While I've been writing...

Wait? It's nearly the end of March. Wow! It has been a month!

Yesterday, I hit 100,000 words, my wordcount on Project: Avarice and... I still have more to write. As I said last week, I'm going to have to cut back quite a bit in the edits, but that's the way it goes sometimes. By the end of next week, it will be in with the publishers, and I can take a little breather... until the edits come back!

In the meantime, I thought I'd give you a little round-up of things that have been happening while I've been hammering away at the freewrite.

Here we go!

TALES FROM THE NIGHTLANDS IS OUT!

The collected edition of Star Wars: Tales from the Nightlands is out now, my last Star Wars Halloween mini-series.

Here's the blurb:

Cavan Scott, Star Wars Master of the Macabre, conjures an all-new Halloween special from a galaxy far, far away in this original graphic novel. Contained herein is a trio of terrifying tales that span the Skywalker saga!

On the planet Ryloth, Twi’leks speak in hushed tones about the Nightlands, the spectral realm where their spirits retire after death. According to legend, there are certain nights when the veil between that haunted place and the land of the living is so thin that one can communicate with the other side.

It was on one such night that young Padawan Anakin Skywalker, while visiting Ryloth with Master Obi-Wan Kenobi, attempted to summon the ghost of Qui-Gon Jinn for a final goodbye. But when Anakin made contact with the Nightlands, it wasn’t his old friend who answered…

Enter: The Nightlander, a Star Wars boogeyman who seeks to possess a powerful, living host and bring despair to the galaxy!

In this terrifying new tale, three generations of galactic heroes contend with the malevolent Nightlander, else it escapes its frightful dimension to torment the waking world. Watch in horror as Anakin, Luke, Leia, and Rey face off against a dark power unlike any in the galaxy!   

Join Cavan Scott, the New York Times bestselling author of Star Wars: Tales from Vader’s Castle and a story architect of The High Republic initiative, along with artists Soo Lee (Carmilla: The First Vampire, Star Wars: Tales from the Death Star), Vincenzo Riccardi (Beyond Real, Star Wars: Echoes of Fear), and Robert Hack (Tales from Vader’s Castle, Chilling Adventures of Sabrina) as they weave another intergalactic ghost story for the Halloween season! Featuring exclusive character designs for the Nightlander by legendary artist Iain McCaig and creepy cover art by Francesco Francavilla!  

Collects issues #1–#3 of Star Wars: Tales from the Nightlands.

I can't tell you how much fun I've had since we started Tales from Vader's Castle back in 2019, and it has been a complete and utter honour to be crowned Star Wars' Master of the Macabre every year.

Now, we've reached the end, and my final spooky special in a galaxy far, far away is out in hardback from Dark Horse with art by Soo Lee, Vincenzo Riccardi, and Robert Hack.

Talk about going out in scary style!

TEN YEARS SINCE ADVENTURES FROM WILDSPACE – THE ESCAPE

It's been ten years since my first Star Wars project came out: the World Book Day special Star Wars: Adventures in Wild Space – The Escape.

For one glorious week, it became the number one bestselling book in the UK back in 2016. Number one in the entire country! Bonkers!

And, as I found out when my pal Mark Wright sent me this picture of The Bookseller, it's also the 29th bestselling World Book Day book of all time!

It's fair to say that writing that little book changed my life in so many ways. I'm still really proud of it! Go Wild Space!

STRANGE MATTER JOINS KONFLIKT '47

Nottingham-based Warlord Games recently announced that George Mann and I have become creative consultants for their Konflikt '47 tabletop game.

Konflikt '47 is a weird World War II setting in which the global conflict is changed forever by the opening of mysterious Rifts across the planet, allowing quantum leaps in weaponry, tactics... and monsters.

We've been having a blast working with the team at Warlord, helping shape future plans for the game and beyond as part of our Strange Matter business.

Here's what I have to say about the news in the official press release:

"From the iron resolve of Roberta Wells to the animalistic menace of Gregor Drugov, the conflict is already crackling with drama. We’re excited to roll up our sleeves, dive into the trenches, and help push those stories into bold, unexpected territory."

And here's how Warlord announced it on Facebook:

We're trying to work out which is which. I think I'm the zombie wearing his helmet at a jaunty angle. What do you think?

In honour of the news, I've started my third miniature painting project, trying my hand at my first proper mini, an Axis Stahltruppen Heavy Trooper. Here he is, primed and ready for some paint...

You can find out more about Konflikt '47 by heading over to the website!

BECOMING A TRUSTEE AT BRISTOL FOLK HOUSE

The news just keeps on coming!  I’ve joined the board of trustees at the Bristol Folk House, a place that’s become incredibly important to me.

Tucked away in the heart of the city, the Folk House is Bristol’s oldest adult education centre, with roots going back to 1887. Today, it remains a thriving cultural hub – offering a wide range of arts and crafts courses, alongside a café serving the best cakes in Bristol!

I first came through its doors in January 2024 for a lino printing course and immediately fell in love with the place. Since then, I’ve seen first-hand the impact of its work – from creative education to vital social outreach – as well as ambitious plans to improve accessibility across the building.

Like many charities, it’s navigating a challenging landscape at the moment, but after my first board meeting last week, I’m struck by the energy, care and commitment of everyone involved.

I'm incredibly proud to play a small part in its next chapter.

You can find out more about the work of the Bristol Folk House here!

That's all for now. Thanks for bearing with me while I'm down the word mine, working on my novel.

Normal service will resume soon, including my Five for Friday recommendations and longer Tuesday posts!

Until then, look after yourself and each other.