So, one of the biggest inspirations for King of Dust came from a campaign of Curse of Strahd that I was part of—it was wild. Imagine the gothic, dark, cursed world of Barovia, but what if Darius, my protagonist in the book, was an absolute bisexual disaster with only two functioning brain cells? He’s terrible at his job, but somehow, still, he’s willing to risk everything for love. That’s the energy I wanted to bring to this book—a character who means well, messes up often, and loves too hard for his own good.
I also started thinking: what if Curse of Strahd was more diverse? Sure, we’ve got vampires and gloomy atmospheres, but what if we added an LGBT romance subplot? A complex love story that doesn’t fit neatly into your standard vampire fantasy? What if it was a little more lighthearted? Enter Darius’s complicated feelings for Astrid after his 20-year relationship with Yra falls apart. Love, heartbreak, and the chaos of new attraction are all a huge part of the plot.
And then there’s the Murder House from Curse of Strahd. That setting planted the seeds for one of the key plots in King of Dust: a dark, cult-like group with roots in familiar gothic horror, but the story takes a hard left turn, flipping everything on its head. It’s my way of giving a nod to a classic Dungeons & Dragons storyline while crafting something completely new and unexpected.
In the end, King of Dust pulls from the atmosphere and structure of Curse of Strahd but adds more depth with diverse characters, LGBT themes, and a storyline that’s full of unexpected twists.
If this sounds like the book for you, you can preorder King of Dust before it comes out on Halloween! Link is in my pinned post.
Day 1 of Trying to Convince You to Preorder King of Dust
Hey friends! I’m so excited to finally share the passion project that’s been living in my head for years: King of Dust. This book has everything I love—magic, complex characters, dark twists, and a world that feels alive in every sense. It’s a story about finding yourself in the middle of chaos, when the dust settles (literally and metaphorically).
King of Dust explores identity, heartbreak, and redemption, with characters like Darius, Yra, and Astrid pulling you through a world filled with monsters and shadows. Writing this book has been a journey of its own, and I can’t wait for you to meet these characters and fall into their story.
Preorders are open now, and every one of them means the world to me. Help me bring King of Dust to life!
The link to preorder the book is in my pinned post. Happy reading!
The History of Starkovia: A Land Shrouded in Darkness
Starkovia, once a land of rich beauty and prosperity, now lies forgotten under a dark, impenetrable fog. But how did this desolate place come to be? To understand Starkovia’s tragic fate, we must go back 400 years to its origin as the country of Ebia, and the bloody conflict that reshaped it into the cursed land it is today.
The Arrival of the Mortreans
400 years ago, the Mortreans, a nomadic people, wandered across the lands of what was then known as Ebia. They were a fiercely independent group, longing for a place to settle after generations of living on the move. After searching far and wide, they found the underpopulated region of Ebia. To them, it seemed like the perfect home, rich with resources and unclaimed by any powerful empire.
However, the native Ebians saw this sudden invasion as a threat. Though their population was small, they were not willing to give up their land without a fight. What followed was a gruesome war between the Mortreans and the Ebians. Over the course of many bloody battles, the Ebians were decimated. Their homes were destroyed, their armies crushed, and their way of life annihilated. The Mortreans emerged victorious, but at a great cost.
The Rise of Sorin Starbán
The leader of the Mortreans was King Sorin Starbán, a wise and powerful ruler. Sorin had led his people to victory, but unfortunately, he did not live to see the fruits of his conquest. He passed away unexpectedly, not on the battlefield but due to illness. His death left the kingdom in the hands of his two sons, Darius and Theo. With their father gone, the brothers were tasked with governing the newly conquered land of Ebia, which they renamed Starkovia after their family's lineage.
At first, it seemed like the Starbán brothers would rule well together, but tensions quickly grew. Theo, the younger brother, was beloved by the people for his charisma and fearsome presence on the battlefield, while Darius was more reserved and calculated, preferring to keep to himself. As time went on, rumors of jealousy and betrayal began to spread.
The Tragic Fall of Theo
It wasn't long before these tensions boiled over into violence. One night, Theo was found dead in his chambers, and whispers of murder began to circulate through the court. Many believed that Darius had killed his brother in cold blood, seeking to consolidate his power over Starkovia. However, no one could prove it. Darius, now the sole ruler, took the throne, but his reign was far from peaceful.
The Dark Fog and the Curse of Starkovia
Soon after Theo’s death, strange things began to happen. The skies grew darker, and a thick, supernatural fog descended upon the land, surrounding the borders of Starkovia. No one could leave the country unless they were of Mortrean blood or specially chosen by the king. Trade ceased, crops began to fail, and the people of Starkovia were plunged into famine.
Legend has it that Darius cast a powerful spell, summoning the fog as a form of punishment for his people or perhaps as a way to protect his reign. But whatever the cause, Starkovia became isolated from the outside world, and the once-vibrant land fell into decay.
Darius himself became increasingly absent, disappearing from public view and leaving the country to govern itself. Some say he became a recluse, driven mad by guilt or the dark magic he wielded. Others whisper that he is still alive, lurking in the shadows of his castle, waiting for the day to reclaim his power as a vampire lord.
Starkovia Today
Now, Starkovia is a land on the brink of ruin. Its people live in constant darkness, barely clinging to survival as they starve and wither. The fog has kept them trapped for 400 years, and the sun hasn’t been seen since. What was once a proud kingdom has become a forgotten wasteland, and the legacy of the Starbán family lies in ruin.
As Starkovia’s past slowly fades into myth, its future remains uncertain. But one thing is clear: the darkness that plagues this land is more than just the absence of light—it is the shadow of the sins committed long ago, and the weight of that history still looms over the land and its people today.
If you're interested in learning more about Starkovia and how Darius fixes the horrendous mess he made, you can learn about it in my book King of Dust, which is available for preorder today!
