Is Book Eight the End of the Learmonth Series? Not Quite!

I've had a few readers ask me lately whether The First Binding, Book Eight of the Learmonth Series, marks the end of the series, or whether there will be a Book Nine.

I can understand why they're asking.

Book Eight brings a major storyline to its conclusion, one that's been building across several books. The conflict surrounding the Fae Queen finally reaches its resolution, and in many ways, it feels like a natural place to end the series. When you've spent eight books following Thomas Learmonth and the people around him, there's something satisfying about finally closing a chapter that large.

But apparently, I'm not quite finished with these characters. And more importantly, they're not finished with me.

Yes, there will be a Book Nine!

It's called The Savage Inheritance, and I'm already working on it.

This time, though, things are going to look a little different.

For eight books, Thomas has been the central figure in the Learmonth Series. His history, his relationships, and the consequences of decisions made centuries ago have driven much of the story. And while Thomas isn't going anywhere, I've decided it's time to give someone else a chance to take center stage.

Rane.

Anyone who's followed the series knows that Rane has always been more than Thomas's closest companion. He has seven centuries of history behind him, a complicated personality, and a life that has largely unfolded alongside Thomas's. But what happens when he finally steps away from that life and begins something of his own?

At the end of Book Eight, Rane makes the decision to leave Scotland for America. That decision opens the door to an entirely new direction for the series.

Book Nine takes us to New York City, where Rane finds himself in unfamiliar circumstances, among vampires with their own histories, loyalties, and rules. And, knowing Rane, I doubt he'll be particularly interested in following all of them.

I'm excited about this change because it gives me an opportunity to explore a character readers have come to know through someone else's story. Rane has always had his own perspective on the world, and now we get to spend a little more time inside his head.

That doesn't mean we're saying goodbye to Thomas, Charlotte, or the rest of the Learmonth family. They're still very much part of this world. But the focus is shifting, and I think that's a good thing for a series that's reached its ninth book.

So, if you finished The First Binding wondering whether you'd reached the end, the answer is no.

The Learmonth Series is continuing. We're simply turning the page on one chapter of its history and beginning another.

And this time, Rane gets to tell more of the story.

Back to my fictional worlds I go...