the Author
April
24
105 Comments

State of the Author, April 2024 edition

Posted in Cast, Elantra, Essalieyan, writing.

I appear to have missed the month of March entirely >.<.

When last I wrote, I had mentioned plumbing failure. Plumbing failure did, indeed, cause destruc­tion of the base­ment from the back of the house to the front of the house. They have to jack­hammer through the cement flooring and dig up a trench to get to the old pipes so they can remove those, and then replace them with new pipes. This was also required on the lawn, so lawn — which is a tiny city lawn to begin with — is less grassy as well.

While the plumbers will put the dirt back and pour cement once they’ve finished, the cement takes a suggested three weeks minimum to dry enough that we could paint or glue. Which is fine.

And then we find our contractor, and wait until he has the time to fix the floor, because while cement has now hard­ened and we can once again walk on the base­ment floor (we have the washer and dryer in the base­ment), there are partial tiles along the newly cemented trench. And then we discover that previous tile-fixing attempts used a type of glue that isn’t really used for glue anymore (details of which now escape me), so getting that off requires phys­ical scraping (expected) and 24 hours of chem­ical wash (which wasn’t), on top of the 24 hours for the leveling-cement to dry and the 24 hours of actual tile cement glue to dry.

So the week of work became two weeks. With saws. And on the last week, two days before I was to get on a plane to go to East­ercon in the UK, I kicked the rolled up area rug in the front hallway and frac­tured the two toes I’d broken last July. Again. So March was a tiny bit chaotic and frustrating.

Wearing the boot I was given last time, I then flew to Heathrow. I hobbled around on the boot for two more days, and then reverted to wearing flat bed Birken­stock-style sandals for the rest of the time.

The conven­tion was great. Tade Thompson was about as up front and straight­for­ward as I am (my husband said blunt, but found him infor­ma­tive and enter­taining), and Genevieve Cogman was lovely – less blunt than either Tade or Michelle, but perfectly willing to genuinely engage. Jackie Burns (Artist GoH) was also lovely – friendly, warm. I got to spend time with Kari Sper­ring and her partner, Phil Nanson; Aliette de Bodard also came, as did surprise visitor C. E. Murphy. Well, surprise to me. I had dropped entirely off-line prior to the conven­tion in an attempt to try to get ahead on writing.

I can’t write during conven­tions. My brain in Meet People and Interact mode is very different from my writer brain. I have tried to get work done while at a conven­tion before, but the only thing that really happens is frus­tra­tion because I can’t. Every sentence takes five times longer.

Neither Thomas nor I returned with any kind of illness. So that was a big plus.

And then, because this book is due in May, my sister came to visit (she’s leaving today). So March was house­hold mess and noise, but it ended with a finished base­ment and no more mess and noise. I did get writing done.

The Wild Road is roughly 160k. Magic School 02 (sadly, that is the working title) is the book due in May. Part of me wishes I could write more quickly, because there are too many books I’d like to write at this point, and not enough time.

So: I have a ques­tion. My current Sagara writing schedule has been CAST novel, Cast-related novel, CAST novel, Cast-related novel. Shards of Glass was the Cast-related novel this time; prior to this it was Emper­or’s Wolves and Sword and Shadow. The book that is coming out this August will be Cast in Atone­ment, and the book that follows (which I’m writing now) the sequel to Shards.

What I’m trying to get a feel for is: how many readers here read only the main­line Cast novels? (Or only the Severn books/related books).

I ask this because someone mentioned Night­shade in comments; they feel that the lack of Night­shade is a seri­ously problem. My problem is, on a visceral level, it’s very diffi­cult at this point to write about Night­shade within the Cast context. I could write more completely about him in an entirely different context, but that would be further Cast-adja­cent novels. And seri­ously, the one that would make the most sense would be Cohort novels.

I’ll leave those thoughts here, and write book words for now.

105 Responses to State of the Author, April 2024 edition

  1. Diana says:
    April 24, 2024 at 9:59 am

    I read, nay, devour ~every­thing~ Elantra as soon as it hits my Kindle!

  2. Rosa says:
    April 24, 2024 at 10:00 am

    Hello! Me encan­taría leer más sobre Night­shade, creo que es un personaje complejo, y que su historia daría para mucho,
    Siendo sincera estoy agrade­cida de seguir leyendo histo­rias en este mundo, un libro sobre la Cohorte sería exce­lente pero Night­shade se merece su propia historia..

  3. Anne says:
    April 24, 2024 at 10:00 am

    I love all the cast and cast-related books.
    I don’t mind waiting for cast while reading related.….
    love severn
    would be inter­ested in Nightshade
    or anything else that is begging for notice in your brain

    :)

  4. Hannah A says:
    April 24, 2024 at 10:03 am

    In answer to your ques­tion, I read all of your Cast books and their spin-offs (most of the time more than once as well). My husband reads a lot slower than I do so he’s about 10 books “behind” on the main series and will prob­ably never get to the spin-offs.

  5. Theresa says:
    April 24, 2024 at 10:06 am

    I read all the novels (main and side) and have gotten my friends into all the novels. I would defi­nitely read a Night­shade offshoot.

