ShoH Update and Name Poll (April #2) (Patreon)

Hi everybody, time is really flying! I didn't even realize that it's already the last week of May 😭 What the heck!

Things have been very busy with me on a personal level, but it's all good stuff. I celebrated my best friend's bachelorette, planned some time off this summer to attend various weddings and see the country a bit, and took some time to relax and just play games for a week or so. I started medication for my recent autoimmune/thyroid problem, and though this week is packed with appointments involving that, I'm very optimistic that it's going to help me feel better very soon! 

I've also been very busy with events and interviews as we prep for the release of my upcoming book, We Have Always Been Here! I'm participating in a convention panel, several podcasts, and several interviews from various outlets. I'm sure you're probably sick to death of hearing about the novel, but if anyone's interested in participating in/watching these pre-launch events, I'll be posting links here (probably in a master post) and on my website when I know firm details!

I am also planning to host a month-long promotion campaign to celebrate WHABH in June. I'll post more details about that on June 6th, but the preorder campaign will be open worldwide and will involve sending swag packs to anyone who preorders a copy of WHABH. Swag packs will include a ShoH bookmark, a ShoH sticker, a limited edition WHABH bookmark, and a signed and autographed WHABH bookplate. More on that on June 6th!

I'm also running a event throughout June called Shepherds Summer! Basically, there's a list of prompts for every day in June. Participants are encouraged to use these prompts to create or collaborate on/commission a ShoH fanwork! Anyone who participates will receive a special role on our Discord, and it just seems like a fun time to come together and share Shepherd-inspired fan creations once again! More details on that event here.

In terms of ShoH, I've been hard at work working on the game: I've finished the third training session with MC's recruits, and over the next few days I'll be tackling what I can of Chapter 6. Chapter 6 has been a weird chapter for me; I'm still so used to the big climactic "Faceless Lord battle" that took place in previous chapters that the structure and content of this chapter has been stumping me a bit. My instinct is to move on and leave it to marinate for later so I can go back to it with fresh eyes--but that also might leave it as the most incomplete chapter since Chapter 2. I'm going to give it my best shot over these next few days (trying to have enough time for the first chapter of the new short story and the Q&A and shipping merch), but if it ends up not happening, I may shift my focus to Chapter 7 next month, we'll see!

(I am also beginning to brainstorm my next novel, but I'll keep mum on that until I've figured out more. So far, I love the characters as fiercely as I love ShoH's, which is always a good sign for the project's development!)

That's pretty much all from me for now! As we creep closer to Chapter 7, I realize we'll need some names for the characters who will appear then. I'll start with the leader of the swamp town you voted on before, Wallmire! Wallmire's leader will most likely be a female mayor (mayoress?...)--I can't say much about the chapter now, but Wallmire is a remote, creepy, straggle-treed village under siege by a vicious serial killer. Its leader and mayor will most likely be a thirty-something-year-old with a young family, thrust suddenly into the position because she was either the deputy or the daughter of the last mayor--a victim of the serial killer's attacks.

Let's decide on a name for this character!