Tuesdays with Tundra is an ongoing series featuring our new releases. This title is now available in stores and online!
Prophecy By M.L. Fergus 352 Pages | Ages 12+ | Paperback ISBN 9781774886076 | Tundra Books A lifetime of hardship and toil has left Persephone dreaming of a destiny that belongs to none but her. When a chance encounter with a handsome thief offers hope of escape, she recklessly sets her plan in motion. But the thief, Azriel, has plans of his own and no intention of letting her go anywhere. For he and his clan believe that Persephone could be the key to defeating the king’s regent, a sadistic monster who has hunted them for years. Torn between her longing for freedom and her growing feelings for Azriel, Persephone finds herself plunging ever deeper into a dark and dangerous world where death is never more than one careless word away. As tensions rise to a fever pitch, Persephone faces the hardest choice she has ever had to make. And no one – least of all her – could have imagined the shocking truth her decision will reveal.
Prophecy is also available today in Audiobook!
We can’t wait to see you reading this title! If you share this book online, remember to use #ReadTundra in your hashtags so that we can re-post.
At Tundra Books, we want you to get to know and love our creators as much as you know and love their books. Our creator spotlight series will introduce you to the people behind some of your favorite titles . . . this week, say hello to E. Latimer!
About the Author:
E. LATIMER‘s breakout success on the online writing platform Wattpad has resulted in a fan base of over 100 thousand followers, with over 20 million combined reads. Her debut novel, The Strange and Deadly Portraits of Bryony Gray, was shortlisted for the OLA Red Maple Award and the Manitoba Young Readers’ Choice Award, and her second novel, Escape to Witch City, was called a “pulse-pounding adventure” by Publishers Weekly. A former children’s bookseller, she is focusing on her writing. She lives in British Columbia with her family.
Fast Five with E. Latimer:
If you could live anywhere, where would it be?
Probably in the Irish countryside, in a little cottage with climbing roses growing on the front. I like to imagine drinking tea in my garden while I scribble down notes for my next book. Sadly, it’s a less than idyllic scene if the roses are all dead, so I’d need to work on my black thumb before that can happen.
What’s one thing that can instantly make your day better?
A hot earl grey misto with lots of oat milk and cinnamon on top. Instantly improves the mood.
Which meal is your favorite: breakfast, lunch, or dinner?
I gotta side with breakfast on this one. Get me a plate of fried eggs, bacon and sourdough toast and I’m a happy lil guy.
What’s the best concert you’ve ever been to? or What’s your “dance like nobody’s watching” song?
I’m gonna answer both here:
Weirdly, I’m not a big concert person. It’s loud and there are tons of people and I tend to get lost in the arena type venues. Halfway through the concert you’ll find me wandering around in a daze, still looking for my seat. My one exception was going to see Aerosmith live, as I’ve been a huge fan since I was a teen. I went with a friend and we hung out at the back after and met a bunch of other weird, burned-out rockers who followed the band around. It was an amazing night. We ended up at Denny’s.
My favorite song to cut loose to has got to be “Pour Some Sugar on Me” by Def Leppard. I’m talking, jumping on furniture, hairbrush as a microphone, sliding across the tile in my socks kinda thing. Good fun.
What’s your favorite scary story/myth?
How many days do you have? How do I pick just one? The wild hunt is one of them. If you know me, you know I have been known to talk at length about it. I love it because it’s so embedded in folklore that it’s taken on a life of its own. It’s ever evolving, and there are so many versions of it from all over the world. And yet, when I mention it, most people aren’t sure what it is. They’ve heard something. It’s ringing a bell, but they can’t quite remember . . . I find that fascinating.
Books by E. Latimer:
The Afterdark By E. Latimer 400 Pages | Ages 14+ | Hardcover ISBN 9781774882245 | Tundra Books Northcroft is an elite boarding school with a deadly secret. Each night as the bell tolls and the shutters slam down, cutting off the outside world, the Afterdark descends, turning the surrounding old growth forest into a macabre copy of itself. A negative photograph crawling with horrors. Evie Laurent is certain of one thing from the moment she sees Holland Morgan on the front steps of Northcroft: she wants to know everything there is to know about her. But there are some things about Evie herself that are better kept secret. Especially the fact that she let her sister drown. And that it’s getting harder to ignore her dark impulses . . . Holland Morgan knows falling for Evie is just one more terrible choice in her long history of terrible choices. The problem is, she’s not sure she cares. As attraction turns slowly to obsession, they find themselves playing a dangerous game. Something out there is calling to each of them. Beckoning to the shadows within. Do they fight the call and protect one another, or answer and embrace the darkness?
