I spent around 9 months on a book (6 promoting and editing it), only to unpublish it a month later, along with all my other books (again).
I intended for Vows of Shadow to be the beginning of a series that I was planning to continue for several years. But things changed.
A few years ago, I had decided to stop writing. Or publishing, at least. Not only did I no longer have much time for it, but I had found my faith in God again, and decided that those books contained things I didn’t want to spread out in the world anymore. I wanted to be better and different. It took a lot of willpower because all of my written works have taken so much time and effort, but I gradually unpublished everything.
I let it go.
So a couple of years ago, I got on an anxiety med that (as they sometimes do) altered my thinking a bit. I didn’t really realize it, but eventually I found myself writing this very rambling dark fantasy erotica work that was very self-indulgent, and since I liked it and saw potential for it to be ongoing, I decided to publish it.
I set the release date for December 2, and spent 6 months promoting and editing. And during that time, I found out I was pregnant again. Unexpectedly… So, when I found out, I came off my med. And my real self began to come back a bit.
Even though my re-established beliefs began to nag me about publishing this book nearer to the date I had set to publish, I had already promised it, and had gone so far to work on it. I convinced myself it was okay for me to do, even though my conscience was trying to tell me otherwise.
After the release of the book, I had intended to keep promoting it, but I didn’t. My head was too full of other things, and eventually, the med truly cleared from my brain and I gained my resolve again. So, I now feel that I have published something I shouldn’t have. I have unpublished Vows of Shadow, along with all of my previous works (again).
I’m just not that person truly, and was always afraid to let it be my real self while I was writing. Which is why I used a pseudonym.
So if you purchased/read the book, I feel I did you a disservice. Now I need to focus more once again on my faith and my family, and likely won’t be touching that particular med again…
After hearing back from a few ARC readers, I decided to perform another massive edit on Vows of Shadow to try to reduce the word count a bit.
I was told it was too long, that the detail in the writing seemed to repeat at times when I’d already made my point. It’s true, it is a slower read than others, and I also understand that not every book is for every person. But I do agree that the book drags a bit, so I’ve been working to fix it.
Every reader has been nice about it, and the feedback hasn’t been terrible, but also not as good as I would like. So! I decided to cut the text down a bit. I did this a few different ways. I edited the text in general but I also searched for chunks that seemed unnecessary, or that I could reduce and combine with another section.
My goal was to cut it from 250k to 200k, but I didn’t quite get there. I got it down to 225k, which is still significant.
In addition to all the ways I cut the text down, I also ADDED, which seems crazy, but I decided to add 7 short interludes that give a bit of foreshadowing and I believe they help move the story forward.
All that said, I’m still on track to publish December 2, 2025 like I planned. I have the paperback ready to go and I have a hardback copy on the way to me (which I published with Barnes and Noble press because Amazon wouldn’t print a hardback for my page count).
Now that all that is ready to go, I can work on book 2 again! (more on that later)
I posted on Instagram about this, but I thought I’d add a bit more about it here.
After seeing a few reviews from ARC readers, I’ve decided to go back in and edit Vows of Shadow once more in an attempt to make the book a little shorter, and I want to do this in 2 ways: I want to remove a bit of the descriptive language — in general and especially in between some of the dialogue. In addition, I think that there are portions in later chapters that I can combine in order to also cut some of it. (I had actually tried to do this way earlier, but thought it might be too much work to untangle what I had already done, so I left it alone.) But I can also see that if I get bored reading certain sections, then a reader is going to get bored too.
So, I’m going to change some things up and hope for the best.
The reviews I have seen have not been bad, but they are also not as great as I would like. Some said they liked it, but it was a little too much, and others praised the writing but that it was also too much and made the story slower at times.
I’m okay with it. It’s part of putting yourself out there as a writer. But i want to listen to what readers are saying.
One thing I used to struggle with in my writing (and I got better at but apparently I still struggle with after taking a break) is deleting any of my text after I write it. So for example, I may write a paragraph and later rewrite it, yet I can’t bring myself to delete what I wrote before, so I try to make them both work somehow. So then, I have paragraphs that say almost the same thing because I can’t bring myself to get rid it it… BUT! I’m going to do it. I’ve made a new file so technically I’m not losing anything, but I’m going to take the new file and cut cut cut!
