Category: Writing Page 1 of 17

I started 2025 with multiple problems with my writing career. I’m ending 2025 with the two greatest months ever in my writing career. 

Back in January, the cover artist who’d done all six of the previous Dragontek Lore books suddenly ghosted me. At the same time, I was struggling greatly with writing the final book of The Certainty of Blood trilogy. Everything seemed to be falling apart.

Thanks to a wonderful artist friend stepping in to help, I finally got a cover for Chroma. In February, months after I’d planned, the Dragontek Lore series was completed! And… nothing happened. No boost in sales. Nothing.

(To be fair, the Dragontek series has never been a big seller online. It sells very well in live events, but its primary audience is not shopping on Amazon.)

I struggled on with writing the end of my third series, growing more and more concerned as the months passed. Could I possibly wrap up the story of Clanless in a satisfying manner? The Certainty of Blood had become my best-selling book, and Wolf Chosen had the most climactic ending I’ve written. How could I meet expectations? Once I finished editing the initial draft and sent it to my beta readers, I sat on pins and needles to hear their views.

I needn’t have worried. The beta readers provided their best feedback yet, all of it good, and they helped me improve the book substantially. 

But once again, I had cover design problems. This was nothing like the previous one, but it delayed the book longer than I wanted, and derailed marketing plans.

Meanwhile, I did a ton of reading and studying in preparation for my next book, featuring cowboys & dragons. I started writing it a couple of months ago, but family health issues kept me from making much progress yet.

Under The Moon’s Gaze launched at the end of October. With some help from advertising, sales took off in November for the entire trilogy. Readers get interested when they see a series is complete. November turned into the best month of online sales I’d ever had. At the same time, I had a couple of live events that also did very well. Things were looking up!

And then came the big news. After four years of attempts, I finally got selected for a BookBub Featured Deal, scheduled for December 22. The results of this campaign, with a 5-day sale on The Certainty of Blood, were incredible. December not only beat November’s new record in sales, it doubled it! With these two months, 2025 turned out to be the highest sales year ever (even though 10 months of the year didn’t do much).

The Certainty of Blood can now officially be called an Amazon Best Seller, even if it was only for a couple of days. 

I’ve been blown away and am so thankful. My only concern now is in keeping the momentum going. To that end, I realize that I need to double my efforts in actually getting the next book written.

In my goals at the beginning of the year, I wanted to finish this current book by October. Obviously, that didn’t happen. My goal now is to finish the first draft by the end of February. With how things have been going, that’s an ambitious goal. But if I can do it, then this fantasy set in 1874 Texas can be in your hands by summer.

After that… I’m still not decided on the next project. But I’m leaning toward another book following up on some hints dropped in Under The Moon’s Gaze. Either that, or… something completely different. We’ll see how things play out.

Thanks for being with me throughout all this. Without readers, none of this would be happening. You are all the best! Give yourself a hand!

November 2025 was the best-selling month on Amazon since I first published Until All Curses Are Lifted in 2019. Thanks to the launch of Under The Moon’s Gaze, a lot of people read my books this past month. I appreciate all of you!

It’s especially fun to see so many readers from outside the United States! Thanks, everyone!

Under the Moon’s Gaze, the final book in The Certainty of Blood trilogy, launches today! Now you can read the entirety of this epic, brutal, and beautiful series.

“Let it be known throughout the empire and under the moon’s gaze.”

Having survived his encounter with the god of chaos, Aldan—the arena fighter known as Clanless—finds himself again taken somewhere against his will. The blood-wraith who once tormented him now threatens his beloved Kekeen. Together, they return to places Aldan never thought he’d see again: his home… and the arena where he first learned how to kill.

Koland rushes back to the capital city ahead of an advancing army. As the city falls under siege, he struggles to keep hope alive in the face of an overwhelming enemy. For Suirel, god of chaos, is coming to the city too. And only the one called Clanless can stand in his way.

Will Aldan be able to return to the city in time? And what can one man do against a god and an army? One final arena duel awaits him under the moon’s gaze, a duel that will decide the fate of empires and worlds alike.

The Certainty of Blood trilogy concludes here!

“Let it be known throughout the empire and under the moon’s gaze.”

Having survived his encounter with the god of chaos, Aldan—the arena fighter known as Clanless—finds himself again taken somewhere against his will. The blood-wraith who once tormented him now threatens his beloved Kekeen. Together, they return to places Aldan never thought he’d see again: his home… and the arena where he first learned how to kill.

Koland rushes back to the capital city ahead of an advancing army. As the city falls under siege, he struggles to keep hope alive in the face of an overwhelming enemy. For Suirel, god of chaos, is coming to the city too. And only the one called Clanless can stand in his way.

Will Aldan be able to return to the city in time? And what can one man do against a god and an army? One final arena duel awaits him under the moon’s gaze, a duel that will decide the fate of empires and worlds alike.

The Certainty of Blood trilogy concludes here!

Pre-orders coming soon! RELEASING OCTOBER 28!!!

The latest draft of Under the Moon’s Gaze is now in the hands of beta readers! The cover designer now has the art concept in hand. It’s all coming… soon…

Coming this Fall. The epic conclusion to the trilogy begun in The Certainty of Blood and continued in Wolf Chosen…

Finally, finally, finally! You would not believe all the behind-the-scenes stuff that has gone on for the past few months to get this done. Unbelievable. HUGE, HUGE THANKS to the wonderful Tremani Sutcliffe for stepping in and creating the special art for this cover. Check out her epic fantasy art here.

But now, here at last is the cover for Chroma, the final book of the Dragontek Lore series:

The danger from outside The Circle may be greater than any of the dragons Beryl and his friends have faced so far. Chroma, mother of dragons, is at work.

But can Beryl deal with that problem while the last and deadliest dragon, his former friend Onyx, still roams? And the draconic claiming to be the dragon Viridia reborn is plotting something sinister as well.

This triple threat sets the stage for the spectacular conclusion to the Dragontek Lore series. It all ends here for Beryl and friends. But will they emerge unscathed? Or even alive?

Pre-orders are now available!