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Shane Cartledge @WritersBlock

Age 34, Male

Curtin Uni

Perth, Australia

Joined on 1/8/07

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Read my novel!

Posted by WritersBlock - November 28th, 2009


In the Valley of the Tempest is the first novel (first draft) I've completed. Just on 50,000 words and it's all on display for you to read. It's a steampunk adventure fantasy packed full of action. It's flawed. Really, it's jammed full of bland, uninteresting text amidst the at times impromptu plot. But do read it regardless. It's on my blog and I may send .pdf files to a few of you if you'd prefer. However, I'll probably take it down in a couple of month's time for potential revision. Here are the chapter links:

Chapter 1: Voyager

The tempest stirs, the city trembles, a man dies of unnatural causes.

In the Valley of the Tempest 1: 1-3

In the Valley of the Tempest 1: 4-6

In the Valley of the Tempest 1: 7-9

In the Valley of the Tempest 1: 10

Chapter 2: Treefingers

Something's in the water. Something bloated and fetid and floating. In amongst the long weeds and foamscum, it floats by.

In the Valley of the Tempest 2: 1-3

In the Valley of the Tempest 2: 4-6

In the Valley of the Tempest 2: 7-9

In the Valley of the Tempest 2: 10

Chapter 3: Oil and Water

Taste it. Drink in the purity and wallow in the truth that you'll never taste pure again. No one ever will, because of your fingerprints, of your dry lips, of your tarnished existence.

In the Valley of the Tempest 3: 1-3

In the Valley of the Tempest 3: 4-6

In the Valley of the Tempest 3: 7-10

Chapter 4: The Cold Acre

Winters come and winters go. You can tell by the freezing and thawing of your hands. But when the winters last forever, that's when you come to know nothing at all.

In the Valley of the Tempest 4: 1-3

In the Valley of the Tempest 4: 4-6

In the Valley of the Tempest 4: 7-9

In the Valley of the Tempest 4: 10

Chapter 5: Butterflies and Hurricanes

The tempest stirs, the city trembles, and they all fall down. A war is coming, and they ask you this one question; are you in or are you out?

In the Valley of the Tempest 5: 1-3

In the Valley of the Tempest 5: 4-6

In the Valley of the Tempest 5: 7-10

Chapter 6: No Path To Follow

There is the place that shouldn't be, yet there it is regardless. There are the people that shake the world, there, in the place that shouldn't be.

In the Valley of the Tempest 6: 1-3

In the Valley of the Tempest 6: 4-6

In the Valley of the Tempest 6: 7-9

In the Valley of the Tempest 6: 10

Chapter 7: Battle Royale

Some ships carry passengers from place to place. Some ships explore to the furthest regions of this world. Some ships just drop bombs.

In the Valley of the Tempest 7: 1-3

In the Valley of the Tempest 7: 4-6

In the Valley of the Tempest 7: 7-10

Chapter 8: The Tempest

The Tempest stirs. The city trembles. No backing out. Success and failure both lie on the brink of tomorrow.

In the Valley of the Tempest 8: 1-3

In the Valley of the Tempest 8: 4-6

In the Valley of the Tempest 8: 7-10

Chapter 9: Rising Up From the Ashes

The Tempest stirs, the city trembles; no more.

In the Valley of the Tempest 9: 1-5

In the Valley of the Tempest 9: 6-10

WORD COUNT: 50,059

I might look into getting the book published through Lulu.com at maybe 50 copies or so. If that all runs smoothly I'd probably give a few books away and maybe sell a few others as my sort of amateur break into novelling.

I hope you guys like what I've written over the course of November. Now I've got plans to start on a short story, working title: 'Coma' of which I'll reveal more about later.

Thanks to everyone who reads my stories and has supported me in my endeavours on this site. You know who you are. ;)


Comments

i gave up after the second line.. Sorry im not a reader xD Just felt liek i should say that..

Looks like a great read!

Thanks. I'm hoping it'll pull some entertainment value despite its rough-and-ready nature.

Interesting text, i get hooked already just reading 2 first parts. Going to read rest while i got more time. Good work!

