Publication... The Far-off Horizon that is Now at My Doorstep

Yikes!

Following the amazing news that my debut novel would be published and monetized on a new platform by campfirewriting.com, I have initiated a blitz of marketing content across a few platforms I investigated, then abandoned, several months ago. You may guess that this is one of them!

But a little about me! My (pen) name is Elsie Vaughn, and I am a lover of urban fantasy, supernatural fiction, and romance. I have been a writer for over a decade now, and have a college degree in writing for the screen and emerging media. What does that mean? Your guess is as good as mine! I didn’t think I’d have the stamina to actually ever finish a novel, let along publish something, so I decided that writing for the screen would help with potential attention-span issues.

Alas, I finished my first novel a few months after graduating with that degree. C’est la vie! In all seriousness, I am grateful for my college experience, because it taught me about transmedia, or put more simply, non-traditional storytelling methods, which often combine multiple kinds of media to tell a story. As someone who loves video games, I have been interested in how stories unfold via audience interaction for many years. While writing my novel, I used writing software to help organize my thoughts, and you may guess where I’m going with this. In steps Campfire!

Months after finishing my novel, I still wasn’t sure what to do with it. I still followed Campfire and received their newsletters because I truly enjoyed working with the software, and I noticed that they were beginning a monetization program which allows for self-publication on their site. It was just the kick I needed to actually do something with my work!

I am so excited to be publishing with Campfire in particular. Their world building modules are not only helpful as a writer, but offer a unique experience for readers. Much like a codex in video games where the player unlocks new entries with their exploration, Campfire allows extra content to be revealed as a reader moves through a book. Bonus content, behind-the-scenes world building work, all become available with Campfire.

To me, this is a really cool way to expand the traditional reading experience. I am someone who does a ton of world building work in the background, but wants the audience to be able to fill in some gaps or be left with some intrigue. If that isn’t what ever reader wants, they can now see all the details I do have fleshed out, and that work becomes even more worthwhile on my end.

I am admittedly not as proficient with the software as many of my peers with whom I will be publishing in this first wave. I also wrote this novel over a year ago, and have spent time working on the sequel as well as other creative projects. They are characters I love, in a complicated and diverse world, so returning to it has been a joy, but also intimidating! Giving readers an even more detailed look into my creative process while sharing my first publicly-available work is daunting… but also a dream come true!

I have very rarely shared my work with others, only a few close friends over the years. Being perceived (as you may guess) is a terrifying prospect to me in many ways, but also something I believe most creative people strive for in their core—the world is simply a better place with interesting and creative things! So, here we are, pursuing that attention. Scary!

So while I feverishly write for the rest of the month (which I am happy to do, as I am so excited for my work to release in October, my favorite month of the year), I will remember how grateful I am for this opportunity and how tween me would be in awe of what I’m doing now. Thanks for reading if you made it this far, and hey, maybe I should tell you a little about my book?

Old Habits is an urban fantasy romance novel with all the classics—vampires, witches, and (in passing) werewolves. It has some dark themes, including many instances of violence, self-harm, and struggles with mental health. It also includes explicit sexual scenes. I have been writing romance for years, so I have explored some tropes in the genre with the attempt to subvert them in some places and follow them in others. It was a joy to write, and if even one other person than me reads it, I will be eternally honored. But enough about that, here’s a blurb:

Born in the same era and country, Zaira and Izan encounter each other centuries later and across the world. Their entwined paths seem only natural, but that couldn’t be farther from reality. Izan, energized by his quest for power in the oppressive structure that governs the supernatural world, is awed by the weary Zaira whose life mission it is to kill beings just like him. Both possess immense power and habitual dedication to their goals. As their loyalties shift undeniably towards each other, will Zaira’s morality pull Izan to the light, or will his zeal drag her to his depths? Old habits, as they say…

Thanks for perceiving me for a bit. Join me if you’d like, I shall always strive to create things worth your attention :)