About the Project
Have another question that isn't listed here?
Try checking my Stories page for general information about the stories themselves, my Character Bio page for questions about characters, or my Lore pages for in-universe questions.
Still can't answer it? Feel free to contact me and ask your question directly.
What is Deus Ex Machina?
Deus Ex Machina (DEM) is a multi-media art and writing project, consisting of several original characters and stories, all in the same setting: Auroris.
DEM includes several short stories, novella, anthologies, and novels planned. All DEM stories are interconnected. For more information on what stories are currently available to read and what order to read them in, check out my Stories page.
Where/How Can I Read
Deus Ex Machina?
Deus Ex Machina (DEM) is designed such that you can jump in almost anywhere in the timeline and roughly understand what's going on, but for a more detailed breakdown of reading order, check out the Stories page.
Where to read DEM depends largely on what story you want to read and in what medium. Not all stories get the same style of release (check here to see why and how that works).
However, here is a list of all of the released DEM stories and their available formats...
All Released DEM Stories and Formats
Promise of Night (novella)
Online (no illustrations) read here for free.
Paperback, purchase from my shop.
Hardcover, limited edition, no longer in print.
COMING SOON
Illustrated Ebook, on shop, Amazon, and Kobo.
Audiobook, on shop, Amazon, and Kobo.
Gemini (short story collection)
Online, read here for free.
"Sundered Skies" (short story)
Online, read here for free.
COMING SOON
Handbound booklet, purchase from my shop.
"Hollowed Ground" (flash fiction)
Online, read here for free.
COMING SOON
Handbound booklet, purchase from my shop.
"The Puzzle Box" (short story)
Online, read here for free.
Audiobook, listen for free on YouTube.
COMING SOON
Illustrated paperback edition in collection Tales of Auroris.
"Testing Her Metal" (short story)
Online, read here for free.
Audiobook, listen for free on YouTube.
COMING SOON
Illustrated paperback edition in collection Tales of Auroris.
A Matter of Perspective (novella)
Online, read here for free.
COMING SOON
Illustrated paperback edition in collection Tales of Auroris.
"Heart of the Issue" (short story)
Online, read here for free.
COMING SOON
Illustrated paperback edition in collection Tales of Auroris.
Honing the Blades (novella)
Online, read here for free.
COMING SOON
Illustrated paperback edition in collection Tales of Auroris.
Prohibition Inhibitions (novella)
Online, read here for free.
COMING SOON
Illustrated paperback edition in collection Tales of Auroris.
"Rest Less" (flash fiction)
Online, read here for free.
COMING SOON
Handbound booklet, purchase from my shop.
"Finesse" (flash fiction)
Online, read here for free.
COMING SOON
Handbound booklet, purchase from my shop.
"Fortune's Favor" (short story)
Online, read here for free.
COMING SOON
Handbound booklet, purchase from my shop.
Ongoing Projects
Promise of Night
Audiobook
0% Completion
Estimated Release Date
Fall 2026
Ascension
10% Completion
Estimated Release Date
TBA
The Book of Luna
Part 1
80% Completion
Estimated Release Date
2027
Lights and Shadows
2% Completion
Estimated Release Date
TBA
Tales of Auroris
50% Completion
Estimated Release Date
Late 2026
Vindicta
2% Completion
Estimated Release Date
TBA
Release Types
Different stories in Deus Ex Machina are slotted for different release methods. There are a few reasons for this, mainly that different story types (short story vs. novel, for example) have different publication needs. Thus, some stories are released directly to my website, free to read immediately upon completion, while others feature a hybrid or multi-media rollout.
Longer-form stories, like novels, typically will not be featured on my website for free due to the time and effort that goes into writing and illustrating these works. My long-form writing is also more polished than my short-form content, going through a rigorous editing process that simply isn't as necessary for shorter stories. Due to this higher quality in general, I do not release long-form content for free.
That said, these are some of the publication methods you can expect from me...
Website Release
Used primarily for short stories, flash fiction, or the occasional short novella, web releases are shared directly to my website, usually with very light editing from the original draft of the story. These stories may or may not have a handful of illustrations accompanying them. Web releases will be announced on my blog whenever they happen, though these stories tend to be sporadic in their releases, as many come about from unplanned writing or additions to the narrative.
Print Release
Used for novellas, anthologies/collections, or novels, print releases feature more polished writing and illustrations. Many of my stories that I've given a web release are also slotted for a print release, though short stories are typically bundled into collections with additional content to give more incentive to pay for the physical copy. Print releases also include e-book releases on top of the physical copy, and both are available on my website and from major retailers.
