#epicfantasy

One of the strangest parts of being a fantasy writer is watching the news and realizing reality has shambled drunkenly into your notes folder yet again.

Circa April 2025 I began writing a setting built around maritime trade routes, strategic chokepoints, economic warfare, aging empires, and the idea that whoever controls the shipping lanes controls far more than the territory itself.

Come 2026 I open the news and have the deeply unsettling experience of going:

"Fuck..."

To be clear, Raptoraem isn't based on current geopolitical events. But the awkward truth is that current events keep being based on the same handful of human habits i.e.

Empires overextend.

Trade routes become pressure points.

Governments discover that maps are suggestions but geography is forever.

Everyone insists this time is ~different~

Mama Oceana, meanwhile, sighs and continues to collect receipts.

Hi Peeps! It’s been a while, hasn’t it?

The past few years, I’ve been buried in studio work, juggling deadlines, and pouring a lot of energy into projects that, while rewarding, left little room for my own creative voice. Somewhere in all that busyness, I realized how much I missed creating just for me, and for us here.

So… I’m easing back in. Slowly. And I’m happy to be returning to this space, where I can share the quieter, more personal side of my work.

No pressure, no huge announcements. Just a cozy corner to grow things again.

If you were here, or are still here, thank you from the bottom of my heart. Your support, your presence, even your quiet lurking, means more than you know.

Here’s to stories that come from the heart.

Vel

📚👉🏾 Preorders are open. Swipe through and pick your next obsession.

🩸 They Made Us Blood and Fury by @litchickbw Anyi is carrying a secret that could end her life. Book one of Chronicles of the Countless Clans. We are not ready but we are ready.

🔍 The Search for Sadiqah by @greg_burnham7 Thirteen years old. The Black Wall Street Massacre just took everything. Now Sadiqah runs. This one is going to hurt in the best way.

🌑 House of Margins by @tlotlotsamaase Body horror and sci-fi from a Nommo Award-winning author. Publishers Weekly gave it a starred review. That's all we need to say.

🃏 The Feywild Job by @clpolk Con artist. No strings attached. The Feywild. If that doesn't sell you, check your pulse.

✨ The Broken Hearts Agency by @clarenceahaynes Ghosts, heartbreak, and a mystical detective who feels everything, The Broken Hearts Agency is not slowing down.

Five preorders. One cart. You know what to do. 🤎

Varesa - The Mystical Charm

Varesa enchants with her mystical aura and captivating elegance. Dressed in a flowing outfit adorned with delicate details, she radiates both grace and power. Every movement she makes is a dance of mystery and beauty, drawing you into her world of ethereal charm.

For exclusive content and more, visit my Patreon.