New Book Release and End of Year Thoughts

This has been a wonderful year, both for me personally and in writing books. Fallen Earth – First Colony Book 15 is the fourth book I’ve released this year. 

A new mission…

Years after the first interstellar colony ship departed from Earth, a contagion known as the Vemus spread across all mammalian life on the planet, giving rise to monstrosities that nearly wiped out all humanity.

Hundreds of years later, the interstellar colonists sent an expeditionary force back to Earth to help the survivors. Among the refugees were a cadre of human survivors who had adapted to resist the Vemus by becoming a hybrid of both.

Old war machines quarantined the Earth, preventing refugees from returning. Lieutenant Ethan Gates nearly died to save the colonial fleet sent to destroy the blockade. He survived by becoming a hybrid, and now they aren’t sure he could be trusted.

After months of being sidelined, Ethan finally returns to active duty, and makes an unexpected discovery…evidence hinting at the origins of the Vemus.

When detractors hinder unification efforts, causing treacherous divides among Earth’s refugees, a much larger threat looms in the shadows.

Fallen Earth is the 15th book in the bestselling military science fiction series First Colony. Don’t miss out on the next thrilling adventure for those who long to explore other worlds and glimpse a future with hope and hardships that challenge the characters to be more than what they were before.

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What happened this year?

My plan for 2023 was to write a 3 book series and then go back to First Colony.  I released Space Raiders this year, which was a fun sci-fi that tilts more toward humorous adventure than some of my other work. Nathan Briggs was a fun character to write in a witty and leap first sort of way. It’s a lighthearted series meant for easy consumption. The reaction to Space Raiders overall has been very positive, but if you’re looking for something more serious then I doubt this story is for you. 

Last year (2022) when I’d released Expedition Earth (Book 14), the response had been so strong that it motivated me to keep writing stories in First Colony. It’s humbling to know that there is such devotion to a series that was first released toward the end of 2017. If you’ve read the author’s note at the end of Vigilance then you know the unique circumstances surrounding that. 

What’s in store for 2024? 

My plan for 2024 is to keep writing in the First Colony series. I’ve begun work on Book 16 and anticipate that it will be available by April. If I can finish the book sooner, I will. I had to give myself a little bit of breathing room because I’m having back surgery at the end of this month. Prayers for a speedy recovery are always welcome. 

Audiobook for Fallen Earth – First Colony Book 15 – Status: Scott Aiello is onboard to narrate this next book and the release date for that will probably be in April as well. It’s just how it worked out with Scott’s busy schedule. I’m so glad that he’s going to narrate the next book and hasn’t become tired of it 🙂  

I plan to write and release at least three books in 2024. The first slot is dedicated to First Colony Book 16, and I suspect the remaining two slots will be dedicated to books 17 & 18 in the First Colony series. Plans can always change and sometimes life intervenes, but that’s where I’m at today. If you’ve never read the First Colony series, it’s broken up into separate story arcs. The current story arc began with Expedition Earth (Book 14) and continued with Fallen Earth (Book 15). I plan to continue the series along this vein as it expands beyond the settings of the previous stories in the series. 

Beyond 2024? I’m not lacking ideas for stories, so I have plenty to keep myself busy. I will say that whatever books I write in the future will not be a rehash of the work I’ve done in the previous series. That would be boring for me and not fair to you. I do play with science fiction concepts that appear in more than one series, but I like to tweak them a bit so it challenges the characters and me. This is why I only write an average of 3 books a year. Sometimes I can get that 4th one in, like this year, which is great. 

Thank you to everyone who has read or listened to my work. I truly appreciate it and am humbled by your continued support. 

Merry Christmas and I hope you have a blessed New Year.

~Ken