READER SURVEY RESULTS

 Here's what Readers preferred in our latest survey

“It's like in the great stories, Mr. Frodo. The ones that really mattered. Full of darkness and danger they were. And sometimes you didn't want to know the end. Because how could the end be happy? How could the world go back to the way it was when so much bad had happened?” —J.R.R. Tolkien READER SURVEY RESULTS: We asked readers to sound off in a brief survey, and here’s what they said.  • When asked why they read fiction, it was to escape, leave their troubles behind, indulge imagination, gain knowledge, and just have fun. But by far the most common response was to escape into another world and time, from Minas Tirith to the battle bridge of Kirov. • Readers enjoying military fiction said they liked a mix of land action and naval battles. Their favorite eras were WWI & WWII, modern conflicts, and then the Age of Imperialism and the US Civil War. I was pleased to see that most of those responded said they wanted to see another novel featuring Kirov in either a modern or historical setting. For me that was akin to Samwise Gamgee’s remark about the great stories never ending. As my characters intervene in the history, they struggle with the same question Samwise asked: How could the world ever go back to the way it was? I’ll soon have two new books for you to continue exploring these questions.  Watch this space for more on these books. I do want to hear from more of you about your reading interest. It will be an important factor to determine my writing projects. The survey will stay on for another week. If you have not already, please spend 3-5 minutes taking it. Voice your opinion, and get it heard. Please Note I've moved my novel Field of Glory out of the Kirov Series and into the Keyholder's series. It's really in both, but Amazon makes me choose one or the other. So the three books in the Keyholders Series are now: Field of Glory Zulu Hour The Devil Ship And these books can be read in any order.

New Book Scheduled for General Release

 Devil Ship Getting Ready to Sail!

The Writing Shop Press announces author John Schettler’s new historical military fiction, The Devil Ship, is now scheduled for release on January 12th for Kindle and in Trade Paperback. The research was even more extensive for this one, relying on official accounts by the ship’s Captain, numerous other eye-witness accounts, a couple of movies available, including a 60-episode drama of certain events translated into English for John, episode by episode, minute by minute.  The book will feature an atrocious war involving both naval and land fighting between two great empires.

Mark the release date on your calendar and be among the first to get the book!

Volume II of Innisfail Coming Soon!

 Volume 2 of Chronicles of Innisfail moves to production.

Book 2 in that series the Chronicles of Innisfail The Coming of Shadows, has passed final review and is scheduled for publication in the next 7-10 days. Here’s a preview of the new front cover:

The first cover candidate was an image entitled "Lord Soth's Charge" by Kieth Parkinson. In seeking rights to use it for the cover we learned that TSR has already acquired rights to that image, so we moved to Cover candidate #2 above, an image of the Mysterious Dharman Legion being led out by Luth.

Get ready to Rumble, cause here come the Dreadlords! After the dramatic battle against Sonderin’s Vile Host in Hallowfield, Llanishen, and the fields of Arnir, Duke Morgin Grenfell finds himself in a predicament after the is arrested by a thankless Emperor and accused of High Treason. Volume II in the series opens with Morgin trying to find a way out of that dilemma so that he can get back west to defend the Western Outlands against a new looming threat. The mysterious Dharman Legion is being led out by Sonderin's brother Luth, (the new cover art) and marching to the Valley of Soregor where he plans to join his shadow host with that of the Witch Queen of the Underworld, with legions of skeletals and Bone Riders.

So all the dark forces rise in this volume to make a new attack, when all three Dreadlords lead their hosts against the Empire of Innisfail. This volume also presents a venture into the Underworld by a small company of 9 intrepid characters, Wilem, Sachi, Duke Morgin, and Sencha Windweaver among them. Their incursion is only possible because the Queen has taken her Army of the Dead aloft, leaving the Underworld largely empty… but not quite empty enough to suit those who dare to enter it in this volume.

