We love nothing more than celebrating young local talent here at KickArts, so we’re thrilled to introduce Sam Leddin, a young author who has just published his debut novel with Pegasus Publishers.
Sam’s book, The Shadows in the Night: The Wolves of Elyra, is out now through Vanguard Press. It’s a fantasy novel set in Elyra, a world worn down by decades of mistrust between Wolves and Humans, held together by nothing more than a fragile truce. At the heart of the story is an unlikely friendship between Kenai, a young wolf bound by the weight of tradition, and Kiera, a human girl who just wants to be free. Their bond crosses a line neither side is supposed to cross, and it’s enough to stir up tensions that have been simmering for generations.
For a debut, it’s an ambitious world to build, but Sam has clearly poured himself into it. He’s always been drawn to storytelling, using it as a form of escapism growing up, and that shows in the way he’s woven real-world experiences into Elyra to make it feel lived-in rather than just imagined. It’s the kind of detail that turns a fantasy setting into something readers can actually relate to, and that makes characters like Kenai and Kiera feel like more than just wolf and girl.
Seeing a young writer go from a passion for stories to a finished, published novel is exactly the kind of thing we want to shine a light on. It takes real persistence to get a manuscript all the way to print, and Sam’s certainly put in the work.
The Shadows in the Night: The Wolves of Elyra is available now in paperback. If you’re after a fresh fantasy voice with a local connection, this one’s well worth a look.
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