July Update
It feels like an ocean of time has passed between where we are now in the pandemic and when Weep was first published at the start of 2020. I’m almost nostalgic for those early days when some people thought that Weep was an allegory for Brexit. Then the pandemic happened and suddenly marketing a book about the spread of a deadly virus seemed a bit ethically sketchy. To be fair, my advertising material didn’t really help. (See Irish flag below overlaid by a biological hazard symbol. Oh, and then there was the tagline Expected Death Toll: A Nation. Yeah, I opened the top button of the collar worrying over that one).
So where is Weep 2? Right now most of it’s in a sort of garbled, first draft format. There is a substantial amount written and the rest is already plotted. It shouldn’t be too long before you’re able to read it. This lockdown completely neutered my productivity over the last few months. I’d hoped to have a little stack of Weep books out by now, but that’s not the case. For me, the beginning of the pandemic was marked by the passing of a family member, which was swiftly and rather indelicately followed by the dissolution of a long term relationship. I did not find repeated kicks to the emotional bollox to be conducive to creative writing. But now I’m back at the keyboard and mad to see the rest of the Weep series on bookshelves.
Website
I finally sat down to set up a website. It’s fairly bare-bones, but it does exactly what I need it to; keep readers updated on new books releasing. Cheek in every now and again, I’ll try to regularly journal about how the writing is coming along. Or if you’d prefer, you can sign up to my newsletter and you’ll be notified when Weep 2 is available to read. The added bonus being that you get a free digital copy of a Weep novella. You can also follow along on my Facebook page.
A Ring of Oak & Apple
Sign up to my newsletter and download your free copy of A Ring of Oak & Apple, a Weep novella.
A novella set in the world of Weep. A digital copy will be going out free to my newsletter subscribers. Sign up now and you’ll have it in your inbox when it’s finished. I’m just waiting on my editors availability. Once the polish has been applied, it’ll be formatted and sent out. You’ll likely be able to read it in early August.
Weep 2 Slack Jaw
The working title for Weep 2 is Slack Jaw. A new character, Samantha, will helm this story. We go right back to just before the outbreak. This time we watch shit hit the fan from Galway and the Aran Islands. It will focus more on the origins of the outbreak. There’s no cover to reveal yet. It’ll be releasing later this year.
Research Trips
If you’ve read Weep, then you know I’ve done some terrible things to the people and environs of the lovely little town, Westport. I had a great time exploring the area, I lived and worked there while writing, editing and publishing the book. I find wandering around a place I’m going to write about really enriches the story, and now that the restrictions on travel have lifted in Ireland, I’m back on the road. I’ve a few story locations to visit for Weep 2 and 3.
Achill Island - Weep 3 Feast & Famine
Clare Island - Weep 3 Feast & Famine
Inis Mor - Weep 2 Slack Jaw
Galway - Weep 2 Slack Jaw
There we are, that’s a brief update on how things are coming along on my side of the screen. If you’re reading this, I hope you’re getting on well through the pandemic and I hope to have more stories for you to read shortly.
Best,
Eoin.
P.S. This is the second time I’ve had to write this post. It did not save for some reason, wiping everything. If there isn’t a god of properly saving writing, then there should be. I would light a candle to them.