"charmingly witchy adult fantasy" ~Booklife Reviews

Fans of cozy fantasies and compelling adult women protagonists who find purpose—and fabulousness—in nature, magic, and new connections will adore the laid-back, lavender-scented vibes as Olivia goes from destitute loneliness to settling into the charming village of Rowanswood, whose scones, teas, crockery, beasts, magic, and ritual all are described with inviting relish. Olivia’s journey to Cronehood is nuanced, her struggles endearingly human as she finds her path toward letting go of her old life to embrace the new.

Available

September 15th, 2026

The Wooden Ring
An Ashtarom Novel
No magic. No crown. No illusions left.

Princess Coriandra has spent years quietly holding Venik together. But when her father gambles away the kingdom, she is disowned and sent across the sea as payment for his debts.

Goodreads Book Giveaway

The Wooden Ring by Kirsten Marion

The Wooden Ring

by Kirsten Marion

Giveaway ends August 07, 2026.

See the giveaway details at Goodreads.

Enter Giveaway
Join the Rowanswood Reader Letter

Receive occasional notes from Kirsten Marion, including new release news, bonus stories, behind-the-scenes glimpses from Rowanswood, and the occasional philosophical intervention from Hamish or Magnus.

Join the newsletter for a free short story

Subscribe to the list

You’ve Written a Book. Now What Fresh Hell Is This?

Finished the manuscript? Congratulations — and welcome to the next challenge. In this first Adventures in Self-Publishing essay, I explore the shift from writer to publisher, the reader-facing decisions that follow, and why self-publishing is more than pressing upload and hoping for the best.

Read more

Refuge and Rebellion

Rowanswood began as both refuge and rebellion: a cozy fantasy village where older women are not side characters, but the heart of the adventure. This reflection explores Crones, later-life magic, myth, reinvention, and why the most interesting chapter is never presumed to be over.

Read more

Let Practice Lead

A spotlit stage with red velvet curtains and an open book on a desk in the foreground.

Creative work is increasingly public. We share updates, track metrics, and celebrate milestones. But being seen doing the work is not the same as getting better at it. On the difference between performance and practice, and why the deepest growth often happens offstage.

Read more

About the Author

I’m a recovering corporate executive writing paranormal women’s fiction with a bit of class, and a lot of sass, for anyone who feels age is just a number. My books explores what happens when midlife meets magic, and when ordinary women discover extraordinary power just when life expects them to shrink.

When I’m not writing, I can be found walking beside the sea, reading a book, or enthusiastically, if inexpertly, crocheting.