I wrote two new stories set in the land of Carsonne, a distant empire mentioned in the Scaleborn novels. First, "Gravediggers of Carsonne" is slated for publication in NEW EDGE SWORD AND SORCERY #3, slated for a Summer '24 release. This tale introduces the intrepid wastrels known as Brugo and Slint, who attempt to rob one of Carsonne's elite cemeteries and get way more than they bargained for.
The second Carsonne tale is "Nobody Kills a Wizard." It's slated for OLD MOON QUARTERLY #8, due out in Summer/Autumn '24. In the City of Graveyards, desperate times make for reluctant assassins, but actually killing a Carsonnian wizard is a losing proposition.
UPDATE 4/14/24: The third Gnori of Old Shard story, "She Drinks Blood," will no longer be appearing in Heroic Fantasy Quarterly. This is mainly due to unwanted editorial interference. I will announce it here when I've found a new home for the story.
IMMACULATE SCOUNDRELS, the first book in the Scaleborn Series, has been out nearly a month now, and several good reviews have been posted. But it still needs more. Polite request to anyone reading the novel: Please leave your own review at the Amazon page. It seems that one can never have enough reviews on Amazon--they are entirely obsessed with book reviews. Which is another way of saying that they only really pay attention to and promote books that have tons of reviews. So leaving a kind review on the site really does help out any and all of your favorite writers.
TIMES NEVER CHANGE, the second Scaleborn book, drops on May 7 (in Paperback and Kindle). Once again, the mighty Brian LeBlanc has outdone himself on the cover art. The Scaleborn books do not have to be read in order of publication, but doing so will clue in a reader to the "bigger picture" of what's going on. It was important to me that these books are able to be read in ANY order, even though there is an intended order to the storytelling. You can "jump in" anywhere you like and explore the strange realms of Yhorom.
My plan is to release the third Scaleborn book, WE LAUGH AT DEATH, by Spring of next year. That gives me about 10 months to write it, and I'm looking forward to diving in.
Brett Stevens did an in-depth interview with me. Check it out at Marooner's Rock.
A big THANK YOU! to everyone who's been reading and/or reviewing IMMACULATE SCOUNDRELS. It feels great to finally get this series rolling. You ain't seen nothin' yet.
Peace & Broadswords,
JRF