Where Has Marissa Been?

I know. I’ve been quiet. The website’s been collecting a bit of dust — not the pretty, aesthetic kind you see glinting through a sunbeam in a witchy cottage, but the "damn girl, are you okay?" kind that gathers when life punches you in the face, kisses you afterward, and asks for another round.

So let’s talk. Let’s catch up. Let’s unravel some secrets, confess a little chaos, and light a spark beneath all the stories clawing to be told. Because I haven’t been silent. I’ve been writing. Bleeding magic into pages. Weaving betrayal into bed sheets. Setting cities on fire — metaphorically (and sometimes… not).

🖤 Let’s start with Shadows of A Withering Heart

This book is not just a romantasy. It’s not just enemies-to-lovers or lovers-to-weapons or whatever spicy trope we’re calling it this week. It’s a war hymn dressed in velvet. It’s a dagger dipped in desire. It’s Violet Payne and Ryland Sunsong ripping each other apart — and somehow, still choosing to stay in the blast radius—ahem, you are not the only one feeling attacked right now, I promise.

This story has grown in the dark like moss on bones. It started as one thing. It became something else. I’ve rewritten entire chapters while screaming internally. I’ve stared at blank pages and whispered to them like they might whisper back. I’ve expanded the world of Golnix until it threatens to swallow me whole, and honestly? I'll let it.

Because I love it here.

Even when it hurts.

Especially when it hurts.

The betrayal in this book? It’s real. The tension? So sharp you could use it to carve sigils. And the smut? Gods. The smut is feral and lyrical and devastating. If you’ve ever loved someone you weren’t supposed to touch, if you’ve ever kissed someone knowing they might destroy you — this is your story.

And you are so welcome here.

🔥 What’s coming next? Chaos. Always chaos.

Let’s talk rebellion. Let’s talk fire. Let’s talk about how the Veil & Valor world is expanding faster than my emotional damage collection.

Here’s a taste of what’s on the horizon:

• Of Fire, Flesh, and Fables is officially out now — a smutty fairytale anthology of gods, monsters, and lovers who don’t behave.

• Shadow's of A Withering Heart will be out on September 5th, 2025 and it is everything and more than you are expecting. Ryland will steal your heart, Violet will break it, you have to pick a side: House Sunsong or The Rebellion?

• The Veil of Shadows: Golnix’s Criminal Underworld is in development and will make you terrified of shadows in the best way

🧠 But also… I’ve been tired.

Let’s be real for a second. Being an author isn’t just about crafting killer prose and kissing characters into existence. It’s emails and invoices and formatting hell and mental breakdowns at 2am because Chapter 28 just doesn’t hit right. It’s being chronically online and somehow never online enough. It’s struggling to balance art and algorithm and still trying to make rent while selling your soul in paperback form.

I’ve had bad weeks. I’ve had wreck-me weeks. I’ve questioned everything from my talent to my titles to whether anyone actually sees the love I pour into these worlds. But then I remember…You’re still here. Still reading. Still caring. Still tagging me in TikTok's and writing unhinged messages about how my characters ruined your standards (as they should). So maybe it’s okay if the website went quiet for a while. The stories were still singing. And now, so am I.

🎇 Let’s stay wild together.

If you’ve read this far: thank you. You’re part of this world now, whether you wanted to be or not. There’s no safe word. Only sigils and seduction.

Updates will be more regular from here on out(Or at least, I hope). Expect:

• Behind-the-scenes chaos

• Lore drops that no one asked for

• Character deep dives

• Merch news (yes, I’m working on that damn Ryland’s ring replica)

• And unhinged writing confessions, because I’m done pretending this is a quiet little book series.

This is a kingdom. A rebellion. A spell in the shape of a story. And I’m so glad you’re part of it.

Smut. Lore. Betrayal. Repeat.

Until next time— Marissa S. Adams,

Author of the Veil & Valor Chronicles

Queen of Withering Hearts and Weaponized Feelings™