Hello and welcome to this edition of Chronicles of the Third Kingdom. In this issue, we will look at Third Kingdom Lore, review ‘What I am reading’, and take a look at new Fantasy releases coming in October. I will also bring you up to date on my current WIP (Work in Progress) ‘The Hunt for the Dragoness” which is book 2 in the Blood on the Wand series.
First, I want to make you aware of this month’s Third Kingdom Special offer. Beginning on Thursday, September 17th, you can purchase “The Outlaw Queen” for just $0.99. This limited deal will last until September 24th, so get your copy today. – “The Outlaw Queen” is the story of Queen Airien, who had never imagined herself as the ruler of the kingdom. She was perfectly content to be the wife and confidant to the king, mother to their infant son, and champion of the less fortunate. Those plans changed with the assassination of the king. Now Airien must take the throne if she is to save the kingdom from ruthless invaders and her infant son from those who seek the crown for themselves. Uncertain who to trust, Queen Airien must lay a trap for her husband’s killers while dealing with a ruthless foreign advisor. To win the day, she will need to break a few rules as she becomes “The Outlaw Queen”. Get your copy starting September 17th.
WIP (Work In Progress) – I have completed the outline for Book 2 on the “Blood on the Wand” series and have begun the writing process. The book title will be “The Hunt for the Dragoness” and should be released late this year or early 2027. The book continues the story arcs set up in Book 1 with Robin and Luke leading the fight for justice. My current outline calls for a work of around 120,000 words, but we will see. – The book will remain in the nobledark genre and much like the first book in the series it will contain a bit more violence and spice than the normal Third Kingdom novels, but it should be slightly calmer than Book 1.
A quick note on AI – I began my writing journey way back in 1976, so I now have fifty years of writing experience behind me. All of the Third Kingdom Novels were written by me. I do use some grammar-check programs, and I do use AI for proofreading, but the stories and writings are 100% mine.
What I am Reading – “The Frugal Wizard’s Handbook for Surviving Medieval England” by Brandon Sanderson. – Published by TOR Books in 2023, the book is 364 pages in length. – As the title might suggest, this is not your normal fantasy novel. Sanderson does a masterful job with this ‘White Room’ mystery/fantasy tale. The main character of the book wakes up with no memory of who he is, where he is, or, for that matter, when he is. Set in an alternate Medieval England, Sanderson takes you on a wild and enjoyable ride through a world of his own making. While I found certain segments of the book a little slow, it was overall a very good read, and I would highly recommend it. Trigger warnings – not many. There is some violence leaning toward graphic, but no sex and very little profanity. Overall, I would rate this book a 4.5 out of 5 stars.
This book is one of the Five Novels Sanderson originally wrote in secret. He later decided to release these to the public through a Kickstarter program. – The other books in this series are “Yumi and the Nightmare Painter”, ‘The Sunlit Man”, “Isles of the Emberdark”, and “Tress of the Emerald Sea,” which I am currently reading.
Third Kingdom Lore
I am often asked when and where the stories of the Third Kingdom take place. Is it a Medieval world? Yes and no. The Third Kingdom is a unique setting not tied to Earth's history. If you had to compare its military and industrial technology to Earth, it resembles the year 1000 A.D. However, this world never invented gunpowder, steam engines, or electricity. Because of this, swords, knights, and walled cities remain the primary tools of warfare and defense.
But while industrial technology stalled, culture did not. Without the distraction of industrialization, the Third Kingdom experienced a rich cultural renaissance, boasting grand theaters, libraries, art galleries, and universities. They also possess advanced medicine and impressive architecture—including indoor plumbing and luxurious baths powered by ingenious engineering. Add in a wide variety of magical folk, mystic creatures, and supernatural forces, and the Third Kingdom becomes a unique blend of mythic elements and grounded, human struggles.
WIP – Work in Progress – I am currently writing “The Hunt for the Dragoness” which is Book 2 in the Blood on the Wand Series. At this writing, I have written just over 106,000 words. Calculating this out, the book now appears destined to be approximately 150,000 words in length. This will make it the longest book in the Third Kingdom World. While I still have a great deal of writing to accomplish, as well as editing, I am still hoping this book can be released early next year (2027). Stay tuned.
Other Writing Projects – I have plans to write another “Reader Magnet” novella. The working title for this project is “Temple of the White Dragon”. The story revolves around three eggs laid by the last white dragon before her disappearance centuries ago. The eggs, which can survive indefinitely, have been kept safe by a dedicated order of female warriors/caretakers. Now, a new member of the order has a radical plan to bring back the extinct “White Dragons”. To begin her plan, all she needs to do is to steal one of the three eggs, without getting herself killed.