  6. Ronwen Guest says:
    April 24, 2024 at 10:06 am

    Me2. I really miss Night too. He is the vampire in this world! (The Dark One…) I want peace for him if not happiness.

  7. Melanie says:
    April 24, 2024 at 10:07 am

    Anything Elantra for me (though I reread Cast a lot more).

  8. Karen says:
    April 24, 2024 at 10:07 am

    I read all of the Cast and related books. The Severn books have been my favorite so far. I’d be thrilled to read a related series with Nightshade.

  9. Marilyn Custer says:
    April 24, 2024 at 10:08 am

    I read and love all of the Elantra book series.

  10. Debra Holcomb says:
    April 24, 2024 at 10:09 am

    I love all your books. Re-read them often as they are like wonderful friends. Write what you are called to write and we will read and love them. Thank you for all your hard work. Hope the toes are better.

  11. Carol Duffy says:
    April 24, 2024 at 10:17 am

    I would love to see more Night­shade; and perhaps learn about his past with the Consort? But really would be delighted to read anything about. ibjt­shace you would care to write.

  12. Patrick Gates says:
    April 24, 2024 at 10:18 am

    What­ever you write I’ll read! Simple as that!

  13. Ashley says:
    April 24, 2024 at 10:18 am

    I read all the Cast and related books. And would love more on Night­shade! Like someone else said so far the Severn books have been my favorite (other than the older Cast books). There’s so much new in the most recent ones I feel like it’s almost a new series! I’ve also read some of the non Elantra books but they aren’t my favorite. Anything Elantra gets bought and read as soon as it’s released!

  14. Carol Duffy says:
    April 24, 2024 at 10:19 am

    Sorry *Night­shade

  15. Sue says:
    April 24, 2024 at 10:21 am

    Hi Michelle, I’m sorry March was a horror show for you but I’m glad that things are on the up now.

    I read all Cast novels, be they the main or adja­cent lines. (I read your West novels too— in fact, started reading your work with the orig­inal Hunter novel.) Person­ally, I am margin­ally less inter­ested in the magic school novels compared to the others, mostly because I love the evolu­tion of Kaylin and Severn. I under­stand why people miss Night­shade, espe­cially his inter­ac­tions with Kaylin, not to mention how he has changed over time (unusu­ally so for Barrani), so cohort novels would be great. In the end, though, I’d be delighted to read anything that you write. 

    Hope life runs more smoothly for you now. Cheers from Melbourne.

  16. Kathleen says:
    April 24, 2024 at 10:25 am

    I agree with Patrick Gates. What­ever you write, I’ll read!

  17. Kristina Contino says:
    April 24, 2024 at 10:27 am

    Defi­nitely read all books Cast and related to Cast. Would defi­nitely read some­thing about Night­shade! Thanks for all the great reading material!!

  18. Deborah Humphrey says:
    April 24, 2024 at 10:33 am

    I’ve read all the Cast books, all the West books, all the antholo­gies and even have a Buffy book because you wrote part of it… I would love to see Night­shade if it fits& works. But throwing him in, just because i miss him, seems counterintuitive.

  19. Beks says:
    April 24, 2024 at 10:35 am

    Defi­nitely missing Noghshade. His story arc doesn’t feel complete in the series or with Kaylin. I would defi­nitely read a spin off on him, because he’s inter­esting and I like the growth he’s shown so far, but I defi­nitely miss him in the main story as well.

  20. Dame Trouble says:
    April 24, 2024 at 10:35 am

    I am not fussy — if you write it, I will read it. I’m prob­ably not the only one, either. Write what you want to write.

  21. Marie says:
    April 24, 2024 at 10:45 am

    I have most of the Cast series.lost some interest. But I really miss your earlier writ­ings. The style seems like rwo different authors. Not hurried. Cast is a quick read. First writing very consuming. The House War series was the best.
    Do hope that some day your find the time to write a series in that same medium.

  22. Jennifer H Lamb says:
    April 24, 2024 at 10:54 am

    I read every­thing in the Cast world, and I think I was the one that mentioned missing Night­shade last time so you know I love him. I would devour a Night­shade spinoff (It reminds me of Cassandra Clare’s Magnus Bane — he’s an immortal too). I am still ship­ping him and Kaylin too though.

  23. Lee Tincher says:
    April 24, 2024 at 10:59 am

    Like the previous posts, I value and appre­ciate all your writing, regard­less of the setting and have read every­thing. Writing is an art form done in isola­tion for the supreme plea­sure of sharing words which create worlds. Please continue to write as your heart directs and we’ll continue to read.

  24. Jana says:
    April 24, 2024 at 11:06 am

    I love the adja­cent books, but honestly I read them once and then move on. I’ve read the main cast books every year since I discov­ered them in 2007 lol. I get sad when I had to wait for the focus to shift back to Kaylin. Your writing is phenom­enal and while I would look a peek into Night­shade, I would prefer him mixing it up with Kaylin.

    Love your books, so what­ever you decide I’m sure we’ll all be happy 💙

  25. jennifermorris11 says:
    April 24, 2024 at 11:14 am

    Will read anything, seems true of most of us!, but I am most fond of the Cast novels. I am really enjoying the Cast adja­cent books, I love the pacing, the new char­ac­ters and the dialogue. Plus, I am having a blast seeing Elantra from a different perspec­tive. Night­shade would be fun but let him wait for his time, he can remain a mystery as far as I am concerned and no worries if his story just continued in head canon and fanfic.