One reviewer felt that there were too many intimate scenes, but I don’t think I’m willing to cut those. Leila is a very sexual character, and the intimacy is also a big part of her dynamic with Drazan especially, so that will likely stay as it is. I’ll admit that this work is a highly indulgent piece for me. I think I’ve mentioned before that where I am usually plot focused, this time I went forward with more character focus. So those who are looking for the plot…the plot is Leila Morana.
So that is what I am currently working on. I have 6 weeks left…
Pray for me.
As of now, this is not going to delay the release date. It is still set for Dec 2, 2025, but I will know about that as I continue to work, to see if it needs to be delayed.
I really want this book to succeed, so I’m trying to do anything I can. Okay! Back to work!
I didn’t post it here, but I ran an ARC copy signup on my mailing list and through Instagram. I filled it in about a week with 125 people. We’ll see how that goes, and I’ll see if I want to do another round after I hear from a few people about the book.
So exciting! I’ve released several books, but I’ve never sent our ARC copies before. I’m so excited and nervous to see what readers think about Vows of Shadow. It’s so strange to think that someone could be reading it right now, judging it, and I have no idea what they are thinking…
As the author, it’s difficult to know how a reader will see your work. You know what you hope, but never if you’ve actually done it until they tell you…
I’ve heard that some people were enjoying it, but I’ve also heard that it’s too long… I guess it depends what you expect to get out of it. This book is not getting read in a day for sure.
I have mentioned that I will edit a book over and over and change something every time. I always think ‘That could be better’ or ‘I could add that here’ or ‘uh oh, there’s a mistake…’ I try, but unless I finally decide to put it down, I will change something EVERY TIME. I’m reading Vows of Shadow once more even as ARC copies are out, and yes I am still changing things…but nothing major. After this round, I think I’ll take a break though. I want to start working on Book 2 again.
At this point, I am still considering if I need to cut the book down… I’m really unsure. But as of now, the layouts are complete for the ebook, paperback, and hardback. (I’m waiting on the hardback copy to get to me so I can have a look at it.)
I’ve commissioned an artist to create a legitimate piece of art for Vows of Shadow, featuring Leila and Drazan so I’m very excited to see that when it’s ready!
Book 2 in The Hollow Queen series is also well underway, but I’m not going to talk about that yet. Still a long way to go on that way, but I’m determined that it will be even better than the first.
Less than 6 weeks until Vows of Shadow is live! December 2, 2025!
I recently shared this on Instagram, but I need to share it here as well. Here is the official cover for Vows of Shadow! I love it! (Designed by yours truly) I decided to go with something discreet after asking for opinions, and this is what I came up with. I hope you like it! The ebook is up for preorder now on Amazon. The paperback will not be up for preorder, but it will be released a week or two early to account for shipping.
When the last daughter of a fallen house is claimed by the warlord who burned her world, Leila Morana steps into a marriage forged in fire and shadows.
Beneath his keep lies an ancient darkness, whispering promises of power. To survive, she must take it into herself—and decide whether she will be Drazan Virel’s queen… or his undoing.
In a court ruled by fear, where every vow is a weapon, Leila’s ambition ignites. Her bond with the warlord becomes a battlefield of its own—one of desire, dominance, and dangerous equality. And while rival forces gather in the dark, she must decide how far she will go to protect her crown… even if it means becoming the very thing they fear.
Darkly sensual and richly imagined, Vows of Shadow is the first book in a sweeping fantasy series of ambition, intimacy, and divine power. For readers who crave ruthless heroines, tangled loyalties, and romance that burns as fiercely as war.
The gods may watch. The lords may kneel. But only one woman will rise.
I am working on formatting a hardback copy as well through Barnes and Noble. As it stands, it has slightly too many pages to qualify for hardback on Amazon, but I’m still editing, so who knows.
This books has approximately 250k words, so it’s quite hefty. A lot of that is owing to the fact that I went heavy on the spice. (Currently wondering what percentage of the book is just spice…though there is a lot of character and relationship building that occurs, and a lot of post conversations.)
While we’re here, I’ll make mention of how The Hollow Queen series differs a bit from books I have written in the past. I may have already mentioned this in another post, but after taking a break from writing and coming back after 5 years, I’ve grown, I’ve changed perspective on writing in general, and a few things are different this time.
