The Book Bazaar 2026 is an exciting collaborative crowdfunding event on Backerkit of 39 indie authors who have come together to raise funds for their campaigns. In celebration, and to help promote these authors, we’ll be featuring spotlights through the fundraising period for you to check and out and support! Within The Book Bazaar, you’ll find a variety of genres, including fantasy, sci-fi, horror, queer, and romance, as well as a variety of formats such as novels, novellas, series, anthologies, and audiobooks. There’s something for everyone!
The fundraising period runs from October 29 – November 19. Back 3 or more projects to earn unique bookmarks, and 10 or more projects to receive an exclusive anthology. Want a taste of these projects? Check out the free sampler bundle on Itch.io!
Please welcome Heart of Oak by Emil Bronze in the spotlight!
Heart of Oak is a fantasy book about an all-encompassing, high-stakes power-grab between gods, inspired by a generation of gaming.
Heart of Oak is the DEBUT book for Emil Bronze and the larger planned 5-book Oakengrove Series. Follow along in a grandiose fantasy adventure that spans continents, cultures, and walks of life. Where some stories focus only on the world-ending events, the Oakengrove series covers everything from a farmer’s lost child, to ending slavery, to preventing cataclysm.
And there is only ever one question left to ask:
In a world tens of thousands of years old, one would ask the question, who is superior? Man or God?
The scars of the Age of Monsters still linger. However, it is not the hells that spark fear, panic, and ultimately, territorial aggression, but rather the return of a long-dead tree god. Made with the flesh of oak trees, this treant reawakens with no memories of his past life beyond the names of his valiant and loyal companions. His only mission is to rediscover himself and learn of his past life. Rarely does one’s peace remain undisturbed, however.
Recruited by the Druid of Florism to investigate his return, a group of sell-swords must toe the line between friend and foe for not just the tree-god, but also for the town and country they swore to protect.
What can one person do when the dogs of war begin to bark at the gates?
WARNING: this book is intended for mature audiences and contains the following content warnings, Elements of slavery, fantasy-based racism, descriptive violence, strong language, usage of alcohol, religious topics, traumatic memories, some body horror & is ill-suited for arachnophobes
The author is raising funds for print copies of the book with awesome stretch goals for map art and more. You can also help donate towards the Save-A-Fox Foundation as an add-on.
About the Author
Emil Bronze is a 26-year-old Minnesota-based up-and-coming fantasy author. Emil started writing in middle school (2012) with handwritten Minecraft fanfiction. When 2018 rolled around, Emil successfully wrote his first full length novel called Ember Wind: Online which was an isekai-type story based on popular anime at the time. While this book was never published, it served as his true beginning for full-length novel writing. Between 2018 and 2020, Emil wrote four books for the series.
Due to burnout and commitments to college and a new career as a mechanic, Emil stopped writing altogether for about four years. Emil returned to writing in 2024 when his life started stabilizing again with this very book you’re looking at: Heart of Oak.
Emil’s stories are influenced by the many video games he has played over the course of his life. When not writing, Emil participates in fantasy Live Action Role Play (LARP) which is an in-person weekend experience, think Dungeons & Dragons but you’re at the Renaissance Festival. Emil is also spending his late hours playing grand strategy or city builder games or doing afternoon bicycle rides through local and state parks.
- Website: Emil-Bronze.carrd.co
- Bluesky: bsky.app/profile/tangurple.bsky.social
