It’s a new year, always looking forward to the next thing… so what is getting published this year?
So, probably the next thing you’ll see is Futurewords III. In it will be a story called The Haul. I was originally going to be a part of my now kaput Patreon effort (I’ll talk about that in another post), so I had it to put into FW3. I’m rather fond of the story- it’s a bit meaty for FW3 but I think it finds a nice home there.
Next will most likely be a story to kick off the Portal Expanse subscription series at Brick Cave, sort of a table setter if you will. Diving into the Portal Expanse probably a post as well for another time as well,
Mostly, however, I am chomping at the bit to get out behind The Crumbling Kingdom, my first published full length manuscript. I had to sit a bit at the back of the line with the big push we had to get the titles out here in December from Matt, Kristi, Louise, Joe and Bruce, so I am hoping we can move that ball forward soon. That being said, it is out of my hands at the moment, I finished my edits and shipped it back in to staff. I, like many any author, get to play a bit of the waiting game.
But I CAN start talking about it I suppose, I do not believe I have put an embargo on myself. It’s the opening story in a wide open, huge fantasy world with (I am told) a lot of characters. While this one can stand alone, it was always intended to launch a series.
We are introduced to Ailesse Broughton, the daughter and only child of King Lerisad and Queen Shivera Broughton. She is doing pretty well as we get started, but of course things go south, in almost the worst way possible. I introduce a race called the Skye that play pretty important out of the gate. I also wanted to tweak the perception (literally) of some of the traditional fantasy races- I mean, if dwarves live so long underground, it’s GOT to affect their vision at some level, right?
The concept of magic is of course a big thread in the book- how one obtains it, learns it, uses it and how it’s viewed by others.
And of course, because I love dragons, there are dragons.
I am sure there will probably be some additional stories, maybe a poem or two, that make their way into the universe this year.
And I keep lookin at all that text I wrote behind Sacrifice (the movie) and wanting to clean that up and get that out. So we’ll see. I have also started on the follow up for The Crumbling Kingdom, so there is plenty of writing to be done to keep me busy.