Author: Sean Monaghan

Writer. Voracious reader.

Wilkes Landing – a new novel in a new genre (for me)

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That’s it there. Wilkes Landing. Get it right now, if you dare, from the website – use the code FirstInWins25 at checkout to get the ebook for half-off. seanmonaghan.com  or use direct link here. That’s a $5.99 ebook for under three bucks. Move quick, this expires in January. As they say, we really can’t hold the price that low of any longer.

It will be out on general release in the usual places from November 15th.

On The Edge Of Heartache

When a high-stakes airliner emergency drops Alicia into the arms of hunky firefighter Brent, she finds herself torn and distracted.

The hidden charms of small-town Alaska create the perfect setting for entangled hearts and rising emotions.

On a path to heartbreak, or bliss.

With nothing in between.

If you’re  a regular here on the blog (and I know you are, even if I’m not so regular myself), you’ll know that mostly I’m off writing in other genres. You know, Science Fiction and Thrillers and even those Fantasies you’ve seen popping up this year. Why confuse things with something that’s clearly romance? I mean, you can tell from the cover, right? Right? If not, then I’m doing something wrong.

My answer? I’m interested in telling stories. Making stuff up. Stuff with an upbeat ending, and this genre guarantees that. While my SF and other stuff does have positive endings, the genre doesn’t necessarily demand it. Horror, on the other hand, well.

So with this I just tried to tell the best story I could. It’s a sweet romance, with no spice, in case you’re wondering. Always conscious that my mum might read something I’ve written. Yeah.

It’s occurred to me that I’m always listening to music as I write and publish, so I thought I might mention what I’m currently listening to, you know, in case it’s something you might enjoy.

Right now, I’m immersed in listening to Wisp’s album If Not Winter. Part of, I guess, the shoegaze revival happening now. If Not Winter is a wonderful blend of drenching guitars run through pedals, with delicate softly-sung melodies. Sometimes that distortion is a little much for my taste, but there’s enough of the acoustic side to keep it engaging and fun.

Thanks for reading.

“Meeting Susanna” – featured story in Pulphouse Magazine issue 40

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Often my fiction is pretty straight down the line – hard science fiction, or gritty thrillers. But then, sometimes I write something a little more offbeat – like my last story in Pulphouse issue #37, “Artie Beeline Meets Someone”, which I myself have difficulty classifying (kind of science fiction, kind of fantasy, kind of comic-book… without the illustrations).

Pulphouse Issue #40 is out now, with my story “Meeting Susanna” as the featured cover story. You know, it’s an honor to be among some great writers there, but to be the featured story is a double honor.

An immortality story with a heart.

Pulphouse runs the gamut of slightly off-beat stories, from detectives, to science fiction to simply unclassifiable. What you can count on, though, is (ahem) some really amazing writing. Editor Dean Wesley Smith does a great job of not only selecting stories, but encouraging and developing writers.

Pick up a copy today – just $6.99 for the ebook – Pulphouse Issue #40

Blurred Horizon – new Venus Vulture Album out now.

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I have a new ambient album out now on the Zenapolae netlabel.

In between writing and more writing, I do find a little time to tinker with my modular rack and little bits and pieces of software and work up some electronic music.

Blurred Horizon garners some of its inspiration from time spent on Naoshima Island in Japan – the cover photograph was taken from the shore there. Coincidentally (or not), just along the road from where I took the photo, lies the Benesse House Museum, a wonderful gallery, which, at the time we were there, had a series of seascapes photographs by Hiroshi Sugimoto, which may bear some similarity to this photography. Sugimoto’s “Boden Sea” photograph appeared on the cover Richard Chartier and Taylor Deupree’s album Specification.Fifteen and later on the cover of U2’s No Line On The Horizon. Sugimoto’s photograph was taken elsewhere… Lake Constance, I believe.

