Hello all,
I recently just finished the third draft of my debut novel. It's a book set in the last ice age — prehistoric humans' first encounter with things that go bump in the night. It has a twist ending that reframes the entire book and has cosmic implications for the rest of the series.
I never saw myself as an author. I had a few fantasy and horror pieces I started in 2018, but lost interest halfway through because I couldn't figure out where the stories were going, and gave up.
Then, last year, I lost my job, and I was in a really dark place and basically started writing again to give myself something to do.
I finished the first draft at 197 pages, got some mixed beta feedback, and one suggestion was that the world felt bigger than a standalone. I tried writing a short “earlier” story to flesh out the lore… and it grew into a 119‑page companion novella.
Now I’m three chapters away from finishing Book 2, with early drafts started for Book 3 and two more novellas planned.
Still job hunting, still supporting my family, but I’m not in the dark headspace I was in. Writing has given me something to hold onto, and I’m honestly proud of how far this story has taken me.
Just wanted to share the milestone with people who get it.
And yes, I'm in the process of redrafting chapter 1 of the first book.