EASTERSEALS DISABILITY ADVOCATES AND ALLIES AUTHOR NEW BIOGRAPHY SERIES FOR CHILDREN HIGHLIGHTING ROLE MODELS AND HISTORICAL FIGURES WITH DISABILITIES

6 August 2023

Easterseals, a leading national nonprofit provider of services and advocacy for children and adults with disabilities and their families, has partnered with Cherry Lake Publishing Group to engage writers with disabilities and allies to author eight new titles in the popular MY ITTY-BITTY BIO book series targeted to young readers.

The MY ITTY-BITTY BIO series, biographies for the earliest readers, examines the lives of historical and modern men and women in a simple, age-appropriate way to help children develop word recognition and reading skills. Titles celebrate diversity, covering women and men from a range of backgrounds and professions including immigrants, individuals with disabilities, and individuals of Black, Hispanic, Asian American, and Indigenous history.

The eight new titles include biographies on President Franklin Delanor Roosevelt and leaders of the national disability movement including the late Judy Heumann and BraunAbility founder Ralph Braun. Other titles were developed with participation through interviews or content reviews with current disability activists including Anita Cameron, LeRoy Moore, Vilissa Thompson, and Alice Wong, as well as Chicago White Sox announcer Jason Benetti.

Authors of the series include Tiernan Bertrand-Essington, Anita Cameron, Nicole Lynn Evans, Beth Finke, Erin Hawley, Lily Newton, and Ben Trockman.

This is the second partnership between Easterseals and Cherry Lake Publishing Group, focused on elevating disability awareness and education in schools and libraries across the country. Ten percent (10%) of sales benefit Easterseals MORC in Michigan.

The MY ITTY-BITTY BIO series is targeted to readers in grades K-1. The eight new titles are available for purchase at www.cherrylakepublishing.com. For additional information, visit www.easterseals.com.

About Easterseals
Easterseals is leading the way to full equity, inclusion, and access through life-changing disability and community services.

For more than 100 years, we have worked tirelessly with our partners to enhance quality of life and expand local access to healthcare, education, employment, and transportation for people with disabilities, veterans, and seniors – as well as their caregivers. And we won’t rest until every one of us is valued, respected, and accepted.

Through our national network of Affiliates, Easterseals provides essential services and on-the-ground supports to millions of individuals and families each year – from early childhood programs for the critical first five years, to autism services, medical rehabilitation and employment programs, veterans’ services, and more. Our public education, policy, and advocacy initiatives positively shape perceptions and address the urgent and evolving needs of the 61 million Americans with disabilities today.

Together, we’re empowering people with disabilities, families, and communities to be full and equal participants in society. Learn more at www.easterseals.com.

About Cherry Lake Publishing Group
Cherry Lake Publishing Group (CLPG) is committed to its mission of creating books that engage, entertain, educate, and provide opportunities for students and children to explore the world in educational, library, and home settings. It is comprised of five imprints which introduce the building blocks of literacy for young readers (Cherry Blossom Press), Hi-Lo books for struggling readers (45th Parallel Press), a wide range of educational titles (Cherry Lake Press), graphic novels (Torch Graphic Press), and picture books and chapter books (Sleeping Bear Press). To learn more, visit cherrylakepublishing.com.

READ ALONG WITH A PLAYLIST WORTHY OF THE ROCK GODS

Jocie McKade

5 August 2023

Read along to The Rock Gods of Jackson, Tennessee with this epic playlist!

Comic writer Rafer Roberts (Grumble, Minecraft: Stories from the Overworld) shares some of the musical inspiration behind his newest action/adventure graphic novel, Rock Gods of Jackson, Tennessee. This epic saga taps into the nostalgia of teen angst and adolescence, rock and roll culture, and mutated pig monsters! Co-creators on this comic include artist Mike Norton (Grumble, Battlepug, Revival), colorist Allen Passalaqua (JSA, Batgirl and the Birds of Prey) and letterer CRANK! (Jonna and the Unpossible Monsters, Rick and Morty).

