Happy May!

Well, almost May—I would have liked to say this while still in May, but deadlines have pushed back many things, including writing this newsletter. Better late than never, though!

Audiobook News: AI Narration on the Horizon

Last month, I was selected as one of the first batch of authors outside the US to test AI narration technology. While a close and incredibly talented friend has generously volunteered to voice the entire Purgatory of the Ancients series, he's currently wrangling two kids under four, so that timeline is rather fluid.

In the meantime, I've been exploring the AI option. They offer over a hundred different voices, and after testing a few sample pages, I'm cautiously optimistic. You can't immediately tell it's AI-generated, though there's definitely room for improvement before it matches a human voice actor's quality.

I'm currently reviewing the terms and conditions to ensure there are no hidden surprises. If all looks good, I'll spend the next few months refining the audio so I can finally get some audiobooks out, which I'll be offering here first.

Book Progress: Temporary Slowdown, Exciting Discoveries

This section comes with mixed news. Our overseas move this month has brought a constant stream of deadlines that I could handle short-term, but at the four-month mark, I've hit my juggling limit. It reminds me of my chemistry degree days—working full-time while managing lab reports, exams, and trying to write. Optimistic? Yes. Sustainable? Not really.

However, despite losing two weeks of writing time, I have been refining Act Two. I've discovered an unexpected way to close out the story that really rounds everything together. Just as I explored the Children of the Ancients in the last book, I'm finding ways to reveal the Waterlords, Kurkistani horselords, and those from the Citadel of Light, all within a single book. While these three societies will be fully explored in the next and final book of the series, there will be enough here to be extremely intriguing.

Personal Update: The Big Move

We're approaching our move-out date, and as boxes start filling up around us, everything feels increasingly real. While I still have a dozen loose ends to tie up, the fact that we'll be in the US in three weeks is genuinely exciting. We're looking forward to spending quality time with the in-laws and letting them bond with our little guy, which is pretty awesome.

The final thing I've got to do before settling into our new home is pick up our dog from LAX and drive her to Texas. Good thing I love the fluff ball, otherwise that would be a nuisance.

So until I can contact you next time from our new home!