Hi! Markus here.
In just two days, the third novella in The Naissus Legend series will be released. Reaching this point… the halfway mark of the entire saga… feels like a milestone I’ve been quietly working toward for years. Seeing it finally materialize is both surreal and incredibly rewarding.
What has meant even more, though, is watching the series slowly find its readers. Noticing your comments on Amazon and Goodreads, receiving your messages, and seeing your reviews… it all means the world to me. Knowing that these stories resonate with you fuels my determination to keep crafting fantasy tales that matter.
The Price of Pride has been a particularly meaningful project, not only because of the story itself, but also because I’ve had the privilege of working with editor Morgan Wyn-Jones. My goal is always to deliver the strongest work I can, and having Morgan as both a guide and creative partner has made this installment something truly special.
This third book also gave me the chance to explore a new character: Brother Ivan… a young, earnest knight of the order whose unwavering devotion to the Orion faith stands in stark contrast to Pawel’s skepticism. Watching their relationship unfold, seeing how their beliefs clash and shape each other, was a fascinating experience for me as a writer. I think you’ll enjoy following their dynamic just as much as I enjoyed discovering it.
George R.R. Martin once described two types of writers: Architects and Gardeners. I’ve always felt at home in the latter category. When I sit down to write, I don’t impose the story… I let it grow. The tale unfolds as my imagination takes over, and the characters reveal themselves step by step. They feel real to me, and I follow their choices wherever they lead, even when the path surprises me. I don’t force them to fit the plot; instead, the plot emerges from who they are.
Writing this way means I get to experience the story much like you do… discovering twists, moments of tension, and unexpected turns as they happen. And that, to me, is the magic of storytelling: letting the characters breathe, trusting the world to guide me, and watching the legend take shape in real time.
A new chapter of the legend is about to begin. In two days, The Price of Pride arrives… and I invite you to step back into the world of Naissus and walk its winding paths with me.