Season’s Greetings

Season's greetings friends,

As the current year draws to a close, now is often a time of both reflection and planning for me. Looking back at all that has transpired, while charting the course for what comes next.

Over the past year, I’ve done a lot that I am proud of — from the launch of Blades for Hire, to the growth of Quill & Query — but also, a lot more I wish I had accomplished. But I try to look at this author journey as a marathon, not a sprint.

With that said, I do have big plans for 2026. While the year is unlikely to include any novel releases, I do have a long list of short stories I have been working on that I plan to release next year. My preference is to get these published in various magazines and anthologies, although some I am willing to share elsewhere, if they prove difficult to sell. The market for short stories isn’t as big as it used to be, from what I hear, but that will never stop me from writing them.

I also plan to increase my social media presence again, in a slow and sustainable way that won’t distract from my actual writing. More regular blog posts, a return to game streams, occasional writing videos, etc. Keep an eye on my YouTube channel for those last two, as they should be coming in the not-so-distant future.

As discussed in my first blog post of the year, I’ve shifted strategies somewhat to focus on a traditional publishing path, at least for A Night of Knives and some other undisclosed projects, while exploring self-publishing for others. That remains the same, and will for the foreseeable future.

I hope this year has been as kind to you as it has to me, and I look forward to sharing many more stories with you in the coming months. If you enjoyed The Butchers of Blackridge, you have a lot more to look forward to.

Until then, I wish you all a safe and happy holiday season.

~Brandon