Living the Irish Wheel releases Feb 1 | Ash and Feather arrives Feb 6 | Blade and Bone launches May 1

January 2026 Author Update

Dear Readers,

Winter has arrived in full force, and with it comes a season of endings and beginnings. As Imbolc approaches and the wheel turns toward spring, I’m honored to share three major releases that span the spectrum of my work: spiritual guidance rooted in Irish tradition, the epic conclusion of a beloved fantasy trilogy, and the fierce beginning of a new Viking saga.

Walking the Sacred Year: Living the Irish Wheel of the Year

Releases February 1, 2026

Before the fiction, the foundation. On February 1st, I’m releasing Living the Irish Wheel of the Year, a comprehensive spiritual guide for those who walk the path of Irish Paganism. This isn’t academic theory or distant mythology. This is practical wisdom for modern practitioners who want to honor the ancient holy days as our ancestors did.

Drawing on over thirty years of practice as a priest of the Mórrígan, this guide takes you through each of the eight sacred festivals: Samhain, Winter Solstice, Imbolc, Spring Equinox, Bealtaine, Summer Solstice, Lughnasadh, and Autumn Equinox. You’ll find historical context, modern ritual practices, seasonal recipes, and meditations that connect you to the land and the turning year.

This is the book I wish I’d had when I began my journey. Whether you’re new to Irish Paganism or seeking to deepen your existing practice, may it serve you well.

The Crowmother’s Final Call: Ash and Feather

Releases February 6, 2026

Three books. Three years. One epic conclusion.

Five days later, the Songs of the Crowmother trilogy reaches its thunderous end with Ash and Feather. For those who have walked with Maeve through blood and battle, who have felt the Mórrígan’s dark wings shadowing every choice, who have watched kingdoms rise and fall beneath Irish skies, this is the moment you’ve been waiting for.

The final battle looms. Ancient powers stir. And Maeve must face the ultimate question: what price is she willing to pay for victory? In a world where gods walk among mortals and the line between champion and sacrifice grows ever thinner, some choices cannot be unmade.

What readers are saying about the series:

“A masterful blend of Irish mythology and epic fantasy that honors the source material while creating something entirely new.”

“Maeve is everything I want in a fantasy protagonist: flawed, fierce, and fundamentally human even as she walks with gods.”

“The Mórrígan has never felt more real, more terrifying, more necessary. This is mythology brought to vivid life.”

Ash and Feather will be available in ebook, paperback, and hardcover. Pre-order now at: https://a.co/d/gUlHxb7

⚔ ❄ ⚔

A New Saga Awakens: Blade and Bone

Now Accepting ARC Readers | Launching May 1, 2026

As one story ends, another begins. While the Crowmother’s tale draws to its close, I’ve been crafting something entirely different: a Viking romantasy that trades Celtic mysticism for Norse fury, Irish battlefields for frozen fjords, and divine mandates for impossible choices between duty and desire.

Welcome to Oaths of Steel and Shadow, a new series that begins with Blade and Bone.

The Story:

Astrid Bjornsdottir dies on a frozen battlefield, her blood soaking into the mud alongside her enemies. But the goddess Freyja has other plans. Resurrected and bound by divine command, Astrid is sent on an impossible mission: infiltrate the hall of Erik Bloodaxe, the cursed warlord of the north, and steal Blodravn, Odin’s own spear.

Disguised as a thrall, slave in the house of her enemy, Astrid expects to find a monster. What she discovers instead is a man fighting desperately for control over the berserker rage that threatens to consume him. Erik believes the spear can break his curse. He’s wrong. But as betrayal closes in from all sides and an undead army rises from Helheim, Astrid must choose: complete her mission for the goddess who gave her life, or save the man she was never supposed to love.

In a world where gods bargain with mortal lives, where blood oaths bind tighter than steel, and where the veil between the living and dead grows dangerously thin, some loves are worth betraying the gods themselves.

What Makes This Different:

✦ Authentic Viking-age setting with Norse mythology

✦ Enemy-to-lovers with real stakes: she’s his slave, sent to betray him

✦ A cursed hero fighting for control, not redemption

✦ Gods who meddle, betray, and demand impossible prices

✦ Shieldmaiden protagonist torn between divine mission and mortal love

✦ Draugr rising, jarls warring, and a soul-bond that defies death itself

Join the ARC Team

Blade and Bone launches May 1st, and I’m looking for Advanced Review Copy readers who love Viking sagas, Norse mythology, and romantasy with teeth. If you want enemies-to-lovers with genuine stakes, cursed heroes, divine interference, and a love story forged in blood and betrayal, I want to hear from you.

As an ARC reader, you’ll:

• Receive an early digital copy on March 15th (6 weeks before launch)

• Get exclusive behind-the-scenes content about Viking research and world-building

• Have the opportunity to provide feedback that shapes the series

• Be credited in the acknowledgments (if desired)

• Join a community of readers passionate about Norse culture and epic storytelling

In exchange, I ask for an honest review on Amazon, Goodreads, or your blog/social media within two weeks of the official release. Whether you love it or have critiques, authentic reader voices are what help books find their audience.

🗡️ BECOME AN ARC READER 🗡️ Applications now open for Blade and Bone Apply now: https://forms.gle/y7GYbMBhNEMjUGen9 Limited spots available • Applications close March 1, 2026

What’s Coming Next

Date	Milestone
February 1	Living the Irish Wheel of the Year releases
February 6	Ash and Feather releases (Songs of the Crowmother Book 3)
March 1	Blade and Bone ARC applications close
March 15	ARC copies distributed to selected readers
May 1	Blade and Bone launches (Oaths of Steel and Shadow Book 1)

A Personal Note

These past months have been a journey of balance: walking between the spiritual practice that grounds me, the Celtic twilight of the Crowmother’s world, and the frozen violence of the Norse sagas. As I prepare to send Maeve’s story into the world one final time, I’m filled with both melancholy and fierce pride. This trilogy has been a labor of love, a deep dive into the mythology I was raised with, and a chance to explore what it means to be both chosen and damned.

And yet, even as one door closes, another opens. Blade and Bone represents new territory: different mythologies, different power dynamics, and a romance as sharp as the weapons my characters wield. Astrid and Erik’s story is about the gods we serve, the oaths that bind us, and the loves worth defying divine will to protect.

Living the Irish Wheel of the Year is perhaps the most personal of all. It’s the distillation of decades walking this path, the wisdom earned through practice and devotion, offered to those who seek to honor the old ways in modern times.

Whether you’re here for the spiritual guidance, the Mórrígan’s final call, or ready to sail into Viking waters, thank you for being part of this journey. Every reader who picks up one of these books, who takes the time to leave a review, who shares their love of these stories with others, you make this work possible. You make it worthwhile.

May your blades stay sharp and your fires burn bright,

Donald

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Connect & Order

Pre-order Ash and Feather: https://a.co/d/gUlHxb7

Apply for Blade and Bone ARC: https://forms.gle/y7GYbMBhNEMjUGen9

Website: https://forgottenritespublishing.com/

TikTok: @authordonaldquill

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Forgotten Rites Publishing