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

After taking last week off, I’m back at the writing desk and making great progress on The Prince and the Fool (Ravenglass Legends, Book 4).

I’ve just hit the mid-point of the book—and the series itself!

I’ll be sharing unedited chapters on Patreon over the next few weeks for those following along early.

This week, I also chat about reading Homecoming by Robin Hobb—a beautifully written book as always—and watching Baby Reindeer on Netflix, a dark but excellent drama that’s definitely stayed with me.

On a less fun note, I’ve been nursing a bad back, which means I’ve had to miss out on seeing one of my favourite bands, James.

Hoping to be back on my feet properly soon!

Join the Patreon at patreon.com/joncronshawauthor.

In this follow-up to the 400th episode celebration, I’m back with part two of the Q&A, this time answering questions from Facebook.

Once again, I’m joined by my wife and editor, Claire, for more behind-the-scenes chat about writing, editing, and the creative life.

Thank you to everyone who submitted questions!

And if you're looking for a brilliant editor, check out Claire’s work at cherryedits.com.

This week marks a major milestone—episode 400 of the Author Diary!

To celebrate, I’m doing something a little different. I answer questions from my Patreon supporters, covering everything from writing to reading.

I’m also joined by a very special guest—Claire, my wife and editor!

We chat about editing, storytelling, and what it’s like working together on my books.

You can check out her work at cherryedits.com.

Thanks for being part of this journey—here’s to the next 400!

This week’s been all about the behind-the-scenes work—the less glamorous side of being an author. I’ve been deep in admin, getting everything in place for the release of Severed Bonds (The Ravenglass Throne, Part Three) on May 19, and preparing the audio edition of Book 4 for my Patreon supporters.

It’s been a week of formatting, uploading, scheduling, and ticking boxes—but not much creative work. I’m itching to get back to actual writing and into the worlds that excite me.

Thanks for bearing with me during the admin grind—stories are coming soon!

This week, I completed work on my four speculative fiction collections: Influenced, Outraged, Cancelled, and Muted. If you’d like a taste, you can grab a free collection at joncronshaw.com/optimised.

I also returned to writing The Prince and the Fool (Ravenglass Legends, Book 4). It feels great to be back in the world of epic fantasy after a detour into short fiction. The story’s gaining momentum again, and I’m excited to see where it leads.

On the publishing front, I’ve received two new covers for The Ravenglass Throne and am considering a pivot to releasing the series exclusively on Amazon—though it will remain Patreon-first for early access.

Thanks for following along!

In this week’s Author Diary, I’ve been continuing work on my Speculative Fiction collections, sorting through short stories and getting everything ready for release.

The first collection, Influenced, is now available to pre-order on all major ebook platforms.

It’s packed with dark, satirical tales that twist reality in unsettling—and sometimes all-too-familiar—ways.

I also talk about watching The Residence, a fun and clever murder mystery set in the White House—highly recommended if you enjoy sharp dialogue and political intrigue with your whodunnits.

Plus, don’t forget: you can download my short story collection Optimised for free at joncronshaw.com/optimised.

#AuthorDiary #SpeculativeFiction #InfluencedBook #FreeShortStory #Optimised #TheResidenceNetflix #MurderMysterySeries #SatiricalFiction #DarkSpeculativeFiction #BookPreOrder

This week, I’ve been busy going through lots of short stories, organising them into collections ready for release. The first collection, Influenced, will be out on May 10!

Influenced is a series of dark, satirical speculative fiction tales, exploring twisted futures, sharp social commentary, and unsettling what-ifs.

I'm really excited to share these stories, and this marks the start of more short fiction collections to come.

Thanks as always for following along—plenty more on the horizon!

It’s been a big week!

I launched two new books:

🔥 Wyvern’s Shadow (The Ravenglass Throne, Book 2)

⚔️ Blade of Sorrows (Guild of Assassins, Book 3)

On top of that, I’ve started work on Book 4 of Ravenglass Legends.

I’ve made the decision to expand this into a seven-book series, with this fourth instalment serving as a mid-point in the larger story.

While it’s not my bestselling work, Ravenglass Legends remains my passion project—a world and cast of characters I care deeply about.

I’m writing it for the love of the story and hope readers will join me for the journey ahead.

This week has been all about juggling projects and getting things ready for some exciting releases.

I’ve been busy preparing my short stories for a new podcast — Speculative Fiction Tales. You can find it on your favourite podcast app or over on my YouTube channel.

I’m also gearing up for the launch of two books next week:

🐉 Wyvern's Shadow (The Ravenglass Throne Book 2)

⚔️ Blade of Sorrows (Guild of Assassins Book 3)

On top of that, I’ve started work on a new side project—a steampunk adventure novel featuring Lord Sidebottom.

I’ve written several shorts with this character over the years, and I’m excited to finally have a novel concept that I’m really pleased with.

Lots happening—and plenty more to come!

#AuthorDiary #SpeculativeFictionTales #FantasyPodcast #WyvernsShadow #BladeOfSorrows #GuildOfAssassins #LordSidebottom #SteampunkAdventure #FantasyBookLaunch #FantasyWritingUpdates

This week, I’m excited to announce that Forged in Blood is now available! It’s always a great feeling getting a new book out into the world.

I’ve also been working on some new Guild of Assassins short stories, which are now available to download for free at joncronshaw.com/guildassassin.

If you're enjoying the series, these are a great way to dig deeper into the world.

On the viewing front, I watched Adolescence on Netflix—a gritty, intense drama that I highly recommend if you're in the mood for something powerful and thought-provoking.

Thanks as always for following along!