Six years ago today I
started this blog – so it seems an apt moment to end it. No, not end... the
better way to put it is: take a break. I can’t believe everything that has
happened in those years. I’ve published two novels; had a slew of reviews from
some of the most prestigious publications in the world; appeared on radio and
TV; been on foreign book tours; travelled to three continents on research
trips; had the pleasure of meeting my readers. For someone who always dreamed
of being a writer, it is the dream come true.
And now it’s time for a
hiatus. I’m currently working on a new novel and want to concentrate all my
efforts on that. This new project is not an Afrika
book; I need a break from Nazis! That said, I do intend to finish my trilogy,
and with that in mind I thought I’d say a few words about BOOK 3 as I head off.
Although The Madagaskar Plan is a standalone
book, if you’ve read it you will know that several narrative strands have yet
to conclude and that the fates of the characters remain unresolved.
I often mention the
psychedelic version of The Afrika Reich,
the version that was never published. Putting aside the issue of its surreal,
acid-trip aesthetic, another reason publishers didn’t like it was because it
was too long, coming in at 250 000+ words. When I re-imagined this version as a
thriller I divided the original into three parts: the first set in Congo, the
second in Madagascar. The final segment was set around the death camps of the
Sahara. This is the basis for Book 3. I plotted it out in 2007 and in the
decade since have been mulling it over in my mind. It is an extraordinary odyssey
through the deserts of North Africa during the dying days of Nazi rule. I hope
it will be a fitting end to Burton’s and Hochburg’s story.
I’ll add more details and
information about Book 3 as and when I have them, including a likely
publication date. In the meantime why not check out the AFRIKA 3 page on my
website. There you’ll find a brief outline of the plot as well as a chance for
you to decide what the final book in the AFRIKA REICH TRILOGY will be called.
Thanks for reading this far.
I hope you enjoyed the A to Z of The
Afrika Reich and The Madagaskar Plan.
I hope you enjoyed the books. If you did, please do encourage your friends to
buy them; leave a review on Amazon/Goodreads; and generally help spread the word. Every
copy of Books 1 & 2 sold, brings 3 closer to publication. I can’t wait to
tell you how it all ends...
PS – although I won’t be
adding any more entries to this blog for the foreseeable future, I will be
monitoring it. So do keep your comments coming.
