Greetings, friends!
It’s August! Can you believe it? It feels like this summer has absolutely flown by. So much has happened in the last two months that my head is spinning!
First thing’s first – Bringers of Doom has officially launched on Amazon. This is the second installment in my Arc of Radiance series, a young adult epic fantasy. So far, it’s been met with overwhelmingly positive reviews, which of course makes me very happy. I love hearing about what readers think of my stories. For those of you who have reached out, thank you. Your words of encouragement keep me going whenever I get discouraged.
War Echoes, book three in the series, is now up for preorder. Grab it now on Amazon for only 99 cents! The price will increase to $2.99 after the book launches on September 15th.
Speaking of the Arc of Radiance series… I have officially finished writing the fifth and final book! This is a big milestone for me – not only because it’s my fifth full-length novel, but because it’s the first time I’ve ever wrapped up an entire series before. It feels… strange, if I’m being honest. Part of me is excited and ready to move onto the next project, but another part of me is just a little bit sad. This world that I have created, these characters… it’s almost like I’m saying goodbye. That’s one of the weird things about being an author. You grow attached to your stories in a way that’s hard to describe.
Expect book five, Prince of Darkness, to release sometime at the end of this year.
In other news…
My wife and I are still in new parent mode (which basically means it is chaos in our house 24/7). We’re still getting used to having a newborn in addition to our rambunctious two-year-old. Still, it’s not all bad. Being a parent is extremely satisfying. I only wish that I was able to have more time to write. And sleep. Yes, I miss the whole sleeping thing.
During my (brief) paternity leave from work, I was able to finish the Witcher 3, and my only reactions is, “Wow”. That game is a masterpiece of storytelling. It made me feel things. Seriously, if any of you haven’t had a chance yet, I’d highly recommend you play Witcher 2 and then Witcher 3, particularly if you enjoy RPG-style video games. You will not regret it.
With the end of the Arc of Radiance book series, I’ve also been planning my next great adventure, which includes revisiting another world of mine. Some of you have probably read my novellas Cycle of Blades and Sellsword. These stories take place in the same world, and I’m excited to announce that I will be combining these and other short stories into a fantasy anthology releasing early next year. Shortly thereafter, I plan on releasing an all-new, full-length fantasy novel involving those same characters. That’s right, Jasper Aurelio, Camdyn Taurus and others will be joining forces in a new D&D-style adventure called Tears of Eternity. I’m really excited about this new project. Be on the lookout for more information about this story in the coming months.
Other than that, I’m just working, eating, commuting and sleeping. Who knew building an author platform was so much work? 😉
Thank you all so much for your continued support. Without you readers, none of this would be possible. I’m encouraged by your kind words and emboldened by the trickle of book sales I am receiving. Hopefully one day I will be able to turn that trickle into a mighty river.
Hope everyone is doing well! As always, feel free to reach out to me at contact@blakearthurpeel.com. Until then, happy reading!
-Blake
Blake Arthur Peel 