Old Blood Saga

I’ve mentioned on social media that I’m working on revisions to several novels I’ve already published: The Weaver, Old Blood, Hunter’s Moon, and Blood Ties. I’ve been at this for a while, having already completed revisions on my first two novels, and I’m currently revising the third book, Hunter’s Moon.

A bit of history first.

When I started my writing journey (or the current phase of it) back in 2020 during the pandemic, I wasn’t entirely sure what I was doing or where I was going. Up until that point, I’d written many short stories and made several attempts at novel-length fiction—none of which I ever really finished.

But the pandemic prompted change in many people’s lives, mine included. I wrote the first draft of The Weaver in three months, and after revisions and editing, published it by the end of that year. It was my first book, and I was excited.

I’d originally planned to write five books in the series, which eventually became six. To date, I’ve written and published four of them. And I can assure you, there will be two more books to complete the series (the first draft of the fifth book is fully outlined and about a quarter written).

My epiphany.

As with any new endeavor, you improve your skills the more you practice. In any career, you eventually look back and think, I could have done a bunch of things so much better. Writing is no exception. I’ve had many of those moments over the last year, not only about my writing, but in other areas of my life as well.

While I dug deep to tackle issues in those other areas, the idea of revisiting books I’d already published felt daunting. And it is daunting. But seeing how much progress I’ve made by not being timid taught me that taking risks is worthwhile.

Another realization over the last five years is how much I truly love writing. It shouldn’t be a surprise—I’m one of those stereotypical authors who wanted to be published from a very young age. I even obtained a Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing from Emerson in Boston.

Writing is a passion project, but I’ve come to realize it’s so much more than that. I see writing as the cornerstone of the next phase of my life. I’ve spent too much time away from it, giving priority to other things. I don’t want writing to be just a hobby or a side project; I want it to be how I earn my living moving forward.

Tackling the books.

With that in mind, I stepped back to examine the series. I reviewed feedback and critiques, spoke with trusted friends, re-read the books, and set out to improve them. I’m doing this because I care deeply about these stories and characters. And I genuinely feel I’m a better writer today than I was five years ago.

I also realized that once I started revising The Weaver, changes in that book would need to be carried through the subsequent novels. It’s important to do this thoroughly and get it right because I want my readers to have the best experience possible. I hope they read, enjoy, and love these books.

I’m not naïve about making these changes. I know not everyone will like my books—some people won’t enjoy the story, pace, or characters, and there’s nothing I can do for them. But for those who do enjoy my work, I want to make their reading experience the best it can be.

What’s next?

I’m now focused on finishing the revisions to the third and fourth books in the next couple of months. This includes updated content, new back matter, updated Amazon pages, and a pass through my new proofreader. I want these versions to be as polished as possible. Will there still be mistakes? Probably. It’s a lot of content, and errors can slip through. But as an indie author, I can update and correct them—especially if readers point them out.

Once these four books are revised, they’ll enter a cycle of minor updates as needed. More importantly, I’ll be able to return to finishing the first draft of book five, and then outline and write the first draft of book six while I revise book five. This journey will take me—and you—to the conclusion of the Old Blood Saga.

I don’t know about you, but I’m looking forward to that journey. And I’m looking forward to completing revisions to books 1–4.

I hope you’ll check out the series. I’ll share updates here when the revised versions are available.

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