Henderson native Gregg Hale, in town last week for his 40th year class reunion, began publicity for his new novel, “Journey to Hada,” at Antler Coffee shop on Main Street on June 23.
The book, which is one of four media that Hale and creative partner, Eduardo Sanchez, have created as part of Emerald Anvil, which is described as a “multiplatform fantasy storyworld” in its press kit.
Emerald Anvil also includes a 13-episode podcast called “Black Velvet Fairies” which just wrapped up its first season. There’s also a dice-based, tabletop board game called “Glim” set in the Emerald Anvil universe. Finally, the universe includes an NFT—digital collectible—world-building game titled, “Battle for Hada.”
“The main thing is that they all come from the same story world,” Hale said.
Hale, who found early career success producing “The Blair Witch Project,” said all of the associated projects of the Emerald Anvil universe are financed independently, as was “The Blair Witch Project,” which is one of the most successful independent films in movie history, grossing hundreds of millions of dollars worldwide.
Hale said he and Sanchez would like each of the media to grow in a way that the universe is self-sustaining with the goal of making a film or television show based on Hada.
The podcast and novel have been released. The board game will be available in November, and the NFT world-building game is scheduled for a release early in 2025, Hale said. Right now, they’re trying to push the book and get it in front of reviewers, Hale said.
Hale said there won’t be any spoilers that come from listening to the podcast. In fact, the “Black Velvet Fairies” offers a past and works its way into the novel, he said.
He wrote the novel with the help of Sanchez’s daughter. The novel is told through the perspective of a female teenager who is Cuban-American, and because Hale is not that, he decided to get help from Bianca Sanchez. To do that, he set up set up scenes and characters and then asked Bianca to write the actions and dialogue of the main character, Morgan De Leon.
He called it a “giant month-long Dungeons & Dragons game basically” because of the improvisational nature of the writing with Bianca.
Besides the Emerald Anvil project, Hale and Sanchez are constantly trying to get in front of people with their ideas. “It’s a hustle,” Hale said.
They’ve just pitched a horror film and are developing a television show with a true crime writer, he said.
Now living in Portland, Ore., Hale said he often comes back to his hometown and was happy to see old friends, like his former Henderson County High School teacher Heather McCormick, at the “Journey to Hada” book signing.
“I was one of the geeky kids who took part in all the activities,” he said. “I always enjoy coming back home.”
For more information, go to Emerald Anvil.
To buy the novel, go to Amazon and search Emerald Anvil: Journey to Hada.
To listen to the podcast, go to Black Velvet Fairies – Emerald Anvil.