Also, I’m pretty sure Dark Romance was not really its own subcategory back then…
1.) There is strong sexual content throughout. Previously, I’ve always had some sort of romance subplot and leaned into gothic and horror stories. I definitely leaned more erotic in stories like Dark Depths and The Hallowed, even The Nutcracker Bleeds. But this one ramps it up. We don’t start with falling in love, and Leila is a very desirous character (which does connect to the plot in a way.)
2.) Usually when I write a book, I focus mostly on plot. The plot, or even the twist, are often formed first, and the the characters fit in within the lines of the plot and the things that I intend for them to do to get from point A to point B. This time, the story is more character focused I think, based more on the character of Leila Morana and the way her life unfolds as she gains power. I had begun to do this in a smaller way when I was writing The Mark of Thorn, which I had planned for 5 books (and still only has 2). That one focused on several character stories all converging together in a dark fantasy fairytale world. The Hollow Queen is like that in a way, where I am focusing on the characters and the world as I carry on the story. This seems like the only way I can get numerous books out of a series. Otherwise it will seem like I am tagging other books onto the one I originally intended to write. Which is why I usually can’t get more than one book out of my ideas.
3.) I solve all the mysteries. Usually, everything is so tight within the plot that by the end, I have answered all the questions a reader might have. Or at least, I feel like I have. In fact, I usually feel like it’s a flaw when I don’t answer all the questions!! But this time, there may be a few things (more on the minor side) that go unanswered. Some things, you may have to ponder, or wait until another book down the line to learn the truth. I think one of the most interesting things is to see fans of works speculate and discuss things with each other when threads are left open.
4.) I am TRYING not to write in passive voice so much. I know that annoys some people. 🙂
Those are a few things I can think of right now. If you’re not on the mailing list, certainly sign up for that. I want to start taking apps for ARC copies soon, and I’m going to start with the mailing list.
Some names are never meant to be spoken aloud. They slip through history like smoke, caught only in fragments of half-remembered prayers, or carved into stone too deep to weather away.
Avereth is one of those names.
Some call him the Memory That Feeds. Others whisper the Mirror-Eater. He is no saint, no savior. He is a shadow that lingers where silence is thickest—where forgotten truths go to rot, and where desires too dangerous to confess are swallowed whole.
To meet him is not to kneel before a god, but to face yourself. To feel every hidden hunger unfurl. To see what you would become if nothing held you back.
And yet, Avereth does not force himself upon the world. He waits. He watches. He hungers. Until someone dares to answer him.
That someone is Leila Morana.
When the Hollow Queen speaks his name, the darkness stirs.. Avereth does not claim her. She claims him. For the first time in his long, endless existence, he does not lead. He follows.
What does it mean, when shadow itself chooses to walk beside a queen?
Perhaps it means that hunger has finally found its match.
Perhaps it means that Ravaryn’s fate will be written not in prophecy, but in desire.
But power, as they say, always comes with cost.
Author’s note: December 2 seems like a long way off, but it is not really. But I don’t want to rush the release date, but my edits are dwindling down. I’m so exited! It has been a while since I have published a book, and Vows of Shadow is something a little different for me.
I have the cover finalized and I’ll do a reveal soon, here and on Insta. I’ll probably do a 7 day countdown for the reveal and then I’ll start asking for ARC readers at some point after that. I’ve never done ARCs so I’m very excited about that.
I’ve been formatting a hardcopy version which is also something new for me. Independent publishing has come a long way since the last time I released a book…
Anyway! It’s all coming together and I’m looking forward to you all meeting Leila and exploring the world of the Hollow Queen. I hope you are too!
Power doesn’t make them cruel. It makes them complete.
In the world of The Hollow Queen, love is not soft.
Leila Morana and Drazan Virel are not a couple built on stolen glances or sweet nothings whispered in moonlight. They are not tender. They are two storms that did not pass each other in the dark—they collided, and something ancient and blood-bound bloomed in the wreckage.
Here’s what makes them great—and terrifying—together.
⚔️ 1. They don’t need each other. But they choose each other.
