The Decade in Review, The Bowl of Souls in 2020, and Halfbreeds Chapter 3

Howdy, Folks!

As the end of 2019 came and went I reflected on the last decade and made some profound realizations. This was a hugely eventful time in my life.

In 2010 I had written book one and two of the Bowl of Souls, but hadn’t been able to publish them. For ten years I had been submitting my books to agents and major publishers and at that time I had received nearly eighty rejections. My friends and family told me that the story was great and I was still passionate about it. The characters and story had been in my mind since my teenage years and a writer is the only thing I ever truly wanted to be. However, my self confidence was low.

My friends continued to persuade me to not give up and suggested I should self-publish. The Kindle marketplace was just taking off and it was a new opportunity. In the past, self publishing had been a laughable way to get your book out there. It forced a writer to invest thousands in printing costs and try impotently to get people to buy it. But Amazon had changed things. Suddenly there was a place where you could publish your books and the readers would come to you.

In may of 2012 with my hopes and expectations low, I published “Eye of the Moonrat” on a whim. It was late at night. I didn’t even have a proper cover. But I was thrilled when the book started to sell. I published “Messenger of the Dark Prophet” 2 months later and as the sales took off, I finished my manuscript for “Hunt of the Bandham”. I released it in September and wrote “Hilt’s Pride”, releasing it in December.

The next three years were like a dream. I released two books a year. My wife and I were able to quit our day jobs. We moved our family to Tennessee. Then in 2016 something changed. While I was writing Noose Jumpers, Amazon changed their algorithm. They stopped telling my readers when new books were out and it became harder to get the word out. At any rate, you amazing tribe members that joined my Patreon to support me know about that.

By the time 2018 had ended, I had published 15 books, started 3 different series and sold over 250 thousand books on Kindle and Audible. This was a huge accomplishment and something that I never would have believed a decade ago. However, sales had slowed down to the point that I could no longer completely depend on them. My wife had to go back to work and in 2019 I needed to take on side projects and my writing slowed.

So where are we in 2020? I’m still working on “Halfbreeds”: book 2 of the Dark Prophet Saga (Book 13 of the Bowl of Souls). My plan is to finish it early this year. Then I will shift focus to the third Tallow Jones book. I’ve got an exciting plot in mind that I think you will love. How quickly that book comes out depends on some factors. I would really like to finish 3-4 books this year, (including that secret project I am co-writing with an amazing author) but I may have to take on a Day job myself. I’ve been doing all I can to avoid it, but there may be no choice if sales don’t pick up.  I’d really love to write another Noose Jumpers book as well.

Here we are at the beginning of a new decade, and though in a way I am as full of uncertainty now as I was in 2010, I still have so many stories to tell. The Bowl of Souls series is alive. Sir Edge and his bonded have much left to do, Tallow Jones and his family have tremendous mysteries to uncover, and the Red Star Gang have a lot of road to travel to become true legends of the West.

To start things off, here is the newest edit of “Halfbreeds”, Chapter 3. Like the first two chapters, I am going to make this available to all of my tribe, in part as an apology for the lack of new releases in the last year, but also to give you something to renew your excitement for what’s to come.

Future chapters will be posted on Patreon and available to my Alpha Readers as I write them, starting with the latest edit chapter 4 which shall be up shortly. Anyone who wants to can become an Alpha Reader by becoming Squirrel Tier or higher. There are available slots for those who want to have a character named after them or create their own monster or even city. Message me with any questions.

Thank you all for reading. Thank you all for being part of The Big and Little People tribe and following the journey of Sir Edge and friends. Please keep spreading the word.

The Bowl of Souls needs your help.

Trevor H. Cooley

Chapter 3: https://www.patreon.com/posts/32953714