Resending: Pre-order Out of the Shadows: A Witching Pen Series Prequel
Published about 1 month ago • 3 min read
DIANNA HARDY
Book News
Aug 10th, 2026
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Author’s note: This book is a little depressing and events get a bit creepy — it’s certainly not a romance. It’s a supernatural horror and a family drama horror. Katherine was always a hard character to get to know and like in The Witching Pen Series and likely will remain so in future books — this story helps to explain why. She doesn’t let her guard down easily. We learn a bit more about her father, too. I don’t want to spoil anything, but if you have read Fathoms Deep, a certain thing happens at the end of that story that is connected to the end of The Witching Pen Series. The New Reign Legacy Series is where we will meet all these characters again, albeit in stages as the series progresses.
The paperback can currently only be pre-ordered from Waterstones, Amazon UK, and Foyles, but it will be available from other retailers (including Walmart, B&N, and other Amazon stores) from around 20th August.
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It’s 1985, and eighteen-year-old Katherine Green, twelfth-generation witch of her maternal family line, is a loose cannon. Grieving the death of her mother and estranged from her father – also leader of ‘The Council’ to which all witches are bound – she finds herself turning to a dangerous source for comfort: an incubus. Not just any incubus, but the king of the Shanka demon world, Darius. Seductive and relentless, Darius feeds on Katherine’s rebellion like a vampire feeds on blood, with predictable and devastating consequences. The only person with any hope of reaching her is Gwain, a fallen angel appointed to guard her by her father. But even he is struggling to make her see sense ... until an unexpected healing ray of light appears, demanding her courage, and changing the course of Katherine’s future forever. This supernatural dark fiction novel explores Katherine’s relationship with her father, with Gwain, and with the darkness inside her, also adding new depth to the events leading up to Elena’s birth. It contains themes of an adult nature, including sexual themes that may be triggering for some. It is probably best read after the four main books of The Witching Pen Series so the nuances of the relationships are understood better.
Thornbury Book Fair was a great event. If you came along, thank you so much and it was fab to meet so many new people. I’ve been contacted about another event in North Hampshire (UK), taking place in mid-October in the evening, centred around fantasy, sci-fi, horror, and lots of spice! (In other words, adults only.) Please watch this space, as I don’t have all the details yet, but I’m hoping to soon, and it should be a really fun night.
At Thornbury Book Fair, August 2026
On the A162 from York
Now that work on Out of the Shadows is completed, I’m looking forward to writing something completely different under the Elysa Summers name. On the A162 from York is planned to be contemporary romance with a retro feel to it, since it’s taking place in 1972. Go to the book’s page for all details.
Publication dates for 2027 will be much more predictable from December onwards, and my plan is to write no more than four books next year (this year has been a bit crazy and there was a lot of catch-up from between 2020 to 2025). The plan for 2027 is:
Project Veil (may have to be pushed back to April/May if I have to bring out 13 Days in 2027)
another Elysa Summers book (title to be announced) for a July release
and then the first book of the New Reign: Eye of the Storm Legacy series, probably a December release
From 2028, I would like my publication dates to consistently be April, July, and November (three books a year).
Am I crazy?? Maybe — you decide! But I’m very happy to be writing again.
If you plan to read Out of the Shadows, please do consider pre-ordering it — it really helps with the book getting seen. Muchas gracias 😘 and thank you for your continued support of my stories. (Tell everyone what I’m writing! 😁)
