Mark of the Cursed
Book One · Shadows & Pain
Dark fantasy, grimdark, told by a demon. The opening of a trilogy.
The book's websiteDark Fantasy · Author
Nemoria Blackthrone
I write about the dark because I know it. And about hope, because it's still there.
Stories that live in the dark.
The debut
Mark of the Cursed
Book One · Shadows & Pain
A man raised his hand, and his own shadow did not raise it with him. A year later the sun stands still, and a demon tells what became of Kael and Veylan.
Kindle edition out now
Books
Worlds that live in the dark
City of Witches
Crossover novel
Morgena, the city that didn't fall. The same night as in Mark of the Cursed, told from the coven's side.
Learn more
In progress
The Whisper of the Broken Heart
Children's and YA
A world slowly coming apart, and dragons as its guardians.
All booksFrom the Shadowbloggers
What the first readers say
All reviews come from Shadowbloggers who received a free advance copy. Nemoria approved them but did not edit them.
Direct from the author
The ebook, EPUB & PDF, DRM-free
Buy Shadows & Pain directly from me. You get both files, EPUB and PDF, without copy protection and without an account. The download links arrive by email as soon as your payment is through.
Ebook · English
Mark of the Cursed
Book One · Shadows & Pain
€4.99
- EPUB and PDF, both included, DRM-free
- About 87,000 words, with the chapter illustrations
- Download links by email right after payment
- EPUB for Kobo, Tolino, Apple Books, Google Play Books and Kindle (via Send to Kindle), PDF for any computer or tablet
- Prefer Amazon? The Kindle edition is there too.
Kindle edition on Amazon
Secure payment · Instant download · The more you buy directly, the more of it reaches the author
About
Behind the veil
Nemoria Blackthrone writes dark fantasy about loss, betrayal and the scars that stay. Her stories don't come from nowhere. She has lost a great deal in her life: people, trust, footing. When the ground gave way beneath her last year, she started writing to have somewhere to put it all. That became Mark of the Cursed.
Every character in the book carries a facet of her. Like Kael, she seems cheerful on the outside, always ready with a joke, and carries something inside that no one sees. It's no accident that a demon tells the story: these are her own inner demons speaking.
Why our world and not a fantasy realm? Because the real world is cruel enough. The darkness in her books happens here and now.
She founded Autoren Bubble Germany because she was looking for support and exchange herself. And when she isn't writing, she's surviving in Ark.
Quick answers
- Tea or coffee
- Tea. Coffee in between.
- When
- Mostly at night.
- How
- On the PC. Notes on characters and the world on paper.
- While writing
- A playlist for every book.
- Shaped by
- Supernatural, the show and the books.
- Three words
- Wild. Structured. Catastrophic.
In her words
Why do you write about darkness?
Because I carry it inside me. I've lost a lot, I've been betrayed, and I've faced death. Writing is how I live with that darkness instead of letting it eat me alive.
How did Mark of the Cursed begin?
At a time when I needed something to hold on to. I needed a place for all the feelings that had nowhere else to go. That place became the book.
Why does a demon tell the story?
I wanted to break out of the classic pattern. And honestly, it's my own inner demons doing the talking.
What should readers feel when they close the book?
The emptiness, fully. But also the spark of hope that somehow it will all be all right in the end, even if it doesn't look that way right now.
Which character was hardest to write?
Eryn, the boy. He has something truly big ahead of him, and his path will surprise a lot of people. In Book Two, other characters step into the light.
Where does the name Nemoria Blackthrone come from?
From an old gamer tag. Blackthrone just fit.
One piece of advice for young writers?
Don't be afraid. Just be yourselves. Start writing, no matter what anyone says. And if your parents roll their eyes: so what, do it anyway.
While writing
The playlists behind the books
Every book has its own playlist. It carries the mood of the scenes it was written to.
Playing here sends data to Spotify.
Events
31 Oct 2026 · Memmingen, Germany
Launch party with signing at District13 Memmingen from 10 pm, together with horror author Carsten Mayer (Terrorphobia).
All eventsThe Shadow List
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Questions
Who is Nemoria Blackthrone?
A German dark fantasy author. Her debut is Mark of the Cursed, the opening of a trilogy.
When is Mark of the Cursed out?
The English edition Shadows & Pain is out now on Kindle. The German edition follows on 31 October 2026 in ebook and print.
Can I buy the ebook directly from you?
Yes. The English ebook is available here for €4.99, as EPUB and PDF, both DRM-free. The download links are sent by email after payment. The Kindle edition is on Amazon.
What genre is it?
Dark fantasy leaning grimdark: morally grey characters, no chosen ones, no clean ending.