Behind the Scenes: A Glimpse Behind the Curtain

In lieu of the next episode of the free Eternal Art serial (which is mostly written but not yet typed up), I've decided to change gear for this week and give you a completely different kind of post.

Episode 21 will come, soon enough, but today I want to step back from the story, and the persona of Araled that I sometimes attempt to channel in my replies to readers, to tell you a little about my plans for the Eternal Art, my plans for Araled, and my plans for the future of this Substack.

The Eternal Art is focused on a fantasy world I've been working on for twenty years. This isn't to suggest it is a finished diamond, cut and polished by a sustained effort. It is not. A lot of work remains. And the work itself is immense.

APPRENTICE

In the Apprentice section you'll find the free serial fiction that has been my first focus, and that will continue to be a weekly (or almost weekly) newsletter.

Episodes 1-20 have taken shape organically, and I've only gradually built up the full story of Araled into a framework that I can follow. I consider the first twenty episodes to consist of the first two arcs, or seasons, of Araled's story.

There are 15 seasons in all, at this point (this might change, of course, as things so often do), which I expect to consist of 8 to 16 episodes each. According to my rudimentary calculations, this will take several years to complete.

Even as I plan to package these seasons in book form, under the title "Annals of Araled", all episodes will remain free to read here on Eternal Art.

MAGE

In the Mage section you'll find mainly paid posts. As I write this, only one short story sits there, The Adze, but more will follow. 

The words "The Eternal Art" originally describe my planned fantasy saga of 15 novels, set in the same fantasy world as the Araled stories. Indeed, Araled exists in the "main story" of those novels. 

One day, I hope to bring you these stories, in serial form, as paid posts. 

Apart from the main thread of the 15 planned novels, there are a few prequel novels in the works, and some cozy magical detective stories set thousands of years in the past.

Also connected to this fantasy universe is another. This other world is a hub, to which twelve worlds are connected, only one of which is Araled's world. Some of the characters from this trilogy come from Araled's world and Araled's timeline, but in being Called to the aid of this hub world these characters have been taken out of the natural flow of history, leading to an alternative version of Araled's universe. 

Any and all of these stories might one day appear here, and more.

SAGE

In the Sage section you'll find any Behind The Scenes post, such as this one, but also many in-universe pieces, ostensibly written by Araled. He's well travelled, and has big opinions, so he has a lot to say about a lot of things. He'll be talking about places and people related to Peledar and the Land of Kumuru, some items of history especially as it relates to the Kinnon superstate and the family of Azillan, and will mention other places Araled has visited.

He's interested in language as well as history, so I won't rule out some studies of languages he has been exposed to.

About Me

This is my passion. My Magnum Opus. I am not some country mage. In truth, I am no mage at all. If anything, I'm a farmer and a dreamer, and perhaps a fool.

I'll write until I can no longer see or no longer draw breath. 

Until then, these stories will be here for you.

I am thrilled and humbled by each and every like, follow, and subscriber. Thank you, all of you.

Some of you have generously chosen a paid subscription, and for that you have my sincere gratitude. For now, this is a labour of love, but the more support I have from you, the more time and energy I'll be able to devote to this project.

If you enjoy reading my stories, please consider becoming a paid subscriber.

I know that times are tight, so if you'd like a reduced-rate paid subscription, send me a message and we'll figure something out.

And maybe, just maybe, you'd honour me with a Founder subscription. What does that get you, beyond my undying gratitude and appreciation?

Access to all paid posts, of course, and a copy of each Eternal Art ebook published. But also personalized stories, from time to time, as well as creative input into the stories I share here. And maybe other things that we'll come up with as time goes by.

In any case, I appreciate each and every one of you and the support you give me simply by reading my stories. Thank you, from the bottom of my heart and the depths of my soul. 

— The Author