Why Patronage Matters...
Why Patronage Matters...
Who am I and Why I need your engagement.
Hullo Ar’rin Travelers and Visitors.
March 27, 2024 I published my first article on Substack, here on The Wold of Ar’rin. It was quickly followed by the article below, which does its best to unpack the journey that led me to start this process after more than 2 decades of delays, both natural successes and surprise twists in the plot of my personal story. These two pieces do some justice to establish a “jumping on point” for any readers (or writers) that followed me.
But that is not the whole story…
The Real Catalyst
But that is not where the spark came from, not at all. I was fired. For the second time in my life, I found my life unmoored from its course. I had left an Italian Fashion Brand after ten years, 5 promotions, and numerous accolades. But I found my passion in a completed Communications degree, followed by an MBA from the legendary Jack Welch.
I joined a timepiece Brand with a history that I loved, and a personal connection to my father. My Father is another entire topic that someday I may share. But this job and its newly created role were not to be, and after 18 months they let me go without notice. It was political. It was a bad fit and despite my focus and love, it was not meant to be.
But in that action, I found my truth.
I needed to speak, to lead, and to write. Yes to write. Finally surrendering to a compulsion 49 years in the making, I needed to tell stories and put them out in the world.
Despite my career successes and accomplishments, I have failed to secure interviews despite months of hammering away at openings and leveraging my
As mentioned in the articles above, along with the setting of Ar’rin-the continent in a realm called The Wold, began as Tolkien-derivative Fantasy with a strong pull towards the mythic stores that influenced both of us. As much as I have studied and set my compass to follow his journey as a guide, it was not Middle-earth that first ignited my imagination.
Lloyd Alexander’s Prydain. Weis & Hickman’s Dragonlance Chronicles. Ivanhoe. Arthurian Legend.
They had all played a part in forging my childhood understanding of story, myth, and epic fantasy. As a young adult, I consumed LoTR, The Wheel of Time, and A Song of Ice and Fire. But the deeper marks had already been set, there was something else simmering below all of this.
The Road Not Taken
I have previously written about Emergent Storytelling and my love for Tabletop role-playing games. They are the place where I explored character, setting, plot, and writing. A testing ground, if you will, for the ideas that I was attracted to, and a place to inform and shape the myths of a world of my own creation.
At a time long ago, early 2000’s, I sat down and looked at the scattered myths and campaigns. I formed an idea. An outline was written for a novel, part 1 of a story set after an age of shadow and darkness. This story would leverage all the history I had written and propel new, young characters into the new age of light and discovery.
That outline has begun as The LoreBook, you can read the first four chapters as a free subscriber. The rest is for paid supporters only.
Which brings me to the point.
The reason I have set down and written this post is that I have made $115 as of this writing. Which is wonderful and fills me with joy. But I need far more support to continue this process.
Today I am shutting down a failed second newsletter to focus exclusively on these writings.
The struggle has been real, without Patrons (or a job), I cannot continue for much longer. It has been over 7 months since my career deviation. I have learned a great deal and I know I have more work to do.
Between reading writers’ blogs, my Masterclass subscription (Neil Gaiman and Joyce Carol Oates!), and the works of some amazing luminaries (Thank you, Stephen King and Dean Wesley Smith, for your books for writers!!!), I have begun deeper work.
I also want to call out the work of the fabulous talents below:
, , , , (my first paid subscriber!), and many others here and abroad who have given me advice, support, and hours of amazing reading. Without them, I would not be here still. Period.I need your support, upgrade to paid, buy my works at Laterpress, or simply:
