The Battle is O'er: UPDATE

Let me start by saying, I have been putting off and avoiding writing this post.  I have been aiming for a long time to release The Battle is O'er this December.  I still believe it will be 'done' before the end of the month.  However...

...with the release of my sixth book, I am working with a publicist, Dena Rose, and in order for a book to be released in December, it had to be fully finished and ready to send out advanced review copies much earlier.  I had hoped I could still meet such deadlines.   But it was just not possible.

I know people are frustrated with the long wait, and I apologize and also ask for patience.  The last eighteen months have been far busier than the years I was writing the first three to four books.

On the professional side, I have become far busier, because I've been laying the groundwork to make the move to writing full time, which would in future allow me to write books at least every year instead of every other year.  So, while maintaining my day job:

I'm finishing a book that is more complex to write, due to being the fifth in a series (many threads to keep track of and wrap up).

I've become more active with local literary events, presentations, and talks.

In January, I'll begin teaching writing classes, for which I've been creating course books and syllabi.

Last October (2016), I put out Food and Feast in the World of the Blue Bells Chronicles.

April saw the e-book release of 221 B.C., co-written with Dr. Kendall Price.

I have been working with Shawn D. Brink, Dan Blum, and Keith Ferrario on their books.  (The Feet Say Run, Hell on Earth, My Gypsy War Diary, Monster, Deadly Friend, Dark Carnival, and one more, untitled.)

I have delved into poetry and will have two of my poems published in The Martin Lake Journal 2017.

I made several research trips to Scotland and have been getting my Scottish and medieval music, filmed there, uploaded to YouTube, as a way of bringing to life, through all the senses, more of the history and setting of my books.

My collaborative work continues with Emmanuel's Light with displays at multiple locations and currently at Blue Harbor Writers Center.  I have created Poetry in Motion, 103 pages of poetry and photography.

On the personal side, the past year has brought a couple of surgeries--a first in my life.  The surgeon refused to let me bring my laptop into surgery.  I would have argued the point with him, but I fell asleep.  Life also seems to somehow become busier with kids--with a cross country trip for Marine boot camp graduation, being there for my sons' football, wrestling, and orchestra events, and being available when my older kids come into town.

So...with explanations given--I sometimes feel I should get books out faster and let other things go.  However, kids, 'day job,' activities that move me gradually into writing full time, and health are necessary activities.  And I do feel that if I didn't do the other things I do--music, poetry, and photography--my books would not be what they are.

And so, the release date:

The Battle is O'er is now scheduled for release on Friday, March 23, 2018.

I am disappointed with not being able to make the December deadline and more importantly, I know readers will be disappointed. 

So, beginning December 18, I will start posting the opening scenes of The Battle is O'er, starting from the beginning of the book, and will continue until the release, on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays.  I'll post them here under the EXCERPT and THE BATTLE IS O'ER labels.

I'll be posting the links on twitter and on my facebook page.  

And I hope you'll try 221 BC.

If you are interested in having Scotland through the Eyes of the Author presented to your group, please contact me at editors@gabrielshornpress.com 

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