Arthurian legends are reborn in this upbeat queer urban fantasy with a mystery at its heart

SF Canada member Jes Battis is excited to announce their new urban fantasy novel!

The knights of the round table are alive in Vancouver, but when one winds up dead, it’s clear the familiar stories have taken a left turn. Hildie, a Valkyrie and the investigator assigned to the case, wants to find the killer — and maybe figure her life out while she’s at it. On her short list of suspects is Wayne, an autistic college student and the reincarnation of Sir Gawain, who these days is just trying to survive in a world that wasn’t made for him. After finding himself at the scene of the crime, Wayne is pulled deeper into his medieval family history while trying to navigate a new relationship with the dean’s charming assistant, Bert — who also happens to be a prime murder suspect. To figure out the truth, Wayne and Hildie have to connect with dangerous forces: fallen knights, tricky runesmiths, the Wyrd Sisters of Gastown. And a hungry beast that stalks Wayne’s dreams.

The Winter Knight is a propulsive urban fairy tale and detective story with queer and trans heroes that asks what it means to be a myth, who gets to star in these tales, and ultimately, how we make our stories our own.

All of the buy links and more information can be found at: https://ecwpress.com/products/the-winter-knight

 

About Jes Battis

Jes Battis (they/them) is a queer autistic writer and teacher and the author of the Occult Special Investigator series and Parallel Parks series (as Bailey Cunningham) with Ace. Their first novel, Night Child, was shortlisted for the Sunburst Award. Jes teaches queer and trans studies, medieval literature, and representations of disability/neurodiversity in pop culture at the University of Regina. They split time between the prairies and the west coast.

The Crystal Key by Douglas Smith is Out Today!

SF Canada member Douglas Smith has a new release today. The Crystal Key is the second book of The Dream Rider Saga series. Described as Indiana Jones meets Teen Titans in The Dream Rider Saga, a fast-paced urban fantasy trilogy from “one of Canada’s most original writers of speculative fiction” (Library Journal).

Will Dreycott is the Dream Rider, the agoraphobic teenage superhero who walks in our dreams but never in the streets of his city. Case is his girlfriend, a survivor of those streets haunted by voices that warn her of danger. Fader, her brother, is very good at disappearing. Together, they defeated a body swapper and a witch to save the world (The Hollow Boys).

In The Crystal Key, a trail of dark secrets leads Will, Case, and Fader to a hidden world. Trapped between warring cults willing to kill for a mysterious relic, the three friends must master strange new powers that grow stronger and wilder the closer they draw to the truth.

This time it’s not just the fate of the world at stake…but the multiverse.

You can purchase the book from various retailers. Click here for purchase links.

Praise for The Crystal Key:

“The engrossing second installment of Douglas Smith’s Dream Rider Saga trilogy. … Smith continues to demonstrate an ability to expertly weave multiple complex fantasy elements into a cohesive whole. … This fast-paced story delivers in a big way—and Smith has all his ducks lined up for an explosive conclusion [to the series] that readers won’t want to miss.”

Blueink Review (★ Starred review)

Praise for The Hollow Boys (The Dream Rider Saga, Book 1):

“A must-read story for YA fantasy fans.” —Blueink Review (★ Starred review)

“Inventive, engaging, and boundless fun.” The Ottawa Review of Books 

“Fast-paced and entertaining.” —SF Crowsnest 

“A fun supernatural tale with well-developed characters and a touch of romance.” Kirkus Reviews

ABOUT DOUGLAS SMITH

Douglas Smith is a multi-award-winning author described by Library Journal as “one of Canada’s most original writers of speculative fiction.”

His latest work is the YA urban fantasy trilogy, The Dream Rider Saga (The Hollow Boys, The Crystal Key, and The Lost Expedition). His other books include the urban fantasy novel, The Wolf at the End of the World; the collections, Chimerascope and Impossibilia; and the writer’s guide Playing the Short Game: How to Market & Sell Short Fiction.

Published in 27 languages, Doug is a 3-time winner of Canada’s Aurora Award and has been a finalist for the Astounding Award, CBC’s Bookies Award, Canada’s juried Sunburst Award, and France’s juried Prix Masterton and Prix Bob Morane.

