Look and Be: Update: Extraordinary Wielder of Words

by TLC Nielsen

I met Terrance at a large writing conference in North Carolina and we ended up in the same swordsmanship class for authors. In his interview on the EO blog in 2022, found here, Terrance talked about his journey of teaching and writing. Here's the scoop on this wielder of words.

Welcome back to the Extraordinary Ordinary blog, Terrance!

Thank you, TLC, for inviting me to give an update on my writing journey.

Since being interviewed by you, God has been so gracious to me. He opened the door to be a regular contributor to the men's devotional blog, The Man Cave. Six of my devotions have been published in books you can find on Amazon. All proceeds from book sales support education for kids living in the garbage dumps of Guatemala as well as rebuilding in Jamaica after the last hurricane.

In October 2025, I signed with Dressed In Love LLC. I've dreamed of signing with a publisher and things came together when I least expected it. My writing mentor, Katherine Hutchinson-Hayes, started her own publishing company, and when other avenues fell through for me, she offered for me to sign with her company. After praying about it, I agreed.

They will be releasing my debut fantasy novel, Tales of Aras: Becoming Fire and Lightning, at the beginning of June 2026. What started as a short story for my youngest sister's seventeenth birthday grew into a complex world of diverse cultures, epic battles, intrigue, mind-blowing creatures, and villains so horrible they make you love to hate them.

This is the first book in a trilogy. Between each of the books, I plan to publish standalones that cover the backstory of secondary characters in the story. I'm neck deep in a book I hope to release early next year.

In addition to writing, I am finishing my eighth-year teaching seventh-grade English. This year, I ran the creative writing club at school. I enjoy seeing the creativity of the students and helping them grow in their craft.

April 2026 marked the fourteenth anniversary of my moving to South Carolina. It doesn't seem like it's been that long! My wife and I celebrated thirteen years of marriage last year and we now have three dogs, all foster fails.

Things are moving along, and I look forward to seeing what happens in the years to come.

Check out Terrance and Tales of Aras on social media:

Thanks for visiting the Extraordinary Ordinary blog, where people like you and I share our extraordinary stories!