Ever since I was first captivated as a six-year-old by the thrilling cliffhangers of Doctor Who, serialized storytelling has fueled my creative path. This journey began with a NaNoWriMo novel draft that blossomed into the sprawling universe of the AffinityVerse. My published author journey started with The Meridia Falls Chronicles, where each monthly release deepened the intrigue and tension.
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Alongside my fantastic writing partner, AK Stein, I dove into a series called Theme Park Mysteries, embracing a rapid weekly release schedule. Each installment, spanning ten weeks, intricately wove an overarching plot, ensuring each episode was gratifying yet contributed to a larger story arc. This intense schedule was not only fun but also pivotal in refining my approach to serialized storytelling. This series was later adapted into The Cassie Collins Chronicles, becoming a part of the AffinityVerse.
Penny’s Diary followed, offering another layer by diving deep into a character’s personal life as they became entangled in an ongoing mystery. This series was formatted in a monthly diary format, initially for my email subscribers. This approach allowed a closer connection with the character’s emotional journey, enhancing the serialized narrative’s impact.
After years of evolving story arcs, I paused to significantly refine the AffinityVerse, integrating past stories seamlessly and filling narrative gaps to ensure a coherent universe. This set the stage for relaunching with new stories and completing those that ended on cliffhangers, enriching the reader experience.
As the relaunch approached, I planned to reintroduce Penny’s Diary in a weekly serialized format. However, during the festive season of 2023, a new inspiration struck. Elements from the first iteration of Penny’s Diary mingled with The Last Christmas Door, an unpublished novel draft. This fusion sparked The Rogue Ghost Podcast, encapsulating the spirit of adventure and mystery I wanted to deliver as the perfect entry point for the AffinityVerse relaunch.
The Rogue Ghost Podcast, starting on December 23, 2023, and concluding with its 56th episode on January 3, 2025, was a soft reboot—a trial run to refine the serialized format. This trial was so successful that I pulled the original podcast episodes ahead of a polished, comprehensive launch on Substack. This platform was chosen because it aligns perfectly with my vision for serialized storytelling. Substack simplifies the reader-writer connection by removing the clutter of ads and the distractions of other social media platforms. Here, I can publish directly to you, ensuring that each episode is delivered exactly as intended. Moreover, Substack supports both a free and paid subscription model that empowers you to directly support creative work that you enjoy, enhancing our community’s strength and allowing us to grow together in the AffinityVerse. This model also ensures I can continue to offer the stories I love for free.
We are now on episode 14 of The Rogue Ghost Podcast, the definitive version of this series, here on Substack, and excitingly, this narrative will seamlessly transition into the revitalized Penny’s Diary, continuing the serialized storytelling you love without missing a beat. Additionally, plans are in place to release retail compilation versions in both book and audiobook formats in the future, aiming to bring the AffinityVerse to an even wider audience. Thanks for joining this serialized journey. I can’t wait to share what’s coming next.
Subscribe for free to The Affinity Web to receive new episodes every Thursday and regular updates, helping to support my work and continue the adventures.
