🔥 Forged in Ancient Fire — A Serialized Novel Begins
Grief, legacy, and sorcery collide in this serialized coming-of-age fantasy — read it free, one chapter at a time.
What if the past you ran from held the key to everything you were meant to become?
I’m thrilled to announce that my new novel, Forged in Ancient Fire, is launching here on Substack — one chapter at a time.
This is the story of Jia Peach, a sharp, defiant young woman pulled across the ocean by grief, inheritance, and a fractured legacy. When her mother dies, Jia travels from Northern California to Seoul, hoping to reclaim money promised by her estranged father — and maybe, if she’s brave enough, confront the family that never wanted her.
What she discovers is far more than a bank account. An heirloom. A vanished father. A long-buried betrayal. And an ancient force that’s awakening with every step she takes.
Forged in Ancient Fire blends mystery, magical realism, and emotional depth — and you can read the entire story here, for free.
Frankly, this is a moment I’ve been waiting for most of my life. I had no idea it would unfold the way it is. I figured that — if I could manage to write a novel — I’d find an agent and a publisher and that would be that. I’d either sell a million copies or I wouldn’t. Either way, I’d be a published novelist.
Of course, life ain’t that straightforward, and the publishing industry ain’t what I envisioned it to be. I’ve been writing about this character for five and a half years, and learning about the publishing world for much of that same time. The big challenge for an unpublished novelist is that it’s A) extremely difficult to find an agent who’s willing to get behind your work and help you find a publisher, and B) the industry already pushes out 300,000 to 500,000 books a year. Navigating a world that big is daunting even to a known author. Add in self-published books (both fiction and nonfiction), and the number jumps well into the millions.
HOWEVER… the world has changed in the past couple of decades — a lot.
Today, writers don’t have to wait around for gatekeepers to give them a shot. Thanks to new tools and platforms, we can reach readers directly — and build something real without needing a stamp of approval. Self-publishing used to be a last resort; now it’s often the smartest move. And platforms like Substack make it possible to share a story as it unfolds, chapter by chapter, while creating a community around it. For someone like me — who’s spent years with this story — that’s both liberating and exciting. It means Forged in Ancient Fire can finally make its way into the world, on its own terms, one page at a time.
📚 What’s the Book About?
Forged in Ancient Fire is the story of Jia Peach — a sharp, determined sixteen-year-old girl who’s spent most of her life chasing one dream: to start a band with her best friend Zilly and rock the world with their music. But when her mother, Sandy, dies suddenly, everything changes. Her estranged father reaches out with a cryptic promise of a family heirloom meant for her sixteenth birthday — something important, something powerful. Then, just days later, a woman she’s never met — her great aunt Baem — arrives with startling news: Jia is entitled to a large sum of money, a tradition in her Korean family, but must travel to Seoul to claim it. Grieving, broke, and adrift, Jia sees no choice but to go. What she finds isn’t just a complicated family legacy — it’s a missing father, a mysterious inheritance, and a magical power she was never meant to uncover. What began as a trip to collect a check becomes a journey that may cost her the one future she’s always believed in.
It’s a slow-burn fantasy — more mystery and memory than magic spells and sword fights. A story about grief, legacy, and identity, wrapped in modern myth and family drama. Essentially, a coming-of-age story in a world fraught with unknown peril.
🎯 Who It’s For
Forged in Ancient Fire is for readers who love emotionally driven, character-rich stories with a touch of the mystical. If you’re drawn to slow-burn fantasy, layered family dynamics, or tales that explore grief, identity, and legacy, I think you’ll feel right at home here. It’s also a story about being caught between cultures — about what happens when the past refuses to stay buried, and when the things you thought you left behind start pulling you back in.
The book will especially resonate with fans of magical realism and contemporary fantasy — think The Night Circus, Everything I Never Told You, or The Paper Menagerie. If you’ve ever been swept up in a novel that made you feel both haunted and hopeful, or connected with a character who’s trying to make sense of loss and belonging, Forged in Ancient Fire might be your kind of story.
That’s part of why I’ve chosen to share it in serialized form. Some stories work best when you can live with them a little at a time — when you get to sit with each chapter, wonder what’s coming next, and let the emotional weight build slowly. Publishing it here on Substack lets me bring you into Jia’s journey week by week, as if we’re walking it together. It also creates space for conversation, reflection, and connection — which feels just right for a story like this.
🗓️ What You’ll Get
Two new chapters every week, posted on Tuesday and Friday
All chapters free to all readers — no paywall
Optional bonus content for those who want to support the work
Behind-the-scenes insights, character art, audio snippets, giveaways
💌 Want to Support the Journey?
Subscribing is free, but if you'd like to help bring Forged in Ancient Fire to life — and get a little something extra in return — here’s how:
🧡 $5/month or $50/year — Supporter Tier
Bonus posts: author commentary, background lore, alternate scenes
Downloadable extras: wallpapers, character art, audio excerpts
Monthly behind-the-scenes updates
🔥 $10/month or $100/year — Superfan Tier
Everything in the Supporter Tier
Exclusive merch (sticker, mug, or T-shirt shipped to you)
Early access to chapters before public release
Your name listed in future acknowledgments
Subscriber-only giveaways
👑 $250 — Founder’s Circle (One-Time)
Everything in the Superfan Tier
Signed print edition (when available)
Swag box with custom merch
Early access to the compiled print or eBook edition
Optional Zoom call or behind-the-scenes consult
Your name listed permanently as a Founding Patron
Every dollar helps me devote more time to the story — and to the world I’m building around it. And if all you do is subscribe for free and read along? That means the world too.
🧭 What to Do Now
Subscribe for free and follow the story as it unfolds
Upgrade anytime to get extras and help fund the journey
Share with a friend who loves a good mystery wrapped in magic and family secrets
Thanks for being part of Forged in Ancient Fire — from the first spark onward.
— Timothy Patterson