Today is an 11 year journey, folks! My debut adventure fantasy with heart is on shelves, today!!! Here's a little behind the scenes thread on how we got here. Join me, won't you?

If you just want a copy of THE SIN IN THE STEEL, that's cool too. Link here: https://read.macmillan.com/lp/the-sin-in-the-steel-by-ryan-van-loan/ https://twitter.com/dongwon/status/1285590063020220416

2009 I am home from Afghanistan, finishing up college, and having a rough go of it. I start writing my second book and discover that it helps. A lot. Developing empathy for characters, putting myself in a mental calm, and I just love creating something. I'm hooked.

Cue novels 3-7 which garner partial and full MS requests from top agents. A lot of positive feedback, no offers of representation. Novel 8 comes to me almost whole cloth in a dream (a 1st) in 2015. A young woman's voice. She's sharp in mind and tongue and blade. I have my protag.

The story begins to come together. An autodidact street rat and her swordsman partner. Trading companies. Empires. Gods. Pirates. Mages. Undead. So many challenges and at it's heart the found family of two adventurers standing back to back. The End and back to the query trenches.

I discover a new agent to query, discover they're a former editor of some of my favorite authors and their website sounds welcoming so I send a cold query. To my delight, they ask for more. It's May 2016. Then...silence.

July 2016 and we come home from the theatre and I check my email and see a name. DongWon Song. I literally sink to the floor when I see he wants to talk. We have a great call, I let the other agents off the hook and sign on the virtual dotted line.

May 2018. A long two years that require an hour and a drink to discuss I get a call from Tor, it's Melissa Ann Singer and she wants to talk about my book. Oh my God, it's happening. Maybe? July 2018 we announce the 3 book deal.

The last two years have been incredible. I've learned and grown so much on both the craft and professional level. So many folks farther ahead on their careers have helped w/ advice, blurbs, and encouragement. I discovered the entire TEAM of Tor and the wonderful work they do.

If you pick up the book, you'll see a shout-out to a lot of the folks responsible for what you're holding in your hands. Writing is a solo effort, publishing is collaborative. I'm consistently overwhelmed at the passion everyone involved has to put new stories into the world.

It started 11 years ago. I said before that publishing is like climbing Everest only to discover another Everest awaits. Write a book. Land an agent. Get a deal. Publish your debut. Build a career. Today, I'm trying to take a moment on this peak and surveil everything. Breathe.

Tomorrow the next summit awaits and this time, Dear Reader, you get to come along. I hope you will. I got you. Promise.