Greetings, fellow humans. I’m Caroline, and I write fantasy and horror. My debut epic fantasy novel, The Obsidian Druid, was released in April 2024. This is my newsletter.

Burn Out Blues

I’ve been feeling “meh” for the last few weeks. Not exactly depressed, not exactly happy, just “meh”. I know depression, and I’m old drinking buddies with anxiety. This strange, restless apathy isn’t either of those. I’ve realised I’m experiencing garden variety burnout, and having given it a through trial run, I’ll admit that I’m not a fan. Zero stars, would not recommend.

One way to deal with burnout is to set boundaries and reduce stress, and I’ve been stressing about not writing fast enough. This is a ridiculous thing to get stressed about. Some writers are fast, some are slow, and neither leaning makes you any better at doing the sodding writing in the first place. But for me, this seemed an easy place to start building some sweet stress reduction into my life. (I am NOT in any way qualified to be giving out mental health advice, by the way. If you’re currently a fellow resident of Burnout City, please don’t confuse my nonsensical babbling with actual medical advice. Just saying.)

Boundaries Are Good

So, I think I fucked up. I released the first volume of my epic fantasy trilogy in April last year. I’ve done a lot of work on the next one, but somewhere in between, I had the crazy idea to begin serialising a weird sci-fi horror novel here on Substack. It turns out that I love writing serials. It also turns out that trying to complete a second fantasy novel while serialising Midnight Metropolis on the fly is very hard—so hard it’s broken my brain.

Here’s my broken brain/slow writer solution. My next serial project was going to be a cosy fantasy. I’m not dropping that idea (because I really like it), but once Midnight Metropolis is completed in a month or so, I’m going to start posting chapters of my second epic fantasy novel instead. This means I get to work on the book and still post fiction for you guys. Me: 1, stress: 0.

Of course, if you haven’t read the first installment of The Age of Aikana, being presented with Book Two will be as welcome as an urgent memo at 4.30 on a Friday. That’s why I’ve decided to serialise Book One for my free subscribers, in tandem with new chapters of Book Two for paid subscribers. Here’s a sneak peek of what you can expect to see landing in your inbox soon (and I’m almost certain you’ll like it better than a Friday work memo).

Vanth the Vile is many things: a skilled swordswoman, a debauched tavern crawler, and a Salt Sword fiercely loyal to the High Lord who saved her from a life on the streets. The one thing she never wanted to be was moon-blessed. In a city where those caught using magick without permission are left to rot in Dewer’s Pit, embracing her burgeoning powers would be a dangerous gamble.

The twin moons of Joria are turning. For a century, the night has shone silver in Mamai’s cold light, but when Aikana comes to the fore, the world will dazzle beneath her violet glow. The Changing of the Moons heralds a time of unrest and upheaval, and Vanth has a devastating decision to make.

You can expect to see The Obsidian Druid on Substack starting in July (or maybe August… I’m not letting the stress goblins win this time).

Writing Related News

This month, I’ve had the privilege of being published in Graveside Press’s latest anthology, Tiny Terrors (Spring 2025). My story is called “Dream Eater for Sale”, a psychological horror about grief and loss, with a bonus nightmare sucking monster and a dodgy internet witch. Here’s the blurb (and keep scrolling to win a free ebook copy…):

Horrors abound, and you never know what you’re gonna find. Winged beasts at a snowy Chicago train stop, a museum of death that’s a little too realistic, the new apartment popping up overnight across the hall, clowns who are really underpaid for their work, and entities who can put a stop to your worst nightmares … for a price.

A collection of thirty-seven stories across the gamut, ranging from paranormal, body horror, psychological, gothic, cosmic, and creature-features.

There’s a little terror for everyone.

Find out more

I have ten copies of the ebook to give away. If you want one, all you have to do is leave a comment here on Substack. Or, if you’re reading this in an email, just hit reply and type “I want one!”.

Last Call for The Last Witch

I’m still looking for beta readers for my sci-fi fantasy novellette, The Last Witch (thank you if you’ve already signed up). If you want to read a shortish story about a crabby witch before it's officially published, and provide suggestions for improvement, add your email address to the form.

Sign me up!

June Indie Spotlight

If you loved The Vampire Diaries by L. J. Smith, the Twilight Series by Stephenie Meyer, or A Shade of Vampire by Bella Forrest, Russian Roulette by May Freighter should definitely be on your radar. Blurb incoming…

Who could guess that one brush of a fingertip over a shimmering soul-string could flip your world upside down and inside out?

Nineteen-year-old Helena’s life changes when her spirit enters the Angel Realm in search of her father. But, things don’t go as planned. Against her guardian angel’s warnings, she binds her soul to a vampire—a creature she thought only existed in horror movies.

Lucious has spent his immortality looking for the monsters who killed his sire. The last thing he needs is to be vulnerable because of a bond with a reckless girl. Yet, he sees how he can turn this to his advantage. Believing that Helena possesses great power, he plans to use her against the Council as a bargaining chip.

When Helena meets the gorgeous and also terrifying vampire with whom she’s now stuck sharing an emotional bond, she realises that her life will never be the same. Despite fighting against Lucious’s manipulative ways, she can’t deny their attraction. As their desire for each other intensifies, she needs to know if she can trust him. After all, her life and soul are on the line.

Russian Roulette is available in paperback, on Kindle, or FREE with Kindle Unlimited.

Find out more

Want to download some awesome books for free? Check out the Books to Read in Bed promotion.

Take me there

If you enjoy my fiction and you’d like to support me, for just £3.50 a month (prices will vary depending on your country), you’ll receive these subscriber bonuses:

• Blood and Teeth: A Dark Fiction Collection (exclusive ebook)

• Arcanoforge: Midnight Metropolis - fully edited, available once the serialised novel is complete (ebook)

• A chance to read Book Two of The Age of Aikana before anybody else (serial starting mid-2025)

• A warm, tingly feeling knowing that you’ve helped to support an indie writer!

Midnight Metropolis is a sci-fi/fantasy novel about daemons, hallucinogenic mushrooms, and the neon megacity sprawled on the blackened backside of a sunless planet. New chapters are posted every Friday, and you can read all available chapters for free.

That’s it for now.

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