Stories Forged in Ink & Ash — Tales of courage, memory, and the magic between us.

Welcome—and thanks for stopping by.

This is where I share the stories I’m writing, the lessons I’m learning, and the occasional adventure that refuses to leave me alone.

Whether you’re here because you enjoy fantasy, found one of my essays, or simply wondered who Dennis D. Montoya is, I hope you discover something that makes you smile, think, or see the world a little differently.

Make yourself at home and take a look around. In Forge Notes, you’ll find my latest essays and writing updates. Below, I’ll share what I’m currently working on, along with a story or excerpt as a small thank-you for stopping by.

I hope you enjoy your visit.

Currently at the Forge

I’m revising The Prophecy of the Bell while outlining new stories about courage, memory, and connection. I’m currently querying literary agents and continuing to submit short fiction and personal essays to magazines and writing competitions. Between revisions, submissions, and late-night bursts of inspiration, it’s been a rewarding season of building a writing career one story at a time.

Not every story finds its way to a magazine or contest. Some remain works in progress, waiting for the right time. This is one of them.

A Proper Home

The house was larger than anything Izzabel had known, and it made her feel like an unwanted guest. Even the air felt different inside it, cooler, cleaner, as though it had been polished to match the furniture. Her mother stepped over the threshold first, smoothing her skirt with hands that wouldn’t quite settle, her face bright in a way Izzy had never seen before, not joy exactly, but relief, like finding a safe harbor in a storm of uncertainty.

“Look at this,” her mother whispered, touching the banister as if it might vanish beneath her fingers. “A proper home. Something I’ve only dreamed about. Can you imagine?”

Izzy stood just inside the door with their single trunk at her feet, listening to the sound the floor made when she shifted her weight listening, but no creaking or groaning, just solid and steady. The kind of steady that didn’t feel like a warning. She nodded, though she wasn’t sure exactly what she was agreeing to.

Stories begin as ideas, grow through countless revisions, and sometimes find their way into novels, magazines, or contests. If you’d like to hear about new stories, writing updates, or upcoming projects, you’re welcome to join me.