Hello everyone! My name is E.F. Ortega (Eli). It’s a pleasure to meet so many wonderful dreamers, writers, and content creators on this platform!
Since I tend to be invisible on social media (I’m a ghostwriter/communications specialist by trade), I’ve decided to take the cloak of invisibility off and share a little about who I am and why I’m here on Substack.
ABOUT ME
I was raised in the Whaling City of New Bedford, Massachusetts. The west end was not the safest side of town. With drugs and gangs everywhere, I took my rusty bike to the public library. I discovered The Belgariad, Lord of The Rings, and many more fantasy books. It was my escape from a tough neighborhood and a rough beginning to my life. Struggling with a severe speech and learning impediment, I could not make many friends. Those books became my family. They never judged me like so many other kids at school. Since then, stories have always had a special place in my heart.
Even though I specialize in writing other people’s stories (I still do that for a living), this desire to tell my own story won’t go away. Being a hired communications gun for Fortune 500 companies, government entities, and even celebrities, is great work but it also has left me wondering if I can tell MY OWN STORY.
THE ETERNAL SCAR STORY-UNIVERSE
With your help and support, I intend to unveil a fantasy world I created many years ago. After the tragic death of my son, Joshua, I got lost in depression and a tidal wave of grieving. I needed an escape. I returned to the innocence of my childhood: fantasy stories. This time, I would not simply just read another author’s book. I wanted to create my own world; a world full of magic, lore, wonder, fables, and adventures. This is where the seeds of my fantasy story, Eternal Scar, began.
For the last twenty years, I have even landed publishing contracts for Eternal Scar but those did not fall through due to contractual disagreements (“thievery from the other side”). I went back to school and learned screenwriting, just to adapt my story into a streaming series. I even had three pitch meetings with major production companies in Hollywood in 2020… but then the pandemic shut down all of Hollywood and the entire world. I had to start from scratch once again.
Fate seemed to conspire against my hopes and dreams. I was still writing other people’s stories but the dream of sharing MY STORY with the world took a huge hit. My natural distrust of publishing companies and Hollywood production executives had pushed me into a tough decision.
Do I continue to try to wade through a broken distribution system in publishing and film, or do I publish the story-universe of Eternal Scar on my own?
I stumbled upon Substack and saw a large community of writers. At first, I thought it was just another Medium or WordPress but then I quickly realized that it was becoming a hub for both established and new writers.
What I love about Substack is how you can circumvent the nagging penny-leeching middleman I’ve expertly known in publishing and film, and present your stories straight to readers. It is honestly terrifying because there is no safety net. You either sink or swim, but since I have been doing that most of my life, I figured to give it a shot and see what happens.
I hope to gain your trust and your loyalty. Even if I don’t (or get lost in the hellscape of the “invisibility” algorithm), at least I’ll have a community of writers, thinkers, and artists to chat with and follow.
Maybe in my next post, I’ll share some details about my good friend Yuedhra. He’s a crotchety and old sea-elf, but he’s got quite the story to share. He’s one of the central characters in my Eternal Scar story-universe, and he has decided to join Substack as well (wink, wink).
Hey Rita! I remember you! Yeah, I briefly was writing on here but then I had some health issues and had to stop for a long while. I'm feeling better and I lost 150 pounds! It's great to see you! Cheers!
Hello! I’m currently serializing book 1 of 4 in my science fiction series, and Substack recommended your publication to me! Glad to have found you, and explore this world you’ve created. It’s been hard for me to find other fiction writers serializing their work, so it’s always nice to find a gem.
Nice to meet you, Marisa! This is my first attempt at this. So far, so good. Despite my short time here, I find the Substack community to be extremely supportive. You’re going to love it here.
Glad to see you back Eli! Looking forward to your content.
So he was on here before! I knew it! 😆 Glad to find him on here again! Bring it Eli! I'm ready! 😆
Hey Rita! I remember you! Yeah, I briefly was writing on here but then I had some health issues and had to stop for a long while. I'm feeling better and I lost 150 pounds! It's great to see you! Cheers!
That's great! So happy for you!
Love the story. It's mythical and feels ancient. How many times will you be posting per month?
Hello Joy! I'm not sure. Hopefully 2-3 episodes per month.
Welcome to The Stack! So many great fantasy writers on this platform! Another one to my list!
Thanks for the subscription, Reid! Cheers!
Hello! I’m currently serializing book 1 of 4 in my science fiction series, and Substack recommended your publication to me! Glad to have found you, and explore this world you’ve created. It’s been hard for me to find other fiction writers serializing their work, so it’s always nice to find a gem.
Nice to meet you, Marisa! This is my first attempt at this. So far, so good. Despite my short time here, I find the Substack community to be extremely supportive. You’re going to love it here.
I’m glad you’re enjoying the series! Cheers!