Five Years Later: A Thank You, A Reflection, and a Celebration

Five years ago, I hit “publish” on a story I wasn’t sure anyone would read.

It was called the Island of Stone, a quiet horror tale set deep in the woods where shadows whisper and the past never really dies. It wasn’t flashy. It didn’t come with a marketing team or a big budget. It was just me, a Word document full of secrets and the decision to start over—to step back into the writing life after a decade of letting that dream gather dust while I focused on a career that actually paid the bills.

That decision changed everything. It made me feel like I was doing something that mattered.

Since then, I’ve written and published six more books, two more written and on the way, and two more currently being written. I’ve built worlds teetering on the edge of ruin, filled with broken heroes, haunted swords, forgotten gods, and the kind of moral ambiguity that keeps me up at night. What began with an isolated cabin on a lake has grown into an entire world with Dawn of the Lightbearer, the first book in my dark fantasy series Absolution of the Morning Star.

And yet… the Island of Stone was where it all began. It was the story that reminded me I could do this. That I wanted to do this. That stories still lived in me—quiet, clawing things, waiting to be let out to roar.

So, to celebrate the five-year anniversary of my return to writing—and to say thank you to everyone who has joined me on this strange and beautiful journey—I’m running a limited-time sale.

🖤 Both the Island of Stone and Dawn of the Lightbearer ebooks are just $0.99 until March 31st. 🖤
Whether you’re drawn to psychological horror or epic fantasy, this is the perfect time to start.


If You’re New to My Work

  • Start with the Island of Stone (here, for those on the other side of the pond) if you like creeping dread, mysterious inheritances, and the feeling that something ancient is watching from the trees.
  • Begin with Dawn of the Lightbearer (here, for those in the UK) if you want a dark fantasy filled with haunted swords, broken empires, secret orders, and a boy on the edge of becoming something monstrous—or miraculous.

To those who have read, reviewed, messaged, or simply whispered my books into someone else’s ear—thank you. Truly. Every word you’ve read has helped build this world. And there’s so much more to come.

Here’s to five years. And the next five.

Cheers!


Discover more from Author Scott Austin Tirrell

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Published by scottatirrell

Scott Austin Tirrell loves dark speculative fiction, conjuring isolated worlds where ancient mysteries, the raw power of nature, and the paranormal entwine. His work is steeped in the arcane, drawing from the forgotten corners of history and the unsettling grasp of the supernatural. With a style shaped by Clive Barker, Frank Herbert, and Joe Abercrombie, he crafts narratives that pull ordinary, flawed souls into the extraordinary, where reality frays, shadows lengthen, and the unknown whispers from the void. He has self-published eight books, with Koen set to come out in 2025 under Grendel Press. Residing in Boston with his wife, he draws inspiration from the region’s haunted past and spectral folklore. Scott invites readers to step beyond the veil and into his worlds, where every tale descends into the deeper, darker truths of the human condition.

9 thoughts on “Five Years Later: A Thank You, A Reflection, and a Celebration

  1. Congratulations! You are doing sooo well 👏! I now have 2 self-published books, both have been proving popular here in the UK and also with on-line customers in US and Canada. Have an idea for the next one but for now it’s sell, sell, sell at markets locally to put some bucks back in my bank account! Keep on writing 🙋🏼‍♀️😀

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