Blog

End of the Year Post 2024, and Goals for…

So, 2024 for me, in a writing sense, was quite productive. I always have this feeling of not doing enough, but my goal—as usual—was to write 300,000 words. That’s a lofty target, and I don’t think I’ve ever hit it. But in 2024, I wrote 206,724 words, which I’m proud of.

The first three books of *The Song of the Ellydian* were published in 2024, which is a huge milestone. *The Fallen Apprentice* had the best launch I’ve ever had for a single book. So, thank you to everyone who supported me—it truly means the world to me and gives me the motivation to keep writing stories. I tend to write these books for myself, but I’m so glad people enjoy them.

As of the end of the year, Book 4, *The Dark Synths,* is sitting at 57,681 words—so it’s more than halfway done. This one has been incredibly fun to write, and I hope you’ll enjoy it when it comes out. I’m aiming for a release next May.

Vegas was, as always, fantastic and super inspiring. It was a bit slower this year with fewer attendees, but that actually worked out well. I got to spend time with some of the bigger authors I’ve admired for a long time, including meeting some of my author mentors.

I’ve also developed a new game plan to stay productive with both writing and the business side of things. I think 2025 is going to be a stellar year. My plan includes at least four releases: two will be Books 4 and 5 in *The Song of the Ellydian* series. I’ll also be launching a new pen name in a new genre with two other books. Those are a secret for now since they’re different, but if you’re really curious, let me know, and I might share more when the time comes.

On the personal side, I love my job as a head chef and hope to keep doing it for many years. My wife and I are planning a couple of mini trips this year, and I’m still figuring out where to go for a big trip abroad. Traveling is always the best time for brainstorming for me. I’ve already booked my ticket for Vegas again—I bought it as soon as the conference ended!

I plan to keep reading within my genre, diving into bestsellers and some smaller indie titles I know are great. I’ve also been playing some amazing video games with incredible stories, which is always inspiring. I just love getting lost in those worlds.

On the business side, 2024 was an improvement over 2023, and I’m hopeful 2025 will be even better with all the releases and support. *The Song of the Ellydian* is my first series over five books long, so it’s taking time, but I love it so much. I think it’s shaping up to be a great series with a fulfilling, dramatic ending.

My main goal is to stay consistent and keep writing—that seems to be the most important part of this career.

Thank you so much for listening, and I hope you have an amazing 2025. Good things are on the horizon!

Book 4 Update

Hi,

So, for an update on Book 4; The Dark Synths.

First off, it’s a blast to write. I’m having a grand time messing with those lil buggers lol. Things are rough for our heroes and I hope you enjoy the ride when it comes!

Its over a quarter done with the first draft, and both Tiffany and Zach are on board to edit. David, a reader, has been killing it with beta reads and notes lately, so he may be a part of the launch team!

I just got back from Vegas like a week ago, and man I am energized about the future! Thanks for joining me on this ride!

Pre-Order The Dark Synths

For more updates, considering signing up to the e-mail Reader’s Group, or following me on Facebook

First Draft Done!

Wrapping up at just over 100k words, the first draft of the Fallen Apprentice is done!

It took a few hours at a local coffee shop with my writer friend Justin, and a full 3500 words to get the words ‘The End’ typed.

I was completely and utterly exhausted. It was quite the epic scene, as it should be to wrap up the ‘first trilogy’ of the seven part series.

I really worked hard to build up the relationship between Soren, Seph and Kaile. And after this, everything is going to get a lot more hairy from here on out.

If you’re along for the ride with this series, thank you! And I truly hope you enjoy it!

This one felt like it took forever to write, but it actually ended up being just over five months, which is appropriate, I suppose. After all, I have a full time job as a head chef, which in the summer can be one hot and exhausting mother fucker. But I love it, so for now I’ll mostly stick to writing in the mornings before my shifts.

There’s a lot of books I’ve got planned in the pipeline, so I’m already started on another one this week, and going to keep cranking them out the best I can. Vegas is coming up again in November, and I want to have some new works to show my friends for the year!

Cheers,
C.K.

Update May 9, 2024

Hey!

Just another quick check in.

Editors are booked and we are full steam ahead for book 3, The Fallen Apprentice to launch in early August. Revelations galore and the ending is really going to set a tone for the continuation of the series. I wish I could say more but you’ll just have to read it.

