Five of Swords Complete, Audiobook Progress & A Decade of Unfinished Stories, July 17, 2026

This week: Five of Swords goes to my editor, I proof-listen to The Ravenglass Throne audiobook, and audit more than 15 unfinished novels from the past decade.

This week I finished Five of Swords and sent the manuscript off to my editor, marking another milestone in The Ravenglass Chronicles.

I also completed a proof-listen of The Ravenglass Throne: Parts 5–8 audiobook, and once again Emmy Coates has done an outstanding job bringing the story to life. I can’t wait for listeners to hear it.

One of the more interesting things I did this week was a full audit of all my open writing projects. The results surprised even me: more than 15 novels, around 10 novellas, and several short stories in various stages of completion—including ideas dating back more than a decade.

Some of them still excite me and will definitely get finished. Others have probably had their day. It was a fascinating exercise in taking stock and deciding which stories are still worth telling.

Finished Five of Swords & A Return to the Black Death World | Author Diary, July 10, 2026

This week: I finished the draft of Five of Swords, outlined Six of Swords, and planned a new Black Death apocalyptic thriller set in the UK.

This week I’ve been focused on bringing Five of Swords to the finish line.

The third draft is now complete! Before it heads off to my editor, I’ll do one final read-through to catch any lingering issues and make sure everything hangs together.

Looking ahead, I’ve also finished outlining Six of Swords, so I’m ready to keep the momentum going with The Ravenglass Chronicles.

One unexpected development came from looking through some of my old, unused book covers. That sparked an idea to return to the world of Black Death.

I’ve now outlined a second novel—an apocalyptic thriller set in the UK—and I’m excited by the possibilities.

It’s still early days, but it reminded me how ideas can come from the most unexpected places.