FEBRUARY 2026

February just blew past, eh? I know it’s the shortest month, but still, come on. In some ways, it still feels like Christmas and the New Year have just ended and Hark! The Fallen Angels Scream has just come out. In others, it feels like they were half a year ago…
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But whether we like it or not, February is done, another 28 days are in the books, and March and the early promise of spring start to creep in to warm my cold bones.
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I, for one, am more than ready to welcome warmer, brighter days, even if February’s bleaker ones seemed to contribute to a lot of success this month…

Undergoing Evolution

Deep Evolution editing is underway. The second in my superhero Ultraverse series, I’ve been working on the manuscript for a while now, so I’m super excited to be entering its final phases, even if that last stretch still has quite a way to go!
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With my son’s half term taking up a week of what is already a short month, I wanted to spend the time I had prior prepping and laying track for the deeper edit in early March—the one that will see me dive into the word mines once more, courageously (yes, courageously!) honing my story whilst armed with my editors notes to make this story the best it can possibly be.
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I mentioned in last month’s Recap that there were a few character observations my editor brought to my attention, so I spent time addressing these notes, expanding, contracting, and adding where the story needed it.
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There was one particularly difficult narrative puzzle that had me stumped—a multi-step addition that had to be threaded through multiple scenes with different characters. Crucially, I needed to include these elements without causing inconsistencies, plot holes, and issues elsewhere. Everything needed to add and elevate. It took me a day or two of wrestling with this particular dilemma, but I’m happy with the end result and how the novel now plays out.
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Just goes to show how tricky balancing a story can be given all the things in play: character arcs, motivations, locations, narrative momentum, etc, etc. What so often feels like a sturdy foundation or solid framework can sometimes become as flimsy as a house of cards, depending on what you tweak and change, but I’ve found that as long as you listen to the story—especially if it’s telling you something doesn’t work—the whole thing should stay narratively consistent.
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​Bleak Is Better
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I speculated earlier on how February’s bleak, rainy days (and there were plenty over here in the UK. Kinda forgot what consistent sunlight was like for a moment) led to some personal success. You see, despite the early, teasing promises of warmer weather on the horizon, February and its dark, lingering winter grey and endless drizzle coincided with Burden’s greatest success since the book was released last May.
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I feel that my books currently have an almost natural seasonal cycle:
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Ultraverse: Summer

Steen: Autumn and Halloween into winter

Burden: Winter
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I wanted to capitalise on this seasonal association this year, taking what I’ve previously learned advertising Steen and applying it to Burden. Although I was hopeful, I wasn’t quite anticipating the success it’s seen.
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Don’t get me wrong, I’m not retiring any time soon, and the total campaign spend has crept a bit too far from the profits earned, but I have to say…overall, I’m really pleased with how this went. Plenty of readers purchased the book despite the cold ad, and even more dove in via KU and continue to do so!
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Although I believe the advertising copy and materials obviously helped grab audience attention, I can’t help but think the weather had something to do with it, too. Bleaker months can often lead people to wanting to connect to darker stories, which is something Burden provides in spades.
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I’ve now concluded the campaign as sales began to sputter and peter out (KU is still going strong, though, with 11k+ read at the time of writing), but the results have made me curious to try my first Amazon ad campaign to compare and contrast results.
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The reason is this: with Facebook and Instagram, people aren’t necessarily logging on to buy. They’re there for social media purposes and just so happen to encounter an ad that may, or may not, grab their attention. If it does, hopefully they click the link and, if I’m really lucky, buy the book. It’s safe to say more don’t. It’s a numbers game, after all.
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With Amazon, however, you’re targeting people who are in the shop, ready to buy. They are actively looking and searching for *something*, and with the advertising in place, that “something” could just be my book if the stars align.
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There are similarities between the two, of course, but there is also, hypothetically, less friction for those on Amazon actively looking for new books versus people on Facebook/Instagram jumping on to scroll.
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Ultimately, I genuinely wasn’t expecting the success Burden generated from a single campaign. Do I wish it could have been more? Sure. But then I may as well wish it were a runaway success, generating more profit than spend, and was picked up by Netflix for a live-action miniseries!
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Maybe one day, but not today.
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All things considered, I’m stoked by the result and feel enthused about future campaigns—especially when Evolution is out and, eventually, future Steen books!
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​Box It Up
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​Advertising success wasn’t the only W in the win column this month for Burden, with one pair of eyes in particular reading the novel and reaching out to me with an exciting proposition.
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(No, again, it wasn't a Netflix exec.)
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I’ll be a little vague here, but with conversations being had and contracts already signed, it’s only a matter of time before I can share the awesome news. I’ve worked with this person before, so I know Burden will be in good hands for the project.
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On a personal note (which, I guess, this whole newsletter is every single month…), it’s genuinely gratifying to see my little post-societal novel garnering attention and earning some flowers. I genuinely love this story, and I’m so happy people are discovering it.
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Yes, it’s dark, bleak, and pervaded with an overbearing sense of hopelessness, but, in doing so, it tackles so many themes, issues, and ideas that are deeply important to me. I’m truly grateful new readers are discovering it, buying it, resonating with its story and themes, and leaving positive reviews.
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Having released it last May, the book sadly became lost within a few weeks, gaining no attention or traction, so it makes my heart full that readers are finally discovering Burden and wanting to accompany Owen, AJ, Finn, and Kyra on their tale of harsh survival throughout my version of a Collapsed England.