Due to overhead expenses for this kind of release (such as purchasing ISBNs), a print release takes much longer to roll out than a web release. Any print release will be accompanied by ample notice of impending release, broadcasted across all of my channels.
DIY Print Release
Used for flash fiction or brief short stories, a DIY print release includes what is essentially the same content as a web release, with the addition of an illustrated cover for the story. These are handmade, hand-printed booklets of select stories on my website. Because of the brevity of these stories, they have no ISBN, meaning they can only be purchased directly from my website. These are mainly to give a physical print variant of my web stories for those who prefer a physical medium, but there is nothing different content-wise from the web version of the story beyond formatting and a cover. These releases are rolled out with shop updates, and are announced on my blog.
Patreon Release
Used exclusively for the core novel series, starting with The Book of Luna, a Patreon release is the gradual, monthly rollout of chapters for a long-form project. This is due to the extreme length of The Book of Luna, and the episodic nature of the chapters. The purpose is to accelerate release of the book by sharing it in small chunks at a time, rather than the multi-year process it would be to release the full book in print. The result is essentially a monthly subscription to read the book as it's released, much like watching episodes of a TV show as they air.
This Patreon release precedes the eventual print release of the book once enough chapters are released on Patreon. That to say, The Book of Luna will also have a print release, so paying for the Patreon subscription is not necessary to read the book if you're willing to wait longer for the print release. However, there will be exclusive content included in the Patreon release. More specifics about this will be available the closer we get to the Patreon release.
How can I help support
Deus Ex Machina?
Working on a project of this magnitude is obviously both a huge time and monetary investment on my part, and is primarily a labor of love. However, any assistance is massively appreciated, and your support and feedback is one of my primary motivators to keep sharing my work!
Here are a few tangible ways you can show your support if you love what I do and want to see more of Deus Ex Machina...
Join the DEM community!
Check out my social medias to see what I'm working on in real time, chat with me (or my characters), and share my posts with your friends! I will often share niche lore, exclusive character interactions, run polls for future artwork or stories, or run contests with physical merch prizes. My community is small, but vibrant and supportive of not just me, but other like-minded creators. We'd love for you to join us!
Interact here on my website
Comment on my blog posts, or share them or my stories on your own socials. Or, if you're feeling particularly ambitious, you could even shoot me an email through my contact form to express your thoughts on my work.
Purchase items from my shop
Everything in my shop is based on Deus Ex Machina, and products are designed and produced based on fanbase requests. Any proceeds from my shop are all funneled back into my shop to produce more and higher quality products. The majority of my products are made in-house (such as prints or stickers), and hand-packaged and shipped with much love by myself.
Donate to my Ko-Fi account
Ko-Fi is a virtual tip jar where I get to keep 100% of any proceeds gained. If you're wanting to assist financially without expecting merch in return, this is the best option for you! Everything I earn from my Ko-Fi goes into making Deus Ex Machina the best it can be. In the past, I have used donations to pay for my digital drawing software, upgrade my printer, or improve my office setup.
Commission me for artwork
You can see more about the kinds of commissions I do and my rates on my commission page. That said, commissioning me helps me grow my business and reputation as an artist, and hopefully moves me just a little bit closer to making art and writing my full time job, supporting not just Deus Ex Machina, but also helping me to pay bills, which makes more time for me to invest in the project.
Currently, the income I get from commissions is small and infrequent, so most earnings go to shop upgrades and such. However, if I were to eventually get commission requests on a regular basis, I might be able to transition to doing art full time.
Join my team!
Sometimes I get people asking how they can invest their time and talents into helping me grow Deus Ex Machina. In these cases, I usually warn people that I am not currently in a position where I can compensate you for your services, and as an artist myself, I hesitate to take advantage of fan generosity. I believe all artists should be paid fairly for their work. However, I've had a few individuals who still want to be a part of the project and offer their assistance pro bono. If this is you, shoot me an email and we can discuss it.
Some areas where I could use assistance: beta readers, editors, video editors, animators, musicians, voice actors, etc. No pressure though! As I said, I cannot pay you, and I have no guarantee that I would be able to pay you in the future either (though I would certainly try if I earned enough from the project to facilitate that).
In summary...
Whichever support method you feel most drawn to is all equally valued and appreciated by yours truly. I cannot express how much it means to me that you would want to see more of my art in the world. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for being here!