"We write to taste life twice, in the moment and in retrospect." — Anaïs Nin

Writing is as much about discovery as it is about creation. Some stories come together smoothly, while others teach us through their challenges. Elf’s Tears is one of those stories—a project that began as a novel and became a stepping stone in my writing journey.

For those of you in my Magic Circle of superfans (also known as my mailing list), I’m excited to share that the short story Elf’s Tears is now available for you! You’ll find the details in my January 5, 2025, newsletter. If you don’t see it in your inbox, be sure to check your spam folder—Google and Yahoo’s gatekeepers can be surprisingly diligent.

If you haven’t joined yet, this is the perfect chance to step inside and experience Elf’s Tears. It’s a tale of resilience, magic, and the emotional truths that inspired the Dark Streets series.

In this post, I’ll take you behind the scenes—from the lessons learned during its creation to the fan art that brought the story to life.

When Realms Collide

“The first draft of anything is shit.” —Ernest Hemingway

In 2016, I began writing a full-length novel with the working title Realm Sliders. The concept was ambitious—an exiled royal navigating Earth while supernatural dangers lurked around every corner. The manuscript grew to 65,000 words, filled with portal magic, fierce battles, and complex relationships. At the heart of it all was Elanar, a young elf princess caught between duty and survival.

Writing Realm Sliders felt exhilarating, but I was still honing my skills. I had poured my heart into the story, but I knew it needed outside perspectives to grow. That’s when I turned to my online writer’s group—a talented and supportive community of storytellers.

One member of the group sent me detailed, thoughtful feedback—a 13-page editorial memo that transformed how I viewed my story and my craft. While it was difficult to read at times, the memo was full of insight that shaped my writing journey in ways I didn’t expect.

Through the Eyes of Another

“Criticism, like rain, should be gentle enough to nourish a man's growth without destroying his roots.” —Frank A. Clark

The feedback I received covered everything from character motivation to world-building. It asked key questions that I hadn’t fully explored:

• What drives Elanar beyond survival?
• How does she grow from a lone wolf into a true leader?
• What emotional stakes make her relatable and vulnerable?

The critique also called out areas for improvement:

• “Elanar is strong, but we need to see more of her introspection. What is she feeling as she navigates this new world? What are her fears, and what keeps her going?”
• “Her abilities feel almost limitless—what are the costs of her magic?”
• “Why does she run a shop if she’s royalty? Is it to connect with humans, or is she lonely?”

This feedback didn’t just challenge the story—it challenged me as a writer. I had to dig deeper into who Elanar was and the world she inhabited. I realized that stories resonate more when characters’ strengths are balanced by weaknesses, and their actions are driven by clear emotional stakes.

The Transformation of a Tale

"No tears in the writer, no tears in the reader. No surprise in the writer, no surprise in the reader." —Robert Frost

Despite the critique, I couldn’t let go of Elanar. There was something about her resilience and her story that stayed with me. Rather than abandon the project, I decided to rework it into something smaller but more focused—a short story titled Elf’s Tears.

The short story captured the essence of the original book’s beginning: Elanar, alone in a strange world, navigating danger with the grace and strength of someone who has lost everything but refuses to give up.

The process of crafting Elf’s Tears wasn’t about salvaging scraps from an abandoned draft—it was about distilling the heart of the story into something more intimate and impactful. It became a tale not only of survival and magic but of quiet resilience—the kind that makes us root for characters because they remind us of what it means to endure.

Though brief, Elf’s Tears became a story that stands on its own, holding a piece of the world that would eventually grow into the Dark Streets series.

From Realm Sliders to Dark Streets

"A story has no end... only new beginnings." —R.A. Salvatore

What began as Realm Sliders, a full-length novel, transformed over time. The opening became the short story Elf’s Tears, a glimpse into Elanar’s world, and later laid the groundwork for the Dark Streets series—though the plotlines of the two stories are quite different, and the name of the main character in Dark Streets is Kellana.

Dark Streets retained the heart of the original story while expanding into something much larger. It became a series not only about battles and realms but about connection, resilience, and reclaiming one's destiny. The threads of Elf’s Tears wove themselves into new characters, deeper world-building, and higher stakes.

The visual representation of these stories is also interconnected. The cover art for Elf’s Tears—three delicate white flowers—was created by a family member who was in college at the time. Her work beautifully captured the emotional essence of the story.

This same family member modeled for the covers of all three Dark Streets books. Her portrayal of Kellana gave readers a tangible connection to the character—a reminder of where the story began and how far it has come.

Dark Streets owes its roots to the lessons learned from Realm Sliders and the spirit that shaped Elf’s Tears. I look forward to sharing more about the incredible person behind the cover art and the face of the series in future posts—her role in this creative journey has been truly meaningful.

Every Story Has a Journey

"The world is shaped by stories, and the best ones shape us in return." —Unknown

Stories have a way of transforming—not just on the page, but in the hearts of those who write, read, and bring them to life. Elf’s Tears began as a full-length novel, took shape as a short story, and ultimately became the foundation for the Dark Streets series. Through feedback, revisions, and inspiration, it became more than I had ever expected.

But stories don’t grow in isolation. They are shaped by the people who support them—readers who journey through realms with me, and those behind the scenes whose creativity adds depth and beauty to the worlds I create. 

If you’d like to step further into these worlds, don’t forget to subscribe to my mailing list. Subscribers receive exclusive stories, sneak peeks, and updates—including the free Elf’s Tears short story. Whether you’re new to this world or a longtime traveler, I’m grateful to share these adventures with you.