Tuesday, July 06, 2021

The Insecure Writer’s Support Group and Blood Red Sand Release!


It’s time for another edition of The Insecure Writer’s Support Group, founded by Ninja Captain, Alex J. Cavanaugh.

Sorry I missed last month. My mother-in-law passed and we were busy taking care of things and attending the memorial.

Today’s optional question: What would make you quit writing?

I’m going to let DLP author Damien Larkin answer that, as he has a book release today!

“Nothing. I can’t think of a single reason or scenario where I’d ever want to quit writing.

Writing can be a frustrating, exhausting and at times mind numbing process. I have moments where I’d rather stare out the window or bash my head off the laptop screen than write another word (although, I don’t think I’m the only one…)

Something about it always spurs me on, though. I love creating and crafting new worlds and characters. I enjoy a fresh new story pouring out of the depths of my psyche and slowly coming together into a coherent tale.

There’s times when I may feel like quitting, but I know I’ll never follow through. This is who I am now. If it takes me a year, ten years or a lifetime to get to where I want to be, I’ll keep pushing. What could make me quit writing? Absolutely nothing.”




Blood Red Sand
By Damien Larkin


Mars will run red with Nazi blood…

After World War Two, Sergeant McCabe knew the British army could send him anywhere. He never imagined facing down another Nazi threat on Mars.

In New Berlin colony, rivalry between Generalfeldmarschall Seidel’s Wehrmacht and Reichsführer Wagner’s SS threatens bloodshed. The Reichsführer will sacrifice everything to initiate the secretive Hollow Programme and realise his nightmarish future for humanity.

McCabe, Private Jenkins, and the Mars Expeditionary Force must overcome bullet, bomb, and bayonet to destroy the Third Reich. While Jenkins fights to stay alive, McCabe forms an uneasy alliance with MAJESTIC-12 operatives known as the Black Visors. Will this be the final battle of World War Two or the first confrontation in an interstellar war?

$17.95, 6x9 trade paperback, 252 pages
Science Fiction - Military/Alternative History/War & Military
Print ISBN 9781939844781 / EBook ISBN 9781939844798
$4.99 EBook available in all formats

Damien Larkin is an Irish science fiction author and co-founder of the British and Irish Writing Community. His debut novel Big Red was longlisted for the BSFA award for Best Novel. He currently lives in Dublin, Ireland.

Links: Amazon US / Amazon UK / iTunes / Barnes & Noble / Kobo / Goodreads


What would make you quit writing?
Picking up Blood Red Sand?

70 comments:

Damien Larkin said...

Thank you posting this up, Diane!

Natalie Aguirre said...

So sorry for your loss, Diane. Congrats to Damien on his book release! That's great that he doesn't think anything could stop him from writing and knows that he'd never give into the urge to quit writing.

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

Big congratulations to Damien!

Damien Larkin said...

Thanks Natalie and Alex!

Rawknrobyn.blogspot.com said...

Heartfelt condolences.

Congratulations to Damien.

Go gently, Diane.

L. Diane Wolfe said...

Thank you, everyone. Been a rough time.

Liz A. said...

So sorry for your loss. Congrats to Damien.

Pat Garcia said...

Hi,
What can I say but Amen! I so agree with what Damien said.
All the best for his book launch.

Shalom aleichem,
Pat G @ EverythingMustChange

Damien Larkin said...

Cheers, thank you!

Damien Larkin said...

Thoughts and prayers, Diane. All the best to you and your family.

Damien Larkin said...

Thank you, Liz!

Damien Larkin said...

Thanks so much, Pat. Cheers!

H. R. Sinclair said...

What a hard question. You answered it well Damien! Your new release sounds fantastic.

Steven Arellano Rose Jr. said...

Diane, you have my condolences. Damien's story about writer's persistence was really inspiring and encouraging. The plot to his novel seems really neat!

Rachna Chhabria said...

Hi Diane, I like Damien's answer a lot "Nothing. I can’t think of a single reason or scenario where I’d ever want to quit writing." It echoes my thinking.

Joylene Nowell Butler said...

Damien's right. I can't see a scenario where one can't write is they desire. I have a friend who's a quadriplegic and he writes in a dictaphone.

Sandra Cox said...

Congrats to Damien. Sounds like a fascinating read. Let me know if I can help get the word out.
You hit the nail on the head about writing: mind numbing:) Thank goodness for those moments of breakthroughs:)

Jemi Fraser said...

Good answer, Damien - I completely agree.
Congrats on the book!

Michelle Wallace said...

If you enjoy writing can you really quit? I don’t think so. You may have phases, where you don’t write much; but eventually you will find your way back to the blank page.
And I'm talking about writing for the sheer pleasure of writing, and possibly publishing something along the way.
Then there's writing to pay the bills - that's a different story.

Fundy Blue said...

Congratulations, Damien. I'm looking forward to reading your book! I completely agree with you about writing.

Olga Godim said...

Sorry for your loss, Diane.
Congratulations, Damien, on your book release.

emaginette said...

