No More Waiting for Permission
There are plenty of reasons I decided to launch the Black Camelot series as an independent project. Most of them are rooted in the brutal, pragmatic reality of the publishing business. At this advanced stage in my career — let's just call me "seasoned" — I have zero appetite for corporate malfeasance. I've spent enough time as an executive at powerhouses like USA Today and Fortune to know that my mental health as an artist is worth far more than a seat at their table.
I wanted to tell the story my way, free from corporate gatekeepers. These are types not known for their appetite for the nuanced power arcs I write. It's hard to sell a boardroom on a world where a couple of Black guys end up in control of the planet's most powerful, family-owned media empire — especially when you add a murder mystery backdrop and the political wildfire that follows. That kind of story requires a specific ecosystem. And frankly, who has the patience for that gatekeeping?
Fifteen Years in the Making
I'm no longer waiting for permission from the publishing industry. I wrote the bones of this story fifteen years ago when all my hair was still black. Back then, a retired editor from a major publishing house told me: "This book is ready to publish — move on." Today, my hair is salt and pepper. I'm still here. And I'm still writing.
I've been watching the industry landscape shift, led by world-class authors who are redefining the relationship between creator and reader. Take Brandon Sanderson — a titan of the fantasy genre whose unparalleled connection with his audience allowed him to rewrite the rules of publishing, including a 2022 Kickstarter raise of $41.7 million and a subsequent $15 million campaign in 2024. Like Sanderson, I write long-series works. And he has proven — at a massive scale — that there is a thriving, sustainable world for stories that connect directly with their readers.
The Clock Is Ticking
My physical pace has shifted, creating an urgent, self-imposed deadline. The clock is ticking louder than it used to. My 8:45 miles for a 5K now carry an extra 25 seconds of hard-earned gravity. Some mornings these runs have morphed into brisk, meditative walks against the backdrop of the New York City skyline. Between the blood pressure prescriptions and the doctor's stern warnings about pre-diabetic numbers, I don't have the luxury of waiting on a boardroom's permission anymore.
I spent 15 years waiting for the "right time" to let these stories out. I realized with sudden, sharp clarity that the only deadline that matters is the one I set for myself.
The Fulfillment of Independent Authorship
I've replaced corporate stability with something better: the fulfillment of doing the work on my own terms. I learned that I love the work. My background taught me that when they say "we buy audiences," they're really just talking about win-win math. I was too busy protecting the safety of a corporate paycheck to see that I was leaving my own potential on the table.
I realized I could punch out 1,000 words a day with absolute clarity — but only once I stopped trying to do it in the margins of a full-time job.
A Global Audience Is Waiting
Now, I'm not just the guy who sells the story. I'm the guy who lives it. Black Camelot is built on the principle of direct connection. It isn't just a book — it is a bridge to multiple audiences: thriller aficionados, political junkies, and a global Black community hungry for stories that reflect their own power and complexity.
There is an African-American audience of 47 million, plus a massive general market that loves great fiction. I've also got my eyes on expansive populations in Nigeria (237.5 million), Ethiopia (139 million), Kenya (57.5 million), South Africa (48 million), Ghana (35 million), and Zimbabwe (17 million). This collective of over 534 million people makes the African continent a true global hub for the brand. Because English is widely used across these nations, the market for the Black Camelot series in the motherland is very real.
The Black Camelots started in Gotham. But their story — and the audience for it — is global.
Make the Black Camelot series tops on your summer reading list. Books 4, 5, and 6 are essential additions to your summer stack.
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Darius Myers is an independent fiction author and former media executive with a professional history at Time Inc. (Fortune) and USA Today. He is the creator of the seven-book Black Camelot thriller series.
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