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  • Online Content
    • The Eternal Quest >
      • Volume 1: Shadows of the Wondrisil >
        • Chapter 1: The Crypt
        • Chapter 2: Living Text
        • Chapter 3: Worlds Unknown
        • Chapter 4: Unusual Meetings
        • Chapter 5: Sinkshaft
        • Chapter 6: Reunions
        • Chapter 7: Holy Water
        • Chapter 8: Sapphire
        • Appendix A: Blood and Water >
          • Chapter 9: Talfin's Return
          • Chapter 10: Talfin's Schemes
          • Chapter 11: Talfin's Investigations
          • Chapter 12: Talfin's Victory
      • Volume 2: Beings of Light >
        • Chapter 13: The Lodge
        • Chapter 14: The Fond'sar
        • Chapter 15: Transformations
        • Chapter 16: Refuge
        • Chapter 17: Mountains and Plains
        • Chapter 18: The Hunter
        • Chapter 19: The Hunted
        • Chapter 20: Elsinor
        • Chapter 21: Wondrisil Return
        • Chapter 22: Pixie Dust
        • Chapter 23: A Time to Die
        • Chapter 24: A Time to Survive
        • Appendix B: Elements of Glory >
          • Chapter 25: Waves
          • Chapter 26: Wind
          • Chapter 27: Light
          • Chapter 28: Flames
        • Appendix C: Protectors of the Realm >
          • Chapter 29: The Mark of a Hunter
          • Chapter 30: A Tribute to a God
          • Chapter 31: Lessons on the Realms
          • Chapter 32: A Test of Worth
      • Volume 3: Creatures of Darkness >
        • Chapter 33: Ash
        • Chapter 34: Cages
        • Chapter 35: Blockades
        • Chapter 36: Tracks
        • Chapter 37: Negotiations
        • Chapter 38: Reconciliation
        • Chapter 39: Preparations
        • Chapter 40: The Invasion of Nettingo
        • Chapter 41: Recovery
        • Chapter 42: Breakout
        • Chapter 43: Reinforcements
        • Chapter 44: Desolation
        • Appendix D: Blood Moon Rising >
          • Chapter 45: Realm of Blood
          • Chapter 46: Trial by Combat
          • Chapter 47: Battle of the Gods
          • Chapter 48: Shield of the Realms
        • Appendix E: Shaft of Fire >
          • Chapter 49: Fortresses
          • Chapter 50: Revelations
          • Chapter 51: Controllers
          • Chapter 52: Sheep
      • Volume 4: Citizens of Ash >
        • Chapter 53: Ruin
        • Chapter 54: Rivers
        • Chapter 55: Ghosts
        • Chapter 56: Escapes
        • Chapter 57: Return
        • Chapter 58: The Ruins of Elsinor
        • Chapter 59: Artifacts
        • Chapter 60: Rebellion
        • Chapter 61: Revenge
        • Chapter 62: Ten Thousand Years
        • Chapter 63: Beginning Again
      • Volume 5: The Fist of Sintison >
        • Chapter 64: Refugees
        • Chapter 65: Prisoners
        • Chapter 66: The Wind
        • Chapter 67: Seekers of Knowledge
        • Chapter 68: Causality
        • Chapter 69: Bloodbath
        • Chapter 70: Temptations
        • Chapter 71: Departure
        • Appendix F: Masters and Servants >
          • Chapter 72: Justice
          • Chapter 73: Vengeance
          • Chapter 74: Children of the Flame
          • Chapter 75: Pact of the Servants
      • Volume 6: The Shores of Tifingor >
        • Chapter 76: New Plans - Old Friends
        • Chapter 77: Vortex
        • Chapter 78: Failures
        • Chapter 79: Healing
        • Chapter 80: Equations
        • Chapter 81: Exposure
        • Chapter 82: Desperation
        • Appendix G: A New World >
          • Chapter 83: Tyrants of Istinis
          • Chapter 84: Mirrors
          • Chapter 85: A Tale of Two Angels
          • Chapter 86: The Measure of a Man
    • The Curse of Knowledge >
      • Chapter 0: Synopsis
      • Chapter 1: Rivers of Blood
      • Chapter 2: The Files of Deschur Sil- Private Eye
      • Chapter 3: Law of the Desert
      • Chapter 4: Cause and Effect
      • Chapter 5: Among the Stars
      • Chapter 6: Deep Void
      • Chapter 7: An Eye for an Eye
      • Chapter 8: Turning of the Tables
      • Chapter 9: Lilith of the Desert
      • Chapter 10: The Enemy of my Enemy
      • Chapter 11: The Battle for Falreach Castle
      • Chapter 12: Absolution
    • My Brain
  • Store
    • The Eternal Quest
    • Apocolyps Squad
    • Apocolyps Squad II
    • Apocolyps Squad III
  • Lore
    • The Eternal Quest >
      • Maps >
        • The Continent of Calsin
        • The Continent of Fairn
        • The Continent of Corinth
        • The Continent of Thadusar
        • The Land of the Ten Kings
        • Individual Countries as of Chapter 1 >
          • Delsinar
          • Dirnor
          • Distisil
          • Donisil
          • Elsinor
          • Istinis
          • Notirot
          • Sintison
          • Sournous
          • Taninor
          • Tifingor
          • Tornor
