What's on the horizon?  Well, here's a list of projects we will work on after our top five goals have been met.  Keep in mind that Drake has also quacked a strong interest in writing another collection of short stories this year, too... so because I'm at the mercy of a headstrong bundle of feathers and flippers... nothing is EVER written in stone until it's published!
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~The Last Strand (a science fiction novel)  This one is a bit challenging because in the five years that it's been in development, Drake has changed his mind about the POV and the Climax... and he has new ideas for technology... so... at this point, we have absolutely no guesses on when it'll be finished.

~American Plague (a four-book political thriller series)  It's possible book one of this series might come out this year... but more likely, in the Spring of next year.  Although Drake has had some really good ideas for this project lately, it's a little complex to write a series (who knew?) so we're working to make sure all the transitions are what's needed for the following three books before publishing the first one.

~The Crimson Key (a swashbuckler fantasy novel)  This one has a synopsis, but not much more than that.  We need to build out the plot outline and work on character maps  before we can even think about the actual writing part.  However, the idea of writing about pirates, and adding his own little twist is exciting to Drake.  If you're curious... a sneak preview is hidden inside our romance novel,

A Tryst of Fate. 

~Hot Cocoa (a collection of anecdotal essays)  It turns out that after writing fiction for so many years, flipping his tail feathers around to write essay is more challenging for Drake than he anticipated.  We don't want it to be a dull read, so we're taking our time with this one.  We're hoping that it turns out to be on the more humorous side, and that takes a bit of time... unless you're Kristoffer Gair!

~Take The Reins (a young adult mystery novel)  This project is one that's been a curiosity for Drake since winter 2023, when a friend posed an interesting question about young people solving mysteries, without the end result sounding too much like an after-school special or an episode of Scooby-Doo (not that there's anything wrong with either of those things).  We have a synopsis and a general idea of the track for this story... but it'll need more developmental time, and a really solid outline before we can even consider when it might see the festival circuit.  And... Drake tells me this one may require travel and research, so there may be a southern horse farm and boarding school in our future.

~The Passionate Plotter Guidebooks (Indie Author guidebook series)  We still have four more to write in this series, and we expect the entire series will be finished by 2027, or before.  Non-fiction is kind of like kelp to Drake.  It's the bill cleanser in between fiction projects.  We've got all the material from over ten years of teaching creative writing workshops... we just need to regurgitate it into a digestible format for writers.

~Chloe Chimpanzee's Clutter (a children's picture book; book three in the Smart Ears Safari Club series)  Right now, this book doesn't have a target date, but we'll keep you posted.  It turns out writing about a chimp with ADHD and selective listening is more difficult than we imagined it would be.

-Sealing Wax: (an epistolary novel). Drake and I have been playing with this idea for a while, but it's not something that's completely taken shape yet.  At this point, it's still just ripples in the pond.  In this genre, the story is told by letters written between characters; usually just two; but you know Drake, he can't make anything simple.  We're not sure yet where this is headed... but Drake LOVES the cover art.  Sometimes, he can be tremendously inspired by a visual hanging about... you never can tell with ducks.

~The Scribe's Apprentice (a historical-fiction novel)  If any of you have tried writing or reading this genre, you know how complex it can be.  So Much Research!  We have what we think is a great synopsis for a retelling of the myth behind the lost Library of Alexandria... But, oh my gosh, the amount of work involved is astounding.  For those of you who brave writing in this genre, you have our deepest respect.  Don't expect this one out into the wilds anytime soon, but know that it's definitely a thing, and it'll happen... eventually.

~ The Trial of Snow White (a fractured fairytale).  This project began as one of Drake's short stories, and since, it has morphed into a full-blown novel; partly because some readers asked for "the rest of it" and partly because a fun idea came to us one night last winter when Drake checked in from New Zeeland.  So, we've got the synopsis, plot outline, character maps, and about 25% of the story written... now we just need to finish it.  It might be released sometime in 2026... we'll see.

So yeah, it's a lot, but Drake and I enjoy writing and the wonderment that comes with storytelling.  We can't imagine doing anything else with our free time... except perhaps reading, drinking cocoa, and sleeping.  As hobbies go, sleeping is a big hit with Drake!