March 2026 updates

This is kind of a repeat of what I just posted on Facebook, in an attempt to kind of revive my blogging a little, and give more regular updates as to what I'm doing. Because I only sporadically publish under one name or other, I think my fans think I just disappear or go fishing or whatever. The truth is that I'm working on my books every single day in some form or other. I have a full time job and a family, so I don't get the time I'd like, but every free moment and I'm on it. Here's what I've been doing the last month or two.

I actually finished a new book a couple of weeks ago. I had been writing a new romcom under my CP Ward pen name, but I got sidetracked with editing something else, and decided to pick up an old dystopian book I started like five years ago. I ended up finishing it in February, but I have no plans to release it unless I can produce a complete series.

I spent much of the rest of the time getting Lambs 5 ready for publication (it just came out yesterday). In addition to that, I've been working on getting my first two Jack Benton books into Japanese. The ebooks are easy, but the formatting for the paperbacks is a hell unlike any I've known. I've been playing around with them for months, and considering how few ebooks I sell in Japan (where I live) it's probably a pretty futile exercise, but I'd like to be able to sell direct and in person. I've also been trying to find a bulk printer, but all of the local ones seem to specialise in pamphlets and glossy magazines.

What else? Having found out that ebooks in Italy are subject to higher VAT charges without their own ISBN, I jumped through some hoops to buy some from the provider in Japan. I've now added them to most of my books published in Italian, and sent copies to the Japan Diet Library. I have to say, getting their polite thank you emails has been quite a breath of fresh air, even if they're likely automated.

That's about it. Oh, and one more ... I'm working on a second thriller, just, you know, because. The first thriller I released in November completely bombed, just proving that no matter how long you've been doing this, starting a new genre/series is like starting from scratch. So, refusing to bow to the obvious and go back to one of my popular series, I decided to start writing another one.

Anything else ... oh, and I've gone back to the Fire Planets series, which was supposed to be seven books, but has been sat unfinished on five for the last few years. I've basically forgotten where it was up to, so I'm going back to the start with the intention of planning out the last two books and getting them written either this year or next. At that point I'll probably give the series a complete overhaul, but this is more of a longterm plan, so we'll see how it goes.

Next up ... I have a finished Jack Benton book that needs to come out. I'd originally planned for April, but there's no way I can get it ready by then. Maybe June, if I pull my finger out. I want two books a year in that series, since its my most popular, but they also take the longest to write. Anyway, back to it.

CW