James M. Vargo Books

I'm not one to procrastinate...a lot. Writing-wise, I have my pace, and that might be called slow. So when I set a goal, I don't always succeed. But this time I ran with it to the finish with the clock expiring. My goal was to finish my edit this year -- 2013 -- and as of 10:30pm EST, December 31st, I made my goal. The Prince of Furies is done! Okay, truth be told, I have to rush through two maps (at the most), which should be interesting, if not fun. I can't account for artwork when setting goals, mind you. Then I can finally send this off to be published. My next blog post should be the one telling you when my third book is ready to hit the market. And so many waiting readers will shout for joy...or is that a New Years Eve party going on down the street? But you get the drift. Happy 2014 everyone!  

I am halfway through my proofing of Book Three, Prince of the Furies , due out by New Years Day (hopefully).  In the spirit of Black Friday and the season of giving, Passage of the Acolyte, Book One is available FREE on Kindle this weekend -- Sat Nov 30th and Sun Dec 1st. I am also big on selling the hardcopies for a discount -- $5 each for Books One and Two. Just make the request thru this sight, or Facebook, or even my e-mail, which is easily had, and i'll hook you up.  I really want folks to enjoy the story before the highly anticipated next volume is out. vargojames@verizon.net

I have to admit it, I like crowds.  That sounds strange for a writer, but droves of mall folk or party lined streets hardly bother me at all (minus the traffic getting there).  Don't get me wrong, I'm an introvert too.  I like my alone time when I can get it. But today was about the crowds. Fort Ligonier days ran its popular course this weekend. I've written about it before. Anyone within a few hours drive of the Laurel mountains in western Pa. should check it out, along with many other nearby places worth a look; from Fallingwater, Seven Springs, to the falls at Ohiopyle. Pennsylvania is awesome! Anyway, the town of Ligonier lay nestled between soft forested ridges of the Laurel Highlands, and emerges as a thriving village along the banks of Loyalhanna creek. And to top it off, Ligonier has its own fully restored 18th century fort. Here you can imagine George Washington riding out of the woods to find rest from his travels; or Ichabod Crane galloping roughshod out...

Light at the end of the tunnel, or cave...         Yes, I pulled out the Latin; and after much angst and delay, the glossary is done!  Actually, it stands as a living document I will update from time to time (or book to book). Take a look at the tab section at the top of my blog and see what all the fuss was about. Lots of stuff there, and I could have entered much more - but it is enough that I have enshrined myself in the geekdom Hall of Fame in doing so.  Hey, I could have worse hobbies (like fantasy football...ick).     I will stuff the glossary in the back of book three - still in the editing process - and possibly in book two, if I can figure out which files to edit.  With that and a one or two maps to go, I am still aiming at a december release for Prince of the Furies , and free giveaways of Passage of the Acolyte , Book One (Kindle, at least) before that.  Keep you posted!

The editing process is going full tilt, when I don't lose concentration in lieu of lessor things (damn internet). My latest offering -- Prince of the Furies -- is headed the way I wanted it to go, but I find my tastes aren't always mainstream. Folk like what they like. This snippet, from Chapter 23, is the beginning of the end of my third installment. With luck, I will have it out by December, if not earlier (but don't hold me to it -- okay, you can hold me to it). the days are getting darker... Andro awoke early the last day of Ambarric. The barn loft held little warmth and his breath steamed in the frigid air. He did not sleep much – a bale of hay made for an uncomfortable bed. The next day was the first of Rontenn – Equinox day. Just the thought of it kept him awake in guard of Maia. She turned beneath a makeshift blanket – her riding cloak. Upon hearing Andro, her eyes opened wide. “Your first night with a girl in a hayloft?” she asked in jest,...

I am writing - I promise. Here's a snippet of Prince of the Furies : Once the meal was over, many of the dignitaries went on their own venturing – as if the keep were their own possession. Most had lodgings in the Equinox and were free to inspect and roam, even walk the steep grounds about its stone foundation. The beacon was a source of wonder for those who chose to stand near, if that were possible at all. The peak of the mount was a solid rock, steep, slick, and rounded. If not for several skilled workers who affixed it in place, the beacon would have surely tumbled off in the wind. Instead, the light burned fiercely, and from the porch the Alliance and Turran gazed upon its flames. “It will look even more marvelous in the night,” said Brenn, leaning against the parapet. “It shall bring hope always,” added Turran. “My father had it commissioned, and I never knew. He has been full of surprises of late.” “He seems certain of…well, everything,” replied Fauglir who ...

