Howdy!

I was recently a guest on the Revision Wizards Podcast, where I had the pleasure of discussing my writing process, my approach to world building, and some behind-the-scenes insights into my creative journey. 🌍✍️

It’s about 40 minutes if you listen at a chill 1x speed.

I’d love to hear your feedback!

Check out the podcast >

 

In addition to the podcast, I recently received a wonderful foreword from none other than author/publisher J Thorn!

J Thorn is a versatile, best-selling author with over 20 years of experience in education and genres such as horror, thriller, and post-apocalyptic fiction. As a mentor to aspiring writers, he generously shares his expertise through blogs, workshops, and podcasts. He’s a major influencer in the indie-author community, and has been a staunch supporter of mine from the beginning.

From J. Thorn

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One of the biggest challenges in writing an epic fantasy is the world building. This is no easy task for a seasoned author and practically impossible for a new author to master. But I can’t say I’m surprised.

I first met Don Elliott several years ago when he hired me to do a diagnostic on “A Nameless Town,” a short story about Roan before she went to Anubi.

Even then, I could tell Don had the “writer gene,” that undeniable yet undefinable trait that keeps readers turning pages. His imagery struck me as vivid yet specific:

“She roused them and soon they were criss-crossing dunes like the wrinkles of an old giant.”

That line from the manuscript stuck in my mind, and I kept returning to the visual throughout my day.

I met Monty before you did, and even though I didn’t know what a “petra” was, Don showed me what a petra did, and that was enough to hook me.

Fast forward several years, and I’ve just finished reading The Broken Horn. And now I want to become a sandrunner. In Elliott’s desert wasteland, I’m fascinated by Djeodi’s redemption arc and Roan’s reluctant hero’s journey.

I won’t spoil the story for you, but let’s just say you’ll love Monty even more by the time you get to the story’s climactic scene.

It always warms my heart to watch a person become an author, and I’m hard pressed to recall a debut novel as charming, captivating, and rich as The Broken Horn.

Ears here. Turn the page and start your adventure. Don’t dusting miss it!

 

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I was pretty dang happy about that. Thanks J!

That’s all for now. It’s time I get back to working on book two. I’m officially 83% through with the developmental edit, which means I’m finally catching up on my timeline! It will be ready for BETA readers by the end of the month.

Have a great weekend!

Hello!

Curious about book two in The Story of Rain? If you didn’t know, I finished the rough draft of The Sandrunner last year 💪. I am now about 1/3 of the way through the developmental edit phase!

What is a ‘developmental’ edit?

A developmental edit focuses on the big picture elements such as plot, character development, pacing, and structure. I do the first round of this myself, then pass it off to both my beta readers and my developmental editor, Anne Hawley.

So, I’m stoked about the progress and how the book is turning out, but I’m about four weeks behind schedule… Ugh.

And yet, despite that, I’m still confident I’ll get the book out by October 23rd, 2023.

20 Reviews and counting!

“From the very first page, I was hooked. The characters are real and believable. The story line kept me turning pages. I lost a lot of sleep reading into the late evening. I couldn’t put the book down. I am looking forward to the next book in the series.” — Linnie T.

If you haven’t left a review yet, I would be extremely grateful if you did! Reviews help with the Amazon algorithm, which makes me rank higher and reach more readers. Drop a line here if you loved the book. If you didn’t love it, well, how about you let me know and we keep it between each other??

Leave a Review >

Thank you again for your support and for being part of The Story of Rain community. Your encouragement means the world to me. Stay tuned for more updates as we get closer to the release date of The Sandrunner.

I’m thrilled to announce the release of my debut novel, The Broken Horn, the first book in The Story of Rain trilogy. This journey has been nothing short of an odyssey, spanning three years and thousands of hours of dedicated writing.

Crafting The Broken Horn was a labor of love, involving intricate world-building that paints a vivid backdrop for our protagonists, Djeodi and Roan. Developing these characters, each with their deep, personal struggles, was a journey in itself. Djeodi, grappling with his violent past and alcoholism, seeks redemption in a world marred by conflict. Roan, a defiant sandrunner, faces her own demons while protecting a mute girl amidst danger.

The process of plotting this novel was a complex task. I aimed to intertwine the lives of Djeodi and Roan in a narrative filled with suspense, emotional depth, and a fight for survival. Balancing the themes of redemption, love, and resilience in a dystopian setting was both challenging and immensely fulfilling.

The Broken Horn is an exploration of the human spirit against the backdrop of a harsh, unforgiving world. I invite you to dive into this journey and experience the world of Djeodi and Roan, as they navigate through their turbulent lives, each seeking something they yearn for in the depths of their souls.

Thank you for being part of this journey. Your support means the world to me. The Broken Horn is available now—I can’t wait for you to read it and join me in this adventure.

In 3 days, The Broken Horn will be available in eBook, paperback, and hardcover editions. The last time I was this excited, my wife was wearing a wedding dress. Here’s the cool part about Saturday: If I sell enough books, I am eligible to become a best seller! If you plan to buy it, Saturday would be absolutely fantastic. Thank you for your support!  

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  Ok, here’s the secret… Why didn’t I include a handy link to Amazon in this email? The paperback and hardcover editions were unintentionally released early. That’s right; you can buy either right now. So here’s the deal, if you just can’t wait until Saturday, head over here and buy as many as your heart desires. 😏

Yo!

Creating art on the scale of a novel involves a LOT of moving parts. As a fantasy book, that includes having a badass map. Well, about a month ago, my map designer fell through. That’s kind of a big deal when it comes to the book launch deadline. What did I do? I dusted off my old design chops and got to work.

The map you see above is the final version, which I created using a tool called ‘Inkarnate‘ and, of course, the old battle horse, Photoshop. I don’t know how many hours it took because the damn thing just needed to get done, but it was a lot.

Let me know what you think!

Why the hell did I set a deadline??

Because I like the pressure, and I want to get this book out now. Every author needs to find a balance between perfection and quantity. If it takes 1-2 years to write and publish a book, how many stories do I have left in me? Sounds morbid, but that’s the fact. My goal is to produce a book on average every 18-24 months. We will see…

Currently, The Broken Horn is in the proofreader’s hand. Then it’s off to the production team!

Now let’s hope Amazon doesn’t cause any delays. I don’t want to have to give Bezos a call.

Four years in the making, The Broken Horn is now available for pre-order! Please note that this is for the ebook only. Amazon does not currently allow for pre-sales of physical books.

Creating The Broken Horn has been quite a ride and the most fulfilling personal art expression I’ve ever experienced. I set out to publish my first book by the time I was 40—well, I missed it by 2 years, but hell, I’m here now!

I truly hope you enjoy this book. Several thousands of hours went into both the world and the novel itself. I’ve already started book 2 and plan to release it October 23rd of next year.

Until then, keep on reading!