Eleven years ago, in 2001, I embarked on writing the first chapters of HIDDEN EMPIRE, the start of my 7-volume epic The Saga of Seven Suns. I remember that day, taking my recorder and hiking up the beautiful local trail up to the lower and upper Palmer Lake Reservoirs, writing the initial scenes to introduce readers to the archaeologist Margaret Colicos and her faithful compy DD, Chairman Basil Wenceslas, the Ildiran military leader Adar Kori’nh, the green priest Beneto. 

Today, I wrote the first three chapters in THE DARK BETWEEN THE STARS, the first novel in The Saga of Shadows, which takes twenty years after the end of Seven Suns. For an auspicious beginning, I chose to hike the same trail to the Palmer Lake Reservoirs, where today I introduced readers to the Roamer husband Garrison Reeves and his son Seth, escaping the unsafe lava-mining planet Sheol…and his ruthless wife Elisa Reeves, whose loyalty lies with Roamer industrialist Lee Diswander. And we see Adar Zan’nh again, ready to launch the first major Ildiran exploration ship, which is captained by Nira’s halfbreed son, Tal Gale’nh. It feels so good to get started again!

“He had to run, and he fled with the boy out into the dark spaces between the stars.”

I delivered the proposal for another trilogy, a “next generation” story in the Seven Suns universe, back in spring 2011, and I’ve been rereading the original seven-volume series to re-familiarize myself with the universe (a LOT of details to remember!) Simon & Schuster UK will be the publisher overseas, as before, and Tor will be the publisher in the US.

Now that I’m writing full-speed, I should have a draft ready to deliver to my editors in early 2013.

In the meantime, be sure you don’t miss the prequel story, VEILED ALLIANCES, available in print and in all eBook formats. Check it out!