Announcing "Son of the Thunder Goddess"

An epic fantasy novella coming early 2025

Hi everyone,

I’m excited to announce my debut fantasy novella, Son of the Thunder Goddess, and share some preliminary details with you in this newsletter update.

This novella is the first in a planned series called The Lays of Athewain, and will follow the adventures of Athewain as he traverses the deadly, treacherous lands of Logren in a setting heavily inspired by Celtic Britain.

Here is the book blurb:

EVEN GODS DIE.

The city of Bridunum is besieged.

Saorlach the demigod leads an army of thousands to its walls, eager to pillage and kill. Covered from head to toe in tattooed runes, he bears the blessing of the gods themselves. No weapon can pierce his skin.

One by one, Saorlach challenges the champions of Bridunum, taunting and killing them at will. Heroes fall. Morale weakens. Saorlach’s victory is imminent.

Only one man can stand against him.

Athewain, a lowly shepherd of Logren’s countryside, longs for a life of heroic adventure. When Saorlach’s warriors slaughter his village, he sets out on a quest for vengeance, assisted by an ancient, long-forgotten god known only as the Maker.

Now, Athewain must wield the power of this unknown deity to defeat his divinely-protected enemy and thwart his bloody dreams of conquest.

But there are enemies within Bridunum as well as without. And the gods, once angered, do not forgive.

If Athewain fails, his dream of justice dies with him. And all of Logren will fall to ruin.

Son of the Thunder Goddess is an epic fantasy novella inspired by the myth and history of Celtic, Iron-Age Britain. It features feuding gods, immersive worldbuilding, and epic, visceral battles.

Right now, the manuscript is complete at 19,000 words and should be about 50-60 paperback pages when printed. I don’t have a specific release date yet, but I’m aiming for first quarter of 2025. I’m working with a highly experienced copyeditor and proofreader named Robin Fuller and should be finished all edits by early November. I’m also beginning a collaboration with a talented graphic artist to produce some awesome fantasy art for the cover. Hopefully, I’ll be able to show you all the cover in next month’s newsletter.

That’s all I’ve got for this author update. Now, I’d love to hear from you. Does this book blurb intrigue you? Are you interested in the possibility of being part of the launch team and receiving an advance reader copy? Let me know by replying to this email.