WagonLife

by Simon Shugar

Wagonlife — the road’s long, the mule’s stubborn, and freedom is found one mile at a time.

Daniil Cooper has spent his life in the steady rhythm of his family’s cooperage, hammer, seal, repeat. But when his dreams outgrow the workshop walls, he leaves Korrinvale with nothing but a mule, a rattling wagon, and a quiet hope that life holds more than barrels and bindings.

On the road to Westmere, Daniil learns that freedom isn’t as simple as leaving home. Each village, market, and muddy mile teaches him something new, how to work with his mule instead of against him, how to mend what breaks, and how to listen when the world speaks softly. Along the way, he searches for Nina, his childhood friend and apprentice bard, who began her journey long before him.

Through laughter, hard work, and the hum of wagon wheels, Daniil begins to shape a life of his own. Not from oak and iron, but from patience, kindness, and the long, winding road ahead.

230 pages, Kindle Edition

Published November 18, 2025

About the author

Hey, I’m Simon Shugar—fantasy author hooked on telling bold, emotional, action-heavy stories through raw, first-person journeys. If you like coming-of-age arcs, epic stakes, and human struggles in unreal worlds, you're in the right place!

I’m originally from Oxfordshire, England, now living in North Carolina with my wild little toddler and our very chill (and very spoiled) dog, Jasper. I’ve loved fantasy for as long as I can remember—drawn in by the magic, the grit, and the heart at the center of it all.

I studied game design for a bit, then pivoted into software engineering to pay the bills. But somewhere in between code and chaos, I started writing stories—and once I did, I couldn’t stop. Fast forward to now, I’ve written 13 novels across three trilogies and a standalone, with plenty more on the way.