As many of you know, Five Years is Book 1 of The Middlewich Chronicles. That means the poor citizens of Middlewich will face more tribulations, which they will hopefully overcome.
At present, the main story consists of two more books, making the core narrative (at least) a trilogy. I also have some seasonal short stories coming up that will show how Middlewichians celebrate some holidays in their austere world. These will be supplementary efforts and not part of the narrative arc.
Books 2 and 3 have been plotted out, and I have release dates planned. The Survivors: Book 2 of the Middlewich Chronicles has a release date of December 9, 2025. The Invaders: Book 3 of the Middlewich Chronicles will come out on May 19, 2026.
I have lots to do between now and then. Unlike Five Years, both novels will be available for pre-order, and I will announce this on my website when they become available. You can receive automatic updates when you subscribe to my newsletter. Don’t worry, I blog at least weekly, but I don’t send newsletters more than once a month. Please note that my newsletter requires a double opt-in, so once you sign up for my newsletter, you’ll receive a verification email to make sure you aren’t being subscribed against your will by a bot. Check spam/junk folders if you don’t receive that verification email. By subscribing to the newsletter, you’ll be eligible for giveaways and prizes, too.
Oh, one more new release to announce! Many readers have commented or asked questions about various aspects of the World of Middlewich. Such as: what exactly was the event or event(s) that precipitated the scientists announcing the Change, which caused worldwide chaos, which in turn spurred Segregation? What does the perimeter wall around Middlewich look like? How were they able to build it?
Many of these aspects were in the original draft of Five Years, but I removed them because they were unwieldy and bogged down the main narrative. I am compiling a semi-complete history of Middlewich in its own book, the working title of which is A Middlewich Prequel. While it will be a longer work, it will not be a novel-style narrative. Instead, it will contain reference material, short stories, and anecdotes about the events that occurred pre- and post-Segregation. I’m not sure how or when the release of the prequel will happen, but I anticipate the release date will coincide with the third book on May 19 or occur shortly before. I’ll keep you posted.
That’s it for now! I have plenty to keep me busy. Please feel free to drop me a line on Facebook, by commenting below, or by submitting a contact form. Or wherever else you can find me. I appreciate your readership and would love to hear from you.
