What’s New in 2023

It’s been awhile since I’ve posted here, as life has been busy and gaming has been put on the back burner. That said, I’m happy anytime I have a lazy weekend morning or late night to curl up on the couch with a great video game. Most recently, I played some Diablo IV with my husband; I love the co-op, and I’ve been having a (cold) blast as a frost archer!

In case you’re curious, here’s what I’ve been up to this past year… :)

Writing

Some of you may know that I am a writer. Last year, I fulfilled a lifelong dream when I published my first book, Song of the Shieldmaiden. It’s the first book in the Daughters of Valhalla series, about three Viking sisters seeking revenge for their family and protecting their village. One sister is a shieldmaiden; another is a seer; and the third sister, though shy, will wield more power than she knows. I published the second book this year, and I’m currently working on the third. You can find out all about them over on my author website at ashleyhagood.com.

Last November, I had a Kickstarter campaign to fund the first physical editions of my books. It was so much fun putting that campaign together–especially coming up with goodies like art prints, bookmarks, and a set of rune cards to go along with the books. I’ll definitely be doing more Kickstarters in the future! If you like to support artists, I recommend browsing Kickstarter and backing any cool stuff you see there. :)

I’m also currently working on a new Norse fantasy series, inspired by The Witcher, God of War, and more. I’ll be sharing more about that in my newsletter and on social media, so you’re welcome to follow me there if you like fantasy books like that!

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Personal

Before I even get to gaming, I have to mention the BIG thing in my life right now: I had a baby! On Valentine’s Day this year, my son was born. I’ve wanted to be a mother for a long time, and I am so happy to have my son in my life now. That said, being a parent is the most exhausting AND rewarding thing I’ve ever experienced, at the same time. And this little rascal leaves a lot less time for gaming… but that’s okay by me right now. :)

Gaming

After our son goes to bed, my husband and I sometimes sit down and play Diablo IV together. I love a good couch co-op game–such a rare species today–and Diablo is among the best. My husband started out playing a necromancer while I started as a mage. However, we quickly got tired of seeing about 1,000 skeletons on the screen (if you’ve played necromancer, you know what I’m talking about), and I play a mage so often that it was a bore. So we rolled a new game and are having a blast now; my husband is a barbarian, and I’m an archer. I like to think we complement each other pretty well!

Before that, I was replaying Dragon Age Inquisition at the end of my pregnancy. I should go back and finish that, as I’m getting so excited about Dreadwolf! And of course, I had to play an elf and romance Solas again to experience the emotions all over…

I’m also wanting to dive back into Skyrim, as I do just about every year. When the holidays hit, I’m sure that urge will take hold of me again. I don’t know why fall, winter, and the holidays in general make me want to return to all my old comfort games, with Skyrim being top of the list!

Reading

Last month I found a new book obsession, which is The Last Ranger by JDL Rosell. It is like Horizon Zero Dawn in book form. The protagonist, a ranger named Leiyn, is brash–sometimes to a fault–but she also has a ton of heart, and it’s fun to see what kind of trouble she gets herself into.

The Last Ranger is a fantasy book, and so far I love the world-building. This is a lush land of massive titans, mysterious shapeshifters, and magic based on the essence of every living thing–really beautiful and grounded. There’s even more world-building in the second book, The First Ancestor, which I’m reading now. If you like Horizon, archery, or just a fast-paced fantasy book, I highly recommend The Last Ranger!