Tamara S. Harker
LightNews LightNews
banner
tamarasharker.com
Tamara S. Harker
@tamarasharker.com
140 followers 330 following 42 posts
Indie epic fantasy author, editor, and avid collector and list-maker. My first novel, The Fruit of War: Stone and Flesh, arrives March 2026!

(She/Her)
www.tamarasharker.com
https://linktr.ee/tamarasharker
Posts Replies Media Videos
tamarasharker.com
A big part of what I wanted with Stone and Flesh was to write a story set after the “happily-ever-after” (even if it wasn’t so happy), where there are no longer any heroes to help. The Hidden Company haunt my narrative.

#epicfantasy #fruitofwar #indiebooks #writesky #icalaranfieldguide
Dark text and a flowery border on an ivory background. The text reads "The Hidden". In the background, slightly transparent, is an illustration of a fictional, purple-red, heart-shaped fruit. Dark text and flowery border on an ivory background; the text reads: "An important mercenary group that took part in the War of the Six, eventually siding with the Golden Itoqîr of the Pact of the Blessèd. Its de facto leader was Iknaïs; its other members were Andras and Amathara Acosaphaura, Talo’eran Elbusgar, Xo Ragehand, Obékona Fýdi, and the Vil’rabenen sisters (Joibri, Saraphne, and Nerise)."
November 10, 2025 at 5:38 PM
tamarasharker.com
Kōtia is what happens when you take what could have been your typical teenage protagonist and drop them into a more…well, aged story – she has as much to unlearn as she has to learn.

#epicfantasy #fruitofwar #indiebooks #writesky #icalaranfieldguide
Dark text and a flowery border on an ivory background. The text reads "Kotia Acosaphaura". In the background, slightly transparent, is an illustration of a fictional, purple-red, heart-shaped fruit. Dark text and flowery border on an ivory background; the text reads: "A recent top graduate of the Korzhûn Shogu Holding into the Razakîr. Her parents are Andras and Amathara, and her grandparents are Devatska and Eraleon; her best friend is Fhalz. Her assigned kōza is Aensati, but her kōza at home is Saraphne. She wields a glaive. Human."
November 9, 2025 at 5:48 PM
tamarasharker.com
It’s time for the first creature in our Fieldguide! Meet the kōza, of which three feature frequently in the novel.

#epicfantasy #fruitofwar #indiebooks #writesky
Dark text and a flowery border on an ivory background. The text reads "koza". In the background, slightly transparent, is an illustration of a fictional, purple-red, heart-shaped fruit. Dark text and flowery border on an ivory background; the text reads: "A roughly horse-sized, winged feline with reptilian features, often tamed for use in war. It is believed they are descended from the Great Sky Drake. Kiva is notable for the quality of its kōza breeding."
November 7, 2025 at 6:18 PM
tamarasharker.com
Looking to sink your teeth into a cerebral, rich epic fantasy? "The Fruit of War: Stone and Flesh" will be served 1st March 2026!

Get your first taste by signing up for my newsletter at www.tamarasharker.com!

🪐📚 💙📚
#epicfantasy #darkfantasy #fruitofwar #indiebooks
A dark green banner split in half by a subtle gold border. The left half features a book cover with white text that reads “The Fruit of War, Book 1: Stone and Flesh”, by Tamara S Harker. It shows a man’s hand holding a purple-red fruit cut open to reveal a small skull. In the background is a shadowed orchard with fallen soldiers lying on the ground. The right half of the image describes the book, including a tagline of "Nothing truly dies -- it merely changes." and a launch date of 1st March 2026, both in red text. A donut-shaped pie chart lists its genres as 70% epic fantasy, 20% dark fantasy, and 10% gothic horror. The blurb of the book, in pale green text, reads: "A weary young undertaker is tasked by a dead hero to find an artifact that began – and ended – a recent war. In doing so, he gathers an eclectic group of veterans and greenhorns almost by accident. Yet finding the artifact is only the beginning, and in solving the riddle of the hero’s last request, they are only met with more questions – about the war, their alleged enemy, and the very nature of their world." Finally, green text reads: "For readers who like their fantasy intelligent...immersive...and simmering with ghosts of the past...both figurative and literal."
November 7, 2025 at 6:05 PM
tamarasharker.com
I’ll be honest, Devatska is one of my favorite characters I’ve ever written; she’s smart, tired of everyone’s sh*t, swears copiously – and is the last of a culled dynasty.