  26. Katrina says:
    April 24, 2024 at 11:17 am

    All Cast is good, what­ever fits your flow best. Admit­tedly, I’d prefer books into the future versus past just to get further under­standing of shadow and Ravellon, but the two Severn books have also expanded the world. So what­ever your brain sees a need for is prob­ably best.

  27. Barbara Ford says:
    April 24, 2024 at 11:35 am

    As so many have already said, I read EVERYTHING in the world of Elantra — and often reread the series (and adja­cent works) while waiting for the next one. I’d love to hear more about Night­shade, sure, but I enjoy all of it.

  28. Tracey p. says:
    April 24, 2024 at 11:39 am

    I’m sorry to hear about the expen­sive-sounding plumbing prob­lems. And the crunched toes, ouch. Frac­tures take 2 years to fully heal so that’s prob­ably why the same 2 broke.

    I also read every­thing Cast-related. Can’t you just cut out sleep entirely and write more? You’re wasting 6 – 8 hours of writing time a day.

  29. Sherry says:
    April 24, 2024 at 11:44 am

    I love every­thing. I completely enjoy all the side steps as well. The more the better. Thank you for all your time writing and inviting us into your stories.

  30. Kristin Heese says:
    April 24, 2024 at 11:49 am

    I’m also in the “I’ve read every­thing in the Cast world” camp :) I started out reading all the main­line books first (or as many as were out at the time), then the Cast-adja­cent stories. 

    I’m glad we’re getting another Severn book! I’m inter­ested to see more about how his story­line even­tu­ally connects to the main line — what caused him to decide to put himself in Kaylin’s direct path when he did?

    I’m defi­nitely down to see more of Nightshade’s back­story. I’d also love more of Elluvian’s back­story, espe­cially more about the last war between the Barrani and the Dragons and how he managed to pull off what he did. (I’m being purpose­fully vague here to avoid spoilers.)

    I hope your foot feels better soon! And good luck with all the home repairs — that sounds like quite an ordeal.

  31. Asia says:
    April 24, 2024 at 11:55 am

    Hi, I read both cast and cast related novels. Love both! It would be great to read some­thing Night­shade related I feel like some of his/Kaylin rela­tion­ship was high­lited and then silence so prob­ably that’s why me and other readers are keep asking for him. He feels as a big part of the story and Kaylin. However if you decide that you have more Night­shade only book in mind I will read that defi­nitely 😄 and be happy to know more about him and his deal­ings. It would be great to know more about what he is doing in current time Kaylin books he seems like the type to have plans to plans to plans and work on few parallel projects 😄

  32. maireceg says:
    April 24, 2024 at 12:31 pm

    I will read anything you’ve written so WRITE.

    Sorry to hear about the base­ment and the toes. What a mess!

  33. Christy C says:
    April 24, 2024 at 12:48 pm

    Thanks for the updates. I read every­thing you publish the second. It’s avail­able on audible. I love the site novela. Shards of Glass was excellent!

  34. Joyce says:
    April 24, 2024 at 12:54 pm

    Well, dang, you have had an eventful spring! I truly feel for you because I, too, prefer that the mundane episodes of life remain mundane and boring, doing their thing in the back­ground unob­tru­sively and that health issues not recur, self-inflicted or not (ouch, so sorry about the toes). The con sounds awesome. I have read and enjoyed all but one of the authors you mentioned and would have loved to hear them, and you, up close and personal. 

    I’ve been reading about Kaylin since you started longer ago than I (and prob­ably you) want to deeply contem­plate. I have never really gotten into the West books but I can play nice with others and try not to get anxious at the time spent writing them. That said I love Elantra and want to know every­one’s story as fast as they can be written. (No pres­sure) I do grow a little anxious about the end of Kaylin’s journey since I’m not a spring chicken anymore but I also have become invested in the school and would really like to under­stand Night­shade better. I feel like I know who Severn is and where he came from but the Barrani are so much more compli­cated that it would take millions of colours to paint them in any real way. So, yes, please. Clone your­self a few times and set each you to all the layers of you there are.

    Just one more thing. Do you have a time­line set with and end in sight for Kaylin’s story?

  35. Mike Nelson Pedde says:
    April 24, 2024 at 1:02 pm

    Have read every­thing Elantra. 🌞

  36. hsmyers says:
    April 24, 2024 at 1:10 pm

    So far as I know, I’ve read every­thing you’ve published. Imagine my anxiety as you work, let it be an excel­lent! Of course, it will!

  37. Chris G. says:
    April 24, 2024 at 1:11 pm

    My sympa­thies on March. 

    Person­ally, I see no prob­lems with “blunt”, it doesn’t always have a pejo­ra­tive connotation. :) 

    (of course I wasn’t there and have never met your husband [or you], etc, etc.)

    As for the ques­tion. You are among my favorite fantasy authors and I will always buy what you release. That having been said, I’m not the biggest fan of the related novels. Like Jana above, I read them and then go re-read the main Cast books. Also, I’ve never been as inter­ested in Night­shade as some. And imho supporting char­ac­ters don’t always become as fasci­nating when moved into the spot­light. I’m sure some fans really would enjoy such a book though.

