What comes next?

One of the hardest questions after finishing a novel is, “what’s next?”

Fortunately, there isn’t a shortage of stories waiting to be told. The real challenge is deciding which one is ready to become a book.

For years, friends and family have heard about the book, a science fantasy world that sparked my love of worldbuilding and convinced me to start writing. That story has been written once already, but after stepping back from it, I realized it isn’t ready for publication. It’s story so personal to me, I’ve long said my life won’t be complete until it’s told, but for now, it’s not the book.

There’s also the possibility of a Grovekeeper sequel. I’ve laid plenty of groundwork for one, but I’d like to see how readers connect with the first book before deciding where that story goes next.

Another contender is a post-apocalyptic duology, currently nicknamed The Heavens, centered on the restoration of a fallen humanity. The world is taking shape, and it’s one of my favorite stories to daydream about, but I’ve found stories tend to come together best when the world is more firmly established first.

That leaves one final project.

Set roughly seventy-five years after Grovekeeper, The Races of Amnio expands the world in a much bigger way. Mammals, Reptiles, Avarians, and Insects are all drawn into a conflict that has each of their societies fighting for control.

This is the story that feels right.

The manuscript is already about 10,000 words in, and it’s been an absolute joy to write. The world is established, the characters are ready, and this is a conflict I’ve wanted to tell for nearly a decade.

The goal is ambitious: finish the first draft in under a year.

We’ll see if I can pull it off.