His website is https://smithwriter.com.

“The man is Sturgeon good. Zelazny good. I don’t give those up easy.” —Spider Robinson, Hugo and Nebula Awards winner

“A great storyteller with a gifted and individual voice.” —Charles de Lint, World Fantasy Award winner

“His stories are a treasure trove of riches that will touch your heart while making you think.” —Robert J. Sawyer, Hugo and Nebula Awards winner

“Stories you can’t forget, even years later.” —Julie Czerneda, multi-award-winning author and editor

 

New Release by Skyla Dawn Cameron!

 

Watcher of the Woods

SF Canada member Skyla Dawn Cameron has a new standalone novel release!

After eighteen months staying home under rolling pandemic lockdowns with her girlfriend Joy, artist Thea Palmer has decided the strained relationship has run its course and she’s ready to end it—right after the stress of her birthday has passed.

Unfortunately, her surprise party comes with a special gift from Joy that puts the breakup on hold: a week-long cabin rental in the tiny northern Ontario community of Hope Falls, for just the two of them.

No phone.

No internet.

No contact with the outside world.

Joy says it’ll give them the perfect chance to reconnect and maybe restore Thea’s creativity after pandemic stress wearing down her desire to paint. But the cabin creaks at night under invisible steps, and the woods have trees that seem to shift in the corner of her eye. Thea swears she sees a strange white figure on the lake beckoning to her and an empty boat that drifts by in the early morning mist.

And Joy…Joy seems to be someone else entirely

 

Kindle – Kobo – iBooks – Nook – Payhip – Paperback – Hardcover

Hardcover Gift Box – Paperback Gift Box

 

All About Skyla

 

Skyla Dawn Cameron has been writing approximately forever.

Her early storytelling days were spent acting out strange horror/fairy tales with the help of her many dolls, and little has changed except that she now keeps those stories on paper. She signed her first book contract at age twenty-one for River, a unique werewolf tale, which was released to critical and reader praise alike and won her the 2007 EPPIE Award for Best Fantasy. She now has multiple series on the go to keep her busy.

In the name of research, she has planned–but not taken–extensive trips all over the world, learned to pick locks, watched dozens of hours of surgeries, and has undergone private investigator training. Her internet search terms have likely put her on numerous government watchlists, but she swears she is not actively trying to murder anyone other than her characters. Really.

Skyla is a fifth-generation crazy cat lady who lives in southern Ontario, where she writes a lot of books, works as a freelance designer, embroiders swear words onto fabric, and plays video games.

You can visit her on the web at www.skyladawncameron.com. When she’s not writing or being glared at by cats, she’s probably on Twitter–you should ping @skyladawn and tell her to get back to work. You can sign up for her newsletter at www.skyladawncameron.com/newsletter and support her work by becoming a Patron of Snark where she serializes exclusive books, offers excerpts of WIPs, and runs weekly write-ins.

New Release by JE Solo!

SF Canada member JE Solo has a new collection out! Step into a world of hauntingly beautiful stories with Nature, Human, a new collection by the award-winning author, JE Solo. Nature, Human transports the reader into near and far-flung futures, and examines the fragile and often dysfunctional connections we have with the natural world. In JE’s direct and energetic style, Nature, Human contemplates the magical in the everyday while delivering unexpected twists and poignant moments that are sure to leave a lasting impression. While exploring complex themes of loneliness, separation, alienation, and despair, these ten unique stories consider how our decisions regarding nature impact the individual. Whether you’re a long-time fan of JE Solo’s work or a newcomer to their writing, this thought-provoking and imaginative collection delivers a richly rewarding reading experience that is sure to captivate and inspire.

There is a text-only version, and a special illustrated edition, so check out the publisher’s post for all of the details! https://houseofzolo.com/nature-human/

 

All about JE Solo!

JE Solo is a writer, performance and media artist, and musician best known for their work in East Coast music, and as a trailblazer in machinima, hybrid-reality, and live and networked performance art. JE’s first novel, Phreak (House of Zolo, 2020), was short-listed for the Writer’s Alliance of Newfoundland and Labrador’s 2017 Fresh Fish Award, and is the Write Project’s 2020 Book of the Year. In 2022 JE released three short stories with Edge; and JE’s ten story collection, Nature, Human was published in February 2023 by House of Zolo. Currently, JE is working on presenting their latest short stories inside of Virtual Reality spaces, and collaborating with Artificial Intelligence to create poetry and artwork.