  38. Jeanine says:
    April 24, 2024 at 1:12 pm

    I read all things Elantra. Multiple times. I am enjoying all the Elantran offshoots, so what­ever you want to write in whichever part of that world is fine. I don’t feel any partic­ular need to read more about Night­shade, but if you feel compelled to write about him, I will certainly read it. Thanks again for the hours of reading pleasure!

  39. Elizabeth says:
    April 24, 2024 at 1:21 pm

    I read/intend to read all of the Elantra books. Night­shade has always been one of my favorite char­ac­ters, so it would be nice to read more about him. I like the Severn-focused books, as well. As a previous comment indi­cated, learning more about the Barrani would be interesting.

  40. Peg says:
    April 24, 2024 at 1:26 pm

    I read both the Cast books and the Severn books. I’ll be happy to get anything Elantra.

  41. EV says:
    April 24, 2024 at 1:36 pm

    Hi.
    Your March did not sound like fun. The con sounded like loads of fun though. Did it even out?
    Anyway, I like reading about Kaylin and Severn. The school is fun. As for Night­shade or the cohort, I think my pref­er­ence at this point would be the cohort. But really what­ever you write in this series is excel­lent. Thank you.
    EV

  42. Cheryl Norman says:
    April 24, 2024 at 1:53 pm

    I have read all the Cast novels as well as all the spin­offs. I really enjoy the Elantra Cast novels and can’t wait until the next one but the spin­offs have their own point of view and seem to “flesh out” other char­ac­ters that aren’t actu­ally in the spin­offs. I would love more spin­offs and get to know Night­shade, the Cohort, and the dragons.

  43. Linda Reed says:
    April 24, 2024 at 2:09 pm

    Hi…
    I read all the novels. I’m looking forward to both the coming Cast novel and a new one (I hope) about Severn. I love all the char­ac­ters so anything you want to write about them would be great! Sorry about your March; plumbing is never good news.

  44. Dawn says:
    April 24, 2024 at 2:13 pm

    Hi Michelle. I read all of your work. I do mean all. I love every­thing you right and all of the worlds I get to visit by reading them. Please just keep writing. I will read them all.

  45. Jazzlet says:
    April 24, 2024 at 3:09 pm

    Oh your poor toes, I hope they are healing well. 

    I read and re-read all the Elantra books, finding more each time. I am glad we will get to hear how Robin is doing after the some­what ominous ending to Shards. I am not that inter­ested in Night­shade, but would read it if you wrote it. I don’t suppose that helps much ;-)

  46. Birgit McCall says:
    April 24, 2024 at 3:13 pm

    I’m glad your house is mostly back to normal, and your foot is on the mend! I love all your stuff, and support your Essalieyan work on Patreon. I also read (and re-read) all your Cast and Cast Adja­cent stuff, and your short stories. Queen of the Dead is also a multiple-read. The only series of yours that hasn’t called to me for a re-read is Sundered. I will read what­ever you write and be happier for it. If you feel that you need to write about Night­shade, in what­ever context works for you, I will read it, and I am sure I will enjoy it. Write what you feel you need to write, when you feel the need to write it!!!

  47. Toby says:
    April 24, 2024 at 3:28 pm

    Well, the Cast novels are one of my favourite series in all of liter­a­ture (I typi­cally read a couple of dozen books a year and have a large personal library) but the Severn books didn’t hold much interest for me. Shards, however, I thor­oughly enjoyed so I am looking forward to the sequel. I’m…. Not sure about Cohort novels, but letting Terrano off the leash a little might be fun :)

  48. Aileen Gillett says:
    April 24, 2024 at 3:30 pm

    I read every­thing Elantra, as it is ALL fasci­nating to me. So what­ever you choose to write will be read eagerly! It doesn’t matter… :)

  49. Naomi says:
    April 24, 2024 at 3:46 pm

    I have read and reread all the Elantra stories multiple times. I do miss Night­shade as I feel like he started out as a major char­acter then petered out once his brother appeared. I’d like a story to either close his arc or get him back into the main story. Maybe a cohort story could do this as a subplot?

  50. Faith P. says:
    April 24, 2024 at 3:46 pm

    I love and read (and re-read) it all!

  51. Anne says:
    April 24, 2024 at 4:08 pm

    I read and enjoy every­thing you write!
    I do think maybe Night­shade could be an adjunct novel to the Cast novels

  52. Tricia says:
    April 24, 2024 at 4:25 pm

    I love the Cast books. They are a wonderful comfort read series for me because of the way the story changes — I’ve got a book for any mood! I’ve also read the Severn and Robin books but don’t find myself going back to those as frequently. I have been absolutely fine with the dearth of Night­shade. Much like his brother, the mark and the posses­sion it implies bother me. I’d rather read about the cohort if we need Barrani books. But I read anything that comes out Elantra-related, so whichever works best for you and your writing brain is my vote. 

    Thanks so much for creating and sharing this wonderful world!

