INSIDIUS

Book #2 of A Nation Found

by Matthew Runals

The Anticipated Sequel to Lapidius

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

INSIDIUS IGNITES A GENRE-BENDING FANTASY:

Matt Runals Returns with a YA Post-Apocalyptic Appalachian Fantasy

In the Riveting Sequel to Lapidius

FRANKLIN, TN — June 20, 2025 — Traitmarker Media, LLC announces the release of Insidius, the pulse-pounding second installment in the A Nation Found series, the YA magical realism and fantasy series by breakout author Matt Runals. Following the response of his fans to Lapidius, Runals returns with a hauntingly lyrical, high-stakes journey through a world cracked open by fire, war, and forgotten magic.

In the scorched remnants of Novum Albion—an eerie echo of a mythic Appalachian landscape—the Ember legions are torching everything in their path. The military school and mountain fortress of Lapidius stands isolated, its ancient order of Stoneseekers compromised and suppressed, its stronghold cracking beneath the weight of its own past.

Young cadet Joey Voboril, untested and haunted, is thrust into a harrowing mission alongside Maisie, a fierce and enigmatic survivor with secrets of her own. Together, they must brave cursed hollows, monstrous beasts, and a fractured alliance to reach a city they hope is still holding out against the flames. But what they carry is more than just supplies and hope—it’s a sealed letter that could upend the war and alter the future of their world.

“Insidius is a story of resistance, ruin, and the quiet Appalachian-style courage it takes to face annihilation with nothing but your spine and your story intact,” says author Matt Runals. “It’s about standing in the ashes and choosing to rebuild.”

Steeped in the simple values but haunting rhythms of Appalachian storytelling and crackling with raw, elemental magic, Insidius expands the brutal world of Lapidius with deeper stakes, richer lore, and a cast of characters grappling with the guardianship of legacy, the exhaustion of imminent decision-making, and the burden of what it truly means to survive.

Perfect for fans of Shadow and Bone, The Knife of Never Letting Go, and The Road, Insidius fuses myth, survival, and fire-forged friendship into an unforgettable coming-of-age tale. Think The Hunger Games meets The Last of Us in a fog-draped Appalachian ruin. Brutal, beautiful, unforgettable.

About the Author

Matt Runals writes with the soul of a storyteller raised on folklore, forest paths, and forgotten truths. His work combines the intimacy of oral tradition with the scale of epic fantasy. Lapidius was his debut. Insidius is his firebrand follow-up.

Book Details:

INSIDIUS by Matt Runals
Series: A Nation Found, Book Two
Genre: YA Post-Apocalyptic Appalachian Fantasy
ISBN (Paperback): 979-8-3493-5396-3
Publisher: Traitmarker Media, LLC
Release Date: June 22, 2025
Formats: Paperback, eBook

Media Contact:
Robbie Grayson III
Traitmarker Media, LLC
Email: traitmarker@gmail.com
Website: www.traitmarkermedia.com

WHEN THE WORLD BURNS, WHO CARRIES THE FUTURE?
Prepare to return to the mountains. Prepare for Insidius.

#ReturnToTheMountains #Lapidius #Insidius

A Post-Apocalyptic Appalachian Story

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As the fire-wielding Ember legions scorch their way across Novum Albion, the mountain stronghold of Lapidius stands alone, its ancient order of Stoneseekers dwindling, its defenses failing. Young cadet Joey Voboril, thrust into a deadly mission alongside the fierce and enigmatic Maisie, must brave cursed forests, monstrous beasts, and a crumbling alliance to reach the last safe city. But survival is only the beginning.

The Stoneseekers are on the brink of collapse, their ancient school teetering on the edge of annihilation. Joey and Maisie carry more than supplies and orders: they carry the future of Lapidius, and perhaps all of Novum Albion itself. Carrying a sealed letter that could change everything, Joey holds the key to a war no one believes can be won.

A story of resistance, magic, and the quiet courage it takes to stand when the world burns.

Like the characters in his books, Matt Runals believes that individual freedom is a necessary part of working together. An early entrepreneur, he owned a paintball business as a teenager and competed in paintball semi-professionally. He later attended Liberty University, where he served as Assistant Coach and Chaplain for the paintball team and worked as a Code of Conduct Officer and a Class 3 Civil Rights Title IX investigator with the Dean of Students.

Matthew Runals spent fifteen years as a youth minister, mentor, and counselor, focusing on the wellbeing of trauma victims. Then, he felt called to serve in the Army as a Chaplains. Now holding the rank of Major, Runals serves as a Brigade Chaplain. The work Runals has done in mentoring, counseling, and guiding those in need has reinforced his strong belief in community involvement and volunteering.

Runals currently lives in Virginia with his wife Dana and children. He hopes that his work with the Army and the heart he puts into his writing will help more people see the promise and possibility in our American heritage.