Roz Maclaren

Teen Fiction with a Dark Twist

Mirrordom

Cover sneak peek for Flame and Phoenix

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I’m so excited to tease the cover for Flame and Phoenix, Book Four in my YA Fantasy series, The Mirrordom Legends!

Flame and Phoenix is currently in the final stages of editing and I’ll shortly receive a galley print from my publishers. This is the point when I go through the hard copy and catch any final errors. Once that’s done, my publishers will let me know the release date.

I am really excited to bring the latest installment in the series into the world.

Flame and Phoenix dives in the Mirror world a bit more, answering questions about what life is like on Mirror Island, what their culture is and if they have a religion.

Here’s the blurb

In a world where everyone is Good – unable to steal, lie and kill – Flame always believed she was normal. But her world shatters the day she discovers she’s capable of killing.  Now, she knows two things. The people who raised her have deceived her. And that her real parents are out there somewhere. 

Flame sets out to uncover the truth of her origin – and find the family she was never meant to know. She crosses paths with Phoenix, a Mirror boy determined to avenge his mother’s murder. 

As Flame and Phoenix search for answers, they soon learn that some secrets are meant to stay buried… 

Want to be the first to see the cover reveal? Or get your hands on a free ARC?

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Deal announcements

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I am delighted to announce that the final two books in The Mirrordom Legends series have been accepted for publication.

Flame and Phoenix will be coming out in Summer 2026.

Quiver and Arrow will follow in Winter 2026.

I am so grateful to Fire and Ice YA for allowing me to tell all these stories and for helping me bring my fantasy world to life. I hope you enjoy reading the books as much as I enjoyed writing them.

City and Shadow – Fantasy of the Year finalist

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City and Shadow is a finalist in the Fantasy Of The Year category in the Bookstagram Awards!

CAST YOUR VOTE

I was delighted (and flabbergasted) to get the news today from the lovely team at Bookstagram Awards.

How to vote

There are so many amazing authors and books that you can vote for. All you need to do is click the button above, log in with a Google account and cast your vote. It goes without saying that I’d be immensely grateful if you voted for City and Shadow!

You have until 23 September to vote and it would mean the world to me and all the other authors nominated.

Bewitched Blooms is also nominated under Anthology Of The Year – an anthology organised by New York Times Bestseller, Briar Boleyn. (I contributed a short story from the Mirrordom universe to it – so if you wanted to vote for that while you were there, that would be amazing!)

Where you can read the books

If you’ve not already read City and Shadow, you can snap up a copy on Amazon. Bewitched Blooms will be on Kindle Unlimited until 25 September.

Thank you so much in advance – and congratulations to all the other finalists!

City and Shadow release day

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The moment that’s been three years in the making is finally here. City and Shadow is out in the world.

If you want to know what happened to Venom and Blaze, this is the book for you.

You’ll also get to meet three brand-new characters; City, Shadow and Quiver.

“At first, they tried to co-exist. The Good and their Mirror. The firstborn and the twin that emerged immediately after…”

In a world where every person has a Mirror twin capable of doing only bad things, Quiver is the only one born Mirrorless. Along with his best friend, City, the two must navigate a society ruled by a tyrannical queen and threatened by a dangerous rebel. And, when City’s Mirror escapes from her island prison, a chain of events is set in motion that thrusts Quiver, City and her Mirror into a dangerous struggle for power and survival.

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Who will your favourite character be?

Pre-order City and Shadow – out 11 August!

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I’m thrilled to announce that my fourth novel, and the third in my series The Mirrordom Legends, is due out 11 August!

City and Shadow is my most ambitious novel yet. Told solely from City’s point of view, the book follows the story of a brand-new set of characters in the world of Mirrordom (along with some very familiar returning characters!)

Here’s the blurb:

“At first, they tried to co-exist. The Good and their Mirror. The firstborn and the twin that emerged immediately after…”

In a world where every person has a Mirror twin capable of doing only bad things, Quiver is the only one born Mirrorless. Along with his best friend, City, the two must navigate a society ruled by a tyrannical queen and threatened by a dangerous rebel. And, when City’s Mirror escapes from her island prison, a chain of events is set in motion that thrusts Quiver, City and her Mirror into a dangerous struggle for power and survival.

Pre-order yours

City and Shadow is now available to pre-order on Amazon.

GET YOURS

If you’re not already, pop over to my Instagram and follow me. In the build-up to release day, I’ll be posting seven random facts about the book, giving followers the chance to win their own copy and sharing teaser quotes.

I have so much pride, love and affection for this book. It was written in the spring/summer of 2023, a pivotal point in my life professionally and personally. I poured so much passion and energy into this book and I hope you love it as much as I loved writing it (which was a lot!).

It’s time to step back into Mirrordom. And it’s going to be a dark and wild ride.

The Mirrordom Legends series: an update

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As we approach the release of City and Shadow, I thought it would be appropriate to talk about my vision for the entire series.

Venom and Blaze

Venom and Blaze came out in 2024, introducing us to the characters who later go on to terrorise the protagonists of City and Shadow. It’s the story of how Venom goes from traumatised princess to terrifying ruler, someone who chooses to strike first and think later, someone who refuses to let herself get hurt again.

