(mirrored from my Buttondown newsletter)
2025 in reflection
2025 has been a challenging year. My personal life has been relatively quiet, and for that I am grateful. For me, this autumn has been really packed and borderline overwhelming (nothing life threatening that I know of, just a lot of smallish things piling up and propagating). I’m still juggling multiple balls.
Therefore, in this newsletter I am not going to include a pithy essay about the political situation the USA (where I live) except to say that I find it both dire and hopeful; dire in the sense of the illegal and destructive actions taken by the current administration and yet hopeful because I see so much solidarity and community arising at the local level. Instead, I am going to keep this focused on my work specifically, because if I try to write about more than that, then this year’s end newsletter will never get written, and I desperately need to check it off my to-do list and get back to the writing-fiction work that is the sole reason this newsletter exists.
What have I done in 2025?
First, the Witch Roads fantasy duology (THE WITCH ROADS and THE NAMELESS LAND) was published in June and November this year, respectively; that’s my big publication for the year, and I’m pleased to see them both available because they really are one story in two volumes. They should be available just about anywhere, in print, ebook, and audiobook (the audiobook for THE NAMELESS LAND arrives in Feb. 2026). Right now the books are in hardcover (print) with trade paperback versions coming in 2026.
As well, you can read my novelette “Barnacle” at Reactor Magazine, a near/medium future story about an older medic struggling to help her community survive behind the company wall. Just click through: it’s free! There is also a tordotcom edition you can buy in ebook form, if you so choose
That’s all very well, you may say, because you know that these works will have been written prior to 2025.
But what did you actually get done in 2025?!?
Glad you asked!
First of all, I wrote the entirety of THE FLOWER COURT, a Witch Roads universe novel. It’s a hefty novel although when I started it I was absolutely sure I could bring it in at a brisk 100,000 words. Ha ha, no, but it did squeak in as a chonky standalone, and is currently scheduled for publication in January 2027.
What is it, you may ask? I have an answer!
“A clever scribe infiltrates the imperial consort quarters to find a missing noblewoman, only to be forced to work with the Dowager Consort’s loveliest & most condescending servant.”
The story takes place in the imperial consort quarters, a few months after the end of THE NAMELESS LAND. It features a different pair of main characters with their own story, while also carrying onward some aspects of a larger ongoing plot. Yes, this book takes place in the palace. I thought the story was going to be delicious fantasy of manners with combative and witty banter, but actually, while it has a fair bit of that, it is also one of the grimmest things I have ever written. Enjoy.
I have also written (so far) about 50,000 words of WHEN THE WOLVES COME, another Witch Roads universe novel. This standalone features yet a different set of main characters and takes place on the eastern frontier in a story that opens a few months after the end of THE FLOWER COURT. While the TFC wrote fairly smoothly, WTWC is more of a wrestle-with-me novel as I have had to shift my expectations as I’ve been writing. The main plot element remains, as do the main characters, but a lot of plot ground, the aesthetic, and the dynamic has refused to stick with my original plan. If there’s anything I’ve learned over the years, it’s to listen to what is kicking me in the head and not force but rather adapt.
On my Patreon in 2025, I wrote the first two “parts” of dragonsea, my “seat of the pants write and world build as I go” project, in which I poke at some ideas and characters in a vaguely Miyazaki-inspired world (I am not Miyazaki, to be clear, but I “see” this story in that anime style), and discover where they lead me. This is about as raw a glimpse as one can get into my weird creative process. The story follows two sisters displaced by a natural (magical) disaster and how they and their community are coping.
What are my plans for 2026?
In 2026, I’ll continue work on WHEN THE WOLVES COME and then pivot directly to finishing LADY CHAOS (which is about half done). No timelines for these, sorry. I’m working hard; that’s all I can offer.
I also hope (on my Patreon) to write two more parts of dragonsea. Each part so far is running in 12 chapters, at about 44,000 words. I have a general idea of what comes next, but things will certainly show up that I didn’t expect, as they have been doing consistently (a routine part of my weird creative process). For example, part three is going to have an unexpected and unusual POV and I’m excited to see what comes of it. It might turn out to be unworkable; but maybe it will be cool.
What publications are coming in 2026?
“Seedbank,” a science fiction novelette in an MIT Press anthology with a theme of “the ephemeral and the eternal” that I can’t find any information about online to link you to. I don’t even have a publication date, but I’m guessing in autumn 2026. My story deals with, among other things, a generation ship, and archives. FYI, it takes place in the same universe as the Sun books, although thousands of years earlier than the Sun books. It’s not a prequel, as it reflects a completely separate story idea I had that I realized I could fit into the Sun universe. The story works entirely alone, but it does shed light on one of the cultural elements and an aspect of the pre-history (as it were) in the Sun books. Readers may find that of interest.
