End of 2025 Update

As we reach the end of 2025, it feels like the right moment to pause and reflect on a year filled with both challenges and real milestones in my writing journey.

It’s been a particularly busy year for The Good Shepherd. After receiving some incredibly helpful editorial feedback from the brilliant team at Jericho Writers, I completed the fifth draft — transforming what was once a sprawling 165k word, six‑POV epic into a much tighter and far more marketable 95k novel, now centred firmly on Alex and Holly’s journey.

This autumn, I put together my query package and sent out my first tranche of submissions in October. A definite highlight was receiving my first ever competition listing, with The Good Shepherd placing in the top 50 of the New2TheScene debut novel competition. I’m hoping to build on that momentum in the new year with more competition entries and the next wave of agent queries.

Looking ahead, 2026 is shaping up to be a big year for Troll Hunter. My goal is to dive into the major second‑draft edit and have the manuscript ready for my trusted alpha and beta readers by the end of the year.

I’ve also begun sketching out ideas for books three and four — both standalone stories set within the same universe. I’ll be sharing more about those in the new year.

Overall, it’s been an exciting and rewarding year to be part of the writing community, and I’m eager to see where these projects — each so close to my heart — will take me next.

Wishing you all a very merry Christmas and a happy new year.

Andy