Okay, this is a post I have been not wanting to write. But my online silence has started to get noticed, and in light of the sweet emails and messages from various Imps making certain I'm alive, I've realized I really do need to give all of you an update and offer an explanation for why all has been quiet in Goldstone Wood this last many weeks.

So here goes: Due to some business-related happenings that I am not going to go into in detail, I have come to a bit of a mini-crisis point in my career that necessitates setting aside Poison Crown for the time being.

I know I mentioned something about this in a June post, so this won't come as a complete surprise to those of you who have been following along. At the time of that post, I was still thinking I would be finishing Poison Crown in the near future and publishing it by next year. However, things have changed since then, and that 2016 projection is no longer looking remotely feasible. In fact, I don't know when Poison Crown will be releasing now. I would like to think 2017, but there are factors beyond my control at play.

Here are a couple of points for you to satisfy curiosity:

1. No, this does not have anything to do with whether or not I am allowed to publish more Goldstone Wood books. Golden Daughter, Goddess Tithe, and Draven's Light are all perfectly legal and permissible. This setback is related to a different side of this business, pertaining to income, not legality.

2. Poison Crown--volumes 1 and 2--WILL BE published eventually. They are the next books in the Goldstone Wood series. Before any more Goldstone Wood books release, Poison Crown will release.

I had mentioned quite a while back that Poison Crown would be the last book in the series for a little while as I take a break. This is still true. It's just the timing that has changed. At this point, I am anticipating (hoping!) that Poison Crown will come out right in the middle of that "break" period. So maybe it'll end up being a good thing . . . You readers won't have as big of a gap between Goldstone Wood novels this way . . .

Needless to say, none of this was my preference. After five years of at least one Goldstone Wood novel coming out each year, I cannot tell you how strange it is to look ahead and not know when the next one is releasing. The closest thing I can compare it to is a bad breakup. You know . . . after you've spent months or years dating one person, planning your life with that person in mind, spending all your time with that person . . . and then suddenly, that person is out of your life. And you're left to pick up the pieces, trying to figure out what you have left.

Not that I'm breaking up with Goldstone Wood. We'll get back together someday! (Oh, dear. Does that sound like the desperate, dumped girlfriend? "Goldstone Wood doesn't DESERVE me! Goldstone Wood was just intimidated by me! Just watch, Goldstone Wood, I'm going to find a series that APPRECIATES me!")

But in all seriousness, this has been tough. It's been a difficult adjustment period, first coming to the realization that this is how it has to be then actually following through. I absolutely hate leaving a project half-finished--both the series and the current manuscript itself. For a while I was determined to complete the writing on Poison Crown before moving on. This I cannot do, however. This isn't my hobby . . . this is my job, and I have to make smart decisions for my writing. I cannot afford to finish Poison Crown at this point and time.

So there it sits in my computer. Waiting. Along with all those characters whom I love so much: Eanrin, Rose Red, Lionheart, Imraldera, Daylily, Foxbrush, Una, Vahe, Felix, Bebo, Iubdan, Hri Sora, Lumé and Hymlumé, Mouse, Sunan, Munny, Leta, Akilun, Etanun, Alistair, the Chronicler, Draven, Itala, Sairu . . . not to mention the characters in Poison Crown, whom you've not had a chance to get to know . . . Raulf, Tacita, Rogan, Megaren, Dian, Ileria . . . All of these characters mean so much to me and have been such vivid parts of my life for so long. Many and most of them haven't finished telling their stories. Setting them aside for an indeterminate period of time is nothing short of heartbreaking.

Thus my silence over the last several weeks.

However, I am currently pouring myself into a new project. And once I get over the bizarre feelings of guilt over Goldstone Wood (how can I be unfaithful to my true love???), I find I am rather excited about working on something a little different for the time being. I won't say too much about this new project just now, but I'm pretty confident that it's going to turn into something fantastic. After the last few weeks of world-building, character exploration, and outlining, I sat down to write chapter 1 just yesterday, uncertain how it would turn out . . . and ended up writing over 7,000 words. Which is an awesome day of writing for me. My goal is to finish the rough draft of the first book in this project in maybe a little over two weeks. Which is ambitious, yes, but I need a distraction right now anyway.

Besides . . . FLEXIBILITY IS THE KEY TO STRATEGIC AIR POWER!

So I'm being flexible.
 
Wish me luck as I pursue this new venture. I definitely covet your prayers right now . . .