I am the illustrator of multiple ongoing fantasy novel series by author Dalila Caryn. When Dalila contacted me in 2017 with the question if I wanted to create a few illustrations for her upcoming novel, “Future Queen”, neither of us could have dreamed of such an incredible friendship growing out of us working together. So far I have illustrated three of Dalila’s novels, done the covers for a few others and I hope to do many more.
In the few years we’ve worked together now, I’ve come to know Dalila as an incredibly smart, funny, caring, badass and skilled woman. We have tons of fun working together and in personal life she has become my best friend, or Kindred Creator as we like to call it.
I am honored to be able to share some information about the books, some concept art, and even a few final book illustrations with you here, and I hope you will come to love and care about these stories and their creator as much as I have.
About the Author
Dalila Caryn holds a bachelor's degree in creative writing from the University of California, Riverside. She is passionate about Shakespeare, musicals, poetry, screwball comedies, and Harry Potter. She is an in-home caregiver for her brother, and like her protagonist Rowan, she is a fiercely loyal and protective sister to all of her siblings. In her spare time, she enjoys reading, writing, sketching, and drinking copious quantities of coffee. She is single and lives in California. The Forgotten Sister is her first novel.
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The Forgotten Sister
The Forgotten Sister is a 6 part YA fantasy novel series, with 3 volumes currently published, and is a reimagining of the tale of Sleeping Beauty.
Half fairy-half human, Rowan never fully fit in her world. And that was before the vengeful Fairy Queen, Sorcha, cursed Rowan’s baby sister to death, with Rowan as the curse’s agent. Now Rowan is all but alone as her nation works to protect her sister—from her. But Sorcha made a fatal mistake: giving Rowan sixteen years to find a way to stop her.
Rowan is determined to protect her sister, training to be a knight, and seeking allies among Sorcha’s enemies. Rowan uses every human solution she can find, but she is hindered by fear of her own fairy powers. Unless Rowan can embrace her whole self she will never find the power to prevent her sister from pricking her finger and sleeping for a hundred years.
The Forgotten Sister series reimagines the world of Sleeping Beauty, pulling the reader into a magical realm where true power comes not from spells, but from loving one’s complete self.
