The Earthbound Chronicles — We’re Really Doing This

If you read my last update, you know that The Earthbound Chronicles: Volume 1 is finished, but I was still figuring out exactly how it would make its way into the world. At the time, I was negotiating a potential publishing contract, waiting to hear back from literary agents, and trying to be patient while a lot of very exciting things were happening behind the scenes. There were a lot of possibilities on the table, and honestly, I had no idea which direction this journey was going to take.

Well, I finally made a decision.

After a lot of thought, research, conversations, and one very long pros-and-cons list, I decided to turn down the publishing contract. I’m incredibly grateful for the opportunity and for someone else believing in my book enough to offer me a contract in the first place. That was a pretty surreal experience for someone who, not too long ago, was just writing a story because I couldn’t get it out of my head.

But as I really started weighing what I wanted for this book and what I wanted my experience as an author to look like, I kept coming back to the same conclusion: being an indie author landed higher on my pros-and-cons list.

There is something incredibly exciting about having the creative freedom to make the decisions about my book and my publishing timeline. I get to decide how I want to present this story, how I want to connect with readers, and what I want to build from here. It might be a little more work, and there is definitely a learning curve involved, but it also feels very me.

So, I’m doing it.

I’m publishing The Earthbound Chronicles: Volume 1 myself.

And I have to admit, I’m still getting used to saying that. For so long, “publishing a book” felt like something that would happen somewhere in the distant future. Now it’s starting to feel less like an idea and much more like a very real thing that is actually happening.

We just placed an order for 75 books, and I honestly don't know if I was prepared for how that would feel.

Seeing that order go through was exciting, surreal, and a little terrifying all at once. For most of this process, The Earthbound Chronicles has existed on my computer. It has been words on a screen, characters I've been thinking about for years, scenes I've rewritten more times than I care to admit, and a story that started as an idea and slowly became something much bigger than I originally imagined.

Now, there are going to be actual copies of it sitting in my hands.

I’ll be able to hold the book I wrote, sign it, and eventually hand it to someone else knowing that they are about to step into a world that, until now, has existed almost entirely inside my head. That is such a strange and wonderful feeling, and I don't think I’ll ever forget the first time I see the finished book in person.

I’m also slightly terrified that I ordered 75 of them, but we’ll just focus on the exciting part for now.

Once the book is released, any copies I have left will also be available for purchase at my salon, so if you’re local and would like a signed copy, there will be an opportunity to get one after release as well.

For everyone else, The Earthbound Chronicles: Volume 1 will be available online through several retailers. My preferred online option will be Lulu, since purchasing through Lulu is one of the best ways to support me as an independent author outside of buying directly from me. The book will also be available through Amazon, Apple Books, and Kobo.

I’m also hoping to eventually have the book available directly through my author website. I’m currently attempting to figure out how to make that happen, so please keep me in your thoughts. Apparently, writing an entire novel was easier for me than figuring out website technology.

One thing I really want to make sure I say in this update, though, is thank you.

Thank you to every single person who has subscribed to my newsletter and decided to follow along with this journey. When I started sharing these updates, I honestly didn't know how many people would care about the behind-the-scenes process of writing and publishing a book. Every subscriber, every message, every person who has asked when the book is coming, every ARC reader, every person who has shared one of my posts, and every person who has told a friend about my book has meant more to me than you probably realize.

You have been here while I figured things out, changed plans, made decisions, and slowly turned this crazy little dream into something real. I’m so grateful that I get to share these milestones with people who are genuinely excited to see this book come to life.

And now, we’re getting close.

November 1, 2026 is officially the release date for The Earthbound Chronicles: Volume 1.

There is still plenty to do between now and then, but for the first time, I feel like I can look at the calendar and know exactly what I’m working toward. The book is finished, the publishing decision has been made, the first copies have been ordered, and there is an actual date waiting for us at the end of all of this.

That is a pretty incredible feeling.

And if adult romance or romantasy isn't your thing, I completely understand. You don't have to read my book to support me, and honestly, one of the easiest and most meaningful things you can do is simply tell a friend.

If you know someone who loves romance, fantasy, dystopian stories, complicated characters, a little spice, or just getting completely lost in a new world, send them my way. A recommendation costs you nothing, but it can mean so much to an indie author. You never know who might pick up a book because someone they trust told them, “I think you’d like this.”

So, thank you for being here. Thank you for caring about this book before you've even had the chance to read it, and thank you for cheering me on while I figure out what the heck I’m doing.

We’re getting very, very close now, and I genuinely cannot wait to put this book in your hands.

— Rachael