OK, not exactly an era. It’s only been four years. But yesterday a put a “the end” on a rough draft of the Dark Elves VI: Awakening manuscript. This is the last book in the planned arc that I began with my first published book, Dark Elves I: Taken.

I have to laugh. That last sentence above makes it sound like I had it planned from the start. I didn’t. If I had, believe me a few things would have happened differently in books 1 and 2. Maybe not those stories but definitely some background details. But that’s water under the bridge. No, I didn’t really have much of an idea where I was going with the series until book 3. Due to certain events that happen in that story–and if you’ve read it, I’m sure you know what I’m referring to–I kind of had to bring things full circle. I believe books 4-6 do that. Through the series, I’ve taken my elves from dark secrecy into more of the light. Not completely day, mind you, but they’re a bit more… exposed shall we say.

Twas a long ride to get here and I certainly got side tracked along the way. But that’s okay. My writing needed to mature some to be able to pull of books five and six at least. My elves got to mature along with me and benefited, I think, by my tangents into urban paranormal (Leashed series) and rockstar yaoi goodness (Heaven Sent). I think I might end up being rather proud of book six, once I get far enough away to forget the hell the characters put me through. Oh, who am I kidding? I’ve still got some polishing to do. I’m not out of the hell of it just yet.

Let’s see, what’s next… I’m going to try to finish a contemporary m/m for a Loose Id submission call. Then I promised to do a sequel to About Something for another MLR Press anthology. Then I’ve signed a contract to do the m/m sequel to One For The Team. After that, I either need to do Leashed 4 or the first book of the Indigo Knights since I’m getting lots of requests for the latter.

Moving right along…