Portal fantasy and epic fantasy adventure, with strong threads of mystery, for teens, young adults and adults, led by neurodivergent, LGBTQIA+ characters.
(For Sythe Series see this page.)

Background: sailing ship sails into sunlight between two steep cliffs, over bright blue water.Side text: key rep; nonbinary, aro-ace, autism, ADHD.Foreground: Ruarnon Trilogy books displayed in paperback and ebook format.Manipulator's War
Portrait of young Heir Ruarnon, their hair braided back, eyes outlined with kohl, wearing fitted bronze armour, a bronze disc kilt, holding a helmet in their left hand and leaning on a spear with their right. Red glyphs outline a stone archway, through which fire arrows rain down on torch-lit battlements atop a castle, at night time.Secrets of the Sorcery War
Blue glyphs in a stone arch frame a pair of tall cliffs, a ship sailing on bright blue water through the gap, into the sunshine of a natural harbour.War in Sorcery's Shadow Purple glyphs around a stone arch in a stone wall, through which blackened clouds, with grey, lightening pronged edges loom over a many brown towers castle. Lightning crashes against and partially reveals a magic dome shield around the castle. Desolate hills and dray plains life before it, with leafless, dried-up trees and a skull in the foreground.
Cover art by GlintofMischief

Author’s Note: The Complete Trilogy Bundle is on sale till May 31st, all 3 books for $8.99 USD, direct from author only!


Direct From Author Button. Rainbow shield background from sky on Sythe Series Book 2's cover, by Lawrence Mann.
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Manipulator's War Cover.
Portrait of young Heir Ruarnon, their hair braided back, eyes outlined with kohl, wearing fitted bronze armour, a bronze disc kilt, holding a helmet in their left hand and leaning on a spear with their right. Background: red glyphs outline a stone archway, through which fire arrows rain down on torch-lit battlements atop a castle, at night time.
Cover art by GlintofMischief

Nonbinary Ruarnon is determined to prove their worth as heir to Tarlah’s perfect King. Things get complicated when their parents are abducted and they’re left ruling Tarlah in the shadow of impending war, with absent allies.

Neighbouring King Kyura has no intention of invading Tarlah. But his warmongering subjects long for the glory of expansion. When Kyura rejects their calls for war, assassins threaten his family and mutiny threatens his reign.
Stranded Aussie Linh is desperate to return to her family in Australia. But the only transport to her gateway home is Ruarnon’s absent allies, sailing to Tarlah’s aid.

Monsters at sea threaten everyone. Linh’s monster observations could save Kyura’s people, and clear her homeward path, if she risks her life aiding Ruarnon. But to secure peace with Kyura’s unruly subjects, Ruarnon’s ultimate test as heir risks betrayal and Tarlah’s bloody defeat.

Secrets of the Sorcery War's Cover.
Blue glyphs in a stone arch frame a pair of tall cliffs, a ship sailing on bright blue water through the gap, into the sunshine of a natural harbour.
Cover art by GlintofMischief

In book 2, Nartzeer’s monsters return to the eastern seas and so does magic. In pursuing allies to aid recovering their abducted family, Ruarnon, and in seeking confirmation of her way home, Linh, discover dangerous secrets from the Sorcery War lie across the seas. Nartzeer seems to know and have plans for these secrets, his motives remain a mystery and his monsters appear to be evolving, as Ruarnon and Linh discover when said monsters come between them and Ruarnon’s allies…

War in Sorcery's Shadow's Cover.
Purple glyphs around a stone arch in a stone wall, through which blackened clouds, with grey, lightening pronged edges loom over a many brown towers castle. Lightning crashes against and partially reveals a magic dome shield around the castle. Desolate hills and dray plains life before it, with leafless, dried-up trees and a skull in the foreground.
Cover by Glint of Mischief

In book 3, Ruarnon and Linh sail to Nartzeer’s homeland to recover Ruarnon’s parents and transport Linh home. They seek allegiance with an underground resistance in occupied territory, undertake a quest, discover secret sorcerer organisations, and a continent on the brink of a second sorcery war.

Nartzeer is more complex than anyone anticipated. He is as terrible as they feared, more wonderful than they imagined, and about to destroy his world…

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Main characters: nonbinary, aro-ace (asexual and aromantic), autistic, ADHD. (Note: multiple characters have multiple autistic and or ADHD traits, but only one Aussie is diagnosed and Tarlah is unaware of neurodivergence. Also; all of these identities are own voices, as these are the author’s identities.)
Side Characters: include other queer identifies, which come up in book 2.

Book 1: off-page suicide, miscarriage, death, family grief, moderate fantasy battle violence.

Book 2: mental health themes (paranoia), moderate fantasy battle violence.

Book 3: mental health themes (paranoia and PTSD), death, grief, moderate fantasy battle violence.

Direct From Author Button.Rainbow shield background from sky on Sythe Series Book 2's cover, by Lawrence Mann.
Direct lets authors earn a little more.

Note: my ebooks are
DRM-free on all stores.
Ebook Trilogy bundle is exclusive to Direct.
Paperbacks (including postage) likely cheaper Direct.

Request at your local library. Rainbow shield background from sky on Sythe Series Book 2's cover, by Lawrence Mann.
Available to libraries via Overdrive.
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Complete Trilogy is on Kobo Plus.

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3,000 years later, in the same world, Sythe has evolved into an international centre of law enforcement, healing, Search & Rescue and Monster Containment. A troubled young teenager has just begun studying at Sythe School and organised crime is about to re-write its rules of engagement with Sythe.


Cover by Glint of Mischief

“…the representation of Ruarnon as nonbinary was amazing.”

“…took me on an emotional roller coaster with every twist and turn.”

“…captivating, immersive and thrilling. I loved the echoes to other great fantasy reads.”

Secrets of the Sorcery War (book cover)
Blue glyphs in a stone arch frame a pair of tall cliffs, a ship sailing on bright blue water through the gap, into the sunshine of a natural harbour.
Bottom text: Elise Carlson, Ruarnon Trilogy Book 2
Cover by Glint of Mischief

“This book takes many unexpected twists and turns and keeps you wanting more of the storyline.”

“…continues to paint elaborate lands, vivid imagery, and rich character portrayals…. Overall very well written and easy to lose yourself in the storyline! Cannot wait for the 3rd.”


Rebellion is Due Cover.
Portrait of young Heir Ruarnon, their hair braided back, eyes outlined with kohl, wearing fitted bronze armour, a bronze disc kilt, holding a helmet in their left hand and leaning on a spear with their right.
Cover art by Glint of Mischief

Everywhere he looks, 15-year-old Urmillian sees his people suffering under brutal foreign occupation. High taxes drive poverty and malnutrition, while the execution of anyone suspected of resistance brings the people of Tarlah to their knees. Urmillian longs to join his father’s uprising and free his people, despite father’s orders to protect the family home. When occupying soldiers turn on all Tarlahans, Urmillian’s younger brother calls for aid. But the streets are filling with soldiers. If Urmillian doesn’t help cut them off, the city will be overrun. So he risks both their lives by abandoning his household’s defence and joining his older sister on the front line.

An action-packed YA Fantasy short story (7500 words), set before Manipulator’s War.

Get it for .99 cents on the below stores, or free with my newsletter.

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