It’s 1989 and Marty Ward, Jackson, Tennessee’s number one juvenile delinquent, never wanted to join the Rock Gods. After all, who wants to play with nerds like Jonny, Lenny, and Doug? But after the high schoolers stumble into the gig of a lifetime–opening for local rock legend Tommi Tungstun–the four outcasts must put aside their differences and play together if they want to achieve their dreams of fame, freedom, and popularity. Standing in these future superstars’ way are: their parents, their teachers, a school full of jerks and bullies, a townful of bad bosses, sanctimonious preachers, corrupt politicians, each other, and a rampaging horde of mutated monsters tearing through Jackson and eating everything in their path.

Check out the playlist details below, and listen now on the Dark Horse Spotify channel!

The Rock Gods of Jackson, Tennessee can be ordered now and/or purchased at comic shops and bookstores. It is available on digital comics platforms as well. Amp up these epic tunes as you read along!

Playlist Intro by Rafer Roberts:

Comics take a long time to make and I have a short attention span, so every comic I write starts with a playlist. That playlist, played every time I sit down to work on that project, becomes like a hypnotic mantra pulling me into a consistent mental state to start working. It sounds way more pretentious than it is. It took a good long while to write The Rock Gods of Jackson, Tennessee, and even I have limits to how many times I can listen to the same song over and over. This playlist ballooned as I kept adding songs, but they’re all on there for a reason. Here’s some selected tracks and why they made the cut.

Rock Gods of Jackson, Tennessee – Listen on Spotify

“Wasted Years” — Iron Maiden

Finding the correct opening track is critical to the success of any writing project, especially since you’ll be listening to it A LOT. Wasted Years begins with a blistering guitar riff that never gets old and wakes up my brain like a heavy metal alarm clock. And, like all good songs, the lyrics seemed like they were written just for us:

“So understand / Don’t waste your time always searching for those wasted years / Face up, make your stand / And realize you’re living in the golden years.”

“Heavy Duty/Defenders of the Faith”— Judas Priest

If Wasted Years wakes me up, then Heavy Duty gets me to work. Singing along with the pure, unapologetic lyrics works like a daily affirmation, giving me the same unearned confidence as four high school kids who stumble unto the gig of a lifetime. Plus, “Rock Gods of Jackson, Tennessee” has the same syllable count as “We are defenders of the faith,” so you can change the lyrics if you want.

“I Think We’re Alone Now” — Tiffany; “Bust a Move” — Young MC

Moving away from the metal. The next few songs are for mental time-travel, so I can put on my headphones, close my eyes, and forget for a second that I’m not a kid anymore. For some folks, smell unlocks memories. For me, it’s music. Even though it’s a book about mutant pigs terrorizing a town, I didn’t want the kids to feel fake. I needed to remember what it actually felt like to be there then, the unvarnished pure emotional trash that only a song not heard since forever ago can dredge up. Not only were both of these songs INESCAPABLE the years they came out, and not only did I own both on cassingle, but I hadn’t heard either of them in decades. (Ask your parents about cassingles and make them feel old.)

“Trash” — New York Dolls

This felt like a song that Marty, The Rock Gods’ misunderstood juvenile delinquent guitarist, would’ve listened to… if he’d had actual musical taste. (Marty may like Winger, but I’m the one assembling this playlist.)

“The Jack” — AC/DC

A simple song that was easy to play, which meant it made it on my high school band’s set list. It’s the kind of song that The Rock Gods would play. One of the songs that most got on my nerves over time, to be honest. Maybe I should’ve gone with Big Balls.

“Oingo Boingo” — Weird Science

Sometimes the songs on the playlist actually relate to the plot of the thing I’m writing. There’s definitely some “weird science” going on at the cosmetics factory just outside of Jackson!

“Walk Like an Egyptian” and “Hazy Shade of Winter” — The Bangles

More time travel songs. When’s the last time you listened to The Bangles? They’re even better than you remember.

“Russian Folk Themes” and “Ode to Joy” — Pete Seeger

Dark Horse Comics

Sneak Peek: The Heirloom by Beverly Lewis

Jocie McKade

5 August 2023

The Heirloom by Beverly Lewis

Clara Bender believes a visit to Hickory Hollow may help her find direction after her father remarries. While restoring an heirloom quilt with her great-aunt Ella Mae Zook, the two form a warm bond. When Clara’s life is again upended by an unexpected incident and a young Amish man, will she find where her heart belongs?

