I’m very excited to surprise you all with an impromptu release. Those of you who’ve been with me since I started this blog will know that I have been working on this series, on and off, since the National Novel Writing Month of 2012. The Sculptor has been part of my life for almost ten years! After doing a structural check with Joseph Sale and final edits with Candace Johnson, I sent out a few query letters this year. Since there was no interest, I am moving forward with self-publishing.

The original draft in my NaNoWriMo dashboard from 2012 ↓

This release will take place in two phases.

Phase 1

Oblivion Black goes live on Kindle Vella today. You can start reading by clicking here https://christawojo.com/vella

This is not prolonging the release of the full book. I am trying Vella as a prerelease experiment while finalizing the manuscript for publication.

What is Kindle Vella?

Amazon says, “With Kindle Vella, U.S. based authors can publish serialized stories, one short episode at a time. Readers can explore Kindle Vella stories from https://www.amazon.com/kindle-vella or tap Kindle Vella at the top of the Discover tab in the Kindle iOS app.”

The first 3 episodes are free. After that, readers must pay to continue.

Why read the Vella version?

The special thing about Vella is that at the end of each episode, I, as the author, get to leave a note directly to the reader. I have had almost more fun writing the author notes—in which I share fascinating research, creative inspirations, behind-the-scenes looks, and personal anecdotes—than I did writing the actual book. So, if you want that extra-special personal touch, try Vella.

Phase 2

Most people are going to want a complete book. And, as far as I know, Vella is only available in the US.

For those of you who can’t or don’t want to use Vella, the eBook, paperback, and hardcover options will be available in Spring/Summer 2022.

Advanced Review Copies will be distributed in February.

Please note that the Vella version will stay on Vella after the release of the other formats (meaning you can do both).

After the publication of Oblivion Black in ebook and paperback, book two of the series will be uploaded to Kindle Vella.

I will repeat this process for the three books in the hopes that Vella, Kindle, and physical book readers will have the complete series in their hands by the end of 2022.

Thanks so much to everyone for being so helpful and patient. I hope that all the hard work and procrastination paid off.

“What makes life worth living? Ona always thought it was art. But she loses herself in addiction and nearly dies. She gets clean but is miserable. Desperate for meaning, she lands a job with world-famous sculptor, Antoni Azarov. Alluring and brooding, he shows her impossible beauty in his art. He also thrusts her into a world of decadence, secrets, and temptation, a dangerous world where everything has a price, but few can afford to pay.”