Somber, strange, and quietly certain something is real.
J.R. Deem writes slipstream fiction and YA/NA fantasy about people tethered to each other in ways that outlast memory, geography, and sometimes death. Currently in progress: three long-form works, side by side.
I
Static
After the crash that should have killed them both, Eli wakes up to rebuild a life that no longer fits — a fiancée who's already gone, a memory that won't hold still, and a feeling he can't shake that some part of that night never actually ended. Twenty years, two cats named Static and Void, and a quiet certainty that something didn't add up.
Art update: I’ve offered an illustrator a trial for Static. We’ll see if it fits the vibe!
Slipstream novel About the book & excerptWhere the Ley Runs Dry
Sorrel, Roan, and Fen cross a post-apocalyptic fantasy landscape where the magic itself is running out. A slow-burn romance threads through their journey across a world running dry.
Art update: The illustrator I was working with didn’t work out, so I’m back to looking. If your style fits this feel, I’d love to hear from you at hello@waypointink.com.
YA / NA fantasy About the book & excerpt
III
Where the Ash Blooms
Two hundred years after the mountain buried the world in ash, an underground forager and a surface scout are drawn together by dreams neither of them asked for — and a dying man's notebook that says the mountain isn't finished yet.
Art update: The illustrator I was hoping to work with is too busy right now, so I’m still looking. If your style fits this feel, I’d love to hear from you at hello@waypointink.com.
Post-apocalyptic steampunk romantasy · Book One of The Emberhill Chronicles About the book & excerptA note on the art: the Static and Where the Ash Blooms images on these cards are AI-generated concept art. I have a hard time picturing things in my head, so having a visual helps me while I write. They show the mood and feel I’m going for with the covers and any art for these books, and the final look is open to discussion with the artist. Nothing in any book I sell will be AI-generated. I’ll be hiring a real illustrator, and these images will be replaced as soon as their work is finished. If you’re an illustrator whose style feels close to these, I’d love to hear from you at hello@waypointink.com.