Four Years Later: Celebrating Smoke and Ashes

Four years ago today, Smoke and Ashes released into the world.

At the time, I thought I was nearing the end of Anna Walker and Kincade’s story.

I was wrong. Very, very wrong.

Looking back now, it’s hard to believe how much has happened since that book launched. Readers joined Anna and Kincade as they traveled the globe in search of ancient Holy Relics, battled supernatural forces, and faced enemies determined to reshape the world. Through every challenge, they continued to grow—not just as heroes, but as people.

One of my favorite reviews for Smoke and Ashes summed up the story perfectly:

“It ended but not in ashes! But in hope! … please go a lot longer than one more…”

When I first read that review, I smiled.

Today, I laugh.

Because what that reader didn’t know—and what I didn’t fully know either—was that Anna and Kincade weren’t finished with me yet.

The Story That Refused to End

The original Dream Walker series was always about more than relic hunts and supernatural battles.

At its heart, it was about a young woman discovering who she was and a Guardian learning that love could be his greatest strength rather than his greatest weakness.

Over the course of five books, Anna and Kincade became some of my most beloved characters. They survived impossible odds, found family in unexpected places, and fought for a future worth believing in.

When the series ended, I thought I had said goodbye. But some stories don’t let go. Some characters aren’t finished speaking. And sometimes the world still has more secrets to reveal.

Enter the War of the Brotherhood

This September, readers will return to the Dream Walker universe with Dark Night of the Soul, the first book in the War of the Brotherhood trilogy.

Set after the events of the original series, this new trilogy follows Anna and Kincade into a far darker conflict—one rooted in old enemies, buried secrets, and wounds that never fully healed.

The Brotherhood is no longer operating from the shadows. The stakes are higher. The danger is greater. And the cost of failure could be catastrophic.

Yet at its core, this story remains what Dream Walker has always been about: courage, hope, found family, sacrifice, and the power of choosing love even in the darkest moments.

Then and Now

When readers first met Anna in Call of the Dark, she was a young phlebotomy tech whose life changed forever when she stepped into the wrong woman’s dream. Kincade was her Guardian. A protector. A mystery. A man carrying far more burdens than he was willing to admit.

Today, both of them have been transformed by everything they’ve endured. They’re more scarred. More dangerous. And more devoted to one another than ever before. Watching their journey unfold has been one of the greatest joys of my writing career.

Thank You

Whether you’ve been with me since Call of the Dark first released or you’ve only recently discovered the Dream Walker series, thank you.

Thank you for reading. Thank you for sharing these books with your friends. Thank you for falling in love with these characters as deeply as I have.

Four years after Smoke and Ashes, I’m still writing Anna and Kincade’s story.

And honestly? I wouldn’t have it any other way.

The next chapter begins this September. The war is coming. And I’m so excited to share it with you. Dark Night of the Soul releases September 15. 

The Dream Walker saga continues.