Client/project: Annis Sharp — The Amaranthe Cycle / Black Fire Wakes
Built by: Designation
Project type: Author website, gamified reader engagement, reader accounts, lead capture, campaign administration
Observation period: First 14-days period reported by the project owner, October 2026
Status: Campaing still running. Next update at 11.11.2026
The challenge
Most new authors ask readers to do one of two things: follow a social account or click a book retailer link. Both can be valuable, but neither automatically builds an owned, returnable reader relationship. For the debut dark-romantasy series The Amaranthe Cycle, the goal was to build an author-controlled destination that would reward curiosity, capture optional newsletter interest, and give readers a reason to return.
The project was not simply another landing page. The brief was to make the fantasy world accessible outside the books—with dragon selection, collectible cards, personalized gifts and hidden material—while retaining a clear path to the novels.
What we built
- An author-owned website. A dedicated world for story information, character pages, book discovery, archives and a campaign entry point.
- Interactive dragon matching. A public Selection quiz through which visitors discover a dragon and a Rider Gift, with named results they can share.
- Personal reader accounts. Registered players have a My Deck area with their main dragon, progress and earned collectibles.
- Repeat engagement. Returning participants can complete additional Trials subject to campaign rules, extending the experience beyond a one-time website visit.
- Book-reader extras. Separate protected areas for readers who have book access, including bonus narrative experiences.
- Operational controls. Administrative tools for campaign content, user progress, account access and security controls. Availability and exact features vary by deployed version.
Early engagement signals
| Indicator | Reported figure | What it means |
| Registered collector accounts | 2157 | Accounts created in the early campaign period; not equivalent to buyers |
| Public quiz submissions | 5988 | Total quiz submissions, including possible repeat attempts; not unique users |
| Email marketing subscribers | 1246 | Reported opted-in subscribers; do not treat as the same population as collectors |
Why this matters for other authors
An author website can do more than show a cover and an About page. An interactive reader experience gives a visitor a reason to take action: complete a quiz, discover a character match, save a result, subscribe separately for news, and return for future bonus content.
The experience can be much smaller than Amaranthe. A debut author might begin with a character-match quiz and protected bonus chapter; a series author might add faction tests, collectible cards or a membership area. The right design depends on the author’s readership, production budget and genre.
What we learned
Participation is not purchase. Building an engaging experience can attract people who enjoy quizzes and contests but aren’t necessarily readers of the book. The next optimization is clearer novel discovery, outbound retailer tracking, consent-based email follow-up and qualified book-focused social content.
Ownership matters. A website and permission-based email list give authors more control over their audience relationship than a follower count alone.
Start small. The full Amaranthe system required substantial custom work. Authors do not need all those features to test a useful interactive reader experience.
What we’re offering
Designation now offers modular author website and reader-experience services: a fast, affordable author site, interactive reader quizzes, protected bonuses, collectible-card experiences and tailored campaign systems. Scope, development time, integrations and pricing are agreed before build-out.
See the live example: https://annissharp.com
Request an author-reader experience: shop.designation.ee (add exact product permalink after publication)
This case study describes one project. Participation metrics are not a promise of followers, subscribers, book sales or revenue for other authors.
Editing/checklist before publishing
- Confirm the precise start/end dates and take dated admin exports of 2157 registrations, 5988 quiz submissions and 1246 opt-in subscribers.
- Secure consent from the author brand and confirm permitted display of character art and screenshots.
- Add 2–4 genuine product screenshots; blur names, emails and personal reader information.
- Add a product URL once the shop product is live; never substitute the Estonian designation.ee site as the international checkout.
