Hi everyone,
Author here (Harmonica). This is a pretty long update, and I didn't want to kill the mood of the previous chapter with a massive wall of text (+ a pic) in the post-chapter author notes, so here I am!
First things first, hugs and kisses (if you're into that) for reading up until the end of I Swear I Saw You Die Volume 1! Thank you from the bottom of my heart. And no, I'm not apologizing for that cliffhanger.
Deal with it.
Anyways, Volume 1 is essentially just dipping toes into the world of the Spire. I intend for the series to go on for many, many more volumes to come, and I hope you'll continue to support Tim, Mia, and Lynn along the way. But before I divulge Volume 2 and my new schedule, I have some very, very big news to share.
Book Launch: The Snow is Warm Here
My debut novel—yes novel, not web novel—just came out! The Snow is Warm Here is a post-apocalyptic creature horror speculative fiction that launched during Kuala Lumpur Alternative Bookfest (KLAB) 2026.
It was written before I started writing I Swear I Saw You Die, so while admittedly, it might not be as reflective of my current level of writing, but I'm very proud of it regardless. Shout-out to my publisher, PTS, for having faith in me and for all the support in editing, marketing, and all that jazz. Thanks to that, I'm very fortunate to have the chance to appear in more book festivals and events throughout the year, which I'm extremely excited for!
Patreon and Updated Schedule
"But wait!" I hear you say. "You're now a traditionally-published author! Why do you need Patreon for? You're set for life!"
No.
Going to be realistic here, being trad-pubbed helps, but not that much. Especially where I'm from. Show me any local author here who makes a living purely from book royalties and I'll show you my fist, because that's the number of authors and fingers I have up.
Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.
I Swear I Saw You Die is where I'm putting more (not all) of my eggs in the basket. And that means Patreon. As much as I love writing this series, I love being able to keep my lights on more.
With my backlog of chapters running dry, I'm going to pace myself and ease into a new schedule for Volume 2. So beginning on February 3rd, It'll be 2 chapters a week, all at 7 p.m. ET.
1. Tuesday
2. Saturday
I'll release an additional chapter on Thursday if I earn a Patreon subscriber the week before! So if you and I are lucky, there'll be 3 chapters being dropped that week. BUT WAIT, there's more!
Currently, my Patreon only has 1 tier - Early Adopter ($8 for 10 advance chapters). But once I hit 50 Patreon subscribers, all 50 Early Adopters will be upgraded to 20 advance chapters, still at the same price point of $8! I think it's fair for those who choose to support me in these early stages. And as I grow, I want to reward those who helped me get to where I am.
So yeah. Patreon is going to be my lifeblood, and the lifeblood of I Swear I Saw You Die. Your support helps me a lot! What about in the long run? What's the end goal for this web novel and its many volumes?
The Future of I Swear I Saw You Die
Most writers who post their serials online self-publish on Amazon KDP. That's usually the endgame. But that isn't the case for me.
You see, I'm actually fortunate enough to be represented by Hivemind, a literary agency in Japan. One of my older works has been translated to Japanese and will be coming out in Japan soon. Can't say much because of NDA at the moment, but it's being published as a light novel by one of the biggest names in the industry (you've probably watched some of their anime).
So yeah, I Swear I Saw You Die will hopefully go through the same route. Being an anime is a pipe dream, but a light novel is the main goal. Would it be profitable? I don't know. Again, show me the number of Japanese light novels written in English then translated to Japanese and I'll show you my fist. Because that'll be the number of fingers I have up.
My point is, as much as I want to believe that my writing is of a certain level of quality that it CAN make money, it hasn't. That's the truth. I'm realistic and self-aware enough to know I'm not in the 1% of authors who can make a living just from writing. Even with a trad-pubbed novel and an upcoming light novel, realistically, royalties and sales are way too unpredictable for a debut author like me.
Hence why I'm banking so hard on Patreon. It's the only consistent, sustainable route for me as I twiddle my thumbs and gamble on my published stuff actually doing well.
With all that said and done, I love writing. I hope you love my writing, too. If it sounds good to you, feel free to subscribe to my . I promise to make it worth your while! If it's not up your alley, that's totally cool as well. You can also support me by leaving a rating or review on my !
And if you have any questions, feel free to leave a comment or DM me. Once again, thank you so much for reading I Swear I Saw You Die.
See you in the next chapter!
