Welcome to the Chaos!
Hey there, future adventurer!
So, you've picked up this book (or you're about to), and I just want to say—welcome! You're about to dive into a world that's equal parts thrilling, heartbreaking, and downright chaotic. Think lightning-powered magic, mechanical spiders with attitude, and a city that's as dangerous as it is fascinating. Oh, and did I mention there are over 100 characters? Yeah, this story is *big*.
Let me introduce you to the crew:
- Nimara: The tinkerer with a knack for building things that probably shouldn't exist (looking at you, Beeps). She's got a sharp mind, a sharper tongue, and a mysterious past she's only beginning to unravel.
- Fearyn: The girl with powers she can't quite control and a family secret that's about to blow her world apart. Also, her eyes glow purple when she's mad. Cool, right?
- Jace: The protector of the group, always ready to throw a punch (or take one) for his friends. He's got a heart of gold and a stubborn streak a mile wide.
- Darian: The quiet one with a sharp mind and a knack for keeping everyone grounded. He's the glue that holds this ragtag group together.
And then there's Beeps, the mechanical spider who's equal parts adorable and terrifying. Trust me, you'll love him.
This book is a wild ride—full of action, mystery, and moments that'll make you laugh, cry, and maybe throw the book across the room (please don't, though). It's a story about found family, fighting for what you believe in, and figuring out who you are when the world tries to tear you apart.
Now, a few warnings before you dive in:
1. Emotional Damage: Yeah, I'm not kidding. This story will tug at your heartstrings.
2. Chaotic Energy: The pacing is fast, the stakes are high, and the characters are a mess (in the best way).
3. 100+ Characters: Yep, you read that right. This is just the beginning. I've got a *lot* planned, and every character has a role to play.
Writing this book has been a labor of love (and a lot of late nights). It's taken time to build this world, to flesh out these characters, and to make sure every twist and turn feels earned. But it's been worth it, and I'm so excited to share it with you.
So, grab a snack, get comfy, and get ready to lose yourself in a story that's been brewing in my mind for years. Whether you're here for the action, the magic, or the characters, I hope you find something that resonates with you.
Thanks for joining me on this journey. Let's make it unforgettable.
With love, chaos, and a mechanical spider,
Your truly Christiaan A brummer
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
April 14th update
Hey there,
I've been staring at this blank space for a while now, wondering what to say. I don't want to pretend like everything's fine or that I'm moving along at some magical pace. The truth? Life's been heavy lately. Long days, quiet nights, and this feeling like I'm always chasing something I can't quite catch.
Writing... hasn't been easy.
I've got Chapter 2 Part 2 in the works—yeah, it exists. Half-formed paragraphs, ideas scribbled in notebooks, voice memos I barely remember recording. It's there, but it's been slow. And not because I don't care. It's just... hard to create when your heart isn't always in the same place as your hands.
I work full-time. I come home drained. Most weekends I stare at my laptop and think, Why does this feel so hard? The truth is, I don't always love this project. Sometimes I resent it. Sometimes I feel like it's a shadow of what I wanted it to be. And worse—I feel like maybe I'm not good enough to bring it to life the way it deserves.
But even with that weight—I *still* write. I still think about these characters. I still hear their voices in the back of my mind when everything else goes quiet. This story may not be perfect. I may not be perfect. But maybe that's the point.
This isn't a polished masterpiece or some guaranteed bestseller. It's not a Netflix series waiting to happen. It's just... a story. One I tell in stolen moments. In between exhaustion and doubt and all the small things life throws at me. It's messy. It's inconsistent. And honestly? So am I.
But maybe someone out there needs to hear that. Maybe someone else is struggling with their own "thing" and needs to know it's okay if the passion doesn't burn every day. If the dream isn't always loud. If sometimes it just is.
So thank you—for being patient. For showing up. For caring when I'm not sure I even do.
And just so you know something's coming—Chapter 2 Part 2 is going to take us deeper. The group is fractured. Fearyn's power is flickering. Jace isn't safe. Nimara's secrets are creeping closer to the surface. And Darian? He's standing at the edge of something he can't walk back from.
Everything is about to change.
But I'm taking my time. Because some stories—like some hearts—need a little more space to breathe.
– Chris
.
.
.
.
June 1
Hi everyone,
Oh, where to even begin? I know, I know it's been such a long time, and I'm back with news that, honestly, breaks my heart a little to share, even though I know it's for the best. I'm rewriting the book. Again.