This heartwarming prequel to The Shunning is a tender story of love, belonging, and the courage to move forward.

After her widowed father remarries, nineteen-year-old Clara Bender is no longer needed to help run his household. Marriage seems like her best hope of moving out, but there are few young men in her tiny Indiana Amish community. When she comes across letters from her mother’s aunt Ella Mae Zook, she sets off to visit Lancaster County’s Hickory Hollow to decide where her future lies.

Ella Mae is not quite ready to move from the farmhouse where she and her recently deceased husband spent over fifty happy years, but her children are eager to resettle her, making Clara’s visit seem like an answer to prayer. The two women form a warm bond while restoring an heirloom wedding quilt and sharing their lives, with Ella Mae confiding about a tragedy from her courting years. Eventually, Ella Mae suggests Clara stay for the summer, allowing Ella Mae more time with her and giving Clara an opportunity to meet the area’s eligible young men. But when the unexpected happens, will Clara find where her heart truly belongs?

There’s a Book for That: Summer Destinations

Jocie McKade

5 August 2023

August is upon us! School begins for many in a couple of weeks, but there’s still time to squeeze some summer travel in! Living vicariously through photos, films, and books set elsewhere can also be transporting. Whether you are traveling, or staying close to home, we invite you to immerse yourselves in the lives and loves depicted in novels set in 14 popular vacation destinations:

LONDON

The Sweetest Revenge by Lizzy Dent THE SWEETEST REVENGE by Lizzy Dent

Bridesmaids meets Emily in Paris—in London—in this hilarious and heartfelt story of one handsome neighbor, one no-good ex, and the summer Amy Duffy makes the comeback of her life.

FLORIDA KEYS

ANCHORED HEARTS: AN ENTERTAINING LATINX SECOND CHANCE ROMANCE by Priscilla Oliveras

Sparks fly in the Florida Keys when award-winning photographer and prodigal son Alejandro ends up back home, forced to face the familia—and the girl he left behind—for the first time in years. Can these two Key West natives learn to put away old hurts and embrace a new future under the tropical sun?

HAWAII

Nuclear Family by Joseph Han NUCLEAR FAMILY: A NOVEL by Joseph Han

Set in the months leading up to the 2018 nuclear missile false alarm, a Korean American family living in Hawai’i faces the fallout of their eldest son’s attempt to run across the Demilitarized Zone into North Korea in this “fresh, inventive, and at times, hilarious novel” (Kaui Hart Hemmings, author of The Descendants)

GREECE

Niki by Christos Chomenidis NIKI: A NOVEL by Christos Chomenidis, Patricia Felisa Barbeito

A resilient Greek woman recounts her and her family’s extraordinary story at the end of her life, marked by the great historical events of the twentieth century. Through her memories and the stories of her family, with roots on both coasts of the Aegean Sea, Niki also tells the history of Greece and Asia Minor from the late nineteenth century to the middle of the twentieth. Her remarkable tales, full of humor and verve in spite of hardship, are populated by working-class heroes, privileged elites, daring revolutionaries, and free-spirited bohemians.

NEW YORK CITY

The Mutual Friend by Carter Bays THE MUTUAL FRIEND: A NOVEL by Carter Bays

It’s the summer of 2015, and Alice Quick needs to get to work. She’s twenty-eight years old, grieving her mother, barely scraping by as a nanny, and freshly kicked out of her apartment. If she can just get her act together and sign up for the MCAT, she can start chasing her dream of becoming a doctor . . . but in the Age of Distraction, the distractions are so distracting. There’s her tech millionaire brother’s religious awakening. His picture-perfect wife’s emotional breakdown. Her chaotic new roommate’s thirst for adventure. And, of course, there’s the biggest distraction of all: Love.

RIO DE JANEIRO

The Air You Breathe by Frances de Pontes Peebles THE AIR YOU BREATHE: A NOVEL by Frances de Pontes Peebles

Traveling from Brazil’s inland sugar plantations to the rowdy streets of Rio de Janeiro’s famous Lapa neighborhood, from Los Angeles during the Golden Age of Hollywood back to the irresistible drumbeat of home, The Air You Breathe unfurls a moving portrait of a lifelong friendship–its unparalleled rewards and lasting losses–and considers what we owe to the relationships that shape our lives.

