Wait, wait, wait. Another unannounced release out of the blue? What’s the meaning of this?
Fair questions. Howler’s Den is another one of my unplanned ventures. Admittedly, it’s outside my usual style—lighter fantasy, heavily cliché, novelette length. If you’re expecting Xenoforming’s tone, recalibrate.
You see, I have a friend going through some rough times. The type of times I know too well. The type where everything you do seems to result in more negative outcomes. Where you feel like everything you touch turns rotten. Where nothing good seems to be happening, even when it is—you just can’t see it anymore.
I’ve been through those times. And this friend, along with her band of random strays, were the reason I started seeing the world differently.
Howler’s Den is my tribute to that. Not just a novelette that might help people in their darkest moments, but something I can’t put into words with my mouth. So I put it into words on paper instead.
The story follows Cyrie, a young mage whose magic warms and strengthens everyone around her—but doesn’t work on herself. She’s a light for others while standing in the darkness herself. On her journey, she collects a group of stray misfits who just happen to join her travels. Together, they become something none of them could be alone.
Is this story heavily cliché? Yes. Is it revolutionary? Definitely not. But it’s a story that might help someone going through rough times, and that’s enough for me. That’s why I wrote it in a tamer, simpler style than my usual work. Hopefully, this becomes a novelette anyone can pick up—no prerequisites, no heavy lifting required.
Will there be more? I can’t say. I’m not planning to turn Howler’s Den into a series, but our ragtag group could journey through many more adventures. Maybe one day I’ll return to this world. For now, it’s a single story, complete in itself.
You can find the links in the Library section or grab it directly on Amazon.
If you’re in a dark place right now, I hope this helps. And if you’re not—maybe pass it along to someone who is.
See you soon—maybe in a book.