And trust me, saying that stings. It genuinely hurts to take something I've poured so much into back to the drawing board. I keep doing this, and if I'm being totally honest, it's because I'm chasing a feeling – that feeling when the story is just right. The previous version… it wasn't there. It was good, but it needed more soul, more depth. The further I wrote, the more it felt like I was losing the magic of my original ideas, the heart of what "Echo of Aeloria" is meant to be. I even thought about just releasing "Chapter 2" to give you something, but no… my spirit just wouldn't let me. This story, these characters, they deserve the absolute best version, and that means making these tough changes.
Life has been a whirlwind, so many things pulling me in different directions, so many ideas I want to chase. But through all that, the fire to write, to truly finish this book and make it something truly special, has roared back to life. I'm so ready.
Now, about those changes. That whole "2 part Chapter 1" idea I mentioned before? Well, that's evolving. That specific chapter, now likely to be more than just two parts, is going to be dedicated to handling important time skips, making sure the story flows beautifully. And for the rest of the chapters? Many of them will be split into parts. It just feels like the best way to tell this sprawling tale without losing any of the crucial details, and honestly, it helps me ensure every piece is as polished as it can be. My goal, my big dream for this structure, is to have around 30 core chapters, though we'll see how the story unfolds!
And I've already started! Chapter 1, Part One is officially complete, and I'm diving headfirst into the rest. This is it, everyone. This is the last time I rewrite. I can feel it. I have my notes meticulously organized, my parts planned out, the entire story layout is there… it's time for the grind. I'm giving myself these next three months to pour every ounce of my being into writing and getting this story down, to really bring it to life before we start our journey together.
So, even though plans have twisted and turned, I have a date that feels real and right in my heart: September 11, 2025. That's when "Echo of Aeloria" will begin its journey to you, with one chapter (or part) released every single Friday.
I am so, so deeply sorry from the bottom of my heart that this has taken so much longer than I ever imagined. But this date is set. I'll be working on it every single day, fueled by passion and a promise to you. This isn't just a book to me; it's a piece of my soul. And I truly believe, with everything I am, that "Echo of Aeloria" will be the best fantasy book ever written. That's the standard I'm holding myself to.
Thank you, truly, for your incredible patience and for still being here. Your support means the world.
All my love,
Chris
.
.
.
.
July 14th
Hi everyone.
So… hi. Look, I hate that I have to write this. I feel like I owe you an apology, but I don't even know where to begin.
It seems that some people were right about me. They said I was building a ship to fly to the moon, and it feels like I've shot past it, past all the stars, and ended up in a different universe entirely. The ambition is too big. I'm shooting too high, right?
That's what it feels like. Right now, this story in its current form is like me trying to show you a planet-sized forest by handing you a single, crumpled sheet of paper. It's so compressed that it has no space to breathe. The characters are suffocating. The world is a sketch. And I cannot, in good conscience, ask you to step into a world that doesn't have air to breathe.
I wanted to release this book on September 11th. So badly. That date was a promise I made to myself and to you. I could still hit that deadline. I could force an ending, tie up the bare minimum, and call it "done." But it would be a lie. It would be the basic version, the hollow version. In my eyes, it would be terrible.
And I just can't do that. Because somewhere along the way, this stopped being just a project. The characters started talking back. The world started drawing its own maps. Waking up in the morning feels less like an author thinking of ideas and more like a historian uncovering a history that already happened.
So, you know what? I'm going to prove the world wrong. Or maybe just prove it to myself. I have a world here that's bigger than me. And fuck, maybe I'm not deserving enough to write it—that imposter syndrome is loud some days—but I'm writing it. Because if I don't, who will? These characters deserve a voice, and I have a responsibility to get it right.
Therefore, the September 11th release is not going to happen. I've already poured a year of my life into this, and it's clear the book is demanding more. I'm not saying this needs ten years, but it just might. My new vision is to create the "Director's Cut" from the very beginning. Not a shorter version now and a longer one later. Just the real one. The one where we add everything back in and turn what might have been a 300-page book into the 2000-page immersive experience it's supposed to be.
It needs to be lived in. This isn't just a story anymore; this is a universe in the making, and I am its first, very overwhelmed citizen.
So, from the bottom of my heart, I am sorry for the delay.
On another important note, this journey has also clarified my goals. I will not be releasing the finished book on Webnovel or any similar free platform. My dream is to hold a physical copy of this world in my hands, and that means pursuing a path to sell it traditionally. This is the only way I can justify the years of work this will take and, hopefully, make this my life.
For those of you who have been following this whole time, thank you. Your support means more than you know. As of today, we have passed Chapter 13 and just hit 80,000 words. It's a foundation. It's small, but it's honest work on a world that feels infinite.
Thank you for letting me be vulnerable and for giving me the space to do this right. I hope you'll stick around for the long haul.
Chris ??!!