My beautiful readers,

I know I've been Missing In Action for months now, and I owe you an explanation. Book Two of the Crimson Brotherhood series was supposed to release on August 1st, and I know many of you have been waiting patiently (and maybe not so patiently) for Riley's story to continue.

Life took an unexpected turn at the end of June when my mother suffered a stroke. Then another one followed in July. Since then, I've been helping to care for her, and recently, I've been spending every moment I can by her side. We have hospice visiting more regularly now, and with her health declining rapidly, I know it's only a matter of time before her suffering ends and she can finally be free of the prison her body has become.

My mom has been my best friend throughout my life, and losing her at such a young age feels impossible to bear. The grief and stress have taken their toll on my writing. When I've tried to work, the quality suffers, and my characters' voices have changed in ways that don't feel true to their stories. I've made the difficult decision to step back from writing until I can give Riley and the Brotherhood the story they—and you—deserve.

I hope you all understand and can hang in there with me during this incredibly difficult time. Riley's story will continue. That's a promise. I'm just not sure when, and I need to be honest about that rather than making promises I can't keep.

Thank you for your patience, your understanding, and your continued support. I'm so sorry about leaving you with that cliffhanger—it truly wasn't meant to last this long.

With all my love and gratitude,

Sloane

PS: Your messages and support mean more to me than you'll ever know. Please continue to be patient with me as I navigate this season of life.