      • Races >
        • Angels
        • Aniskin
        • Aqahartis
        • Avians
        • Blood Elves
        • Crysilin
        • Dark Elves
        • Dragons
        • Dwarves
        • Fairies
        • Fauns
        • Firingar
        • Flame Elves
        • Frostingar
        • Genies
        • Giants
        • Gnomes
        • High Elves
        • Humans
        • Imps
        • Merfolk
        • Nymphs
        • Ogres
        • Orclings
        • Orcs
        • Rootwalkers
        • Sand Elves
        • Star Elves
        • Trolls
        • Wondrisil
      • Beasts >
        • International Threat Levels
        • Blood Hawks
        • Cyclopes
        • Gargoyles
        • Goblins
        • Hobgoblins
        • Horclops
        • Korcats
        • Minotaurs
        • Nighthawks
        • Phoenix
        • Pixies
        • Satyrs
        • Slavs
        • Theocars
        • Vampires
        • Werewolves
        • Zombies
      • Gods >
        • The Deity Council
        • The City of Astheris
        • The City of Vorthis
        • Altheria
        • Demigods
        • Burnisuld
        • Creator Deity
        • Dararma
        • Dathrendor
        • Elementals
        • Fifthala
        • Gethsemia
        • Herisil
        • Hinchipol
        • Nubierd
        • Persphone
        • Pure Spring
        • Ral
        • Sarcil
        • Sorosin
        • Thisrandor
        • Thornsaldsarn
        • Tirronfin
        • Zureth
      • Known Realms >
        • An introduction
        • First Realm: Calsin
        • Second Realm: The Dark Realm
        • Third Realm: Torsorn
        • Fourth Realm: Firengot
        • Fifth Realm: Nisentil
        • Sixth Realm: Lorcisor
        • Seventh Realm: Besdir
        • Eighth Realm: Peris
        • Ninth Realm: Athiseron
        • Tenth Realm: Vegol
        • Eleventh Realm: Nothingor
      • Misc. >
        • Elven High Families
        • The Sorcerous Artifacts
        • Gambit (card game)
      • Eras of History
    • Apocolyps Squad >
      • Emergency Handbook >
        • Table of Contents
        • 1. Zombies
        • 2. Vampires
        • 3. Asteroid
        • 4. Plague
        • 5. Baseball Games!!!
        • 6. Weather
        • 7. Alien Invasion
        • 8. Nuclear Fallout
        • 9. The Rise of Non-Sentient Lifeforms
        • 10. Robots
        • 11. Supernatural Disastor
        • Appendix
  • Contact
  • News
  • About
    • Dakota Caldwell
    • Upcoming Projects
    • FAQ's
  • Online Content
    • The Eternal Quest >
      • Volume 1: Shadows of the Wondrisil >
        • Chapter 1: The Crypt
        • Chapter 2: Living Text
        • Chapter 3: Worlds Unknown
        • Chapter 4: Unusual Meetings
        • Chapter 5: Sinkshaft
        • Chapter 6: Reunions
        • Chapter 7: Holy Water
        • Chapter 8: Sapphire
        • Appendix A: Blood and Water >
          • Chapter 9: Talfin's Return
          • Chapter 10: Talfin's Schemes
          • Chapter 11: Talfin's Investigations
          • Chapter 12: Talfin's Victory
      • Volume 2: Beings of Light >
        • Chapter 13: The Lodge
        • Chapter 14: The Fond'sar
        • Chapter 15: Transformations
        • Chapter 16: Refuge
        • Chapter 17: Mountains and Plains
        • Chapter 18: The Hunter
        • Chapter 19: The Hunted
        • Chapter 20: Elsinor
        • Chapter 21: Wondrisil Return
        • Chapter 22: Pixie Dust
        • Chapter 23: A Time to Die
        • Chapter 24: A Time to Survive
        • Appendix B: Elements of Glory >
          • Chapter 25: Waves
          • Chapter 26: Wind
          • Chapter 27: Light
          • Chapter 28: Flames
        • Appendix C: Protectors of the Realm >
          • Chapter 29: The Mark of a Hunter
          • Chapter 30: A Tribute to a God
          • Chapter 31: Lessons on the Realms
          • Chapter 32: A Test of Worth
      • Volume 3: Creatures of Darkness >
        • Chapter 33: Ash
        • Chapter 34: Cages
        • Chapter 35: Blockades
        • Chapter 36: Tracks
        • Chapter 37: Negotiations
        • Chapter 38: Reconciliation
        • Chapter 39: Preparations
        • Chapter 40: The Invasion of Nettingo
        • Chapter 41: Recovery
        • Chapter 42: Breakout
        • Chapter 43: Reinforcements
        • Chapter 44: Desolation
        • Appendix D: Blood Moon Rising >
          • Chapter 45: Realm of Blood
          • Chapter 46: Trial by Combat
          • Chapter 47: Battle of the Gods
          • Chapter 48: Shield of the Realms
        • Appendix E: Shaft of Fire >
          • Chapter 49: Fortresses
          • Chapter 50: Revelations
          • Chapter 51: Controllers
          • Chapter 52: Sheep
      • Volume 4: Citizens of Ash >
        • Chapter 53: Ruin
        • Chapter 54: Rivers
        • Chapter 55: Ghosts