Hit Pause
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February half-term saw me pulled away from my writing and Evolution plans for the best reason: to spend time with my son…whilst being under the weather. So, fun and challenging in equal measure!
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Don’t get me wrong, I’d love to have been able to keep writing and working throughout, but with a five-year-old, nothing was going to get done, especially with how much he loves to play together. And so the half-term was filled with playing and laughter, some video games (Tom and Jerry in Fists of Furry on the N64 was a particular highlight), a trip to the cinema to watch Goat (it’s fine), visiting the library, and more before he went to stay with Nana and Gramps for a long weekend where he got treated like a prince!
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The little dude had an awesome half-term, but I’d be lying if I didn’t say I was grateful for the chance to catch my breath and recharge for a bit.
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​The Quarter Sessions
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​With Austin being away for a long weekend, Thea and I had excitedly planned a date night weeks in advance, counting down to the chance to actually go out and do something that didn’t involve a streaming platform.
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I was still feeling really drained, but given how rarely we can actually carve out time together as a couple, I was committed to seeing it through. Like a true hero, some might say. Others, I hear, agree. So, having watched Canada advance to the 2026 Olympic ice hockey finals with a win over Finland, we got ready and headed out for the night to attend the inaugural Quarter Sessions at The Quarterhouse—a gig with about five different artists across varying genres playing together.
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The crux of the show was to give live, original music an opportunity to be spotlighted, which, in a world dominated by manufactured, packaged groups and inauthentic offerings, is an effort I can wholeheartedly get behind. The same trials and tribulations that exist for indie authors are also experienced by indie musicians, after all, so being able to go out to a new event and show active support for fellow creatives like this is something I’ll always be willing to do if I can.
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Granted, like with writing and storytelling, not everything was to my personal taste, but that’s fine because it doesn’t have to be. What mattered was the platform they were given, because what didn’t resonate with me could have ended up being somebody else’s new favourite song! That being said, I did say to Thea that they should consider hosting a themed punk rock/hardcore night called “Hung, Drawn, and Quarterhoused” in honour of the venue.
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Ultimately, I thought the gig was a great success. The venue was awesome, the crowd was good, the acts were talented and eclectic, ranging from indie pop to Scottish hip hop, and it was clear the people who organised the Quarter Sessions did so from a place eager to spotlight and elevate music and different artists. I hope for nothing but success for this venture, and that plenty of musicians get the opportunity to play and find new fans going forward!

2026 Men's Olympic Hockey Finals: USA vs Canada
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I wasn’t quite sure what to recommend in this month’s TML…until the finals of the Men’s Olympic Hockey took place on February 22nd!
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I know I primarily recommend books, movies, games, and TV shows in Thank Me Later, but…if you’ve ever been curious about ice hockey, especially at a truly elite level, then this is the game to check out: USA vs Canada in the 2026 Olympic Gold Medal game.
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Action-packed, fast-paced, drama-filled, and intense, the game was a true showcase of top-tier hockey between two nations filled with exemplary hockey players. It’s simply not going to get much better than this on an international level.
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I won’t spoil anything in case you do decide to check it out (and didn’t see my Instagram Stories following the game…), but I’d love to know what you think about the result if/when you do watch it.
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And now to go back to watching Canucks hockey until the end of the season…who are, in case you weren’t aware, currently number 32 in the NHL…out of 32…
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If you’re enjoying my books or The Recap, I’d love it if you'd recommend them to friends and family who might enjoy them too. Don't forget you can follow along on my socials for updates, and if you’d like to, you can even treat me to a cup of coffee on Ko-Fi.
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Take care, and all the best!