Checking in

Hello,

Long time no see. I am really bad at blogging. Or anything that requires regularity. Even my newsletter go out every now and then. However, I decided to write a newsletter every quarter, except when I have a new book coming out. The latest newsletter was sent on 25th September.

If you’re just here for new books, then you can sign up for the new releases notifications.

In other news, I’m still working on book 4 of the Yokai Treasures series, Foxfire and Lycoris. Yeah, I know it’s been 2 years and the forecasted publication date is still tentative. I’m slowly picking myself together.

The pandemic was definitely not helpful for my mental health and well of creativity. Then my Grandpa left us last year. So it’s been a challenging two years, let me tell you. I adopted a lovely black cat a year ago and only ask about her if you have a few hours because I will praise her for that long.

The good news is, I have lots of story ideas again! I have started book 4 gazillion of times (no, okay, only eight times), and have like three different outlines, none of them finished. I plan to work on the outline this month and then re-start writing the book again.

Yes, I know nine times are plenty, even if it’s dumplings, but as long as something feels off, I know I can make the book better than that. So please be patient with me. I’ll try my best to live up to your expectations.

Rui and Eijiro’s story will be worth it. Gods know, these two waited long enough. Especially Eijiro…

What's next?

Now that I can finally hold Blades and Feathers in my hand (my copies have arrived just the other day!), let me tell you what’s up next.

I hinted at the end of Blades and Feathers that while the continuation is going to be Foxfire and Lycoris, the next book I’m working on might be different. I’m here to confirm that!

The project I’m working on right now is set in the same world, except we’re going back to the past for a little bit. It’s going to be about Katsuo and Takeru’s parents. I’m very excited about their story because there was a scene nagging at the back of my head, even before I started Sword and Mirror but I couldn’t place it, it just didn’t fit in with any of the stories or people in the series.

And then, shortly after I started writing Blades and Feathers, I realized who those people were. So here’s my plan:

I’m currently working on the parents’ story, and the short stories for Takeru and Yoriko. I’m tackling NaNoWriMo again this year, so I hope to finish all this before end of November. Worst case scenario: early December.

Then there comes the editing phase - and me figuring out the storyline for Foxfire and Lycoris.

I’m going to start writing Foxfire and Lycoris, if my estimates are right, in in the new year. Not sure if I’ll do the editing first and then write book 4 or I’ll do them parallel. I mean, I’m good with multitasking but there’s a limit, not to mention all the other things going on in my life. And the fact that I usually need a little rest after finishing a book before starting a new one.

You can read the first draft, chapter by chapter, over on my Patreon :) The first 3 chapters are already available for the highest tiers.

Blades and Feathers published! →

Book 3 in the Yokai Treasures series is finally published!

https://books2read.com/blades-feathers

And not just on Amazon, but on various other platforms! All my books are available in Barnes & Noble, Kobo, Apple, Google Play, and at other stores. I’m in the middle of making them available in many-many stores, but if you check this link: https://books2read.com/blades-feathers You’ll find the latest info for Blades and Feathers.

Paperback will come soon, probably next week. And not sure if you’ve noticed, but they’re also widely available. Barnes & Noble, Bookdepository, Waterstones, Thalia.de, etc. etc. etc. Unfortunately, I don’t have an exact list where my paperbacks are available, so if you find them, please be so kind as to send me a message with the link ;)

What else? I’m working on Takeru'‘s short story. Once it’s finished, it’ll up for downloading. Then I’ll write Yoriko’s.

Take care, happy reading!

https://books2read.com/blades-feathers

Thank you for your support.

Yokai Treasures Companion books: Karen

After writing Taiki's story I was completely floored what to write. I mean, after that, everything seemed boring that's got to do with Karen's relatively safe life in modern times. Magical or not. Rivarly with Rose - and so what? It was a far cry from Ciara's struggles.

Then I remembered she was a big Japan-fan and realized maybe I could just show this one event from her life? An anime con - but with a twist. A mysterious and famous novelist comes to visit town and Karen has to show her around. But what does this writer have to do with the Magicwielder's Society? Her words are suspicious.

This also served as an inspiration for a scene in book 3. Look forward to it! << not a spoiler - or is it?

Karen's side story

Yokai Treasures Companion books

Yokai Treasures Companion books: Taiki

Originally, I wanted to include the extended scene of the first few chapters of Smoke & Jewel where little Taiki is running away (yes, it was cut in the final version) and then later show how he meets Mimi. And I also wanted to show you how he ended up betraying the shinobi hidden village where he trained and why he did it. How the heck did he end up in this big mess?!

And then I realized it would take way longer than expected. Oops... So I had to prune my ideas and think about what to include. I've decided the extended fleeing scene will go into the Easter Eggs (I'll post it soon) and that's where probably the chapters with Mimi will end up, too. Unless I write a side story for Mimi, which might be fun! Eventually, I've decided to concentrate on two important events in little Taiki's life: when he was recruited as a ninja at the age of 7, and the incident which sparked his betrayal 5 years later.

This is a heart-wrenching story but hopefully, will give you a better understanding of his character.

Taiki's side story

Yokai Treasures Companion books

Yokai Treasures Companion books: Ciara

This one has quite a few time-jumps and thus might feel a bit... abrupt at times. We start off in Ciara's early childhood as she discovers her special powers and grows into it as a teenager - or is it rejecting it in the end? And we finish a few years ago when the accident that has changed her life happened.

I wanted to share with you some of Ciara's baggage she's been holding onto. The guilt and the shock that prevents her at the beginning of Sword & Mirror to fully accept herself. Why she thought she was undeserving to be happy - and why she refused to sing that aria.

Fun fact: the scene about the accident and the one at the doctor’s were cut from the first draft of Sword and Mirror.

Ciara's side story

Yokai Treasures Companion books

Yokai Treasures Companion Books: Katsuo

This story shows us the incident that has happened in Katsuo's household about 10 years before the events in Sword & Mirror. I wanted to give you additional insight into Katsuo's mind; what makes him distrustful of women (except his Granny, of course!) and how he got the scar on his back.

It also includes a wedding. Oh, quite a research went into that and I can't be sure it's all accurate. You see, nowadays, a wedding is traditionally shito-style. However, because Katsuo has a pagoda and that's related to buddhism I had to look into buddhist ceremonies. I tried to reflect that the best I could, but I can't be sure it looked the same in the 16th century Japan. Seeing as this is fiction (and fantasy, at that!) I hope you'll give me some leeway of artistic freedom ;)

Read Katsuo's side story

Yokai Treasures Companion books