        • Chapter 56: Escapes
        • Chapter 57: Return
        • Chapter 58: The Ruins of Elsinor
        • Chapter 59: Artifacts
        • Chapter 60: Rebellion
        • Chapter 61: Revenge
        • Chapter 62: Ten Thousand Years
        • Chapter 63: Beginning Again
      • Volume 5: The Fist of Sintison >
        • Chapter 64: Refugees
        • Chapter 65: Prisoners
        • Chapter 66: The Wind
        • Chapter 67: Seekers of Knowledge
        • Chapter 68: Causality
        • Chapter 69: Bloodbath
        • Chapter 70: Temptations
        • Chapter 71: Departure
        • Appendix F: Masters and Servants >
          • Chapter 72: Justice
          • Chapter 73: Vengeance
          • Chapter 74: Children of the Flame
          • Chapter 75: Pact of the Servants
      • Volume 6: The Shores of Tifingor >
        • Chapter 76: New Plans - Old Friends
        • Chapter 77: Vortex
        • Chapter 78: Failures
        • Chapter 79: Healing
        • Chapter 80: Equations
        • Chapter 81: Exposure
        • Chapter 82: Desperation
        • Appendix G: A New World >
          • Chapter 83: Tyrants of Istinis
          • Chapter 84: Mirrors
          • Chapter 85: A Tale of Two Angels
          • Chapter 86: The Measure of a Man
    • The Curse of Knowledge >
      • Chapter 0: Synopsis
      • Chapter 1: Rivers of Blood
      • Chapter 2: The Files of Deschur Sil- Private Eye
      • Chapter 3: Law of the Desert
      • Chapter 4: Cause and Effect
      • Chapter 5: Among the Stars
      • Chapter 6: Deep Void
      • Chapter 7: An Eye for an Eye
      • Chapter 8: Turning of the Tables
      • Chapter 9: Lilith of the Desert
      • Chapter 10: The Enemy of my Enemy
      • Chapter 11: The Battle for Falreach Castle
      • Chapter 12: Absolution
    • My Brain
  • Store
    • The Eternal Quest
    • Apocolyps Squad
    • Apocolyps Squad II
    • Apocolyps Squad III
  • Lore
    • The Eternal Quest >
      • Maps >
        • The Continent of Calsin
        • The Continent of Fairn
        • The Continent of Corinth
        • The Continent of Thadusar
        • The Land of the Ten Kings
        • Individual Countries as of Chapter 1 >
          • Delsinar
          • Dirnor
          • Distisil
          • Donisil
          • Elsinor
          • Istinis
          • Notirot
          • Sintison
          • Sournous
          • Taninor
          • Tifingor
          • Tornor
      • Races >
        • Angels
        • Aniskin
        • Aqahartis
        • Avians
        • Blood Elves
        • Crysilin
        • Dark Elves
        • Dragons
        • Dwarves
        • Fairies
        • Fauns
        • Firingar
        • Flame Elves
        • Frostingar
        • Genies
        • Giants
        • Gnomes
        • High Elves
        • Humans
        • Imps
        • Merfolk
        • Nymphs
        • Ogres
        • Orclings
        • Orcs
        • Rootwalkers
        • Sand Elves
        • Star Elves
        • Trolls
        • Wondrisil
      • Beasts >
        • International Threat Levels
        • Blood Hawks
        • Cyclopes
        • Gargoyles
        • Goblins
        • Hobgoblins
        • Horclops
        • Korcats
        • Minotaurs
        • Nighthawks
        • Phoenix
        • Pixies
        • Satyrs
        • Slavs
        • Theocars
        • Vampires
        • Werewolves
        • Zombies
      • Gods >
        • The Deity Council
        • The City of Astheris
        • The City of Vorthis
        • Altheria
        • Demigods
        • Burnisuld
        • Creator Deity
        • Dararma
        • Dathrendor
        • Elementals
        • Fifthala
        • Gethsemia
        • Herisil
        • Hinchipol
        • Nubierd
        • Persphone
        • Pure Spring
        • Ral
        • Sarcil
        • Sorosin
        • Thisrandor
        • Thornsaldsarn
        • Tirronfin
        • Zureth
      • Known Realms >
        • An introduction
        • First Realm: Calsin
        • Second Realm: The Dark Realm
        • Third Realm: Torsorn
        • Fourth Realm: Firengot
        • Fifth Realm: Nisentil
        • Sixth Realm: Lorcisor
        • Seventh Realm: Besdir
        • Eighth Realm: Peris
        • Ninth Realm: Athiseron
        • Tenth Realm: Vegol
        • Eleventh Realm: Nothingor
      • Misc. >
        • Elven High Families
        • The Sorcerous Artifacts
        • Gambit (card game)
      • Eras of History
    • Apocolyps Squad >
      • Emergency Handbook >
        • Table of Contents
        • 1. Zombies
        • 2. Vampires
        • 3. Asteroid
        • 4. Plague
        • 5. Baseball Games!!!
        • 6. Weather
        • 7. Alien Invasion
        • 8. Nuclear Fallout
        • 9. The Rise of Non-Sentient Lifeforms
        • 10. Robots
        • 11. Supernatural Disastor
        • Appendix
  • Contact

