It’s been over a year since I’ve written a catch up post, so I thought it was time to do another. So grab a cup of what you fancy and find a comfy seat. Here’s what’s been happening in the life of Fi.
Book 3 of the Haven Chronicles
The second instalment of the Haven Chronicles, Magic Bound, was released in 2022. Since then I’ve been planning and writing the third novel. A couple of months ago, I emailed off the first draft to Burning Chair. I always find this stage rather nerve-fraying, but thankfully they loved it. Phew!
Right now, I’m editing that version. Nothing major. Just a tweak here and a jiggle around there. The target is to finish those edits by the middle of June and have it back in the hands of Burning Chair for the next stage. Wish me luck.
Books 4 and 5
While I waited for Burning Chair to get back to me, I got on with planning book 4. I made my characters suffer plenty in book 3, but book 4 takes that to the next level and over the horizon. More travels, more peril, and much more heartbreak.
Book 5 will be the last instalment of the Haven Chronicles. I’ve always known how I want to end the series so large chunks of the final book are already planned out. It’s going to be an emotional one, both for the characters and me, but I feel that it’s a fitting and deserved end(?) to Steve’s journey.
Something completely different
Once I’d finished planning out book 4 and was waiting to hear back from Burning Chair, I started on a fresh writing project. It’s a fantasy novel, this time for grown-ups, and the first of two. I already know what I want to call it but I’m not going to share that just yet.
There are links in the novel to a couple of characters who appear in the Haven Chronicles, but other than that it’s a story of its own. What can you expect? Well, there’s:
- an almost new main character (you met her once in the Haven Chronicles)
- a brand new, powerful villain unlike anything I’ve written about before
- an old hotel in a wild, rural setting
- family ties and romantic challenges
- long hidden secrets laid bare
Short stories
Or rather two collections of short stories. I’ve already written two short stories set in the same world as my novels, and plenty more fantasy short tales too. The plan is to create two collections: one of stories that relate to the Haven Chronicles, and another of fantasy stories that don’t tie into the series.
The first collection will be a companion book to the Haven Chronicles that reveals more about many of the side characters, their back stories, and adventures.
Who knows what will make it into the second? I’ve lots of tales to choose from. The title of the collection? It has to be Magical Possibilities.