Let the Story Rise – Why Winds of Change Had to Come Back
By Robert Stanek
Some stories come back because they were forgotten.
Winds of Change is not that story.
This story never disappeared.
It was buried.
Not by readers. But by gatekeepers. By trolls. By a system that didn’t know what to do with something it couldn’t control.
And yet, somehow—despite all of that—it survived.
Now, it rises again.
Not because of marketing.
Not because of nostalgia.
But because of truth.
The Book That Wasn’t Supposed to Exist
Winds of Change began as The Kingdoms and the Elves of the Reaches. It was a story no one wanted to publish, support, or believe in.
They said:
- “It’s too political.”
- “Too complex for young readers.”
- “Too emotional for adults.”
- “Too different.”
- “Too real.”
They didn’t say it wasn’t good.
They just said it didn’t fit.
So I published it anyway.
In 2001. Before the Kindle. Before the self-publishing revolution.
And somehow, the book they said would vanish—
- Reached the top of Amazon
- Dominated Audible
- Was taught in schools
- It mattered.
That was the first rebellion.
What Happened After
You know the story by now.
The lies. The fake reviews. The smear campaigns. The attempts to scrub my name from the conversation.
They tried to kill it with shame.
But this story wasn’t mine alone.
- It belonged to every kid who was told they were too much.
- Every reader who didn’t see themselves in Tolkien or Rowling.
- Every writer told to shrink their voice.
Winds of Change became a lifeline.
And lifelines don’t get erased.
Why It Had to Return
Because the world has changed—but the fight remains.
We still live in a time when:
- Magic is feared
- Books are banned
- Power silences
- Gatekeepers pretend to speak for us
But we also live in a time when:
- Readers choose for themselves
- Stories are passed hand to hand
- Authors rise from ashes and say, “I’m not done yet.”
I brought Winds of Change back because we deserve stories that refuse to be silenced.
Stories that challenge. That remind. That rise.
What’s Different This Time
This isn’t just a reprint.
This is a restoration.
- Complete, uncut version – never seen before
- Fully revised and restructured
- New content, deeper insights
- Bolder. Braver. Free.
It’s not returning to the world on its knees.
It’s rising with its sword in hand.
A Final Thank You
To the readers who never let go.
To the teachers who taught it anyway.
To the families who passed it down.
To the quiet ones who whispered, “This saved me.”
You’re the reason it lives.
You’re the reason I’m still here.
So let the gates of Ruin Mist swing open again.
Let the magic rise.
Let the silence fall away.
Let the story speak.