JE is the recipient of the Media Arts Prize and the Dramatic Script Prize from the NL Arts and Letters Awards; the Linda Joy Award from the Atlantic Film Festival for their screenplay, the machine; a Lifetime Membership Award from MusicNL; and the East Coast Music Association’s Stompin’ Tom Connors Award for their accomplishments in music. Dozens of JE’s stage plays, videos and performance art works have been presented across Canada and around the world including at ISEAFile Electronic Language International FestivalThe IOTA InstituteWomxn From the FutureCourts CritiquesFestival of New DanceResource Centre for the Arts, and the 7a*11d International Festival of Performance Art. JE has released nine studio albums and EPs as a solo artist and with The Sauce (2013 – present); TrixXxie (2013 – 2017); Lizband (1993 – 2013 ); The Black Bags (2002 – 2015); Live Girls (2,000 – 2002).

JE is a member of Science Fiction CanadaScience Fiction and Fantasy Authors of America, and the Writer’s Alliance of NL. See jesolo.ca and lizsolo.com

Forgotten Lore anthology now out!

Two SF Canada members have contributed stories to the Forgotten Lore anthology, published by Poise and Pen Publishing! The anthology came about through a group of writers on Discord and is priced as inexpensively as possible–the ebook is free, and all proceeds from the print version go to the Fauna Foundation, an animal sanctuary.

Forbidden magic, half-remembered Gods, the secrets to immortality, final outposts, bloody vengeance and fantastical creatures all abound in these stories. The story by M.L.D. Curelas, President of SF Canada, is “Nickel-Plated Demon”, a hard-boiled urban fantasy. SF Canada member Krista D. Ball has also contributed one of her speculative fiction works.

Forgotten Lore is available through Kobo, Nook, and BookFunnel, and Amazon. Pick up a print copy today and help support this worthy foundation which provides permanent protection for chimpanzees, monkeys and neglected, abused farm and domestic animals from the use and abuse our culture previously inflicted upon them as tools for medical research and education, objects of private ownership, sources of food, and forced entertainment.

The Antunite Chronicles trilogy by Terry Birdgenaw wins Firebird Book Awards!

SF Canada member Terry Birdgenaw never intended to write fiction, but COVID-19 stay-at-home orders created a perfect storm of motivation and opportunity. He enjoyed writing fiction so much that he created a trilogy, and the trilogy is now award winning!

 Antuna’s Story, Firebird’s first place winner for New Fiction, follows the lives of Earth insects transported through a wormhole to a far-off planet called Poo-ponic. Young Antuna encouraged the settlers to work together, but hexs later, conflicts resumed. Despite her convictions, Antuna could not save herself or her diverse friends from the devastation of war. Yet her legacy of Antunite insectism endured.

 The Rise and Fall of Antocracy, Firebird winner for Young Adult Fiction, is an Animal Farm-like story that tracks the insects’ evolution to cyborg insects, the growth and decline of a fledgling democracy, and the destruction of life on the planet caused by a long-ignored climate crisis. It also follows the utopian society created by a group of cyborg insects that escape to Poo-ponic’s moon, Bilaluna, before the planet’s  fragile atmosphere collapses.

The rulers in Firebird’s winner for Dystopian Fiction, Antunites Unite, create an Orwellian society that uses histrionics, bionics, and socionics to subjugate its citizens. An allegorical dystopian tale like 1984, it’s a brave new world out of this world, where freedom-loving spies from the nearby moon, Bilaluna, infiltrate the colony and start a revolution.

Although Birdgenaw riddles the novels with details about insect behavior, he is not an entomologist. Yet his Ph.D. studies in neuroscience and psychology allow him to understand human behavior and what makes autocrats tick. Insect and human behavior are quite similar, as both work together to enhance survival and fight those seen as different. Humans have the same core motivations as their tiny neighbors underfoot.

Find the trilogy here, and find Terry at TerryBirdgenaw.WordPress.com