Over the past two months, I’ve sat on this novel (not literally, of course.) Mostly, I procrastinated on writing the synopsis and query letter. I talked with my writer friends on Codex and Odyssey et al. I realized that, should I decide to submit it to publishers, I may as well have it available for the public to read. I’m thrilled to announce that I will be publishing “Fell Winter” — a novel of 40,000 words (160 printed pages) — soon . The next book, “High Queen of Badelgard,” will be available by early December this year.

COMING IN FALL 2012…

An evil not seen in hundreds of years has awoken in the highland nation of Badelgard. The Ulfr – the original inhabitants of the land whose evil was matched only by their power over death – stir from their barrows.

The dead walk again at the command of an Ulfr witch. The fate of the High King and the possession of the High Throne grow more and more uncertain. Tensions flare between the lowborn commoners and the highborn descendants of the Seven Wardens.

In the middle of it all, the lowborn musician Brand Gutlaffson is thrust into a perilous chase thanks to the foolish decisions of his friend, the warrior Gunnar Whoreson. Their midnight flight takes them to the accursed land of Blackfold, where the ancient Ulfr goddess waits for Her awakening.

The cold begins to set in. But there is more to fear than darkness and snow in this FELL WINTER.

This 40,000-word novel begins “The Ulfr Crisis” trilogy.

I added three new articles to the Varda profile: one national profile (Badelgard); one regional profile (Westwood); and a profile of Badelgard’s ancient inhabitants.

All of these are to give the reader background for my new novel. August 2012 is the tentative release date for Fell Winter. It’s finished, written, edited, and sent to a few reviewers. I think it’s my best novel yet, and I hope you agree.