A Massive Update
(Note: This was initially sent out as a newsletter. Due to its size and importance I’m posting it here, but if you’d like to see these updates generally, make sure to join the mailing list!)
Success and delays, growth and suffering, excitement and impatience . . . this autumn has been the best and the worst all at once.
Yup, I’m kicking off this newsletter with a cute photo of my dogs.
It’s been three months since The Winds of War released, which means this newsletter is three months late . . . thus, I’m hoping you’ll accept the immediate cuteness as a peace offering.
I’m sorry for my lack of communication. I’ll update you on everything that’s been going on, and from today make these updates a lot more consistent. Additionally, I’ve got a brand new (free!) spooky short story for you, news on the Winds hardback, and much more.
We’ve got a lot to cover today—most of it good, some of it not so good—so let’s jump in.
Winds in the Wild — Part I
First off, I want to say thank you to all of you who have wishlisted, bought, read, or reviewed Winds. The reception for this book since its launch three months ago has blown me away. Here are just a few statistics:
Nearly 500 sales
Over 30,000 Kindle Unlimited pages read
Nearly 100 ratings across Amazon, goodreads, and Storygraph with an overall score of about 4.7 stars out of 5
Nearly 400 wishlists on goodreads alone
Unreal. And all of this is despite the delays to the Collector’s Edition, which is yet to drop (more on this soon). In essence, this book’s launch period is still ongoing, but we’re already making waves. Thank you so, so, so much!
Unfortunately, releasing this book took an immense toll on me.
Due to my inexperience and several factors outside of my control, the dates I committed to for the various stages of the book’s launch became extremely difficult to meet. But I was stubborn and impatient (don’t be like me), and brutally overworked myself over much of this year to get everything done.
If you don’t know, I do almost everything myself. The writing, the designing, most of the illustrating, most of the editing, the photography, the marketing, etc. etc. etc. A few months before the book’s release, I didn’t yet have a cover, any interior illustrations, a website, or even a completed manuscript. I know now that these are all things that should ideally be done before one even commits to a launch date, but there I was with a deadline looming and none of it ready.
So I grit my teeth, sacrificed my mental and physical wellness, and got it done. In just a few months I finished writing and editing the book, I designed its cover, made over ten illustrations (and commissioned two more), formatted its interior, made a website and mailing list, and marketed the HELL out of it.
My favorite of the illustrations I did for Winds!
And then, right around launch, I was presented with the extraordinary opportunity to work with The Broken Binding to make an even more spectacular version of the book. I leapt at this chance, even though it meant a whole lot more work right when I was hoping to take a breather.
I won’t go into specifics, but there was a lot of additional work to be done for this incredible new edition of The Winds of War. That, combined with the ongoing marketing of the book post-launch, devoured my time and energy through the remainder of the summer.
By the time things truly settled down I was wrecked. As someone with chronic mental illness, many months of crunch and neglect led to major flare ups in said illnesses and a rough period that is still ongoing.
I’m healing, slowly but surely, but yeah . . . this is why you haven’t heard from me, and why I haven’t had any exciting writing updates. It seems like most indie authors are already announcing release dates for Book Two a month after the first releases, so it feels awful that I’m lagging so far behind in comparison.
I’m sorry, and I will definitely be wiser the next time around to avoid all of this fallout.
Now, about that Collector’s Edition that I know so many of you are dying to hear about . . .
The reason it’s taken so long is a combination of logistical issues involving printing and pricing as well as further design work that has arisen as the project has expanded.
Ultimately, it has all ended up for the best. The wait was necessary and productive; this Collector’s Edition is going to be better than I could have imagined. I don’t want to get ahead of myself again, so let’s just say that the specs (things like the binding and the paper) as well as the design (things like the edges and boards) are going to be pretty sweet, and the quantity of the limited run is going to be greater than initially expected.
