I’ve recently completed the seventh book in the series. It’s now in the hands of my Australian publishers. It should be coming back to me for editing any day now.

Note that I said “the seventh book”, not “Book 7”. This is because for this one, I’ve gone back a little in time and it’s actually set about six months before the events described in Books 5 and 6. I feel that to call it Book 7 would confuse people. They might expect it to be a continuation from Book 6. In fact, it’s a prequel. So my thinking at this stage is that it will just have a title, not a number, (that could change, of course.)

When I was half way through writing The Sorcerer in the North, I realised there was an important part of Will’s life, and his apprenticeship, that I hadn’t visited. Books 1 to 4 trace his career from the beginning, when he is first apprenticed to Halt, to his second year. Books 5 and 6 pick up the story some years later, when he is sent on his first assignment as a graduate Ranger. But I realised there was a gap and that’s the period just before he graduates.

Is there an eighth book?

I think there is. I’ve always said that I won’t write another book just because I have a series running. I don’t believe that would be fair to my readers. I need a good story line before I’ll commit to another book and I think I have one here. I’m currently tossing it around in the back of my mind, looking at ideas and events that might happen. That’s the way I do these things.

It’s going to involve Gilan again. I like him and I’ve enjoyed having him back in Book 7. And Horace, of course. No book in the series would be complete without Horace. And I’m also considering having Crowley introduce a change in the structure of the Ranger Corps. But you’ll have to wait on this one. So far, it’s only an idea.

Anything else on the horizon?

I like the Skandians. I think there’s room for a story about a young Skandian boy. It won’t involve the Rangers, but Erak would probably make a token appearance. That one’s still in the “just an idea” stage.

And something completely different.

In addition, I have an outline for a story that I really love. It’s called “Garaloch” and it’s a completely different set of characters and events. But exciting, fast moving and involving. And a little sad, as well. I’ve had this one planned for some time but those darn Rangers keep getting in the way of writing it!

That should be enough to keep me busy for a couple of years. I’ll let you know if anything else comes up.

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