Fable and Legend

Fable and Legend was released earlier this year. It follows the story of one of my favourite characters, a girl called Fable. One of my favourite things about this series is that every story is interlinked, but not necessarily related. Characters that refuse to stay in the background end up getting their own novel.

Fun fact: so far Fable is the only character to appear in all of the books so far.

Omen and Myth

Omen and Myth is the short story I contributed to Bewitched Blooms, a fundraised anthology organised by author Briar Boleyn.

Chronologically, it fits in between Fable and Legend and City and Shadow – and it follows the story of Legend’s twins as they journey to meet their father.

One of my regrets for Fable is that she (SPOILER ALERT) doesn’t end up with Cobalt, her first love. In fact, he stabs her in the back and quickly regrets it. But I always felt Cobalt wasn’t really bad at heart – and so he makes an appearance in Omen and Myth. Does he redeem himself – or does history repeat itself?

City and Shadow

City and Shadow is due out this year. I’m currently proofing the galley print so as soon as I get those edits back to my publisher, we’ll have a release date and the book can be pre-ordered.

City and Shadow is probably my favourite book in the series so far. I love the character of City and I think readers will be able to relate to her. She’s uncertain where she fits in life, who her friends are, she compromises a lot of her own needs and wants to please other people… In many ways, she’s the opposite side of the coin to Venom. Will she follow Venom’s footsteps and choose to embrace the dark aspects of her character? You’ll have to read the book and see!

Fun fact: City and Shadow is the only book in the series told from one point of view.

Flame and Phoenix

I’m currently editing the fourth book in the series. It’s not been submitted to my publisher yet and there’s always the chance they’ll reject it. But my plan is to get this book tidied up and then send it to them.

The majority of Flame and Phoenix is set on Mirror Island. This gave me the chance to answer a lot of (my own) questions about the culture there. And questions like “Why don’t the Mirrors just swim off the island?” “What happens if two Mirrors have a child?” “Do they have their own set of laws?” And also one question from a particularly eagle-eyed reader: “Why, on page 12 of Venom and Blaze do you describe Venom’s mother as having navy eyes when only the Mirrors have navy eyes?”

Full transparency: that was a mistake. But it gets an explanation in Flame and Phoenix. And the truth will shock you to your core. Probably.*

Quiver and Arrow

The final book in the series is Quiver and Arrow. Quiver is a character first introduced in City and Shadow. Here’s the WIP blurb:

Quiver’s world is thrown into turmoil. And it’s only getting worse since he became king. 

Someone is murdering Mirrors. The people are getting restless. His mother is acting more and more strangely. A mysterious girl has turned up, with no memory of who she is. Oh, and, on top of that, his best friend City has returned – and she’s dying. Can Quiver protect his kingdom, save his best friend and uncover the secrets hidden within his own family? 

Quiver and Arrow is currently written – and I’m really proud of it. It’s the darkest, most politically complex book I’ve ever written. And it’s not for the faint of heart.

So there we go. That’s my working plan for the whole Mirrordom Legends series. As soon as there are any concrete developments, I’ll blog and post about them. In the meantime, back to editing the proof of City and Shadow!

* Note: I am not responsible if, after reading Flame and Phoenix, your core remains unshocked.

Character art: Venom

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Venom isn’t your average princess.

When she first appears in the books, she’s young for her age, desperate to please her father and very unsure of herself.

Venom and Blaze is her origin story. The book traces her slow, spiralling descent (or rise, depending on how you see it). A princess who hesitates at every crossroad, until she finally stands at the edge of one last impossible choice.

Spoiler alert: she chooses darkness.

When I commissioned Venom’s character art, I knew it had to capture the moment just after. Not the uncertain girl. Not the fearsome queen. But that magical moment in time where she becomes. The second the softness dies, and something dangerous unfurls inside her.

She’s wearing a dress made entirely of live spiders – her only true friends. She’s reclaiming who she is and what she stands for. She’s turning fear into fashion. And she doesn’t care if she repulses people as long as they respect her.

The character art evokes a beautiful blend of vulnerability and viciousness in Venom’s expression – and it’s exactly how I wanted it to be.

The Mirrordom Legends Series: Sprayed edges

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A gorgeously wrapped parcel arrived for me the other day – and inside was something very exciting!

The incredibly talented artist, Jess Rollins, custom designed an amazing pair of sprayed edges for my Mirrordom series!

This particular pair are mine – but if you’re looking for a unique way to make your books even more special, Jess will create you a pair too. Whether you’re looking for the same design or have your own ideas, Jess is happy to discuss options.

Venom and Blaze

Venom and Blaze was treated to a lovely pair of spiders. If you’ve read the book, you’ll know that spiders is an integral part of the theme and Jess beautifully created a pair of black widow spiders.

Fable and Legend

Fable and Legend was always going to be a little harder – but Jess showed what a genius she is. Inspired by the wanted posters that appear inside the book, Jess created her own version – even incorporating the mirror theme with the lettering.

On either side are three beautifully drawn gold coins, a nod to the cover and to one of the recurring themes in the book.

Jess and I will be running a giveaway at some point in the near future – and I’ll be inviting her onto the blog to answer a few interview questions – so keep a look out for both those events. In the meantime, please show your support for Jess who gives tirelessly to the indie author community on Instagram.