As I’ve promised for a while now, I’m going to reveal some information about the new Chadhiyana project I’m currently working on. For those of you who visited my table at the MoCCA Festival this weekend past, you may already be in the know, though everyone else is still more or less in the dark. So without further ado, here is the information I’ve said would come in April.

First and foremost, the new Chadhiyana project is a graphic novel. That is why you’ve not seen anything new featuring the character since the first comic was released in October (2012). As it is, I’m currently writing the first draft of the script (which is, admittedly, taking a bit longer than expected). Following its completion, the script will go through an editing process, and then I will begin creating the artwork for the book.

Beyond that, I don’t yet want to reveal too much about the book; that is, not until its release is a bit closer. I will say that the story–as it has thus far been written and based on what I have planned to yet write–will be much fuller than the stories in first comic. In fact, this book will reveal and establish much of Chadhiyana’s story, rather than vaguely hint at things as did those first two short stories. Much of what this graphic novel contains will allow me to write about the character more freely. It is for that very reason I have no plans to release another Chadhiyana story until this book is complete.

The long-term plan is to find a publisher for this graphic novel, however, as it will take some time to create the thing from beginning to end, whilst I search for a publisher, I am strongly considering various plans for serialising the book until it is finished and can be collected into one volume (or two, rather, as the length of the story may require). In that case, you may breathe a sigh of relief. Barring finding a publisher who is averse to such a plan, you will be able to begin reading the graphic novel before the entire book is completed. I ask that you remain patient as it is going to take a bit of time still to finish the script and enough of the art to begin that process. How long this will take, I cannot yet say, but I’m hoping it will be relatively soon. I’m excited to bring you more Chadhiyana, and I don’t wish to take too much time in doing so.

That said, I’ve come to believe it’s best not to talk about a project until it’s complete on account of how often projects get delayed (I’m certainly guilty of that) or even more, how often projects fall apart entirely. (I’ve too often found myself in the embarrassing position of talking about an in-the-works project, only to have it fall apart, many times on account of others involved not making good on our agreements or their commitments.) In this case, however, I felt it best to ignore my otherwise good and hard-learned sense, rather than continue to say “something is coming; just be patient.” Something is coming, and indeed you must be patient, but at least you now know what it is you’re waiting for and why you have to wait for it. Until the wait is over, I will do my best to post updates on my progress with the book, from time to time. After all, I don’t know that I’ve ever been this excited about a project of mine. The more I work on Chadhiyana, the more I’m enjoying the character.