About the Book

Book: Chaos Woods, Chronicles of the Ever-Guise, Book I

Author: Scott T. Barnes

Genre: Young Adult Fantasy

Release Date: November 14, 2025

After a thieves’ auction goes wrong, young barmaid Telyn Brower winds up with a shard from a magical mask.

Only one problem: In this world, humans are forbidden to use magic. In fact, they’re the only sentient beings without any innate magical powers.

That doesn’t stop Telyn and her friends from using the mask to improve life in their isolated mountain town of Harlech.

At first, the changes seem small. Helpful. Necessary.

But good intentions only carry them so far.

Soon, lies begin to surface. Trust erodes. With every spell they cast, the mask tightens its grip. The power is seductive, addictive. The consequences are dangerous.

As the subjugation of humans intensifies and enemies draw near, the only way out seems to lie deep in the Chaos Woods—an ancient forest where magic itself bends and frays.

To survive, the friends must face the cost of their choices and decide whether they can truly trust one another.

Discover the young adult fantasy Chaos Woods, rated 4.8 out of 5 stars by IndieReader, and described as “an ambitious, character-driven fantasy.”

Click here to get your copy!

About the Author

An afficionado of small towns, forests, and mountains, you can find Scott T. Barnes writing in coffee shops all over Southern California. Scott won the Writers of the Future Award for his story “Insect Sculptor.” His contemporary fantasy, Memories of Lucinda Eco, set in Baja California, received a coveted “Editor’s Pick” from BookLife, while his epic fantasy Chaos Woods earned 4.8 out of 5 stars from IndieReader. Kirkus Reviews called it, “An absorbing, character-driven YA tale of camaraderie and redemption.”

More from Scott

One of the things that makes the fantasy genre so powerful, so important even, is that it often deals with existential questions, especially life versus death and good versus evil. Many other genres shy away from such question, or pretend that evil is, in fact, “relative.”

However, sharing the same stakes also means that many fantasy tales may come to resemble one another a little too much.

For Chaos Woods, I wanted to do something a little bit different. Given that the main character winds up with a magical mask, it did not take long to realize that the primary stakes of this story would be truth versus lies. This realization made the writing of the story much easier. Conflict and confrontation came easily through the turning of these two poles. This led IndieReader in a 4.8/5-star review to remark, “Scott T. Barnes delivers a richly imagined, character-driven coming-of-age fantasy that balances cozy adventure with thoughtful themes of morality, addiction, and the consequences of one’s choices.”

In addition to unique stakes, there is a lot of me in this tale. I grew up in a gold-mining town, surrounded by fields and live oak stands, and the mountains, forests, and small-town vibe enrich Telyn’s adventures. I hope the reader finds the Chaos Woods a place they want to visit again and again.

Interview with the Author

What was one of the most surprising things you learned in creating your book?

When I talk with readers, they love Chaos Woods’ opening scene. I actually considered cutting this because I wasn’t sure it worked. I was over-thinking it. (Would the characters really act this way? Is the dialog realistic? Is there too much coincidence? Etc.) Thankfully, I went with my instinct rather than my intellect and kept the scene.

Do you hear from your readers much? What kinds of things do they say?

I just got back from exhibiting for three days at WonderCon and met several fans there. The most common comments are along the lines of: “Where do you come up with this?” “How did you get such an imagination?” and “This was really original.” This makes me very happy because, while it is virtually impossible to write something completely original, I always try to put a unique twist on the story, the world, and the characters.

How do you overcome writer’s block? Do you have any advice for others in finding their process to overcome it?

I believe in the battering ram approach. Writers block does not actually mean you cannot write; it means that you are afraid of writing garbage. Your brain recoils at the idea of producing something mediocre.

Tell yourself you are playing a game, and you are going to write the worst, most cliché dialog anyone has ever written. Have fun with it. Hammer out nonsense words and stupid dialog. Make one of your characters talk about the weather and say “like” all the time. Whatever works. Pretty soon, your fingers will be flying, writers block defeated.

Do you read the genre you write? Why or why not?

Yes. I adore the sense of wonder that fantasy and science fiction writers create, and I also find that these genres deal with big, existential issues such as good versus evil, life versus death, freedom versus tyranny. Chaos Woods puts a unique twist on this, with the theme of Truth versus Lies.

How did you come up with the title for your book?

I don’t remember. I wrote the first draft of Chaos Woods when I was in college. It was a completely different story with completely different characters. Only the setting and the Spring Sale remain of those early drafts.

What’s your favorite writing snack, drink, and/or music?

I do most of my writing in coffee shops, and I always order a double espresso. This reminds me of the magical years when I lived in France.

What is the most valuable piece of advice you’ve been given about writing?

Put words down on paper. Write.

Do you participate in writing challenges on social media? Why or why not?

With two children and a full time job, I do no have time to take on any challenges outside of writing my novels and working with my publicity team to try to sell them.

How did publishing your first book change your writing process?

I keep trying to write faster while also improving my prose. A great piece of advice I received from Kris Rusche was that you learn more by writing your next story than by revising this story. So true. My first novel took two years to write. Chaos Woods took one year. The sequel, Chaos Empire, will be done in around 10 months. And I think each novel is better than the last. The difference is experience.

Is your writing space pristine or organized chaos?

My home is organized chaos. When I look around there, all I see are unfinished projects, which makes it very difficult to concentrate on writing. That’s one reason I do most of my writing in coffee shops where I don’t have the mess making me feel guilty all the time.