Alexis Veenendaal
Alexis Veenendaal grew up on a farm in Alberta, Canada. She earned a B.A. in English Literature at the University of Lethbridge before moving around countries and settling in Wales with her husband and cat. She collects hobbies like she collects magnets from her travels, and when she isn't writing, you'll find her reading, crocheting, bookbinding, designing fantasy maps, or playing D&D with her friends.
Hero Adjacent
Athragast is a wizard who mentors Chosen Ones, but now all he wants to do is retire; too bad he has one last quest that he can't screw up, and his chosen hero has rejected the job offer.
Athragast is an average wizard, and after years of drudgery, all he wants is to retire on a beach (preferably somewhere off the magical grid). The Academy selects Athragast for a straight-cut mission with a large enough payout to fund his retirement. Determined to have a fate different from most other wizards (who tended to fall off towers or get kidnapped), Athragast agrees to go on one last quest to defeat an old nemesis. All he needs is a hero (or several) to facilitate his success. What he ends up with is a band of misfits, a cigar-eating rodent, and a mix of unexpected allies with unusual hobbies.
Publication
US: Astra Publishing (DAW Books)
Release date: January 2027
