Spoiler — It’s me! Well, kind of…

Hello all you lovely people! If you’ve stumbled upon this not-so-dark and even less dank corner of the internet, then I must assume that, short of somehow taking a wrong turn and ending up way off course, you might be on the hunt for dragons—or at least, the kind of stories that might help you find them.

If so, you’ve made it to the right place! I’m H.G. McLoughlin, and if you’re looking for my creative work, this is the name you’ll find it under. You see, I’m a bit of a dragon hunter myself, but as a collector of our incredible reptilian friends, I eventually hit a crossroads—I could keep hunting for them, or I could dig a little bit deeper and see if I might be able to conjure up a few of my own.

Friends, if there’s one thing I’ve learned in life so far, it’s that when adventure calls, you don’t say no. So, if conjuring up dragons was to be my next feat, then so be it! Once I’d accepted this new adventure, the magic was quick to come. While I was first inspired to write about dragons in late summer of 2021, I started writing Born of Ash in early 2023, and finished the first draft in the first couple weeks of 2025. Since then, I’ve dreamt of building a world and story worthy of fellow hunters of magic and dragons, and I’m excited to be here bringing that world one step closer for all of you.

To be fair, it has not all been an easy and straightforward journey. There have been many decisions, like pursuing my craft more formally by enrolling in an MFA program, that have set back the story I’ve wanted to tell.

One of my greatest challenges, perhaps even my fatal flaw, is that I’m a bit of a perfectionist, and I want to make sure that both you, the reader, and the characters I’ve so lovingly come to know receive the story they deserve.

While that means my stories are not yet ready for your shelves, the path of my journey may offer some inspiration on its own, and while I continue reading my world and characters, feel free to pop in and get a sneak peak behind the scenes of my authorial journey. I hope you’ll enjoy coming along for the ride, whether for a few minutes or spanning many months!

Until next time, may your wings stay full and your talons sharp!