There is a specific kind of quiet that settles over my office once a manuscript is “done.” It’s not a peaceful quiet—it’s more like the hum of a server room. You know the work is out there, moving through the pipes of the publishing world, but all you can do is wait for the postman to drop that first physical proof copy at your door.
Right now, I’m in that holding pattern for two very different projects: The Last Dance Between Us and Lukas’s Fieldbook of Witches.
The Reveal vs. The Secret
Over the next couple of weeks, I’m going to start pulling back the curtain on The Last Dance Between Us. We’ll be revealing the character profiles, the charcoal sketches, and the faces of the people you’ll be meeting in that world.
However, we’re playing things a bit closer to the chest with Lukas’s Fieldbook of Witches. I’m holding back the deep dives on that one for a reason: we’re launching a dedicated Patreon for it. That space will be the official home for each witch’s story, where we can go into the forensic and biological details of their “craft” in a way a standard post just can’t cover.
“Donkeys on a Pogo Stick…”
I’m not very good at sitting still while I wait for proofs. To keep the gears turning, I’ve started a brand-new project with a slightly different flavor. It’s titled “Is It You?”
In this one, you aren’t just the reader—you are the main character, Jim Greyson. And Jim is having a very, very bad morning.
Here’s a sneak peek at Chapter One:
Donkeys on a pogo stick… My head hurts. And why do my hands feel so heavy and sluggish? Something isn’t right. There is blood on my fingers. Was it there before or after I touched my head? Where the hell am I? Why is everything so bright?
The room looks a little familiar. I think I might live here. Most of the stuff here is brown-colored, like I had seen a renovation show from the 80’s and just made all my designer decisions based on their color choice of pants. Oddly, everything kind of feels baggy as well, probably like those pants did.
As Jim shakes off the 80s-decor-induced vertigo, he’s going to realize there is a dead body in his lounge. And this is where things get interesting.
Choose Your Own Disaster
Is It You? is a multiple-ending book. Every decision Jim makes—or rather, every decision you make—will branch the story. To make that experience as seamless as possible, I’m developing a dedicated app to launch alongside the book. You’ll be able to navigate the choices online, tracking your path through the mystery in real-time.
It’s a bit of a departure from my usual process, but the challenge of mapping out all those “What if?” scenarios has been a blast.
Stay tuned for those character reveals from The Last Dance, and keep an eye out for the Patreon launch details. It’s going to be a busy month in the Forge.
Till next time!
Celeste Yates
Fireborn Press 