  53. Estara Swanberg says:
    April 24, 2024 at 4:31 pm

    I’ll read anything of yours, although the really dark books not more than once (that’s the Sundered and The Queen of the Dead series). Person­ally I never saw Night­shade as anything but dedi­cated to his own aims which are now fulfilled with regards to Kaylin (the return of his brother), so I can take him or leave him. I am a Severn fangirl, however ^^. But I mean the cohort are also a huge group that we’ve only gotten close to partially — all the devel­op­ments have been intriguing: like you said you could write so many books, if you had the time.

  54. Janet A. Chrzan says:
    April 24, 2024 at 5:34 pm

    Thanks for writing them all… and I read them all. Buy hard copy or kindle when they come out, and eagerly await the next. Thank you!

  55. Margaret A. Davis says:
    April 24, 2024 at 7:43 pm

    I read every­thing Michelle Sagara writes and enjoy them all!

  56. Sandy says:
    April 24, 2024 at 7:59 pm

    I’ve read all your books and love them. I would love to read a series on the Cohort

  57. Ericka says:
    April 24, 2024 at 8:30 pm

    I read them all and enjoy seeing the greater world partic­u­larly those who have been touched by the influ­ence of one Kaylin…

  58. Eoin says:
    April 24, 2024 at 8:46 pm

    I love absolutely every part of this universe that you’ve created. I was so excited when you started branching out from the cast series because it gave even more life to world. You write it, 100% I’ll read it.

  59. Lisa M Ross says:
    April 24, 2024 at 9:24 pm

    I love cast and cast related so please keep it up. I adore your novels. And with cast being
    No#1, Severn and wolves #2, Glass being #3
    and all are perfect. If glass novels end up outside the Academy then please consider a 4th series that is the rest of the academy espe­cially Lannagaros
    THANKS for the great reading mate­rial you provided me over the years.

  60. Kris Bethea says:
    April 24, 2024 at 9:33 pm

    √ Haven’t tried Severn yet.. I need to. I want more Night­shade. I’m very sad that there isn’t to be much more Night­shade within Cast.
    Severn is like Rory in Doctor Who, quiet but strong and always there in the background.
    I read for strong female char­ac­ters but I would read more about Night­shade. I do like a bad boy.

  61. Erin says:
    April 24, 2024 at 9:36 pm

    I read and love all of the main and related Cast series (and all your other books). I don’t care for Night­shade so beyond the (even­tual?) reso­lu­tion of one plot point I am fine with him not appearing, although I will continue to read what­ever you choose to write.

  62. Bri says:
    April 24, 2024 at 10:21 pm

    I tend to only read the main Cast books and Severn. I person­ally was never a big fan of the cohort taking on a more signif­i­cant role and learning they were part of the Shards of Glass novel led to me not picking it up. I enjoyed Night­shade as a char­acter and was sad by his contin­u­ally decreasing role in the main story­line. It seemed he was often rele­gated to the role of giving Kaylin infor­ma­tion rather than any real engage­ment as a char­acter so would be inter­ested in more about him rather than the cohort.

  63. Kimberli Spiehler says:
    April 24, 2024 at 10:42 pm

    Person­ally I’d prefer Night­shade v. the Cohort. I read every­thing you write after you stole my heart with Jay and of course Sara & Stefanos.

  64. Veronica Johnson says:
    April 24, 2024 at 11:18 pm

    Have and will read any Elantra andE­lantra adja­cent stories.

  65. Angela says:
    April 25, 2024 at 3:41 am

    I enjoy all of your Elantra work — spin-offs and main series. I would love to see more on Kaylin/ Severn and Kaylin/Nightshade, hope­fully via the orig­inal series. Watching Kaylin’s personal growth through her rela­tion­ships is fasci­nating. The cohort intro­duc­tion is great, but I hope the story­line can loop back to Severn and Night­shade as more major char­ac­ters. I also love how your spinoff series develop other char­ac­ters and a deeper under­standing of the world. What­ever you want to write, I will happily read. 😊

  66. Gail Halsted says:
    April 25, 2024 at 4:57 am

    Like most people I enjoy most of what you write but don’t enjoy the “West” novels. Also some of the later Elantra novels have got darker in content which I don’t enjoy. Hope all your home prob­lems are resolved

  67. Pamela says:
    April 25, 2024 at 6:41 am

    I love the Cast series — I dole them out to myself so I don’t finish too soon. But I read the Severn series last year and really enjoyed them too. So, for me anything Elantran or broadly Elantran. Thanks for giving us a whole world to explore!!!

  68. Zia says:
    April 25, 2024 at 8:22 am

    So sorry for the rough March, and I hope things get better for you the rest of the year. It’s been a less-than-awesome year for me as well. 

    I’ve been reading the Cast books for what feels like forever, but like so many others, they’re among my favorites so I will continue to read them. I also read the West novels, but they don’t hold the same delight for me that the Cast novels and novellas do. Though I will always continue to read and support them. 

    I’m yet another reader who thor­oughly misses Night­shade (and, to be honest, Sana­balis and the magic lessons) and I’d love to see more of both of them again. I feel like once Bellusdeo showed up both Night­shade and Sana­balis started disap­pearing, though Night­shade would occa­sion­ally come back for brief amounts of time.

    I enjoyed Shards of Glass and will continue to read any “magic school books.”

