Artemis Whelan
sci-fi and fantasy author
Books
The Education of Imryn Dyre, Wizard's Apprentice
(Podium Publishing, 24 Nov 2026)
A luckless healer who reluctantly accepts a magical apprenticeship must find an impossible cure—and uncover his charming mentor’s secret—before it’s too late.Half-goblin Imryn “Imi” Dyre hasn’t had an easy life. Born into a poor family and now a student on scholarship, he’s marked as an outcast amongst the wealthy magical families. So despite studying and honing his craft for years, it’s no surprise when he’s rejected from joining the ranks of healers. Just like that, his dream of opening a clinic in his impoverished neighborhood dies.Out of options, Imi has no choice but to accept an apprenticeship under the master wizard Elim Greenwood. Talented despite his relative youth and—to Imi’s dismay—indisputably handsome, Elim seeks a cure for vultrism, a mysterious curse that compels people to feed on the souls of others. And though many before have failed, Imi’s magic might actually be the one solution to the fatal affliction. Unfortunately, all his tests are met with failure . . .But Elim’s elusive behavior has Imi thinking something else might be afoot. Not to mention he can’t deny the deep affection growing between them. Elim’s cheerful and impulsive nature brings out a new side of Imi, but to pursue a romantic relationship with him would incite a scandal within the magical guilds that could cost Imi his professional future. If he’s going to make any progress, he’ll need to avoid all distractions—and identify a live host to continue his experiments.With no time to waste, Imi and Elim devise a plan to capture a rogue vultara. But when the creature attacks Imi, his fate lies with Elim and the impossible choice he must make: give up his apprentice’s soul to a monster or risk everything they’ve worked for—and more—to save him.Happily-ever-after has never felt more out of reach. But one selfless act might just prove to Imi he’s finally exactly where he belongs . . .
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Excerpt:
We were aiming for a small clearing, similar to the one we’d taken off from. My head was still foggy from sleep, but my arms tightened instinctively around Elim’s waist. Blueberry unfolded his wings, banking abruptly. His claws dug into the hard earth, his great wings flapping before his body titled forward. Finally, the claws on the curves of his wings touched down as well: we had landed.I tried to straighten in the saddle, resting a hand against Elim’s shoulder for leverage.“All right?” he asked.“Yes—” But before I could say more, Blueberry gave a sudden, massive shake. Off the saddle I went, tumbling down into the dirt.The yelp that sprang from my lips was more from indignation and shock than injury. Nevertheless, Elim had clambered out of the saddle and was at my side in a flash.“Imi!” he cried, kneeling down beside me. “Are you all right?”“…I’m fine,” I said, even if I had to blink a few times to stop the world from tilting. That and my wrist and elbow were definitely bruised, and the numbness was starting to fade from my backside. It was not a pleasant feeling.“It’s only a bit of a tumble, Elim,” said Winifred, dismounting from Enzo. “Look at him, he’s fine!”“Head injuries are nothing to sniff at,” said my employer indignantly. “Follow my finger, if you will, my dear.”It took me a moment to realize he was addressing me; I blinked again and rubbed my temple before dutifully following his moving finger with my eyes.“Well, no problems there, at least. A few facts, perhaps. What is the capital of ancient Zymeria?”I stared at him, befuddled.“I have no idea,” I admitted.“Goddess preserve me,” muttered Winifred. “Ask him something he knows, you fool.”Elim blinked. “Do you really not know the—oh, very well. Hmm. What’s the recovery time for Zymerian flu?”“Three days, unless the fever returns,” I replied, bemused. “Bedrest for five days if it does. Keep the patient warm but not overly hot. Ensure fluid intake in the form of soups and gruel.”“Well, I haven’t a clue if that’s right, but you sound very certain, so I suppose that shall have to do.”“My sister had the Zymerian flu once,” said Silas, chuckling as he removed the gear from the wyverns. “Then gave it to all five children.” He gave an exaggerated little shudder. “Body fluids, everywhere.”
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Bringer of New Things (WIP)
Intrepid reporter Meera always knew he was destined for adventure.Unfortunately, he was born on Tollis, a planet whose gravity is so low he’ll have to surgically alter his bone density if he ever wants to explore the galaxy. No matter. He’s happy to exchange the crushing pain of high-G environments for the crushing disappointment of his family, who don’t even bother being there when he wakes up from surgery.Meera’s editor at the Starlight Gazette is quick to make use of his one and only Tollisian reporter’s new mobility. He assigns him to cover The Endurance, a military starship under the command of the notoriously recalcitrant (and infuriatingly good-looking) Captain Jon Baptiste. Meanwhile, he makes it clear that if Meera’s story doesn’t deliver, the Gazette, which paid for his surgery, will be forced to let him go.Meera’s only hope is to unearth scandal amongst a happy-go-lucky crew who immediately take him under their wing. What he doesn’t expect is to discover an insidious connection to piracy and evidence of a saboteur onboard, both of which lead him down a path far more dangerous than he was anticipating. All he knows is that something’s rotten onboard The Endurance. And he’s going to get to the bottom of it.Even if his number one suspect is the captain he's starting to fall head over heels for.
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About
Hello there! 🖖My name's Arty, and I love to write sci-fi and fantasy stories! (You'll also find a healthy dose of romance in every story I write, mostly because I'm a disgusting sap.)When I'm not writing, you can probably find me in one of two places: in my backyard watching my bird friends and crying over my struggling vegetable garden or lounging on the couch in front of my TV with a controller in hand. Yeah, I play a lot of video games - my favorites are Skyrim, Mass Effect, and Stardew Valley. What are yours?
What I like to refer to as the "goldenrod mafia." They take over this entire section of my yard every fall.
I also habitually have way too many cats (three at present) and am currently the proud (and financially strapped) parent of a weenie dog named Meeko.
She's my precious little old lady.
FAQ
1. Is Imryn Dyre a(n) MM romance?Technically, no. Imi, like me, is non-binary, so the book is a queer romance, yes, but not a(n) MM romance. Most if not all of the main characters I write, whether they use "he/him," "they/them," or "he/she/they" pronouns, are non-binary.2. Is Imryn Dyre a cozy fantasy?I certainly didn't set out to write a cozy fantasy—at the time, I didn't even know what that was. But every professional who's read it (my agent, my editor, and so on) consider it as such. I've seen cozy fantasy described as "a warm hug," but that isn't how I'd describe my stories at all. More than anything, I like to write about good (but flawed) people trying to do their best in an unkind, even cruel world. I like to show what happens when love wins (especially love and acceptance of the self). I like show that we don't struggle and fight for nothing. That there's some good in this world, Mr. Frodo. 🌻3. Do you have a newsletter?Yes, you can find it here! But I don't update it very often. If you're curious about my publishing journey though I wrote a little about it there!4. Do you have an agent?Indeed I do, the best agent in the world! I'm represented by Cheyenne Faircloth at Handspun Literary.5. Will you blurb my book?Please direct all blurb requests through my agent!
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