Annapolis author, songwriter, and creator of the Honabeats series introduces readers to SARE Wolfe, a teenage heroine whose summer cruise becomes a portal into an ancient battle among protectors, Magons, and dragons.
ANNAPOLIS, MD, August 05, 2026 /24-7PressRelease/ — Author, musician, songwriter, and creative storyteller Howard L. Siskind introduces readers to a bold new fantasy world with the release of SARE, a young adult fantasy novella published by Vanguard Press, an imprint of Pegasus Elliot Mackenzie Publishers Ltd.
At the center of the story is Sarah Beth Wolfe, known as Sare, a high school junior whose family cruise to the Caribbean quickly becomes far more than a summer vacation. Sare has spent years experiencing vivid dreams where she battles dragons, but she is no longer sure where dreaming ends and reality begins. With her spell book, magic mirror, potions, and a powerful Star of David amulet passed down through her family, Sare begins to understand that her destiny is tied to an ancient line of mystical protectors.
As the story unfolds, Sare discovers Hidden Hill, a strange Victorian-era town connected to the cruise ship through a mysterious portal. The town carries a dark secret: a dragon, stolen treasure, and the threat of a Magon, a terrifying being that is part man and part dragon. With help from her father, Jake Wolfe, a Protector in his own right, along with new allies aboard the ship, Sare must learn to trust her powers, confront danger, and step into the role she was born to fulfill.
SARE combines fantasy, adventure, family heritage, Jewish mysticism, time travel, portal magic, and coming-of-age courage into a fast-moving story for readers who enjoy magical quests, strong young heroines, hidden worlds, and mythic battles between good and evil.
“SARE began with imagination, music, and family,” said Howard L. Siskind. “The character was introduced through my original songs, and the story grew into a larger fantasy adventure about courage, identity, legacy, and the idea that sometimes the gifts passed down to us are far more powerful than we realize.”
Siskind’s creative background makes SARE especially distinctive. A longtime Annapolis resident, he is also known as an accountant, musician, performer, songwriter, photographer, artist, and author. He has written and recorded original music, including songs connected to the SARE universe such as “Daydream Dragon” and “Daydream Dragon II: Return to Hidden Hill.” These songs helped introduce the world of SARE before the novella brought the story fully to the page.
His broader creative work also includes the Honabeats children’s book series, co-written with his wife and daughter. The Honabeats world has received positive attention for its playful use of language, rhythm, imagination, and illustrations. Siskind’s “Meet Honabeats” theme song further reflects his ongoing interest in connecting storytelling with music.
Siskind was previously featured in Up.St.ART Annapolis Magazine in an article highlighting his creative process, musical background, and the origins of his Honabeats work. The feature described how his life as an accountant, musician, family man, and storyteller shaped a creative path where rhythm, wordplay, visual art, and narrative all intersect.
With SARE, Siskind expands from children’s literature into fantasy adventure, offering readers a new heroine and a new mythology. The novella introduces the beginning of what the author plans to develop into a larger series of SARE stories.
The book’s emotional core rests in Sare’s connection to family. Her powers are not random; they are tied to heritage, memory, and the generations before her. Her amulet, her father’s role as Protector, and the mysterious legacy of the Wolfe family all give the story a deeper sense of purpose beyond the adventure itself.
SARE is ideal for readers who enjoy fantasy adventure, magical realism, portal stories, dragon lore, young heroines, family secrets, and stories where ordinary life suddenly opens into something extraordinary.
Book Link:
https://www.amazon.com/SARE-Howard-L-Siskind/dp/183671758X
Cover of SARE, published by Vanguard Press
A Story Extending Beyond the Book
Unlike traditional fantasy fiction, SARE is part of a growing multi-platform narrative ecosystem. The story is supported by original music compositions that expand its mythology and emotional tone beyond the written page.
Siskind’s original tracks “Daydream Dragon” and “Daydream Dragon II: Return to Hidden Hill” function as narrative extensions of the book’s core universe, reinforcing themes of dragon encounters, dream-based battles, and portal travel between worlds.
• Daydream Dragon: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IrWFpDha-oY
• Daydream Dragon II: Return to Hidden Hill: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LBvOKV9MP8k
A related creative composition, “Meet Honabeats,” further demonstrates Siskind’s cross-disciplinary storytelling approach, blending rhythm and narrative structure across mediums.
• Honabeats Theme: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jRrAl4y7QKA
Media Feature Highlights Creative Evolution
Siskind’s creative journey and cross-medium storytelling approach were recently highlighted in Up.St.ART Annapolis Magazine in the feature article “Ink – Never Missing a Beat,” which explores his ability to merge writing, music, and visual storytelling into a unified creative identity.
• Media Feature: https://upstart-annapolis.com/ink-never-missing-a-beat/
The article emphasizes how Siskind’s ideas often originate in one medium and evolve across others—forming a continuous cycle between music composition and narrative development.
Reader and Community Response
Siskind’s broader creative ecosystem also includes audience engagement through independent platforms. The Honabeats project, developed as part of his storytelling portfolio, has received positive reader feedback and review discussions on literary community platforms such as the OnlineBookClub.
A reviewer on the OnlineBookClub forums praised the wordplay and illustrations in Honabeats Says: Crazy Words!, noting the creativity behind the book’s invented words and awarding it a five-star rating for its engaging blend of rhythm, humor, and visual storytelling.
Family readers have echoed that praise on Amazon, with one review describing how the book helped a young reader connect phonics and wordplay in a way that felt playful rather than like rote memorization.
SARE is a new release, and Siskind welcomes readers to share their thoughts on Amazon and other platforms as the story finds its early audience.
Howard L. Siskind with his wife, Karen, and daughter, Sarah, celebrating the Honabeats series
These engagements reflect growing audience interest in Siskind’s interconnected storytelling approach, where books, music, and narrative concepts operate as extensions of a single creative universe.
About the Author
Howard L. Siskind
Howard L. Siskind is an accountant, musician, performer, songwriter, photographer, artist, and author. He holds degrees in business and psychology. SARE is his first novella. He is also the co-author of the Honabeats children’s book series with his wife, Karen, and daughter, Sarah. Siskind has published original songs and continues to write and record music. He has been a presenter at the Annapolis Book Festival and featured in Up.St.ART Annapolis Magazine. He lives in Annapolis, Maryland, with his wife and daughter.
—
For the original version of this press release, please visit 24-7PressRelease.com here
Legal Disclaimer: The content on this page is syndicated from independent third-party providers. Kyrion Media makes no warranties or representations regarding the accuracy, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information, including text, images, videos, or licenses. If you are affiliated with this content or have any complaints, copyright concerns, or requests for removal, please contact us at [email protected] with the specific URL of the content in question. We will review and address valid requests promptly.
