In the Shadow of the Sanctum

She was afraid of the truth. She was afraid of the lies. But mostly afraid she could no longer tell the difference between the two.

Packed with Religious oppression, revolution, and self-discovery, this fast-paced, thought-provoking fantasy novel is perfect for fans of Margaret Atwood's The Handmaid's Tale, Sabaa Tahir's Ember in the Ashes series, and Phillip Pullman's His Dark Materials series.

After escaping from the holy Sanctum, Ehla yearns for safety. In a realm where High Priests maintain absolute power through violence and manipulation, Ehla finds herself at the center of a rebellion she wants no part of. The more she learns about the One God, the Serpent, and the magical power of Song, the more she questions everything she thought she knew.

With the Sanctum's shadow growing deeper, Ehla must make choices that will change her - and the realm - forever.

Dan Desai Martin is a fantasy author and communications consultant. After receiving a degree in Religious Studies from Berry College, Dan spent most of his career at nonprofit organizations trying to make the world a little better. He is active with the Maryland Writers' Association, and was an editor of the 2024 and 2025 editions of Emerging Voices: Poetry and Prose by Maryland Teens. When not reading, writing, or working, he enjoys traveling and spending time with his amazing wife, Rachana. They live in Silver Spring, Maryland.

Lynn co-authors several non-fiction books, including The Templar Revelation (1997) with Clive Prince, which inspired The Da Vinci Code. They were given cameo roles in the movie. Lynn is also a writer, editor, and regular contributor to TV series such as Forbidden History, History's Greatest Spies, and The UnXplained with William Shatner. She is a freelance editor for Gold Dust Publishing. Lynn lives in south London, England. For her full life story, see patreon.com/lynnpicknett See also www.picknettprince.com

Sean is a 38-year-old husband, cat and puppy dad, student, social justice advocate, and lover of words. He completed his Master of Arts in Sociology, specializing in Queer culture, in the fall of 2025. He is using his voice to write queer characters that show the beauty, value, and vibrancy.