Hey all, and welcome to another Sovereign Soul Blog!
Today, I’m pleased to announce the official re-release of the Akin Minds e-book. Some of you may wonder why an e-book is coming out now when I published in 2019 – a valid question.
My battle with Tellwell involved creating my own source file from the book and a long, drawn-out argument with them over the release of the source files. By the time Tellwell finally gave me the .epub, I’d already re-edited Akin Minds from scratch. They didn’t send a source file I could actually edit – and as some of you know, you can’t just tweak an .epub. So I rebuilt the e-book myself, along with the source files for Embers and Stormwrought too.
On top of creating new source files for Akin Minds, Embers of Orden, and Stormwrought, I’m now doing the e-books for all three myself. Hoo boy, self-publishing is a full-time job, and I’m already working full-time to pay for it all. Another reason why these are trickling out.
New cover art is being created for Embers of Orden, Stormwrought, and potentially Ruinbound as well. Some of you may have seen on Twitter (I will never call it X) that I had a little battle with an AI artist. I hired an artist on Vgen, an anti-AI art website, to create the new cover for Embers of Orden. And guess what he used to make it? AI.
I could go on about that for days. I absolutely detest AI “artists” and the fantasy world they pretend is creative work. But I’ve wasted enough time on that anger. For anyone else in that boat, my advice? Move on. A year from now, I’ll have four beautiful books out – possibly five – and they’ll still be chasing fake clout with no future.
Anyway, it took some time to find a new artist. One who’s taking their time with the project, which is exactly what it needs. These covers need to blow everything else out of the water. I liked the old ones, but you’re all going to love these new ones and everything that comes with them.
Because of the cover art, Embers of Orden and Stormwrought won’t be released again until they’ve received their new covers. And I wouldn’t feel right putting out Ruinbound until its two predecessors have finished their new voyage, so for now:
Ruinbound will be delayed until June 21st.
It’s been an outright battle to get this far. Fighting Tellwell, fighting this AI “artist”, battling with KDP and source files, getting new cover art, formatting e-books. In the end, this battle has to be worth it. The Sovereign Soul identity will be mine and mine alone, books will be coming out in mint condition and ready for retailers (I’m looking at you KDP), and life might become a little easier and let me catch my breath.
There’s a whole slew of life stuff going on that is helping these delays, or at least giving me an excuse not to prioritize them while the shambles of life crumble even further around me. For anyone waiting for these new and improved books to release, I beg a little further patience and understanding. When they come out, they’ll be better than ever, and so will I.
As I hinted to above, keep your eyes peeled for news on Sovereign Soul, newly Book Five: Remnant Shadows, which is well on its way to completion. We’re still in first draft stage, and I’m taking my time with this one. I finished writing and editing Ruinbound in less than 6 months. While great for my writing track record, it did a number on my mental health. When I wasn’t working my ‘real people job’, I was writing or editing. I did so little else over those 6 months that I fear I became merely an urban legend, something akin to the Loch Ness monster. Was that me in public? Or perhaps a grainy photo of a log on a lake…?
That’s also how I’d like to be remembered in photography. Nothing tangible, just a few grainy photographs that could potentially be me, but might not.
Anyway, thanks for reading! Are you excited for the new book covers? What are some of your favorite book covers you’ve seen for your favorite works? Leave some love down in the comments below as we struggle to get through these times and press on for a better tomorrow! Until next time!
Sovereign Soul 