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September 3, 2025 - I suppose the first thing I should do is talk about the long awaited upcoming release of The Bard of Masaghdiva, the second novella in the Wraith Riders Trilogy. It's been a long time coming. Lots of delays. So let me tell you what I've been doing for the last few years. I was putting out the translations of Curse of the Lianshi and my children's fable The Little Shoemaker's Silver and then, coinciding with the induction of The Little Shoemaker's Silver into the physical collection of the Library of Congress, I did a 5-city book tour last year for the release of the bilingual (SPA/ENG) coloring book and then have been incredibly busy helping get everything prepared for the relaunch of Perspective Publishing's website. So I apologize for the delay and commit to my readers to getting out at least one story every year for the World of the Lianshi books, completing the Trilogy of Novellas for the Wraith Riders Trilogy in 2027. I will also take this moment to announce that I am currently reviewing a contract to do a hardcover with all of the Wraith Rider Trilogy with additional content as a large novel coinciding with the release of Eye of the Lianshi, the last novella in the trilogy in 2027. Perspective Publishing even presented a mock up of the cover, which I will reveal at the end of this post because I have agreed to do it. So let's recap quickly where things left off with Escape of the Concubines, shall we? I suppose this is where I should issue a SPOILER ALERT. But first, why would I do this? Well, someone out there decided that it would be cool to scan my book Escape of the Concubines and put it on a torrent free library. As an fyi, Perspective is currently in the process of taking steps to having it removed and is considering whether litigation is an option. Authors agonize for a long time writing these stories and spend even longer (if they are decent writers) time putting them through an editorial process. It should be up to them and if they have one, their publisher as to whether they make the titles available for free and when. People who STEAL intellectual property that is the result of hard work and agonizing by others just suck. It's obvious to me that they never did anything worthwhile themselves or they wouldn't be so okay with giving someone else's stuff away for free. That's all I have to say about that. Part of that is bitterness, but mostly it's just disappointment because I don't think anyone would have done what they did unless they were a fan of my writing. But to be CLEAR, I'm not a fan of theirs. In fact, I never want to know who did that because I'd never be able to see them as a fan. It's why people have to struggle so hard to make a livelihood writing.

Book 1 of The Wraith Riders Trilogy

So here's where we left off. There were multiple story threads. Let's start with the one where Escape of the Concubines began. The handmaiden's tale or the story of Artemis. The survivor of the Konigar's wrath when he discovered priceless aelfen coins missing from his treasury. Artemis begins as a scared servant, witnesses the Konigar murder her mistress and escapes with Margot, the Wraith Rider who rescued her. Through hardship she grows resilient, earning the respect of Kara, Akemi and the Jintai. At Karsova, she is initiated into the Jintai and, under coercion, agrees to train with the Assassin’s Guild for ten intervals. She leaves with Grendahl, carrying the weight of vengeance and knowledge of the stolen crystal coins. Her arc closes with her stepping into a double role: assassin‑in‑training and future founder of a guild chapter in Karsova.

Margot’s failure to kill the Konigar implicates the Wraiths and results in their order being disavowed. She has led the women of the West and the Wraiths who guided them to safety but faces censure from her sisterhood. At Karsova, most wraiths decide to serve the Lianshi; Margot and Azar head back west to explain and likely confront the Wraith hierarchy. Ariane dies saving the women, Tarla and Lisei remain in Karsova, and Esther vanishes into a magical pool (later resurfacing in the prologue). The Wraith Riders’ fate is uncertain but poised to re‑emerge as Wraith Riders loyal to Karsova under the Lianshi’s patronage.

The head of the Aelfen rangers, Kara, fulfils her duty by guiding the convoy through the Aelfen Woods and summoning the Jintai. Her alliance with the Lianshi solidifies cooperation between Aelfen and Jintai. She helps Allia recover the Jintai mounts left behind in the pass.

The kings of the west and Torhig are humiliated by their failure. They realise the Jintai and Lianshi possess formidable magic and weapons, and that someone stole priceless crystal coins. The conclave hires the Assassin’s Guild and vow to confront the Lianshi. Their storyline pauses with the assassination attempt in Karsova. Their next move will likely involve open war or further covert actions.

Meanwhile in the assassin's guild, Grendahl graduates via the culling, killing his best friend. He receives a spear forged from silbony wood and leads the assault on Karsova. He kills and injures many but strikes a truce with Allia. He can leave with his assassins if the guild trains a Jintai candidate. He departs with Artemis, promising to deliver her alive. The guild now owes Allia a blood debt and cannot target her empire; however, they still serve western interests. Grendahl’s survival and mission set up a continuing conflict between loyalty to the guild and hidden obligations to Allia.

Allia emerges as a pragmatic and ruthless leader. She grants conditional sanctuary, manipulates the assassins into a truce, harnesses stolen crystal coins to enhance her power and resolves to forge a new order of warriors from the pampered concubines. She loses an eye but gains the Fayite coin’s ability to see the aether, strengthening her magical dominance. Her thread ends with her ordering the dead honoured, promoting Karsova’s captain to a new rank, and planning to integrate the Wraith Riders and western women into her empire.

In the Epilogue or Prologue of The Bard of Masaghdiva, two younf Aelfen, Misa and La’renz, discover a naked woman in a sacred pool on Altishan. This woman is implied to be the Wraith Rider Esther, hinting that she survived by slipping through a magic portal during the bathhouse battle. This sets the stage for The Bard of Masaghdiva, where the fate of missing wraiths and the spread of their legend awaits.

Book 2 of The Wraith Riders Trilogy

Due out in December 2025. And now The cover reveal for the third and final book.

Book 3 of The Wraith Riders Trilogy