Hey, everyone! I’m delighted to welcome back friend and fellow author C S Boyack. He’s been busy churning out the words this year! Today he’s here to talk about his latest release.
Take it away, Craig!
Thanks for having me back, Joan. From August to November is going to be a busy month for me. Today, I have a new book called HMS Lanternfish to talk about. This one continues the adventures that began in Voyage of the Lanternfish, back On January 1st, 2019.
I’m going to let the cover and blurb do their intended job at the end of this. Because Joan is one of my Story Empire compatriots, I’m going to do something more like one of those posts. In fact, this book exists largely because of my Story Empire friends. They are the ones who pushed me into series work.
I jumped in with both feet and took on one of each type. I have one that is intended to be individual stories about the same characters. These can be read out of order without too much confusion. Then there’s Lanternfish. This is intended to be a classic trilogy.
The classic trilogy follows a specific pattern, and this is my first exploration of it. Back in Voyage of the Lanternfish, we met the main characters and they got involved in a very personal mission. In their efforts to bring that project to conclusion, they were exposed to a bigger world than the sleepy seaside village they grew up in. This established some of the fantasy elements and anchored this story solidly as a pirate tale. My heroes were also exposed to a much bigger problem. War on a continental scale.
A tall ship provides options to my characters. There is a possibility they could simply relocate and avoid the whole mess. However, a shady group called the Fulminites are involved and it’s starting to look more like a global conquest. There may not be anyplace left to run.
HMS Lanternfish moves the crew into the war effort. They’re using an unofficial appointment as privateers to help where they can, so piracy is still on the table. In a classic trilogy, this is where the bottom falls out. The motif is to experience utter defeat, but pull together one small thread of hope. That was my goal in HMS Lanternfish.
My target is to take up the keyboard this winter and work on the final volume. I have no intention of pulling a George RR Martin on everyone. Look for the series to conclude in 2021.
If some adventure on the high seas, with strong fantasy elements, sounds like your thing, this is a good time to come aboard.
Thanks again for having me, Joan. I’ll leave that cover and blurb, along with some important purchase links for your fans.
Blurb: The Lanternfish crew completed their original mission, but got exposed to a more global problem. An entire continent is at war, headed up by a headstrong young king with dreams of power, and pushed from behind by a mysterious religious order known as the Fulminites.
Rather than let their country fall under the iron boot of conquest, James and his crew set sail once more to see what kind of muscle Lanternfish can lend to the war effort. Acting precariously under an unofficial charter as a privateer, even his allies aren’t always his friends.
HMS Lanternfish explores new worlds on its way to war and drifts considerably off course. It features an international crew of characters, and for fans of the first book, the root monsters are back, too. Tall ships, a few con games, martial arts, and everything you loved about the original book is all returning.
Hoist the colors and wheel out the guns. Lanternfish is taking to the high seas once more.
HMS Lanternfish: 99¢ for a limited time.
Voyage of the Lanternfish: Book one of the trilogy.
Serang: A supporting story about one of the more intriguing characters.
You can contact Craig at the following locations:
Blog | My Novels | Twitter | Goodreads | Facebook | Pinterest | BookBub
49 Responses
Great post! I’m happy to hear the third book will be out next year:)
Craig has been a busy writer!
It has to be my main commitment for next year. People would like to see how it all plays out, and I don’t want to keep them waiting. Thanks for commenting today.
You definitely raised the stakes and made things more difficult on the crew. Best wishes with this one, Craig.
Thanks, Joan.
Thank you, Staci.
He really did, Staci.
Thanks for having me back, Joan. Hope we get some real traffic today.
You’re welcome. You always have a spot here.
I love the stormy seas on the book cover! Congrats on the new book, Craig, and hope you get lots of sales with this series 🙂
I’ve gotten a lot of nice compliments on these covers. I share them with my artist when we talk.
That is a cool cover.
