A time for rest

The above is fairly self explanatory however I will just touch base on a few things.

In my last update I mentioned that my maternal grandmother had passed at that stage my grandfather was of ill health but still with us, but we lost him too—a scant four days after my grandmother. He was 92, she was 91 and they had been married for 72 years, losing her broke his heart.

My mother’s parents had always been a contant presence in my life. We lived with them for quite a few years when I was growing up and Grandma had a heavy hand raising my sister and I. Up until she passed she would call me several times a week—sometimes several times a day. Noelie and I had always been thick as theives. I was his shadow when I was younger, trailing him around the farm while he planted trees and herded cows and fixed fences. He always wanted to know how the books were going. Losing them both so close together, even though it wasn’t sudden or unexpected was a heavy blow and January passed in this strange kind of numb blur. There was no writing to speak of and that has continued into February.

So I am taking some time and not forcing it. I have made the decision to push the publication of An Acho of Hope into 2026. I know this is disappointing for some readers given the ending of A Melody of Death, but I have to honour my creative process and I refuse to force myself to write when the words aren’t flowing.

The Devil’s Tangle is still releasing at the end of next month. I am halfway through my pre-publication proofread and I can’t wait to get it out in the world.

That is it for now. I am anticipating that this break will last a little while longer and that regular updates will return around mid year.