Leila didn’t come to Ravaryn looking for love. She came to take control. She saw Drazan as power, and wanted it – wanted him.
Drazan didn’t want a bride. He wanted silence, loyalty, and control. But in Leila, he also saw a power he did not understand at first.
And they both LOVE power.
They both crave control, dominance, and ancient power that will make even the gods bow.
Forces like them rarely get along, and yet, when they meet, there’s an immediate friction that neither one retreats from. They’re both powerful, ruthless, relentless. But there’s something more dangerous than dependence between them:
Recognition.
They see the same hunger in each other. The same cruelty. The same loneliness that neither one will speak aloud.
🩸 2. They are not good people—and that is their strength.
There are no promises of redemption here. No one softens. No one is tamed. What they become together is not better—but it is more complete.
Leila is cruel, calculating, and emotionally hollow. Drazan is violent, possessive, and merciless in battle.
And yet together, something resembling intimacy blooms. Not in spite of their flaws—but because of them. They understand what it means to take power and keep it. They don’t try to fix each other. They try to own each other, and in doing so, make room for something like love.
They bring out the worst in each other, and it’s perfect.
🔥 3. Their chemistry is built on tension, not harmony.
Leila and Drazan do not melt together. They clash. They burn.
Every touch between them is a question of dominance. Every silence is a negotiation of will. Their romance is not about ease—it’s about escalation.
And when it breaks through? It’s not romantic. It’s carnal. It’s about sovereignty meeting sovereignty—and choosing not to destroy each other.
But there are things about each other that make them both cling to their connection. When they look at each other, there is always a spark – a desire – a respect for what the other is, and with no want to change them.
🕯️ 4. They are always watching for weakness—and never look away.
Where others might fear vulnerability, Leila and Drazan examine it like a weapon. They test each other. They punish weakness in others, but in each other, they sometimes allow it. Carefully. Rarely. And only when they know what it will cost.
Drazan sees the hollow inside Leila and doesn’t flinch. Leila sees the beast inside Drazan and sharpens her teeth.
It’s not softness. It’s permission.
And in this world, permission is the most dangerous gift of all.
👑 Together, they are not safe. They are sovereign.
Their love is a war. Their trust is a blade held in reverse. But in a kingdom where mercy dies and thrones are taken by force, Leila and Drazan thrive.
Because they were never meant to be saved. They were meant to rule.
💀 Why Leila and Drazan Work (Even as a Dangerous, Shadow-Drenched Couple)
Beneath the blood and blades, there’s something real.
Leila Morana and Drazan Virel are not a conventional couple. They are not tender. They are not soft. But they are honest. They are dangerously good at a few things that make their relationship not just tolerable—but powerful.
Yes, they burn kingdoms. Yes, they command monsters. But when it comes to each other, there are things they do better than most lovers ever will.
🗣️ 1. They communicate. Honestly. Relentlessly.
There are no games here. When Leila has something to say, she says it—sharply, clearly, with a voice no one ignores. When Drazan disagrees, he doesn’t sulk. He doesn’t manipulate. He meets her.
Their communication is often hard-edged, but it is never hidden. And when it matters most, their truths are spoken with steel-tipped clarity.
They do not hide from each other, and leave little room for misunderstandings.
⚔️ 2. They respect each other’s strength.
Leila does not apologize for power. Drazan does not diminish her for it. He sees what she is capable of and says, take more. She sees his brutality and thinks, glorious.
They don’t compete. They rise side by side.
🕯️ 3. They do not judge each other’s past—or their present.
Leila has done terrible things. So has Drazan. But between them, there is no shame. No lectures. No attempts to reshape or redeem.
They accept the full weight of who the other is—without flinching.
And in a world that loves to punish imperfection, that kind of unconditional acceptance is its own kind of grace.
🔥 4. They desire each other—and never pretend otherwise.
Anyone who might look can see the desire that is constantly simmering between them – always just on the verge of igniting.
Leila does not soften her edges to be wanted. Drazan does not chain his hunger.
Their desire is sharp, constant, sometimes violent—but never hollow. It is honest, and it is mutual.
They know exactly what they are doing to each other. And neither one of them ever wants to stop.
🩹 5. They forgive—but they never forget.
They hurt each other sometimes. With words. With silence. With decisions made in the dark.
