Here's a clue as to why the updates have been scarce. Partly I didn't want to add to the GDPR burden but mainly I've been busy ... with the last 'creative' edit before the brilliant Liz Garner does the line edit at the start of June. Obsidian is due to be published next summer! That seemed like plenty of time to get things perfect - but working backwards it means the copy edit has to be July 1st.
I hope the generous supporter who pledged for a hand-drawn map won't be alarmed by the image above: it's my working plan of the final third of the book's topography. I wanted to show how the maps have been vital for me to visualise Ice Island and Bera's quest. All I'll say about this one is that the cross top right marks Hel's Gateway. I wrote the first draft of Obsidian after Eyjafjallajökull erupted in 2010. Now there's poor Hawaii to use as research.
The pledge map will be beautiful, I promise, but if anyone would like any of these working maps (there at three at the moment but that may well double) I'm open to offers!
The bit of writing peeping out is some of Liz's notes on my previous draft. What tends to happen in edit is the first third of the book is drastically cut (it's the author clearing her throat, finding the story, even in 3rd or 4th drafts) and then the final third expands, although in a thriller time slows - which ironically increases the pace for the reader.