Alpenglow, Nordhiem Yes, silence is golden, or silver...would you accept tinsel. This is an official "Prince of the Furies" update. I am in the editing process as we speak -- well, I did leave the last ten pages un-written, but I wanted to have all the details fresh before I hit the summit. I hope it works. Edits are what they are: intriguing, frustrating, illuminating.  I have to say, I wonder about some parts and if they belong -- I hate to drag a story along -- and that's what slows the process at times. We'll get through it, and hopefully the result will worthwhile. I already have book four rattling around in my head, so I have to keep the page-turning going strong. Later friends and readers.   

Here's my promised short story, Shag Rocks (a little long at 8,000 words, but who's counting).  W hen a strange man shows up at one of the remotest places on earth, South Georgia Island, new government officer, Ally Waddell, is faced with the challenge of her young career. Available now: Kindle/Amazon link (Kindle only $0.99) :   http://www.amazon.com/Shag-Rocks-ebook/dp/B00CCXC4FC/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1366246931&sr=8-1&keywords=shag+rocks Createspace link (paperback): https://www.createspace.com/4245730

I had to make some decisions since my short story, Shag Rocks , is only a few paragraphs from finished (also, a couple edits are necessary before the final presentation). I took some good advice, the kind of advice you read in better writing blogs, and that is I should publish my short story. Yes, I'm going to Kindle it -- at twenty pages, it's far too short for book form. Ninety-nine cents is reasonable, and since 'shorties' are in vogue, maybe I'll gain some new readers. I'll make it accessible for downloading for those who don't want to pay the $0.99, or don't have a Kindle or Nook. Look out for coming details. And in case you are wondering, the Prince of the Furies , hasn't long to go either. But those big epics take a bit more to work thru, so again, updates are coming.

the Paths of Lichencombe             Strange it seems, like this seemingly endless winter, all things must come to an end. As I sit here tonight still 'typing for two' (see last post), I realize both my third edition of the Alliance Series and my Short Story, Shag Rocks , are headed to their respective crescendos. Odd to have two endings plowing ahead at once.     My advice for writers in such an odd situation is this --  compartmentalization ( another older post, as I recall ). Being able to switch gears is important, and focusing on the job at hand. If you write in spurts, like I often do, switching between two stories can be invigorating. But in doing this comes a possible distraction to detail. What I mean to say is, some details may be lost, forgotten, or misplaced; so a healthy edit-check, and soon after, is highly recommended.      Hope I made sense this late March midnight. (March Madness ...

A second window on the world... Still at it. Chapter twenty is nearing its end, with two chapters left to go (hopefully). Why not up the ante? Looking at a map of the world the other day made my curiosity wandered to far off places. One location in particular drew my attention. Then a story came to mind. So yes, I'm writing for two now. I can't say it's cutting into Prince of the Furies time, since the next venture will be less demanding. I won't give details, but it will be a short story, and probably free. And it's not a Fantasy! That has made things interesting indeed. I'm a couple thousand words in -- not a big deal -- and a few thousand more should do it. I know, most writers start with short stories before the long ones (epics in my case), but I was never geared that way. I just don't think of fantasy in short terms. So now ideas have come to mind; there's a second story sitting on the back-burner too, and it's even more domestic t...

Still waiting? And so it continues. Estimates in life are the norm, but estimates in writing are something less. Perhaps that's the way it should be.  I estimated a book 300 pages long and a certain word-count, about 100K; but here I sit at 327 pages and I still have story to go.  But a tale takes on its own life, and getting the story right is what counts the most.  Right? In the land of popular literature and journalism, words counts are solid and must be kept that way.  But this is Fantasy where we have no rules, and the only thing that rules is the story itself  (Pardon the dramatic verse).  So once again, the time has come to practice our virtues.  Patience will rule the day!   Prince of the Furies will be good and ready when it is, and no less.