But when the dust settles, they don’t pretend nothing happened. They face it. They own it. And then they choose to move forward—not because it’s easy, but because it’s right.
Forgiveness, for them, is not erasure. It’s endurance.
💀 6. They make room. And they…share?
Neither Leila nor Drazan was born generous. But with each other, they offer more than control. They offer space.
Space to grow. Space to speak. Space to be fully seen.
And perhaps most surprisingly—they share with each other.
Information. Desires. Doubts. Power.
They could have hoarded everything. But they don’t. Because somewhere along the way, they decided this wasn’t just about surviving alone.
They have found a way to stand next to each other, and they both want to stay there.
👁️ 7. They encourage each other’s worst—and best.
If Leila wants the crown, Drazan tells her to take it. If Drazan wants vengeance, Leila does not flinch—she sharpens the blade.
They don’t temper each other. They don’t teach restraint.
What they do is believe.
Believe in what the other could become. Even when that something is terrifying.
❤️🔥 The Truth?
They are not soft. They are not wholesome. But Leila and Drazan are real—and for all their shadows, they do what so many fail to:
They see each other. They choose each other. And they hold nothing back.
Their love is not built on sweetness. But it is built on truth, loyalty, and fire.
And for two people who were never meant to love at all… that makes it one of the healthiest, fiercest, most unforgettable things they’ll ever possess.
Where power is not granted—but taken. And magic always leaves a mark.
In the world of The Hollow Queen, magic is not a gentle gift. It does not twinkle. It does not flutter. It claims.
It is divine, yes. Sacred, even. But it is also cruel. Seductive. Corruptive. And above all—honest.
Because here, magic is not about spells or potions or the waving of hands. It is about desire, dominion, and the slow, inevitable transformation that comes from touching something the gods meant to bury.
The Art of the Gaze: Leila Morana’s Weapon Is Her Will
In Vows of Shadow, you won’t find Leila Morana lifting a sword, loosing arrows, or chanting spells in a flurry of sparks and flame. She is not that kind of heroine (villain?).
Leila fights with presence. With silence. With a stare that tightens throats and a voice that feels like the edge of a dagger poised beneath the ribs. Her power is subtler than steel, but far more dangerous—because it moves through the mind. Through intent. Through perception.
She will destroy you without lifting a hand.
From the moment she arrives at Ravaryn, Leila’s weapon is not physical force but the unflinching force of will. Her gaze is appraising, sharp, cold—and it cuts. She doesn’t argue. She doesn’t plead. She looks. And you understand.
You’re beneath her.
And in a world where strength is usually defined by brute power, this is what makes her terrifying.
She does not cast spells like a trained sorceress. She was never taught how to channel magic, not in the traditional sense. Instead, Leila is marked—blessed by something darker. Her abilities unfold in whispers: she can bend perception, alter memory, mask herself in illusions. But even before her powers awaken fully, she controls the room with sheer command. She speaks, and men stop breathing. She walks, and silence follows. She learns to see into the truths people hide—and to twist them.
Leila’s power is psychological.
Dominance. Precision. Strategy. She understands that true conquest begins in the mind, in how others see you. And in Vows of Shadow, she learns to weaponize that gaze—to turn it into something that not only protects her, but rules.
This is not a story of a girl learning to wield a blade. It’s the story of a woman who is the blade.
Sharp. Elegant. Unrelenting.
She doesn’t fight like a heroine. She conquers like a queen.
🕯️ Sight and Shadow: Perception as Power
Before Leila ever called a monster from the dark— before her marks shaped the world— her magic whispered in subtler ways.
She could see through people. Not just their faces, but their lies. Their cracks. The soft underbelly of want and weakness beneath their polished words.
It was not mind-reading. It was worse.
She could feel intention. The weight of unspoken things. And once she began to recognize it—she could manipulate it.
And when they looked at her? They saw only what she allowed.
🫧 Illusion: Not What’s Real—But What You Believe
Leila’s first acts of power were not violent. They were visual. A shimmer in the air. A trick of the eye. A dress made of shadow. A face hidden until she chose to reveal it.
These illusions weren’t just tricks. They were tools of sovereignty.
She could mask her presence. Make herself vanish—or appear in impossible ways. She could rewrite perception with a whisper of thought. And they would believe it.
