The Power of Persistence

(Or tangible proof of progress)

It’s here, finally…the first copy of my new novel, The Blind Bowman: Dark Fire.

As readers of this newsletter will know, this book has been ten years in the making. I had to reinvent my lifestyle, my outlook, and my entire creative process in order to get it finished.

But now, at last, it exists! I’ve actually held it in my hands. And I’m thrilled and relieved.

Because truthfully this book might never have made it into print. Often, when a novel runs years passed its deadline, its publisher quietly drops it and it’s never heard of again. Other times, its the author themselves who admits defeat and abandons the manuscript.

Thankfully, neither of those things happened. I kept going. I trained myself to overcome writer’s block. I learned a whole new way of writing to get my stories flowing once again.

My publisher, the esteemed David Fickling Books, stood by me and supported me in that process. They waited, and waited some more, until Dark Fire was finished. Then they waited again until I’d written a follow-up, Wildwood Rising. Now they’ve started publishing my Blind Bowman trilogy in full, starting earlier this year when they rereleased the first book, Shadow of the Wolf.

The first two books of The Blind Bowman trilogy. A radical retelling of the Sherwood legends, it features a wildwood infested with gods and monsters, a Robin Hood who goes dressed in the pelt of a slain wolf-god, and a murderous and magnificent Marian! [All artwork by Leo Nickolls]

Whether all that perseverance was worthwhile will be up to others to judge. All I know is this: there are readers out there who loved Shadow of the Wolf. They email me to say the story has stayed with them vividly across the years. Others are reading it for the first time and are excited for the sequel.

For those readers, if no-one else, I’m glad the series didn’t end with book one. What’s more, in my not so humble opinion, I think they’re in for a treat. Now that it’s here in my hands, I’m reminded how good Dark Fire actually is. It’s immersive and rich and wondrous in the way of the best fantasy stories. It takes the dark energy of the first book and builds it into something epic.

But don’t take my word for it! Dark Fire will be published in the UK on October 10^th, and you can pre-order it here or here. I’d be delighted to hear what you think.

Thanks for being here, and happy reading!

Tim