    Severn I’ve been less than a fan of since the get-go and while I read and enjoyed the two novels related to him…I enjoyed them strictly because of the other char­ac­ters and I had to firmly sepa­rate the series from the Cast books since what we learned about Severn’s West March trip early on in the main Cast series and what happened in the Severn books didn’t remotely match. But, again, I liked so many of the side char­ac­ters I would read anything else that came out in that area.

  69. Jennie says:
    April 25, 2024 at 9:26 am

    I started by reading the Elantra books; then I found your West series, and they became my favorites. Still, I have read all of the Elantra and Elantra-related books and will read what­ever you publish. I think there is lots of space for Night­shade stories; but you are the story­teller. BTW your books are a point of contact between my stepson and I. Thank you for sharing your inte­rior world with all of us,

  70. Seana says:
    April 25, 2024 at 11:12 am

    So sorry to hear about your early spring, and hope the nicer weather we’re starting to have will help make up for it…
    I adore the Cast novels and re-read the series every year while waiting for the next instal­ment. The Severn books have been inter­esting and so has the Magic school offshoot. I would keep reading those two cast-adja­cent books, for sure, and I’d likely read the first novel if you did some­thing focused on Night­shade or the cohort, but I would rather have more Cast books than either of the proposed offshoots.
    Ulti­mately I love your writing and the world and char­ac­ters of Elantra, so I’d read any works you cared to share!
    Best wishes for a smooth few months and for the safety of your poor toes!

  71. Theresa French says:
    April 25, 2024 at 11:44 am

    Hi, I read all your books — some­times many times! I loved the Sun Sword books and from there, all the rest of your books. Thank you for such reading pleasure!

  72. Roberta Jaye White says:
    April 25, 2024 at 11:52 am

    I read them all. I have even gone and purchased them thru audible. The narrator is wonderful. I would read anything to do with the world of Elantra.

  73. br60103 says:
    April 25, 2024 at 4:12 pm

    Michelle: I bought all of your novels, both you and that other girl, starting with the Sundered which I might even have bought from you.
    I may be missing some of the short stories. They have appeared in books that didn’t have your name on the cover.
    Most of them have been read more than once, some much more.

  74. Jenny G says:
    April 25, 2024 at 4:21 pm

    I will happily devour what­ever you write. You are the expert in your world you allow us to see and should tell the stories of what­ever char­ac­ters speak to you.

  75. Janet Kordell says:
    April 25, 2024 at 5:27 pm

    Love the Cast books and all the books of Elantra ( Stevern, the Magic School and if you did one on Night­shade that would be great , more insight on him would be great too.) Thank you!

  76. cici says:
    April 25, 2024 at 6:21 pm

    Main Cast series is my favourite. I’ve been a fan since book 1 was published and have eagerly awaited each new novel. While I really enjoy all the new char­ac­ters and the cohort, I do miss Nightshade.

  77. Steve Faught says:
    April 25, 2024 at 6:31 pm

    Love it all, read it all. Though I still have the Queen of the Dead and Into the Dark to get to. ❤️

  78. Gretchen says:
    April 25, 2024 at 10:51 pm

    I have read all of the core and adja­cent, but don’t always reread the non-core stories. Fasci­nating, insightful, well written, but not as much of a draw as the main Cast, unless I’m rereading to refresh prior to a new book.
    As far as Night­shade, while I am dying to know more about his history with Lanna­garos, and how that develops through Acad­emia, I don’t know that it needs it’s own side­line. Unless you put them having an adven­ture in the ruins that were mentioned way back in the early books. As far as the Cohort, I almost would want to have it after the main Kaylin books, as one of those “hundreds of years later” expanded epilogue/sequel that shows what an impact the Chosen had on them, maybe when they find out there is a new Chosen?

  79. Tanya says:
    April 26, 2024 at 4:20 am

    I happily read anything you write. I would absolutely love a night­shade book, he is a fasci­nating character.

  80. CG says:
    April 26, 2024 at 7:17 am

    I read the spin­offs, and they’re fine, but I much prefer the main series. I buy all the main Cast novels, and reread them (partic­u­larly the early ones), whereas the spin­offs are “borrow from the library once” books for me. 

    Seconding the ques­tion earlier in the comments — do you have an idea of when Kaylin’s arc will conclude?

  81. Tanya Mulholland says:
    April 26, 2024 at 2:58 pm

    I’m a big fan of the spin offs.

  82. Bryan says:
    April 26, 2024 at 4:50 pm

    All Cast and adja­cent novels are fantastic to me, plus I need to go back and read the House and (reread) Sun Sword series some­time this summer.

  83. Debi says:
    April 27, 2024 at 10:38 am

    Like so many others, I will read anything you write. The worlds and char­ac­ters you create are so complex, rich, and deep. The CAST series was orig­i­nally my favorite and I still love it, but I’ve just read The Sun Sword series and am halfway through House Wars and love them too. If I have to choose, I would say keep writing about the Elantra world so we can know what happens with the Kaitlyn/Severn/Nightshade triangle. I like that you are giving us more back­ground on Severn on his series and I want those to continue so that we can find out where he came from and how he was led to be Kait­lyn’s “guardian.” But Night­shade is also a myste­rious char­acter, so it would be fun to have more about him also. Again, I’m repeating others, but we just want you to write because you are so bril­liant at it!