#epicfantasy #fruitofwar #indiebooks #writesky
Dark text and a flowery border on an ivory background. The text reads "Devatska Acosaphaura". In the background, slightly transparent, is an illustration of a fictional, purple-red, heart-shaped fruit. Dark text and flowery border on an ivory background; the text reads: "A former Assistant Warmaster of the Golden Itoqîr during the War of the Six, whose brilliance earned her the moniker ‘Shadow Warmaster’; she has since retreated into obscurity as a tinker in Korzhûn. She is also the inventor of enstreng and firearms, both of which were outlawed. Widow of Eraleon, mother of Andras, and grandmother and foster parent of Kōtia. Her kōza is Bashka. Human."
November 6, 2025 at 5:26 PM
tamarasharker.com
“Remember, remember, the 5th of November…” Today we’re looking at something illegal in Ícalar, which nonetheless weighs heavily on the mind of two of our characters.

#epicfantasy #fruitofwar #indiebooks #writesky #icalaranfieldguide
Dark text and a flowery border on an ivory background. The text reads "enstreng and firearms". In the background, slightly transparent, is an illustration of a fictional, purple-red, heart-shaped fruit. Dark text and flowery border on an ivory background; the text reads: "The in-world equivalent of gunpowder, created via experiments conducted by Devatska Acosaphaura. Currently outlawed along with the first firearms by what is known as the Quelldraw Act."
November 5, 2025 at 5:25 PM
tamarasharker.com
Ubiquitous throughout nearly the entirety of Ícalar are what are known as Shepherds of Leaving, an ancient caste composed of one of my favorite mythical entities – psychopomps!

#epicfantasy #fruitofwar #indiebooks #writesky #icalaranfieldguide
Dark text and a flowery border on an ivory background. The text reads "Shepherds of Leaving". In the background, slightly transparent, is an illustration of a fictional, purple-red, heart-shaped fruit. Dark text and flowery border on an ivory background; the text reads: "Shepherds are a type of Aré (magic) practitioner under a House of Leavings, specializing in services to the deceased and their loved ones using empathic abilities; it is a highly-respected, widespread, secular profession. Shepherds act as coroners, funeral directors, spirit guides, grief counselors, and other roles associated with laying the deceased to rest. They are overseen by the Eyes, and also known as leaveguides or Honored Guests."
November 4, 2025 at 6:12 PM
tamarasharker.com
It’s time to meet our main protagonist, Fîeron, a.k.a. the weariest undertaker-empath in all the land who’s about to become that much wearier – but this time with friends!

#epicfantasy #fruitofwar #indiebooks #writesky #icalaranfieldguide
Dark text and a flowery border on an ivory background. The text reads "Fieron Eburos". In the background, slightly transparent, is an illustration of a fictional, purple-red, heart-shaped fruit. Dark text and flowery border on an ivory background; the text reads: "It’s time to meet our main protagonist, Fîeron, a.k.a. the weariest undertaker-empath in all the land who’s about to become that much wearier – but this time with friends!"
November 3, 2025 at 6:21 PM
tamarasharker.com
To celebrate the days growing shorter, let’s talk quickly about Ícalar’s calendar system!
‪

#epicfantasy #fruitofwar #indiebooks #writesky #icalaranfieldguide
Dark text and a flowery border on an ivory background. The text reads "Icalaran Calendar". In the background, slightly transparent, is an illustration of a fictional, purple-red, heart-shaped fruit. Dark text and flowery border on an ivory background; the text reads: "There are seventy-five days in a Season, and four Seasons in a year. The Seasons roughly equate to spring (the Season of Opening), summer (the Season of Ripening), autumn (the Season of Closing), and winter (the Season of Waiting). The new year begins on the first day of the Season of Opening, and there are many regional feast-days throughout."
November 2, 2025 at 3:30 PM
tamarasharker.com
November’s here! Let’s kick off this Fieldguide with the fateful fruit, the harbinger of war, the root of our plot – the ìkam!

#epicfantasy #fruitofwar #indiebooks #writesky #icalaranfieldguide
Dark text and a flowery border on an ivory background. The text reads "ikam". In the background, slightly transparent, is an illustration of a fictional, purple-red, heart-shaped fruit. Dark text and flowery border on an ivory background; the text reads: "An evergreen stonefruit bush that mysteriously appeared in Ícalar, now extinct following the release of the Plague of the Bitter Hand in the War of the Six. Its fruit was notable for its ability to sometimes awaken channeling ability in non-practitioners and unreliably strengthen that of current practitioners, as well as possessing implications for soil fertilization and cloud-seeding projects or – contrastingly – volatile bioweapons. As such, control of the fruit and the grove became the subject of the war. Agüthsha Intoh was the discoverer and foremost researcher of the ìkam and used it to concoct the Bitter Hand."
November 1, 2025 at 4:19 PM
tamarasharker.com
Happy Thursday, friends! As a heads-up since I know we'll be busy tomorrow, I have some fun planned for November to introduce you to my novel!

