My Independent Writer's Fire: Why I'm Finally Running My Own Race

My Independent Writer’s Fire: Why I’m Finally Running My Own Race

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 in the boardrooms of 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?

 Caption: Disgraced senator and Presidential candidate Digby Yates facing Donald Alexander, leader of the Black Camelots, and his wife, Carrie Sinclair, in front of the White House.

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, former big publishing house editor told me “this book is ready to publish and move on.” Today, my hair is salt and pepper. I’m still here—and I’m still writing. I have 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; his unparalleled connection with his audience has 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 to claim his total independence. Like Sanderson, I write long-series works, and I recognize that he has proven—at a massive scale—that there is a thriving, sustainable world for stories that connect directly with their readers.

My physical pace has shifted, creating an urgent, self-imposed deadline. The clock is ticking louder than it used to. I haven’t started to shrink physically, but my 8:45 miles for a 5K have an added extra 25 seconds of hard-earned gravity. And some days these morning 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 my 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, and I realized with sudden, sharp clarity that the only deadline that matters is the one I set for myself.

I have replaced corporate stability with the fulfillment of independent authorship. I’ve 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.

Now, I’m not just the guy who sells the story; I’m the guy who lives it. Black Camelot is built on that same 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, as well as a massive general marlet American populace that loves good 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 and taught in primary and secondary schools across these nations, the market is primed for the English version of the Black Camelot series in the motherland is real.

The Black Camelots started in Gotham, but their story—and the audience for it—is global. From the U.S. to the vast, English-speaking markets across the African continent, the world is waiting for these stories. Make The Black Camelot series tops on your summer reading list; be sure to add books four, five, and six as essential additions to your summer stack.