Another year in the books! Though there weren’t many more books from me, unfortunately.
In sports, there’s a term called a “rebuilding year.” It’s when the team is putting together a mix of new players, coaching staff, or implementing changes to help them get to a future championship.
2025 felt like a rebuilding year for my author career too. I mentioned at the end of 2024 that I’d been laying the foundation for a big year. It turned out the foundation I needed was bigger than expected!
That’s easy to sum up in a few words, even if it doesn’t cover the frustration and introspection I went through this year when thinking about my future as it relates to writing fiction. Yet as I write this, Alabama’s Christmas in Dixie playing softly from my laptop, I feel like I’m on the right track.
Expanding my ghostwriting work this year cut into fiction writing time, no doubt. The trade off was it gave me breathing space to practice my craft in a different format, diversify income and make the fiction writing feel less like a chore and more like a reward. Moving forward, I’m still figuring out the relationship between the two but both fill the creative well in different ways.
For someone who prides himself on consistency, it became a challenge to keep up the writing juggling act throughout the year, especially after I began work on Mana Beasts 3 in May. I often say each time I sit down to write a book it feels like I’m doing it for the first time. What I’ve learned so far with this one (which will be my 19th) is that at some point, I just have to start the draft.
Mana Beasts was in need of an in-depth outline for the rest of the series. By the time I got what book 3 looked like, it felt like I had a bunch of puzzle pieces that didn’t quite fit together. The answer for me was to trust the process and start writing. I’ve found most of the knots I couldn’t untangle have untangled themselves, even if it was at the cost of some wasted words.
I’ve always wanted to be a writer who does “clean” first drafts, where there are few revisions needed or words deleted. I’m starting to accept that just isn’t how my process works, and that revelation has actually come as a relief.
Aside from writing, I’ve spent some time thinking about the future of my author brand. Mostly, what IS my author brand? Fast-paced stories with underdogs are a big part, and so is the creature companion trope. In 2026, I plan to spend more time exploring what that means to me and what it means for my readers’ experiences.
Writing Projects
Mana Beasts
The next book in my flagship series has been slow coming out of the harbor, but we’re moving slow and steady onward and upward! If you’ve been following along on Patreon, you’ll know that I’ve been releasing a chapter at a pace of about every ten days. I got about halfway through the rough draft and realized I had a big ole tangle of problems to work out. So, even though the complete first draft of the book isn’t done yet, I’ve started releasing chapters as I go back and revise them. It's a bit of a weird chicken and egg thing.
I started on Mana Beasts 3 in May and it’s been a rollercoaster since then to keep moving the book forward. The past few weeks feel like I’ve captured a consistent groove I can stick with moving forward to finish the book. Right now, I’m looking at a late spring release, in conjunction with Travis Baldree’s availability to record the audiobook (since he’s been so patient with my delays).
Djinn Tamer: Silver League
So. Like Mana Beasts 3, Djinn Tamer: Silver League didn’t happen in 2025. HOWEVER, I can promise you it’s coming in 2026.
Give us proof, you say!
I have in my possession the completed treatment (detailed outline) from AJ. Basically, book 1 is just waiting for me to finish Mana Beasts 3 before I start writing it! In the meantime, AJ is going to work on the treatment for book 2, so we can rock and roll.
A few months ago I was talking to AJ and he pointed out how long it’s taken us to get to this point with Silver League. While our relationship is as strong as it’s ever been, it’s definitely been a frustrating process to tell a story that’s fresh, yet still captures everything people love about the creature taming genre and Bronze League.
My response to him was this: yes, it’s taken a long time, but the story we have now that we’re moving forward with is better than either iteration we came up with at the end of 2024 or in mid-2025. When you, dear reader (finally) get your hands on book 1, I’ve got a feeling you’ll agree.
Gryphon Riders
There’s a Gryphon Riders-related project I’ve had brewing since last year that I’m dying to work on. That said, the last thing I need on my plate is a new series right now. Much like what you’ll read about in the Teutevar Saga section below, I keep recording ideas and snippets on this. We’ll see how the next few years play out. If I can find a place to sneak it in, I absolutely will.
Wolf Song Saga
Katie and I wrapped up Wolf Song Saga this year with the publication of Autumn of Axes. As it stands now, Astrid and Maera’s story is finished. I loved all the characters in the world, and it’s bittersweet to finish a series that you know you probably won’t revisit.
Autumn of Axes and the Wolf Song as a whole marks a wild chapter in my life and in Katie’s (the pandemic, babies, and new houses, to name a few). Earlier this year, I wrote about how the book almost didn’t happen and why in the end I was glad we pulled through. If you’re interested in that tale, you can check it out here.
This series continues to be a bestseller at cons, but isn’t as popular with my existing readers. Nothing wrong with that! I absolutely loved collaborating with Katie on this project. It’s not likely that a fourth book (Wolf Winter) will ever happen, but we are exploring the possibility of a special edition omnibus. Stay tuned on this.
Teutevar Saga
I’ve got an entire notes doc dedicated to ideas and plans I have for the Teutevar Saga reboot someday. All these odds and ends are coming together into a story I’m excited to tell–someday. I’ll keep filing these away until I finish Mana Beasts and at least Djinn Tamer: Silver League (maybe even Gold).
2025 Stats
Books written/revised: 1
Books published: 1
Fiction words written: ~58,000 (and still counting!)
Books read: 17
Favorite book: It’s a tie between The Devils by Joe Abercrombie and the Dungeon Crawler Carl series by Matt Dinniman.
Favorite movie/show: Not a whole lot coming to mind but Skeleton Crew was a fun one!
Favorite game: Hands down, the Realm of Thrones mod for Mount and Blade: Bannerlord.
Roadmap
-
2026 – Mana Beasts #3, Djinn Tamer: Silver League
-
2027 – Mana Beasts #4, Djinn Tamer: Silver League
-
2028 – Mana Beasts #5, Djinn Tamer: Silver League
-
2029 – Mana Beasts #6, TBD
-
2030 – Mana Beasts #7, TBD
-
TBD: Gryphon Riders, Teutevar Saga reboot, Djinn Tamer: Gold League.
Conclusion
Fatherhood has forced me to be more strategic and smart about my time and creative energy. After being lost in the woods, so to speak, while I tried new routines and systems, I’m ready to write the next chapter in my author career.
If you’re reading this, thank you for your continued support! Get ready for the next leg of the adventure.
-DSidd, December 2025
0 comments