Growing up in communist Poland on a diet of powdered milk, “Lord of the Rings” and soviet science-fiction, he had his first story published at the ripe age of eight. After years of bouncing around Polish universities, he moved to London in 2007 and started writing in English. Now lives in Edinburgh, hoping for an independent Scotland.
His debut historical fantasy novel, “The Shadow of Black Wings“, has reached Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award semi-finals in 2012. “The Year of the Dragon” saga sold over 30,000 copies worldwide.
His new historical fiction saga, “The Song of Ash” has been on top of Amazon’s Bestseller lists in UK for months.
Connect with James:
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Interview:
Tell us about your book, The Flying Barons of Negriponte! What inspired you to write it?
I was researching the Crusades and Venice for another, unrelated project, and I stumbled upon the story of six Venetian families, fighting for control of the small island of Negriponte (Euboea) near Athens for a couple of centuries following the Fourth Crusade's conquest of the Aegean, and . I was struck by a sudden inspiration - what if the conflict focused on racing ships instead of combat?
How did you choose the title for your book? Did it come to you right away, before you started writing it, or did it come later?
The title came before anything else. I liked the sound of the words, and wrote the book to match it. This is rather unusual for me, as I usually struggle to come up with the title even after writing the book!
Tell us about the cover design process. Did you have a basic idea of what your book cover would be like?
I always want to show the protagonist on my covers, in a way which instantly conveys who they are and what they're on about. I searched stock photo galleries for a suitable photo, and then asked my cover designer to manipulate the images to add the mystery, alchemy, and fantasy into the overall mood
Who is your cover designer and how did you find him/her?
Helpfully, my wife, who's an illustrator and a comic artist, always designs my covers!
What tips would you give to authors who are looking for a cover designer?
All I can advise is - find as good a designer as you can! a cover is the readers' first impression of your book, it's often the only thing that makes them pick it up or at least check out description and reviews. Don't spare expense and effort on your covers, it pays off!
Book Information
Release Date: September 20, 2023
Publisher: Flying Squid
Kindle eBook: 2784 KB; $4.49 (FREE ON KINDLE UNLIMITED)
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CJKXXQB1
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