Matt Heppe
@mattheppe.bsky.social
Father, husband, teacher, writer, Dungeon Master…
Author of the five-novel The Orb series as well as The Green Wyvern: Volume One. Currently writing Gift of Shadow.
Author of the five-novel The Orb series as well as The Green Wyvern: Volume One. Currently writing Gift of Shadow.
Maseer is Gift’s teacher and adoptive father in Gift of Shadow. Gift’s life with him is peaceful—until the night his tower is attacked and he casts her into Shadow to save her. He vows to come for her, but he never does. Gift is left only with Maseer’s lessons and his familiar hound to save her.
December 8, 2025 at 8:21 PM
Maseer is Gift’s teacher and adoptive father in Gift of Shadow. Gift’s life with him is peaceful—until the night his tower is attacked and he casts her into Shadow to save her. He vows to come for her, but he never does. Gift is left only with Maseer’s lessons and his familiar hound to save her.
Gift has escaped the realm of Shadow, but the world she’s returned to is even worse. Demon lords rule, ghouls stalk the night, and souls are traded like coins. In a land where mercy is weakness, survival means embracing the darkness.
I hope you enjoy it! And if you do, please leave a review!
I hope you enjoy it! And if you do, please leave a review!
December 5, 2025 at 7:23 PM
Gift has escaped the realm of Shadow, but the world she’s returned to is even worse. Demon lords rule, ghouls stalk the night, and souls are traded like coins. In a land where mercy is weakness, survival means embracing the darkness.
I hope you enjoy it! And if you do, please leave a review!
I hope you enjoy it! And if you do, please leave a review!
Sparrow of the Morning Mist is one of the fae in Gift of Shadow. Don’t be fooled by the kindness—they greet you warmly, then count what you owe. Take nothing freely, and choose your bargains carefully. With the fae, every promise binds.
Artwork by Ella Carter
Gift of Shadow arrives Friday, Dec 5th
Artwork by Ella Carter
Gift of Shadow arrives Friday, Dec 5th
December 5, 2025 at 2:13 AM
Sparrow of the Morning Mist is one of the fae in Gift of Shadow. Don’t be fooled by the kindness—they greet you warmly, then count what you owe. Take nothing freely, and choose your bargains carefully. With the fae, every promise binds.
Artwork by Ella Carter
Gift of Shadow arrives Friday, Dec 5th
Artwork by Ella Carter
Gift of Shadow arrives Friday, Dec 5th
Meet Batris, the only ally Gift finds in Gift of Shadow. A captured Gendrian warrior, she’s still intimidating in battle—despite being nine months pregnant. Brusque and used to command, she’s a tough companion, but the alliance she offers Gift is one she can’t refuse.
December 4, 2025 at 1:37 AM
Meet Batris, the only ally Gift finds in Gift of Shadow. A captured Gendrian warrior, she’s still intimidating in battle—despite being nine months pregnant. Brusque and used to command, she’s a tough companion, but the alliance she offers Gift is one she can’t refuse.
Say hello to Rig: hero, drunk, exile. He once killed a ghoul single-handed, but his taste for whisky and women got him run out of town. When Gift escapes Shadow, she stumbles into his territory—and her luck immediately gets worse.
My grimdark fantasy, Gift of Shadow, arrives on Friday!
My grimdark fantasy, Gift of Shadow, arrives on Friday!
December 2, 2025 at 9:47 PM
Say hello to Rig: hero, drunk, exile. He once killed a ghoul single-handed, but his taste for whisky and women got him run out of town. When Gift escapes Shadow, she stumbles into his territory—and her luck immediately gets worse.
My grimdark fantasy, Gift of Shadow, arrives on Friday!
My grimdark fantasy, Gift of Shadow, arrives on Friday!
Meet Gift—the survivor at the heart of Gift of Shadow. Cast into the realm of Shadow at nine by her master, she endured its horrors with only one ally: his monstrous familiar, a hound she named Puppy.
The Gift of Shadow ebook is available for pre-order now.
Draft cover artwork by Dallas Williams.
The Gift of Shadow ebook is available for pre-order now.
Draft cover artwork by Dallas Williams.
December 2, 2025 at 12:32 AM
Meet Gift—the survivor at the heart of Gift of Shadow. Cast into the realm of Shadow at nine by her master, she endured its horrors with only one ally: his monstrous familiar, a hound she named Puppy.
The Gift of Shadow ebook is available for pre-order now.
Draft cover artwork by Dallas Williams.
The Gift of Shadow ebook is available for pre-order now.
Draft cover artwork by Dallas Williams.
Seven days until the release of my grimdark fantasy, Gift of Shadow!
November 28, 2025 at 5:24 PM
Seven days until the release of my grimdark fantasy, Gift of Shadow!
Preorders for the ebook of Gift of Shadow are now open! You can purchase it now, and it will be delivered to your reading device on December 5th. So excited for you to read it! All my best, Matt.
October 30, 2025 at 2:23 AM
Preorders for the ebook of Gift of Shadow are now open! You can purchase it now, and it will be delivered to your reading device on December 5th. So excited for you to read it! All my best, Matt.
Sat at my computer at 8 am, ready to get to work. I have seventeen items on my writing to-do list and four on my home to-do list. Just spent the last half hour brainstorming a combat system for a new TTRPG that will never be played. Come on, brain!
