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 M.L. Fergus!
About the Author:
M.L. FERGUS‘s many books for young people have been translated into more than a dozen languages, optioned for television, adapted for stage, and won or been shortlisted for numerous prestigious awards. She writes illustrated books for young readers under the name Maureen Fergus. She lives in Winnipeg, Canada with her family.
Fast Five with M.L. Fergus:
If you could live anywhere, where would it be?
I would split my time between the Caribbean island of Curaçao (because I love snorkeling), Vancouver Island (because I love hiking and surfing) and my beautiful hometown of Winnipeg, Canada (because I love hanging out with mosquitos in the summer and being so cold in the winter that I can’t feel my face).
What’s one thing that can instantly make your day better?
A good belly laugh can instantly make my day better. Luckily, my husband and kids are all very hilarious and I will laugh at just about anything. I will also do almost anything to get a laugh and seeing people laugh makes me laugh. With all that laughing, it’s a wonder I ever get any writing done at all, isn’t it?
Which meal is your favorite: breakfast, lunch, or dinner?
I love eating, so breakfast, lunch and dinner are all my favorite! In addition, I am a big grazer, so I usually share my writing space with bowls of popcorn and nuts, cheese and crackers, apple slices and carrot sticks, banana chocolate chip muffins (my speciality) and random bits of candy. Mmmm, I’m getting hungry just thinking about it . . .
What’s your “dance like nobody’s watching” song?
My dance AND sing like nobody’s watching song is “Unwritten” by Natasha Bedingfield. The music and lyrics get me going every time and are PERFECT for a writer like me. “Staring at the blank page before you/Open up the dirty window/Let the sun illuminate the words that you could not find”. I hope you pictured me belting that out at the top of my lungs while I typed it, because I that’s what I did.
Who’s your favourite book heroine?
Persephone from my Fractured Kingdom trilogy is my favorite book heroine. It’s why I spent three books with her! She is the beating heart of this epic romantic adventure – a girl with a tragic past who has not been broken by her suffering. She is clever, fierce and funny, and though she is not fearless, she is fearfully brave. An animal lover who is passionate but conflicted, she is far more likely to rescue any would-be knight in shining armor than the other way around. Truly, the handsome thief she meets at the outset of the story has no idea what he’s in for . . .
Books by M.L. Fergus:
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.
Odyssey
By M.L. Fergus
408 Pages | Ages 12+ | Paperback
ISBN 9781774886090 | Tundra Books
Available: May 13, 2025
In the final moments of Prophecy, a truth was revealed to Persephone and Azriel – one that could change everything forever. For her. For him. For them. For the entire kingdom. But the murderous Regent Mordesius wants this truth buried and them along with it. Cornered and out of options, Azriel boldly bargains: release them, and they will seek out the mythical healing pool. Mordesius agrees but warns that if they do not find it, he’ll make those dearest to them suffer – starting with King Finnius. Persephone has never needed Azriel’s teasing warmth more, but she is discovering that there is a price to pay for having broken past promises. Together, the pair set off on a journey that will take them to the farthest corners of the kingdom. Danger will ever lie ahead and behind them; they will battle men and beasts alike. Will Persephone and Azriel survive these perils? And will this quest see their romance grow cold – or will it burn hotter than ever?
Destiny
By M.L. Fergus
376 Pages | Ages 12+ | Paperback
ISBN 9781774886113 | Tundra Books
Available: September 23, 2025
On the heels of a tragic discovery, Persephone was all but torn from Azriel’s waiting arms. She now finds herself desperately alone, in terrible danger and burdened by responsibilities she would do almost anything to escape. But some responsibilities are inescapable, and Persephone is not the girl she once was. Knowing that the clans are in mortal peril and that the realm is descending into chaos, she is fiercely determined to defeat Mordesius and set things to right for all people. But she cannot imagine doing so without the handsome thief she has fallen helplessly, hopelessly in love with. And so, armed with nothing but her wit, her dagger and her dauntless courage, Persephone races across the realm in search of Aziel and a path forward. As the stakes rise ever higher, loyalties shift, disasters strike and catastrophic grief gives way to inexpressible joy. And just when it seems like it’s finally over, the Fates play their cruelest trick of all . . . In this epic, exhilarating final adventure in the Fractured Kingdom trilogy, destiny is coming for the girl who started it all.