Welcome, Reader!
If you’re like me, you love all kinds of books. I read almost everything, and I write a wide mix — fantasy, sci-fi, magic realism, and alternate history. The only constant element is a dash of romance. My characters are always falling in love.
My newest release is Emma’s Dragon, book 2 in the award-winning Jane Austen Fantasy series. Emma’s Dragon is the sequel to Miss Bennet’s Dragon, an exciting fantasy retelling of Pride and Prejudice. If you ever wondered what would happen if Austen’s Emma Woodhouse and Elizabeth Bennet met—and there were dragons—this is the series for you.
Coming soon: Tiger Seed, a contemporary fantasy featuring an ancient Indus goddess. And of course, book 3 of Jane Austen Fantasy! There will be lots to read. If you’d like an update when books release, please join my mail list. You’ll receive freebies like character guides, deleted scenes, and stories featuring characters you know and love.
M. Verant
What They're Saying
Praise for Jane Austen Fantasy
2023 Best Fantasy Novel – Royal Dragonfly Award
2021 Royal Dragonfly Award Winner for Fantasy
2021 Foreword INDIES Book of the Year Finalist for Fantasy
“M. Verant’s colorful worldbuilding, nuanced characters, and suspenseful plot made for another enthralling read right to the very last tantalizing page. This is Gaslamp fantasy at its best and I can heartily recommend it to Austen lovers, dragon fantasy fans, or those who like an exciting historical with fantasy elements.” – Sophia Rose, Vine Voice
“M. Verant shows a great love for the work and period in this charming retelling. Napoleon Bonaparte wants English draca to use as weapons, so Elizabeth not only has to fend off pompous proposals, overbearing aristocrats; she's got draca and danger to her country to deal with as well” - Locus Magazine
“The book is not ‘Emma with dragons,’ nor is it a lighthearted gaslamp fantasy. It feels more like Naomi Novik’s Temeraire series, as the draca are enlisted in the Napoleonic War. We recommend this book if you enjoy serious gaslamp fantasy.” – Plot Trysts
“Miss Bennet’s Dragon is a fantastic fantasy retelling of Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice. The lore behind the draca was fascinating and, as scary as they seemed sometimes, I still found them almost unbearably adorable. As always, Lizzy and Mr. Darcy’s relationship was a thorny courtship dance and was just as delightful.” – The Lily Cafe
“This series is fantastic! The writing is superb, and the spins he puts on the original characters are fresh and fascinating. The lore and legend he uses to incorporate dragons is sound and logical, and I SO want a tyke! Shonda Rimes, move over. Or, preferably, get the rights to turn this into a TV series!” — Kindle customer
“Rarely have I read a book that has captured me so thoroughly. Alongside the ‘draca’ are a myriad of other themes. Female power in a patriarchal society. Radical evangelism. Slavery. Choice and free will. The nature of true evil/psychopathy vs madness. Heavy stuff, but woven seamlessly into the plot. The storytelling itself was impeccable.” – Megami, Vine Voice
“There's lots to admire about this complex and way-outside-canon plot, which introduces Emma as having OCD, which she developed as a way of coping with crippling visions of sickness and death. The fantasy universe-building is impressive. The last 10% of this book is on-the-edge-of-your-seat, you've-gotta-be-KIDDING-me storytelling at its best.” — Debbie B.
“M. Verant captures the voice of Elizabeth Bennet in a meticulous transformation of the well-loved story into a historical romance that encompasses the Napoleonic Wars, arcane marriage laws, and women with the power to command the fiercest, most dangerous, and wisest of beasts.” - Vanessa MacLaren-Wray, author of All That Was Asked
“Miss Bennet’s Dragon is a delicious story that blends Pride and Prejudice with a fully realized world of dragons and magic. I didn't want it to end.” – Kate Pennington, author of A Rose by Another Name
“If you're looking for Austen-inspired adventure fantasy that's well told, this is it, and I recommend it to you.” – The Review Curmudgeon
“All of the Austen and dragons that you want, as well as the sharp social commentary, droll humour, and discussions of sexual and gender politics that you forgot were what you loved about Austen in the first place TURNED UP TO 11. Five stars” – Goodreads
“Miss Bennet’s Dragon is a wholly fresh homage to Jane Austen, as well as being a riveting novel in its own right. Verant echoes Austen’s tone perfectly while offering a thrilling, superbly paced, and moving plot that adds fresh complications at just the right moments. His characters come to life vividly—not only Lizzy and Darcy, but also at least one member of the Bennet family that Austen was content to leave as a caricature. Along the way, he introduces themes that 21st century readers will surely applaud. I highly recommend this novel to fans of Jane Austen, as well as to anyone who has ever pondered the mystery of dragons.” - Katherine Sturtevant, author of A True and Faithful Narrative and At the Sign of the Star
“This is a rewritten version of Pride and Prejudice; yet it is far more than that. It is a fantastically good version, and I loved it. If you’ve ever sighed over a historical romance novel; delighted over a fantasy full of dragons, then this is the novel for you.” – Kylie's Reviews
“Step into the world of Jane Austen Fantasy and you will never want to leave. Dragons, legends, bonding, social injustices, intrigue and the power of good versus evil abound. It will leave you breathless and unable to put the book down!” – Carole in Canada
