BLACKWOOD COLLEGIUM · WRITING UPDATE · OCTOBER 2026

The Halls of Blackwood Are No Longer Silent

Somewhere beyond the locked archives, the ravens have begun whispering.

I’m delighted to share a milestone for Blackwood Collegium: early chapters are now in the hands of a trusted circle of beta readers.

Elara Vale’s story is still unfolding, and Book One is still being written. This is an early-reader milestone, not an announcement that the complete manuscript is finished. But there is something extraordinary about seeing a world that once existed only in my imagination begin to live in other people’s minds.

Their thoughts will help guide revisions, sharpen the mysteries, and make the halls of Blackwood feel even more alive. I’m grateful to every reader willing to venture into a university of ancient bloodlines, dangerous magic, and secrets that would rather remain buried.

Where the Manuscript Stands

• Book One: writing continues
• Early chapters: with beta readers
• Next steps: collect feedback, continue drafting, and revise thoughtfully

Thank you for being here while the story is still taking shape. There is much more waiting beyond the next door.

Some blood remembers what history was ordered to forget.

Scarlett St. Faith
Author of Blackwood Collegium
Founder, Black Raven Press