Long Author's Note: I'm in a weird head space. I wrote this back in October, so I'm kind of predicting how I'll feel months from now when this gets published. However, one thing is true no matter when this is released: It's been six months since I launched Revolutions, and I'm completely floored.
I mentioned this on the socials, but there are several reasons why I started this endeavor; mostly for fun, and as a much-desired creative outlet. A significant driving purpose is that I want to see more stuff like this out in the world. There are plenty of westernized fantasy settings—and, as I've come to learn, a lot of Chinese, Japanese, and Korean-influenced settings, particularly online (for better or worse; I've got thoughts about that, as well, but I'll save them for an author's note for another milestone). And boy, are there a ton of LitRPGs and portal fantasies (I mean, a ton). It made me wonder if my setting and story had somewhere to fit into all of this. However, I was determined to pay homage to the part of my heritage that doesn't get enough representation out in the literary world, the pre-Columbian cultures and societies that have a rich, dynamic history. So I persisted nevertheless.
But, really, at the end of the day, this started because I wanted to see if I could do it. I have a terrible streak of not finishing projects. It can be argued—fairly—that I'm not finished with this one, so only time will tell. I'm great at coming up with ideas, but awful at executing them and seeing them to completion. Admittedly, it was a struggle to get the series off the ground. I've had the idea for a while, and made an earnest effort to start planning nearly two years ago. All throughout the process, I kept questioning if I was ready. Since life can get in the way, I had read somewhere to create a buffer of chapters in advance, in order to aid in maintaining a schedule. So, I wrote extra chapters to get ahead of the game. As I wrote, I became more and more enthusiastic about the series, and I determined that if I was this excited and motivated, then now was as good a time as ever; there was never going to be a perfect time, so why not now? Yet in my first few weeks, I had already begun eating into my surplus, and I was worried I wouldn't be able to keep up with my ambitious, weekly schedule. Fear crept in that I was going to fail. Again. Eventually, I found a rhythm with my writing process, and regained my surplus, much to my relief. In this moment (in early October), I feel good about the procedure I've been able to establish.
I never expected much to come from this, yet I'm astonished at how far the land of Pachil has already reached. One of my favorite authors, John C. McCrae, had discussed how he barely saw any readers in his first year of writing, how it was discouraging to see nobody reading his work. However, he kept at it, and eventually, the readers came, turning his work of serial fiction into a tremendous and well-read success. While I don't expect even a tenth of his viewership, I'm genuinely excited to just be writing for myself. What do I find interesting, intriguing, exciting, engaging? Whatever it is, I'm keeping at it, as long as I find the value in doing so.
So, six months later (Well, just over four at the time of this writing—I'm assuming I've still kept going!), here we are. I'm writing, and finding the entire experience more exciting and engaging than when I first began, which is truly fascinating to me. I feared this would become work, and I'd begin to lament undergoing this project. Yet every morning since I started writing these chapters in March, and launching in June, I've woken up excited about what the day's session was going to bring, and I've surprised myself with each chapter. It hasn't been easy—even now, I'm starting to slide into my surplus a bit—but I am thrilled to see this story take place, and even more so that there are others who want to join me in this journey.
All that rambling to say: thank you SO MUCH for your support and following along for these six months, and I sincerely hope we get even more time to venture in the world of Pachil together!
And now (finally), onto the story...
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Dorez and Benicto's smiles creep upon their faces, more chilling than the cold of death itself. The maddening grip of their grins makes your very soul tremble in dread, their smiles not of welcome but of predators savoring the sight of prey. Desperately, you cry out silently to the Creator, wondering what sins have led you to this cursed vessel that has slowly begun to crawl away from the dock, yet the vastness of the sea only amplifies the silence from the heavens.
YOU ARE READING
Revolutions
FantasyAt long last, the oppressive rule of the titans has ended. We are finally free, thanks to the sacrifice of The Eleven, who unified a fractured land and used their supernatural powers to defeat the Timuaq. There are many like myself who have only kno...