Escape to Witch City By E. Latimer 312 Pages | Ages 10+ | Paperback ISBN 9781101919330 | Tundra Books Emmaline Black has a secret. She can hear the rhythm of heartbeats. Not just her own, but others’ too. It’s a rhythm she’s learned to control, and that can only mean one thing . . . Emma’s a witch. In a world where a sentence of witchcraft comes with dire consequences and all children who have reached the age of thirteen are tested to ensure they have no witch blood, Emma must attempt to stamp out her power before her own test comes. But the more she researches, the more she begins to suspect that her radically anti-witch aunt and mother are hiding something – the truth about their sister, her Aunt Lenore, who disappeared under mysterious circumstances years ago. The day of the test comes, and Emma’s results not only pair her up with strange new friends, but set her on a course to challenge everything she’s ever been taught about magic, and reveal long-buried family secrets. It seems witches may not have been so easy to banish after all. Secret cities, untapped powers, missing family
The Strange and Deadly Portraits of Bryony Gray By E. Latimer 336 Pages | Ages 10+ | Paperback ISBN 9781101919309 | Tundra Books Bryony Gray is becoming famous as a painter in London art circles. But life isn’t so grand. Her uncle keeps her locked in the attic, forcing her to paint for his rich clients . . . and now her paintings are taking on a life of their own, and customers are going missing under mysterious circumstances. When her newest painting escapes the canvas and rampages through the streets of London, Bryony digs into her family history, discovering some rather scandalous secrets her uncle has been keeping, including a deadly curse she’s inherited from her missing father. Bryony has accidentally unleashed the Gray family curse, and it’s spreading fast. With a little help from the strange-but-beautiful girl next door and her paranoid brother, Bryony sets out to break the curse, dodging bloodthirsty paintings, angry mobs and her wicked uncle along the way.
Tuesdays with Tundra is an ongoing series featuring our new releases. This title is now available in stores and online!
The Afterdark By E. Latimer 400 Pages | Ages 14+ | Hardcover ISBN 9781774882245 | Tundra Books Northcroft is an elite boarding school with a deadly secret. Each night as the bell tolls and the shutters slam down, cutting off the outside world, the Afterdark descends, turning the surrounding old growth forest into a macabre copy of itself. A negative photograph crawling with horrors. Evie Laurent is certain of one thing from the moment she sees Holland Morgan on the front steps of Northcroft: she wants to know everything there is to know about her. But there are some things about Evie herself that are better kept secret. Especially the fact that she let her sister drown. And that it’s getting harder to ignore her dark impulses . . . Holland Morgan knows falling for Evie is just one more terrible choice in her long history of terrible choices. The problem is, she’s not sure she cares. As attraction turns slowly to obsession, they find themselves playing a dangerous game. Something out there is calling to each of them. Beckoning to the shadows within. Do they fight the call and protect one another, or answer and embrace the darkness?
The Afterdark is also available today in Audiobook!
We can’t wait to see you reading this title! If you share this book online, remember to use #ReadTundra in your hashtags so that we can re-post.
Tuesdays with Tundra is an ongoing series featuring our new releases. This title is now available in stores and online!
Heavenly Tyrant By Xiran Jay Zhao 544 Pages | Ages 14+ | Hardcover ISBN 9780735269989 | Tundra Books After suffering devastating loss and making drastic decisions, Zetian finds herself on the seat of power in Huaxia, but she has also learned that her world is not as it seems. Revelations about an enemy who dangles one of her loved ones as a hostage force Zetian to share power with a dangerous man she cannot simply depose. Despite their mutual dislike and distrust, the two must work together to take down their common enemy and stoke a revolution against the systems of exploitation that plague their world. However, power is not so easy to wield once seized, and a revolution is not so easy to control once unleashed. As Huaxia’s former elites strike back and the common people’s fervor for justice turns bloody and paranoid, can Zetian remain a fair and just ruler? Or will she be forced to rely on fear and violence and succumb to her darker instincts in her quest for vengeance and liberation?
Heavenly Tyrant is also available today in Audiobook!
We can’t wait to see you reading this title! If you share this book online, remember to use #ReadTundra in your hashtags so that we can re-post.
Kids say the darndest things! So we asked our creators to tell us their favorite questions they’ve been asked by young readers.
Cale Atkinson Author of Simon and Chester “I can’t say I remember as many funny questions as kids wanting me to draw certain things. The two that stand out to me are: ‘Can you draw Kermit the Frog mixed with a chicken nugget’ – to which I obliged and on another occasion, ‘Will you draw a buff baby Yoda’ – to which I also obliged.”
