Well I said I was going to do a casting call for Ironclads, and I shall, but something else has transpired that’s probably worth a brief comment. As of a week or so ago, I am officially a full-time writer.

(fanfare)

As is probably fairly well known, I’ve had a day job as a lawyer for a good long while – 15 years, with the last few years being gradually more part-time as the writing took off. A few months back, having taken a fairly hard look at financial realities, I took the big step of handing in my notice.

This is not so much me flag-waving and blowing my own trumpet, to be honest. It is a terrifying step, and there’s every chance that in a couple of years I’ll be going cap in hand for more regular work. However, right now, after ten years before the writing mast and a particularly well-received book about spiders, it’s a realistic proposition. I consider myself indecently lucky even to have the opportunity.

What can be expected, as far as writing output goes? Likely more short stuff, including novellas. Probably not six full length novels a year or anything insane like that – I think there’s a hard limit to my writing output as I tend to write in short bursts and then brew up the next section in the back of my head before sitting back down again.. Most likely my actual prose output will remain fairly constant (I hope. However this will mean that when edits arrive, or other non-creative parts of the writing process, it won’t drive a truck through my writing flow because I won’t have to down tools to get them done by deadline. There’s also the possibility of other media, should opportunities come along. I’ve always been keen to write for comics, for example, and who knows what the future holds?

As a sideline, I certainly intend to update the blog more often, probably alongside a face lift to the website and possibly a newsletter for those who might be interested. On that line, if there’s anything in particular that people particularly want to see an author talking about, other than actual books – writing advice, more book recs, conventions, interminable anecdotes about playing board games – then drop me a line.