I want to step away from the story for a moment and talk as the creator.
Chapter 3 of The Fall of the Duke went live last week, and it marks a quiet but important shift. Not just for Varian—but for me, as a writer. That chapter exists in a space between movement and loss, where nothing feels settled yet and everything feels heavy. I think that’s where I’ve been lately, too.
Life hasn’t slowed down. I’m balancing work, writing, fatherhood, and everything that comes with trying to build something meaningful while still being present where it matters most. Some days I’m writing late at night. Other days I’m just surviving the day and that has to be enough.
At the same time, I’ve been laying groundwork for what comes after this.
I’ve been spending more time thinking about The Heretic’s Gospel—not in a loud, announcement-heavy way, but in that quiet, dangerous way where a story starts to take root. It’s a darker book. A more uncomfortable one. And it’s coming together slowly, deliberately. I don’t want to rush it. That story deserves patience.
You may also notice something very different appearing here recently.
I just released Princess Elisia’s Adventures, and I want to say why.
That project wasn’t about building the world.
It wasn’t about lore, or war, or legacy.
It was about my daughter.
Those stories exist because I wanted to make something gentle. Something hopeful. Something that will still be there for her when she’s older—a small corner of this world that belongs just to her. After spending so much time writing about power, loss, and conflict, I needed to write something rooted in love.
Both things can exist at once.
Dark stories. Soft ones.
Wars and lullabies.
Fathers and daughters.
That’s where Tales of Varestal is right now—and honestly, that’s where I am too.
Thank you for reading. Thank you for being patient with the quieter weeks and present for the loud ones. More chapters are coming. More stories are forming. And I’m grateful you’re still here while I build them.
— E.J. Cordoue
Creator of Tales of Varestal
Where kingdoms rise, and crowns shatter.
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