Once Upon a Dream is Finally Here!

I put off writing this story for a long time. It wasn’t procrastination; I simply didn’t feel skilled enough to put the story into words.

Sometimes you encounter an idea that feels so big and so important, you just know you have to make it as close to perfect as you can get it.

Which is not to say that I ever treat any of my ideas as trash. I want all of my stories to shine when I share them with the rest of the world. But I’m keenly aware that with each book I write, I become a better writer. And the more skill I acquire, the easier it is to handle more complex plots and themes.

Looking back at some of my older work now makes me realize how far I’ve come. And feel a little sad because I know I could craft those stories far better if I started them now.

So when it became clear to me that several of my stories were branching outward toward each other to form a larger whole, and it when it became equally clear that this particular idea sat at the center of everything, I knew I needed to up my game before I tackled it. I spent several years tackling other projects, all with the goal of leveling up my writing skill to the point where I felt confident starting the Aruvalia Chronicles.

When I finally reached this series in the rotation I set, I wasn’t entirely sure I was ready. But I have learned to hover just outside of the comfort zone with each new project to constantly push myself toward improvement. So in 2019, 8 years after my first attempt to outline this project, I dove headfirst into drafting and never looked back.

In the Beginning

I published my first novel in May of 2014. The book that started it all was Island of Lost Forevers. It was co-written by my good friend James Abendroth. We actually role-played a significant portion of the novel before cleaning it up into novel form.

Not only did the book take several years to craft, and undergo a complete re-write at one point, it took several years to publish. My co-author and I spent several years querying with various agents and publishers before we finally decided to publish ourselves. We did have partial requests, but never an offer of representation. (I remember crying with joy the first time I got a manuscript request.)

When we set out to publish Island of Lost Forevers, I had no idea what I was doing. I didn’t know how to acquire a cover, and I certainly didn’t know how to make one. I looked up a lot of guides for ebook formatting and spent a lot of nights agonizing over whether or not I was doing the right thing.

When I hit the publish button for the first time, it came with a lot of acceptances. I accepted that I would probably only ever be able to publish e-books, since I had no idea how to go about crafting or printing a paperback. I accepted that I was going to have to figure out marketing, which I knew nothing about at the time. And I accepted that I was probably going to have to settle in a lot of areas because certain goals would remain forever beyond my reach.

But I wanted to share my work with the world. I liked the idea of total creative freedom, and I was committed to putting in the hard work. So I hit the button.

I’ve Come a Long Way

When I first started writing full time, I read The Alchemist by Paluo Coelho. One of the quotes from the book that always stuck with me was that when someone attempts to undertake the dream of their heart, all of the universe will conspire to help them.

I met a lot of people after I started self-publishing. All people who shared the same dream as me. And each had acquired different skills along the way. Some pointed me toward marketing courses. Others taught me how to make my own paperbacks. The platforms for self-publishing evolved along the way as well, making it easier to get access to print-on-demand and advertising services.

In 2017, 3 years after their initial publication, I release paperbacks of all three Mystical Island Trilogy books. Now when I hit the publish button for each new book, the paperback goes out at the same time as the e-book.

In April of 2023, The Light of Eternity briefly earned a bestseller tag on Amazon. It remained in the top spot for only a few days, but every moment it stayed there was surreal. The marketing campaign that propelled it there was taught by one of the marketing courses recommended to me.

I remember what it was like to publish for the first time. To have a vision in my head for my book and know I probably wouldn’t be able to achieve it. I loved the first set of covers crafted for my first set of books, but they were cartoony and limited in their scope.

I never dreamed I would release the book that sits at the center of my mind’s multiverse with a beautiful cover in a form I could hold in my hands – but today is the day that gets to happen.

Once Upon a Dream is Available Now!

When the innocent are threatened
A warrior must defend
Even if it means risking everything

After a harrowing nightmare, Clara awakens in a strange body, in a strange land, with a strange name on her lips. Haunted by the wrong face in the mirror, called by the wrong name, and trapped in a fantastical realm teeming with mythical creatures, arcane wonders, and enterprising faeries, her only guidance comes from a strange voice that speaks in her head even when she begs it not to. The name persistently echoed by the voice is Domerin Lorcasf, and he holds the key to Clara’s path home.

Renown for his unparalleled combat skills and unwavering loyalty to the crown, Domerin works for an elite group of warriors known as the Queen’s Division – Aruvalia’s version of the FBI. Unfortunately, he cannot simply abandon his duties to aid Clara. Aruvalia, a modern world where reality and magic entwine, teeters on the brink of war. And there’s suspicion of corruption in the ranks.

As Clara learns to navigate a world vastly different from her own, she must convince Domerin to trust her and the mysterious voice that guides her. Together, they can unravel the truth and prevent a catastrophic war. But if Domerin agrees to assist Clara, the decision could shatter his career, forcing him to go rogue and break the laws he has sworn to uphold. And if he does that, it will fall to his work partner – the stalwart ex-military officer Gregory Barrow – to make him answer for his transgressions.

Caught between duty and compassion, Domerin’s choice will test the limits of courage and loyalty – and prove the indomitable spirit of those who dare to define their own destiny.

Grab your copy now!