SPAIN

Countries of Origin by Javier Fuentes COUNTRIES OF ORIGIN: A NOVEL by Javier Fuentes

A tumultuous, passionate love affair between two young men from vastly different worlds during one, extraordinary summer in Spain, in what is ultimately a meditation on identity, class, belonging and desire.

BIG SUR, CALIFORNIA

The Celebrants by Steven Rowley THE CELEBRANTS by Steven Rowley

It’s been a minute—or five years—since Jordan Vargas last saw his college friends, and twenty-eight years since their graduation when their adult lives officially began. Now Jordan, Jordy, Naomi, Craig, and Marielle find themselves at the brink of a new decade, with all the responsibilities of adulthood, yet no closer to having their lives figured out. Though not for a lack of trying. Over the years they’ve reunited in Big Sur to honor a decades-old pact to throw each other living “funerals,” celebrations to remind themselves that life is worth living—that their lives mean something, to one another if not to themselves. But this reunion is different…

MAINE

Happy Place by Emily Henry HAPPY PLACE by Emily Henry

A couple who broke up months ago make a pact to pretend to still be together for their annual weeklong vacation with their best friends in this glittering and wise new novel from #1 New York Times bestselling author Emily Henry.

PARIS

The Paris Bookseller by Kerri Maher THE PARIS BOOKSELLER by Kerri Maher

The dramatic story of a humble bookseller who fought against incredible odds to bring one of the most important books of the 20th century to the world. When bookish young American Sylvia Beach opens Shakespeare and Company on a quiet street in Paris in 1919, she has no idea that she and her new bookstore will change the course of literature itself.

NORWAY

Grown Ups by Marie Aubert GROWN UPS by Marie Aubert; Translated by Rosie Hedger

A whip-smart novel about modern motherhood and sibling rivalry, from one of Norway’s rising stars–perfect for fans of Emma Straub and the films of Greta Gerwig! Exhilarating, funny, and unexpectedly devastating, Grown Ups is for anyone who has ever felt the fear of being overtaken by a sibling, who feels almost–but not quite–grown up, and who’s struggled to navigate a new future for themselves.

ELBA

Lizzie & Dante by Mary Bly LIZZIE & DANTE: A NOVEL by Mary Bly

On the heels of a difficult break-up and a devastating diagnosis, Shakespeare scholar Lizzie Delford decides to take one last lavish vacation on Elba, the sun-kissed island off the Italian coast, with her best friend and his movie-star boyfriend. Once settled into a luxurious seaside resort, Lizzie has to make big decisions about her future, and she needs the one thing she may be running out of: time. A luscious story of love, courage, and Italian wine, Lizzie & Dante demands to know how far we should travel to find a future worth fighting for.

MALIBU

Malibu Rising by Taylor Jenkins Reid MALIBU RISING: A NOVEL by Taylor Jenkins Reid

Malibu: August 1983. It’s the day of Nina Riva’s annual end-of-summer party, and anticipation is at a fever pitch. Everyone wants to be around the famous Rivas: Nina, the talented surfer and supermodel; brothers Jay and Hud, one a championship surfer, the other a renowned photographer; and their adored baby sister, Kit. Together the siblings are a source of fascination in Malibu and the world over—especially as the offspring of the legendary singer Mick Riva. By midnight the party will be completely out of control. By morning, the Riva mansion will have gone up in flames.

CAPE COD

The Paper Palace (Reese's Book Club) by Miranda Cowley Heller THE PAPER PALACE: A NOVEL by Miranda Cowley Heller

It is a perfect August morning, and Elle, a fifty-year-old happily married mother of three, awakens at “The Paper Palace”—the family summer place which she has visited every summer of her life. But this morning is different: last night Elle and her oldest friend Jonas crept out the back door into the darkness and had sex with each other for the first time, all while their spouses chatted away inside. Now, over the next twenty-four hours, Elle will have to decide between the life she has made with her genuinely beloved husband, Peter, and the life she always imagined she would have had with her childhood love, Jonas, if a tragic event hadn’t forever changed the course of their lives. As Heller colors in the experiences that have led Elle to this day, we arrive at her ultimate decision with all its complexity.

