2025 gave TC Marti an edgy identity and roadmap for success

TC Marti forged an unapologetic identity for his genre tastes and how his worldview blatantly shaped his work. The future’s gonna be fun.

Unapologetic is the best way to describe me these days. In 2025, I opened up big time on where the main inspiration for my work came from. Not from some woke, corporate-approved handbook that’s obsessed with maintaining good working and public relations. But from writing in genres and themes that don’t ask for permission to exist.

I spent the year telling you that I don’t write to check boxes for specific genre formulas, character diversity for skin color, religion, ethnicity, or background, or anything with a sensitivity reader in mind. I’ve said it hundreds of times this year: It’s time to take a flamethrower to mainstream left-wing dogma that’s plagued the literary industry.

Ditto for sanitized fiction that reads like a Netflix script. It’s why I’ve since flat-out refused to write genre fiction whose plot is easier to predict than a Hallmark Christmas movie.

And it’s why I rolled with a loose-cannon style. So you could see the real TC Marti. Not some fake, slightly quirky version of myself that every other author I cross seems to adopt.

What went right in the TC Marti world in 2025?

There were a lot of ups this year. It started with finding readers my work and persona resonate with. I spent 2021 to 2024 acting way too much like your typical genre fiction author. You know, the fake-enthusiastic type that goes out of their way convincing readers they’re this average, everyday person who loves looking at cat pictures on Instagram and dance videos on TikTok.

For the love of God, we’ve reached a state of sanitized sameness these days. So I finally said, “Fuck it, I’m breaking the trend.” Be different. Be who you are. And make sure you introduce a giant middle finger to anyone who rails against you. That’s how you deal with these people who think an author is supposed to act a certain way.

I also took a six-month crash course called the Tom Woods Jr. Mastermind, run by the great Paul Counts. That one taught me a lot about the dos and don’ts of running a successful online business. Without their guidance between Apr. and Oct. 2025, I’d still paint a smile on my face and play the “nice guy” while subtly nudging readers toward my worldview.

I got the necessary funding to revamp my backlist of books. A few series, like Elementals of Nordica and Cymraeg Tales, got complete makeovers. Others, like Sentrys of Terrene and Terrian Chronicles, got new typefaces while I experimented with different covers.

The Unapologetic Rants section has BECOME the brand

Besides revamping each cover at least to a degree in the Renegades Epic shared universe featuring the series listed above, I’ve hit home on my author brand with the Unapologetic Rants section. This is where you’ll find my real-life inspiration for each book I write, tidbits on books I have yet to write, their inspirations, plus lore for my current and future works.

I average two pieces of content per day at Unapologetic Rants, and it’s a great way to get insights on my anarcho-capitalist mindset that rails against public schools, publicly-funded institutions, central planning, and the State.

It’s also got hidden gems that show you how to live free in a surveillance state, even if the people running society hate you while pretending they have your best interests at heart. So, it’s more than worth the look. Ditto for my Substack, Rune-Written Resistance.

What got done in 2025…

I also had my first major book launch this year with Cursed Mage, which scored a five-star review over at Literary Titan and Reedsy, via Anthony Avina for the latter. That was awesome to see, and Cursed Mage was the first book series in the Renegades Epic that didn’t use a premade cover.

I also completed work on my dystopian survival trilogy, Beyond the Lost, that’ll hit the shelves in Jul. 2026, with Books II and III coming up in Aug. and Sep. 2026.

Book I in my YA academy fantasy, The Arcane Prophecy, made massive strides in its development, with a kick-ass cover, story elements, and best yet, it brims with an anarcho-capitalist theme. I also completed work on Astray Mage, which I’ll release in Mar. 2026.

And finally, my old-world fantasy series, Cymraeg Tales, got back on track after I unleashed Spirit and Water and Spirit and Earth in May and October. Book IV, Spirit and Wind, will also be released in 2026.

Join the rebellion with TC Marti

If you’re looking to taste-test my work, then visit my store, The Rebel Lore Vault. There, you’ll find better versions of each book than you would on Amazon, as I’ve made it a mission to urge authors and readers to buck the tech giant for more “local,” homegrown outlets.

Head to the Vault right now, enjoy my work, and join me in reshaping the literary world for the best.