A good Dungeon crawl ensues, and those who survive it return to learn the situation in the east is darker then ever, as the three Dreadlords now lay siege to Rammath-Innis, capital of the empire. The second great battle in the east is beginning, and it will need all the strength of free men, including the Dwarrowkin clans, to prevent the fall of the empire. This one is action packed, and introduces a new High Mage, Vortigern, after Wilem’s discovery in the Ice Hollows has some unforeseen consequences. Wilem has also taken a shine to Sachi, Kaspar's Chief Scout.

If you haven’t made the jump to this new series, now’s the time to do so. Come explore a new world that is as richly detailed as those offered by other masters in this genre, and here we get Volume II just 30 days after the series premier. This is going to make for some great summer reading! 

For those who who are Patrons of the arts, John has also set up a Paetreon Page here:

Hey there, help us keep this guy fed!

Other announcements include some price changes and new paperback and ebook editions:

Volume I of Innisfail now back at $4.99 until May 5.

Volume I Of Kirov series reduced to $3.99 to welcome new readers.

Volume I of Dharman Sci-Fi Series reduced to $3.99 to welcome new readers. (John's first "Dharmans" were not shadow warriors, but a menagerie of life forms on the planet Dharma VI.) The books are being reformatted to get three volumes of equal length. So some material from Wild Zone will move into Book II, and some material from Mother Heart will move into Book III. All three books will be about 325 pages each. The trilogy is being reissued soon in three reformatted paperbacks and one massive Kindle file covering all three books. Wild Zone, Mother Heart, and finally the 3rd Volume, Nightwatch. This trio will probably be released as a big 970 page 3-book bundle on kindle this year for $9.99 but John is still tinkering with book 3 in the series. Anyone who has already bought the first two books in that series can also order book III at $3.99. We'll announce availability later.

Volume I of Silk Road Series, Taklamakan reduced to $3.99 - This often overlooked book introduces the Series, which John considers his best writing among all his many books. In fact, the main character, Tando will seem like a close cousin of Kaspar Jakhad in the Innisfail series, because Taklamakan began as an Epic Fantasy, and John then decided to make it a historical fiction instead. It's s great read!

“1944” in Kirov Series now available in Trade Paperback. (We missed that format earlier).

The thick 569 Page Battle book Vendetta now also available in Trade Paperback with all the zeppelin action and battles for Ilanskiy. This book had been in kindle format for some time.

Below is a Bone Rider Scythe Leader, the skies above him clouded with Mereliki Dragon Bats, and ghostly spirits of the Herelinka rising bottom right. This is a rights free image approved for commercial use. This was cover candidate #3 for The Coming of Shadows, but John thought featuring the Dharmans jived with the title better, as they are Luth's dread shadow warriors.

 

A Bone Rider Scythe Leader from the Underworld

Here come the bad guys! If Sonderin’s Vile Host wasn’t enough, Morwenna is sending out scores of her Bone Riders and Skeletals, the animated remains of all those who have died and were carried into the Underworld over the long centuries. It gets downright nasty on the fields of Innis, with a Mage War on top of all the other fighting as Sencha, Vortigern, Maelgrinn and Tal stand to oppose Sonderin, Luth and Morwenna. If you like this genre, come and see!

Able Fire

The West Goes on the Attack!

The Kirov Series continues the Next War into 2026 and beyond, as the Coalition launches Operation Able Fire, the invasion of Iraq. Available now as of 4/45/2020.

BUY NOW FOR KINDLE: $4.99

The war in 2026 now get into high gear with the invasion of Iraq, but at the outset of this volume, Karpov and Fedorov try to sort out their problems with missing men, and determine what to do. Fedorov suspects the ship is becoming unstable, and tells Karpov why, revealing a deep fear he has harbored for some time. The story then takes us back to the travails of Admiral Wu Jinlong, as he continues his battle in the Celebes Sea. His Operation Sea Eagle is confronted by the Enterprise CSG and Kirov, where Admiral Wu Jinlong learns some very hard lessons on the strengths and weaknesses of his ships.

