t get a good look at Frankie Boy for the screen of smoke that surrounded him, all five men, including Billy, were smoking roll ups. This, and the various hand and knuckle tattoos the men bore, indicated to anyone with an interest, that it was a meeting of former jail birds. Billy adopted a casual air and tried to sneak a look at the other men’s lips without it looking too obvious what he was doing. Anyone with experience of working in a Lancashire cotton mill had the skill to lip read. Billy had worked as a card room doffer from the age of twelve until fate led him into a less salubrious way of life. He was only able to work out a couple of words before all activity stopped dead and Frankie Boy’s steel grey eyes cut towards him.
“Now then Billy. Word’s reached me that you’ve got a quite a bit of experience with explosives. Do I hear right?”
Billy gulped down the mouthful of beer he had just taken and used it to quell the cough germinating in his throat. He hadn’t been expecting that. This was a bit deeper than he had been led to believe.
“Aye... a bit. From the war.”
“Heard you were a handy lad with it. Heard you could be just what I need to help me with a little job. Heard you were looking for work.”
Billy’s stomach tightened and he fought to keep his face a blank mask. Frankie Boy scared him alright. Not what he could do to him, but what he wouldn’t hesitate to do to Anne or the kids if things didn’t go his way.
Eight spidery eyes watched Billy intently. Everyone knew it was a done deal. Billy rose to his feet and took a last gasp from the cigarette he was smoking. Leaning forward he pinched out the glowing red tip and dropped them both into the tin ashtray on the table in front of Frankie Boy. He looked down at the bald man sitting before him and stared confidently into his cold calculating eyes.
I hope to post a new RoYds chapter later this week, meanwhile I thought it wouldn't go amiss to let you know what's happening at present.
I'm currently working with Jessica Augustsson, a Freelance Copy Editor, who specialises in speculative fiction. So far, Chapters 1 - 37 have been edited and I've rewritten the story in places to add more clarity or detail. Over the next few weeks, the other existing chapters will receive the same treatment.
I am planning a dead tree version of the story when all the editing has taken place and I've decided to take the self publishing route. Later this year, the book should be available to buy online - fingers crossed!
More artwork is also in the pipeline - I'm looking forward to seeing the characters come to life in this way and hope you will enjoy the experience too.