And if you haven't signed up for Novel November (the successor to the ill-fated NaNoWriMo), you can do so here: prowritingaid.com/novel-november
October 30, 2025 at 8:28 PM
tamarasharker.com
Happy Monday, friends! Last call to join my ARC Team! If you want to A) read it before anyone else, and B) give me an early birthday/Christmas present, now’s your chance!

eBooks are being sent by Nov 1st so you can cozy up with them over the weekend!

forms.gle/CGe6G5iZKrkL...
October 27, 2025 at 3:34 PM
tamarasharker.com
Honestly, I probably had more fun than I should have, creating this!

If you like your fantasy books immersive, a little cerebral, a little dark, this might be for you! Free sample available via signing up for my newsletter at www.tamarasharker.com

#epicfantasy #fruitofwar #indiebooks #sff
A graphic with a fantasy book cover on the left and a fictional nutrition label on the right. The book cover has white text that reads “The Fruit of War, Book 1: Stone and Flesh”, by Tamara S Harker. It shows a man’s hand holding a purple-red fruit cut open to reveal a small skull. In the background is a shadowed orchard with fallen soldiers lying on the ground. The nutrition label is dark text on a pale gray background that lists numerous features of the book, including a ragtag team, elemental and dark magic, and psychopomps.
October 26, 2025 at 5:38 PM
tamarasharker.com
Truly, is there anything more beautiful than a perfectly-poached egg? ❤️
A photo of two poached eggs on buttered English muffins, on a white plate. The eggs have been garnished with dried chives and salt and pepper, and both are sliced open to reveal the runny yolks.
October 25, 2025 at 6:17 PM
tamarasharker.com
Happy Friday, friends! Three days until the application period for my illustrious ARC Team closes. While I may open it again, I can’t guarantee it, so if you want to be one of the first to read the whole novel, now’s your chance!

Apply here by Monday 27th: forms.gle/CGe6G5iZKrkL...

#epicfantasy
October 24, 2025 at 8:07 PM
tamarasharker.com
I've just learnt that #selfiesaturday is a thing! So, stepping away from the formal author bio: I'm Tamara! My resident creatures are Molly, an anxious Shepinois; Penny, aka Miss Fluffybritches; and Magnus, who is obsessed with swizzle sticks. Yesterday we all got very excited about a puzzle table.
October 18, 2025 at 5:29 PM
tamarasharker.com
It's time! Looking for ARC readers to sink their teeth into an immersive, dark, epic fantasy. It's even got a little gothic horror to go with the Halloween season! To find out more and sign up, go here: forms.gle/CGe6G5iZKrkL...

#epicfantasy, #fruitofwar, #arcreaders, #indiebooks, #sff
October 17, 2025 at 4:07 PM
tamarasharker.com
It's time! Looking for ARC readers to sink their teeth into an immersive, dark, epic fantasy. It's even got a little gothic horror to go with the Halloween season! To find out more and sign up, go here: forms.gle/CGe6G5iZKrkL...

#epicfantasy, #fruitofwar, #arcreaders, #indieauthor
October 16, 2025 at 6:28 PM
tamarasharker.com
A big thank-you to everyone who’s signed up for my newsletter thus far! It means more than you know. If epic fantasy or novels in general aren’t your thing, I’d greatly appreciate you passing the word along to someone who’d like it.

PS -- Don't forget your free eBook!

www.tamarasharker.com
A photo collage in dark green and wine red consisting of four square images: top-left is a fantasy book standing upright on a moss-covered log, featuring a man's hand holding a purple-red fruit cut open to show a skull; top-right is white text on a red background reading "Nothing truly dies -- it merely changes."; bottom-left is white text on a green background with a short blurb of the novel; bottom-right is a painterly illustration of an old battlefield over which small trees with red fruit have grown, and on the lightening horizon are nine silhouettes.
September 23, 2025 at 3:17 PM
tamarasharker.com
Evening, friends! My website is now live! I'd love it if you could take a look.

If you're a fan of dark, epic fantasy with character-driven stories, rich worlds, and elements of gothic horror, sign up for my newsletter to get a free sample of The Fruit of War, Book 1: Stone and Flesh!
A fantasy book cover featuring a man's hand holding a strange purple-red fruit, which is cut open to reveal a skull inside. In the background are fallen soldiers in armor, in what appears to be a shady grove. The book's title is "The Fruit of War, Book 1: Stone and Flesh"; in red text at the bottom is the tagline "Nothing truly dies -- it merely changes."
September 21, 2025 at 10:30 PM