Choosing to Self-Publish Daughter of Saltwake
There is something both exciting and intimidating about deciding to put a story into print yourself.
For a long time, Daughter of Saltwake existed quietly: in drafts, notes, rewritten scenes, late-night edits, and all the small decisions that slowly turn an idea into a book. At some point, though, a story starts asking for more than a document on a computer. It starts asking for a cover, a spine, a back cover description, and a place in the world where readers can actually find it.
That is where I am now.
I have decided to self-publish Daughter of Saltwake, my first fantasy novel. This choice means there is a lot to learn, from editing and formatting to cover design, distribution, and how to tell people the book exists without feeling like I am shouting into the void. It also means I get to make the decisions that shape how this story reaches readers.
Daughter of Saltwake follows Mira Kest, a young woman raised on Saltwake, an island punished by a Crown that has learned how to turn cruelty into law. When Mira is sent into the capital as part of Saltwake’s official delegation, she expects records, politics, and danger. What she does not expect is to find traces of herself hidden in the Crown’s own archives.
At its heart, this is a story about identity, survival, chosen family, buried truth, and the cost of being underestimated. It has coastal rebellion, court intrigue, romance, hidden lineage, and the kind of beautiful palace halls where danger speaks very softly.
Right now, I am in the final stages of preparing the book. That means final edits, formatting decisions, cover planning, back cover copy, and all the practical pieces that make a manuscript feel real. It is strange, vulnerable work, but also deeply satisfying.
This website will be where I share updates on Daughter of Saltwake, future projects, and the process of bringing these stories into the world. I do not plan to post constantly, but I do want this space to be a place readers can check in, learn what I am working on, and follow along as the book moves closer to publication.
Thank you for being here at the beginning.
More soon,
Kay Everly