December 2025

Book 3 Coming Soon, Book Recs from 30 SFF Authors, Smashwords Sale, and Holiday Baby Bats

Final Book in The Perilous Gods Set Coming Soon

This year has been one long, wild ride with the Perilous Gods trilogy moving through the various publishing stages while I juggled my copyediting freelance work, promotion, life in general, and a separate multi-book publishing contract at the same time. (Can't have too much of a good thing, right?? ... but it can make for many months in a row of long, seven-day-a-week work days.) At last, sixteen months after this roller coaster started, Where the Shadows Dwell -- the final installment of my Perilous Gods trilogy -- is set to release on Jan 31st! (No links yet, but check the "Perilous Gods by L. D. Colter" wherever you buy books and the preorder will show up soon.)

Here's the publisher's description (this was still in beta the last time I saw it, so the actual back cover copy might change slightly):

Pahtal and his brother, Imul, have scraped a life together by finding and selling ancient relics from Mayan ruins. Their latest expedition uncovers a potentially life-changing find, a valuable tablet, etched with glyphs, hidden within the mouth of a statue to Nohochacyum, a god of both creation – and destruction. But when they attempt to retrieve their prize the statue falls, crushing Imul.

When he returns home with his brother’s body, Pahtal is overcome with grief and guilt, and believes his state of mind to be responsible for the curious events that begin to occur.

From an oppressive new lodger, to kitchen objects that move on their own, to people and animals from mythology crossing his path, Pahtal soon realizes that releasing the tablet has released the gods etched into its surface – gods who are determined to continue the war they have been fighting since their creation.

He must find a way to imprison the gods once more ... before the world burns.

As a special preview just for my newsletter readers, here's a sneak peek at the foreword by my wonderful sensitivity reader Tat Apab'yan Tew, plus a list of resources that will be appended to the glossary for anyone who might be interested in research materials or in learning more about the Maya people and their ancient lore. (The book blends lore from various Mesoamerican cultures, but the characters are primarily K'iche' Maya.)

Foreword

Mystery is already, in itself, that place you look out from when you’re trapped. There are many dimensions to the location, and there seem to be no convincing shortcuts through it—we like being there. It’s fascinating—the not knowing, not being convinced, not wanting to listen or read or be exposed to irrefutable facts. Mystery gives tone to the surprise and gives texture to what you don’t recognize: and there you are, trembling in amazement.

The Maya Nation today is fragmented and in exile, artificially divided and, in some places, facing political turmoil. That’s only what’s visible; the roots are still hidden underground, still growing strong in all directions. There are those who dig and those who decipher, there are those who look to the stars and those who direct us in our searching. I celebrate this book and its author, who encourages us to engage in the meditative process of imagination and learning. By the end of the book, one part of the mystery has been solved, but another remains: who are the Maya, really?

What is mysterious in this work lies in the interactions between that which we see and that which is hidden. Like a scent, it is only perceived. A constant source of intrigue is this: how much of the ancient world is not merely a narrative device but something that is still present with us today?

The reader and the characters in the book are faced with a dilemma: for a Maya reader, this story is not fiction, but for someone outside the original cultural context, it might be. In the end, neither perspective has the full truth, so the best approach is to read the book and draw your own conclusions.

Tat Apab'yan Tew 2025

Resources

Popol Vuh Popol Vuh: The Sacred Book of the Maya: The Great Classic of Central American Spirituality, Translated from the Original Maya Text. Allen J. Christenson (translator). University of Oklahoma Press, 2007.

The Blood of Guatemala. Greg Grandin. Duke University Press, March 15, 2000

Maya Cosmos: Three Thousand Years on the Shaman's Path. David Freidel, Linda Schele, Joy Parker. William Morrow Paperbacks. February 27, 1995

Aztec and Maya Myths, Karl A. Taube. British Museum Press, 1993

Time and the Highland Maya, Barbara Tedlock. UNM Press, 1992

World History Encyclopedia; The Mayan Pantheon: The Many Gods of the Maya. https://www.worldhistory.org/article/415/the-mayan-pantheon-the-many-gods-of-the-maya/​

National Geographic article Losing Maya Heritage to Looters, by Erik Vance, August 10, 2014 https://www.nationalgeographic.com/culture/article/140808-maya-guatemala-looter-antiquities-archaeology-science​

Out of the Maya Tombs (formerly Dance of the Maize God by David Lebrun) Out of print. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aOiLLW1IkoM​

Ixcanul (Film, drama, fiction) - https://www.imdb.com/title/tt4135844/​

Heart of Sky, Heart of Earth (documentary film) - http://www.heart-of-sky.com/​

Maya Science – website of Tat Apab’yan Tew: https://www.mayascience.com/​

Audiobooks Are On The Way!

Book one, While the Gods Sleep, will be available Feb 3rd from Recorded Books! I read nearly 100% in audio and seriously could not be more excited about this. I keep obsessively checking Audible to see if the sample preview is live yet. (It is not, but it should be up any day now.) The audio version is available now for preorder at Audible or through public libraries.

​https://www.audible.com/pd/While-the-Gods-Sleep-Audiobook/B0G26RK2K7​

Preorders help SO much with algorithm invisibility syndrome and are very appreciated, as are reviews for any of the books! If your library isn't carrying this set, I'd appreciate it tremendously if you would request them!!

Congratulations to the ebook winners for When the Winds Sing!

Congrats to newsletter subscribers Jaimie and Jan, winners of a free ebook of The Perilous Gods, Book Two last month! I hope that you enjoy reading When the Winds Sing!

Since the giveaway seemed popular, keep an eye out next month for a giveaway for Where the Shadows Dwell.

Solaris Author Book Recs

I was recently included in a selection of Solaris/Solaris Nova authors who were asked to share our favorite read of 2025, the book we'd most like for Christmas, and our most anticipated read of 2026. My answers, along with Adrian Tchaikovsky, Yoon Ha Lee, and many other wonderful authors can be found at this link: https://rebellionpublishing.com/solaris-authors-favourite-books-of-the-year-christmas-wishes-and-2026-releases-to-watch-out-for/​

Maybe you'll find some books to stock up on for 2026!

Smashwords Sale

I have two books at half price in the big Smashwords End of Year Sale. They're linked below, but while you're there, check out the hundreds of other ebooks discounted or FREE through the end of New Year's Day!

A Borrowed Hell

Lost in a barren alternative world, July Davish has two options: Confront his hellish past or be trapped there forever.

​https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/1777549​

The Halfblood War

The Halfblood War is a sweeping epic fantasy of love and war, prejudice and acceptance, and one family's struggle for survival as they find their realm trapped between mortal and immortal foes.

​https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/1638402​

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​Smashwords End of Year Sale​

Cute Animal Video

Yes, Santa has come and gone, but the Christmas-time baby-bat rescue videos (okay, any bat rescue videos, but especially the baby flying foxes) are favorites of mine. Here's a YouTube Short with about 30 seconds of baby bats in Santa hats. Enjoy :-D

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Wishing everyone a happy holiday season and hoping that peace, fairness, and compassion for all prevail in 2026.

Until next time, happy reading!

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L. D. Colter has farmed with draft horses and worked as a paramedic, Outward Bound instructor, athletic trainer, roller-skating waitress, and concrete dispatcher, among other curious choices. She’s an author of contemporary, epic, and dark fantasy novels, a WSFA Small Press Award finalist, and a two-time winner of the Colorado Book Award for science fiction and fantasy. Her website can be found at ldcolter.com​