Dear readers,
I am excited to update you on the progress of my upcoming Fantasy Series as well as share Cover Art and Blurb for the first installment.
IMPORTANT UPDATES
As the manuscript had become too long, I made the decision to break book one into a trilogy (or possibly a tetralogy/pentalogy depending on how things go) I came to this decision about six months ago after weighing the pros and cons.
First, let’s get the most obvious out of the way. Releasing three to five books means more revenue. I won’t insult your intelligence by pretending there is no financial consideration to this decision. But I am being honest when I say the following factors had equal or more influence.
Second, conversion to a series will provide a better release schedule, which is something that I’ve never been known for. At the time of this writing, book one is almost ready for the editor, rough drafts for book 2 and most of book three are already written. This means I will hopefully be able to release the first three entries within 6 months to a year of each other. Obviously, that isn’t a promise—I won’t ever release a book I’m not yet satisfied with. That said, more releases published in more rapid succession does wonders for my ability to promote this series.
Third, I want to release hardbacks. In the past, page counts disqualified most the books in the Chronicles of Jonathan Tibbs. By breaking this series into three or more installments, I will be able to release hardbacks without leaving the readers who purchase them in a situation where they’ll be unable to complete their collection in the same format.
Last, and most important to me, breaking the books into a longer series will allow readers to absorb the world’s history/lore in smaller bites and give me much more room for character development. I believe that this will enable me to avoid massive info dumps, which can be tedious for readers.
Now, enough with the insight into my decision making, let’s get to the more exciting stuff.
CONNECTED UNIVERSE
This first series is intended to set up a larger connected universe, books that will fall under the umbrella of working title “A World of Kiir Novel.” I say ‘working title’ because I don’t have to decide what the Universe will be called until the first series is completed. I have A LOT of ideas for spin off novels and solo adventures concerning characters established in this first series.
COMPENDIUM
I should note that this next idea is something I’m excited about but don’t want to promise, as there might be unforeseen logistical issues. In concept, I really want to release an associated “free” product readers will be able to get access to with purchase of any book in the series. While working on the first books, I’ve been keeping extensive notes on the world and its lore. I hope to turn these notes into an appendix/compendium/encyclopedia (maybe a wiki) of sorts, with lots of associated artwork.
In practice, the idea is meant to go something like this:
Reader: “Shucks, book two mentioned something called ‘The Swaying Lands’, it wasn’t critical to the story yet, still I’d like to know a little more about it. BUT WAIT! Maybe there is an entry in the compendium! Golly, there it is, with maps and pictures no less! T. Ellery sure is my hero.”
What… Why are you looking at me like that? You don’t say golly or shucks?
LOGISTICAL CHALLENGES
Basically, the idea of a “complete” encyclopedia becomes a moving target with each release. Making this available runs the risk of dropping potential spoilers for future books or spin-off series.
To address this, it may need to be a free document download that comes with optional versions depending on where you are in the series at any given time, and a complete version for when you’ve finished the latest book release.
So, if you’re reading book one, and want more details on something, you’d be able to download a document for book one. I’ll make sure all the spoiler warning notifications are there to stop you, but if you decide to ignore them and download the complete compendium for the entire series, well… for this to work… you’ll have to exercise some self-restraint.
COVER REVEAL & BLURB
And now, for the moment you’ve all been waiting for – I am thrilled to reveal the cover art for book one. I love it, and I’ve been waiting a long time to share it with you!
Stay tuned for more details on ebook, paperback, hardback, and audiobook release dates.
Bard Hard
The Lost Son of The Teurig | Book 1
“You’ll find, this is not the story of a wise man who went through life making wise decisions,” the Bard said.
All souls enter the afterlife screaming, but Renly Teurig’s didn’t make a sound. Intrigued, the goddess Neuillya came to hear the Bard’s story.
Born of the Teurig, a renowned company of performers, a young musician unwittingly buys a lute crafted by the gods and finds himself bound to a celestial muse. Exile, tragedy, and chaos follow. As Renly struggles to master the lute’s power and understand the mysterious forces that threaten his world, his days become a series of supernatural encounters, daring gambles, and near-death escapes.
Bard Hard is a high-fantasy epic that combines immersive world-building and magic systems with a humorous narrator. It takes readers on their first journey into the fantastical world of Kiir, following the life and times of one of its most enigmatic and conflicted inhabitants. With epic quests, thrilling battles, and unexpected twists and turns, it’s a story of destiny, identity, truth, and the power of storytelling.