Advertise on podcast: Jon Cronshaw's Author Diary - The Real Life of an Indie Author | Writing | Publishing | Disability

This week I’ve finished the draft of Four of Swords, which feels like a great milestone as I continue The Ravenglass Chronicles. I’ve also started reading The Wandering Inn and I’m really enjoying it so far—huge world, compelling characters, and a very different pacing to what I usually read. I also share some thoughts on the build-up to WrestleMania, which, from a storytelling perspective, has felt a bit off—more corporate than compelling. Finally, I’ve been taking another look at my Dawn of Assassins series, and considering whether it’s time to return and work on Book 4.

This week I’m finally feeling better after a month of illness, which means a welcome return to proper momentum. I’ve been working on Four of Swords and also going back over my progress on Guild of Assassins Book 4, getting a clearer sense of where that story is heading. I also went to see the film adaptation of Project Hail Mary, which I thoroughly enjoyed. It’s well worth a watch if you liked the book. A much more positive and productive week all round.

This week I’ve continued working through edits on Churchill’s Dragons and Four of Swords, keeping the momentum going across both projects. On the reading front, I finished Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir, which I thought was excellent—a brilliant mix of science, tension, and heart. I also talk about my dark domestic fantasy project, Until the Wyvern Spoke, and share that I’ll be starting to post Silent Watcher on Patreon from Monday. Lots of new content on the way!

I’m still not feeling 100%, so it’s been another editing-focused week. I’ve now finished editing RAF Dragon Corps Book 1 and moved straight on to Book 2, keeping things ticking along despite the illness. Big news this week: Final Flight—the finale of The Ravenglass Throne—is now live on Kindle! A huge milestone bringing the series to its conclusion. On the reading front, I’ve just finished This Inevitable Ruin (Dungeon Crawler Carl, Book 7), which I thoroughly enjoyed—a brilliant, chaotic end to the arc.

The illness is still hanging around, so it’s been another editing-focused week. I’ve now finished my edits for The Prince and the Fool and sent it off for a professional edit.I’ve also been revisiting Dragon Squadron (RAF Dragon Corps, Book 1), going through the manuscript and tightening things up.On the creative side, I’ve written a short piece of music to accompany Until the Wyvern Spoke, which was a fun change of pace.I also share some storytelling lessons from Dungeon Crawler Carl—what’s working, what keeps readers hooked, and what I’m taking into my own writing.Grab yourself a cuppa—this one’s a bit longer than usual.

I’m still feeling under the weather this week, so instead of drafting I’ve been focusing on editing. I’ve been working through ** The Prince and the Fool (Ravenglass Legends, Book 4)** to prepare the manuscript for a professional edit next month. I’m now around 70,000 words into the edit, so if all goes well I should have the manuscript finished early next week. On the reading front, I’ve moved onto the sixth Dungeon Crawler Carl book. I absolutely loved book five, but so far this one isn’t quite grabbing me in the same way.

This week’s been a quieter one as I’ve been under the weather with a spring virus. Even so, I’ve been working through the edits for The Silent Watcher, making progress on polishing the manuscript. I’ve also been doing some reading and picked up Don’t Let Him In by Lisa Jewell, which was a gripping psychological thriller. Not the most energetic week, but still moving things forward behind the scenes.

This week I’ve started work on Four of Swords as I continue with The Ravenglass Chronicles. It’s always exciting to begin a new instalment and see where the story leads next. I’ve also begun re-watching The Good Place with my son, which has been a lot of fun revisiting together. On the reading front, I talk about flagging a little with Dungeon Crawler Carl—still enjoyable, but I may take a short break before continuing. I’ve also been developing a new psychological thriller, inspired by one of my short stories from Influenced, and exploring where that idea might lead.

This week I completed my final edits of The Silent Watcher and have now sent it off for a professional edit. I’ve also received the cover, and I’m looking forward to starting to post chapters on Patreon from March 2. Outside of writing, I went to see Deftones in Manchester—an excellent gig with a set leaning more into their shoegaze/epic rock side, which was perfect for me. On the reading front, I’m now onto the third Dungeon Crawler Carl book and still thoroughly enjoying its wacky, grimdark world.

This week, I wrapped up Three of Swords (The Ravenglass Chronicles, Part 24)and moved straight onto writing a few chapters of Guild of Assassins Book 4. It’s been great shifting gears between projects while keeping the momentum going. On the reading front, I’ve jumped into the second Dungeon Crawler Carl book, and I’m thoroughly enjoying the ride so far. Safe to say, the series has me hooked. A productive week all round—on the page and off it. ________________________________________ Meta-description (240 characters): Finished Three of Swords, made progress on Guild of Assassins Book 4, and started the second Dungeon Crawler Carl. A busy and productive week of writing and reading.

This week I’ve been making strong progress on Three of Swords (The Ravenglass Chronicles, Part 24), reaching around 60% of the draft. It’s always a great feeling when a story starts accelerating towards the final stretch. I’ve also been reading Dungeon Crawler Carl, which I’m enjoying immensely—fast, funny, and brilliantly inventive. On a personal note, I’ve started the Couch to 5K running programme. As someone who is legally blind, this is a new challenge, but my wife has trained as a sighted guide, so we’re tackling it together. It’s early days, but I’m excited to see where the journey leads.

This week I finished writing Two of Swords and started work on Three of Swords, continuing my return to The Ravenglass Chronicles. I also enjoyed reading Dark Matter by Blake Crouch. In exciting news, The Ravenglass Throne: Parts 5–8 boxed set is out today on Kindle and paperback. And if you’ve not started the series yet, Parts 1–4 is free on Kindle until February 1.

This week I’ve nearly finished Two of Swords, with just three chapters left to draft. I also share my thoughts on using Meta’s smart glasses and how they’re proving surprisingly useful for someone like me with a visual impairment.

This week I reveal my long-hinted secret project—I'm back writing The Ravenglass Chronicles! The first two chapters of Ace of Swords is now live on Patreon, and I'm deep into Two of Swords. I also tried out Meta’s Smart Glasses, a game-changer for accessibility, and share my thoughts on the Stranger Things finale. Visit: patreon.com/joncronshawauthor

This week I’m back to writing after the Christmas break. I'm working on Guild of Assassins Book 4 and the third Ravenglass Guardians novel, this time focusing on the Seekers faction. On Patreon, I'm letting readers decide what gets posted next—options include: – Guild of Assassins 4 – The Silent Watcher – The Sentinel’s Mercy – A wacky side-project I also talk about upcoming January releases, including: – Broken Wings (Ravenglass Throne: Part 11) – January 19 – The Ravenglass Throne: Parts 5–8 Boxed Set – January 30 – The Ravenglass Throne: Parts 1–4 audiobook now live on Audible Join the community on Patreon at ⁠patreon.com/joncronshawauthor⁠