In the News of Fantasy Books
Ø According to StatShot, adult fiction revenue rose 8.2% over the first half of this year. They report that fantasy and crossover romantasy novels are a driving force in this area.
Ø Digital analytics across Kindle and other independent platforms report that the top twenty fantasy releases are averaging over 900 sales per title per day. This is far outpacing traditional sci-fi subgenres.
Ø Cozy fantasy novels are reporting a 23.1 sales-to-competition ratio, making lighthearted plots vastly more profitable than high-stakes grimdark titles.
Ø The Broken Binding Publishing: The boutique publisher has been making waves with several major signings recently. They announced a deal with Anna Stephens for her upcoming fantasy An Honesty of Thieves (slated for March 2027), Paul Cornell for Oh Fortuna! (May 2027), and Stephen Aryan for Silver-Tongued Devils. They also acquired Scott Drakeford's Age of Ire trilogy.
Ø Your thoughts – At the beginning of Stephen King’s Career, Legacy Publishers insisted that the reading public would never purchase more than one book per year from the same author. This was the primary motivation for King to create his pseudonym, Richard Bachman. (One book per year per author?)
2026 Hugo Award Winners (Announced August 31st)
Best Novel:The Everlasting by Alix E. Harrow
Best Novella:The River Has Roots by Amal El-Mohtar
Best Novelette: “Never Eaten Vegetables” by H.H. Pak
Best Short Story: “In My Country” by Thomas Ha
Best Series:Old Man's War by John Scalzi
Lodestar Award (Best YA Book):Coffeeshop in an Alternate Universe by C.B. Lee
Astounding Award (Best New Writer): Antonia Hodgson
2026 Dragon Award Winners (Announced the first week of September)
Best Science Fiction Novel:Operation Bounce House by Matt Dinniman
Best Fantasy Novel:Twelve Months by Jim Butcher
Best Young Adult / Middle Grade Novel:Ride or Die by Delilah S. Dawson
Best Alternate History Novel:The Winds of Fate by S.M. Stirling
Best Horror Novel:King Sorrow by Joe Hill
October 2026 Fantasy Releases
October 6th
Other Worlds Than These by Stephen King and Peter Straub
Victorious by V.E. Schwab
The Sixth Faction by Veronica Roth
Bound and Unbound by Ali Hazelwood
The Splintered Sun by Tad Williams
Legacies of Betrayal by Steven Erikson
Reap and Sow by Charlotte B. Plumb
Night of a Thousand Hells by Intan Paramaditha
The Scarlet Ball by Nghi Vo
October 13th
The Thrice-Bound Fool by Christopher Buehlman
Solace House by Will Maclean
Off the Reservation by Stephen Graham Jones
October 20th
The Bishop of Durham Attempts to Surrender the City by Susanna Clarke
The Tarot Trials by Katee Robert
October 27th
A Court of Splintered Harmony (ACOTAR 6) by Sarah J. Maas
Special Editions Releasing in October
o Dead Beat - Barnes & Noble Exclusive Edition
o Dungeon Crawler Carl – Waterstones sprayed edges edition
o Interview with the Vampire – 50th Anniversary Hardback
o Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince – Illustrated Edition
Note – If you are an independent author with a Fantasy book coming out and would like it to be listed here, please feel free to contact me.)
Chronicles of the Third Kingdom October 2026 - Edition #6 This month’s special offer! – The Short Tales of the Third Kingdom, Volumes I and II, on sale for just $.99 cents. That is both books, a total of Eleven (11) tales, more than 800 pages for one low price. These tales are a great way to enter the world of the Third Kingdom, or if you are already a fan, these Tales offer a deeper insight into the large Third Kingdom world. – The Promotion is from Wednesday, October 21st through Wednesday,...
Chronicles of the Third Kingdom August 2026 - Edition #4 An inside look at the Third Kingdom as well as the broader world of Fantasy. Hello, and welcome to the August edition of “The Chronicles of the Third Kingdom”. In this issue, I will review “Swordheart” by T. Kingfisher and also take a closer look at one of the unique creatures of the Third Kingdom. In our character profile, we take a closer look at ‘Robin’, one of the VPCs of the “Blood on the Wand” series. Plus, a lot more. So, let’s...
Chronicles of the Third Kingdom July 2026 - Edition #3 Hello, and welcome to the July 2026 edition of "The Chronicles of the Third Kingdom". It has been a busy month with a new novel "Blood on the Wand" and a companion novella "The Fall of the Decapolis" both released. In addition, you can also download an exclusive novella "The Ferryman's Bribe". News and Updates Free Fantasy Books Special Promotion - Exclusive Third Kingdom Story available - "The Ferryman's Bribe" Free to download, many...
