The Road Ahead: Plans for 2025
Another year is behind us. 2024 brought a lot of events, including in my little share of the author realm. I published two books: Betrayed, and Troubled Tides. But a lot went on behind the scenes as well, and some of it is carrying over into 2025.
I’ll be honest, the year ahead looks busy. But also very exciting! I sat down the other day with a calendar and a prayer to map out my schedule for the year. This is a first for me. I don’t usually plan so far ahead, but I love feeling so organized. So many plans and goals are in the works.
The biggest goal is that I plan to publish three books in 2025. If you had asked me if this was the plan a year ago, or even six months ago, I would have said no. I planned on two, but the third sort of sneaked up on me. I had no idea what Entwined would become.
It started as a short story. I’d planned to create a collection of shorts based in the world of Exterrah (from The Door of Exterrah series) to be released as a single volume. I started with Entwined, and my plans derailed. What was supposed to be a simple short story showing how Aven’s—one of the main characters in Betrayed, the first book in the series—parents met grew into a full-length novella. I spent months working on what I thought would only take a short time to write. That just goes to show how our plans can change without notice. But maybe that’s a good thing.
If I’m honest, I’m happy my plan fell apart. I thank the Lord for it, because Entwined is so much more than I had originally envisioned. The themes and characters could never have shined so brightly in a shorter story.
So now, Entwined is set to release on March 4th. I’m so excited for this book to meet the world! Packed with action, sweet moments, and themes of accepting who God created us to be and trusting him, Entwined feels… different, somehow. Maybe because this is my first real step into romantasy. Entwined is a full story, including a happily ever after (until the next book. Mwahaha!).
But what about Betrayed? Betrayed is a romantasy, but it’s more of the enemies part of enemies-to-lovers. The main characters won’t become more than friends until the sequel. Speaking of which…
Deceived is the second book I have scheduled to release this year. The sequel to Betrayed, Deceived picks up where the first book ends with very little time passing in between. We’re in the world of Exterrah the entire time in Deceived. The shifters are stepping up their plans, forcing the elves to go to extreme measures to protect their kingdom—even reforming old alliances with their sworn enemies from the north. Dwarves.
But! I don’t want to give away too much too soon. I will say, however, that Deceived expands the world of Exterrah, reveals ancient secrets (read: has exciting plot twists), and involves a lot of character growth. There is also a growing friendship between our ex-enemies, Aven and Maddie…
Deceived is scheduled for release this summer.
The third book of 2025 is Secrets and Shadows, book six in Rise of the Warriors. The warriors are in over their heads after a shipwreck lands them in a foreign kingdom. A kingdom that is somehow connected to Lucas’ past. A past that may prove perilous as old enemies return for revenge.
Secrets and Shadows also sees the return of not-so-old enemies, Dark Shadow and Oscar—an assassin and bounty hunter duo who may finally reach their goal of stopping the warriors… forever. Yet, again, I’m going to stop talking before I give away a spoiler for the book.
Releasing this fall, Secrets and Shadows is perhaps the most exciting book in the series thus far. Rise of the Warriors will have seven books with an overarching plot spanning the entire series. Being book six, Secrets and Shadows is sort of the final stretch before the series finale in book seven.
Book six… of seven. The series is almost finished! That feels bittersweet. I’ve spent much of the last decade of my life with the warriors. And now their story is finally inching toward a close. It feels like getting ready to say goodbye to old friends. But there is also a sweetness to this. A journey drawing to a close, knowing I accomplished something. Prophecy Awakens, the first book in the series, was the first fantasy I wrote and the first book I published. This series will always be close to my heart. But here I am, reminiscing when the series isn’t over yet! Hey, ya’ll asked for more behind the scenes of writing posts. This is part of that. Authors are sentimental.
So those are the books I plan to release this year. I don’t want to share the actual release dates for Deceived or Secrets and Shadows just yet, because anything can change.
I have other goals for the year other than publishing books. I also hope to work on some WIPs (works in progress) that I started in 2024.
One of these is the third book in The Door of Exterrah. It doesn’t have a title yet, but it will continue the adventure through Exterrah as the humans and elves get into even more trouble. That’s all I can say. Anything else would either not make sense or give away too much about Deceived.
I also hope to start writing the seventh and final book in Rise of the Warriors.
No! I’m not going to get sentimental again! I refuse!
Anyway, the seventh book is the grand finale of it all. We will finally see where the journey has been leading all along. I can’t say much about this one because I haven’t even started outlining it yet. But I can tell you I’m excited! I’ve waited years to write this last book and am both eager and afraid to dive in. I’m eager to return to Artasia and hang out with the warriors in a new story. But I’m also afraid to go back. The last three years have been spent rewriting and editing the warriors’ stories. I haven’t really written anything in their world in so long! I just pray I can do it and give the series the close it needs. Series with bad endings are a pet peeve of mine, so I’m determined to end the warriors’ journey well!
The third WIP I hope to work on is something I haven’t talked much about. I still don’t want to say too much… partially because I’m still discovering the story myself. I haven’t even finished the first draft yet. There are a lot of things coming together that I didn’t expect, with new ideas bursting onto the scene. So you see why I can’t talk about the story much. I don’t even know it yet! But that’s what a first draft is for: discovering the story.
What I can tell you about this WIP for now is that it is about elves (but is completely unrelated to Exterrah), involves a looming war, intrigue, betrayal, drama, and…
This is the big one: the story is pro-life.
I don’t know all the turns it will take yet, but the story dives into pro-life themes. Yes, there is an unplanned pregnancy. No, there will be no open door scenes. Yes, the main characters struggle with the idea of abortion. No, it’s not going to be preachy or shallow. That’s one reason I want to take my time with this story. I want to get it right. There is a lot that goes into this theme, and I’m going in with lots of prayer. I’d appreciate your prayers, too!
Another goal I have isn’t writing but is related to books. I’ve been working on it for almost a year now, and it’s nearly ready. But I don’t want to reveal it yet. Call it a secret project. Here’s a hint, it is something many authors have and most readers enjoy.
Other goals for the year are blogging regularly… which is why we’re here. Hi! I’m already attempting to crush this goal. But I, hopefully, won’t be alone on the blog.
For a long time, I’ve wanted to open up the blog to other authors of Christian and clean fantasy. I may, on occasion, feature authors who write in other genres, but fantasy is the main thing around here. My goal is to feature an author each month. Will I be able to do it? I don’t know yet, but I intend to try.
That’s the thing. All we can do is try. We make goals. We plan. We strive to accomplish what we set out to do. But things don’t always go as planned. Sometimes, that’s a good thing… like in the case of Entwined.
Sometimes, even our best intentions when setting goals don’t get us where we need to be. But there is something that does: following God’s lead.
God knows the path he wants us to walk, the destination he’s leading us toward, and all the ups, downs, and pauses along the way. As the Word says:
“And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” (Romans 8:28, NIV)
So I’m going to make plans and try to reach them. But I also want to listen to God and follow where he leads. He knows best. I also know that, even if I fail in my goals, he can still work it all for good. So whether I reach these goals, fail, or get redirected by God, I know it will all work out in the end.
“Many are the plans in a person’s heart, but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails.” (Proverbs 19:21)
So let’s step into 2025 with plans and a prayer. We may not know where this year will go or what it will bring, but we can walk into it with hope. My plans are books, writing, and a secret project. We’ll see what happens!
Do you have any goals for 2025? Share them in the comments, and let’s lift each other up in prayer. Here’s to a new year!