October 29, 2025 at 12:44 PM
Sat at my computer at 8 am, ready to get to work. I have seventeen items on my writing to-do list and four on my home to-do list. Just spent the last half hour brainstorming a combat system for a new TTRPG that will never be played. Come on, brain!
Would you like to be an Advance Reader for my grimdark fantasy novel, Gift of Shadow? Gift of Shadow is my seventh fantasy novel, but it marks my first effort at recruiting ARC readers. I hope you'll join the team! Please check out the link below.
September 23, 2025 at 3:03 PM
Would you like to be an Advance Reader for my grimdark fantasy novel, Gift of Shadow? Gift of Shadow is my seventh fantasy novel, but it marks my first effort at recruiting ARC readers. I hope you'll join the team! Please check out the link below.
My writing assistant is pretty lazy.
September 3, 2025 at 5:41 PM
My writing assistant is pretty lazy.
Big day today! I finished my "read aloud" of Gift of Shadow. I'm absolutely going to do this with every book I write from now on. I caught a few errors, but more importantly, I made several changes that improved clarity and the flow of both sentences and paragraphs. Now to prepare for publication!
September 2, 2025 at 11:35 PM
Big day today! I finished my "read aloud" of Gift of Shadow. I'm absolutely going to do this with every book I write from now on. I caught a few errors, but more importantly, I made several changes that improved clarity and the flow of both sentences and paragraphs. Now to prepare for publication!
My five favorite science fiction spaceships. In order, without commentary. Let me know yours.
1) Rocinante
2) Serenity
3) Millennium Falcon
4) Enterprise D
5) Battlestar Galactica
1) Rocinante
2) Serenity
3) Millennium Falcon
4) Enterprise D
5) Battlestar Galactica
August 8, 2025 at 4:58 PM
My five favorite science fiction spaceships. In order, without commentary. Let me know yours.
1) Rocinante
2) Serenity
3) Millennium Falcon
4) Enterprise D
5) Battlestar Galactica
1) Rocinante
2) Serenity
3) Millennium Falcon
4) Enterprise D
5) Battlestar Galactica
This June marked a major change in my life. I retired from teaching and will now focus my professional life on my writing career. I am already the author of six fantasy novels with a new one on the way. Now that the retirement dust has settled a bit, it's time to chase some big author dreams!
August 6, 2025 at 7:46 PM
This June marked a major change in my life. I retired from teaching and will now focus my professional life on my writing career. I am already the author of six fantasy novels with a new one on the way. Now that the retirement dust has settled a bit, it's time to chase some big author dreams!
Empty ports lead to empty shelves and empty wallets.
April 28, 2025 at 11:56 AM
Empty ports lead to empty shelves and empty wallets.
Reposted by Matt Heppe
Russia’s three greatest victories: the defeat of Germany in World War Two, the defeat of Napoleon in 1812, and the election of Donald Trump.
March 10, 2025 at 10:28 AM
Russia’s three greatest victories: the defeat of Germany in World War Two, the defeat of Napoleon in 1812, and the election of Donald Trump.
Looks like someone explained to Trump what tariffs are going to do to the auto industry.
The White House said President Trump has given Ford, General Motors and Stellantis a one-month reprieve from tariffs on imports from Canada and Mexico.
Trump grants the Big Three automakers temporary relief from tariffs
The White House said President Trump has given Ford, General Motors and Stellantis a one-month reprieve from tariffs on imports from Canada and Mexico.
www.npr.org
March 5, 2025 at 9:48 PM
Looks like someone explained to Trump what tariffs are going to do to the auto industry.
My new ride! It’s an A2 Rogue I bought on Buycycle in fantastic condition. Only had time for a half hour ride as it was getting dark, but I’m already in love.
February 26, 2025 at 2:09 AM
My new ride! It’s an A2 Rogue I bought on Buycycle in fantastic condition. Only had time for a half hour ride as it was getting dark, but I’m already in love.
Reposted by Matt Heppe
Worst. Episode. EVER.
February 22, 2025 at 4:00 AM
Worst. Episode. EVER.
Proof copies have arrived!
February 7, 2025 at 1:06 PM
Proof copies have arrived!
This is what I imagine my character Gift looks like when she cloaks herself in shadows.
If you see this, quote with your Night/Dark art!
February 1, 2025 at 4:42 PM
This is what I imagine my character Gift looks like when she cloaks herself in shadows.
Goodbye to the longest January of my life. It’s a shame that asking our society to be a little less racist, a little less sexist, and a little less ignorant was a bridge too far.
February 1, 2025 at 1:55 PM
Goodbye to the longest January of my life. It’s a shame that asking our society to be a little less racist, a little less sexist, and a little less ignorant was a bridge too far.
Fantastic weekend of editing. I finished my final read-through of Gift of Shadow. Next up... blurb, acknowledgments, and final formatting for publication. This is my first foray into grimdark fantasy, and I've really enjoyed it. Already thinking about book two.
January 20, 2025 at 10:55 PM
Fantastic weekend of editing. I finished my final read-through of Gift of Shadow. Next up... blurb, acknowledgments, and final formatting for publication. This is my first foray into grimdark fantasy, and I've really enjoyed it. Already thinking about book two.