Hey!
Well my week of vacation writing is over, and it’s a mixed bag. I did get more writing done, but I didn’t finish the book. Also, in not-so-great news, I’ve inflamed my left wrist and arm again.
It’s not all bad though! I spoke with Travis and Book 12 is slotted for around the week of September 22nd. I feel good about finishing the book and giving myself time to do a revision before that date.
I’m a little worried about chapters 82 and 83 as I feel I might have...
2025-08-23 06:26:40 +0000 UTC
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Chapter 84
Ruwen led the party through the twisted canyons of the Kinslick stacks, following Survey's guidance toward the lower archives. The library's oppressive atmosphere pressed against them, its ancient magic woven into every stone. The giant-sized books disappeared as they entered a new area. Pillars the thickness of a city block were spaced evenly as far as he could see. Books, scrolls, and manuscripts covered the columns. The ceiling wasn’t visible, and books circled above the...
2025-08-23 06:25:27 +0000 UTC
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Chapter 83
“The second line,” Numarrow continued, “And starlight bends to mortal schemes. This is more interesting. Starlight bending suggests gravitational lensing or dimensional warping. Mortal schemes implies human—or at least living—intervention.” He stopped pacing abruptly. “Of course. The Observatory.”
“There's an observatory in a library?” Tremine asked.
“Not just any observatory,” Numarrow corrected with condescension. “The Celestia...
2025-08-23 06:24:29 +0000 UTC
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Chapter 82
[Author’s Note: I’m a little worried I overcomplicated this chapter and the next. Hopefully it’s okay but let me know in the comments if I went off the rails. Also, I changed the rules of the Conclave a bit so what you read here is correct and I’ve gone back and fixed the initial directions. Thanks!]
Ink Lord Numarrow’s movements, while precise, seemed off somehow, like a marionette operated by an expert puppeteer.
Numarrow patted his robes, becoming inc...
2025-08-23 06:23:11 +0000 UTC
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Chapter 81
Ruwen stepped back from the circle and watched Hamma work. Golden light poured from her hands as she knelt beside Ink Lord Numarrow's body, her chanting growing more intense with each passing second. The harmonies flowing through her spell contained combinations he'd never encountered before. They reminded him of the ones he’d learned fighting the leprechauns, which meant she almost certainly had tapped into Creation essence.
The spell continued to build in complexity...
2025-08-20 18:32:32 +0000 UTC
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Chapter 80
The body of Ink Lord Numarrow appeared on the floor and Golden light surrounded it immediately. Ruwen returned to his place in the circle as Hamma softly chanted a prayer and power poured from her.
Ruwen studied the spell using Harmony and found aspects he didn’t recognize. Harmonies that looked foreign and different from anything in his experience. Activating Harmonic Knowledge didn’t help.
Hamma’s chanting grew louder and the flows grew even more ...
2025-08-20 18:31:10 +0000 UTC
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Chapter 79
They’d lost their pursuers for the moment, and Ruwen gathered everyone into a tight circle. The area they’d entered consisted of massive stone tablets, kind of like the giant pillar in Rami’s mind. These too had text covering them, but he didn’t bother reading any of them. Rami had probably already absorbed it all anyway.
“Remember Malth?” Ruwen started.
“Which time?” Tremine asked.
Ky slapped Tremine’s shoulder. He attempted to dodge it, w...
2025-08-19 18:55:49 +0000 UTC
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Chapter 78
“Lyra, touch one of those Bookmarks,” Ruwen said and then looked around at everyone else. “I’m going to grab all this loot so we can divide it later. I’d like to avoid the fight that arrives in four minutes. I want to catch up and plan.”
“Very wise,” Tremine said.
Ruwen stepped forward and hugged the old librarian. “I missed you.”
Tremine returned the hug and then turned to Kysandra. “Why don’t you ever greet me like that?”
Ky...
2025-08-19 18:54:42 +0000 UTC
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Chapter 77
The monster emerged from the central shadow, spreading across the chamber floor like a spilled barrel of tar.
It gathered itself, twisting into a slick rope that piled into a light absorbing mound. Scrolls on the right-wall’s stack fluttered toward the creature as if caught in a slow inhale. The table and chair fragments that had survived the previous fight swirled along the ground, circling the monster as if caught in a vortex.
“Ink Blot,” Lyra told Rami.
2025-08-19 18:52:30 +0000 UTC
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Hi!
I don’t have chapters ready for tonight. That sums up how the week went. I took vacation all next week for the sole purpose of writing. It’s basically my last chance to finish the book. So my intent is to release chapters throughout next week since I couldn’t tonight.
This has only happened a few times over the past five years, and I’m sorry it happened this week. Let’s all cross our fingers that next week will be a spectacular writing week.
Thank you for suppo...