Blurred Horizon is composed of fragments and loops. Plenty of slowly evolving drones. As I usually mention when I have new music out, this is music to write to. When I was starting out as a writer, I loved having soft ambient music in the background, but it was difficult in those days to find new music, so I found myself experimenting and making my own. Times have changed, and there’s more ambient around than I could really get a chance to listen to… and still I find myself taking a break from writing and making some more.

The album is a free download from Zenapolae. Enjoy.

Caprock – a new thriller short story from Sean Monaghan

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I have a new bite-sized thriller story out in all the usual places, including the website. $1.99 for the ebook, $9.99 for the paperback.

Neil Rhodes loves hiking out into the desert. Exploring the barren reaches of Caprock State Park, he finds a kind of peace.

But that peace might just shatter when he comes across two other hikers. Apparently in trouble.

And maybe not hikers at all.

Maybe with other things on their minds.

A thriller short story from Sean Monaghan, author of Hard Ground and Brickworks.

 

 

 

 

Patrons of Art Trilogy – Preorders available now

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Three new novels, set in the mysterious dark world of Morgenfeld. All $5.99 for the ebook. Print books available same day with a scheduled release.

The Wintermas Paintings – June 20th

The Bergeron Sculptures – August 20th

The Ingersal Ballet – October 20th

 

Also directly from the website

The Wintermas Paintings

The Bergeron Sculptures

The Ingersal Ballet

 

Tempted? How about a free short story available now to sweeten the deal?

The Quiet Hours – use code “quiet25” at checkout to get it free (usually $2.99). Available for the whole campaign through to October at this price.

Conducting what he imagines as a small investigation, Jason Trone finds himself in the quaint and rustic Debble Teahouse. Hidden away in the dank gloom of Morgenfeld’s endless corridors.

Sweet smells and dark corners and a more than slightly odd proprietor.

Searching for a slippery character known only as Murchison, Jason hopes to find answers. Before Jason himself becomes caught up in the murder investigation.

In the vast, chaotic, fantastical city of Morgenfeld, “The Quiet Hours” focuses down on a single moment that might change Jason’s life forever.

 

The Quiet Hours – a new Morgenfeld short story

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I mentioned in my last post that I had been writing short stories along with the new novels in the Morgenfeld Patrons of Art Trilogy, and the first of those stories, “The Quiet Hours” is available now from all your favorite retailers, including directly from the website where you can get the ebook for 100% off the $2.99 cover price (as in free) just by using the code “quiet25”.

The Quiet Hours

Conducting what he imagines as a small investigation, Jason Trone finds himself in the quaint and rustic Debble Teahouse. Hidden away in the dank gloom of Morgenfeld’s endless corridors.

Sweet smells and dark corners and a more than slightly odd proprietor.

Searching for a slippery character known only as Murchison, Jason hopes to find answers. Before Jason himself becomes caught up in the murder investigation.

In the vast, chaotic, fantastical city of Morgenfeld, “The Quiet Hours” focuses down on a single moment that might change Jason’s life forever.

While all of my series stories and novels can be read in any order, “The Quiet Hours” does take place some time after the events in the novel, The Wintermas Paintings. Don’t worry, there’s aren’t any spoilers in the story.

The Wintermas Paintings and The Bergeron Sculptures are both available for preorder directly from the website now, for June 10th and August 10th (ten days ahead of the regular retailers, in case you see them on Amazon with June 20th/August 20th).

We’re working hard right now to get the last elements of copyediting and formatting completed for the final volume the trilogy,The Ingersal Ballet, which will be available from October 10th.

I had fun writing this “The Quiet Hours” and it actually came out of a challenge to write a story about tea. Challenges are always good, since they get me thinking in different ways about my stories and my approach to writing. Working within certain limitations really does help with creativity. There’s a common refrain along the lines of “The constraints will set you free”, which I like. Stravinsky said it well with “The more constraints one imposes, the more one frees one’s self of the chains that shackle the spirit.”

I do write a lot with prompts, whether that be for themed anthologies, or magazines, or just from my own little book of possible titles, and they all form the kinds of constraints that make me a little more creative.