Because Leila didn’t need brute force to conquer. She needed you to see her differently— and never quite be sure what was real.
👁️ Divine Influence: Gods Who Whisper—and Watch
The divine in The Hollow Queen is not always kind. There are gods beneath stone, buried in black pools, watching from mirrors.
Some speak in riddles. Some press their will like heat against your skin. Some know what you want before you do, and make you crave it even more.
Leila does not worship them. She listens. She bargains. She marks herself in return.
Power comes at a cost. But she is always willing to pay.
🩸 Transformation: Magic as Becoming
More than anything, the magic in this world is not about control over others. It’s about control over self. About becoming what the world tried to deny you. About taking the parts of you that were silenced, suppressed, feared—and letting them rise.
When Leila claims her power, she doesn’t simply become stronger. She becomes herself. More fully. More dangerously. More completely.
And once she does, no one—not lover, not god, not king—will ever rule her again.
In The Hollow Queen, magic is not a fantasy. It is a weapon. A seduction. A mirror.
And if you dare reach for it—
It will reach back.
But…
If Leila ever needs a heavier hand—if blood must be spilled or a body dragged into submission—she doesn’t dirty hers.
She has people for that.
Drazan, the warlord husband whose name alone has silenced uprisings. Calrix, the assassin who kills in silence and shadows, his loyalty worn like a second skin. Cassian, charming and clever, still learning that love for Leila often comes sharpened like a blade. And Selvara, the watchful advisor at her right hand—precise, calculating, and cold as winter steel.
Each of them follows not because they are bound by chains, but because they are bound by choice. By awe. By want.
She surrounds herself with danger and commands it.
That’s part of her genius: she doesn’t have to throw punches or cast fire to be feared. Others do that for her, willingly. Eagerly. Not because she forces them, but because she makes them want to. Because they believe in her. Or fear her. Or—more often—both.
And when the moment calls for more than words?
She simply looks to her side.
Power, after all, does not always mean getting your hands bloody. Sometimes it means knowing exactly who will bleed for you.
That’s Leila Morana.
She doesn’t fight like a warrior. She rules like a sovereign.
And no one walks away unchanged.
Once again, don’t forget to sign up for the mailing list to get a FREE copy of the novella The Shadowed Bride and get all the news about this series as it develops and we get closer to the release date…which is set for early December currently.
The Shadowed Bride has a new cover, based on a recent poll on Insta where I asked about discreet covers or spicy character covers. 🙂
I’ve given a lot of content so far about the world of The Hollow Queen, but now I’m going to talk about where I am currently in working on it.
I have set the release date for DEC 2, 2025. I think that will give me enough time to do what I need to do with the text and the formatting. I’m also focusing on marketing, which I felt very lost in years ago and never made much effort toward. But I’m trying to grow a bit more on social media before the book is released.
I said the book was done, but I always proofread all the way until release day, and I usually change something every time.
That said, I decided to add a couple of sections that change a bit of the material later on in the book, but for the better (of course I believe that).
Another major change is that I’ve decided to ‘dissect’ the book by making the chapters shorter – just dividing them differently This will nearly double the amount of chapters but I think it will help propel the story forward at a faster pace. Instead of reading a 6-8k word slog, it will be a 2-4k…brisk…adventure? (no clue what my wording was trying to do there.)
If you read The Shadowed Bride, the chapters will be more along those lines, but if you read the 3 free chapters after that, those will not remain as they are. They will be divided up. So likely you read more like 6 chapters.
So that is my current task. There are a couple of other sections I still want to add as well, and then formatting for ebook and print, while trying to keep the word count presentable.
Right now, it’s around 250k, which rivals the longest book I have ever written! To be far, it’s a lot of spicy parts, and I can get carried away with those. But I hope there is enough diversity in the scenes and character/relationship building to make it enjoyable. I don’t want readers rolling their eyes like ‘they’re at it again SKIP’. Then again, I’ve done the ‘fade to black’ before and also had readers say ‘why did you stop??’ So…
Also, I’ve gotten a small amount of flack for using AI images in my marketing. And I just have to say that I used to be a snob like that too. Everything had to be pure. Well, AI images are what I’ve got and I think they’re amazing! (If you’re an artist, I can see the issue. It’s like being a writer and suddenly anyone can write a book with AI and they think they’ve really done something. But, as I have learned, you still have to learn how to use these tools well. (I have to repeatedly instruct ChatGPT about the art style I want and the way I want my characters to look.) But yes, I am using AI art, and no I don’t have any regret. I really like the anime realism style I have going.
