We are thrilled to welcome three acclaimed names of the fantasy genre - Stephen Aryan, Annabel Campbell, and Gareth Hanrahan - join us to celebrate their latest books, the current landscape of fantasy publishing, and how you make the old tropes feel fresh and exciting.
GARETH HANRAHAN's three-month break from computer programming to concentrate on writing has now lasted fifteen years and counting. He's written more gaming books than he can readily recall, by virtue of the alchemical transmutation of tea and guilt into words. His first trilogy, _The Black Iron Legacy_, was published with great success. He lives in Ireland with his wife and three children.
_The Sword Triumphant _concludes the _Lands of the Firstborn _trilogy, a wonderful deconstruction of many beloved fantasy tropes, asking the questions: What do heroes do when the Dark Lord has been vanquished? Is it even possible to be a true hero, when there are no true villains left to fight?
STEPHEN ARYAN is an award winning fantasy author. He has written two trilogies, the _Age of Darkness_, and the _Age of Dread_, plus a prequel novella, _Of Gods and Men,_ set in the world of Mordana. He has also written the _Quest for Heroes_ duology,_ The Coward_ and _The Warrior_. The Coward received a starred review from Publishers Weekly.
His latest trilogy, The _Nightingale and the Falcon,_ is a Persian-inspired historical fantasy epic that deals with magic and myth during the reign of the Mongol Empire. The series includes _The Judas Blossom_, _The Blood Dimmed Tide_ and _The Sorrow of the Sea_.
ANNABEL CAMPBELL writes fantasy with fierce female characters and disaster wizards, and believes everything is improved by dragons. She lives in tiny village in Scotland, where most of her neighbours are sheep. She has a PhD in cardiovascular science, and when not making things up for a living, she works as a Medical Writer. Her other joys are red wine, playing games, or showing you too many pictures of her dog.
Her debut novel, _The Outcast Mage, _was published at the start of the year, and is a thrilling tale of hidden magic, obscure prophecy, and deadly dragonfire!