Happy November, and I hope all of you enjoyed your Halloween! It was an odd one this year, but I had a good time failing at carving Perun‘s thundermark with friends.
Writing-wise, things are moving fast on A Dagger in the Winds, the first book in my fantasy series based on Slavic mythology, and today I have some fun writing updates as well as the official reveal of the name of that series.
Note: As I continue working on my edits of A Dagger in the Winds, I’m accepting advance readers (early reviewers) for the book! If you’re interested in free side novellas attached to the stories as well as early insights into the books, you can also join my monthly newsletter.
Firstly, I am excited to reveal that (after everyone’s helpful feedback) my Slavic fantasy series will be called The Frostmarked Chronicles. The name references the power of a certain winter goddess’s mark/symbol and the role it plays in the story. Though I can’t reveal too much about that right now, I’m glad to finally be able to call the series something other than my “Slavic fantasy series.”
On the topic of The Frostmarked Chronicles, my alpha edits of A Dagger in the Winds are officially complete, which means today I am sending it out to my first (of two) waves of beta readers. I have been looking forward to this for months, as this marks the first time a significant number of people get to read the book. It’s a crucial stage on the way to its publication next summer, and I’m very much looking forward to the feedback. Thank you to everyone who applied to be a beta reader as well!
The second book in the series is also in full swing. Currently, the manuscript is about 40% complete, and I hope to finish it by the end of January if all works out. The talented @Marichka_Art on Instagram is also beginning the first sketches of the cover.
This month is also known as NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month) as well, and I’ve decided to take a spin on my writing during it. Book 2 of The Frostmarked Chronicles will be on pause during November. Instead, I’ll be writing two short novellas, one a prequel for the series and another a side-story, that will connect to the main story arc without necessarily being required reads. They will also be released free to my newsletter subscribers – the prequel around the publication of A Dagger in the Winds and the side-story before the publication of book 2.
That’s all for this month’s writing update! Enjoy the snow (if you’re in the part of the world that snows this time of the year) and stay safe during this crazy time.