I Never Liked This Story—Until Now
Back in 2016, I published a short story based on a series of dreams my coworker’s grandmother was having. At the time, I was in a rush to escape my day job, believing that if I could just publish enough, fast enough, I’d gain my freedom.
Looking back, I can see how flawed that mindset was—and how it showed in my writing.
While this story received good reviews, I was never truly proud of it. The ending felt rushed, and overall, I knew I could have done better. But instead of fixing it, I moved on, chasing the next story, the next project, the next way out.
For a while, I even had an Audible version available (it’s since been taken down). But everything about that old version felt distant—my name wasn’t even my own. Back then, I published under the pen name Regina Bethory, a name I no longer use. And now that I’ve left the U.S. with no intention of returning, Audible’s payment policies make things complicated for German bank accounts.
So Why Bring This Story Back Now?
Because I finally had the space and clarity to make it what it was always meant to be.
This second edition is almost twice the length of the original. It’s not just longer—it’s better. The story flows in a way that feels right, and for the first time, I feel like I can stand behind it.
There was even a time years ago when I hired a ghostwriter to expand the story, thinking that might be the solution. I paid him, read his additions, and then deleted everything. Not because his writing was bad—it wasn’t. But it wasn’t me. It wasn’t my voice, my story, my vision.
And if I’ve learned anything over the years, it’s that I don’t want to put my name on anything that doesn’t feel authentically mine.
Where to Read the New Edition
If you’ve read this story before, I hope you’ll find something new to love within these pages. And if this is your first time discovering it, I hope it stays with you the way all good stories do.
You can grab the new edition here: The Statue
Let me know what you think!
-Eliza
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