2025-08-16 04:49:47 +0000 UTC
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Hey!
This update will be short as it’s already very late here. The biggest items this week included the launch of the boxset audio and the realization that I need to take a week of vacation if I want any hope of finishing this book by the September audio date. So, not this coming week, but the week after, I’m using vacation to give myself that chance.
I opened chapters 71 and 72 for Root.
I opened chapter 73 for Harvester.
I added chapters 74, 75, and 76 for Step M...
2025-08-09 07:48:23 +0000 UTC
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Chapter 76
“Do you even have room in your bags for loot?” Sift asked.
Hamma pointed at Ruwen.
“Of course,” Sift said with a knowing nod. “Our other hoarder.”
“It’s not hoarding,” Ruwen and Hamma said at the same time.
Ruwen turned toward Hamma and they both laughed.
“My bags are full though,” Hamma admitted to Ruwen, “so we’ll need you to carry our treasure.”
“This library is about to get picked clean,” Sift said.
2025-08-09 07:44:50 +0000 UTC
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Chapter 75
Ruwen’s bond with Rami hadn't been severed on his side, it remained intact, reaching across dimensional space like a bridge. Where it should connect to Rami, only empty grey space existed, and it exhibited the telltale distortion patterns of Void energy.
Rami's steps toward transforming into a Void Wyrm had severed their connection and actively repelled any attempts at reconnection. The Void didn't just consume, it isolated, creating barriers to prevent connections of...
2025-08-09 07:43:42 +0000 UTC
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Chapter 74
Ruwen Blinked to Rami, taking a defensive position in front of her.
“Protect the rear,” Ruwen told Lyra without turning. “We just poked the library and I’m not sure how bad things will get.”
The library increased its suppression and Sift dimmed across the chamber as his Soul energy faltered.
Ruwen growled and poured energy into his Mental Domain. The chamber brightened as Sift regained access to his Soul power. Ruwen exerted his Will on th...
2025-08-09 07:42:14 +0000 UTC
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The audio box set is live on Audible. If you know anyone reluctant to try the series, maybe this will push them off the fence. I also placed the KU box set on sale for $0.99 for the next week for the readers.
Thank you to everyone here who supports me and the series. I owe you so much.
Here is that link: https://www.amazon.com/Divine-Apostasy-Boxed-Set-Books/dp/B0FKPNYK2D
2025-08-04 18:52:44 +0000 UTC
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Hey!
Another hard week as work continues to take up my time and energy and I cope with not having as much writing time after losing our summer help. I’m up right now at 2:30 so I can finish a chapter and have something to release. I might need to take some time off from work so I can focus and push hard to finish. Mid-September will arrive in a blink and the book will need to be done for Travis, so there’s no time to waste.
In more positive news, the three-book omnibus launche...
2025-08-02 08:58:44 +0000 UTC
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[Author's Note: I'm not super happy with this chapter, but I need to release it.]
Chapter 73
Ruwen didn’t need to shout “scatter” or any other directions for that matter. While young, he and his friends had spent the last few years fighting for their lives and the addition of deity level reflexes made speaking far too slow anyway. He trusted his friends to do the right thing. Well, maybe not Sift.
Sift leaped forward, his Divine-level Bamboo Viper Step skills allowing ...
2025-08-02 08:57:13 +0000 UTC
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Hi!
I wanted to accomplish two things at the LitRPG conference last week: meet some author friends that I’ve only known over discord for the past six years and meet as many of you as possible. It was a great success.
I didn’t get to spend as much time at the con as I wanted as the two little ones got sick (we flew back to Denver on Thursday). Still, I’m thankful for the time I did have and for all the fans of the series who attended my panels and said hi. It was so great to ...
2025-07-26 07:48:07 +0000 UTC
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Chapter 72
Overlord updated the map with enemy positions along with the best location to fight. Ruwen pushed that information to the group as Survey highlighted the path to the destination Overlord had marked.
The library's suppression pressed against Ruwen’s abilities, reducing the effectiveness of their power. As he followed Survey’s route through the aisles, he experimented with Spirit, Harmony, and Soul power. He considered shifting into his Destruction R...
2025-07-26 07:46:52 +0000 UTC
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Chapter 71
The glitter covering Sift reminded Ruwen of the crushed diamonds they’d gotten after defeating Sparkles so long ago in the Black Pyramid.
Sift turned to Rami. “Who picks red? It’s like begging for a bloody disaster. Red tastes funny too.”
Lylan slapped Sift’s shoulder. “I knew that was you! Stop eating my crayons.”
Hamma stepped away as Rami approached and gave Ruwen a hug. Echo placed her palm over her fist and gave him a small bow. Lylan thre...
2025-07-26 07:45:13 +0000 UTC
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Hi!