  84. Leia says:
    April 27, 2024 at 1:54 pm

    I started reading your West novels with Hunter’s Duology and the Sun Sword series. Then I followed you to Elantra. While I read your Cast and adja­cent series, I usually only them once, but I re-read West books annu­ally. I agree with others, I feel The Cohort has taken over Kaylin’s story and pushed her away from inves­ti­gating crime as a Hawk (including less Hawk­lord and Marcus), less­ened Night­shade’s role as his goal was accom­plished, pulled her away from the other species she inter­acts with, etc. While I like the idea of a Night­shade novel(la), I am not as thrilled with The Cohort’s involve­ment. But, I am not a writer and I strongly feel that you should write to your interest. If you wish to explore Night­shade and the Cohort, do so. If you are not that enthused about writing Night­shade at this time or feel it would be better to weave him back to main Cast novels, go for it. I support your writ­ings, what­ever they may be.

  85. RJ says:
    April 27, 2024 at 5:01 pm

    I love your books and read your main Cast/Severn/Magic school Acad­emia related books. I too support what­ever you choose to write however you choose to write in what­ever way or manner you see fit with or without what­ever char­ac­ters you wish to share with us. I am glad to go on whichever journey inter­ests you — your books are always worth the wait.

  86. Becky Trosino says:
    April 27, 2024 at 5:52 pm

    OMG!!! I would buy Night­shade’s books in Hard­back. Seri­ously. I love him. He is my favorite char­acter. You could write anything about him. Person­ally, I read all the Elantra books. I missed Magic School 1, have to catch up on that one. I was surprised at the Severn books. I was expecting not to like them but I loved them almost as much as the reg series. He is my least favorite char­acter. Write what you want… but if you wrote a book about Night­shade, that would be amazing.

  87. Fyreink says:
    April 27, 2024 at 11:02 pm

    I person­ally rush to read the main Cast books and the Severn books. I’d be happy if there were more Severn books. As for Night­shade, I’d be perfectly fine when he shows up in the Cast books when needed to plot wise, as organ­i­cally as possible. 

    But I would really love more books on the Dragon Court, and its various members, partic­u­larly the Emperor, Lord Diarmat, and Sanabalis. 

    Also, would love to meet the char­ac­ters that showed up in the Severn books, in the Cast titles.

  88. Char says:
    April 28, 2024 at 12:08 am

    If you write it I will read it! My pref­er­ences are Cast books, Severn, and then Magic School, but mostly you should write what makes you happy. Thank you for the fun!

  89. Kick says:
    April 28, 2024 at 2:39 pm

    My first love are the West books. I also love the Elantra books. I will read what­ever you write. For Elantra, I too am missing Sana­balis and the music lessons and also the inter­mit­tent inter­ac­tions with the Emperor. I like some of the cohort char­ac­ters but I am a little tired of their stories. I want more about Belusdeo (sp) being happy. I am uncer­tain whether Night­shade is done with Kaylin with the return of his brother. It can go either way for me. I certainly don’t see Night­shade as a love interest although I know others do. In earlier books I thought Kaylin was the main char­acter but in more recent books Kaylin has felt more like the supporting char­acter of other peoples plots. I think this is the problem with having such inter­esting side char­ac­ters. I would prob­ably prefer for them to have their own novels rather than co-opting Kaylin to support their own plots, if you can see the differ­ence. I suspect it is a similar problem to Night­shade. Who should be the domi­nant character?

    For both West and Sagara books, I feel the plots (or at least the action) has some­times been down­played to give more time for meta­physics and head-thinking. Some­times I wish there was a little less of the latter and more of the former. Some­times all the “mental musings” get a little repet­i­tive for me. 

    When you start a new series or arc, there is often more plot and less musing. 

    All that being said, you are one of my favorite authors ever. I desper­ately want you to finish the West arc. I supported you on patreon when I could afford to do so. I know the cast books sell better, and I like them too. 

    I would say just write what you want to write except I really and truly will despair if you don’t finish the West arcs. They are magnificent!

  90. Rebecca says:
    April 29, 2024 at 9:51 am

    The Cast series is a huge draw, and the spinoff books as well. I miss Kaylin.

  91. Lauren W Isaacs says:
    April 29, 2024 at 10:23 am

    I also devour all the Cast In books as soon as you write them. I love your other books also, and get them as soon as they come off the press. I started reading your work with the Sun series books, and have re-read them at least three times. Same with the Cast In books. So, basi­cally, I love every book you write and gobble them up immediately.

  92. Mary Allen says:
    April 29, 2024 at 10:30 am

    I am sorry you had such a bad March but am glad it all seems to be resolving itself. I love every­thing you have written Hidden City, Emper­or’s Wolves and Cast in Court­light are my favorites. I am slightly inter­ested in the other Towers inter­ac­tion with both Night­shade and the School.

  93. Alessandra says:
    April 29, 2024 at 10:59 am

    I’ll always read anything you write, in all of your worlds. Simple as that.

  94. Michele L Frogge says:
    April 29, 2024 at 11:25 am

    I would like to maybe see more of the Kaylin & Sevren “rela­tion­ship” or know more of his POV of the relationship

  95. Melissa says:
    April 29, 2024 at 12:55 pm

    I have devoured the main Cast books and the Severn books pretty much as soon as they come out. I didn’t finish Shards, which is very unusual for me. I couldn’t connect with Robin or Raven, and found myself not really caring what happened to them. 

