Dear Readers,

Here is an update that may prove frustrating, but I think does a nice job of demonstrating progress! We’ve got an update on the map:

So, as you can see, this is a substantial expansion on the original (it is in fact, twice the size). Obviously the western half is in the preliminary stages, but it is shaped out to form correctly and the placeholders are there (some of which have already been altered, for example Pirate Sands is actually called The Vastness).

I wanted to take a moment to perhaps show everyone how the books actually get made, because I’m not represented by an agent or a publishing house. However, the team that supports me has done everything they can to make The Legacy Chronicle as professional a series as can be.

The way it works of course starts with me writing the book itself. After that, Wes Covey and Erica Paul (my sister) are the de facto readers for content, flow, and storytelling. Molly, my wife, also gets in on the game when I read the book to her (which helps with the first pass of basic editing).

Once those notes are collected, considered, and modifications made, I pass the text on to Mary Veilleux, a professional editor who works for “thank yous” and copies of the finished text. She is a terrifyingly efficient and brilliant editor.

Then it’s up to Shane Thurston to do the formatting and interior/exterior design. He’s usually working on that while the other parts are ongoing. Sarah Fensore also does the cover art and sketches in sporadic stretches.

Where we are at now is Shane tinkering with the very complex map design tool to make it work as a two page layout. Like everyone else listed above, he’s got his own life outside of this, and that is what gums up the works in getting things done as fast as I’d like.

But I want to issue a really clear statement here that, despite the delays in this book coming out, particularly compared to the short time between The Sword and The Shield, it is coming out. So will the rest of the series. Hopefully, it will start to come out with greater rapidity.

Also, I have every intention of returning to book signings and the convention scene in force in 2023 (or maybe even late 2022). I want to do it when book three is ready and with a whole new set of products from shirts to hardback books and some new art pieces. I’d also love to have the horror anthology done then too, but that’s maybe a stretch.

In the meantime, I’ll put out another excerpt from The Steed in the next couple of days. If any readers have contacts that might want to host a local author signing or reading, please reach out. I’m building a list of conventions and businesses (including, hopefully, Sherman’s Books) to tackle once book three comes out.

I hope this was a positive update for those waiting for good news. Stay tuned for more!

T.H.