I will again attempt to finish the non-fiction craft-of-writing “The Revisions Process” chapbook (put together from posts on Patreon) and self publish it. I meant to do this in 2025 but I stalled out due to not enough time and energy.
Also coming in 2026: the audiobook of THE NAMELESS LAND in Feb 2026 with fabulous voice actor Ella Lynch, and the trade paperback editions of both THE WITCH ROADS and THE NAMELESS LAND.
THE FLOWER COURT doesn’t arrive until January 2027, so no new novel in 2026, alas, sad weeping. But on the other hand, it’s in the pipeline and moving toward publication. That’s good news, and we need all the good news we can get these days.
I can’t thank you all enough for reading this newsletter and your support of my writing.
Finn sends happy new year’s greetings. In fact, he is galloping to greet the new year in hopes of a better world. It is possible!
As always, thank you. I could not do this without you.
I recently read Cold Magic, which I liked a lot. I was surprised when I realized you had also written the completely different Unconquerable Sun, which I LOVED. I went back and reread Unconquerable Sun (which I loved again) before downloading the audio version of Furious Heaven. I am about halfway through and not sure if I want to continue. My favorite character in Unconquerable Sun was Persephone Lee, who was far more nuanced than Sun. In Furious Heaven, Persephone comes across as a lobotomized fool whose only purpose is to create disasters for the other characters to save the day. I find myself hoping you kill off my favorite character to put her out of her misery. I just got to the point where Makinde out of the blue accuses Persephone of searching Phene ships for porn. How does that advance the story? Seriously, the main point of this book comes across as assassinating the character of Persephone Lee, rather than empire building or Sun’s development. If you haven’t already, please kill Persephone in the first page of Lady Choas.
I love your writing, but as you can tell this aspect of the story really bothers me.
Sorry. I missed the typo in Lady Chaos but can’t figure out how to edit even if that is possible.
* Chaos
Mike,
Thanks for speaking up.
Because this trilogy is specifically based on the life of Alexander the Great, I approached it less as “a novel” (although it is a novel) and more as “what are people saying about this history shaking figure and her exploits, and why?”
IMO (as the writer) it’s important to note that the books are written in third person (she/he did this, from an outside narrative point of view; for example, Arrian writing about Alexander the Great)——except for Persephone. This means that Persephone is narrating her own story, as opposed to having it told by an (unnamed) third party, as it were.
With Persephone, always, and particularly with FURIOUS HEAVEN, it’s useful to ask why Persephone is presenting her story in this way. For one thing, it makes her look rather harmless and even like a bit of a clown to anyone “reading” her account. Is that who she really is, or is it in her interest to look that way to the ambitious and often quite ruthless people around her who have some advantages she lacks? As well, her situation grows increasingly complicated in the second half of the book (I’m not sure quite where you are, but her deep past comes back to slam her in the face.)
All that said, not every book or character or shift of perspective, etc, will work for every reader. I very much appreciate your kind words about my writing, and while I can’t promise you’ll like the rest of FURIOUS HEAVEN (I think there are some dramatic twists coming), I am grateful that you are reading my work, even if not every aspect of it works for you. Be sure, however, that I have reasons for what I’m doing because I am always playing the long game.
All best wishes,
Kate
Thank you for your response. I am going to push through. On the up side, I have rarely found myself so invested in a fictional character. I can’t explain even to myself why I get so angry on Persephone’s behalf.
Obviously I can’t guarantee that you’ll like what I am doing, but equally obviously, I hope you do. And I appreciate your honesty. Feeling strongly about a character is a good thing.
My only other comment is that it matters to wonder why the chapter headings always refer to her as the “wily” persephone
I love the witch roads so much and am looking forward to reading Nameless Land and all the other standalones in that universe. I’m glad to hear that you have other stories set in it – it is such a fascinating world. I haven’t been reading as much this past year so I was very pleased that Witch Roads got its hooks in me.
I feel like it would make a great movie or TV show…..
Thank you, Patrick.
I just finished The Nameless Land and immediately went online to try to find out if there would be another story in that universe. I was so pleased to find out there are two books on their way! Thank you!
Jessica, thank you so much. I’m so glad you enjoyed the duology. And yes, I’m excited there will be more books in the universe as well.
I cannot wait for Lady Chaos, a sci fi/fantasy series hasn’t stuck with me like this one has in a very long time! Though I also dread what’s coming, lol. Thanks for the wonderful reading!
Jenn,
Thank you. I apologize for the delay but I hope to finish a draft by the end of this year. I know that is a long time, and I appreciate everyone’s patience.