I came to publishing after years of writing the kinds of stories I wanted to read—immersive fantasy rooted in mythology, old gods, complicated devotion, and worlds where romance matters as much as the fate of kingdoms. HOARFROST became the book that convinced me to stop waiting for permission to tell those stories exactly as I envisioned them. I chose independent publishing because I wanted to preserve the scale and structure of The Raven & The Lake: a six-book mythic fantasy-romance saga with a large ensemble cast, interconnected love stories, and an Arthurian myth cycle unfolding across the entire series. Building Rowan Ravenheart as a brand has meant learning nearly every part of publishing along the way, from editing and production to cover design, distribution, reader outreach, and marketing. The most rewarding part has been watching readers find these characters and care about them beyond the pages—talking about Jesryn and Owyn, choosing favorite characters, debating the gods, and asking when they can read the next book. HOARFROST is my debut, but it is only the beginning of the story.