Q&A with S.B. Nova, 2018

When is the next Outcast book released?

A: I’m aiming for Dec-April time. Sorry I can’t be more specific, but it’s better to be vague than give specifics at this point. I can also tell you that I’m currently writing two books, and A Kingdom of Nomads works on a grander scale than AKOE. Hence the time it’s taking 

Can you give any spoilers for AKON?

A: Well, I can tell you that in this book, Serena IS transformed … As are some of the others in different ways . This book will include intro’s/meetings/references to Serena’s sister and mate. We will hear from all the old favorites and be introduced to some new ones! Including a Jinn and a Siren/pirate.

Can you give us a rough timeframe for your next releases?

A: AKON Dec-April 2019.
TBA Title, first book of my new RH series, Dec-April 2019.
My RH series will be more episodic in nature and shorter at 200-300 pages, so I’ll be able to write the books alongside the others listed here.
AKOW (outcast) Dec ’19-April ’20.
AKOF (outcast) Dec ’20-April ’21.
Merlin Rises ’21-’22.
Draken sequel ’21-’22. Followed by two more in the SF series.

**This schedule is subject to change in case of unpredictable life events. But I will try to stick to it as much as possible.

What is happening with Draken? When will the sequel be released?

A: This is a tricky one. It also demands a longer explanation. First off, I started writing Draken when I was caring for my mom over 5 years ago. Overall, it took 3 years to write and was a passion project. It helped with the anxiety and depression I suffered from back then. And I really had no idea if this could become my career. Of course I hoped it would be, but it all seemed impossible back then. Still, I always planned to write the sequel straight away. But then, AKOE came barging into my head right after I completed Draken and demanded to be written … weird but true! And thank goodness I followed that instinct because otherwise I wouldn’t be able to write full-time.

Then, I planned on writing the Draken sequel after AKOE was out, but the straight up truth is that the Outcast series is more popular and has more of a following. The pressure and support for a release is greater. Also, I realized very early on into writing AKOE that it would become linked to the Southern Fire world (Draken), and that both of these books were like puzzle pieces to a greater story I wanted to tell. But it requires that I play the long game. Writing 2 series’ plus a book that links them (Merlin Rises) is something that will take years. And given the timelines and how the characters will interact between all three it made sense for me to put the Southern Fire series on the back burner until I have the Outcast series done. If I tried to do it any other way, I’d be in danger of serious plotholes and confusion further down the line. Obviously, I could unpublish Draken in the meantime so that new readers didn’t get annoyed or pissed about this. But that would cause its own problems.

I truly hate the idea of making people wait, and it isn’t what I planned to happen, but then … sometimes it’s best to let life take you where you need to go instead of forcing it. SOOOO, long story short, the Outcast series will come first. There are 4 books in that series and one standalone book (Merlin Rises) that bridges the Outcast and SF series. So while we might not be looking at a George RR Martin timeframe for the SF sequel, there will be a longer wait between the 1st and 2nd book. A bit like an Outlander or Harry Potter timeframe of three to five years.

COVER ART FOR AKON BELOW