The last month seems to have evaporated. It disappeared into games, books, and the occasional bread making.
Status
The Wizard’s Cat
I finally figured out the problem with the paperback proofs. My own fault for not placing the orders in the right place at the right time. In theory, they’re on the way to me now. I’ll get that edition up as soon as I can. Podium has given me a date of 6/16/26 for the audiobook. You can already pre-order it.
The Wizard’s Next Thing
I don’t know what it’s going to be but I’m going to start something this month. For now, we’ll just call it The Next Thing and see what my brain thinks.
Everybody Else
I keep thinking about Ishmael and Zoya, and I’ll have to dig around in that pile pretty soon, I think. Just to clear the way. Also, the Salt sequel keeps bobbing to the surface occasionally before getting drowned again in the noise.
What Am I Reading?
This month, space opera. Jaxon Reed’s Agents of the Planetary Republic, but I’ve written about Reed’s work before (See also: Star Farmer). I’m in the middle of Robert M. Kerns’s Shepherd Security Services series now and I’m hooked.
The set up is alien abduction, but it goes poorly for the abductors. Already an interesting twist with a few surprises. The main character, Alex, turns out to be something of a chosen one to the interstellar civilization he gets transported to. Worse, he has no idea how to to get home.
He rapidly becomes the hot new bounty hunter in a society that not only condones but encourages the practice. With his Wyoming, six-gun roots and a moral compass welded to true north, he soon gets way more attention than he wants.
Often a little too good to be true, things breaking in his favor – mostly. There’s a lot to process with this first book and the series that follows (2 books still in pre-order status, darn it). I found myself thinking “some of this looks really familiar…” But I also have a hard time putting it down. That’s a good thing.
But don’t take my word for it. Maybe grab a sample and see for yourself.
About the Newsletter
I publish a newsletter every month on the 15th. You don’t need to subscribe to get the mid-month update. You can find them archived on my newsletter’s public page at Kit.
Looking Forward
For the first time in months, I’m feeling rested. Not completely yet, but certainly more relaxed. Getting the Cat off my desk finally will be a turning point. I’ll finally be able to move on to the next thing, even if it’s not something “completely different,” as the saying goes.
I still have a lot of hanging projects. Tanyth Fairport audio, for one. The Salt sequel for another. Those two will need the assistance of others. So far, I’ve not been able to get those things lined up. Moving back to the Deep Dark, I really want to see what those crazy kids are up to, but it’s going to be a while before I’m able to put Shackleford House down. I need to get the story settled enough – or become so fatigued with it – that I can put it aside for a while and do a brain cleanse.
Whatever happens, I’m still here. Still walking (even if a lot of it has been on the treadmill for the last month). Still planning for writing something again soon. Shackleford House next, of course, but after that? Who knows…
But until next month, safe voyage.
Hopefully you will be able (after a breather) to organize your thoughts and decide what the next story will be, and continue writing. We will await it eagerly!
Not that you don’t already have enough to do, but I have a thought for additions to the Ishmael universe. I’d love to see what happens to Sarah Krugg.
I’m afraid her story would be unsatisfying.
So glad you are planning a hard copy of The Wizard’s Cat. I prefer reading hard copies and have most of your books in hard copy. Will definitely be buying a copy when it becomes available. I hope The Next Thing progresses quickly, I really want to see how the Wizard series will progress. A threat to burn the house to the foundation again was a real cliffhanger of an ending.
I’ve just discovered your books. I’ve already read the two Wizard books. They were so good! I appreciated the concise storytelling. I am anxiously awaiting the next book. Do you have a newsletter to which I can subscribe?
I do. The signup is under the menu option at the top of the page labeled “Newsletter”
You can find it here: https://nathanlowell.com/newsletter/
Hi! I just finished Tanyth’s trilogy and the book end notes said to look for more books about her in 2015… I see you’ve been very busy though! I just wanted to drop by and tell you how much I deeply adore Tanyth, Rebecca, and all of the other Korlay inhabitants. The books are so lovely and vibrant. I can’t wait to visit Tanyth in some new adventures. Thank you again!!!
Thanks so much.
How naive I was back then, thinking I’d have all the time in the world to get back to Korlay.
There are threads just hanging there for me to weave together. I just don’t have the cranial capacity at the moment. 😕
Almost every fantasy or science fiction book, that wasn’t specifically written for children or adolescents, I’ve tried to get into dove too deep into explicit waters. The books were well-written, but 3 pages every other chapter describing sexual conquests had me scanning pages, missing information, and having to go back and glean for pertinent information. I have been searching for books to read that had everything I love, and in your books, I have found a renewed interest in reading. Thank you!
I GOT MY PRE ORDER FOR CAT. I AM SO EXCITED!!!!!!!!!
I stumbled across The Wizard’s Butler last week or so and, in my current dearth of finding books worth reading but being held hostage to my couch so I read them anyways, I added it to my Kindle and then ignored it until I couldn’t stand the other book I was trying any more. Then I was captivated.
I felt gleeful upon finding The Wizard’s Cat and, not knowing the history, I thought I’d see if the internet held any clues on a possible sequel. I was first thrilled that I had had such fortuitous timing in finding your books and then as I read your blog back to 2021, quietly respectful of the time and effort you’ve given something that I enjoyed so much.
So here’s my comment to say thank you for the books. I greatly enjoyed them. I liked the humor, character development, and captivating story that did not feel forced at all. I was able to lose myself in your story and that is a great gift.