I have a week off my chef job in a week. Its actually ten full days. Quite amazing really because a week off from a chef job is seven days, and, you’re damn sure you’re going back to work on the eighth day. But at my current job, its closed every weekend, so I get ten full days off because of Memorial Day as well. I have a jam packed to-do list but my main goal is to wake up early like I currently do, write on the couch with fresh coffee and a focused brain to crank out the ending to this book.

It’s at 73K words out of 100k, so I’m really gonna try to get it done by the end of this month. It feels like this book is taking me forever, but to have a 400 page book written in 6 months is acceptable I suppose. I really have to take little breaks to figure out scenes sometimes, and let me tell you, some real magic comes when I get to let the epiphanies come. I just had one in the ending to the last chapter I wrote yesterday, and it is a huge reveal that will deepen the mystery of the Demons of Dusk.

Cheers friends,
C.K.

Update April 6th 2024

Hey!

Quick Update, as of this blog, book 2, The Last Whistlewillow, is published and live!

Book 3, The Fallen Apprentice, is gearing up for the final act to be written. The Pre-Order is live with a cover for an early August release. Shit is hitting the fan at the midpoint right now, and this action-y, drama-y stuff is my favorite to write.

The ending to this book is going to get epic, and can’t wait to set up the rest of the series with it. All seven books are going to get even more intense and awesome-y.

Working slowly to get more audiobooks out, sorry for the delay.

I appreciate you being here, and expect another newsletter on the 18th.

I’m doing my first in person book sale next sunday, so wish me luck!

C.K.

September 2023

Hey there lovely reader friend,

So as I write this its September 28th around 9:45 pm.

I called out of my writer’s group tonight because I’m really trucking getting these revisions in in the older books. I’m at the finish line! It’s finally in site!

The Scarred should be back from the proofreader any day now. I’m really excited, as he came very highly recommended from a fellow author. The Pre-Order is up and it goes live February 16th, a little longer than I normally make you wait to read the new books, but its gonna give me time to get, hopefully, two more books ready to launch quickly after.

As of now, book 2, which actually does have a working title right now, but not to be revealed yet, is at around 18k words I believe. Its setting up to be a doozy, and as I know how the book will end, I’m letting the characters and world kind of steer them in the direction of how, and how long, its gonna take to get there.

My plan moving forward, after the re-edits, is to push through on the rest of the audiobooks for The Dragon Sands. I hope to get those done fairly quickly, even though it is a very time consuming process. But they’ll be great to have out for when the relaunch of the Box Set comes out next month.

Also, I’m working on artwork for the interiors of the books again, including older books.

So, I’m finishing the year as a busy little bee. And the writer’s convention in Vegas is coming in November and I’m so excited. Its going to crank my brain into overdrive. Good thing I have lots of things to work on!

Cheers,
C.K.

July 2023 Update

Well, got the covers updated for all the books of the Dragon Sands. Super happy with them. The designers really knocked it out of the park and captured an authentic feel for what I envisioned. I got a new cover for the whole box set but I’m waiting to release that. That’ll be a whole new deal.

As for writing and the new project, I’m at the two-thirds mark and really fucking excited for where the story leads from there. Its great fun to write and I really love the characters. Got Tiffany lined up for editing.

But the bad news is that I’m shooting for a rapid release of the first three books in the series, so it probably won’t start coming up until early next year I’m guessing. I’ll release stuff like covers and maybe sample chapters in the meantime though! Once I’m done with the first draft of the manuscript I may share the new series name. I think that’s solidified, but I’m still toying with the actual book title…

Cheers,
C.K.

Patreon Launch!

Well I did it.

Other author friends and mentors urged me to do it, so I launched a Patreon page. It’s just the beginning so we can figure it out together along the way.

But if you’re enough of a fan to spend 5 or 10 bucks a month to support my dream then I’ll put the emphasis on getting the cool inside stuff to you first.

Go to my Patreon Page

Here’s to new adventure and new stories!
C.K.

4/10/23

War of the Mystics is with the proofreader and almost back to me to get the get all formatted for release on May 1st!

I can’t believe the series is over. It’s always sad to say goodbye to characters I’ve been with, and sometimes liked to boss me around, for years.

I’m really happy with the way the story played out and I loved the ending. I may or may not have shed some tears while writing those final chapters.

As of today, I started writing the new series. No info to share, probably for quite some time, sorry. That’s the way she goes. If I had to guess, if I’m good at writing this year, I’d plan on a release at the beginning of next year.

I got a lot of the brainstorming for this series while I was on vaca for my 40th in Seville, Spain and Lagos, Portugal. If you want pics then you’ll have to sign up to the Reader’s Group!

More info soon,
C.K.