Boston, MA — January 21, 2025 — Ruadán Books is delighted to announce that it has signed a very good deal with author Xan van Rooyen for a 2026 release of their upcoming novel Born of Malice. Van Rooyen creates quirky characters and fantastic worlds while enjoying the soothing heavy metal music in their current home of Finland. Born of Malice, their upcoming book for Ruadán, is a magical world that explores and celebrates diversity and culture while playing with mythological aspects and legends. They are excited about the partnership and deal with the newest publisher that inspires and elevates unique voices in dark speculative fiction and crime noir.
“The way Xan builds their stories is like no other writer I’ve ever known. Opening each page is like stepping into another world entirely, and I can’t wait for readers to get lost in Born of Malice.” – Lindsay Leggett, The Rights Factory.
Van Rooyen’s work has been praised by many in the field, and Ruadán founder and CEO, R. B. Wood had this to say about the deal:
“Xan is a delightful, intelligent, and passionate writer. We were delighted to include their story, “Helsinki,” in our first anthology, “Winter in the City.” We knew we wanted to work more with this amazing wordsmith, and our readers will be enthralled with the stories they will share in 2026”
Other writers have this to say about van Rooyen:
“A whirlwind magic-school mystery, full of Finnish mythological lore. I adored Taika and their found family of delightfully complex misfit mages. A whimsical, edge-of-your seat adventure that navigates powerful themes of overconsumption and degrowth alongside queer adolescent challenges of bullying, unsupportive parents, and toxic thought patterns.” – Sim Kern author of Seeds for the Swarm and Depart, Depart!
“If you’ve been looking for a magic school fantasy that’s also diverse and inclusive, My Name is Magic will give you what you need. Rich with Finnish mythology…van Rooyen gets inside the head of a misunderstood teen as they slowly realise their prejudices against others, and see their own worth. My Name is Magic perfectly captures the bittersweet emotional rollercoaster of the outsider teen, wraps it in magic, adventure, and mythology, and manages to be both dark and charming.” – Cat Hellisen, author of King of the Hollow Dark
With the signing of van Rooyen, Ruadán Books continues its pledge to give a voice to amazing and diverse talent that deserves to be read and heard.
About Ruadán Books
Ruadán (pronounced ROO-ah-dawn) Books derives its name from the Irish god of Mystery and Espionage. Ruadán Books’ mission is to welcome new authors and inspire and tell unique stories from authors worldwide.
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About Xan van Rooyen
Climber, tattoo collector, and peanut-butter connoisseur Xan van Rooyen is an autistic, non-binary storyteller from South Africa, currently living in Finland where the heavy metal is soothing and the cold, dark forests inspiring. Xan has a Master’s degree in music, and–when not teaching–enjoys conjuring strange worlds and creating quirky characters. You can find Xan’s stories in the likes of Three-Lobed Burning Eye, Daily Science Fiction, and Galaxy’s Edge, among others. They have also written several novels, including upcoming YA cyberpunk novel Second Soul, and adult aetherpunk novel Silver Helix. Xan is also part of the Sauútiverse, an African writer’s collective with their multi-award nominated anthology Mothersound out now from Android Press. Feel free to say hi on socials. Find all links here: https://linktr.ee/xanvanrooyen
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