Tinderbox (Tales from the Riven Isles)

A tinderbox, three huge hounds within, and an underground kingdom of old magic. Fans of Sarah J. Maas and Holly Black, myth and magic, fairy tales and fantasy will love the dark adventures of the Riven Isles.

'A grisly murder, a missing box, a dangerous task, and a cranky magical talisman. Expect betrayals, intrigue, peril, and romance in this smartly moving fantasy.' — Jacey Bedford, author of the Psi-Tech and Rowankind series

Isbet returns home to find the witch who raised her murdered and her prized possession, the Tinderbox stolen. She discovers a common man has used it to seize the throne. The same who conquered Prince Bram’s kingdom. Isbet’s goals are vengeance and reclaim the Box. For Bram, it is to free his homeland. When they are summoned to an underground kingdom, they must set aside their personal desires as they learn dark fey are bringing an ancient source of magic back to life. If they cannot halt the rise of the old magic, it will tear apart the Riven Isles.

Tales from the Riven Isles is a dark fantasy series set in a world outside of our own, where the characters of myth and fairy-tales exist, and their legends live on. Featuring the novels: 'Tinderbox', 'Tarotmancer', and 'The Hatter's Daughter'.

FLAME TREE PRESS is the imprint of long-standing independent Flame Tree Publishing, dedicated to full-length original fiction in the horror and suspense, science fiction & fantasy, and crime / mystery / thriller categories. The list brings together fantastic new authors and the more established; the award winners, and exciting, original voices. Learn more about Flame Tree Press at www.flametreepress.com and connect on social media @FlameTreePress

Wendy A. Simpson is an award‑winning author of fantasy and science fiction whose work blends emotional resonance with genre‑defying imagination. She began writing at five and completed her first novel by fourteen, starting with mysteries before discovering speculative fiction through the influence of Ray Bradbury. Her contemporary, character‑driven style often centers strong, complex female protagonists navigating richly built worlds.

Her debut novel, Tinderbox, and its sequel, Tarotmancer, launched the Tales from the Riven Isles series with Flame Tree Press. Tinderbox reached the Top 100 on Amazon’s Best Sellers List in Black & African American Fantasy Fiction and won the 2022 Foreword INDIES Gold Award for Fantasy. The third installment, The Hatter’s Daughter, released in April 2025, and the final volume, Steelbound, arrives June 9, 2026. Critics have compared her work to N. K. Jemisin, L. Penelope, and Sarah J. Maas.

Wendy is currently developing several new projects for her readers, including The Girl of Morning Glory (MG contemporary fantasy), The Last Storyteller (grimdark fantasy), The Good Guys (AU contemporary fantasy), and Immortal Stream (science‑fantasy).

A proud Delaware native, she lives with her older brother — fondly known as Big Brother — and two diva cats. When she’s not writing, she enjoys reading, gardening, gaming, and streaming on Twitch as Runic Nightshade. Visit her at www.authorwasimpson.com to explore her works‑in‑progress and connect.