What I’m Working On… 

I told you in my last email that Past Mistakes was complete and I’m launching in the first half of 2026. Now we're in 2026. Here’s a tentative schedule and how that breaks down: 

December-January: Beta Readers 

I've recruited beta readers to tear the manuscript apart. Not grammar, but structuring, pacing, character arcs and whether the climax lands. This is where I find out if the 100,000 words I wrote work for others the way I think they do. 

Beta feedback is brutal but effective. Last time I got beta notes was for a short story called “The Emancipation of Shadows”, and it ended up in the bin, with me rewriting the whole thing from scratch. 

February: Revision 

Incorporating beta feedback involves rewriting sections that don’t work, adding missed beats, cutting scenes that don’t work or drag, and balancing sometimes conflicting feedback, most of it right. 

I know some of what will come: One of my bad habits as a writer is that I skip emotional beats because I have a pathalogical aversion to clichés. 

March-April: Cover & Formatting 

Professional cover design that doesn't look like every other urban fantasy cover (no generic woman in a dress holding a glowing object, I promise). Interior formatting so it doesn't look like I published straight from Microsoft Word. 

I’m good for the interior of the book, but I have the artistic skill of a black hole, so I’ll have to outsource the cover design. 

You'll get first look at the cover when it's ready. 

May: ARC Readers 

Advance Review Copies go to 25-30 readers who'll post honest reviews at launch. This is your shot to read it early. More details when we get closer. 

June: Past Mistakes goes live on Amazon 

You get first access, ARC readers post their reviews, I throw a party. 

In the meantime – you get: 

• Character deep-dives (Emily, Raymond, Ahazu, Father Redmond) 
• Free short stories (“Two to Tango”, “Shadows”, “Rare Gifts”) 
• Behind-the-scenes on craft and process 
• First look at the cover 
• First shot at ARC reader slots 

Six months feels like a long time, but the book will be better for it. 

Nick. 

PS. What’s the longest you’ve waited for a sequel or publication? Is my four-year gap the worst you’ve seen?