For more on these and other travel-inspired titles visit Summer Destinations

Penguin Random House

THE ANCIENT AND FUTURE WORLDS OF USAGI YOJIMBO MEET IN “SPACE USAGI: YOKAI HUNTER”

Jocie McKade

4 August 2023

Fans of the legendary swordsman and wanderer Usagi Yojimbo have enjoyed countless tales crafted by the equally legendary comic creator Stan Sakai (Usagi Yojimbo, 47 Ronin). Featuring colors by Emi Fujii (MoonKnight: Black, White & Blood, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles/Usagi Yojimbo: WhereWhen) Space Usagi: Yokai Hunter follows an all-new, full-color adventure for the rabbit ronin.

The tales of Usagi Yojimbo have been told over hundreds, perhaps thousands, of years. Someone in the far future enjoys another classic adventure in the Space Usagi universe with a unique new story. Even in space, there is no shortage of dangers, warring foes, daring deeds and supernatural horrors to hone the skills of a descendant of 17th-century samurai Miyamoto Usagi.

The Space Usagi: Yokai Hunter one-shot will be available in comic shops October 11, 2023. It includes 32 pages of an entirely new Usagi Yojimbo story and measures 6.625×10.1875″. It is available for pre-order now at your local comic shop and will retail for $4.99.

PRAISE FOR STAN SAKAI AND USAGI YOJIMBO:

“Stan Sakai has successfully brought to American comics a collection of Japanese fables well told in the American style. Usagi Yojimbo is an enduring work. Bravo.”—Will Eisner

“Sakai is a master of his craft.”—IGN.com

“Sakai delivers on the action, humor, and layers it all with his signature mix of Japanese mythology and anthropomorphic animals.”—ComicsVerse

“I think Usagi Yojimbo is one of the most original, innovative, well-executed comic books anywhere to be found. Stan’s style of artwork, his crisp incisive writing, and his thoroughly professional pacing, all done in a relaxed and absorbed manner, have provided comics with something so rarely seen in this field—a new literary and artistic approach to illustrated storytelling.”—Stan Lee

About Dogu Publishing

Dogu Publishing is an imprint in partnership with Dark Horse Comics created by Stan and Julie Sakai with Daniel Fujii and Jeremiah Blank. It is an all Asian American owned and operated company that will expand and encompass the Usagi Universe, along with other IP’s from creators both domestic and abroad.

Sneak Peek: Board to Death by CJ Connor

Jocie McKade

4 August 2023

Board to Death by CJ Connor

The first in an ulta-charming new “quozy” mystery series starring Ben Rosencrantz, a queer 30-something English professor (and closet scifi fan) who’s returned to his hometown of Salt Lake City to run his family’s board game shop in the trendy Sugar House neighborhood – a community hotspot for players of all ages…and for killer collectors!

Back in his hometown of Sugar House running his family’s board game shop and café, Ben Rosencrantz just can’t seem to get his life to pass go, much less collect $200. Once he was a happily married English professor in Seattle. Now he’s a divorced caregiver, looking after his ill father and a Chihuahua named Beans while still figuring out the rules of retail management. At least the town has become more LGBTQ+ friendly than when Ben was a teenager—and that flower shop owner, Ezra McCaslin, enjoys flirting with him.

But despite his usual clientele of gamers, Ben is barely earning enough to keep the store running and stay on top of his father’s medical bills. Then a local toy and game collector named Clive offers him a winning strategy—to purchase a turn-of-the-twentieth-century edition of The Landlord’s Game, the realty and taxation game that inspired Monopoly, at a tenth of the rare edition’s true value. Suspicious of Clive’s shady, low-priced deal, Ben turns the offer down.

Then Clive turns up dead at the front door of Ben’s and a backpack full of $100 bills appears on his doorstep. Now Ben is the #1 suspect in Clive’s death, and unless he and Ezra can prove his innocence and find the real killer, he’ll go to jail for murder—and no amount of double dice rolls will set him free . . .

