Introducing myself as an artist and an author automatically brands me as someone who obviously doesn't understand real world limitations. And in my field(s), the lack of limitations sets me free to do things that are more than just a little silly.

A few months ago, a much-discussed but never-seemed-realistic business prospect took a step toward reality when I took a leap of faith and mailed off a query letter... or query thick envelope.

That's incredibly vague, but the prospective project involves books — maybe a lot of books — and it's something so intriguing and fun for me as an author that I hope the project comes to fruition. I'll be working as much as I can on my end to make it happen.

Until then, I will keep hammering away at the worldbuilding and fantasy depth required to make my Song of Steel series something that fans of Brandon Sanderson, George R. R. Martin, Patrick Rothfuss, and J.R.R. Tolkein can't put down.

I don't have answers to a lot of questions, but I can at least answer this one:

Yes.

Rest assured: Brandon and I talk about it every time we play Magic. The book DOES exist, and it is awesome. In sticking with the new series title formatting established with "Lux," the newest book is called "Hyperia," and it is named in honor of the city/area where much of the action takes place. A little sleuthing may help you narrow down real-world location. And yes, Jax, Paige, Hershel, and Wade will be back, along with many appearances from characters you all know well.

I don't have a timeline. I don't have information on a format. But I know that "Hyperia" will knock your socks off. I can't wait for you all to read it.

Day-to-day updates:

• Currently making: Fine art — check out veiledresin.com
• Currently writing: Rise of Steel, Book 1 of the "Song of Steel" series
• Currently querying: Level Up
• Currently playing: Lies of P
• Currently building: What my beta testers call the "Slay the Spire" Magic cube, and an unnamed digital dice game
• Currently watching: Sunny, on AppleTV — shoutout to my sister, the actual Sunny!
• Currently reading: 1984 on Audible, by George Orwell
• Currently listening to: Whatever the toddlers choose
• Currently annoyed I haven't seen: Deadpool & Wolverine

It's a big day!

At long last, I can reveal the cover for the newest Reckoners novel! Not only that, but you can also check out the first chapter on Brandon Sanderson's website and YouTube channel, and pre-order the book on Audible. It launches July 22nd!

Set in Texas, "Lux" follows the story of a small group of Texas Reckoners — the survivors in many battles against the High Epic Lifeforce. Here's Audible's summary:

When the great red star Calamity appeared in the sky, some believed the end had come. They were right.

Calamity created the Epics: humans with incredible powers they didn't deserve.

They could have saved mankind. They could have lifted us into harmony and prosperity. Instead they burned. They slaughtered. They conquered. And then they ruled.

Jax has learned all of this the hard way. Orphaned at an early age, he's spent most of his childhood training to be a Reckoner - determined to find the Epics' weaknesses, unlock their secrets, and protect those of us who are still left.

But now, the mysterious High Epic Lifeforce has arrived with his flying city, Lux, to plunder what's left of Texas. So Jax and his ragtag team - the few who remain of the once-mighty Texas Reckoners - must take their battle to this floating fortress of riches - and defeat the invincible.

To avenge what has been lost. And rise anew.

It's a frustrating thing to sit on the most exciting news you can imagine for more than a year, but at long last, the world knows:

In August 2019, Brandon Sanderson and I teamed up to begin expanding the Reckoners universe established in his best-selling novels, Steelheart, Firefight, and Calamity, as well as his short story, "Mitosis".

The expanded universe follows, as Brandon himself put it, "a new group of Reckoners in the same universe" as beloved characters like David, Prof, and Mizzy. 

If you're here looking for more information... well, I obviously know more, but I can't give you anything more than Brandon did in his "State of Sanderson" post. Suffice it to say, I'm honored and proud of the forthcoming project, and I hope, beyond hope, that fans of Brandon's writing love it just as much as they've loved the original novels.