After much contemplating and deliberation, I have decided to stop querying my debut novel to literary agents and will officially be making the switch to self-publishing. I can say with all honesty that I gave traditional publishing a good try but, in the end, I made the decision to switch for two main reasons: trending genres and ownership.

As I previously posted, literary agents are going to be looking for manuscripts that bring in the most dollar signs because that’s what the big publishers are looking for. As it happens, epic fantasy doesn’t fall into 2025’s top grossing genres. Since I’m not someone who tries to conform my storytelling to what will make the most money each year, that pretty much rules out my manuscript catching the eye of a literary agent. I write epic fantasy because I love doing it, and in the same way, I know fans of epic fantasy will always be waiting for the next book in that genre to become available. Why let the big five publishing houses dictate which book is the next big thing? I’m happy to let the readers decide that on their own.

Regarding ownership, I’ve spent over a decade building the world, characters, and plot for not only my first novel, but the entire series. After all that work, the idea of a publisher calling the shots, or a literary agent pushing me to add or omit sections of my story to fit their agenda just doesn’t sit right with me. I’m not boo-hooing editing- that always comes with the territory of writing, no matter what publishing route you go with. I’m saying that I should be the one to make those calls because I am the one who knows the heart of the story better than anyone. With self-publishing I will have to take on the monetary requirements to produce a professional product, but after all the effort and love I’ve poured into my novel, I believe every cent spent is worth it.

So, what does this mean for Awakening? Since I am no longer waiting on others to progress, things will be moving much quicker. I am already actively on the hunt for an editor and cover book artist. While those items are worked out, I will be working on updating The Stone Key Chronicles website to reflect the change to self-publishing. If all goes well, my tentative goal is to publish Awakening in late fall of 2025, just in time for the holiday season. That’s right, come this winter you may have a physical copy in your hands to enjoy at long last!