On the Homefront
It’s been something of a scarce month here on the Island of the Great White Cloud, with the shortage of days creating a struggle to keep up with the present. I’ve taken on some ‘heavy load’ freelance work to help fund a trip home to Cork and whatever free time remains after writing and editing, seems to get spent planting forest back on the family tribelands.
That’s the Maori side of the family, of course. The Irish tribelands are a good 34 hours away by air (with another 2-4 hour car drive to boot). As a result, I don’t really feel I can complain about the 5-hour drive to Taranaki.
As you can see, that whole area is dominated by one serious volcano - Taranaki - which gives the whole region its name. Taranaki really just draws the eye and unless you turn away, its always stuck there in your eye. You can pretty much see it from most places in the region and although I’ve been told you can see it on a clear day from Wellington, I pretty much doubt that. I’ve certainly not seen it over the twenty years that I’ve been living here.
Interestingly, a few years after I got to New Zealand, Taranaki actually stood in for Mount Fuji (in Japan) as part of the film ‘The Last Samurai’ with Tom Cruise. I have vague memories of being there at the time. Much of it was filmed in the Uriti valley where they actually built an entire Japanese village. It was also quite weird seeing so many Japanese actors and extras hanging around in New Plymouth - the main town.
As you can see, they only had the one tree for the movie. I’m pleased to announce that particular problem has now been resolved.
Production Notes
Speaking of announcements, I’m also pleased to announce that FIONN: The Tightening Trail is now in its final draft and out for editing so I’m hoping to get a digital copy out to Paid newsletter subscribers in the two weeks or so. This, of course, is the work previously referred to as FIONN: The Betrayal (the latter which, will now be the title for the final book in the series.) By the end of next month, all going well, the paperback should be available through Amazon and set up for order through any physical bookshop).
Overall, I have to admit that I’m pleased enough with the result. There’s a lot in there in terms of plotlines, (particularly around the background mystery to Fionn’s father, Cumhal) but there’s plenty of sub-plot, character development, dialogue scenes, and the shifting of different elements and situations I set things up for the (hopefully) final book. Anyway, I guess you’ll be able to make your own minds up on that once it gets released.
At this stage, I haven’t got a date for general release of the digital version to the wider store ebook stores (i.e. Amazon/Kobo/Apple/Google/Barnes and Noble etc.) as I want to get some reviews sorted out first. Some of you who’ve been kind enough to do reviews for me in the past may soon get an email from me, in that regard. If you have done a review in the past and you’re keen to do one for FIONN: The Tightening Trail, feel free to reach out and ask.
Meanwhile, here’s the new cover image. What do you think? I’m not totally wedded to this one but it’ll do until I get a chance to update the covers for the entire series once FIONN 6 is published.
By the way, here’s an alternative cover for Liath Luachra: The Great Wild which is currently available on the digital version (the paperback version remains the same) - Note: This is still available at half-price.
I’m also looking for reviewers for this so if you’re keen, let me know. Due to predatory Amazon activities unfortunately, this one is currently restricted to Amazon readers.
What’s next?
With freelance work taking up every available braincell I have at the moment, I don’t have much headspace to do any major writing and this situation is likely to continue for the next two months. As a result, I’ll probably focus on scoping out FIONN: The Betrayal and a sequel to Liath Luachra: The Great Wild (no title as yet but I do have a rough story outline in my head).
With the publication of FIONN: The Tightening Trail, I now feel a growing pressure to get off my butt and focus on my non-fiction work (How Irish Mythology Works). This is becoming more a bit more critical as the Fionn mac Cumhaill Series extends because there are some things within the Fenian stories don’t make any sense whatsoever unless you understand the cultural context behind them. I’ll still be able to continue the narrative easily enough but as the story evolves, people will inevitably have questions or will be seeking clarification around what certain things mean.
In that regard, I’m also intending ot return to a non-fiction project which I’ll be introducing to ‘Paid’ subscribers in the latter part of the newsletter. This is still very much in draft form but the plan is to make a more developed copy available to this group in advance (and free, obviously) before making it more widely available.
This is still very much a work in progress so I’m only aiming to have the initial draft ready by the end of the year. The final product probably won’t be available until I release FIONN: The Betrayal.
Anyway, we’ll see.
Something Else you might Like
Irish musician and singer Clare Sands might be someone you want to try out. I’ve been listening to her stuff over the past year and was delighted to discover she’d snuck into New Zealand unannounced and was playing in one of my favourite country pubs down in the South Island. I got quite excited about going down to see her but lifem unfortunately, intervened .
I have to admit that, apart from enjoying her music, I also like Sands because she makes a very decent effort to sing and speak as much in Irish as she does in English. The tune below (Ghost on the Waves) which she created with regular collaborator Aisling Urwin, is a gorgeous one inspired by the ‘An Tóraíocht’ (the Pursuit of Diarmuid and Gráinne’). The beautiful video was shot on the Dingle Peninsula where you can see the island known in Irish as Inis Tuaisceart (Northern Island) or An Fear Marbh (the Dead Man). Some people use the English name (The Sleeping Giant) but I don’t.
If all goes to plan, I should be out there myself in a few months time, once I get home.
The End
That’s all I’ve got for April 2024. I’m running on empty but I’ll be heading straight back into the slog of corporate life after sending this newsletter. Fortunately, I’ll soon be at a point where I can count the remaining weeks on one hand.
Until the end of May …
Slán go fóill!!...
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