I've got to ask, considering what month it is. Did you do this in NaNoWriMo?

Yeah, this was NaNoWriMo. Here's my user ID: http://www.nanowrimo.org/eng/user /508883

FUCK YOU

GLORIOUS. Great job on the novel, Shane. I'll be absolutely sure to give it a read.

Congratulations on your victory.

As for publishing, I do believe that the NaNoWirMo site has some sort of deal going on with a publisher.

Read the first chapter, and it's pretty good so far. I'll probably read the rest later.

Careful with self publishing. Why not send the manuscript out first?
I know that I have been wanting to self publish a poetry book, but I think its b etter to prepare a decent manuscript and see what different publishers say.

Anyways I would love a pdf.

Eh, I'm not trying to get wide distribution and all that just yet, I just want to print the first draft before I go further and send out the manuscript.

If you send me your email address I'll get you a .pdf no problem.

I read up to the part where they go to the police station awhile ago, but then I lost the link to the story. Now I can finally finish the rest.

So great that still we have somebody really interested in writing and literature. Even if today is so hard to find readers i still believe that someday literature will raise again... Probably when internet and tecnology will disappear( after a WAR or some disaster) literature will get once again the only way to exchange information, knowledge, emotions...

I haven't read the novel but I admire your determination.

This looks awesome! It may be somewhat choppy right now, but I'm definetely hooked to story. Good luck with the editing and publishing! I wish I had this sort of determination to write so much in a month. I have around three epic fantasy trilogies stuck in my head, but I never can seem to find the time or the words to fully express it. I guess it's worth writing something down than nothing, though.

Let's see...

"In the Valley-" BOREEEED

Where are the quotation marks?

up your butt

I mean, nowhere. in the proper document file the dialogue is tabbed in.

HOW CAN I READ IT WHEN I DON'T HAVE A COMPUTER AT HOME ATM AND I CAN'T EXACTLY GET INTO THE RIGHT MOOD TO READ AT WORK HMM?

D:<

I shall read it eventually, you know that, I'm just slow :'( omg you need to send me a copy if you do get it printed off. Then years to come when you're more famous Charles Dickens I can sell it for millions.

Wait, don't read that last part D;

When I mention printing the book off and giving away a few copies/seilling a few, you were one of the people I was thinking about sending a copy to. <3

I'm gushing <3

And honestly I can't wait to read it.

Shane's number 1 fan.

(it's a short fan list) :'D

Ever since work found out that I was writing a novel and I finished it they've become best chums with me. It's quite funny how people can suddenly become so interested in me. Maybe a should have added my coordinator into the novel in order to boost my chances of a payrise.

I'm gushing that you're calling yourself a fan. I think of you more as a friend than a member of my fanbase. Now, I just need to do a couple of things before I'll be able to set the novel up for its first print.

Of course we're more friends - At least I hope so. I can just be a fan of your work as well as enjoy talking to you on a personal level too.

And I do hope you realise I'm kidding 100% when I talk about selling your first editions when you're big and famous. I don't want to look like a freeloader, I just really do hope you do well and get noticed D:

Yeah, I know what you were getting at. And I think it's totally awesome that you want me to do well. It shows that you care, and just knowing that makes me feel really good. Thank you Leanne. <3 <3 <3

Eek! Don't bombard us with wads of on-screen text! See if you can get it published - that'd boost both your ego and my willingness to read it... Books are much better read on paper, says I =o
Regardless of that, though, if you have a finished novel it's be simply silly not to attempt a publish. Lulu.com, huh? I'll check it out sometime.

Yeah, tomorrow I'll be working on getting it print-ready for Lulu. I'll definitely do a small print self publish through Lulu, but after that I'll see what happens. As far as professional publishing goes, I'd like to go for a more 'mature' tone, if that makes sense, target an older readership, which is why I've got some doubts with this book. Of course there's the dilemma that I think that maybe it's not good enough for publishing standards, but I'll work it a bit more and see how it all goes down, but at the moment, I'm liking my new idea, 'Coma' a hell of a lot more, packs more punch, at least conceptually speaking.

Seems more like a movie than a novel. That being said, it does pack some action pants.

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