🔥 Forged in Ancient Fire – Bonus Update
Behind the Scenes – June 2025
💡 This kind of behind-the-scenes content is usually reserved for paid subscribers, but I’m sharing this first one with everyone as a thank-you—and a peek at what supporters receive.
Since launching Forged in Ancient Fire just a couple of weeks ago, I’ve seen subscriber numbers steadily tick upward, which is fantastic! Would it be amazing to go viral or catch the eye of a movie agent? Sure. But that's not why I’m here.
I write this story because I love it. If someone else loves it too, that’s a gift.
When I set up this serialization on Substack, I had options: keep it all free, put it all behind a paywall, or use the hybrid approach Substack makes possible. I chose that middle path: the novel itself is free to read, but supporters unlock bonus content, such as this post, high-resolution art, swag, and more.
And I’m thrilled to say a few of you have already signed on. That kind of support means the world—thank you.
And in case you need a reminder of what the current free and paid tiers are:
🎁 Subscriber Tiers
🙌 Supporter Tier — $8/month or $75/year
Includes:
Behind-the-scenes posts like this one
High-resolution character art & lore (coming soon)
Digital swag: bookmarks, postcards, and more
Your name in the acknowledgments (optional)
The satisfaction of helping this story thrive
👑 Founding Patron — $250 (one-time)
Includes everything in the Supporter Tier, plus:
A signed physical copy of the book (ETA late 2025 / early 2026)
A limited swag box: T-shirt, stickers, bookmark
Early access to the audiobook version (as it's produced)
A permanent spot on the Founding Patrons page
🔍 On the Creative Side…
I’m actively searching for an artist to create the “official” cover. My first choice—an incredibly talented illustrator in New Zealand—was promising, but after a brief exchange, I haven’t heard back. So the hunt continues.
I’ve submitted a detailed brief to several artists on Reedsy, a fantastic resource for indie authors. You can reach out to five artists at a time. Some have declined (due to being too busy, not a style fit, or a budget mismatch), but I remain hopeful.
While the chapter art you've seen is AI-generated (mostly via ChatGPT + DALL·E), I’d love the final cover to come from a human artist who understands the urban fantasy aesthetic. It isn’t easy to get consistency from AI in the imagery. Still, on occasion it produces an image that resonates quite nicely with what I envision our heroine to look like, and I think this one from a year or more ago captures Jia and her dog, Rorschach, quite nicely:
Once that artwork is locked in, I’ll move forward with:
🧵 T-shirts
✒️ Bookmarks
📮 Postcards
🎁 Swag boxes
All of which I’ll probably create through Canva—a powerful tool for authors, if you’ve never used it.
When the time comes, I’ll reach out to supporters for shipping info. Thanks for your patience—and your belief in this story.
✏️ Work in Progress – A Glimpse Ahead
Even with 20+ chapters already written and scheduled, I’m still revising and editing every week. It’s part of what I love: tightening dialogue, adding emotional depth, and discovering surprises in the story I thought I already knew. But in a way, it’s a race against the serialization: once the chapter is published, I ain’t a-gonna change it!
Right now, I’m refining a set of scenes that follow Jia’s best friend, Zilly. Back in Concord, California, she stumbles onto something strange—a street artist tagging symbols she recognizes... and possibly a connection to the Mystic Alliance.
Let’s just say: Zilly is more observant than people give her credit for. And she’s about to get drawn into something bigger than she realizes.
Eventually, I might share some of the dialogue, revisions, and “character conversations” I’ve had with this scene—because there’s a lot of magic (and frustration) in that process.
Thanks again for being here.
You’re helping me bring this story to life—one chapter, one surprise, and one rewrite at a time.
🧭 Chapter 6 drops tomorrow—and it’s a turning point. Jia and her grandmother begin to unravel the mystery of nine hidden objects left behind by her mother…
💡 Want to keep seeing bonus updates like this?
Become a paid subscriber to support the journey and unlock exclusive posts, artwork, audio chapters, and more.