So let’s turn our attention to what lies ahead, having covered a little of what happened on the road during book tour 2019. As you probably know, the Shannara series ends with book 30 publishing next May/June – at least it ends for Shannara books going forward into the future. This doesn’t mean I will never write another Shannara book. It just means I will be filling in the gaps and closing out the loose ends, either with long or short fiction over whatever time remains. But there are other things to write, and I intend to write those other things for the immediate future.
Next year will see two new hardcover books in publication – the last Shannara book in The Fall of Shannara and a collection of short fiction, both old and new, that I have pulled together over the years. That book will come out in October, and there will be stories from Shannara, Magic Kingdom, and Word & Void as well as one or two others I’ve written. So bear that in mind as Christmas 2020 approaches.
But what else am I intending on doing? A number of things. I expect to write a sequel to Street Freaks at some point. Not right away, but down the road a piece. I will write a new Magic Kingdom book immediately if the movie gets made. Did I mention a movie? Well, I did now. More later on that. But most importantly for the immediate future, I will be writing a new epic fantasy series of 2 or 3 books. I have a story and characters, and I have given them a test drive past the scrutinizing eyes of the Del Rey editors, and apparently they have passed muster. I do not intend for this series to be connected to anything I have done before save in the way all epic fantasies are connected – through familiar tropes, a strong presence of magic, a moral conundrum in need of a solution, and a threat to an entire world. Also strong male and female characters. I will start writing the first book in September of this year.
I need to tell you I am very excited about the idea for the book and the direction of the story. I think readers will be pleased with this new series, but I also know from previous experience they will be wary. Every time I set out to write something new there is a certain amount of push back. Experience tells me that readers will mumble about wanting a new Shannara book or a new Magic Kingdom or whatever, but will be cautious about a book that has nothing to do with what I’ve done before because that is the way it always is. I can assure you until the cows come home that you won’t be disappointed, but that will not be enough to convince you. But I am assuring you nevertheless. You haven’t been disappointed before – or if you have you aren’t telling me – so I can promise you won’t be disappointed this time either.
So without any telling details, there is my writing schedule for the immediately future – subject to change without notice. I might change my mind. That’s just the way the creative process goes. You might not intend it, but it happens anyway.
Now I have to go outside and breathe the ocean air.
See you soon, Terry.
One response to “BrooksBlog: The Future of Brooks Books”
The Sword of Shannara taught a teenage me the love of reading. It has made all the difference.
Thank you.