Remember, use the discount code quiet25 to get the story for free from the website.

 

The Wintermas Paintings – preorder the new novel in a new Morgenfeld Trilogy

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The first book in the new Morgenfeld Trilogy is available for preorder now. The release date is set for June 20th (though you can get the ebook a little earlier, June 10th, by going directly from the website). $5.99 for the ebook, $19.99 in print (from Amazon – the print link shows up on release day).

Fantasy trilogies are, I guess, kind of a thing, and it was fun to take a few new characters and explore Morgenfeld again, though in a whole different context.

In case you missed them, the other three novels comprise The Map Maker Trilogy – The Map Maker of Morgenfeld, The Stairs at Cronnenwood, and The Chimneys in Atterton.

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Faced with overwhelming responsibility as Morgenfeld’s new head Map Maker, Cole Palmer finds himself embroiled in sinister plots and diabolical machinations in a series of intense books for fans of the books of Mervyn Peake and Michael Moorcock. Available at your favorite retailers, including Amazon.

So over the last couple of years, among other projects, I’ve been working on the new books which comprise the Patrons of Art Trilogy. With all the kinks now ironed out and the look and feel kind of how we want it, we’ll be releasing all three new books this year. Current plans are to have The Bergeron Sculptures and The Ingersal Ballet available in August and October, as in two-monthly after The Wintermas Paintings. The manuscripts are complete and have been copyedited and proofed and right now we’re hard at work making the final formatting and covers for those books.

This is the draft look of the new trilogy, though for Bergeron and Ingersal, the cover art and layout is not final.

We also will be tinkering a little with the look of those covers on the Map Maker Trilogy – there are a couple of make-tidy things to take care of there.

Preorder links for the next two books will be coming soon. The images are from the remarkable Grandfailure, in keeping with all the other books. It’s such a wonderful style that really fits so well with the tone and feel of the novels.

Oh, also, as I did with my Cole Wright Thrillers, I’ve been writing short stories set with these new Morgenfeld characters. That’s been a blast. Writing short stories is fun, and a great way for me to get to know the characters, and to explore some things that don’t show up in the novels. Morgenfeld has a whole mess of places to explore, that’s for sure.

Anyway, with lots on the plate right now, we wanted to mention that soon, at least sometime before Wintermas comes out, we’ll be releasing at least one of the stories as a free read. A excellent way to see if the Patrons of Arts Trilogy, and even Morgenfeld, is your cup of tea, as they say (also since one of the stories is set in a tea house… too corny?).

Thanks for reading. Here’s the blurb for the first book, as I try to get your interest. Any good?

The Wintermas Paintings

Pickpocket Jason Trone flees with the spoils of his plunder. Trinkets and baubles. Hardly worth the effort. Hardly worth the risk.

Small time.

A speck in the endless corridors of the Morgenfeld’s vast city sprawl,

But when he gets an offer for the big time, Jason finds himself confronting his whole life.

And then some.

A fantasy novel that simmers with a dark brooding intensity.

Available from June 10th/20th from the usual places.

Daisy And Maisie, External Hull Maintenance Experts – award ballots.

~ Sean Monaghan ~ Leave a comment

I’ve just learned that my story “Daisy And Maisie, External Hull Maintenance Experts”, from Analog last year, is a finalist for the Aurealis Awards for Best Novella.

With the story already a finalist for the Analog Analytical Laboratory award, and the Sir Julius Vogel Award, I’m feeling pretty humbled. My little story hanging out there with a bunch of stories by some awesome writers.

Now, I just wait for those results to trickle in, with my fingers crossed.

 

You can read the story for free at the Analog website, but you can also grab the ebook, with my afterword, from my website seanmonaghan.com. $2.99, but you can use the code DandM50 to get it for fifty percent off. Or use the code DandM100 to get it 100% off (that is, free). Both codes will be valid through until June 15th 2025 (when the Analog Analytical Laboratory results are announced).

