Ahoy-hoy – and lo! do I return to the blogging fold with another writing update for those awaiting news of my next book, following another 2 month abscence (derp).

Since my previous update, I’ve broken two toes while training, had my eyebrow split wide open from an elbow in sparring and had it glued back together (being on the receiving end of wound glue for an elbow cut is quite the experience – ow), and I’ve also written another 3 chapters that have moved In His Darkened Halls‘ story forward a significant amount so that the end of the first draft is finally, finally, FINALLY within sight. I’m sorry it’s taken so long (3 years at this point, near enough, if you count the year I took out from writing it to write To Brave the End and Scars of the Sand).

In His Darkened Halls currently stands at about 180,000 words, give or take, and as such is currently about 75-80% done. As I’ve stated before, I’m pushing myself to get this done each day, and my breaks in work are still being spent writing on my phone so I can squeeze in every word I can through the day.

I’m quite excited to write this final arch of the book – it contains many scenes that I first imagined years ago before I had conceived the story fully, and I’m looking forward to seeing how these play out for my readers.

This has been a difficult book to write, I won’t beat about the bush when it comes to that (I learnt what ‘difficult 2nd book’ means during the writing process for this one, that’s for sure), but, for me, it’s been a satisfying and educating, if incredibly frustrating time. The cover is currently in the works and I’m awaiting the first initial sketches that expand upon the thumbnails I was first sent back in February. When appropriate, I will be doing a cover unveil.

Thank you everyone for your patience, as I’ve stated previously in earlier updates I’ve had a lot to contend with since 2017 that has enormously slowed the writing process, but it is progressing, and the first draft is very nearly done. I’m looking forward to some feedback soon from potential alpha readers.

And now, for the customary post-closing writing soundtrack – a song that has inspired a chapter of In His Darkened Halls – the grimly epic More of Fire Than Blood by hands-down my favourite band of all time, Anaal Nathrakh.