Dear readers and friends,
I'm thrilled to be on the precipe of sharing Blood Is Black with you. It's the first installment in the Presley Carter Series, which, for now, is planned as a trilogy. Per the agreement Dad signed with Audible Originals, this book is exclusively available on Audible for its first 4 months, which started November 17th. I'll be releasing it in paperback and Kindle on April 1st.
The completion of this project has been a long time coming. Dad actually started working on the manuscript in late 2017. Mom's health was rapidly declining before her passing in June 2018. Those months were devastating for all of us, Dad especially so. Still, he wrote as much as he could before joining her in November 2018. To this day, I'm still amazed that he was able to complete half of this novel given the circumstances. It's a testament to his strength and resilience. I'm still so proud of him.
It took me a long time to claw my way out of despair after losing both of my parents, especially so close together. Dad had long told me it was my duty to take his legacy forward when he was gone, but I had never truly considered what that reality would look like. I felt lost and broken for a long time.
By late 2019, I could almost hear Dad's voice telling me to quit wallowing in self-pity and finish what he started: Get off your tail. I had read the 150 or so pages Dad had written several times over, and I had a good idea of where he wanted the plot to go. I set about finding a writer that could help me capture the voices of the characters Dad created and finish the book. It took some time, but I eventually found one that fit the bill.
This writer, Travis Johns, and I worked countless hours and went through several edits, finally finishing a draft we felt good about in late 2020. After submitting it to Audible, we eventually got the green light. After one more round of edits, the book was finally finished and slotted for a release on Audible in November of 2022.
Terror, pride, anxiety, excitement, bitterness, love, imposter's syndrome, catharsis. All of these emotions rage like a tempest through my mind as I prepare to release this book to you. Did I do justice to Dad's work? What will his fans think? I guess I'll know those answers soon.
I'm not half the man or writer Dad was. I hope you can forgive me for that. But I really gave this thing my heart and soul. Bottom line: I think it's a good story, and I hope you enjoy it.
Almost Pub Day, Dad. I miss you, and I love you.
Best,
Dylan Pratt
PS Here's a link to the pre-orders on Amazon for those that are interested:
Amazon US → bit.ly/3SXjR34
Amazon CA → https://amzn.to/3J0lMz9
Amazon UK → https://amzn.to/3kVCYhg
Amazon AU → http://bit.ly/3F7CjQQ