While, in previous years, my busy job was usually the main reason why I could not play, write, and post as much as I wanted to, the reason why 2025 was a rather dry spell is a different one: I wrote a book. A fantasy book, to be precise. And I am really excited to finally be able to share it with you!

How I started out as an author

Listening to and reading stories has always been part of my life, and telling them is a passion of mine. Which is why I chose communications as my profession.  
At university I took a script writing-class, which was amazing! We even had a session where we analyzed masterpiece “Seven” along with German director Dennis Gansel, who took that movie as cinematographic inspiration for his own debut feature “Das Phantom”. Which, by the way, is a great thriller. At the end of the class we had to develop a TV series. Which meant developing the series, write the TV plot and outline a total of 23 episodes for an entire season. I picked an urban fantasy setting which garnered interest but would never get picked up. Later, I started writing Star Wars-fanfiction. That class and writing that pilot taught me a lot about penning dialogue – among other things – and I still profit from that experience.

At the same time I also began building a dark fantasy world of my own. Actually, that TV series was part of that world. The very fact that there was even an interest in its themes encouraged me to expand on that concept, play around with storylines and character development. Between 2010 and 2012 I started writing the first book that would feature said world. But because my job became so demanding, I took a hiatus of more than a decade and just started working on that book again last year.

What is that world about?

While the TV series was urban fantasy the original setting is dark fantasy material. But due to its unique characters it sometimes crosses over into urban territory. One of these characters is the Mondar, a fearsome creature with demonic feature that is, in fact, the ultimate guardian of souls. It guides them through the Shadows, coaxing them toward the Dragon’s Keep, making sure they arrive safely and intact. For there are much more dangerous monsters roaming the Shadows, and they seek to steal the most precious possessions of the departed: their life memories. And while the Mondar is integral to the world, it is not the main protagonist of my stories, but rather a recurring character, doing what it does best: saving souls. The first book is set in the original fantasy world, Delphir.

Welcome to Delphir

Once there was Delphir, the Empire of the Sun. A dream that seemed to go on forever. Until it ended. Once there was peace. A time of harmony and joy, when the fabled Djuna guarded the people of the realm. Until they disappeared.
Where there was once the heart of Delphir the mountains of Civres now guard the past. Overlooking the lakes and rolling hills of the kingdom of Seban they stand watch over those left behind when the dream ended. To the East, the Republic of L’Onia and savage Mandana stretch away into the Smallwood Forest, a gnarled jungle of ancient trees. The kingdom of Pan’Desal, south of Seban, is the breadbasket of the continent. In the South it borders Grevan, a secluded country on the White Sea. West of Grevan, the mysterious empire of Kaala covers wide plains and endless moorlands. Finally, beyond the Smallwood Forest, lies Sharad, the sea-faring empire ruled by the Order of the Flame.

While Delphir is long gone its memories linger. And in Seban, the mercenary general Dakash Dakahr dreams of resurrecting the glory of the lost empire. Ambitious and ruthless, he chooses conquest as his main tool to achieving that dream. Will he succeed?

Tales of Delphir: Dragon Dawn is now available on Kobo!

The first book of the series titled “Tales of Delphir: Dragon Dawn” is now available on Kobo in USA, Canada and Germany. I linked the three shops below, in case you want to take a look.

And here is a brief synopsis of what it is all about.

“A good friend of mine told me right at the beginning of this journey that I could not win this war, that all I could do was to try and live a little while longer. She meant it to be a warning, but you know what I believe? That this is all we ever can do in this life.”

When he sets out to conquer the continent Dakash Dakahr, the ruthless mercenary general of Seban, envisions the future quite clearly. He will resurrect the lost empire of Delphir and rule as High King. Yet upon his triumphant return home he finds himself betrayed by his enemies.

With his king complicit in his downfall and his queen pleading with him to protect her young son, Nasgeith, Dakash barely manages to escape with the little prince. Hunted by his own soldiers he soon comes to realize that keeping the boy safe will demand more than his signature wit and resolve. He needs allies. Dakash finds them in the shape of the alluring Fahra Deswinn, a group of inexperienced yet immeasurably brave recruits, the secretive Shigan, and the vengeful clan warriors of Mandana under the leadership of Marl Wynterland and Bryon Brokenlance. While their bond grows amid a series of harrowing adventures Dakash knows it is not enough. The odds stacked against them are too high. But if he cannot escape his fate, he will have his revenge. At any cost….

Until then, keep on playing!

Cheers

Vanessa