Award-Winning Journalist Michele Norris Releasing Our Hidden Conversations

Jocie McKade

4 August 2023

Peabody Award–winning journalist and bestselling author Michele Norris offers a transformative dialogue on race and identity in America Michele Norris, unearthed through The Race Card Project, which Norris created in 2010. Simon & Schuster will publish OUR HIDDEN CONVERSATIONS January 16, 2024.

The prompt seemed simple: Race. Your Story. 6-Words. Please Send.

The answers, though, have been challenging and complicated. In the twelve years since award- winning journalist Michele Norris first posed that question, more than half a million people have submitted their stories to The Race Card Project inbox. The stories are shocking in their depth and candor, spanning the full spectrum of race, ethnicity, identity, and class. Even at just 6-words, the micro-essays can pack a punch, revealing, fear, pain, triumph, and sometimes humor. Some examples are: You’re Pretty for a Black girl. White privilege, enjoy it, earned it. Lady, I don’t want your purse. My ancestors massacred Indians near here. Urban living has made me racist. I’m only Asian when it’s convenient.

Many entries go further than just 6-words, enriched by backstories, photographs, and heirlooms. Beautifully designed and illustrated throughout, OUR HIDDEN CONVERSATIONS is a unique collection of stories, richly reported essays based on Norris’s in-depth investigations, and photographs—all providing a window into America during a tumultuous era. This powerful book offers an honest, if sometimes uncomfortable, conversation about race and identity, permitting us to eavesdrop on deep-seated thoughts, private discussions, and long submerged memories. The breadth of this work came as a surprise to Norris. For most of the twelve years she has collected these stories, many were submitted by white respondents. This unexpected panorama provides a rare 360-degree view of how Americans see themselves and one another.

The Race Card Project has been adopted in classrooms, courtrooms, businesses, museums and prisons. National Public Radio listeners have sampled a taste of the rich content in The Race Card Project archive in the Peabody Award-winning radio sections Norris produced. As NAACP Legal Defense Fund President, Sherrilyn Ifill noted, “Norris guides this country gently but firmly to stand before the mirror.”

Award-winning Los Angeles-based artist and author Kadir Nelson created the cover art for OUR HIDDEN CONVERSATIONS. Nelson paints a beautiful totem of diversity spanning across myriad cultures, ethnicities, and ages, that represent the American diaspora. Set against a brilliant blue sky of infinite possibilities, each figure looks outward and upward, thoughtful, pensive and yet hopeful while poised to share their stories and experiences of life within the American racial landscape. Nelson says: “I feel the very best art reflects the spirit of our lived and imagined experiences. The focus of my work is to create expressive and emotionally resonant paintings that connect with people.

I often revisit themes of American history and the journey of the hero. Primarily through two-dimensional oil paintings, I utilize dramatic lighting, dynamic compositions, robust and subtle palettes, varied textures, to create a visceral visual experience for the viewer.”

OUR HIDDEN CONVERSATIONS reminds us that even during times of great division, honesty, grace, and a willing ear can provide a bridge toward empathy and maybe even understanding.

Michele Norris is one of America’s most trusted voices in journalism, earning several honors over a long career, including Peabody, Emmy, Dupont, and Goldsmith awards. She is a columnist for The Washington Post Opinion Section and from 2002 to 2012 she was a cohost of NPR’s All Things Considered. Norris is also the founding director of The Race Card Project, a Peabody Award–winning narrative archive where people around the world share their reflections on identity—in just 6-words. Her first book, The Grace of Silence, was named one of the best books of the year by the San Francisco Chronicle, The Christian Science Monitor, and The Kansas City Star. Before joining NPR, Norris spent almost ten years as a reporter for ABC News covering politics, policy, and the dynamics of social change. Early in her career, she also worked as a staff writer for The Washington Post, Chicago Tribune,and the Los Angeles Times.

