Elf by day, vampire by night.

I’ve seen some people doing this, so I thought I’d hop on the bandwagon and do one of myself! I don’t normally talk about myself, but I figured this might be an exciting and fun way to learn about me!

Level Zero - Intro.

Hello. :) My name is Jordan Dugdale, but my friends call me Jordy. I go by they or she pronouns. I’ve spent much of my life neck deep within anything fantasy I can get my hands on. I’ve been obsessed with Tolkien’s works most of my life, and as a kid, I used to go searching for dragons with my brother in our neighborhood. My life has mostly been fantasizing about other worlds, whether that’s through the high fantasy universe I’ve been working on for over ten years, playing various types of TTRPGs (tabletop roleplaying games), or playing video games. Thank you for taking the time to read this, and I hope you enjoy yourself!

Level One - About Me.

I was born and raised in a small town outside of Kansas City, Missouri called Liberty, where I still currently reside. I was a quiet child, but luckily my brother was born two years after me, and thus, my parents gave me one of my best friends. We did everything together — played knights, searched for dragons, coated ourselves in mud and sunbathed on the driveway. We were free spirited children, and I owe a lot of my confidence to him.

School was hard. I made friends. I lost them. I made new friends. I lost them too. I was quiet, I was different, I didn’t like participating in school activities. School never clicked with me. I liked learning, but my education never interested me. Still, I graduated high school and went to college for a year and a half before I decided it wasn’t for me. I met my best friend in college though, and always joke with her that she was the most expensive friendship of my life. Now, I work for my grandmother, who owns an antique store on the Historic Square in my city. I also have a sister, who is also my best friend, even though we’re ten years apart. It wasn’t until my early twenties that I accepted my bisexuality and fully started embracing my authentic self. I bought my first home just before my 21st birthday (it was built in 1904 and I couldn’t have gotten more lucky with it). I dated a woman for two years, my first same sex relationship. We even got engaged, but it didn’t work out. I now live with my two wonderful dogs Pippin and Bombur, my brother, my boyfriend, and his 9 pound chihuahua Morti. I’ve been on 8 cruises to the Caribbean, have never seen Europe, and dream of the day I get to step foot in the Shire.

Level Two - Inspiration & Writing.

For my writing, I draw inspiration from several different places. My biggest inspiration was and always will be J.R.R. Tolkien. The way he crafted his lore, the messages within his writing, his world — I will always admire his mind. A few other authors I greatly admire are Leigh Bardugo, Christopher Paolini, Rainbow Rowell, and Philip Pullman. These authors are what inspire me in my own writing.

I began writing when I was thirteen years old. It was a craft I didn’t know I had an affinity for, but boy, when I started writing, I found out how much I loved it. I finished my first novella in six months, and my first novel by the time I was seventeen. Both of them are horrendous and will never see the light of day, but it was so satisfying that I was able to complete something, that I created something. I’ve been told by friends and strangers that I have a talent, a knack for words, and that it’s something I should pursue. I mean to. To share my stories with the world would be a dream come true, and it’s why I try to hone my craft on here.

I’m currently working on a high fantasy novel series, currently called the Whispered Tales Series. The content is based off the adventures me and my friends characters are going through in the TTRPG we’ve been playing for the past year and a half, only set within the world I’ve been crafting for the last decade with my brother. I hope to have the first draft of the first book written by the end of the year, so wish me luck!! If you want to purchase my short story, Hear Us Sing (I’ve got it published on here for free, but I’d be so grateful for the Amazon purchase + reviews, as reviews will help get sales! ), you can purchase it here. If you have Kindle Unlimited, it’s free. If you don’t want to buy it because you read it here, but would like to leave a review, I’d be over the moon for it!

Here’s a small scene from my book, for your interest (copyrighted, pls don’t even try to steal anything):

Helai was lying in a sea of sand. It was her homeland, the land of Shoma, the Desert Sea. The sun swam in the haze of the horizon, casting a brilliant orange in the air, and Helai blinked blearily as two figures stood over her. One she could not make out. Massoud, perhaps? The other was of smaller build, dark hair spilling down to his shoulders.

“Aryan?” Her voice rasped, as if she had been deprived of water for several days, and she felt too weak to stand. Aryan stood just out of her line of vision, and a blurred hand reached out for her, dark-skinned and scarred.

“Come, Helai. It is not yet time.”

“Time for what? Aryan, Massoud said we are to scatter. We are tasked ---” But Aryan shook his head, and then his hand, as if his impatience was clear.

“No time. Come Helai. You must get up.” A weariness settled in her bones. Perhaps if she slept, let the sand claim her, she could try again in a few moments. She had been running for so long, had been trying to protect her people for so long. She deserved a rest, did she not?

“Give me a moment. I just need…” her voice sounded far off, the desert calling her name, calling her home. Yes, she needed to go home, she needed to reclaim her right among her people.

“Get up, Helai. Get up. Do not follow Duaa into the darkness. The sun. Seek the sun’s warmth.” Aryan’s voice had gone from a command to a whisper, the vision of him starting to shimmer and fade as the sun’s brilliance overcame him. Helai squinted, staring up at him, an outline against the backdrop of the sky. He was right. Her task was not complete. Her people were still ruled by a murderous tyrant, controlled by slavers. She could not rest until they were liberated.

As she stood, the sun swallowed her whole.

That’s just the first draft, so I apologize for any errors, but that book is my pride and joy, and I hope the world enjoys it as much as I do, once it’s published. Writing is my passion, and I’d be lying if I said I never experienced Impostor Syndrome, like I’m not good enough and that I should just give up. I’m here to tell you that if you want something hard enough, and you’re willing to work, you can achieve anything you set your mind to.

Level Four - Final Thoughts.

Thank you all for taking the time to read a little bit about me. If you want to follow me on Instagram (khalcesi) or Twitter (rainflowcr), you’re welcome to do so. If you want to look at my other works, here is one I’m particularly proud of (and it takes place within my novel’s universe AND you get to meet the characters my novel follows. So exciting!):

One day I hope to be able to create full time. I was never meant to sit in an office or live a corporate lifestyle. Until then, I will keep plugging away, making little stories where I can, creating where I can. If you enjoyed this, or you enjoyed any of the little stories I’ve made, I’d love a heart, a subscribe, or a tip! I hope I didn’t bore you to death with my ramblings, and that you have a wonderful rest of your morning/day/evening/night. :)