The year in the review... and the year ahead.

Hi everyone,

I'd like to reflect a little about the year that was... and talk about the year ahead (spoiler: I have some Requiem news!).

But first, I want to thank you, my readers. You kept reading in 2013, allowing me to keep the gas on, the heat pumping, and the water flowing as I sat here every day, writing more books. THANK YOU.

A few big things happened in 2013.

The year began with the release of A Night of Dragon Wings, the third Dragonlore novel. This is still the longest, most complex novel set in Requiem. I wrote the Dragonlore trilogy during a crazy time in my life. Many chapters were written in trains, plains, and yes -- automobiles (really... automobiles too. Don't ask.) While writing Dragonlore, I was often traveling, I left my old job, I landed in the ER at one point, and went through a bunch of big life changes. When you see all the nutty stuff in Dragonlore (those crazy nephilim...) that probably reflects the craziness my life was going through while writing these books. Hopefully that at least resulted in an interesting read. ;)

But the CRAZIEST thing with the Dragonlore trilogy happened in the summer. All three Dragonlore novels hit the Amazon Top 100 bestsellers list. A Dawn of Dragonfire (the first book) even cracked the Top 20, hitting #18 in the Kindle store. This resulted in a very nice offer from Random House, which bought the books for publication in Germany. I never imagined so many eyeballs would see these books. It was scary, exciting, fun, and terrifying, and you--the readers--made it possible. You made me very happy but also almost gave me a heart attack! ;)

Soon after the third Dragonlore trilogy was released, I sat down and wrote The Dragon War, the third trilogy set in Requiem. The Dragon War is probably my favorite of the dragon trilogies. I think this trilogy -- telling the story of a civil war in Requiem -- is my best writing in this world. I'm glad that you chose to keep exploring Requiem with this new series.

In late 2013, after nine novels set in Requiem, it was time for something new. After years of planning and imagining it, I finally sat down and wrote Moth.

I think that, among all my books, Moth might be my favorite. Moth is about a world torn in two--one half always in sunlight, the other always dark. It explores themes that are important to me: the dangers of blind faith, the conflict between east and west, and the heroism found not only in warriors but in those who strive to stop war. Moth is different from the Requiem books. It's slower, focusing more on world building and exploration than action (though of course there's plenty of action too). I'm proud of it and hope you enjoy this series too. Amazingly, Moth did what Dragonlore achieved in the summer, hitting Amazon's Top 100 bestsellers list -- something I never imagined I'd be able to repeat. Empires of Moth, the sequel, was just released two weeks ago. I can't wait to hear what you all think about it.

That's 2013. Crazy year. What's planned for 2014?

Well, in a couple months, I plan to release Secrets of Moth, the third Moth book. That will conclude one story arc set in this world. If you like that one, I'd love to someday write even more Moth books. I have a bunch of ideas for a fourth, fifth, and even sixth book set in this world.

In 2014, we'll also have... * drumroll * a NEW REQUIEM BOOK!

Requiem's Song will kick-start a brand new trilogy (titled Dawn of Dragons). This time around, we'll get to see Requiem's ancient history. The book will be set thousands of years before the events in Song of Dragons. We'll see the Vir Requis before they had a kingdom of their own, when they were outcast and misunderstood and wandering the wilderness. The new trilogy will be set in a world just leaving the stone age, a place of wide open spaces, herds of mammoths (yes, mammoths!), roaming tribes of hunter-gatherers, and the rise of the world's first dragons.

I hope you keep reading in 2014. These books are a long and winding road of exploration and discovery. Thank you for walking this road with me. Every time you buy a book, review a book, talk about the books online, or simply hang around my Facebook page, you help create these stories.

Happy Holidays, everyone. Find the sky and be the night. ;)

Daniel
December 23, 2013