Lana Button Author of My Grammie’s House “‘Are you famous?’ I have been asked that more than once when I’ve presented at schools. And my response is that, for now, I am my own ‘roady’ – which means that I pack up all my equipment and lug it from school to school. So, as long as I’m my own roady, I am not famous (yet!) But I do feel rich! Because I love writing books for kids and visiting them at schools. My favorite questions that I get from young audiences are, ‘I lost my tooth last night.’ ‘I have a dog.’ And ‘Today is my birthday.’ I love it when kids share a little bit about themselves during the question-and-answer period. It is a great way to connect with my audience and I appreciate that they are sharing with me what is important in their life. (Besides, they have just listened to me talk for a long time about myself, it’s only fair that they also get a turn!)”
Lauren Soloy Author of Tove and the Island with No Address “No funny questions really spring to mind, but kids often say things that make me laugh! There’s always at least one kid at a school visit that is a little fuzzy on what a “question” is – so I’ve definitely gotten the ‘I have a dog named Vincent at home!’ type of statements, which tends to lead to a lot of other hands in the air. Teachers will then do an explanation for what a question is (causing most of the hands to drop) but I love those statements. That kid just really wanted to connect!”
Chuck Groenink Author of Boy Here, Boy There “I guess my favorite question I’ve gotten was at a school visit when I had shown a picture of my studio where my cat happened to be sitting on my desk. After fielding a good deal of questions about that cat ‘what’s its name! How old is she’, etc., one kid stuck her hand up to ask me, ‘Do you know my cat’s name?’ That tickled me immensely, but was also such a good reminder that for little kids these visits are in some ways as much about sharing their stories as it is for you to share yours.”
Polly Horvath Author of Library Girl “The funniest question I got was also the most charming. An eight-year-old boy came up to me as the kids were filing in and sitting down on the floor and said, ‘They told us you was going to be smart but why didn’t they tell us you was going to be soooo good looking?’ I burst into laughter and his eyes sparkled because he knew we both knew what a charmer he was and that he had managed to relax me and make me feel welcome. It was a variation on something that often happened at the poorest schools I have gone to – some child would come up to me terribly concerned that I might be feeling uncomfortable or homesick and would try to make me welcome before my talk. This is what has touched me the most on tours, those concerned little hearts.”
Rachel Poliquin Author of I Am Wind “I’m not sure about a favorite, but I definitely have a most memorable. I was asked what animal I’d like to be. Easy – a least weasel. But on this particular occasion, I had just met one in the woods. Least weasels are very small and very fierce, and this one had danced backwards and forwards on its hind legs, waving its arms at me. I wasn’t sure if it wanted to bite me or marry me. So, I told the story and did the weasel dance for the kids. I heard a boy say, ‘That was weird.'”
The Fan Brothers Author of Barnaby Unboxed! “A question that we’ve received a few times from kids is, ‘How much money do you make?’ The first time a student asked us that, I was completely thrown off, and had no idea how to answer it. My instinct was to respond with a heartwarming platitude like ‘money doesn’t matter when you’re doing something creative,’ but then I realized that wasn’t quite honest. Artists have to pay the bills too. I reflected back upon my own decision to go to art college, and the anxiety that that decision brought. All my life I had grown up with the cliché of the starving artist, and was told many times over the years that art was something you did as a hobby, but not as a career. I even had an art teacher once who told me that a career in art would most likely be boring and thankless work laying out ad copy. ‘Don’t think you’ll be drawing magical worlds and monsters all day.’ Even though, on the face of it, the question seems a bit ruthless, I think it reflects some of that same anxiety. Maybe the student was asking because they were also drawn towards the arts, but harbouring those same fears. Maybe they were looking for reassurance that it was possible to be successful as an artist. Or maybe they were just curious. Children are nothing if not completely honest, and it’s a question I might have asked myself when I was a kid. If I’m ever asked it again, I think I could provide a more thoughtful answer than the stammering response I gave.”
Rukhsana Khan Author of Honk Honk, Beep Beep, Putter Putt! “I do many school visits [and] sometimes things can get weird. I was at a school in Barrie and a kid asked if I was a man or a woman. (I’m a woman.) And just the other day a kid asked, ‘Who’s your favorite storyteller?’ And I couldn’t think of anyone else so I said, ‘Me!’ LOL (Actually I do like the way I tell stories!) But sometimes I get a really great question! One time after a presentation where I’d related some of the racism and bullying I’d gone through a student asked, ‘If you could go back and change anything about your growing up, what would it be?’ Nobody had ever asked me that before. I thought for a moment. I realized that I was who I was because of ALL the things I’d gone through, including the negative stuff. And because I knew how it felt to receive such abuse, I had vowed I’d never inflict it on anyone else. I looked the student in the eye and answered, ‘Actually I wouldn’t change a thing. Everything I went through was necessary.'”