Dakota Caldwell

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Hi everyone!

That's me. The tall one, not the cute one.

Well... The tall-er one.

Anyhow...

My name is Dakota Caldwell, and welcome to the recesses of my mind known as Lead Pyramid!
How I got started:
I first started telling stories before I even knew how to write. My dad would transcribe my wild tales (most of which involved dinosaurs) onto small pieces of notebook paper, which I would then store in hidden places so no one could steal my ideas. As I got older, I began writing them myself, transcribing my tales onto sheets of loose-leaf paper, then wide-ruled notebooks, and then eventually *gasp* college-ruled notebooks!

My senior year of high school, I made the decision that I was going to get something published. And, with that, I spent the entire year completing my first full-length novel. It was a 120-thousand word science fiction epic detailing a group of ancient Mayans dropping from the sky in flying saucers and invading our world. And if that sounds as cringe-worthy to you as it does to me, you'll understand why that particular story can't be found in stores anywhere.

After around a year of fruitless querying, I decided that I simply needed a new approach, and penned a post-apocalyptic story titled Project Nomad. If you'll notice, you also can't find that one anywhere. However, around the time that I finished writing it, I met a rather cute girl who thought that my writing was rather awesome. The results of that relationship can be seen in the above picture. We're now happily married, have a second one on the way, and haven't slept in two years.

So what is Lead Pyramid?
A more organized method of self-publishing. Operating under the banner of Lead Pyramid forces me to be a bit more conscious about what I write, makes me attend to the details a bit more, and helps me care more about the quality of what I'm putting out. In addition, it provides an official name that I can use when dealing with larger companies (like bookstores) who don't like to deal with independent publishers.