Tonight’s chapters are a little early as I’m heading back to the LitRPG convention here in Denver. I had the chance to meet some of you today which was great.
In other great news, it looks like book 12 can be narrated in mid-September which is a huge relief to me.
I was on vacation all week and I didn’t write at all. It was a good break. Thankfully I have enough chapters in the bank to still release 4 tonight. Patreon changed their publishing layout again so I hope...
2025-07-19 03:01:07 +0000 UTC
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Chapter 70
The library's architecture refused to obey normal geometry, with passages that led upward and hallways that curved back on themselves without forming loops. Ruwen followed Survey’s arrow without hesitation or caution, confident that his abilities would warn him of any possible surprises.
Engaging with the Clone, Overlord said. Done. The guards were well armored but not Cultivators. I’ll assume they weren’t trained in unarmed combat since they...
2025-07-19 02:58:17 +0000 UTC
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Chapter 69
Ruwen read the Notification.
Alliance Partner: Lyra Glasach Alor'Lyphe
Known Titles: The Red Librarian, Desert Majesty, Sea Shadow, Eye of the Sun
Status: Abdicated Sovereign of the Southern Desert Kingdoms
Current Roles: Leab'Ayl Ribnor (Red Librarian), Library of Fragments Ink Lord
Alliance Type:...
2025-07-19 02:56:46 +0000 UTC
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Chapter 68
Was this woman an agent of the Zealot? Or could she be something even worse—could she be the Zealot in disguise? The Zealot had already proven he was powerful enough to hide from Ruwen's senses, especially in a place like this where his abilities were suppressed. The previous Zealot had appeared as man, but changing one’s appearance was trivial.
The lightning Mage released his spell, and the woman jerked from the high energy coursing through her body. Her p...
2025-07-19 02:55:11 +0000 UTC
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Chapter 67
Ruwen ran.
The Conclave rules repeated in Ruwen’s thoughts. The other Ink Lords had two excellent reasons to find him and take his emblem. It was worth ten times normal and also acted as the only way to exit this place.
Ruwen had no idea what traditions he’d ignored, and would look through his log later to see if anything was listed there. Why hadn’t the instructions arrived in the normal fashion as a Notification? It wouldn’t have killed the Muses to ment...
2025-07-19 02:53:45 +0000 UTC
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Hi!
I’m spending time with the family next week, and don’t plan on writing much. Thankfully I’ve gotten far enough ahead on chapters that it won’t interrupt the normal Saturday morning release.
Next week is also the LitRPG conference in Denver, CO. I’m on two panels:
Friday, 1:30-2:30 - XP Grind: Balancing Gameplay and Storytelling
Saturday, 4:30-5:30 - This Panel Knows It’s a Panel
All the details are here:
2025-07-12 07:32:14 +0000 UTC
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Divine Apostasy Book 12 - Chapter 66
Chapter 66
Instead of the usual seamless movement between locations, this transition felt like passing through layers of compressed dimensional space. Ruwen appeared in an empty room ten feet square with a single door.
Ruwen summoned his Ink Lord's Wrap of Shadow and sighed in relief when the Scarecrow Aspect disappeared and was replaced by the overlapping scrolls of his Ink Lord armor. If he’d finally made it to this Conclave and could...
2025-07-12 07:31:09 +0000 UTC
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Divine Apostasy Book 12 - Chapter 65
Chapter 65
“Hell’s Bells?” Ruwen asked.
Overlord’s helmet disappeared to reveal a grin and gleaming eyes. “A modified Formation K-1. We got the idea from the fight earlier. I never thought we’d get to try it so quickly.”
The helmet reappeared as Overlord turned back to the fighting and took control of the battlefield.
Sivart leaped into the air and a golden dragon formed under him. Twelve of the six-winged golden...
2025-07-12 07:29:57 +0000 UTC
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Divine Apostasy Book 12 - Chapter 64
Chapter 64
Echo meditated as the racing continued, and Ruwen considered how to handle Ash. The curse he carried seemed related to blood and Ruwen wondered if Hamma’s healing might fix it, or perhaps Lylan’s knowledge of blood magic as she’d been the first to utilize a blood node with the hydra.
Perhaps just as important was the glowing tree on Ash’s palm that marked him as Ruwen’s fifth and last Hand. It meant Uru had marked Ash...
2025-07-12 07:28:42 +0000 UTC
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Hey!
There are still some moving parts around narration so I don’t know yet if Book 12 will be narrated in a couple of months or if it will get pushed to the beginning of 2026. Hopefully I’ll get some clarity around that soon. There is, I guess, a small chance that if I’m locked into the July slot, that I could get book 12 done in time.
I received my schedule for the LitRPG Conference in Denver that starts July 18th. They haven’t released all the info yet so I’ll keep my...
2025-07-05 07:03:35 +0000 UTC
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