I’m so pleased to share the cover for the final book in The Wolves of Kanta series!
Writing and releasing this series over the past year in a rapid-release format has been an incredible experience. At times it was so inspiring to have such a regular release schedule, and at other times it was terrifying. When I first started this journey, the only full-length book I had indie published was The Impostor and Other Dark Tales. It was definitely a bumpy road to start, but I slowly got into a pattern and a routine. I started with republishing The She-Wolf of Kanta with additional scenes and, over the past year, added an additional four books under my belt.
Next week, The Howl of Kanta will release, making the full number of full-length books I’ve written ten.
I won’t lie, since I finished reviewing the edits and uploaded all the files for Howl of Kanta, I’ve been antsy. It’s weird to not have an already planned book to be working on, a plot laid out before me to write, or an already decided character journey to explore. It’s strange to think about creating a new world with new characters, but it’s something I’ve also wanted to do for a few months now. For now, I’m giving myself the time and space to think and reflect before I dive into my next project. I’ve already got an idea of what that will be, but I want to make sure my palette is fully cleansed before I tackle a very different world.
Moving forward, I’ll probably slow down to a two books a year release schedule. It was very difficult balancing this while also working full-time and trying to maintain any kind of a social life. I have a huge amount of respect for people who can manage this at this pace for years at a time, or who even manage to publish a book a month. I’m in absolute awe. But I’ve tried it now and learned it’s a little too fast-paced for me. I like having a little more downtime, at least at this stage of my life.
Overall I’m extremely proud of this series and this world. I can’t wait to find out what people think of the final book and I look forward to the surprise at the end and where that might lead next.
If you haven’t already, pre-order your copy of The Howl of Kanta below, or begin with the book that started it all: The She-Wolf of Kanta. Enter a world filled with mad scientists, vicious hunters, and werewolves.
I’m so thrilled to share that it’s the book birthday of The Hunters of Kanta, Book 3 in The Wolves of Kanta series!
Mercy and Andrei are headed to Crowsmirth in this action-packed book. Now that they have a new way to combat werewolves, they have to seek out the werewolf camps deep in the woods. That proves difficult when they only have so much daylight and the night is full of terrors.
Mercy not only has to deal with some vicious werewolves in this book, but some people who are far worse. The werewolf hunters are in their own way just as terrible as the werewolves they hunt, and Mercy and her friends have to figure out how to survive despite the danger that surrounds them.
The Hunters of Kanta is now available in ebook, paperback, and hardback! Expect to see signed copies available soon on my Ko-Fi shop!
THE HUNTERS OF KANTA
Mercy is on a mission.
She plans to administer her partial cure to as many werewolves as she can find, giving them a new chance at life. That means leaving Kanta and convincing werewolves of her good intentions. But finding their campsites during the day isn’t easy.
Hot on the heels of a large camp somewhere near Crowsmirth, Mercy and Andrei get side-tracked by an unexpected rescue mission. They soon learn that there are far more werewolves in those woods than they expected. They’re outnumbered, completely unprepared for the sheer numbers against them, and worse yet, running out of daylight.
Desperate to get out of the forest before night falls and the slaughter begins, they run straight into a team of highly organized werewolf hunters.
Surrounded by vicious killers and countless werewolves, can Mercy and her friends survive the long night in Crowsmirth?
It was 2018 and the reviews were pouring in for my first ever solo publication: The She-Wolf of Kanta published under Aurelia Leo. Readers loved it. They loved Mercy, the dystopian world, the werewolves… the only consistent critique they had was that it was too short. They wanted more!
At first I laughed it off, not sure how I could possibly continue the story. The book was a labor of love eked out an hour at a time in the early morning hours before work. I was writing mostly during the #5amWritersClub on Twitter. I wasn’t sure where I could possibly take the story next even though I had to admit that I left the ending wide open for a sequel. Then the Stolen series got picked up by Parliament House Press and I was swept away in a year full of books, deadlines, and an exciting, busy convention schedule. I came out with Broken, the sequel to Stolen, and the standalone horror novel, The Seeking. I got to be a much faster writer when I was on a deadline and surprised myself with how much I could output when I focused on my writing.
In the midst of all this excitement, the pandemic struck. I had two books come out in 2020 and both struggled to get the same attention that Stolen had in 2019. Big author discovery events like Decatur Book Festival and BookCon got cancelled for good. That summer I also had a different small press close down in the middle of releasing an anthology I was part of. I had just done a bunch of promo for them leading up to release expected that fall. Unfortunately, the owner had a very upsetting meltdown in a public forum online and thankfully closed out the press over the following week. It was very disheartening.
In 2021, the Stolen series closed out with Chosen and I decided to try self-publishing my first book that autumn. In summer, I was informed that She-Wolf would soon be available to renew with Aurelia Leo, or I could have the rights revert back to me. Feeling nervous at the prospect of taking on a new self-publishing project, but determined to learn how to do this, I decided to go for it!
The Wolves of Kanta series
All this history is to say that it wasn’t a single moment that lead to this series becoming a reality, but a series of moments, from wins to disappointments. They all added up. Throughout the pandemic I tried my best to learn the ins and outs of self-publishing and how to be an indie author. I worked hard on my skillset and used The Impostor as my first test publication.
