Most of this I have already shared but I am repeating what I wrote earlier in April.

I received some kind email from C**** asking about future books. It made me stop and realize I have readers who are wanting to read the next books I write. This is a deeply appreciated honor. I never imagined in my early years yearning to be published that I might actually write a novel that someone enjoyed much less wanted to see more books in the series. It is very humbling.

I wanted to update everyone on the delays of the past year on getting more of my books out to you. In March, 2020 at the beginning of the COVID pandemic, my daughter began having some serious health issues. Casey is the bravest person I know and has endured a lifetime filled with epilepsy since age 8. In March of 2020 she began having some serious anxiety issues (didn’t we all?) And began to suffer from crippling abdominal pain.

For the past 16 months we have been on a nightmarish journey through the medical establishment trying to diagnose her pain. And, I am a doctor who is very much a part of that industry and even I could not get clear answers.

We now know she has chronic pancreatitis, a chronic illness that produces the most painful episodes known to medicine. And, we finally pinned down the cause to a sick gallbladder for which she has had surgery. All of this has become the center of our family’s world. My wife and I have invested all of our time and effort into helping our daughter. That is what parents do under these circumstances. That means many of the important things in our life become less important in the face of the urgent! 

I did manage to produce two books in 2020 thanks to the free time I found during the COVID pandemic when our economy was shut down. I had planned to release two books by July1, 2021 but that has now been pushed, hopefully, into the fall.

C***** asked some other very good questions I hope to address in upcoming blogs. I want to get back to my writing. It is my salvation; my sanity; my only way of working through the perils of life.

Here is what I am planning. The next Jonathan Steel book features a new character, Dr. Jack Merchant. Dr. Merchant has his own book series I started writing on about 15 years ago. He is a forensic radiologist. Yes, there is such a thing. But, Jack needs to be introduced to you before he meets up with Jonathan Steel. I had planned on releasing both books at once: “The 7th Demon: The Unholy Triad” and “Shadow Merchant” the first book in the Jack Merchant series. I am planning and hoping this will still happen soon. I am about 80% finished with both books.

And, I was asked about Ruth Martinez from “Death By Darwin”. I have a trilogy planned with her and I have decided she will be in the next Jonathan Steel book after the 7th Demon. She’ll have to defend a certain man with turquoise eyes after he is arrested for terrorism.

Once again, thank you so much for reading my books. I never went to take you for granted and I am grateful and humbled that I can produce a work that will, in some small part, both entertain and hopefully encourage people.

Blessings

Bruce Hennigan

July 9, 2021