January 2026: Finishing What We Started

As we move into 2026, we're thinking about what the new year means. For some, it's a chance to pivot, to find a new direction, to become someone different. But for Counios and Gane, it's simpler: we have one goal, one resolution. We're finishing what we started long ago—Wolfe's Blood.

Reflecting on 2025

2025 was a difficult year, especially for David. He lost his sister to brain cancer—something that had been approaching for two years, but still managed to consume everything when it arrived. His mother is 92 now and no longer recognizes him.

The weight of these things doesn't disappear on January 1st. In partnership, we can't disregard how one person's experiences affect the other. His struggle is ours too.

But heading into 2026, we have clarity about what comes next: finishing this book is the priority for Counios and Gane.

It's been hanging over us for years now—in our conversations, at markets when people ask where it is, in our morning meetings. It clouds everything. It's an unfinished part of our lives we need to complete.

There's a backlog of other work we're still catching up on, but we also know that it's just been a while, and we have to get back in the groove of doing it.

With completion will come relief and freedom—the feeling of finally finishing this project and this series. And maybe, anticipation of what comes next.

The plan for 2026

We have roughly 40-60 chapters left. They're short—the kind we can finish every few days if we stay focused. We're aiming for a first draft by April, if all goes well.

After that comes editing with our publisher and printing, which puts a summer release in sight. Of course, summer brings its own chaos, but we're building that in.

The biggest challenge at the moment is simply getting back into the groove, but we know what we're doing and what needs to happen.

Thankfully, we have each other. We know we have the dedication because we keep showing up—lugging our books to markets and meeting new readers. We have readers who love this series and chat with us about it.

We bring different strengths to the work: one of us brings the fun and interesting characters, the other brings the systems that keep things moving. We can negotiate, we can trust each other even when it's not easy, and we've built a story that spans years—both in the Shepherd and Wolfe books and in our actual lives.

So that's where we are heading into 2026. For the most part, the road is clear. We've walked this path for a long time. Now it's time to reach the end.

Until next time,

Angie and David