First of all, let’s get this out of the way: this is not a Book 2 announcement.

That’s not to say that Book 2 isn’t coming along well! I’ve actually already got a finished draft of Iconoclast and am revising it at this very moment (okay, not this very moment, since I’m writing this post). Assuming all goes well, you should be able to read it by the end of the year. Just saying: a paperback book makes a great stocking stuffer!

No, this is a different thing, sort of a fun extra treat for those of you who’ve found Rapscallion so far and are looking for more to tide you over between now and Iconoclast.

Enter The Rapscallion Interludes.

That’s right, it’s my first short story collection!*

*Collection may also technically include a novella and two novelettes

I didn’t start writing these with the intent to publish. The first story in this collection that I wrote, “Vigneron,” was a gift for a couple of people in my life, and the novella “Prophet” was written to get myself back into the world of these characters after a long stretch of writing other projects so I wouldn’t have as much trouble writing Iconoclast.

And then… I kind of kept writing. It turns out I really enjoy being in the world of Rapscallion, and the more rocks I lifted up and peered beneath, the more interesting stories there were to tell.

(And this isn’t the only set of side stories you’ll see in this world, either. One of them maybe outgrew this collection– or is longer than the rest of this collection put together, whichever you think is more likely– and you’ll see it eventually.)

So: The Rapscallion Interludes! Here’s the blurb:

Return to the world of Grandony and the surrounding lands with these four stories set in the months between Rapscallion and Iconoclast!

In “Prophet,” the crew are working a job on a relaxing riverboat cruise when they encounter a man of faith who claims to heal the sick with the power of his belief. In “Vigneron,” Darren’s new life of peace and solitude is interrupted by a visitor from his past. In “Wildsong,” the bard who sang songs of Lucas Mollifer finds himself in an adventure of his own. And in “Vagabond,” Rennis tries to rebuild his life outside of the Enforcers, but trouble has a way of finding him.

Welcome back to Grandony, where nothing is as it seems and danger lurks around every corner…

Special thanks to Marta for the great cover and the continued development of the Rapscallion title treatment!

Because this book is a bit of a surprise, there’s not a lot of runway before the release. In fact, it comes out April 28th, just over a week from the time of this post’s upload.

“But April 28th is a Monday,” some of you might say, “and new book releases come out on Tuesdays!”

True, hypothetical person! But April 28th is also my birthday, and I thought it would be fun to give a little birthday present from me to you, as a thanks to everyone who’s supported Rapscallion thus far. Just know that while you read these stories, I’m working to make Iconoclast as good as it can be. Watch this space for further announcements.

I had a blast writing The Rapscallion Interludes. I hope you have a blast reading them.