We started Storylace with the purpose of creating magical reading experiences for readers. As of today, we're thrilled to be partnered with two wonderful authors for the Storygazing experience – where illustrations, animations, music and interactivity elevate their stories. But finding these gems among a sea of talented writers wasn't easy. Let us tell you the story of how it all began.
The $28 billion dollar book industry is a vast, fascinating landscape. As we were building Storylace, we did extensive research into the complex world of publishing. This showed us the range of talent that existed beyond the major publishing houses. It sparked our passion to begin working with indie authors in the fantasy and sci-fi genres, where so many wonderful stories can pair beautifully with the Storygazing experience.
Choosing which authors to partner with for Storygazing was a defining moment in our history. We wanted to spotlight hidden gems in the fantasy and sci-fi genres. Our dream was always to create a nurturing community where authors, artists and readers help each other grow, so that was key in our decision to start working with undiscovered indie authors. But with thousands upon thousands of amazing independent authors out there, the task was challenging, yet exciting!
Navigating the vast world of self-published books to find our hidden gems required a careful eye. While many were excellent, we searched specifically for stories with vivid settings, dynamic characters, a sense of adventure and a strong visual nature, as these qualities translate beautifully into the Storygazing experience.
Finding the perfect books was a monumental effort. We considered and evaluated hundreds of them, often finishing them cover-to-cover in search of those with the right spark. Entrepreneurship is quite the rollercoaster, the rough reality is that you face a lot of rejection along the way. Fortunately, this story has a happy ending, because one extraordinary author fell in love with the idea of Storylace.
The First Ever Storylace Author
Her name is Gillian Grant, and her epic fantasy series, The Blood of Eith, overflows with adventures, memorable characters and the kind of vivid world-building that inspired us to create Storylace in the first place. A passionate Dungeons & Dragons player & DM herself, Grant crafts stories imbued with the magic of tabletop games. When we read her first book, we loved it right away. We were thrilled to have her as our first Storygazing author ever. Gillian is a star on the rise, so definitely check out her books, and why not, experience them to the max with Storygazing!
The Second Ever Storylace Author
Introducing W J Long III, visionary author of The Silver Sights Saga – a thrilling space opera filled with bold ideas and heart-pounding action. Unlike our first author discovery, Long actually found us – making him the first author to partner with us after having applied online to join the Storylace Theater. We launched our public beta in June 2023, and his application was a beacon. His story was exactly what we were looking for: brilliant, unforgettable, and perfect for bringing to life through Storygazing. Are you an author curious about a partnership with us? Authors can apply here to be part of the Theater.
Making Storygazing a Reality: Our Work So Far
The second half of 2023 was a whirlwind of work and excitement. We polished the Storylace platform, creating a magical space for readers, and we expanded our Storygazing offering with stunning new art by dozens of talented artists. We're happy to be making progress in our goal of building a community of people who love books and art.
Reading these books and bringing them to life has been quite the adventure too. We've had a lot of fun working on them, and it's fascinating that there's a feeling very similar to what people making a movie might feel. It's one thing to know the entire story very well, but it's an entirely different thing to see it come to life.
Imagine that feeling of seeing a favorite character or scene through new art – the wonder, the surprise, the deeper connection to the story. That's why we're committed to continuously expanding our Storygazing experiences. Both the authors and ourselves can attest to the breathtaking feeling of seeing new art, even though we've already read the stories ourselves. We love exploring different artistic visions because everyone imagine's the story differently. Storygazers get to share in that excitement with every new piece of art added. Unlike a movie, what we're doing here is not something recorded once and done forever, it's an ever-growing living world with more stories and more art to come!
Be prepared to be amazed! At Storylace, we believe deeply in celebrating the power of human artistry. We've made it our mission to protect it and respect it as a fundamental part of the human experience.
Here's to Exploring New Worlds
We'll always hold 2023 dear in our hearts. It's when it all started and we partnered with our first 2 wonderful Storylace Authors. The year is now coming to an end and we're looking forward to meeting new authors, artists and readers who are passionate about books and Storygazing in the coming year. We love it when art inspires art, and if you're a Storygazer, you're in for an awe-inspiring journey! And if you're not in our tribe yet, next time you're reading a book ask yourself this question, would you enjoy pairing your story with art? What parts of the story would you love if they were brought to life? How would that look? If you ask yourself these questions, you're already thinking like a Storygazer.