Hard to start this post without mentioning that my wife and I had a literal baby last week. Aliyah, born July 31, 2025, 8 lbs even. Momma and baby are doing great.
One of the hardest things about writing is splitting time between the family and the page. That just got an order of magnitude more challenging, but I remain hopeful. I found a writing rhythm with our toddler that has allowed me to be productive without abandoning the kiddo. Naps offer crucial writing time, and fortunately, our toddler still naps like a champ. It may take a minute, but I’m sure I’ll find a new writing schedule that works for a father of two.
It’s part of the High Trestle Press mission to deliver series science fiction and fantasy on a consistent timeline without compromising quality, and I intend to make good on that promise with Tales of Ciel, The Divine Heretic, The Compact Cycle, Shattered, and whatever comes next.
The November 11 release date for Ardent Wings on Jealous Skies creeps ever closer. The Ebook and Trade Paperback will be up for preorder sometime in August, but until then, feast your eyes on this beautiful front and back cover from series artist Zefanya Maega:
I love how Zefanya captures Effie’s longing for the open skies. And the dark jungle on the back is *chef’s kiss*. The eleven-eyed baboon is ripped straight from the page. A final cover with typography should be ready to debut in the next week or so. Stay tuned.
Prior to, y’know, active labor, I dove a little deeper into What Lies Between, Book 2 of The Divine Heretic. My goal with this series is to breathe new life into the musty old Sword and Sorcery subgenre. I’m attempting this partly because I believe there’s room for it in the market, and partly out of petty defiance. When Seven Days of Mercy for the Apostatic Priest was making the rounds through traditional publishers and agents, I heard a dozen different versions of, “This is a beautiful book in a dead genre that doesn’t sell.”
I hate that.
Prose publishing used to be a bastion of originality and creative invention, but what remains of the Big Publishing Houses™ resembles Hollywood more and more. I guess there’s money to be made commissioning endless reboots, retreads, and trend-chasing facsimiles, but it’s not the only way to art (contrary to corporate belief). I’m not trying to write another Hunger Games clone; I’m trying to write the next thing that inspires shameless immitation.
Here’s where all WIP stand:
Book 1: Ardent Wings on Jealous Skies – proofed and awaiting final art
Book 2: Ophiuchus Flinched – proofed and awaiting final art
Book 3: The Mark of Cain – second draft 5% finished
Book 1: The Politics of Fear – polish draft about 25% finished, art commissioned
Book 2: The Kakistocracy of Flagging Need – first draft about 5% finished
Book 1: Seven Days of Mercy for the Apostatic Priest – with the copyeditor, art commissioned
Book 2: What Lies Between – first draft about 15% finished
Book 1: The Girl Who Woke the Moon – polish draft 0% finished
Exclusive Giveaways: Free Ebooks
I have my first exclusive giveaways to share with you all! These free Ebook collabs are one of the most effective ways for indie authors to help each other cross-promote. An extended sample of Ardent Wings on Jealous Skies is currently part of two active promotions, and I’ve been impressed by the early results! Our reader question this week comes from a new reader who plowed through the extended sample currently on offer.
These promotions are also a chance to provide you all with free goodies. If you’ve made it this far, please, please click through both of these links and scan the offerings. Many talented SFF authors are included in these bundles, and all the downloads are 100% free for you as subscribers to this newsletter. You may just find your next reading obsession, and your clicks help me build author karma.