Update on Conjuration and Warden #4

As I reported previously, Conjuration (Kid Sensation #9) is currently with my editor. Depending on how soon I get it back and get everything else done, it might be released within a week, although ten days is more likely.  That said, I'll post regular updates here so that my patrons will know the second I hit "Publish."

Next up in the queue is Warden #4 (working title: Roost of the Roc).  That one's been a long time coming, and I'm grateful readers have been patient (more than patient, honestly) for the next book in the series.  Needless to say, it requires a little bit of a mental shift to re-enter that world, so to speak, and pick up where I left off.  That said, I like to think I made said shift without issue and things are progressing well.

One of the tricky things with the Warden series, of course, is figuring out which monsters to include.  There really is a wide range of legendary creatures from all over the world that one could consider, so it's an embarrassment of riches to an extent.  Sometimes, however, I've found it necessary to work backwards. In short, I ask, "What do I want - or need - this fiend to be able to do?" and then I research which monsters fit the necessary criteria.  It's generally kind of fun, and I often come across something where mentally I think, "Okay, I have to use this somehow..."

In addition, there's a completely unexpected issue that arises in this series which I never anticipated when I started writing it: pronunciation. Basically, when you incorporate monsters from all over the world, you have to decide how their names are to be pronounced - especially when there's a variation between the pronunciation in the original language and the pronunciation in English.

For instance, there's a creature in Warden #4 called an "Each-uisge," which comes from Scottish folklore. Apparently, it's supposed to be pronounced "ACH OOSHKA" (which is a far cry from anything I would have guessed).  In ye olden days, I'm not sure authors worried much about pronunciation in cases like this. Now, however, when you're dealing with things like audiobooks, it's incredibly important.  (My narrator, for instance, has no problem reaching out to me to ask how I want something pronounced.)

Long story short, the Warden series is a lot of fun, but it can actually be more work. Regardless, I'm glad readers like the series and want more of it, and I'm happy to oblige.