I am the gum under your shoe.

I am devastated. My initial intention was to release book 2 in May. Life happened. In a major way. I am one of those people that were caught in the floods that happened in my area. It was a traumatic 6 days. I lost my mojo. I had PTSD. If it rained, I panicked. I couldn't write. My struggle to get the final manuscript completed is well documented in this blog. Finally, after two months of no creative juice, it came back. I wrote and the manuscript was completed. 

Side story: I have always struggled with this book. When I wrote The Avaris in 2016, it had always been intended to be standalone. However, Amari and her crew demanded that I continue their adventure. I wrote book 2, The Rise of the Emoryk and then book 3. I proceeded to spend years rewriting them until I found the problem. I was struggling to connect book 1 with book 3 because something was just off with book 2. I don't know how many times I have had to rewrite book 2. I don't think I will ever be satisfied, but I do hope you are. 

Now back to our regular scheduling: I managed to complete the manuscript. "O frabjous day! Callooh! Callay!”. Not! You see, a delayed manuscript means a delayed release. I have someone out there who took the time and effort to pre-order my book. This person read the first book and was like "you know what, let's see what book 2 holds". This person made my day. This person is my first pre-order ever. Why the rage? I have to disappoint this person. This person has to wait an additional month to get the book. 

Yes, the book will now go on sale in August instead of July. I feel terrible, like the gum under your shoe. I should have met my deadline. However, life happened. Life always happens. Just as we emerged from the pandemic, I was caught in a flood for a week and it ruined my state of mind for a book I already struggled with.

So, I would like to take this time to apologise to this person. I am sorry you have to wait another month for a book you preordered. It will never happen again. And to everyone else out there who was waiting for the book, I sincerely apologise from my heart that I changed the release date. I didn't want to give you a product that does not satisfy you. I wanted to make certain that I give you what you deserve; the journey with Amari as she enters a new phase of her life. 

I am virtually accepting the frustrations from your side and will pretend it is a public whipping (oooh, a hint from book 2). I should warn you, book 2 is different. I know, in most stories, the hero finds out they have powers and suddenly know how to do everything and save the day. Real life doesn't work that way. Fairy tales, maybe, but not a Kenryk Series kind of book. 

The Kenryk Series: The Rise of the Emoryk will give you an experience of what it is like to live as a Kenryk. However, don't forget that this is a tribe that carries scars from seventeen years ago. Will Amari be able to thrive in this new environment? Will she be able to pick up everything and save the day? Who knows?

What I do hope is that you will be here in August when the book is released. As I would say in my IsiXhosa native language. Ndiyaxolisa. That X is a click. Remember, get the book on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Takealot, Bargain Books, Exclusive Books, The Book Lounge, Loot and many more.