The cover for the first book in my new sword and sorcery series, True Dawn

When I release a new book, there are so many feelings. Excitement. Hope. A kind of silent whimper whenever I wonder if anyone will like it. Relief, because a lot of hard work has finally come to fruition. Doubts about some choices I made. Eagerness to find out which characters are reader favorites, and what they think of the world.

But enough about me.

This is a big world, with a big map. Part of the reason I write 'long' books more often than short ones is because of the vastness of the worlds that I play in. I need lots of space so that the reader can experience not just the adventure, but the scent of a man's incense, the humidity (or dust) in the air, the startling colors of birds as they flit amid a thick canopy of trees, and the textures of sacred symbols that form protective patterns in cities that are under siege during the darkest hours by demons, devils, and monsters.

I'm so fond of these characters! Billie's toughness and tender heart. Aliiren's thoughtfulness and discipline. Larani's sisterly warmth and practicality. Edrion's child-like curiosity and honesty. Temric's intelligence and generosity. Jasmine's insightfulness and confidence. Roorah's puppy-like vulnerability and fierce loyalty. I can go on and on, but these that I've mentioned are the characters that will shape the future of this strange world. They're up for the challenge. But it's not going to be easy. Bad things are happening, things that might lead to the end of everything they love.

Sometimes I miss writing about the characters of the Lord Jester's Legacy and The Poisoned Past. For that reason, among others, I'm really glad that True Dawn will be a big series, so that I will have lots and lots of time to spend with these characters that I've grown to love just as much. It's going to be at least six books, if not more. Probably more. The second book is written to the end, and is going to go into another round of edits right after the print version of The Kilhellion comes out. So much to do! So much.

Thanks for reading this, and for the silent-but-still-present support I feel whenever I post, especially about my writing. Because I live with a writer, and because of my beta-reader process, I'm not as alone as other writers. But even under my circumstances it's primarily a solitary thing to do. For someone who loves people as much as I do, it can feel a bit lonely. So, again, thank you for being here and easing that feeling that I'm all by myself here. I'll post again soon.