February 2026 Newsletter
Hey, Folks - Another month down and a busy one, but for different reasons. For those that didn’t see my post on instagram, I got my review back from Indie Reader and am very proud to announce a 4.5-star review! You can find that review here: https://indiereader.com/book_review/the-witches-of-serna/
For things that we’ve been cooking up this month, first, here’s a character from Steve.
Again, this is Steve’s 3d sculpting, with textures and a licensed object library (I think). We went back and forth on who this is. I’ve developed, actually, an opinion of who this is (someone in book 3 that you haven’t met yet), BUT… I’m curious for anyone that’s read book 1 or 2, if it strikes you as someone in particular. Hit me up if this strikes you as anyone.
On the topic of book 3, I started an illustration of a scene for book 3.
So, this is a scene with Dareum (as the winner here). I have a problem, though, a skill issue. I have a problem drawing the same person twice and it being clear that it’s the same person. I also have a problem drawing a person from reference and the product being knowable as that person in the reference. Case and point, here are my references so far.
If you didn’t know, I’m my own reference for most of my drawings. I can show you some of the ones for the book 1 appendices that will really make it clear that I have a bigger skill issue than is apparent. And so, here’s the other side of that same problem.
This is Dareum Covendran, the top person in the draft illustration. Jade (in the credits) drew this for me a couple years ago and it has become cemented to me as Dareum. In other words, I can’t unsee it. I tried to mimic Jade’s rendition of his hair in the draft.
And that’s as far as I got with that. I’m going to try for more illustrations in book 3 that are part of the story, rather than the appendices, but not get stuck on one for months on end like I did with the Avart Massacre illustration in book 2. I’ll try and have one done per month. Also have to pick one to contract out.
The main reason that this month has been busy is that I’m traveling for my day job. In fact, this is the longest trip I’ve been on since my last deployment. This is a three-week trip (my fourth and final deployment was eight or nine months) and it takes me to Arizona. I’m grateful to my workplace that they let me drive. I prefer road trips by far and really dislike flying (more and more as I get older).
Big skies and open road. I think this is somewhere between the Kansas/Oklahoma border and central New Mexico. I don;t remember exactly where. More likely in the latter, NW Texas or northern New Mexico.
Best food in these tiny, locally owned places that exist only on the road. This is the Lakehouse Cafe in Logan, NM along US Route 54. There actually is a lake (Ute Reservoir). I didn’t get a chance to stop at the lake for scheduling, but…
I did see a black duck! (or whatever these are, I dunno, someone that knows about water fowl come tell me about this). This was at Mescalero Lake in Mescalero, NM. My second overnight stop was in Ruidoso, NM. Beautiful mountain town along US Route 70.
Here are a couple shots on the hiking trails near where my work is. You might ask ‘hey, if you’ve got time for hiking, why aren’t you working on book 3 more or making more youtube shorts?’ Honestly, to complain a bit, work here is 10+ hour days. It’s not like it was in the Army, but it’s still a bit more than I’m used to. Also, it’s very (exhausting) social energy work and we are 3800 feet higher in elevation, so it all kind of adds up on my frail physique, which is why…
I played board games when given a chance. This is Tides of Iron, a WWII board game with a few scenarios. Fun game, but we allowed ourselves to be distracted by fun tactical stuff (killing the crunchies) instead of what we needed to do to win this scenario (bypass the crunchies and move our armor off of the other side of the map).
And Pandemic! I hadn’t played Pandemic for 4-6 years and I’d forgotten a lot of the rules. I suspect this is a significantly older printing of the game because infection cubes and player pawns were wooden instead of plastic.
But, still, I have actually still been getting work done here in the evenings. I made three youtube shorts and corresponded for upcoming events. For the shorts, last month I said I would do these (with notes on which I’ve actually done):
Why are orcs the way they are
Building materials available to dwarves (made this, but I think I wasn’t satisfied with it)
Battle of Adyrnaarn
Combining and sequencing the forms of maneuver
Defensive forms of maneuver (one vid each, I think there’s three of them) (made the first one, doing the second one tonight after I publish the newsletter)
https://www.youtube.com/shorts/IpGLCQnGuYU
https://www.youtube.com/shorts/SCy8TL0peQM
Maybe it’s funny. Maybe it’s not.
Unfortunately, QuadCon in late March is out - my fault. But, O-Con in July is happening.
Kansas City Fae Ball and Literary Market, Kansas City, KS, May 30th
O-Con (Omaha Convention), Council Bluffs, IA, July 17th-19th (confirmed)
I’m trying to set up a book signing next month, as well. More to follow.
Oh! I almost forgot. Something else that consumed me earlier in January was a printing error in book 2, which was my fault. I am working on getting replacement copies, but it should be fixed by now if you order it fresh. I can’t order fresh copies when I’m on the road like this. If you have a copy of book 2 that was printed before January 10th, there are a few errors in it. If you’d like send me a picture of the back page of your copy of book 2, which will have the printing date on it and an address where you’d like me to send it OR ask for a PDF by email, your call.
Sales in January were good, despite being the month after the big holiday push.
Book 1, 3 print copies, 4 ebook copies, and 1499 kindle unlimited pages (about 4-ish readthroughs)
Book 2, 3 print copies, 1 ebook copy, no KU reads. (again, hit me up if you’ve got a pre-January 10th copy)
If you haven’t written me a review, it would really help. I appreciate you and I hope and believe that, once you bite into this story, it bites into you. If you enjoyed this book or think you know someone that would, tell someone.
This year is, by far, better than last year.
I haven’t really been listening to music this month, honestly. When I was driving, I was just enjoying the road. As I do work in the evening, I generally have the quiet that I need and if I’m editing videos, the music gets in the way.
Stay classy folks.
