Upcoming Novella, and more . . .

Wretched humans! I hope you are all well and finding solace in the pages of your current reads. It has been entire months since you’ve heard from me, and in this newsletter I will throw you some excuses for such. You’ll also find more engaging ramblings such as my favorite reads of 2024, teasers for my upcoming publication, and some hiking and backpacking updates.

            Let us start with the inbox silence. If I am being completely honest, I found myself within a sunken cavern wrought by inferno at the end of 2024— “burnout”, as they say. September led to October, and with it, the release of End Realm. And with that . . . book signing events and other advertising avenues that piled atop an already busy holiday season that encroached. Any time I mention my mailing list to people at events, I generally give a quick spiel that sounds something like: “I promise I won’t spam your inbox! I typically never put out more than one newsletter a month, and generally, it’s closer to every two or three months. So I won’t bug ya too much.” That spiel being said . . . I really do like to get something out to you all every month or so, and it has been far past that. I never want to force these letters, if I don’t have the time or the energy to put out something I feel potentially worthy of your time, then I simply won’t. And that’s where I was these last months—too drained to give you any decent updates. I needed to run away for a while.

            Let’s talk End Realm quick. Nearly everything about its launch surpassed the goals I had set for this little full-length debut of mine. Now, I tend—or try rather—to hold zero expectations with submissions, publications, audience reception, ect . . . So, my goals were nothing too far beyond short. However, they were met and then surpassed. And I am incredibly grateful for all the love it has received and all the people who I met in bookstores during November signing events. These release events were truly amazing, and I enjoyed all the conversations and new fans who’ve come aboard this boat of despair I have set sail into the wide open ocean of storytelling and publication. I hope you all stay! I want to shout out Rosalee Book Boutique in Beaver Dam WI as well as Ink Cap Books in Stoughton WI for having me. Both bookstores nearly sold out of End Realm within the couple hours we had at each, with only one copy left at each store when doors closed. Thank you all for coming and supporting these local businesses.

            Now that there is room for another story to be held, what is on the horizon? In 2025 a novella will be dropping with little to no prelaunch. This next book will come at you a little differently than the last; when you hear about it, it will be available. There will be no announcement of publication date or cover reveal. When you hear about it next, you’ll be able to read it! This seems like a fun way to do it this time around. And hell, it works better for me as well to ninja launch it like this; I’ll be neck deep in drafting from now until late summer, possibly fall, this release strategy lets me stay focused on the next dark cloud overhead—fountain pen in hand.
The novella is titled Skybreaker. For now, that’s all you get.

            Those of you that follow me on IG may have already seen my short (but not as short as I tried to make it) video showing my favorite reads of 2024. Here is a list for those who missed that video. I did put these in order, #1 being my most memorable experience, though every one of these was astounding. I cannot suggest them enough!

            #1- No One Gets Out Alive – Adam L.G. Nevill
#2- At Dark I Become Loathsome – Eric LaRocca
#3- The Stone Door – Steve Stred
#4- All the Fiends of Hell – Adam L.G. Nevill
#5- The End – Kayleigh Dobbs
#6- You Like It Darker – Stephen King

            My wife and I don’t get out hiking a ton in winter. I hate the winter; she likes the winter; we both hate being outside in the winter (generally). We typically force ourselves out for an off-trail or two, preferably when there’s some snow on the ground—the white blanket does in fact bring a certain beauty, even though again . . . I hate the winter . . . 
We are stoked for a five day backpacking trip we have planned in early March though! We will be down in TN deep in the Smokies and even trekking 13 miles on the Appalachian Trail on our second day. We both have an affinity for those mountains. And a great escape it is from the winter I hate so much.

            That’s all for this time. Here is where I say goodbye, hopefully for only a month. I fear peril will become more abundant in the lives of Americans this year, and into the next, and the damnation can obviously bleed to other nations as well. I fear the escapism horror stories give us from the horrific happenings of the real world could soon lose their powers—as the power they have to do such relies on the stories containing more evil and vile nature than we find in our own lives. Our reality. Though I fear all this, I still hope such peril doesn’t come, to any of you, to any of us.

-Live while you can, dream while awake.

                                                -Tyler

Pre-orders!

Hello, wretched ones! First off—most of you have likely already seen—End Realm is up for preorder! I’ll throw a link below for quick access to the preorder on Amazon, B&N, and Bookshop. I also advocate supporting your local bookstore and preordering through them.
    Preorders really help authors get their latest releases off the ground; I would be beyond grateful for your support.

Following publication on Oct. 31st, I will be on a short and possibly sporadic book tour promoting End Realm. I will keep everyone updated on location and dates . . . so far, they are as follows.