    I find the Cohort inter­esting, and would enjoy a book more centered on them.

    I’ve always enjoyed Night­shade and would like to learn his back story as well as what he has gotten himself into.

  96. MikiS says:
    April 29, 2024 at 3:30 pm

    I read both the Cast and Cast-related novels. I can’t see myself ever forgiving Night­shade for how he treats his fief, but I’d read his story because Some­thing Impor­tant might happen.

  97. MARGOT INEZ HARRIS says:
    April 29, 2024 at 10:53 pm

    I read both the main­line Cast and the Cast-related books as soon as they are published. And much as I enjoy Night­shade, it is fine with me for him to be in the back­ground for a while. I’m sure he’ll reappear!

  98. Anna says:
    April 30, 2024 at 2:29 pm

    Hi Michelle,
    I am of the oppi­o­nion that there is no way that you can skip the Cast adja­cent novels. I love them with a passion and want to know more about every aspect of this world. I long for more main Cast books to, but I dont think that you should force char­ac­ters to appear in books where they don’t fit the story­line. I adore the complexity of Night­shade, but he has his place and will apear in his own time. Please listen to your inner voice and not all the opin­ion­a­tors. You are the author, we’re only along for the ride.

  99. Beth A. Williams says:
    April 30, 2024 at 7:41 pm

    Hi Michelle
    I am so sorry for all the chaos of the past months and hope for calm skies and smooth sailing.

    I have read every­thing Elantra almost from the begin­ning, and eagerly wait for each Cast install­ment. I have also enjoyed all of the spinoff series.

    Really at this point, I love the world and char­ac­ters you’ve created so much I would read any series or stand alone book you decided to create.

    I do miss Night­shade. His scenes with Kaylin are golden. Those two are good for each other, both help the other strive to grow and be the best versions of themselves.

    Thank you so much for your passion and imagination!

  100. Reena says:
    May 1, 2024 at 12:17 am

    I dunno if you’ll see this (hi! first ever commenter, long­time blog lurker <3) but i always got the feeling the Night­shade Complainers (this is a consis­tent thread in comments about the Cast books I’ve seen) want more Night­shade *and* Kaylin. Not just… more Night­shade. Pretty sure. Though person­ally I’d enjoy reading about the Cohort in the future, once Kaylin’s ‘done’ with them… though consid­ering how slowly you move the time­line in the Cast books, I wonder if we’ll get to see 5 years from now, forget 50 years from now ahahahah.

    Me person­ally, I’m on the fence about Night­shade. I think part of the interest has always been unre­al­istic (for Kaylin) hope he’d be her love interest. Other­wise, he’s intriguing and has fantasy romance-type Main Char­acter Energy ala Severn. So to many/some readers, it feels weird that he’s side­lined because of his person­ality traits. But some of that energy he has in Kaylin’s orbit context would be lost in his own story, in a way Severn’s doesn’t because IMO Severn is always in Kaylin’s orbit (in his own perspec­tive, to some degree). Many readers may think they just want more Night­shade, but I feel there’s more unspoken expec­ta­tion or poten­tial for disap­point­ment if he’s mainly focused on Annarion without the filter of Kaylin. Maybe I’m wrong! This is just my impres­sion of people. 

    Anyway, I love all Elantra books, though I love Kaylin most ’cause of the depth and breadth of the stories, and the Academy second because it doesn’t have Severn’s problem of being constrained by the past, or being a prequel. That limits the poten­tial sense of connec­tion, IMO. It’s a smaller world when it’s a prequel. You more or less know what’s going to end up happening to the char­ac­ters in the end, if not the plot. It’s a different kind of story. I dunno if we’re ready for Night­shade without Kaylin. But that doesn’t mean I wouldn’t read it anyway, haha.

  101. Angela Michalicek says:
    May 1, 2024 at 1:09 pm

    I’m looking forward to all of your work, including the wolves series. 😀

  102. VERONICA H MOORE says:
    May 3, 2024 at 7:47 am

    I read anything CAST… The main and the spin offs, but I think anything about night­shade can be kept in the main CAST novels.

  103. Carla Avery says:
    May 7, 2024 at 10:33 pm

    I read all in the cast world- actu­ally audio­book it, which is wonderful. Kris­tine vham is my favorite narrator. I would love to see a little romance progres­sion with Kaylin and Severn, they don’t get much time alone! (If you are accepting wish lists). I love the entire world, that you have ideas for expan­sion, and would love to read any of it you create.

  104. Victoria says:
    May 18, 2024 at 11:51 am

    Hi just reading this. I read all three series. Love them. Reread wolves 3 times already and cast oh about 25 (each time a new one hits and some few times when in need of comfort) . 

    I love that entire world!! Please don’t scrub any of them!

  105. Victoria says:
    May 18, 2024 at 12:03 pm

    Also, a Night­shade novel may be inter­esting but I’d rather read a story about evanton and how he came to be the keeper, or about how teela and tain met, also I’m always wondering if night­shade met kaylin the first time right before or after the regalia

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