3 Weeks left until Lion of Zarall release day! I can’t describe how excited I am. I’ve got some news, updates and surprises today. Let’s start with the biggest one:

I wrote a short story!

I had this idea in my mind for so long, so when I had a moment while on an extended holiday, I just had to put it on paper.

This short story is set in the same universe as Lion of Zarall. It serves as a bit of a prequel, though it doesn’t have to be read before Lion of Zarall. Readers can just start with Lion of Zarall, and read the short story later, or not at all (Yeah I know I’m not a great salesperson).

The title of the short story is – drumrolls – A Taste of Blade and Roar.

A Taste of Blade and Roar is set 4 years before the events of Lion of Zarall and it features Lion’s very first fight at the Switchblade Arena as a young purebred beast. If you’ve read the blurb of Lion of Zarall, you will know Lion is the King’s champion beast. A Taste of Blade and Roar is when he was first bought by the King, and long before he became the King’s Lion of Zarall. The story establishes some of the world building concepts and answers some questions about Lion’s past. It sheds more insight into Lion’s relationship with Badimar. And it sets the general tone and themes of the Twilight of Blood series.

I’ve already made the decision to release this short story for free to my newsletter subscribers. And the release date is 21st January 2025. I’m aiming early 2025 for the book 2, so this short story will be a nice little snack as you wait.

But that’s not all.

As an incentive, anyone who preordered Lion of Zarall will receive A Taste of Blade and Roar a month early on December 25th! ARC readers who already own a copy of Lion of Zarall can also receive it early if they post their reviews by December 3rd.

---

Other news/updates

I’m hosting a HUGE Giveaway on Goodreads. Giving away 100 copies of Lion of Zarall. Kindle only and open to US only. To enter, all you have to do is add Lion of Zarall to your Goodreads ‘Want to Read’ list. Giveaway ends on November 29th. Click the button below to enter.

---

I’m on Substack.

I only recently started and I’m spending more and more time on this platform and I’m really enjoying it. If you’re not on Substack yet, definitely have a look. It’s a rapidly growing platform.

If you’re wondering what Substack is, well, I’ll describe it my way. It’s an online platform where readers can subscribe to very original and interesting newsletters on any topic you can think of, and discover new writers. It also allows readers to comment and communicate directly to the writers, join discussions, and restack posts with their own thoughts. I love the interactions on Substack.

I haven’t yet decided on a posting schedule, but I’m thinking about using the platform to be more spontaneous and unpredictable. I’ll post on the go and write whatever comes to mind. Check out my Substack here.

---

Next week, I have a character art reveal!

I commissioned an artist a while ago to do a character art of Lion. I’ve been holding onto this piece for a while now. I can’t wait to share it next week. Here’s a little teaser 🙂

Next week, same day, same time. Get ready to meet Lion 🙂