Kadir Nelson is an award-winning American author and artist based in Los Angeles, California. His salient original paintings reside in the permanent collections of several notable institutions including the United States House of Representatives, the Muskegon Museum of Art, The National Baseball Hall of Fame, United States Postal Museum, the International Olympic Committee in Lausanne, Switzerland, the Smithsonian’s National Portrait Gallery, and the National Museum of African American History and Culture. Among other achievements, his work has been used for inspiration by Steven Spielberg for the Dreamworks feature film “Amistad,” and frequently has graced the cover of The New Yorker. In 2020, Nelson was awarded the coveted Caldecott Medal and the Coretta Scott King Illustrator Award for the masterful book, THE UNDEFEATED, written by Kwame Alexander.

Nelson’s artwork was also featured on over a dozen commemorative US postage stamps honoring American legends, such as Major League All-Stars Ted Williams and Joe DiMaggio, NBA great Wilt Chamberlain, and most recently Motown’s Prince of Soul Marvin Gaye, which altogether have sold several million stamps.

Simon & Schuster, a Paramount Company, is a global leader in general interest publishing, dedicated to providing the best in fiction and nonfiction for readers of all ages, and in all printed, digital and audio formats. Its distinguished roster of authors includes many of the world’s most popular and widely recognized writers, and winners of the most prestigious literary honors and awards. It is home to numerous well-known imprints and divisions such as Simon & Schuster, Scribner, Atria Books, Gallery Books, Adams Media, Avid Reader Press, Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing and Simon & Schuster Audio and international companies in Australia, Canada, India and the United Kingdom, and proudly brings the works of its authors to readers in more than 200 countries and territories. For more information visit our website at www.simonandschuster.com.

New Release: Omen of Ice by Jus Accardo

Jocie McKade

3 August 2023

Omen of Ice by Jus Accardo

Serpent and Dove meets These Hollow Vows in this all-new YA fantasy series about a druid and the Fae royal she’s been tasked to protect.

Keltania Tunne has spent her whole life training to become a bodyguard for a Winter Fae. It’s the highest of honors for a druid…only when Tania arrives at the Winter Court for the first time, nothing is what she expected.

Her assignment is the heir to the throne, Valen, and he doesn’t want her protection. In fact, he wants her gone. Yesterday. But Tania will not compromise, even if he is the most arrogant jackass she’s ever met—because something isn’t right in the Winter Court.

Everyone has secrets. From the Winter Lord to the kitchen maids to the rising faction that wants the prince dead—no one is who they seem. And now it’s up to Tania to keep her sacred oath and protect Valen, even when his smart mouth makes her skate the razor-thin edge between love and hate.

But the more she gets to know him, the more she realizes his secret is the biggest of all—and might just get them both killed.

GLOBAL CELEBRATIONS BEGIN FOR BACK TO HOGWARTS COMING SEPTEMBER 1ST!

Jocie McKade

3 August 2023

Back to Hogwarts returns on 1^st September, inviting Harry Potter fans from all over the world to mark the moment the Hogwarts Express departs from King’s Cross for the start of term
Fans can join themed events, watch parties, digital and real-life celebrations that promise to be bigger and better than ever

Today, on Harry Potter’s birthday, Wizarding World announces the return of its Back to Hogwarts celebrations, alongside a search for the UK’s most enthusiastic Harry Potter fan to lead the Hogwarts Express’ departure countdown.

The Harry Potter books, written by J.K. Rowling have had a huge impact on fans around the globe, having sold over 600 million copies worldwide, been distributed in more than 200 territories and translated into over 85 languages since they were first published by Bloomsbury and Scholastic 25 years ago.

Beginning as a fan celebration, Back to Hogwarts is recognised as one of the biggest days in any Harry Potter fan’s calendar – marking the moment when students would board the Hogwarts Express on Platform 9 ¾ for adventure at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Dressed in their finest cosplay, thousands of fans make the trip to London’s King’s Cross station each year and more come together online to raise their wands for the countdown and share their love of the stories.

Bringing Gryffindors, Slytherins, Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs together, this year celebrations are bigger than ever with the launch of a UK competition for one lucky fan between age five and seventeen years old to get the chance to travel to King’s Cross and help host the countdown on 1^st September. The competition is live and young wizards and witches wishing to enter can submit a video of their best countdown online (via a parent or guardian) by 11.59pm on 7^th August.