• Rosalee Book Boutique, Beaver Dam WI – (Oct. 26th 10am - 1pm)

• Inkcap Books, Madison WI – (Nov. 2nd 3 - 5pm)

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I have continued scribbling away at my current work in progress and have also decided to revisit a novella I had written earlier this year. I have added to this story, and believe it is in a stronger place now. The plan is to release this in 2025 as it would be nice to have a publication between the release of End Realm and my next full-length novel. I’ve also gotten the news and signed contract for a short story of mine (The Last Scent of Pine) to be included in the 2025 Dragon Bone Journal- published by Dragon Bone Publishing. It’s a very short story, though has an immense message within. I’m excited to read the other accepted stories as well.
     I’ve had a damn good couple months of reading! My favorites (and ones I highly suggest you get into asap) were: The End by Kailey Dobbs, a collection of shorts that was an absolute amazing trip, especially when read in order; The Stone Door and When I Look. . . by Steve Stred, literary folk horror and cosmic possession respectively; At Dark I Become Loathsome by Eric LaRocca, a dismal bleakness wrought with poetic prose that will captivate you; You Like it Darker by King, which I’m slowly making my course through, so far I’ve thought Laurie and The Answer Man were incredible.
     I’ll throw a quick note giving my praise for ALIEN: Romulus as well. I am SO glad I saw it in theater. The big screen was definitely the way to see all the epic space scenes.

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My lady and I are having ceremony and signing the legalities early October: making the pact of marriage! I’m stoked, and you’ll likely see a photo or two on my IG, and I may sneak one into my next newsletter.

I’ll leave you all with that for now I think . . . I do want to add, before I go, just how appreciative I am of all my ARC readers and supporters of End Realm. Reviews are starting to creep in on GoodReads and I’m so grateful the story has met some of you so well. I thank all of you who are ARC reading & early reviewing, and all who have preordered. Thank you!

            - Live while you can . . . Dream while awake.

                                                                     -Tyler

Cover Tease…

Another month has gone and passed, as have more final steps on the road to End Realm’s publication. I was able to crush through my editor’s notes and some final changes in a single hard worked and focused weekend. A much-needed break was taken after—which involved spending time outdoors, getting lost in the world and hearing the season’s migratory birds for the first time this year. Copyright and other behind the scenes (mundane/boring) steps were concluded as well.

            For those that missed the news via my IG, a teaser of the upcoming cover reveal has dropped. A full cover reveal and more news to follow.

            This all leads to the close of one thing and the start of another. My excitement is peaking now as I near beginning work on the next novel. Within the week I will be finishing some smaller writing projects and then delving into the new world ahead . . . which I believe will end up being a tremendously atmospheric and world-bending story that I cannot wait to play in. I already am getting anxious to come to its final pages and see what they will bring. Itching to see what characters, emotions, and horrors I will find grows within the space. My most recent read has been Adam Nevill’s All the Fiends of Hell. An incredible work of literary horror that I found inspiring in many ways. I think I would find it difficult to not let such an inspiring piece bleed on into my next novel, and so I have decided to not even try. All the Fiends of Hell has heavily influenced my thought processes of late, not something I am upset by.

            I watched some films this past month that I quite enjoyed. The Descent (Neil Marshall) is “Old” by now but I had yet to see it. The film was not within my personal taste for horror but I feel it excelled at what it set out to be—an over the top gore fest creature feature with an overt 80’s horror vibe, but took full advantage of modern film technology. For those horror fans out there that love 80’s genre and blood by the tanker load, I cannot suggest this one enough.

            Another I watched was 30 Days of Night (David Slade). Which was a rewatch for me, though it still felt fresh as it’s been roughly 14 years since I had last (and originally) seen it. I had some issues with pieces of dialogue and character pacing but the vamps are so damn great that it was easily looked past. No sparkling-skinned high school drama or love triangles in this one, a great relief. This film makes me wish there was more of this trope in media with such a serious and unforgiving nature. I’ll add here that another epic vamp film in my opinion is Dracula Untold (Gary Shore). Harnessing stunning effects and a brutal emotionally gripping story, making for easily one of my all-time favorite vamp movies.

            It’s not horror, but I’m excited for the second part of Rebel Moon on Netflix. The first was a tad melodramatic for me—dialogue wise—but this is an opinion I more often than not have with today’s film industry. Over dramatic lines and witty one-liners must be all the rage, but for me, such dialogue always stands out and takes me out of the world. I find it incredibly distracting. The planets, moons, ships, tech, ect. . . I really enjoyed though! Looking forward to the watch! And I’ll let you all know what I thought of it next month.

            That’s enough rambling from me. Catch you all in May. Spring is here, make sure to get outside and enjoy it.
And as always- Live while you can. Dream while awake.

-Tyler

End Realm Updates & More

Hello fellow dark ones and those of the night. Exciting things are happening here in the abyss, I am within weeks of receiving End Realm back from my editor, and I have kept busy in the meantime with a novelette (possibly novella) I am currently calling Skybreaker. Which has been an incredible amount of fun. The end of this project is within sight and as excited as I am to get it finished and polished . . . sadness will find me when it’s time to leave the world and its characters behind as I pursuit the many other (endless) ideas rattling around in my skull which I must explore.

Things to look forward to in the coming months are: the cover reveal for End Realm this summer, my short story in Escape—an Inky Bones Press publication, and then End Realms release this fall, possibly on . . . Halloween? A small Midwest book tour with follow, I’m excited to see those of you who will make the trip come and chat with me and get a signed copy for your shelves. I look forward to talking and getting to know you all more!

And schedule and time dependent, there may be other events and published works as well this year. We will have to see how much I can accomplish while still feeding my passion for the outdoors, photography, and family.

Live while you can, dream while awake.
-Tyler