The books of Derek Bellerose
Stories taking shape.
Explore Aethera and a growing collection for younger readers.
A world waiting to be discovered
The threads of Aethera.
Forbidden creation. Found family. A world where every life begins with a thread.
Choose a book. Open a story.
A collection in the making. All titles are unpublished; cover designs are previews.
Little readers. Big possibilities.
Different abilities.
Boundless adventures.
Stories of belonging, everyday courage, and the joy of being yourself.
Children’s books in development. Publication details to come.
Unpublished novel
Aethera: Shadow, Fire, and Thread
She was never supposed to exist.
Lilly Monroe has built the life she was supposed to want. She's a rising Manhattan photographer, engaged to one of the city's most eligible bachelors, and one day away from her twenty-first birthday. Threads of light start appearing that only she can see, and a woman who looks just like her steps out of a mirror of shadow to promise her death. Lilly is about to learn she was never supposed to exist.
Beyond the world she knows waits Aethera, a realm where children are woven on a living Loom. Lilly’s existence breaks its oldest law. To save the world that calls her home, she must face the Royal Trials, the sister who wants her dead, and the cost of becoming who she was meant to be.
A story of found family, forbidden creation, and the choices that change us.
Short story · In development
Aethera: Ash
His origin. The beginning of a love story.
In the Lost Archives, Lilly discovers a book with a single word on its spine: Ash. This is that book.
Aethera: Ash tells the story of his origin and the beginning of a love story. Within its pages is a chance to discover the boy in the meadow, and the life that made him who he is.
At approximately 10,000 words, this short story offers an introduction to the world of Aethera. Planned for publication, with release details to be announced.
Planned story
Aethera: Eternity
Another story waits beyond the page.
Eternity is a planned addition to the world of Aethera.
Its title offers an early glimpse of Derek’s vision for the wider collection. The story’s details are being kept under wraps while it develops.
Follow the newsletter for future glimpses into this unfolding world.
Planned companion book
Aethera: Threadless Creatures
Some magic belongs to no thread.
In the Lost Archives, a torn page points to a book called Aethera’s Threadless Creatures. Its secrets reach beyond the magic the fairies know.
This planned companion book takes its inspiration from that missing volume and the remarkable creatures within Aethera, including the slowcat whose hidden gift is his alone to reveal.
An early glimpse of a future project. Its full description and publication details are still to come.
In development
Everybody Has a Dog,: Except for Me
A little story about wanting to belong.
All his friends have dogs, but one boy’s allergies mean he cannot have a dog of his own. When he welcomes a different kind of pet into his life, he begins to discover that his story does not have to look like everyone else’s.
A children’s story about identity, belonging, and learning to embrace what makes you different.
Part of Derek’s developing collection for younger readers. Publication details will be announced here.
In development
The Adventures of: Charlotte and Her Sugar Key
Different abilities. Boundless adventures.
Meet Charlotte: curious, adventurous, and living with type 1 diabetes.
Follow her through an ordinary day full of discovery as she checks her numbers, makes choices, and finds time to run, play, and explore. Her “sugar key” is the knowledge and tools she carries with her, helping her grow in confidence and independence.
A children’s story about everyday courage, understanding, and seeing yourself in the adventure. Publication details will be announced here.