In the lone silence.

For a long span of time I have been absent from social media, even this blog has been put on the back burner. The truth is, I have been writing a great deal behind the scenes. Sometimes a writer has trouble promoting past published works when they are so invested in their present story. At the moment I am working on a dark sinister Gothic style novel titled 'The Master of Morton Hall.' It is the darkest story I have ever written to date. Heartache can make you write things you've never expected, and for the last few months I have been designing a character that is haunted by his past and does everything possible to run away from them. The Master of Morton Hall is admittedly deliciously evil, a man I can both loath and yet admire from afar. His resolution to ignore all propriety and morality itself makes him dangerous for both the other characters in this story, but also the reader that must observe his dark descent. The heroine, Heather Sterling, does her best to forget her criminal past life and hopes the ancient manor, Morton Hall, might give her a fresh start in life. Little does she know the evil that lives there, and the man that is determined to bring out the wretch greed and lust that lies within her.

To be perfectly frank, I am still uneasy about publishing this story. Perhaps, when I write the final chapter I will know for certain whether this is a story I want the public to read. I feel as though my pain and heartache over the last several months have been poured into the novel, and what is left is something akin to Dorian Gray staring at his devilish portrait. I will keep you updated on my latest story and the possible date when I will publish 'Far from Home: Part II.'

For months I have been neglecting my writing. The truth is, there was no story to tell. I had the great privilege to fall in love and have that love be returned. I became the main character of my own story, felt the exhilarating rush of kisses and long-held cuddles. Only when I have no story to tell, when that last page to the novel flips to the left and closes that I realize how much time has past, and how happy I once was in my own love story.

They say that time will heal our wounds. I believe that this age old saying is true. I also believe that I can find solace in words, the truest friendship of a paper and a pen. What stories will come? I dare not know, but one thing is certain, I had been loved and I loved in return.

As a Canadian I am prone to apologize for everything. So let me start off by apologizing for my lengthy silence. Over the past few months I have not written a single story, not even a chapter. I was battling with severe lapses of anxiety from stresses from work and other life changing events. Fortunately I am at a place where I can breathe and feel at peace with the world. So without further ado, here is my story...

Mental healthy is an important thing to discuss at work and in our everyday lives. Sometimes it is okay to take a step back and withdraw yourself from the world. Consequently, those were my exact actions over the last several months. I needed to take a break from the publishing industry, but now that the dust has settled, I think it is a good time to step back into action.

'At Peace' is still due to be published by the late summer, ideally the month of August. The second instalment of 'Far from Home' needs to be rewritten in certain sections, so I am not certain when it will be published. I am still aiming for 'Far from Home II' to be released in the year 2022. Ironically, the third instalment is already done, it is ever so patient to be released. It is by far my favourite Gothic horror type novel, so I think you will enjoy the dark descent of this new heroine.

At the moment I have no plans to publish any further books. My mind has been on hyper-speed ever since the autumn of last year, so I won't get into a "creative space" until things in my life settle down. All the same, I hope to publish many more books in the coming years, most of them belonging to the genre of romance or eerie Gothic horror novels.

I would like to end off this blog post with a special acknowledgement to the fans that have reached out to me. It touches my heart when you send me a quick message on Instagram to share your appreciation of my work or simply hitting the "like" button on Facebook. Thank you to those  that left a book review on Goodreads or other book related platforms. On a final note thank you for my friends and family that have supported me during my period of instability.

Here is to a brighter future in the year 2022 and a lot more stories to come,

Peter

For those of you that follow me regularly on social media, especially Instagram, you are aware that I have a secret project in the works. My historical novel 'At Peace' was expected to debut at the end of the year. After some long periods of consideration, I have decided that 'At Peace' will come out in June 2022.

The main reason for this push back is that I will be returning to my former job (before Covid-19 turned my world upside down and I got laid off from my job). More importantly, I am planning to move overseas for a new position at the end of December, so that will be my primary focus for the next few months.

I do apologize to my fans for this major inconvenience. I am aware that many of you were excited for my new book, but I thought it deserved the respect it deserved by pushing back the premiere date. It is more important to me to put 100% of my effort, time and focus into this novel, rather than rushing through the process and diminishing its value to the reader. 

On a happier note, I am planning to partner up with a indie artist on Instagram for the book cover. If you want a sneak peak of the kind of art that will be displayed on the front cover, please visit her Instagram page @heafjaart

Thank you for your patience and understanding. 'At Peace' will be my longest novel to date, and the most heart-wrenching romance in my opinion. You can expect some more updates on my latest novel in the coming months.

Thank you once more,

Peter