New Novels, New Stories

Cover art and design by Dan Sauer

Time for my yearly entry into the BlogOSphere. I usually don't blog at all unless I have some cool things to announce--and the time has come to shout about my latest offerings.

First up, my "big weird fantasy" novel A FEW ODD SOULS will be released by Jackanapes Press in October. Dan Sauer has done a fantastic job on the cover illo & design. He also did the visuals on my DARKER THAN WEIRD collection (also from Jackanapes Press), which contains the first three Urbille short stories. Those three stories inspired me to write a whole novel set in the Urbille universe (or universes, to be more accurate).

SOULS takes place across several dying, broken, and haunted realities connected by an ancient stone road. There is an assemblage of protagonists spanning human, neo-human and clockwork humans, and there are also aliens, vampires, mummies, goblins, and many other strange beings. At its heart, A FEW ODD SOULS is a weird odyssey about love, family, and tyranny. You can pre-order it right now at its Jackanapes Press page--and it will be on Amazon in both paperback and Kindle soon.

Cover art by Brian LeBlanc

I'm currently finishing up work on MAGNIFICENT EXILES, the fourth novel in the Scaleborn Series. I fully expect there will be at least one more volume in this series...perhaps even more if the stars are right. EXILES takes place some 20 years after the events of WE LAUGH AT DEATH. Vaad Yaro has been living in exile for two decades and pursuing a plan that he hopes will bring the Masters of Yhorom to their knees. In order to make that dream a reality, he leads an expedition into the frozen icelands at the top of the world, seeking an ancient secret that could reset the balance of power forever. Chai Suun also returns for this book, along with a few other protagonists that I will keep secret for now. This one is a real game-changer for the series. If all goes as planned, the book should be released in Jan/Feb of 2026.

Artwork by Raoul Vitale

In the realm of short stories, I have a new Tale of Carsonne entitled "Down and Out in the City of Graveyards" slated to appear in OLD MOON QUARTERLY #9, which is set for a Jan/Feb release. A former soldier who's down on his luck finds employment in a wizard's game of bare-knuckle gladiators. But, as everyone in Carsonne knows, you can never fully trust a wizard--even the ones who are still alive. This will be my second appearance in OLD MOON--in two consecutive issues--and I'm positively thrilled about it.

I've also got a second new Carsonne story called "Six Bottles of Eternity" appearing in NEW EDGE SWORD & SORCERY magazine, but the issue won't be out anytime soon--it's set for a late 2026 release. NES&S may publish infrequently, but it's always worth the wait. This tale features Brugo, the beleaguered hero of two previous Carsonne tales. More on "Six Bottles" when it gets closer to publication.

I wrote a swashbuckling novella set in the world of H.P. Lovecraft's Dreamlands for a new PS Publishing anthology called LOVECRAFT'S DARK DREAMLANDS, edited by the great Darrell Schweitzer. Darrell has included my stories in many of his Lovecraftian anthologies over the years, but I've never been more excited than this one because the Dreamlands tales are my favorite stories in HPL's entire body of work.

Artwork by Michael Whelan

My contribution is called "The Exodus of Sammon Hardbough." At over 20,000 words, it is the longest non-novel story I've written in quite some time. However, it moves at a fast clip, delivering a lot of action and adventure in a wonderfully phantasmagorial setting. I've always wanted to write a tale set in the world of HPL's "The Dream-Quest of Unknown Kadath," and this was the perfect opportunity to do it. I had a blast, and I'm very pleased with the result. I can't wait to see what my fellow contributors have dreamed up for this book. (Pun intended.) I don't have a release date for it yet, but I believe it will be a 2026 publication.

Artwork by Barry Windsor-Smith

I also have a hard-hitting new story of Gnori the Bold, but it's still looking for a home. The nature of Gnori's tales--purely heroic sword-and-sorcery without restraint--means they're not suited for most mainstream publications. However, Gnori is too stubborn (and invulnerable) to die, so his literary legacy also refuses to perish. Eventually, there will enough tales of Gnori the Hammerfist to collect in a single volume. I am in no rush to complete that volume, as Gnori's saga tends to grow at its own pace without deadlines, goals, or editorial limitations. When this latest Gnori story does find a home, you can bet I'll be shouting about it. Until then, please pick up A FEW ODD SOULS in October and MAGNIFICENT EXILES early next year. Thanks for reading!

Peace & Broadswords,

John