In an ambitious blend of fantasy literature, classical music, and LGBTQ+ storytelling, British-born Canadian author and composer Alexander Paul Burton releases his flagship fantasy novel The Hollow Vale — a self-published epic weaving myth, memory, and marginalised voices into one haunting saga.
Far from the traditional publishing route, Burton has turned heads with his grassroots campaign. Combining mapmaking, original soundtracks, and illustrated lore, The Hollow Vale is more than just a book — it's an ecosystem. And it’s entirely produced by the author himself.
Now available in English and French, with over 300 copies sold across formats and languages, The Hollow Vale is gaining traction among indie readers seeking emotionally rich, intellectually grounded fantasy worlds.
“I grew up queer in rural Somerset, obsessed with Tolkien and timelines,” Burton says. “But I never saw myself in those stories — until I made one myself.”
Blending a post-Roman British aesthetic with themes of estrangement, identity, and belonging, The Hollow Vale centres on outcast characters reclaiming their homeland’s lost history — echoing Burton’s own journey from familial rejection to creative rebirth in Canada.
With companion music albums, audiobooks, and a dedicated fantasy wiki, Burton is challenging what it means to be a fantasy author in the digital age.
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