4 Months After I Quit Corporate to Write Romantasy — How It Actually Feels

Four months ago, I quit my corporate exec job to write romantasy. Plot twist: the book was already finished — what I actually left to do was turn it into a published, sold series. When I started, it felt like standing at the base of a mountain — I couldn't see the midway point, let alone the peak.So: how does it actually feel, four months in?This is an honest check-in on where I am with Call of Matter — copy edits underway, Book 2 already drafted, February launch ahead — and the real story of building a one-woman publishing operation from a standing start. Including why I ran it like a startup with a fixed budget, taught myself graphic design instead of hiring it out, and why — for the first time — the hardest part feels like it's behind me.⏱️ Chapters00:00 — The mountain (how it felt at the base)00:38 — Where I'm at: copy edits, September handback, February launch00:46 — Book 2 is already drafted01:50 — Why I brought on partners (one-woman show)02:30 — A year since Erastasis "fell into my head"03:13 — The secret hobby nobody knew about04:16 — The business trip that changed everything (Markus)05:47 — I quit with three headhunters chasing me06:40 — "Oh my God, what if it fails?"07:30 — Standing at the base of the mountain09:30 — "I know what you're thinking — I could've hired people"10:22 — Working media vs. non-working media (the framework)11:45 — Why I taught myself graphic design13:42 — Brand launch vs. campaign launch vs. book launch14:22 — Getting my life back (from 100-hour weeks)15:07 — Look what I did in four months📬 Pre-orders drop this November — join the mailing list so you don't miss it: callofmatter.com🌊 Read the prologue + Chapter 1 free while you're there.🌊 Call of Matter — Book 1 of the Erastasis series. A debut adult romantasy launching February 9, 2027.🌊 Instagram / TikTok: @viv.lela