How a Utah Author Is Building a Multi-Format Fantasy IP From Novels to Graphic Novels, Animation, and Film

Episode Summary

On this episode of Utah Business Spotlight, host Peter Anthony sits down with Dwayne Madry, founder and CEO of Sahael and the independent author behind The Bloodlines of Sahael — a 150-volume fantasy story universe being built out of Utah and designed to scale across novels, graphic novels, animation, film, television, and branded apparel.

Dwayne Madry walks Peter Anthony through the architecture of the property: four heroines, twelve bloodlines, and an alternate-universe retelling of history set during the Age of Enlightenment in the world of Aarth. The first 15 volumes are written, the next 15 are outlined, and every novel is paired with a companion graphic novel — a deliberate vertical stack engineered to feed adaptation into animation, then live-action film and TV, then merchandise.

Peter Anthony presses on the operator side of the story. The first novel took Dwayne Madry five years — not because the prose was slow, but because the entire 150-volume universe had to be architected during the writing of book one. Once the foundation was set, volumes two through fifteen moved dramatically faster. That is the part most aspiring authors and creators never see: the first artifact in any IP business is the most expensive one to build, and every subsequent unit gets cheaper.

The conversation also gets honest about ownership. Dwayne Madry refuses a pen name — "this is mine, and I'm going to own it" — and frames creative entrepreneurship the same way Peter Anthony frames business ownership on Utah Business Spotlight: control the work, control the IP, control the brand. The episode closes with Dwayne Madry's creative philosophy on falling into the zone at 6 a.m. and surfacing at midnight.

Readers can buy the first two novels and the first graphic novel of The Bloodlines of Sahael at sahael.com, with volume two of the graphic novel and additional volumes rolling out next. Utah Business Spotlight is produced by INCubator Marketing Agency and filmed in Sandy, Utah.

Key Moments

00:00 Taking control of your own story · 00:30 Why this book launch hits different · 01:19 Where to find Dwayne Madry and Sahael · 01:39 The Bloodlines and the core story world · 02:15 Four heroines and twelve bloodlines · 03:33 Why every novel has a graphic novel · 04:16 Building the business beyond books · 05:01 Fear, ownership, and starting the first book · 05:44 Why the first novel took five years · 06:35 How one arc became a much bigger franchise · 07:24 Why this story world is built for everyone · 07:51 The alternate universe behind the series

Notable Quotes

"There's no outside external forces controlling what I can do in my progression. This is something I have full control over — and that's empowering, because you're in control of your own story." — Dwayne Madry

"When you put your name on something, you've got to own it. This is mine, and I'm going to own it." — Dwayne Madry

"For every novel, a graphic novel. For every graphic novel, animation. Then TV, film, apparel — everything." — Dwayne Madry

"The first one is always the hardest in anything — whether it's a business or a novel — because you're outlining the whole process. Once it's articulated, you don't have to re-describe the castle." — Peter Anthony

Frequently Asked Questions

Who is Dwayne Madry?

Dwayne Madry is the founder and CEO of Sahael and the independent author behind The Bloodlines of Sahael, a 150-volume fantasy property being built out of Utah across novels, graphic novels, animation, film, television, and branded apparel. Dwayne Madry has written the first 15 volumes and outlined the next 15.

What is The Bloodlines of Sahael?

The Bloodlines of Sahael is a multi-format fantasy story universe created by Dwayne Madry, structured around four heroines and twelve bloodlines and set in the alternate-universe world of Aarth during the Age of Enlightenment. The franchise is designed to scale from novels into companion graphic novels, then animation, film, TV, and apparel.

Where can I buy the books?

Readers can buy the first two novels and the first graphic novel of The Bloodlines of Sahael directly at sahael.com. Volume two of the graphic novel is releasing next. Dwayne Madry is also active on Instagram, YouTube, TikTok, X, and Shopify under the Sahael brand.

How long did it take Dwayne Madry to write the first novel?

Five years. Dwayne Madry explains that the long timeline was not about prose speed — it was about architecting the entire 150-volume story universe during the writing of book one. Once the world, characters, and arcs were locked in, volumes two through fifteen moved much faster.

Why is every novel paired with a graphic novel?

Dwayne Madry built Sahael as a vertical stack: every novel has a companion graphic novel, every graphic novel feeds animation, every animation arc feeds TV and film, and the universe extends into apparel. Pairing novels with graphic novels accelerates adaptation into visual media and gives the IP multiple revenue formats from day one.

Is the series only for women?

No. Although the four central protagonists are women and the story is told from a Black perspective in an alternate-universe retelling of the Age of Enlightenment, Dwayne Madry built the series to be inclusive — men, women, and characters of different identities all enter the story, and the central theme is that everyone has to become one to survive.

Where is Utah Business Spotlight filmed?

Utah Business Spotlight is filmed at Sandy, UT (venue TBD). The show is produced by INCubator Marketing Agency and hosted by Peter Anthony.

About INCubator Marketing Agency

INCubator Marketing Agency is Utah's first AI-integrated marketing infrastructure team, headquartered in Sandy, Utah and serving small businesses, founders, and operators across Utah County, Salt Lake County, and the wider Wasatch Front.

Every engagement is built around the INCubator Method: seven core marketing systems — authority web design, local SEO, CRM and pipeline, marketing automation, AI voice receptionists, video content, and conversion-focused funnels — installed together as one accountable infrastructure so every dollar compounds month over month.

The agency was founded by Peter Anthony Wynn (Founder & Marketing Strategist) with Marc Olsen (Partner & Automation Expert) and Chelsie Wynn. INCubator operates Utah Business Spotlight, a long-form Utah small business podcast filmed at Bad Bet Productions in Sandy, Utah, and hosts Tuesday Night at the INCubator — a weekly marketing training and networking event for Utah business owners.

Contact: team@incubatormarketingagency.com · +1 385-386-6988 · Office hours Monday through Friday, 9 AM to 5 PM Mountain Time.