Most of the Journey Remains Invisible: Behind the Realms of Penumbria

The bookshelf above my desk holding the completed Penumbria series.

Releasing the final part of the Realms of Penumbria trilogy is a huge milestone. But for a moment, I need to pull the camera away from the greatness of that one small moment.

Because for an author, the journey begins – and ends – much earlier than release day.

My journey might have taken even longer than most. I had to learn not only how to hold the tone of an entire story, but also how to absorb a whole collection of my favourite words until they became part of my bloodstream. Until my mind no longer questioned every choice I made simply because I was writing in my second language.

Those three years showed quite clearly how much my writing changed before the first book ever reached its readers.

And at the other end of the journey, I held Balanceburned in my hands months before revealing its cover. I proofread it, then scanned it for errors two more times before I finally made myself let go.

By the time readers see a book arrive, its author may already have been saying goodbye for months.

What Happens When You Finish a Series?

The Realms of Penumbria in Paperback already complete 9. August 2026

I never knew that letting go of a world and its characters could hurt so deeply. I never expected to miss fictional friends for such a long time.

I grew restless. Sad.

My first instinct was to write the next series. To call a new set of characters onto the page and write their first scenes. I can tell you now: it does not make it any better.

That particular wound simply needs time to heal. And perhaps it will always leave a mark.

A while ago, I began plotting the first book of the Penumbria prequel. The moment I entered the Silver Forest again, the moment I crossed paths with Thorn’s ancestors, it hit me all over again.

I had tears in my eyes.

The world was still there. It had simply learned how to exist without me.

The Finale of the Realms of Penumbria

The question was never what kind of ending this story would receive. It was what ending each character deserved—and what they would have to endure along the way.

Penumbria’s romantic arc does something I have rarely encountered in a trilogy. It shakes the very core of Sinia and Ashan’s impossible love so deeply that their story becomes a slow burn, even though their first touch lies far behind them.

And as it is with slow burns, you never quite know when, or if, the touch you are craving will finally happen.

I hope you enjoy the ending of the epic Realms of Penumbria trilogy when Balanceburned releases tomorrow, 26 September.

To me, these books have been a life-changing journey filled with little victories, failures, tests of patience and a partial loss of control somewhere in the middle. 😅

There were highs and lows. There were lessons in perseverance and reasons to never give up.

Most importantly, there was the slow and painful process of learning to let go.

Release day is the part everyone sees.

Most of the journey remains invisible.