A fable for hollow creatures
Coming Fall 2026 from Berkely/Ace
The Witcher meets Emily Wilde’s Encyclopedia of Fairies in this morally complex fairy-tale inspired monster hunting novel.
Jierz has a complicated relationship with monsters.
She used to own an inn in a small town until her life was upended when a ruseizhe came to her town, planted worms in people’s heads, and turned all her family and friends’ dead bodies into mindless puppets that did its bidding. She escaped and killed the puppets but never managed to find to ruseizhe and kill it.
Vengeance has consumed her ever since, which is why she started working as a monster hunter. But when her team encounters a monster that kills half of them, she’s forced to call for help from the last person she wants to see—Halesz. He’s a kerzin, an emotion stealing creature with a cheerful personality—and the reason that Jierz survived the ruseizhe. He also spent the year before the ruseizhe living in her town and stealing her emotions to manipulate her without her knowledge.
But beggars can’t be choosers in the game of life and death, and Halesz, for all his faults (and there are many), comes running to save her. The problem is, now he won’t leave. He’s determined to win her affection back—without any emotional magic at all this time—or so he claims. And he’s going to prove himself by helping her hunt down the ruseizhe so she can finally get her vengeance.
When they follow a promising lead about people disappearing from remote fishing villages, things quickly become more dangerous than expected. Monsters lurk in every corner, and none of them want Jierz or her companions there.
Just because they’re monster hunters doesn’t mean that they can’t be hunted too.
You will like this book if you like….
T Kingfisher, Katherine Arden, or Heather Fawcett
terrifying and unique monsters
atmospheric, unsettling world
Epic fantasy with revenge against creepy, powerful, and deeply fucked up creatures
Complicated, deeply messy interpersonal relationships
Twisted fables interspersed throughout the book.
Advance praise for A Fable for Hollow Creatures:
"With mesmerizing worldbuilding and exquisite character dynamics, HOLLOW CREATURES is a dark fairytale that will burrow into your mind and haunt you in the best way." —#1 NYT Bestselling author Xiran Jay Zhao
FAQ:
Q: Will this be a series?
A: Yes, it will! I’m excited to share more when I’m able to!
Q: Will you be doing any launch events?
A: I hope to! Details closer to release date.