As for the release? Well, we’re currently print testing the book! This means we’re super close now to the pre-order announcement, and I expect that the fulfillment of orders will come promptly afterwards (within 2-3 months).
I’m biased as all hell, I know, but I truly think this is going to be one of the most beautiful books on the market!
If you’d like to start reading Winds in the meanwhile, you can grab a digital copy for just the price of a coffee! (And if you’re subscribed to Kindle Unlimited, you can read it there at no additional cost.)
You can find the book easily using the link in the site header!
Winds in the Wild — Part II
What else have I been up to since the last update? Well, mostly I’ve been trying to reconnect with my passions after the insane crunch that took up half the year. That means time spent in nature, plenty of time with family, and time spent with my favorite hobbies: games, books, and films.
I got to take a couple day trips into the Rocky Mountains in late summer / early autumn which resulted in some lovely photos. Here are a few favorites! (If you want to see them in better size/quality, visit my socials!)
In terms of media, I’ve been reading Dune and Pet Semetary for the first time. Both are incredible, and it’s nice reading something other than fantasy for a bit! I’ve also been reading On the Origin of Species, The Art of War, and Meditations to keep my mind sharp. Lastly, I’ve been reading Berserk and Chainsaw Man. Reading manga is a new activity for me, but one that I’m loving so much. Who would have thought such a combination of art and storytelling would be so appealing to me, an artist and writer? :P
My birthday was on October 2nd (I’m 33 now, phew), and my family spoiled me with bookish gifts, so I’ve got plenty to read for the rest of the year!
As for games, the standouts have been Hollow Knight: Silksong and Hades II. It’s crazy to think that these two indie titans both released in September! Silksong has lived up to every bit of the hype, being an utter masterpiece, and while I’m early on in Hades II, it’s already blowing me away. They’re both so bloody good that they’ve overshadowed Ghost of Yotei for me. This isn’t an insult to Yotei—which was also one of my most anticipated games and has been awesome so far—but a huge compliment to these indies! Bravo to Team Cherry and Supergiant Games.
My rendition of Melinoe from Hades II!
And as for films, I’ve only got one thing to say: SINNERS!
Sinners is a masterpiece! I watched it for the first time a week ago at home and I’ve been thinking about it constantly since. I’ve had the soundtrack on repeat. It was so good, from cinematography to music to acting to thematic writing.
I also saw Weapons (in theaters coincidentally) and I’m stunned that it’s being compared so readily with Sinners. Weapons was a fun horror flick—a solid 6/10 for me—but it’s nowhere near Sinners for me.
Speaking of horror, I’ve got a new short story for you, titled Our New Home! I do at least one of these each year near Halloween, and I think this one is my best yet.
You can read it for free here!
Please do let me know what you think of it! While my fantasy writing is briefly on hiatus, I’m glad not all of my writing is. Also, fun fact: I intend on combining all these spooky stories into one anthology book down the road, probably 3-4 years from now!
And now for pet tax!
And as usual, a quick, gentle reminder about the importance of ratings and reviews!
Ratings and reviews are essential in establishing a book’s credibility. This is especially true for Amazon reviews, which directly affect a book’s ranking in the store algorithm! So please consider dropping a review (or a simple star rating!) wherever you can, with the most common places being goodreads, Storygraph, and most importantly, Amazon!
Those of you who already have, thank you! And if you haven’t posted them on Amazon, please consider copying and pasting them onto there! Again, it helps me HUGELY.
Winds in the Wild — Part III
I want to close this out by saying that writing for The Tapestry of the Tarnished will be resuming imminently (gods I’m so excited for this). It was never my intention to get waylaid for so long, but we live and we learn.
Know that once I dive back in, it’s going to be full steam ahead. I truly am only just getting started. You can expect not one but two releases in 2026, and for all of my work to improve in quality. The best is yet to come, and I’m so grateful to have you along for the ride.
Hella hold you.
Jorm embolden you.
Daru guide you.
Humbly Yours,
Mosha
