For breakthrough authors like Michaela Riley, her lifelong journey to publication was one comprising hidden pathways forged by a quiet yet irreverent passion for the fantastical. Winning the highly competitive “Fantasy” category of the 2025 NYC Big Book Awards, Riley’s dark fantasy novel, Labyrinth of Shadows: The Witch’s Rebirth Part I, captured literary hearts as she imagines a twisted dystopia writhe with warring factions, arcane power, ancient myths…and whispered hopes of one witch who could save them all. 

Crafted worlds like the one portrayed in Labyrinth of Shadows (and her subsequent books within the Witch’s Rebirth series) once solely lived within the pages of Riley’s private notebooks, where her expansive narratives laid unshared. Nowadays, her published works grace her own bookshelves and those of her readers alike as a tangible transformation from a secretive writer to an award-winning author who has penned a celebrated trilogy and captivating standalone pieces. 

But she did not embark on this journey alone. Alongside her supportive husband, she finally decided to share her dreams with the world when, on a whim of creative liberation, she published several books at once, including her captivating dark fantasy work Cauldron of Dagda. Riley has since described this actualized publishing career as a unique thrill—a reflection of when her stories once only thrived in the “recesses of [her] mind.” Her rich worldbuilding is informed by a “deep wellspring of family history,” allowing her to nurture fantastical elements into something profoundly resonant and human. 

Remarkably, Riley’s writing voice and style are not modeled after any one particular literary icon like horror master Stephen King or the romantic Nicholas Sparks. Rather, she draws inspiration across the realm, absorbing countless voices spanning every genre. This sheer power of diverse words that she has encountered as a lifelong reader was what ultimately compelled her to pick up that pen and weave her own thread into the grand narrative of the storytelling tapestry. 

“It’s an ongoing adventure, filled with challenges and triumphs, but above all, it’s the power of a dream nurtured, believed in, and finally, bravely shared.” 

By the final pages of Labyrinth of Shadows, readers will have immersed themselves not only in witch-fueled magic, but also in a novel that serves as a testament to Riley’s personal evolution—a world where, as she emphasizes, “history and magic collide and love endures.” 

For like any dark fantasy, it all begins with a simple yet enduring truth: the timeless magic of a story that demands to be told.