Yesterday marked a bit of a landmark for me; I finished the first draft of From Mountains of Ice, my new cultural fantasy novel. This is the first new novel I’ve written since I completed Shadow Song back in the early ’90s, and while it was a struggle to strap myself to the chair to write, it was also a joy. I’d forgotten how much I love what I do, what for me is as essential as air.

What is this novel about? To summarize it’s about a man who loses his honour, set in an Italianate world (perhaps a discovery of my own heritage) that reverences its ancestors, and where a rare gift comes to a chosen few — the ability to communicate with the dead.

Although the novel deals with death rituals, it isn’t morbid or ghoulish. I do hope, however, it will make you cry, and will give you a sense of wonder and fulfillment.

Of course such a novel needs a good cover, and I’ve developed a concept I think will be quite dynamic (if I do say so myself). Once I have the revision of the draft completed, and have sent out the manuscript for evaluation by several trusted colleagues, I’ll work on said cover and post it here for comment.

When will From Mountains of Ice be available? If Mr. Murphy refrains from a visit, the novel may be released this fall. Realistically, however, it’s far more likely From Mountains of Ice will release early in 2010.