So, the writing is complete. Eighty-five thousand words, which is more than the original three books all together, and fifteen thousand words larger than Thud & Blunder. A truly mammoth task and a labour of love.
However, the work is nowhere near complete.
Next is the Alpha draft, the first time all those words are combined into a single document, ready to be reviewed, word by word, and line by line by the pair of us. Spelling, grammar, cross-references, points calculations and game sense needs to be checked and, where necessary edited. It is a time of blood and woe!
Then the Beta draft, which goes out to our crack team of nit-pickers. Men who shall show no mercy in their quest for perfection. Any mistake and we shall be flayed on the proof-reader’s rack.
Back to us to edit once more, creating the Omega draft.
Meanwhile we shall be talking to artists and people who have displayed great IHMN game photos for the graphic content of the book.
Once we have the Omega draft and the graphics, it is off to the far side of the planet for layout by our comrade Millsy of Cobalt Peak Design.
By then it shall be the Christmas holidays.
In the new year we shall receive the first layout copy to be reviewed once more to ensure there have been no faux pas during that process.
When we have approved a final layout, it is off to our printers in their secret bunker in Lithuania.
While they labour at the presses, we shall be working on the launch, and all the free supporting materials we usually supply.
With luck, and a fair wind, the first print run shall land in Nottingham in early spring.

As an appetizer, here is the list of companies we finally decided on and created:

The Black Dragon Tong
The Brick Lane Commune
Brumby’s Marauders
The Crescent Moon
The Entourage of Vlad Tepes – Prince of Wallachia
The Hellfire Club
Lady Helen Quatermain’s Airship Privateers
The Honourable East India Company
Le Cabinet Noir
The Kentish Men
La Legion Entrangere
Lord Curr’s Incorrigibles
The Mounties
Ninja
The Okhrana
The Pathans
The Prince of Wales Extraordinary Company
A Royal Navy Landing Party
Scotland Yard, Q Division
The Servants of Ra
The Society of Thule
The Templars
Tipoo Sultan
The US Secret Service

Many of these now have access to our new and improved armoury, including airships and mechanized walkers.
Further design notes and updates shall be forthcoming over the next weeks and months.