The Countdown Is UP!!!

Wow, it's starting to feel official. The countdown for the release of The Gift of Redemption is up! Only 26 days to go until Book Two of The Asphodel Cycle.

Book releases are nerve-shattering, finger-gnawing ordeals. Every time you cut one of your babies loose on the world, you sit back and wonder: Is it all right? Will people like it? Hell, will people buy it? What if it's released and it sits there like a clod of dirt, moldering away in the darkest recesses of cyberspace and no one cares?

*shiver*

Of course, my biggest worry is that the people who read Asphodel and loved it won't feel quite the same way about Redemption. I've had a few people who have already read it and they seemed to like it. Hopefully, that trend will continue. I think that Tamsen grows up quite a bit in this book; she spends a lot of time dealing with politics and war and love and hate and gods and mortals. She's not always right and she learns a lot. I want my characters to always learn in my stories--that makes them real and helps them grow.

Of course, Brial learns a lot too--mostly about his wife.

Poor Brial! For some reason, I always end up on Tamsen's side. Sometimes when I write contentious scenes between them, I feel like there's a disapproving Elf standing behind right behind me muttering, "You just had to do that, didn't you Celina?"

Why yes, Brial; as a matter of fact, I did.

He worries too much. He needs to lighten up a bit. Unfortunately for him, Redemption is as much about Brial's growth of character as it is Tamsen's--and in some ways, his path is harder. Naturally, that's all I'm going to tell you about that. You'll have to read the book when it's released.

In twenty six days.

Good Lord.