Throughout that time, I thought long and hard about Mercy’s story and her struggles. I realized where I wanted her story to go and how it could get there. I knew that self-publishing this series was going to be ambitious and certainly difficult, especially since I was doing all the work of a writer and a publisher by myself. But I knew I could do it if I just stayed dedicated to it.
Four years after its first release date, She-Wolf has been turned into a 5-book series that I’m rapid releasing over 2022-2023. Each book is still very difficult and time consuming to put together, but I’m so happy with the final product! Every book I release I get a little bit better at this whole self-publishing thing. Or at least, I hope I do!
As you can probably guess, I’m super proud to give a big, happy release day to The Blood of Kanta, the long-awaited sequel to She-Wolf! I think you’ll enjoy how dangerous Mercy’s story has turned.
The Blood of Kanta is now available in ebook wherever books are sold! Paperbacks and hardbacks are on their way too.
This is definitely one of the most unique werewolf stories I’ve read and I love the sciencey vibes entwined!
Candace Robinson, Bestselling author
I love werewolf stories. But this is such a refreshingly different take on werewolves. If you’ve read book one, The She-Wolf of Kanta, and enjoyed it, then get ready to have your mind blown with book two, The Blood of Kanta, which is even better than the first one!! I can’t wait to see what happens with Mercy next!!
Donna, Goodreads Reader
The Blood of Kanta
Book 2 of The Wolves of Kanta series
Mercy must unlearn her past if she hopes to find her future.
After eluding hunters who wanted her dead, Mercy finds herself in a strange new place to call home. With the help of the bizarre Thomas Farrell and the mysterious Leyda, she discovers how different the world is from what her father taught. The violence of her past still haunts her, but the truth she uncovers rattles her core.
Mercy must put her past and fears behind her, unlearn what she once believed to be doctrine, and uncover her true capabilities as a burgeoning scientist if she hopes to make a difference in Kanta. Drawn to the laboratory and to caring for the werewolves she once worked so hard to capture, Mercy discovers her own true passions instead of those demanded of her.
When Andrei, a young, handsome werewolf, enters her life, Mercy sees firsthand the harsh realities of the werewolves she once demonized.
She wants to help, but does Mercy have the courage and the wits to do the impossible?
It’s hard to believe that Stolen has been out in the world for three solid years! It seems like it was a hope and a dream on my harddrive just a little while ago.
I remember when I wrote the first book I was so scared about sharing the characters with the world. I was worried what people would think about Shaleigh, Mawr, Colin, Teagan, and Talek. It’s one thing to have characters living in your head and maybe know a handful of people who had read your book or know details, but seeing it live in the world where anybody could pick it up and read it… that was a whole different level!
The outpouring of love this series has received over the years has blown me away. I’ve had people message me directly, write incredible reviews, and tell me it’s one of their favorite series. That kind of affection was something I only dreamed of years ago when I was desperately trying to find a home for this intimate tale.
I wanted Shaleigh’s story to be personal, something that would connect with readers, something that would be filled with incredible scenery, beautiful vistas, and faraway lands–but also be a comfort book. I wanted it to be a story that people returned to because they wanted to spend time with the characters again. Or they wanted to reread to see if there were any clues early on. Or a story they pull off the shelf like a warm blanket out of a hope chest.
Three years later and I still have such a love for this world and these characters. I definitely want to return to them again at some point. I’ve been writing occasional shorts and making plans on scraps of paper, but not daring to put too much time into it yet. I know how easy it can be to fall into a new work in progress! But I wanted to take a moment today to reflect on this series because even though the trilogy has ended it is still very much a part of me and my future plans.
Happy cover reveal to the first book in The Wolves of Kanta series: The She-Wolf of Kanta!
This book has had such a long history, being the first physical solo book of mine to ever hold in my hands. After getting the rights back after its small press run, I wanted to really give this story the artistic attention it deserved. I have to say that Harvest Moon Designs absolutely blew me out of the water with their talent at bringing to life not just this cover, but the next four books in the series. I wish I could show them all to you now, but you’ll just have to wait until closer to release dates!
This edition of The She-Wolf of Kanta has been expanded from the previous version, and I’m working on getting a brand new expanded map as well since the world of Kanta gets more fleshed out and built up over these books. I’m super proud of this release and I’m excited to be able to share my second self-published book!
The She-Wolf of Kanta is currently available to pre-order wherever ebooks are sold, and will soon be available as a paperback and hardback.
The She-Wolf of Kanta
Book 1 of the Wolves of Kanta Series
The daughter of a werewolf hunter will become so much more.
Thirteen-year-old Mercy Pinkerton thought her days of cleaning house, fixing the barricade, and wiring electric prongs were over. She would finally get to train to be a werewolf hunter, what she has always wanted.
She doesn’t know that there are worse monsters in Kanta than the werewolves that plague Kanta each night. Danger lurks around every corner. She’ll have to avoid her father’s temper and follow his orders, even if it means risking her life.
It is supposed to be Mercy’s big day, but will take a drastic turn for the worse. She’ll have to keep her wits about her, remember her training, and prepare for the ultimate test of bravery if she hopes to survive.
The She-Wolf of Kanta is a re-release of the acclaimed novella, now expanded into Book 1 in The Wolves of Kanta series.