Reblogged this on Entertaining Stories and commented:
I’m over at Joan’s place today. The topic is Lanternfish and the classic trilogy it’s intended to be. Stop over and meet one of my Story Empire co-conspirators, and a great author in her own right.
Thanks for sharing!
I’m SO close to starting on this series, Craig. Both books are waiting on my Kindle, and as soon as I finish the book I’m reading right now, I’m going to start Voyage of the Lanternfish. I plan to read straight through them, and I’m SO looking forward to it. Great post, you two! And congratulations on getting this one launched, Craig. Hope it sells like crazy! 🙂
Thanks, Marcia. I think you’ll have fun with them.
I think you’ll enjoy them, Marcia.
I love the characters in Lanternfish, and you certainly give them plenty of adventures. I’m glad you decided to undertake a series, because your readers are the ones who benefit from the wonderful stories. HMS Lanternfish is so much fun!
It was a worthy experiment. I find myself wanting to move on to new things, but will finish this trilogy. I also need to focus on my other series. I think people expect something from it every year now. There will come a time to move on to some of the new storyboards, but I want to do Lanternfish justice primary to everything else.
Craig does have quite a cast of characters.
Congratulations, Craig. I’m reading and thoroughly enjoying the first of the series. 🙂 I’m impressed you’re already planning the third. YAY!
That makes my day. As long as people enjoy them it’s all worthwhile. Can’t have a trilogy without three volumes. No time like the present, and I’ll move on that after promo season ends. (I still have an anthology and another new book to promote.)
Thanks for stopping by, Gwen.
Excited to start this next adventure with the crew, Craig!
I have a hunch you’re going to enjoy it.
It’s certainly an adventure, Teri!
This blog tour is inspiring, Craig. Are you enjoying series writing?
It’s a mixed bag, if I’m honest. I feel a lot of pressure in this one, because it has to have an exciting wrap with a good denouement. I also have to meet or exceed all the crazy things that happened in the first two volumes. The other one comes easier to me, plus they’re shorter novels.
I think some of us (not mentioning any names, LOL) kind of talked him into writing a series.
I think a classic trilogy is working well for you. I enjoyed the first Lanternfish a lot, but enjoyed book two even more. Your characters have deepened and grown. For me, book two was about making your characters come to life, and you did that and more.
I’ll be taking up the keyboard when the snow flies. Right now I have three books to promote. I won’t leave people hanging. So excited that your enjoying the stories.
I kind of like trilogies, myself.
I like even longer. A big fan of series.
No, please don’t pull a George RR Martin on us. I’m still fuming about that one! And Patrick Rothfuss. Ugh. This tale sounds so good, Craig. Full of adventure and who doesn’t love a privateer? I’m looking forward to the read. Thanks for hosting, Joan. A fun post. 🙂
I just mentioned to another commenter that I’ll start drafting it this winter. I need to focus on a bit of promo, then there’s the Halloween season which has always been good for me. After that, it will be time to set sail once more.
Happy Writing!
It does have a lot of action. Thanks for stopping by, Diana.
Can’t wait to get to this and the original. Well done, Craig and thanks, Joan for hosting Craig today.
Take your time, John. You have some promo time ahead of you now, too.
It’s a good one, John.
Another fantastic post for the HMS Lanternfish! I thoroughly enjoyed the story and highly recommend it to anyone who loves plenty of action, fantasy, and magic! Thanks for hosting, Joan!
Thank you for saying so here, Jan.
94% through Voyage of the Lanternfish now!! Keen to read how this motley loveable bunch get along in the next adventure… and of course, how THIS adventure ends 🤗
This one is quite an adventure!
Hope you’re having fun with it. Appreciate you having faith in my adventures.
SOOO close to the end now, but I had to come to the ‘day job’ today instead of finding out what happens!!!
Don’t you just hate when real life interferes?
Ugh, I know right?
Those paychecks get in the way of everything.
Craig has such a vivid imagination and knows how to transmit that to paper. Love his books!