So, you will continue to see posts from me. I mostly post on Instagram. That’s where my focus is currently.
A reflection on temptation, ruin, and the kind of devotion that draws blood
There’s something magnetic about a man with blood on his hands.
Not the mindless kind. Not chaos for the sake of it. But the man who chooses to be dangerous. Who moves through the world like it was built to be taken. The man who knows what he wants, and does not flinch when he has to hurt someone to get it.
Especially the ones who see only the woman they desire, who bleed and kill for her. To have her gaze, her approval. Or perhaps to have her all for himself.
In The Hollow Queen, there are no safe men. And if there were, Leila wouldn’t want them.
Drazan: The Warlord
He conquered an entire coast. He burned his enemies alive. And then, with the same brutal clarity, he claimed a wife. Leila. He didn’t do it out of kindness. He did it because she intrigued him. Because something in her shadow matched the darkness in him. And that’s the thing about Drazan—he’s not gentle. He doesn’t ask. But he listens. He respects power, and when he loves, he does so entirely. Not sweetly. Not softly. But with fire and steel and the kind of hunger that leaves no room for doubt.
Calrix: The Assassin
He moves like smoke. Kills without hesitation. Watches without blinking. But when he kneels, it is choice. When he obeys, it is not submission—it is reverence. Calrix is danger wrapped in restraint. What makes him irresistible is not just his lethality—but his silence. His discipline. And the promise that, if you can unravel him, you will find something no one else has ever touched.
Cassian: The Courtier
He’s beautiful. Clever. Too charming to be trusted. Cassian is the kind of danger that smiles. That tempts. That walks the line between devotion and betrayal just to see how close he can get before he burns. He doesn’t need to be strong. He is sharp. And sharp things, when pressed too close to the skin, always draw blood.
We love dangerous men not necessarily because they are evil, or cruel. But because they are aware of what they are capable of—and they choose who to give that power to. To be wanted by such a man is not safe. But it is unforgettable.
And once you taste it— you will never crave softness again.
Why She’s Dangerous Too
Not because she’s cruel for the sake of it. But because she knows exactly what she wants—and doesn’t flinch when she takes it.
There is something more terrifying than a warlord. More unsettling than an assassin. More unpredictable than a clever young noble with something to prove.
It’s a woman who has nothing to lose— and realizes she doesn’t need to be loved to be powerful.
But when Leila Morana begins to taste both?
She becomes unstoppable.
She doesn’t need to be good. She needs to be obeyed.
Leila never asked for anyone’s trust. She was sent to Ravaryn to marry the monster of the Hollow Coast, and she arrived not with hope, but with calculation.
She doesn’t break easily. She doesn’t cry in corners or flinch when men raise their voices. She watches. She learns. And then she decides what she wants—and takes it.
Sometimes with words. Sometimes with a blade. Sometimes with nothing but a look.
She is not afraid of desire.
Leila does not hide from pleasure. She does not stumble into romance like a girl in a garden.
She walks toward it like a queen claiming her due.
Each man she takes into her orbit—Drazan, Calrix, Cassian—is pulled not by sweetness, but by sovereignty. Because she is not soft. She is cruel when she must be. She is obsessive when it matters. And when she loves—if she loves—it is not something a man walks away from unchanged.
She does not beg to be chosen. She marks them as hers.
She is not whole—and that’s part of the danger.
There is a hollow place inside her. It does not ache. It does not cry. It waits. It watches. It wants.
And when that emptiness begins to stir—when it starts to feel, just barely— what emerges is not a broken girl. It’s a sovereign being forged by pain and purpose.
One who learns that power is the only thing that makes love matter. And that love, when it’s real, doesn’t tame. It elevates.
They fear her because she is not afraid of power. They fall for her because she does not ask for permission. And we love her—
Not because she’s dangerous. But because she chooses to be.
The Hollow Queen Series 