Daisy and Maisie, External Hull Maintenance Experts

~ Sean Monaghan ~ Leave a comment

I mentioned before here and here, my short story “Daisy and Maisie, External Hull Maintenance Specialists”, originally published in the March/April issue of Analog Science Fiction/Science Fact, is on the Sir Julius Vogel Award ballot for best novella or novelette, and also is on the ballot for Analog’s Analytical Laboratory (voted for by readers). The Analog final results come out in mid-June, I think, but the SJVs voting is on now, with the award ceremony happening at Concatenation con in Wellington over Easter (Kudos too for the organisers of the con, pulling together something out of almost nothing – great work).

If you’re a member of Concatenation, or SFFANZ, you have voting rights, so you can access the stories through the finalists page.

They’re also available to read for free on the Analog (Daisy and Maisie) and Asimov’s (Wildest Skies) websites, through until those respective awards are announced.

But, to add to that, “Daisy and Maisie…” is available from the website now as an ebook for $2.99. Just for reading here, you can use the code DandM50 to get it for fifty percent off. Not enough. Okay. Use the code DandM100 to get it 100% off (that is, free). I can’t go any higher than that, otherwise I’m giving you money 😁. I’ll leave these codes valid through until June 15th.

The print book version will be available soon. It looks grand. Link coming when all the details are in place.

 

Daisy and Maisie, External Hull Maintenance Experts

Chuck Grimshaw works hard in the gruelling environment orbiting Mars. Long days fixing broken equipment, on a worn out ship, in a stinky spacesuit.

His two robot helpers, Daisy and Maisie, make things bearable. Never short of a wry observation or a correction to Grimshaw’s work habits.

When disaster strikes, Grimshaw finds they have more talents than just quips and repairs.

But do they have the skills to help him survive?

 

Grab it now! Use the discount! Do a little dance!

Thank you.

Yesterday’s Ziggurat – Twelfth and final book of the Karnish River Navigations series

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Around about a decade since Arlchip Burnout, the first book in my Karnish River Navigations series arrived, the final book, Yesterday’s Ziggurat is here.

It’s an intriguing feeling, reaching the end of a project like this. I mean, at first, I didn’t even know it was a project. I was just writing a fun novel, I thought.

When I realized that I had on my hands characters I enjoyed hanging out with, and a title sequence that lent itself to a sequence of books, I began working with a little more focus toward creating a finite series.

The twelve books can be read in any order, so if you’ve not read any yet, Yesterday’s Ziggurat is as good a place to jump in as any. I might even say it’s the best place to jump in, since it was the last book I wrote, and mostly the last book I wrote is my favorite.

Available as a preorder from the usual places, Amazon for both print and ebook, and the other major retailers for ebooks. $5.99 for the ebook, $19.99 for the paperback. Release date is April 20th.

If you want it now (of course you do!) it’s available directly from me on the website – www.seanmonaghan.com. Use the code YZFriend25 to get 50% discount, valid through until April 21st (the link there should automatically apply the discount).

Oh, I guess I should mention what the book is about, right? This is the back cover blurb:

Yesterday’s Ziggurat

Decades after the diaspora, the vast canal lands of Karnth still support struggling farms.

When a sinkhole chews up Dallas Saldon’s soil-tuner, and almost takes him too, he knows he needs to rethink his plans. Tough and resilient, Dallas faces challenges with a stoicism born of the land.

But the sinkhole proves just the beginning. Placing Dallas and a new arrival in more danger than he knows.

Called in to help, Flis Kupe and Grae Sinder face challenges beyond anything from before.

Challenges that might just change everything they know about the canal lands.

And beyond.

A Karnish River Navigations novel that pits the investigators against an unimaginable foe.

My next task is updating most of the covers of the series – you’ll see that Waxing Xebec and Yesterday’s Ziggurat are the only ones with my name at the top. Fixing that now.

Thanks for reading and being a friend to the site. Most appreciated.