So what’s Dan facing this time?

Well, his mum is a dryad, so he knows that asking someone from the supernatural world for a favour means there’ll be a price to pay, sooner or later. Dan’s been waiting for the Hunter, the antler-crowned guardian of predators and prey, to call in this debt, after his girlfriend Fin needed the Hunter’s help last year.

He wasn’t expecting this to happen when they were planning to visit Fin’s sister Iris and her new husband Conn at their house in Dublin. Dan has prepared for this unknown challenge, as best he can, by reading up on Irish folklore. So far, he’s learned how different those who live in that unseen realm will be from anyone he’s encountered before – and that crossing them could be very dangerous.

You’ll find a full list of purchase options on the Wizard’s Tower Press website.
That page will be updated as further retailer listings go live.

The Green Man’s Debt will be published on 10th September 2026.

I am sure you will agree that Ben Baldwin has given us another magnificent cover for Dan Mackmain’s latest adventure.

This time around, Dan and Fin are off to Ireland – a trip I know many readers have been keen to see them take. It’s been an interesting writing challenge. I’ve visited Ireland many times, so I can see people and places through Dan’s eyes, but visiting isn’t the same as living somewhere. I have Irish resident characters in this story who I need to be convincing – especially for Irish readers! Thankfully, on my many visits to Irish SF&F conventions, since my first Octocon somewhere around the turn of the century, I have made lifelong friends whose assistance with that aspect of this particular book has been invaluable. (Any errors that remain are down to me, obviously.)

The Green Man’s Debt will be published by Wizard’s Tower Press on 10th September 2026. Pre-orders will open shortly, and we’ll be sharing more about this story to whet your appetite soon.

I did say I was busy when I last posted an update … and very productively so. I’m very pleased to report The Green Man’s Debt is now written and edited with the invaluable assistance of Editor Toby, and with the benefit of input from several expert consultants, most notably talented writer and valued friend, C.E. Murphy. As those who heard me read a taster at Eastercon will know, this new story takes Dan and Fin to Ireland. As many of you will be aware, I’ve visited Ireland regularly for years. That gets me so far, but I still need folk closer to daily life there to take a look at what I’m writing. Quite simply, I don’t know what I don’t know.

Ben Baldwin is working on the cover art right now, and the preliminary sketches are as good as you would imagine. I’ll be sharing the finished cover soon, along with details of September’s publication date. Can you believe this is the ninth book in this series?! And that this success is entirely thanks to enthusiastic readers spreading the word? I am hugely grateful to everyone who has supported me and Wizard’s Tower Press as this series has unfolded.

The Riven Kingdom, my new epic fantasy from Angry Robot is now finalised and will be published in ebook and paperback on 27th October 2026. Audiobook production is underway. I’ll post updates on that, and promotions, interviews etc as I have them.

My next opportunity to talk about both books will be a week today. On 25th July 2026, I’ll be taking part in the British Fantasy Society’s BFS Online event, exploring power in speculative fiction, its manifestations, imbalances and consequences, both intended and unforeseen. The event is free to BFS members and £5 to non-members – and these online days are a great introduction to the BFS.

Throughout the day, an international roster of panellists will bring a wide range of perspectives to discussions on how individuals handle power, how oppressive power can be resisted, and whether or not power really does corrupt? At 12.15, I’ll be talking to Shona Kinsella about power dynamics in my own work and elsewhere, in fiction and reality.

Looking ahead to other dates in the diary when I’ll be talking about these books and no doubt, many other things, I’ll be at Fantasycon in Glasgow 9th – 11th October, and Bristolcon (in Bristol obviously) 24th – 25th October. There are a couple of other potential upcoming events, and I’ll post updates on this as and when details are confirmed.

Between now and then, I have a very interesting short story commission to work on, which is what I’ll be doing once I’ve posted this. It’s been a good year for my short fiction. I was tremendously honoured to be invited to contribute to an absolutely stellar anthology celebrating David Gemmell’s work in commemoration of his untimely death twenty years ago. The Iron Code will be published on 28th July by Newcon Press – and you can get your preorders in here

You can also read my contribution to the splendid anthology from Wizard’s Tower Press, Fight Like A Girl Volume 2 in The 2026 Best of British SFF Bundle, available to the end of the month. This fifth annual Best of British SF/F bundle is bigger than ever, and honestly, I read the roster of titles thinking ‘read that, it’s great, ooh, and so’s that, and that, and that…’ The Green Man’s Heir is also in there, so if you know someone you think would enjoy reading that, or any of the other excellent books on offer, do send them the link.
Click here for full details.

That’s all for the moment. Now that I’ve got two novels off my desk, hopefully I’ll be able to blog a bit more frequently. No promises, mind you. I still have plenty to keep me busy, not least supporting the Society of Authors’ ongoing defence of writers’ rights against predatory techbros and others!