Rob's Update: Upcoming Release!
Major announcement this week in my world.
Week 18 of 2026
Greetings all!
Christopher DiNote and I had a great show on Tuesday, with a fun cool announcement for me. But first, the wife and I were putting the automatic solar door on the chicken coop and the kitties were very interested in what we doing outside.
As mentioned, Christopher DiNote and I had a great show on Tuesday. We talked about all he’s doing, plus a lot of music stuff, which you can hear in its entirety below.
But the big thing was the announcement of Shattered Spear, book 1 in a historical fiction series set in the early 900s of Anglo-Saxon England. Also of note, this is a boy’s story, part of Raconteur Press’s line of boy’s stories, something I’m excited about in its own right.
The truth is, prior to the grandbaby, I cared about children, but not the same way as I do now. I have skin in the game. Yes, she’s a granddaughter, but the truth is, girls love adventure fiction as much as boys do, so if you write stuff for the latter, you’ve also written stuff for the former. It has been important to me to make sure she, and perhaps her children, have something fun to read.
Why the 900s in Anglo-Saxon England? Well, that was my focus for what would’ve been my doctorate had I finished it. I find Æðelflæd, the Lady of the Mercians, a really compelling figure, which is why I focused my military history studies on Mercia as she (and her husband for part of the journey) drives the Danes northward.
My protagonist is an eleven year old boy named Eadward swept up in Æðelwald’s revolt of 902. His father dies defending the lands his father is sworn to protect from invading Danes, who also kidnap his mother in the process. Eadward ends up joining King Edward the Elder’s army as he chases down Æðelwald in the hopes that he can also save his mother.
Action, adventure, and danger! My kind of stuff to read, both when I was 11 and now.
Chris talked about how excited he was to read it, calling it “The Last Kingdom, but for boys.” That’s not a bad description.
Also, since these are aimed at school-age children, we will be providing a study guide. Actually, I’ll be providing information on Anglo-Saxon England and proper educators will turn that into study guides, especially for home-schoolers.
So, that’s exciting. I plan to have five, maybe six, books in the series, and the tentative plan is to release the first one Q4 of this year, with one a quarter after that. Note, that’s more of a back-of-a-napkin plan than one that’s set in stone, but it gives you some idea where we are.
Also, you’ll see a counter appear in my Information Booth tracking book 2 (and the others as we go along). I’m about 20% done with book 2 and making good progress. At least, I’m making good progress now. I actually started what will become book 3, but changed my mind on the timing. That means I’ve got something going there too.
Anyway, they’re all gonna come out in a regular schedule as determined by the amazing Raconteur Press. Thanks to Chris, Jonna, Ian, Cedar, and the rest of the crew that makes this boy’s line of books happen. It’s a great project and I’m honored to be a part of it.
I’ve also been writing at the space opera/mil SF that keeps pushing out for me. I don’t have anything on that, other than I keep putting down words, doing worldbuilding, and all that. It’s gonna happen. I don’t know when.
Plus, other things are going on. It’s been a weird time for me. I literally finished Shattered Spear in December. I had also been working on a contract job that got canceled, plus the end of Okkorim. It feels to people outside of here that nothing’s happening, but that’s totally not true. There’s an amazing amount coming, just not now.
But I guess I better get doing all that. Have a great week everyone!
Rob’s Ramblings
I had Chris DiNote, as mentioned, on Tuesday. We had a blast talking about all our influences, plus a bunch of music stuff.
Upcoming Schedule
May 12, 2026: Kelly Grayson as we try to do it right this time!
May 19, 2026: Mike Burke helps me review the Astounding of July, 1946.
May 26, 2026: Wally Waltner will talk about all his new stuff.
June 2, 2026: Lewis D’Aubin will tell us about the Consortium of Genius! And we’re both Rush fans and the tour is starting soon.
Guest Info
Here’s Chris DiNote’s Amazon page so you can find out all the cool stuff he’s done:
https://www.amazon.com/stores/Christopher-Dinote/author/B07QPTWCMV.
Let me know if you have any suggestions on the website, this email, or cool story ideas at rob@robhowell.org. Especially let me know of suggestions you have for the Spotlight section.
Have a great week, everyone.
Rob Howell
Creator of the Firehall Sagas Universe
My Weight Today: 310.6lbs
Amazon Author Page: amazon.com/-/e/B00X95LBB0
Website: robhowell.org
Blog: robhowell.org/blog
The Firehall Sagas: firehallsagas.com/
Facebook Author Page: facebook.com/robhowell.org/
Twitter: twitter.com/Rhodri2112
10th Century Anglo-Saxon England? Heck, I want to read it. 😁 Don't matter if it's for kids. A good story is a good story.