The magic doesn’t stop there! This lucky winner (plus a parent or guardian) will get the chance to pack their trunks once again to come back to the capital with a complete package of Harry Potter experiences. The ultimate Harry Potter London Breaks Experience gives this fan the opportunity to discover the filmmaking magic of Warner Bros. Studio Tour London – The Making of Harry Potter and see the critically acclaimed stage production, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child. To top it off, the winner will receive an incredible merchandise bundle from the Harry Potter Shop. Full details on prize entry can be found here.

Until 3^rd September an array of magical experiences awaits at King’s Cross as fans get the chance to sip on Butterbeer, play Hogwarts Legacy on PlayStation®5 courtesy of Warner Bros. Games, and enjoy LEGO® Harry Potter giveaways and photo opportunities. Additionally, in celebration of the publication of The Harry Potter Wizarding Almanac, fans will also be able to spin Bloomsbury’s giant wand spinner and find out whose wand they are best suited to, with free gifts up for grabs for those taking part.

Festivities aren’t contained to the station… why not relive the movie magic on the big screen? Theatres around the world will be putting on special Harry Potter screenings for Back to Hogwarts. In the UK, Everyman will screen all eight films at Everyman Kings Cross and select Harry Potter movies at their cinemas nationwide. ODEON will present Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, and Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets nationwide over the course of the weekend. US fans can get their fix at Cinemark where more than 250 theatres will be showing an exclusive re-release of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Parts 1&2. Down Under? Join in the fun at 15 locations of Village Cinemas across Victoria, Australia as they host screenings of the final two Deathly Hallows films in the iconic series. Further theatres and locations will be announced soon, including screenings in Barcelona and Madrid.

Pam Lifford, President, Global Brands, Franchises and Experiences, at Warner Bros. Discovery, said: “Back to Hogwarts is a day cherished by Harry Potter fans of all ages, from all over the world. Just like their passion for the magic of the stories, their celebrations grow every year! 2023 is set to be a year like no other – we will see fan world record attempts in Germany, high octane quiz competitions in France and of course, the UK’s search to find the perfect person to join that amazing countdown. We are so proud to offer new and exciting ways to bring fans together and give them new ways to celebrate the Harry Potter magic – there’s nothing quite like Back To Hogwarts!”

Check out Wizarding World Digital at www.wizardingworld.com for all the Back to Hogwarts updates, including the latest UK activity and info on what’s happening in Italy, Germany, France, Japan, China and more. Look out for news too on how to get involved with Harry Potter Watch Parties (MAX US subscribers will be able to join and watch-along on 1^st September) and when to tune into the Back to Hogwarts Digital Showcase.

Join the global community of millions of members following the fun on social and don’t forget to sign up to the Harry Potter Fan Club!

Website: www.wizardingworld.com/harry-potter-fan-club.
Instagram: @wizardingworld https://www.instagram.com/wizardingworld/?hl=en
Hashtag: #BacktoHogwarts

Sneak Peek: Ravage & Son by Jerome Charyn

Jocie McKade

3 August 2023

Ravage & Son by Jerome Charyn

A master storyteller’s novel of crime, corruption, and antisemitism in early 20th-century Manhattan

Ravage & Son reflects the lost world of Manhattan’s Lower East Side—the cradle of Jewish immigration during the first years of the twentieth century—in a dark mirror.

Abraham Cahan, editor of the Jewish Daily Forward, serves as the conscience of the Jewish ghetto teeming with rogue cops and swindlers. He rescues Ben Ravage, an orphan, from a trade school and sends him off to Harvard to earn a law degree. But upon his return, Ben rejects the chance to escape his gritty origins and instead becomes a detective for the Kehilla, a quixotic gang backed by wealthy uptown patrons to help the police rid the Lower East Side of criminals. Charged with rooting out the Jewish “Mr. Hyde,” a half-mad villain who attacks the prostitutes of Allen Street, Ben discovers that his fate is irrevocably tied to that of this violent, sinister man.

A lurid tale of revenge, this wildly evocative, suspenseful noir is vintage Jerome Charyn.

JOIN US AUGUST 21 FOR OUR BEHIND THE WORDS INTERVIEW WITH JEROME!!

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