THE ROAD SO FAR...

It's hard to believe it's been over two years now since I made the decision to share my imagination with the world. In the midst of a real world Global Pandemic that has altered the reality in which we live, Fantasy literature allows us to, if only for a brief amount of time, escape to worlds where our imaginations roam free.  Introducing the world to my Fantasy adventure was a decision that was not made lightly.  Creating a world and inviting people to visit and experience it is a big leap of faith. What makes a reader want to invest their money and time in your Fantasy world?  For me, as a Self Published Fantasy Author, the answer was, seamlessly mix Fantasy with elements of reality based on my personal experiences and wonderful memories I shared with my family growing up. 

The decision to share heartfelt family memories as part of my Grandfather Chronicles world of story was a very difficult one. These were treasured memories that I kept close to my heart and the idea of including them as storytelling elements was a big decision for me. However, including realistic moments that were a part of who I am and where I came from would add a uniqueness to the story itself and always keep a certain aspect of The Grandfather Chronicles real. 

Using real life memories and impressions made upon me as a child, and young man growing up, was now going to be the backstory of The Grandfather Chronicles trilogy. Furthermore, using real relationships to inspire characters that would play prominent roles in the story to come.  Forever having that special connection to so many special memories I experienced would be the cornerstone of this Fantasy trilogy.  Once the decision was made to include these real-life moments, my imagination took over creating a powerful Fantasy with characters and events based on real life experiences. 

Becoming a partner with a professional Self-Publishing house like Friesen Press allowed me as an author to include all aspects of the story.  Friesen understood the reality of the backstory of my book and professionally edited the content and made suggestions that never compromised the integrity of the work itself.  Relying on Friesen Press to create a professional piece of work that could compete in a very competitive market was key in my mind.  After lengthly edits and cover revisions, Book #1 of the Grandfather Chronicles Trilogy, The Secret of the Sword was officially published and released on the Friesen Press bookstore site on July 15th 2021.  Just over a month later on August 19th, 2021, The Secret of the Sword, was officially released worldwide on all major online book retail websites. 

One of the many questions I am asked about the entire process of creating a book through Self Publishing and then Marketing that finished product is, "Sean, how do you continually drive forward not knowing what the ending outcome will be?"  The simplest answer I can provide is, You need to have a Unique Vision of what YOU want to the outcome to be. You need to tailor your interviews, marketing strategies, personal image as an Author, as well as your brand identity to your Unique Vision.  I define this term as, your ultimate goal for your book. I myself set small goals, small steps to achieve that will contribute to my main goal, which is, creating an audience for my Grandfather Chronicles Fantasy world. Furthermore, inviting people from all around the world to be a part of this Fantasy world I have created and share in my magical family adventure is the cornerstone of my Unique Vision. Patience is a virtue. This is something my Granddad believed in. It takes time to build something and see it through.  Although creating the book was a long process in itself, you must continually ask yourself how far will you go?  It takes a tremendous amount of dedication as a Self Published Author because although creating a professional product is of the up-most importance, the overall success you experience will be based on how far you will go with the Marketing aspects of your book. Building a Fantasy world takes time, however, building an audience for that world can take a tremendous amount of invested time.  

As I sit here at my desk continuing to work through Marketing promotions, planning up-coming personal appearances that follow COVID 19 protocol, reaching out to influencers and planning the outline for book #2 in the trilogy series,  I find myself now more determined then ever to continually work towards my Unique Vision. Having a completed product that I believe in and have invested so much in makes me want to pursue the very best possibilities. Has the road been a long and rough one so far? Yes, but I wouldn't have it any other way. Great things take time and I know my Granddad would be proud of the patience and dedication I have taken as I continue down the road, equipped with the tools I need to one day reach my destination.  

Thank you for reading and please continue to follow my blog.  Feel free to leave me a comment as I love to interact and meet new people. You can leave me a comment below, contact me through the "CONNECT WITH SEAN" at the bottom of my homepage. Additionally, you can contact me through the various Socials in the right hand column of this page. 

Sincerely 
Sean R. Bell
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