A bit about what I write and why:
Right now (drat, I'm dooming myself to regularly update this page as I release new stories) my two primary projects are The Eternal Quest and Apocolyps Squad.

Apocolyps Squad was first born from an exhaustion-induced daydream. I was a regular runner in college, and spent a large amount of my time aimlessly barreling across campus in the hopes that my fitness would attract one of the many females that I knew. Because flopping across the ground like a dying duck is a total chick magnet. Anyhow, I distinctly remember running past an extermination truck that had a really cool logo. And I thought "Huh! It would be really awesome if, instead of killing bugs, they tried to avert apocalypses before they happened!" I DID say that I was basically dying at this point, right? Though it took me a few more years to write, the book that you now know as Apocolyps Squad was indeed first born from such a simple root.

The Eternal Quest has a bit of a different backstory. Around the time I was writing Apocolyps Squad and preparing it for publication through Lead Pyramid, I was just sort of... Stuck. I was writing novels far faster than I could afford to do, but I simply can't stand to not write. As a compromise, my wife and I came up with this idea. Short stories that I release on a weekly basis. From there, I began brainstorming what type of story I would want to incorporate in such a manner. After all, most stories have an ending, which simply wouldn't be allowed in this situation. As I pondered it, I came up with a brilliant idea. Build an entire world, drop in some characters, and see where it went! And... If you want to know where those ideas are going, it's all available for free! Here's a link to chapter 1.

As for the why I write... I just can't stand not to. I absolutely love storytelling, I love the way that characters interact with each other, and I love the fact that we can learn in real life from these imaginary beings. Stories are powerful, in ways that are almost impossible to truly see, and I just want to capture that in any way that I can.

So what's my life like now?
Chaos. Absolute chaos. *stares off into the distance, haunted by the ghosts that plague me everyday*

Really though, life is pretty nuts. I mean, I have a toddler who only likes to play with things that I have CLEARLY told her NOT TO TOUCH!!! Seriously! She won't eat her supper but she'll chow down on cat food because she knows I don't want her to do it. *sigh*

My family really is the most important thing to me. I know how cliche that sounds, but... It's true. During my publishing journey, I've gone through a lot of different stages in how I viewed my writing. It's gone from being a dream to being a reality, from being something that I liked to dabble with to being something that I spend every spare moment trying to improve upon. That said... Shortly after my wife and I got married, I was working on a hog farm part-time while I wrote the other part of the time. When we found out that we were pregnant, my wife warned me that my writing schedule would probably have to change. I had no idea how true that would be.

See, at the 16-week ultrasound (where we found out we were having a girl), the doctors noticed something on the image. Through the course of about five months and countless tests, we discovered that Willow had a genetic disorder known as Cystic Fibrosis. Upon hearing the news, we did the exactly what the doctor ordered us not to do, and googled what we were going to be dealing with. Suffice it to say that the results weren't pretty. As we talked with the doctors leading up to Willow's birth, then again afterwards, learning how to deal with it all, my entire world shifted.

Suddenly, getting an extra hundred words written didn't seem so important. Suddenly, all the annoying little habits of my wife were more bearable. My life shifted to focus around taking care of this tiny human, keeping her alive no matter what. And, as we're preparing for the birth of Fletcher, that's still where my life is standing.

Please don't misunderstand me, writing is more than a simple hobby to me. But... My goals with my writing have changed. I want to be able to quit my day job and focus fully on writing so that I can be home with my wife and help her take care of Willow (I can attest to the handful of times I've done it: It's exhausting to keep track of all that medication). I want to succeed as an author so I can bring joy to people who are also struggling in this world. I want to be able to give back to the countless individuals who have helped my wife and I along this crazy path.

And... Yeah, that's pretty much me! Thanks for coming along on this journey! I only hope that you enjoy it as much as I do.

Check out my books!

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A ragtag government agency tries to save their jobs... And the world!
Buy now
There's no rest for the weary as the agency's jobs are back on the line!
Buy now
An orc, a dwarf, and an elf walk into a bar. What happens next?
read for free!!!
still free but you can give me money!
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Lead Pyramid Publishing LLC
EIN number 
82-1175335
913.827.3709
leadpyramid@gmail.com