Hello again!
There's news to share at RainHand Books, and it's about time I got around to sharing it. For current events, I'll start with the latest from Parallel Universe Publications, with whom I'm excited to be a three-peat contributor! The Swords & Sorceries: Tales of Heroic Fantasy series is showing no signs of slowing down with the release of volume 9, and though I have enjoyed (and intend to continue) the adventures of Dracht Kar, mighty-thewed and only somewhat deceased Hierarch Warrioress of the Central Tribes (also known as Gor Malin: The Blood of Ten Thousand to her enemies), I was pleased to be given an opportunity to explore a different side of the Sword & Sorcery genre this time around with my latest piece, "The Left Eye of Phun Margat". Our heroine this time around is mighty in no way save for her resolve, and her sightlessness from birth only serves to complicate matters in a land ravaged by the phalanxes of the Great Phun. Left initially with no way to defend herself from the machinations of her usurper, Lannit is forced to play the role of an unwilling pawn in a deadly game of conquest, whilst enduring hardship for a chance to make her move. I truly had an excellent time with it, and am humbled to have been included beside some of the biggest names in the genre today (all of whom would be grateful for your readership and reviews). Links to every volume in the series are embedded above, and you can check out the official Facebook group for the series here. For more information on my individual contributions, I humbly direct you to the 'Publications' tab above.
The other edge of the blade takes us back to a more contemporary setting, with The Cellar Door series by Dark Peninsula Press. This series is scheduled to be concluded with its next and final release, Phantom Worlds, but I had a great time with "Purgatory's Paradise", my contribution to volume 3, and "Thirty Seconds", in volume 4. The sequel to "Eight Glasses", the grim sojourn of a woman known only as ‘Terry’ through an apocalypse of genocidal rain (aptly titled "Eight Glasses More"), remains a complete and polished manuscript. The original plan was to release it as part of a separate, self-contained anthology of stories in the Eight Glasses world (led into by a reprint of the first story, which was originally published in Negative Space 2: A Return to Survival Horror), but the project has been put on hold from its planned summer 2025 release by the publisher due to unrelated complications. The rights have since reverted to me, and though I feel these stories have a good home with Dark Peninsula, the project is, at the moment, in 'free agent' status, with the potential for negotiation. More information is available in the 'Upcoming Projects' section of the 'Publications' tab.
SPEAKING of upcoming projects, 2025 is shaping up to be the most exciting year yet for RainHand Books (I'm certainly excited about it)! It starts way back when, in the early days of 2012 when this site was brand new. My goal at the time was to write more than just an isekai-styled fantasy novel (though this term wasn't in wide use back then)--I wanted to create an immersive world, with its own beliefs, traditions, colorful characters, diverse species, and rich history. I furthermore endeavored to look under a different rock, avoiding the commonalities of things like elves, dwarves, orcs, and dragons. The result was The Goldenwealth Light, first book of the Traveler of Ord Saga, followed closely by book two, Everywhere the Road Ends, in 2014. With zero feathers in my cap I picked my way through the self-publishing industry to make these books happen--they remain close to my heart, and though they attracted their own kind of cult following through reviews and reader response, I think it's about time they got their due. Thus I am planning a remastering of this series, with new cover illustratons, updated text, and if I can manage it (I know some of you wanted this so badly the first time around)--printed maps of the World of Ord! Further, though book two did not end on a cliffhanger, I had always intended there to at least be a book three, if not a four and even a five (that's honestly why our hero, Theodore Ellsworth, takes several chapters to become a part of the World of Ord--the story was intended to go on longer and thus benefit from a longer introduction). So here's to making things new all over again, with more to come! P’ith Atlaria Kalar!
There's one last house at the end of this street, and there's nothing least about it. As previously mentioned in the Publications section, I can't express my excitement to see how Enoot, Enchanted has progressed! Enoot's story comes in the form of a children's picture book fairy-tale, as the titular Enoot Cabbage, a loppy misfit harlequin on a quest to find his place, inadvertently becomes the first young hopper to ever interact with humans. A charitable project backed by the support of The House Rabbit Network (New England's largest rabbit education, adoption, and rescue organization), Enoot's tale (tail?) has bunnies aplenty and lessons to teach. With the artistic talents of Jessie Greenhalgh now onboard, the project is in illustration and formatting status, with a projected release date of Summer 2025! Check out some sample sketches below!
Did I say I was excited? I'm excited, and I can't wait to get down to business. Don't forget that facebook link over there if you'd like to say hello!
