Canadian Author of the epic fantasy series 'The Fates of Aten,' which he writes to foster his love of classic fantasy in the vein of Tolkien. Nick sends his newsletter on the first of every month and would love to showcase the upcoming works of his fellow indie authors.
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October Newsletter and Updates / Author N.A. Betts
Published 8 months ago • 4 min read
From the Desk of the Author - October 2025
Welcome back
Dear Reader,
As the leaves fall, a new book rises. This is a major edition of the newsletter, as you'll get to see the cover of The Serpent and the Shattered Sword–hours before anyone else, and so many other things. I wanted to time it with the return of its manuscript, which is also today, so there's lots to look forward to.
In this edition, you’ll find the cover reveal, the final blurb, your final chance for ARC sign-up for Book Three, progress on Book Four, and the updated fall/winter events schedule.
There’s so much to unpack for October, so, why wait any longer?
Your complimentary short story for being an insider
As I promised each of you when you signed up (in the event you didn't receive the download link after your confirmation, here's your BookFunnel gateway to the free short story, The Last Honor of Iosefa Fatu.
There's no better time to read this than right now. This is the segue between the first and second novels in my The Fates of Aten series. It's not a deal breaker if you choose to read it first, but it will make more sense after reading Book I.
Update #1: The Serpent and the Shattered Sword (Book III)
Status
October 1st marks the return of the manuscript.
To quote the great (or perhaps infamous) Anakin Skywalker, "This is where the fun begins."
Subscriber Exclusive Early Cover and Book Blurb Reveal
Cover design by J.N. Ignacio (IG: _sushinori_)
The official cover reveal is being held today at 1200 EDT / 1000 MDT, and will be presented by Willow Wraith Press, FanFiAddict, and SFF Insiders. My posts will follow at 1100 MDT.
Final Blurb/Back Cover Copy
ALL SHALL FALL
With the Fates united, Alira Verbrandt ventures into the arctic wastes of Clerracia, seeking the last artifact of the Illuri. The relentless pursuit from a forgotten enemy pushes her into the depths of the city’s desolation. Only to find a dangerous serpent hidden amongst her friends, watching as she plunges into darkness.
Defeated and betrayed, she washes ashore in Evenglacia, a continent with ancient and veiled secrets. There, her survival comes with a price: a dangerous allegiance binding her to a war beyond her control.
The Shattered Sword is rising, igniting a rebellion across the south. To destroy them, she must fight at Evenglacia’s side. But as she delves deeper into their continent’s shadowed heart, she discovers a truth that may help her topple the Empire, and turn enemy into ally.
But if she chooses wrong, there may not be a world left to save.
Reminder: ARC Team Sign up
This is the last newsletter callout for the ARC team, and there's still plenty of time to get yourself through Books 1 and 2, if you haven't yet got to them yet.
ARCs are anticipated to go out on October 15th, with requested reviews by November 20th, in advance of the November 26th release date.
As always, there will be an exclusive ARC team "you know what" if you leave your review before release day. Since I just did new paperback covers, anyone on the team who follows through will be entered in to win a signed set of Books I to III. It pays to be on this ARC team, so sign up below.
As mentioned, Book III is currently in Yoanna's more-than-capable hands for the next month, so I've turned my attention back to the first draft of Book IV. I've made solid progress, and am currently sitting around the 25-30% mark (140 pages) of what I have planned out. It's not due to release until Fall 2026, although I'm not opposed to a summer release once I gauge my timeline after the first draft.
My early estimate is that it should come in around the size of Book II, if not slightly longer in length. There's a lot packed in, as this is the setup for Book V. To be honest, part of me doesn't want to finish it, because it means it's coming to an end.
That being said, I owe it to myself, to you, and to Alira, Zahra, Emile, Teora, and Flynn, to finish their story. So, that's what I'm going to do.
Update #3: Fall/Winter Events Schedule
New events have been added since the last edition!
If you're wondering where to find me this fall, it seems I'll be all over the Edmonton, AB area. So, if you're local, or feel like making the day trip to the city, here's where you'll find me this Fall/Winter:
Words in the Park - Sherwood Park, AB - Nov. 1st, 1000-1600 (TBC)
MFRC Christmas Market - Lancaster Park, AB - Nov. 22nd, 1400-1700
Morinville Christmas Market - Morinville, AB - Dec. 7th, 1000-1600
St. Albert Christmas Market - St. Albert, AB - Dec. 14th, 1000-1700 (TBC)
I'm going to look at getting myself into an Indigo or two in October, but for now, this is a pretty busy fall/winter schedule. I'll be ready for a break come December 15th.
There's more exciting news to come
But for now, that's all I have for you for this newsletter and my October updates. There's lots of great things to come next month, so ensure my updates don't go to your junk/spam folder, so you can be the first to see the cover for Book III.
If you're in the area, stop by one of my fall/winter events and say hello. I'd love to meet you. In the event we've already met once before, I'd love to see you again.
Canadian Author of the epic fantasy series 'The Fates of Aten,' which he writes to foster his love of classic fantasy in the vein of Tolkien. Nick sends his newsletter on the first of every month and would love to showcase the upcoming works of his fellow indie authors.
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