I completed Dusk Gate this past week, with about 99,000 words! It could grow or shrink in editing (usually books grow a little, as I clarify things), but the book is finished and with my Alpha Readers for feedback. Thus far their responses have been favorable, which I take as a good sign!
With that done, I’m going to go ahead and get started on the next book of Lilith’s Shadow, titled Queen’s Journey. I don’t expect to get a whole ton done before I need to do the next stage of editing on Dusk Gate, but we’ll see how it works out in the end! I’m really excited to continue Lilith’s story, and hopefully what’s in my head comes out coherently.
Finally, when my Patrons funded the art of Spark, they also funded artwork of a much older villain of mine as well. I’m pleased to share artwork of Irethiel, illustrated by Crystal Rain!

Ohhhh no wonder ulvian was so enthralled rofl.
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Tho I am a little surprised irethial doesn’t seem to have anything symbolizing her title on her person or background. Wonderful job tho
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I went off the original description of her when Ulvian met Irethial in Spells of Old for the picture, and she never had anything to symbolize it. One of those things that I realized over a year after finishing the series, alas. But I love how the art turned out as a whole!
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Stop me if I overstep. But I think I figured out a way for Sistina to travel outside her domain, a Cutting. That way they can plant the tree parts in certain areas to give you a focus and be able to manifest.
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So, that’s not going to happen (at least, not in any official story). I’ve long-since decided that Sistina being essentially immobile is how it is. No finding ways around it, the ONLY way she could move her domain is to move her tree entirely (which would be difficult, to say the least). For me, the fact she’s so immobile is a defining aspect of who Sistina is.
Not to say your ideas aren’t interesting, they are! I’d thought about the idea and discussed it with my wife back when I was writing the original trilogy, which was when I decided on the limitation.
And just to be clear, part of the reason I chose to not make her mobile is because I’d seen far too many Dungeon Core series where the dungeon ends up being able to move. It’s kind of the antithesis of the idea, at least to me.
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Ah, okay. That makes a great deal of sense. I have only just started reading dungeon core books myself honestly. I’ll be honest, I just hope for more books about sistina and others. I love them all dearly.😂 it doesn’t help I connect to characters in books far easier then people in real life.
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Ugh, it is doing that not posting thing again. So this message is just to get it to post.😤
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It’s perfectly fine! Sometimes software can be… obnoxious. But I don’t blame you for wanting more about Sistina and company! The thing for me is, I’ll write when I have a story that needs to be told. I don’t like feeling like I’m shoehorning in something.
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