Publication Update

An AI-generated image of the fictional Seth (based on the a picture of the real Seth) from An Exceptional Hound.

Hi Folks,

 Quite a bit of news to share, so here goes!

First, a shout out to the Ryland Creek readers--new and longtime.

I last reported the first two books of the Ryland Creek saga (both versions of Book I, The Last Coon Hunter) hit their highest ever overall general ranking ever (i.e., all genres, all formats) on Amazon. Then these books beat their January highs in early March 2025, and An Exceptional Hound almost topped them both in March as well!

Those rankings can only be driven by readers, so again I’m humbled and grateful for your support.

For those who have purchased books in the past and offered words of encouragement--thank you! I couldn’t have made it to this point without you.

For those who went the extra mile to pen a thoughtful review and post it on Amazon, Goodreads, or even social media, a special thank you as you're helping future readers find a special magic in a place called Painted Post.

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Ryland Creek Saga novels now on Amazon's Kindle Unlimited (KU).

And speaking of Amazon, as of March 2025, the Ryland Creek saga e-books are now available on Amazon’s KU.

So, for those of you who are avid e-book readers and have subscribed to KU, the Ryland Creek e-books are free for you on Amazon!

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In The Works

In a Place Called Painted Post: A Ryland Creek Story

In a Place Called Painted Post: A Ryland Creek Story has “graduated” and is now definitely an adult vs. middle grade novel. This book’s main character is a raccoon (a cinnamon raccoon in particular!), who occasionally interacts with characters the first two books in the Ryland Creek saga: The Last Coon Hunter and An Exceptional Hound.

While this book certainly could be a standalone novel, those who’ve read the other novels in the Ryland Creek saga will likely catch a lot of the “Easter-egg references” planted throughout.

My co-author, Shanne Bowie, and I continue to hammer out this project with the current word count at ~25K (up 14K words since last update). There will be two versions of this book--illustrated and non-illustrated. The fabulous Lee O’Connell continues to create some fabulous images for the illustrated version and doing an incredible job. Thank you, Lee!

Our deadline to the world’s greatest copyeditor, Joyce Mochrie, is August 2025 with a targeted publishing in Fall 2025.

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Lance Ernst in Return to Ryland Creek: Book V of the Ryland Creek Saga

Return to Ryland Creek: Book V of the Ryland Creek Saga

After a prequel novel (The Forest Ghost) and a companion novel (The Time of the Backroads), Return to Ryland Creek--well, returns to the Ernst family as we pick up their story soon after The Master of Hounds and then on to modern times (2023). The story follows Mead Ernst as a grandfather and his grandson, Lance, as they face several challenges.
 
Here’s the draft back cover blurb:

For a time, a bucolic calm has settled upon the small town of Painted Post, the Land of the Three Rivers, in Upstate New York.

Carrying on his family’s tradition, Mead Ernst raises his coonhounds, but he’s not alone. Now Mead is joined with his ever-eager, ten-year-old grandson, Lance, to chase the wily ringtail with their dogs, Bella and Blaze, through the darkened forests of their hometown.

But good and evil share one thing in common—both abhor a vacuum—and peril arrives in previously unknown forms.

A terror brings its fanged blood lust to the forests of Ryland Creek unlike anyone has ever seen, while another tragedy threatens to rip apart the very heart of the Ernst family.

And the Ernsts and their hounds must face their greatest challenges yet—from enemies both within and without.
 
Return is well underway with the draft now at 82K+, up 12+K words since last update.

My beta readers have already completed 14 chapters of this story, and I owe them another installment soon.

Estimated publication date: Spring 2026.

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On a New Audiobook for the Ryland Creek Saga

The Forest Ghost: The Audiobook. With everything going on of late, I haven’t been able to put much time into this project.

However, I’ll be focusing hard on potential crowdfunding or potential grants during the month of April. More to follow here (and hopefully, soon!)

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