Dearest readers and friends,
Thanks for such a great year. I know that 2020 has been difficult in a lot of ways (the dreaded COVID pandemic, lockdowns, politics, general unrest, etc.) but for books, I have to say… 2020’s been pretty awesome. I wanted to take a second a recap on my blog what I’ve been up to this year and tease a little bit what I have planned for 2021.
Fall of Radiance
This year featured a re-release of my first series under publisher Aethon Books. Five novels in the Fall of Radiance came out monthly from March through July, releasing in ebook, print, and audiobook formats. The audiobooks, of course, were narrated by the amazing Michael Kramer and Kate Reading, of Wheel of Time and Stormlight Archive fame. They did a wonderful job recording the audio, and if you haven’t yet, be sure to check them out here.
The success of this series was greater than I expected and the positive reviews were particularly meaningful to me. It’s so nice to know that many of you loved the story. Currently, Ranger’s Oath has a 4.4 out of 5 star average on the Audible store.
Book Bloggers’ Novel of the Year Award (BBNYA)
Another bright spot of news is that Ranger’s Oath placed 5th in the Book Bloggers Novel of the Year Award! As a finalist, I won a shiny new badge for my book cover as well as a “digital blog tour” for the book.
This was extremely gratifying as an author, and I’d like to personally thank everyone who voted on behalf of my book. We’ll get ’em next year!
Move Across the Country
On the personal front, this year was also big in that we sold our house and moved across the country (from the great state of Tennessee to the west coast). It’s good to be back and closer to my roots, though the south will always have a special place in my heart. Especially the barbeque. Oh man… the barbeque…
It was a tough decision to leave, but I know that it was the right one for my career. Plus, I believe that it’s important to live close to family. In the end, they’re all you got, you know?
What’s on the horizon?
Some really cool things! I plan to release a new series with Aethon in spring of 2021. This one is a Gamelit epic fantasy trilogy titled Frostworld. I’m also writing a LitRPG series with my wife, but I’m playing that one a little closer to the chest. I’ll reveal more details in the middle of next year, but know that I plan on releasing the first book in fall of 2021.
I’m so excited for the future. This year has been my biggest yet in terms of my fledgling author career, and I know that next year will be even bigger. I plan on doing more collaborations with other authors and experimenting with a multitude of different genres. I also plan on attending more conferences and conventions (once this COVID crap is finally over and done with). I want to meet more people in person and do book signings and events. We’ll see what the landscape looks like next year.
Anyway, thanks for reading. I look forward to producing more content that you will hopefully enjoy. Happy new year! See you all in 2021…
-Blake Arthur Peel
Blake Arthur Peel 