Status: Now available on Amazon!
Evaline, the unassuming second daughter of a noble house, never imagined her fate would be sealed in the shadows of Eldenspire—a castle as dark and enigmatic as the man who rules it. Betrothed to Rhime Battenborne, a brooding duke with a reputation steeped in mystery and fear, she is thrust into a world where whispered legends come alive, and the walls themselves seem to breathe.
Eldenspire is no mere fortress; it is a living entity pulsing with the echoes of centuries past. Its spire reaches into the heavens, guarding secrets that could unravel kingdoms. Beneath its roof, Rhime and his brothers walk a precarious line between loyalty and rivalry, their family fractured by power, ambition, and tragedy. As Evaline learns to navigate their dangerous world, she finds herself both drawn to and repelled by Rhime—a man as cold as the stone he rules yet harboring a depth that terrifies her.
When the tower begins to hum with unearthly light and the whispers in the shadows grow louder, Evaline must uncover the truth behind Eldenspire’s legacy. To survive, she must resist the castle’s pull—or embrace the darkness that threatens to consume her.
Log
12/3- I started a new project a few days ago. 8,327 words.
12/6- 14,311 words. Already on chapter 4. Had my wife read the first 2 chapters, and she’s excited. Romance is out of my comfort zone, but that is a good thing. It is still a dark fantasy set in my beloved Lucardia.
12/8- 17,632 words. Moving along.
12/31- 29,081 words. Passed the 100-page mark. About a third of the way through this book!
1/3- 47,765. Writing a lot. Spent all day, from 10 to 8 writing. A 10k day is a long day, but man I’m loving this story.
1/7- A weekend of long days writing- 76,925 words. The end of this book is in sight. Unfortunately, there is more story to tell. *Sigh* I see another series forming- a perfect trilogy.
1/10- 87,219. The end is in sight. About 5 more chapters that I’ve already outlined and just need to write. What you can accomplish when you have two weeks off work and temperatures so cold you can do nothing but stay warm inside and write is incredible.
1/12- After three more days of solid writing, the 1st draft is finished at 102,944. It has taken the spot of the fastest book I’ve ever written. I guess it pays to have the lore already written and a clear path from beginning to end. It needs a lot of sculpting, though. Let the long process of editing begin!
2/13—Editing is in its final stages. I am on my last step, eliminating or modifying overused words. Before I began that process, Autocrit was scoring this book at 93.3. I hope to bump that up to 95.
2/17-Book is at 102,287. I have begun querying. Here we go again!
6/22- After four and a half months and 100 queries, I’ve decided to self-publish Duke Rhime of the Spire so I can take a break before querying for Jezelle: Thief of Oaks. Duke Rhime of the Spire is available for preorder and will release on July 29, 2025!
Searching for need
I constantly struggle between being a writer and a bookseller. Really, I just want to write, but why write if no one reads it? So, one necessitates the other. I’m a decent writer. I can at least give myself that credit. It is hard-earned after struggling with self-doubt for years. But I’m not such a…
Duke Rhime’s 10 Laws for Holding Power
The Westerly Kingdom of Lucardia is fractured — a realm of loyalists, opportunists, and a tyrant king. Rhime Battenborne doesn’t wish to conquer the realm with fire and blood alone. He will do it by obeying laws inscribed into his very being. Here are ten quiet, brutal truths that define how Duke Rhime rules Eldenspire…
The Silken Cord: Lysena’s Oath to the Spire
I felt I should give the opening chapter of Duke Rhime of the Spire some extra context and lore, in case you are interested. In the depths of the winter of 674 CLE, when the snows came early and the passes closed before the last herds were brought down from the high country, the banners…
Writing Evaline
Duke Rhime of the Spire is struggling, and I’m not entirely sure why. None of my books explode off the shelves. I’ve always been more of a drip, trickle, stream kind of author — the kind who builds slowly, book by book, with readers who find me in the quiet corners. But this one doesn’t…
Duke Rhime of the Spire is here!
Today, Duke Rhime of the Spire is officially out in the world. I didn’t plan to write this novel. It wasn’t on my release calendar or part of some long-term roadmap. It began as a creative impulse—one that hit me hard during the holiday break when snow covered the ground, coffee flowed endlessly, and I…
