Born to poor farmers, Ash Carn truly came alive when her magic was awoken on a forested hill. The orcs who tried to ambush her and her brother were crushed as old trees were ripped from the ground, wielded by the elemental spirits of stone Ash summoned. Now, she is the mage for a powerful house, under the leadership of Duke Erike Eyvindar—a man she once swore to kill.
As war ravages the island realm of Wheyan, Erike and his house struggle desperately for survival. It has been four months since the elves invaded, and the war may finally end soon. Erike’s plan to destroy the elves’ slave army has been set in motion, ready to unfold at one of his people’s most sacred burial grounds. But on the eve of battle, an assassin armed with an enchanted blade strikes. As Erike wavers on death’s door, Ash must save him—or more than the war could be lost.
Meanwhile, forces lurk in the shadows, seeking to bring all in the Island Realms to their knees. As Erike’s homeland plunges into further turmoil, he must gather his friends and allies to push back the gathering darkness. But as those allies fall or turn their backs, Ash and Erike realize that their future may balance on the choices they make—and the moral lines those choices may force them to cross.
Xamual Amulyn is invisible to the undead. His unique gift was discovered years ago, and now he works reluctantly as an inquisitor for the local temple, investigating undead-related incidents in the city where he lives.
Trú La Dommé, a disgraced clockmaker’s apprentice, struggles with an opium addiction. Living in the sanctuary of the temple where Xamual works, she’s been haunted by whispers in her mind ever since a stranger tattooed her back with runes.
As Xamual searches for answers to both crimes and as Trú seeks to rid herself of her murderous magic, they find themselves drawn into the criminal underworld, where gangs are vying for each other’s territories and those who crave power will do whatever it takes—even turn the living undead—to gain more of it. When they discover a sinister force bent on taking control of the Island Realms, Xamual and Trú must decide how far they’re willing to go to save the city—and the people—they love.
The whispers drive Trú to kill a man she’s never met with magic she’s never wielded. On the same day, a young woman is killed, her animated corpse is found walking through Xamual’s childhood stomping grounds.
Proud to be featured on:
He was supposed to be the chosen one, but…
… he failed.
A standalone story.
A woman haunted by magic.
A man invisible to the undead.
Book 1 in the Shores of the Deluge series
A county embroiled in civil war.
Erike’s only chance is a woman who once swore to kill him.
Book 2 in the Shores of the Deluge series
August 19: Steadfast as Stone will be available for sale on my website.
There will be art prints, stickers, and unique handmade jewelry bookmarks available as well as part of book packages that can be purchased on my website.
September 5: I will be at the Better Off Read Book Festival in Lewiston, NY. This is a great event and one of my highlights from last year.
September 8: Steadfast as Stone will release on Amazon, Kobo, and Barnes & Noble.
About Jeffery
Husband, father, writer, and musician.
I fell in love with fantasy after seeing the original Star Wars and then reading J.R.R. Tolkien.
My books don’t suck.
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Upcoming events
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Nickel City Comic Con
Buffalo Convention Center
153 Franklin Street
June 26-28, 2026
Use discount code NCCC26009 to get $10 off admission!
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![Illustration of a bearded man's profile, an open book, and the text 'Bearded Book Beast' in bold red letters on a green background with red borders.]()
Live with Bearded Book Beast
Wednesday August 19 at 7pm EST
I’ll be live on YouTube talking about my books.
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Better Off Read Summer Book Festival
Saturday September 5th
Artpark in Lewiston, NY
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2026 Indie ROC Revel
Saturday, September 26
6pm to 11pm
6 bands & a ton of fun
Future Novels
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![A kukri with a curved blade and black textured handle on a dark surface.]()
Rippling Darkness
Shores of the Deluge - Book 3
After a failed attempt to study at the Mage’s Tower, Sharwain is returning home. Sissick learns in a cryptic message that his long-time friend is in trouble, and he fears his friend’s ability in taboo magic has been revealed. Their lives are intertwined and changed when they travel the Endless Ocean aboard the same ship, the Unchained Zephyr. On the voyage, the ship is taken over by slavers, and the survivors are changed from passengers to cargo. They have an ally in the half-elf Rithal who has been mistaken for one of his full-blooded brethren by the slavers.
Status: In development edit.
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![A medieval castle on a hillside with snow, surrounded by a dense forest, under a cloudy, foggy sky.]()
The Ravening in Ashlyn
Shores of the Deluge - Book 4
Status: Rough draft complete.
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![A sailboat on calm water during sunset, with a dark clouded sky and vibrant orange and yellow hues reflecting on the water.]()
Behold the Tempest
Shores of the Deluge - Book 5
Status: Outlined and a couple of chapters started.
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Book 6
Either the world ends or the war is won.
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![A peaceful sunset over a waterfront walkway leading to a church with a bell tower, featuring a purple and orange sky and calm water.]()
Amron Denthain
Status: Concept stage.
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![A detailed, white, skeletal sculpture of a dragon head and neck with open jaws, sharp teeth, and textured skin, set against a black background.]()
Sarail Denthain
Status: Concept stage.
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![Green moss-covered cliffs with a river running through a lush valley under an overcast sky.]()
Wolve Denthain
Status: Concept stage.
Currently reading: The Adventures of Amina Al-Sirafi by Shannon Chakraborty
My goal is to read 25 books every year.
My TBR
The Starless Crown by James Rollins
Monstrous Nights by Genoveva Dimova
Malice by John Gwynne
A Shadow of All Night Falling by Glen Cook
RUOK by Andy Futuro*
Everything is Tuberculosis by John Green
A Memory of Song by Scott Palmer*
Red Rising by Pierce Brown
Lies Weeping by Glen Cook
The Good Family Robinson by Sean Rowland*
The Inherited Blade by Jye Sorensen*
The Lost Girl by E.L. Montague*
Where the Axe is Buried by Ray Nayler**
The Lattice Scheme: A Dream Interrogation Thriller by A.L. Lieske*
*Written by self-published authors.
**Read for Otherworlds sci-fi & fantasy or Fiction book club at Author’s Note
What I’ve read in 2026:
Nevermore by Glen Adams*
The Curious Charms of Arthur Pepper by Phaedra Patrick
When the Moon Hits Your Eye by John Scalzi**
The Cautious Traveller’s guide to the Wastelands by Sarah Brooks**
Reaper’s Bend by Jonah Evarts
The Instrumentalist by Harriet Constable**
Reading My Own Books 2026:
Steadfast as Stone (x1) - Book 2 in The Shores of the Deluge
Rippling Darkness (x2) - Book 3 in The Shores of the Deluge