Now the Western Coalition launches their invasion of Iraq from the west, and we will ride through it all at the tactical level with a Light Troop of 1/7th Cav Recon Squadron, (1st Armored Cav Division). In a fast paced series of maneuvers, the action is reminiscent of Generation Kill, when a reporter, Todd Resel is attached to Sergeant King’s Light Troop for the ride. Through their eyes, we are led east across the deserts to the battle for the gaps, first in the north at Ramadi where the Coalition must kick open the door to take Highway 1 to Baghdad.

At the same time, a European column advances further south towards Karbala, as the Coalition forces move to encircle Baghdad. While the capital will be defended, Qusay Hussein has a different strategy in mind for the overall war, intending to hold as much of the country as possible. In the midst of this action, a CIA Paramilitary operative arrives and gets attached to the Light Troops, which will later lead us into a daring missing in Baghdad,

The action then shifts south to recount the push into Iraq by 1st USMC Division, with a provisional division composed of 1st Infantry and 3 BCT of 1st Armored Cav on their right. Now the war that began as a mission to liberate Saudi Arabia and Kuwait becomes a grab for the vital oil resources of Southern Iraq. Seeing their position in the Middle East in danger of collapse, China makes a bold decision to send its 13th and 21st Armies by rail through Central Asia and Iran, to the border of Iraq.
Then the action returns to naval warfare again, this time revisiting Admiral Sun Wei in the Gulf of Oman, who is still struggling to grapple with Captain Holmes on the USS Independence. His stubborn campaign there is soon shaken by news from the east, and the Chinese General Staff concocts a new plan for his fleet, with startling new orders. The battle with Independence is far from over as the US maneuvers to frustrate this plan.

Then we again return to Kirov, but not before a three chapter look at what Ivan Volkov has been up to aboard Tunguska, and it is no small matter! His quest for vengeance takes him to a most fateful place, with repercussions that could unwind threads on the tightly stretched rope of the Prime Meridian. The plan he sets in motion is earth shaking, and sets up what happens as this volume concludes. As the author often does when he approaches the mid- point in any of the 8 volume seasons, get ready for a most unexpected and amazing twist as this book ends, when safe waters suddenly become very dangerous for Karpov and crew.

Action on land, sea, and air as the West begins to go on the offensive in the war in the Invasion of Iraq.

BUY NOW FOR KINDLE: $4.99

In case you missed them: Volumes 1 and 2 of the war in 2025 and beyond...

 

 

Tangent Fire

WWIII Explodes in the Med

About Tangent Fire:

   Volume VIII in the Next War segment of the Kirov Series sees the war in 2021 end in a nuclear nightmare, but Kirov, with Tyrenkov aboard, has escaped to the future they helped to shape in 2025. Now all the principal players in the story begin to arrive, Kirov, Kazan, and Argos Fire coming forward from 1945.

   Karpov, the Siberian, begins his operation to liberate the port of Vladivostok, and Kirov once again enters the Sea of Japan to confront the Chinese Navy. But the fire of war begins to spin off wild tangents, as China launches Operation Wildfire in the Med to close the Western shipping lanes and seal off the Suez Canal.

   Argos Fire is soon caught up in the fighting, which sweeps across the “Middle Sea” from Gibraltar to Egypt when the Chinese begin a dangerous game of commerce raiding. As the tankers burn, a much stronger Royal Navy in 2025 stands to, as an enemy fleet bears down on the long time British bastion of Malta. Yet Elena Fairchild and the doughty Captain MacRae will soon have more things to worry about than they imagined. A late novel excursion takes them one step closer to unraveling the mystery of the seven keys....

 BUY FOR KINDLE: $4.99   

Kirov Saga

Tangent Fire

By

John Schettler

Part I – Volkov

Part II – Kazan

Part III – The Siberian

Part IV – Beihai Sea

Part V – Argos Fire

Part VI – Maersk Havana

Part VII – Wildfire

Part VIII– Malta

Part IX – Tangent Fire

Part X – Greensleeves

Part XI – Keys to the Kingdom

Part XII – Excursions

316 Pages, 36 Chapters, about 105,000 words.

Kindle Version: $4.99 ~ Quality Trade Paperback: $19.99