We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Stone Abdullah. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Stone below.

Hi Stone, thanks for joining us today. We’d love to have you retell us the story behind how you came up with the idea for your business, I think our audience would really enjoy hearing the backstory.

Well, first off, I appreciate you guys inviting me to this interview. It means a lot. Second, I had no idea whether or not my idea to create a business purely based on science fiction alien romance novels would work. It’s not a conventional “business model,” per se, like opening a bakery or refurbishing furniture. Right? “Journey of the Shadow” was originally a writing hobby that started in 1999, and it wasn’t until 2016 (my first year of graduate school) that I said, “Why not?” A particular underlying motivation was that my late parents were natural storytellers, and they leveraged that ability to communicate ideas and form solutions during the civil rights period. At the end of the day, I reasoned that if I could reach someone through my stories positively- despite the unconventional tools of aliens, goddesses, and evil necromancers- this business would be worth the effort of pursuing.

But there are millions of stories out there in this genre. Who am I trying to reach? What about these stories would attract someone to take time out of their day, sit down, pick up a physical book, and read it? Here’s the answer: Meaningful connections. As time went along, I noticed how superficial interactions were in life. Didn’t matter the circumstances. This attribute bled into mainstream romance, in particular. I didn’t want to replicate that. I wanted to present the value of sincerity despite an individual’s flaws and an environmental setting that didn’t benefit from hurting people as a function of that sincerity. Remember, I’m working with aliens to convey this idea. Haha. I am challenged to make extraterrestrials, superhuman warrior demigoddesses, and supernatural ninjas relatable to everyday people.

It’s a unique approach, but the idea worked after my first novel was released in 2017! I was shocked! Then, after my second novel was released in 2022, it happened again! There was a lot of positive reception, especially from women. So, I said to myself, “OK, we found our formula. Let’s keep going.” I suppose the rest is history.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

During face-to-face interactions, I always invite folks to whip out their smart devices, go to “Google,” and search for either “Stone Abdullah” or “Journey of the Shadow,” and let them scroll through the results. Haha. Why? It’s fun, and we get to engage in what draws their interest and how that correlates with what I’m trying to do as an artist and small business owner. It beats just handing off a business card.

That sums me up as an individual. I observe what’s “conventional” and do the opposite, which may stem from my scientific background. Still, I entered the self-publishing industry with a passion for authenticity because I want people to receive that. My core belief is leaving people with something better, be it a positive experience, gaining insight, or just smiling for the first time in a while. The aforementioned is my business’s mission statement.

“Journey of the Shadow” isn’t just a novel series or a collection of beautifully illustrated characters on luster poster paper; it’s an idea that “Fate Needs A Woman’s Touch” and “No Matter No Fear.” You’ll find these mantras on our t-shirts, for example. Over the years, I’ve discovered the themes we champion in our stories, like overcoming adversity, women’s empowerment, and holistically accepting yourself, including your flaws, resonated with many people worldwide. Never in a million years would I have dreamed of this happening. I’m the most proud of “Journey of the Shadow’s” ability to bring people together instead of dividing them.

Yes, many ” haters ” want the main male protagonist to be some “alpha” or whatever, and they don’t like the idea of having so many strong female archetypes (like goddesses) in leading roles. Still, again, I’m fundamentally an artist. My principal job is communicating an idea, and through my business, I plan to continue doing that. So, check out “Journey of the Shadow: Volume One,” the “cliff notes” of the series, and the second entry, “Journey of the Shadow: Darkness Falls,” where the lore is greatly expanded. And please look forward to “Journey of the Shadow: Vengeance Theorem,” coming soon!

Have you ever had to pivot?

Oh goodness, there are two “Great Pivots” I can name. The first was when my university, oh-so-nicely, lost my research assistance grant that funded my entire PhD. That’s right, they lost it, which forced me to resign from my government research position. Talk about a life derailment! And it gets worse, my friends! Weeks later, not one but both of my parents were diagnosed with terminal illnesses. I barely had time to calculate how badly my career tanked because my parent’s health deteriorated so quickly. I dropped everything and stayed with them until the end. Rest in peace, mother and father. All of this was the “First Great Pivot.” And if you’re wondering, yes, it still hurts.

So, after life threw all that in my face, I thought, “What next? Where in the world do I go from here?” That’s when I remembered the project I had been working on: “Journey of the Shadow.” My mother told me days before she passed, “Don’t give up, Son.” Turning this project into a legitimate business was my new life purpose. And so began the “Second Great Pivot.” The pandemic was in full swing by this time, and shutdowns were ubiquitous. Not only that, I had recently filed for bankruptcy. Many hurdles, yes? Nevertheless, I restructured operations to function mainly online, running brand awareness and targeted advertising campaigns, launching crowdfunding projects, and communicating with NPOs and government entities alike, all in an effort to obey what my mother told me. It has been challenging. Even right now, it still takes work. Haha. But not even God himself promised life would be easy, right?

How did you build your audience on social media?

As a musician, I’ve always been drawn to unconventional paths. My journey began as a touring musician before I even entered college. When the desire to promote ‘Journey of the Shadow’ on social media struck me, I dusted off my old electric guitar and started covering songs. This approach had a dual purpose: To attract attention to my music, build an audience, and introduce ‘Journey of the Shadow’ to them, creating a secondary audience. I’m incredibly grateful that this method was successful, as it allowed me to connect with people from two industries, both rooted in creativity and spread the word about my work.

And look, nowadays, it’s exceptionally more challenging to get eyes on what you’re doing on social media platforms than in 2017-2018. My advice to someone getting started is 1) work on your patience, 2) keep realistic expectations for yourself, and 3) experiment with your product/presentation. Sometimes, it takes a “thing 2” to get people’s attention to “thing 1” and so on. Also, building an audience is a time-consuming effort. If you can, outsource the task to a social media manager and ensure you have a marketing plan; it doesn’t have to be ironclad. And if you need more capital to pay a 3rd party, get ready to put some elbow grease into genuinely interacting with folks on socials. People love faking it behind the keyboard (influencers are the top offenders), but you can’t do that as a business. It hurts you, your product, your ability to make connections, etcetera. People *remember* authenticity. Use it.

For example, I’m genuine about what grabs my attention as an alien romance, science fiction erotica author, so I post about it. This keeps the door open for a conversation, or at least an interaction between you and your audience, who might become consumers.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://journeyoftheshadow.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jots_store
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/featherstone-abdullah-b8619055/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@Kazatsuyo13
• Other: https://cara.app/journeyoftheshadow