4 September 2026 · Weekly update

A sharper view of the books and Sramad

Book One has taken another important step forward, while the books and Atlas now offer a clearer path into the world of Sramad.

This week has been about bringing the story, the artwork and the way readers enter Sramad into closer alignment. I completed another substantial revision of later Book One chapters, paying particular attention to character choices, the flow between important scenes and the small details that make an emotional turn feel earned. It's patient work, but the result is a stronger and more confident path through the closing stretch of the book.

Book One's public face has moved forward too. The cover now sits properly alongside the rest of the series, with Beatrice presented as the sixteen-year-old at the heart of the story, and the introduction has been sharpened to give a clearer sense of the danger, determination and family loyalty driving her journey. I've also brought the five main books together visually, so you can now see the beginnings of a connected series rather than a collection of separate ideas.

I've continued refining the website and Atlas at the same time. The route from the books into the map is simpler, the world and regional views are easier to explore, and places such as Aventis now invite you to move naturally from the wider country view into streets and districts. The updated design gives the maps more room to breathe and keeps the artwork crisp as you look closer. It feels much more like opening a companion to the novels and following the world outward from the stories.

There's still plenty ahead, but this has been one of those satisfying weeks when several strands begin to look as though they belong to the same whole. If you'd like to see the new series presentation or take another wander through Sramad, both are live now. I hope you enjoy the view, and I'll share more from behind the scenes next week.