I know the last chapter declared that this was done, and at the time it was. I was swept off my feet, and the continuation of Amelia's journey was the furthest thing from my mind. But then my schedule cleared up and I went on a journey. Not a spiritual journey or any of that bollocks, just a journey up the M1. It was while on this journey, with nothing but my thoughts and the open road (as open as it gets on the M1), that I began to think about where I wanted the story to go. That idea has settled in my mind, but I want to be sure it works before I begin posting again. There were a few moments during Mind over Matter where I felt I had written myself into a corner, and I want to be sure about this next book before I commit. As before, I know how it ends. I just need to connect the dots.

I am writing this because I feel you ought to know to expect something in the near future, possibly before new years, and because it is Christmas and I wanted to give you the gift of anticipation. What follows is a sort of elevator pitch for the new story, make of it what you will.

The city of Iram upon the planet of Sumer is the spiritual heart of the entire sector, for it is a Doctrinopolis. Within dozens of Colleges the future priests of the Ecclesiarchy are trained in the ways of the faith. But something is rotten in the City of the Pillars, and the line between the sacred and the occult has become blurry within these walls. Amelia Lafayette has held the rank of Interrogator for ten years, and her loyalty and exceptional service have been rewarded with an independent command. She is tasked with infiltrating the fabled city and exposing the corruption within. Amelia must learn to operate without Inquisitorial support, relying on her followers and her wits to find an unknown and unseen foe.