I never wanted to have to delay my books. As a reader, I hate it when a book I’ve been looking forwards to gets delayed.

But then this is this year. I’ve now been hit by Covid for the second time. The first time, in April, was pretty bad and I ended up losing a couple of month’s work from it, and everything since then has been much slowed down. Now I’ve got it again, and it’s hitting me hard again. I know recovery is going to be slow.

Last time, I pushed through and got SHADOW OF A DEAD GOD out on time, despite the Covid, but it wasn’t a good idea. This time, I need to take it more easily.

So. My short story collection, AT THE GATES AND OTHER STORIES, which was scheduled to come out on December 3rd, 2020, will now be coming out on January 2nd, 2021. I’m really sorry to those who’ve pre-ordered it and will now have to wait longer. But I want it to be right, not a rushed job.

The sequel to SHADOW OF A DEAD GOD, NECTAR FOR THE GOD, was pencilled in for May 2021, and if I suddenly hit full health again tomorrow, that would still be happening, despite the illnesses, but I know from experience that that won’t happen. It is going to take me months to get back to health. So, NECTAR FOR THE GOD will now be coming out in the second half of 2021. I can’t say exactly when, because I don’t know exactly how long it’ll take me to recover.

I really hate having to do this, but I hope everyone will understand, and the books will appear eventually.

Patrick Samphire is the author of the middle grade adventure Secrets of the Dragon Tomb, to be published in January 2016. The post Book Delays first appeared on Patrick Samphire - Thrilling Tales, Astounding Adventures. Content is copyright Patrick Samphire.