I can't quit, either. It gets me through my day. :-)

Anna from elements of emaginette

Melissa said...

I was so sorry to hear about your mother-in-law, Diane. I hope you and your husband are feeling comforted by those around you.

The premise of Blood Red Sand is interesting. Best of luck, Damien!

Yolanda Renée said...

So sorry for your loss.

Nazi's on Mars, now there's a scary thought but if we send all those here on earth, they'd have their first big city!
Congratulations, Damien!

Carrie-Anne said...

My condolences on the loss of your mother-in-law.

Best of luck to Damien!

Carol Kilgore said...

Yeah... what he said!
Congrats on your new release!!

cleemckenzie said...

Good luck with the new book. It sounds thrill charged, indeed.

Elizabeth Mueller said...

Congrats, Damien!

♥.•*¨Elizabeth Mueller¨*•.♥

Elizabeth Mueller said...

hehe...

Pat Hatt said...

Sure have to keep on keeping on indeed

Tyrean Martinson said...

Congratulations, Damien!
Keep on Keeping On!

Lynda R Young as Elle Cardy said...

I can relate to Damien's passion for writing. Congrats on the book release!

Nick Wilford said...

Congrats, Damien! Great answer. Quitting is not an option.

Annalisa Crawford said...

Writing and writers are a unique breed - what other job would have us coming back for more despite the ability to destroy us from within and stick us back together?

Congrats to Damien on his new release.

Liza said...

As Damien says, what would make me stop? Nothing. There's a drive, a need, a passion...and nothing ever feels quite as good.

Damien Larkin said...

Thank you H.R. I did genuinely try to think of a reason, but nothing came to mind.I enjoy writing too much!

Damien Larkin said...

Thank you, Steven. I love WW2 films so wanted to write something similar... except on Mars!

Damien Larkin said...

That's a great mindset to have, Rachna. Persistence always pays off!

Damien Larkin said...

Thanks Joylene. And well done to your friend. I wish him all the best with his writing!

Damien Larkin said...

Thank you, Sandra! I agree - those 'lightbulb' moments are amazing!

Damien Larkin said...

Thank you, Jemi!

Damien Larkin said...

Agreed, Michelle. We all have moments where we're super-productive and then maybe not so much. It's perfectly natural and part of the process.

Damien Larkin said...

Cheers Fundy, I hope you enjoy it!

Damien Larkin said...

Thank you, Olga!

Damien Larkin said...

I'm the exact same. I can't imagine not writing or at least doing something writing related throughout the day!

Damien Larkin said...

Thank you, Melissa!

Damien Larkin said...

Definitely a scary thought, Yolanda. I came up with it while researching conspiracy theories for Big Red. Yep, some people think there's Nazi colonies on Mars...

Damien Larkin said...

Thank you, Carrie-Anne!

Damien Larkin said...

Thanks Carol!

Damien Larkin said...

Thank you! An author colleague of mine described it as 'turbo charged' which I think pretty much sums it up!

Damien Larkin said...

Thank you, Elizabeth!

Damien Larkin said...

Exactly Pat. Gotta keep pushing until you get to where you want to be!

Damien Larkin said...

Thanks Tyrean. I'll never stop never stopping!

Damien Larkin said...

Thank you, Lynda!

Damien Larkin said...

Cheers, Nick!

Damien Larkin said...

Exactly, Annalisa. It can be frustrating and punishing but we keep coming back for more!

Damien Larkin said...

Great to hear, Liza. Tap into that drive!

Loni Townsend said...

Grats on the book release, Damien!

kjmckendry said...

So sorry for your loss!

I love Damien's answer to the question and congrats on the new book!

Chemist Ken said...

Sorry about your mother-in-law. I hope Covid didn't add to much difficulty to the proceedings.

Congrats on the new book!

Damien Larkin said...

Thank you, Loni!

Damien Larkin said...

Glad you liked the answer KJ. Cheers!

Damien Larkin said...

Cheers Ken!

Tonja Drecker said...

Congratulations, Damien! And I agree with never quitting. My writing might be like a rollercoaster, but it never ends.

Arlee Bird said...

I might stop writing for a while, but I'd never quit.

Arlee Bird
Tossing It Out

kimlajevardi.com said...

I’m sorry for your loss.

dolorah said...

Interesting premise. Good luck Damien.

Hey L Diane. Thanks for stopping by my blog. Take care.

J.H. Moncrieff said...

I'm so sorry about your mother-in-law, Diane. I hope you're doing okay.

A traumatic brain injury would probably make me quit writing.

Toi Thomas said...

Sorry to hear of your mother-in-law's passing, but glad you were able to attend the memorial.
Thanks for stopping by my blog.
Thanks for sharing Damien Larkin's words and his new book.

Hilary Melton-Butcher said...

Hi Diane and Damien ... great sounding book - congratulations on its release. Can you imagine what would happen here if we all gave up writing ... ??!! Take care and all the best - Hilary