D.T. Bella is an Australian indie author best known for his delightful genre blend of steampunk, fairy-run kingdoms, and classic detective mystery. His fantasy–mystery hybrid series, The Rychilla Cases, follows a fairy detective navigating magical technology, political intrigue, and murder in a richly built steampunk world.
His published books include:
Bella’s stories are shaped by a lifetime love of mysteries and a fascination with fantasy worlds that merge technology and magic. His distinct style grows from influences like Sherlock Holmes, Agatha Christie, and The Legend of Zelda, but transforms them into something entirely his own.
Today, we go deeper into his writing journey, inspirations, worldbuilding process, and philosophy on creativity.
Who Is D.T. Bella? A Look at the Author Behind the Steampunk Fairy Detective
D.T. Bella describes his lifelong connection to writing simply:
“I’ve always wanted to be a writer, as far as I can remember… I remember writing original stories back then.”
Born and living in Australia, Bella writes while balancing full-time work and family life, which he openly shares as a central challenge:
“I work full-time. So between that and family commitments, I just have to write when I can.”
His books center around Yaetherim, a fairy detective whose investigations uncover murder, corruption, and magical secrets in a kingdom where steam tech and spellcraft coexist.
Bella’s mission as an author is simple and sincere:
“I hope that readers enjoy my books, and that they find them entertaining. Perhaps it will lead to more blending of genres, like how I have.”
Early Inspirations: From Hardy Boys to Zelda to Steampunk Mysteries
One of the most intriguing insights from the interview is the layered nature of Bella’s creative influences.
On the mystery side:
“Initially the Hardy Boys, then Sherlock Holmes and Agatha Christie later on.”
On the fantasy side:
“My main influence would be videogames, especially the Legend of Zelda series. Especially the way that they blend technology and magic together. This is a major element in my books.”
This synthesis of classic detective structure and fantastical worldbuilding is exactly what makes his books stand out. It taps into a principle we explore in our WriteStats research, particularly in our article Why Readers Cry, Laugh, and Re-Read: The Brain Science Behind Emotional Stories—readers connect powerfully with familiar emotional patterns mixed with surprising worlds. Bella’s work delivers both.
The Writing Process: Creativity Through Handwriting
Unlike many digital-native authors, Bella writes his manuscripts by hand using a Remarkable two tablet:
“There’s something about handwriting that opens up my creativity.”
His workflow is refreshingly analogue-meets-tech:
- Write first drafts on Remarkable 2
- Convert handwriting to text
- Compile drafts in Joplin, synced across devices
- Export into OpenOffice for editing
This tactile approach aligns with research showing handwriting can improve cognitive processing and creative flow.
Publishing Journey: Wide Distribution Done Right
Bella publishes wide rather than Amazon-exclusive. His platform choices are strategic and effective:
- Amazon KDP
- IngramSpark (print)
- Draft2Digital (ebooks)
- Google Play Books
Why wide?
“I decided on a wide approach, to get as much coverage as possible.”
His reasoning is technically sound, too:
“Ingram and Draft2Digital handle distribution into multiple bookstores… they act as a single point of contact, which makes things simpler.”
This is a strong example of indie authors using infrastructure intelligently to expand reach while maintaining control.
Tools, Formatting, and Platform Experience
For formatting, Bella uses Reedsy:
“I use Reedsy to format my book… both in ebook and print formats.”
His experience with all platforms has been positive:
“I’ve had a smooth experience with all the publishing platforms I’ve used.”
This kind of feedback is invaluable for our upcoming WriteStats Publishers Directory.
The Challenges: Time, Balance, and Staying Motivated
The biggest struggle for Bella is one that many authors share:
“My main one is finding time for writing.”
So how does he stay motivated when it gets hard?
“I don’t like leaving things unfinished. I’m able to use that to convince myself to keep going.”
A deceptively simple but powerful strategy.
A Firm Stance on AI in Creative Work
Bella is outspoken about AI tools in the creative process:
“I am against using AI tools.”
He elaborates:
“Generative AI… cannot create anything new. It can only remix what it has already seen, which is the antithesis of creativity. It also relies on uncompensated work from actual authors and artists.”
His view aligns with an increasing number of indie authors who want guarantees of ethical sourcing, control of their work, and artistic authenticity.
Inside Book Two: Embers of Doubt
Bella’s second book deepens the steampunk-fantasy mystery world he created.
His description of Embers of Doubt is rich with tension, stakes, and investigative intrigue:
“Yaetherim thought he had no further business with the College of Mages… But while assessing the candidates, a fire breaks out… evidence the fire was more intentional than it seemed.”
And as more danger unfolds:
“Hopefully before someone else dies.”
His series promises classic whodunit pacing wrapped in an imaginative world of fairies, mages, and arcane technology.
Why Readers Connect with D.T. Bella’s Work
Bella’s writing appeals to readers who love:
- Mystery structure
- Fantasy worlds
- Genre mashups
- Cozy but clever detective stories
- Magical tech and imaginative systems
- Strong emotional hooks without grimdark edges
This lines up with what our neuroscience-based research shows: readers bond deeply with stories that provide emotional pattern recognition, curiosity loops, and comforting structure—principles explored in our WriteStats article Why Readers Cry, Laugh, and Re-Read. Bella’s approach satisfies these psychological drivers.
Final Thoughts: D.T. Bella’s Literary Legacy in the Making
What stands out most about D.T. Bella is not only his worldbuilding but his sincerity. He writes because he loves stories, puzzles, and imagination. He publishes because he wants readers to enjoy what he creates. And he hopes his work inspires more genre blending in the future.
His books exemplify what indie authors do best: build new worlds, new hybrids, new stories that traditional publishing doesn’t always take risks on.
Bella is carving out a unique space in fantasy-mystery fiction, and we cannot wait to see where The Rychilla Cases goes next.
