…And I’m back! This will be short, so let’s dive right in.

It’s been a while since I updated on this book—last time was 4/16/25, if you can believe it. I’d promised updates every ten thousand words, but… well, here we are. The good news is I’ve more than doubled that goal. The better news: I’m further along than expected. That said, I’ve dithered long enough. I’ve given myself a hard deadline: the first draft must be done by the end of May. I need to set this project aside and refocus on my other two books due out in 2026.

Volume VII hasn’t been the hardest book to crack, but it has felt like slamming into a brick wall at times. Some characters are simply tougher for me to write—either because I don’t like them, or because their motivations feel alien to me. When I can’t relate to a character, forging ahead becomes a real slog.

That said, their importance to the story can’t be overstated. Their arcs are grand, the emotional moments real, and the brutal decisions necessary. If it wasn’t this character making those choices, it would have been another. The story demands it.

The four major characters’ journeys are complete—minus a scene and a half I still need to plug in. I’m hopeful that the time spent away from their storylines will let the words come pouring out when I return. As for the minor characters: I just wrapped up one of the hardest storylines to write. It wasn’t easy, but it’s done, and that alone feels like a major victory.

Here’s the latest breakdown:

Percentage Done: ~70% (estimated by character arcs, not word count)Prologue: 1/1Chapters: 45Epilogues: 2/?? (still undecided)Word Count: 250,244Starting Word Count: 174,900 (includes extras like front matter and notes)Main POVs: 4 — DoneMinor POVs: 3/6

Writing this deep into the series has turned me reflective. Dark Legacy has been with me since I was twenty. Now, over forty, it’s been half my life. The title feels more fitting than ever: it’s not just the legacy of the characters—it’s mine, too. What will the final verdict be when it’s all said and done? My greatest hope is to leave behind a mythos that lingers—a story that stays with readers long after the last page. I want Dark Legacy to feel like popping in an old VHS of Star Wars and watching it so many times that the tape wears out.

And here’s a truth I don’t often admit: I hate endings. I never finished the final season of Downton Abbey. Never watched the movies either. To me, the story remains unfinished, alive. There’s no last-minute scramble to patch plot holes, no final goodbye to something I loved.

As I draw closer to Volume VIII—the final installment—part of me is realizing I’ll have to say goodbye. In a way, these books are like children. I brought them into the world, nurtured them, pushed them to grow—and soon, I’ll have to release them into the wild. All I can do now is hope I did them justice.

I’ve started jotting notes and writing a few scenes for the end of the series. The biggest questions on my mind:

Who lives and who dies?What would serve the story best?Can I honor everything that came before?

Endings are hard—every beloved franchise struggles with them. Star Wars had Ewoks. Harry Potter gave us a broken wand. Game of Thrones… well, you know. I’m determined to stick the landing—and if I don’t, at least I’ll know I gave it everything I had. I know I didn’t finish Downton, but I swear … I’ll probably finish this. Actually, you know what? I will finish this! I won’t be another Martin or Rothfuss.

Thanks for sticking with me on this journey, and I hope my stories have brought you a little happiness with a glimpse into my lands far, far away…

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Oblus ina’ti Sepan Eti — Live and die by the sword.