It has taken longer than expected, but I have finally finished draft three of the book. And four. And five. And six…

Looking back at my last blog post, I see I wrote (after draft two): ‘One more edit, and the book should be finished’. I really should know better. As they say, easy reading is hard writing. I once read that a writer has not finished editing their manuscript until merely looking at it is enough to make them feel physically sick. It is a sentiment that I wholly understand.

The book is now with my beta readers, and I am waiting to learn what they think of it.

Of all the books I have written, this one has unquestionably been the hardest to write. I had to rewrite about a quarter of Luker’s story because he was too passive. Luker does not wait for trouble to come calling; he goes looking for it. Then, for two of the other characters, I hit ‘walls’ in the story that forced me to set the book aside while I thought of a way forward.

So, what can I tell you about the book? Its working title is Dark Rising, and it is set a few weeks after the events in Red Tide. The Augerans have begun their invasion of Erin Elal. The south has fallen, and attention turns to the fortress city of Bastion. Here, a host of formidable forces converge to do battle. Meanwhile, in the caverns below the city, immortal powers prepare to profit from the chaos.

In addition to Luker, the book features a character called Safiya. She first appeared in my short story ‘There’s a Devil Watching Over You’. If you are not familiar with this, you can read it or listen to it for free here.

Finally, many thanks to everyone who has bought and read my thriller All Lies Hidden. If you liked it, please spread the word. Along with Red Tide, I think it is my favourite of all my books.