The anticipated sequel to the multi-award-winning novel On Hidden Wings is out now! The second in the trilogy, On Tempest Wings, picks up right where book one left off with the beloved characters of Becka, Ryandru, and Torren.
Read on to find out more about the book, where you can find it, and my (the author’s) journey to bring the book into the world! (I’ll answer the age-old question, “How long does it take to write a book?”)
About On Tempest Wings
The sequel to the multi-award-winning novel, On Hidden Wings
A storm is brewing in Aldom….
Becka and Prince Ryandru may have escaped death, but they haven’t found safety. The traitor who once tried to silence them won’t stop now. And even when the truth about his treacherous schemes comes out, will the court believe the words of a young princeling and his outcast friend?
The kingdom of Aldom trembles under the threat of civil war as deception turns the nobles against Prince Ryandru’s family. Now he might lose the country he’s in training to rule—and possibly his own life—unless he can win the trust of those who doubt him the most.
Becka would love to rebuild a life in Aldom—if both she and the country survive the turmoil. But at least she has a loyal protector in Torren, her fellow winged Centaur friend. Together, they must brave a journey beyond the border to seek help, but their efforts incite a storm that will shake even the greatest powers in the land.
Former foes and misaligned allies converge in a battle between the three friends and the traitor bent on crushing both the kingdom and all their hopes.
This thrilling upper middle grade fantasy continues the adventure of On Hidden Wings with themes of forgiveness and friendship. It is perfect for readers of Chronicles of Narnia and The Green Ember, featuring an intricate world of mythical creatures and a noble quest to save them.
How long did it take to write On Tempest Wings?
People often ask me, “How long does it take you to write a book?”
Every author has a different answer to this question. So far, I’ve fumbled and hedged something along the lines of, “About two years?” All my books have taken a different timespan to write due to the nature of the project and what else was going on in my life.
So how long did it take to write On Tempest Wings? Eh, about two years.
Could I be a bit more precise? For once, yes!
I started timing how much time I spent on “writing career” tasks about seven years ago, but On Tempest Wings is the first novel where I actually recorded all* the time I spent on it from start to finish.
*There were a couple read-throughs of the book for typos and light editing that did not get timed. I also don’t time brainstorming, because for me, that kills ideas.
Here are the stats! Drumroll please…
How long it took to write On Tempest Wings in hours
| Task | Hours |
| Planning | 2.3 |
| Writing (1st drafts) | 92.3 |
| Typing (because I handwrite the first drafts) | 32.6 |
| Editing | 39.2 |
| Interior Art | 1.8 |
| Formatting (Paperback & eBook) | 8.1 |
| Cover Design (working with illustrator) | 4.8 |
| Research | 3.9 |
| Retailer Uploads | 4.8 |
| Marketing | 17.1 |
| Grand Total* | 196 hours |
*As of 9/1/2026
I recognize that a lot of writers are a lot faster than I am. In many things in my life (not just writing), I often think of the line in Big Hero 6 where Baymax says, “I am not fast,” to which Hiro replies, “Yeah, no kidding!”
The journey behind On Tempest Wings
So why two years for 196 hours of work when each year has 8,760 hours in it? Why did it take almost three years between the release of book one and book two?
I had some big changes in my life during those three years.
Three weeks before the launch of book one, I unexpectedly lost my beloved step-daddy. I was working a stressful full-time job, during which I wrote the first 20% of On Tempest Wings, until the birth of my first child about a year later. Despite a beautiful and miraculous birth, postpartum circumstances led to some serious health challenges. I didn’t know how I would ever write again.
Over seven months later, I attended the Realm Makers conference, where kind souls ministered to my discouraged heart and encouraged me that if I did just 1% more, I’d eventually get to 100%. So, I picked up the book again, struggling with so many options of where the story could go, but little certainty of where it should go. I knew I wanted to continue the tale for those readers who loved the first book, so I pushed on, often writing scenes that had to be scrapped when I had a better idea of where the story was headed—a problem I’ve not really had with previous books, when I’d just press pause until the idea became clear in my mind.
In January 2026, I had recovered enough and written enough that I set an official goal: I wanted to finish the book in early February, get it through beta readers in March, developmental editing in April and May, proofreaders in June, formatting in July, and release September 1st. Plans are great, but things got off schedule in June to where the September release date was more of a last-minute hustle than I wanted (if I learned anything from book one’s 4 month publication process, I knew I wanted more breathing room and to have my book cover more than a week before release day!). This time, I actually got to see a proof copy of the book before release, even if it wasn’t the final version.
So here we are! Releasing a book has been bittersweet for me both times, where a great achievement can still feel like a mere drop in the ocean, yet I am grateful that my books can touch even a few readers’ hearts and bring them joy.
What’s next?
Did someone say trilogy? Yes; yes, I did.
I originally wrote On Hidden Wings as a standalone book. I purposely resolved all the big issues so that readers could be happy when they reached the end. But they still had questions. What’s going to happen with Becka and Ryandru? What about Torren? What’s Prince Elliotto’s angle? How are things going to work out with the rebels? What happened to the Faun baker? (Yes, I did actually get that last question, and yes, I did answer it in book two!)
And so, On Tempest Wings took flight to continue those threads. But as I wrote, I realized that in order to give all the characters their full time to shine and fully fulfill the direction set in book one, I’d need a third book. Tada! Trilogy. Three is a good number; it feels perfectly complete.
I know better now than to make any promises about when book three will release, but I am in the daydreaming stages now, and I’m already excited for where it will lead!
Continue the journey!
Now that you know about the journey behind On Tempest Wings, it’s time to take your journey through On Tempest Wings! Head over to the book page to get your copy!
Any questions about the writing process? Feel free to post below!
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