Traditional or cultural fiction and true stories, tales and retellings

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Book SynopsisFeatures a collection of 26 traditional stories from different Native American tribes, including the Pawnee, Cheyenne, Blackfoot, and Lakota. In this title, these include "The Gift of the Sacred Calf Pipe" which demonstrate the deep spiritual values contained in Native American oral culture.

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Book Synopsis'The fairy tale is unique in its capacity…to be a wise and tender guide for us all, in both childhood and adulthood.' – from the Introduction This collection of twenty-six fairy tales from around the world has been carefully compiled with a special focus on inclusivity, sharing stories that nourish families from many different cultures. It includes fairy tales from Africa, Asia, Europe, Russia and the Americas. These Waldorf favourites are perfect for teachers to use in kindergartens or for parents to share at home.

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Book SynopsisFrom critically acclaimed creator Natasha Alterici (Gotham Academy) comes an Nordic fantasy adventure that defies conventions and expectations. Aydis is a viking, a warrior, an outcast, and a self-proclaimed heathen. Aydis is friend to the talking horse Saga, rescuer of the immortal Valkyrie Brynhild, and battler of demons and fantastic monsters. Aydis is a woman. Born into a time of warfare, suffering, and subjugation of women, she is on a mission to end the oppressive reign of the god-king Odin. Collects the first four sold-out issues!

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Book SynopsisWhen Froelich disappears from the fourth-tallest ladder in the world, his nephew's quest to find him interlaces with the journeys of two spunky young women who outwit their guardians. In a Wild West populated with immigrants, skittish Civil War veterans, hungry clouds, a circus menagerie, and a few murderers, this fairy-tale twist on the American dream explores the conflict between loyalty and ambition, and the need for connection, even at the highest rungs.Trade Review"From the first page to the last, Froelich's Ladder brims with color, intrigue, and verve. At once a fantastical, madcap adventure and a poignant meditation on independence and solitude, it's the kind of book that captivates you quickly and whisks you high into the atmosphere. I was in thrall to the surreal Oregon landscape, populated by tycoons and grifters, cross-dressers and hungry clouds. This debut is clever, irreverent, and ultimately unforgettable." -- Leslie Parry, author of Church of Marvels "A wild odd funny picaresque headlong fervent fever dream of a dense moist prickly novel--the most unusual fiction I have read in years." -- Brian Doyle, author of Mink River "Half (extremely) tall tale, half picaresque quest, and all entertaining, Froelich's Ladder paints a picture of the American frontier that's more original--yet perhaps more true--than any I've encountered in a long, long time. Readers who appreciate the cockeyed historical vision of writers like Charles Portis, Thomas Berger, Richard Brautigan, and Patrick deWitt need to add Jamie Duclos-Yourdon to their to-read lists today." -- Steve Hockensmith, New York Times bestselling author of Holmes on the Range and The White Magic Five and Dime "These men and women--and women mistaken for men--search and stumble through a barely charted wilderness of moss and muck, peppered with outposts, outlaws and out-of-luck misfits who charm with wordplay that brings to mind William Goldman's The Princess Bride." -- Brian Juenemann, Eugene Register-Guard "Bristling with the bizarre, Jamie Duclos-Yourdon's Froelich's Ladder is a fantastical commentary on humanity's interconnectedness." -- Meagan Logsdon, ForeWord Reviews "Three words: inventive, intrepid, imaginative. Froelich's Ladder blends the best elements of magic and realism, conveying characters and readers alike into the familiar fog-enshrouded world of Oregon where anything but the familiar happens." -- Gina Ochsner, author of The Hidden Letters of Velta B. "Froelich's Ladder is a delight: sneaky, wise, hilarious. In thinking of Jamie Duclos-Yourdon's spectacular debut, I'm put in mind of another tall tale, Huck Finn, whose title character said of his author, 'There was things which he stretched, but mainly he told the truth.' Froelich's Ladder tells the truth of America, with astonishing insight, invention, and grace." -- Jennifer Finney Boylan, author of She's Not There and Stuck in the Middle with You "Froelich's Ladder is a tall tale/fable/kindermarchen set in the Oregon Territory and featuring a large cast of eccentric characters. It's reminiscent of the works of Patrick deWitt, though entirely its own thing. I loved the magic and the tall tale-ness and the characters and I wish there were more books in the world that were creating new folklores and fairy tales. Sometimes we grown-ups need to be reminded of why we started loving stories in the first place, and Froelich's Ladder is a book that can do that." -- Billie Bloebaum, bookseller, Third Street Books "Froelich's Ladder by Jamie Duclos-Yourdon is a modern fairy tale set during the pioneering days of Oregon. Modern and pioneering? Yes, just go with it; you won't be disappointed. Brothers Froelich and Harald have a fight that lasts decades and sends Froelich up the fourth-tallest ladder in the history of the world. There he stays and stays, until one day he is missing. An unbelievably charming story with the quirkiest of characters, Froelich's Ladder is required reading for Pacific Northwest lovers. Duclos-Yourdon clearly has a long career ahead of him." -- Dianah Hughley, bookseller, Powell's Books "In Froelich's Ladder, Jamie Duclos-Yourdon debuts an impeccably crafted adventure in the best tall tale tradition. The men and women of his frontier Oregon are keenly drawn and brilliantly, painfully human, as is the book itself, touched with wit and whimsy and saturated with longing. Duclos-Yourdon's deft, lyrical prose gives the novel an impressive, addictive fairy-tale sensibility, and marks it as one of those rare reads that simultaneously evokes and transcends its wholly original time and place." -- Tracy Manaster, author of You Could Be Home by Now "Jamie Duclos-Yourdon's new novel, Froelich's Ladder, is the perfect tall tale for our time. Funny and smart, Duclos-Yourdon takes us back to just settled Oregon. With logging camps, confederate spies, and industrious builders, this book is at once a lesson in Oregon history and a lesson in the unexpected. Overall, it's a joy to read; it's evocative of a different time, and a tale that's taller than the ladder Froelich builds." -- Kate Ristau, author of Shadowgirl "This is more than just an ordinary fairy tale; it is also a look at independence and solitude and it is very, very clever and very, very irreverent. I do not remember ever reading anything quite like this." -- Amos Lassen, Reviews by Amos Lassen "What a clever, leaping story!" -- Ruby Meyers, bookseller, Annie Bloom's Books "This was a fast-paced, clever witted novel that I enjoyed immensely. The underlying theme of alienation was played out well throughout the novel. It reminds the reader that we will always need to reach out to one another through whatever means and in whatever language. After all, they sure did need each other in order to survive the Wild West." -- Mareli Thalk, reviewer, Mareli Thalk Ink "Jamie Duclos-Yourdon's debut novel, Froelich's Ladder, is part Twain-ian tall tale, part history lesson, part fantasy, and part social commentary on generosity and social interdependence in a magical, but realistic, Oregon forest of 145 years ago. " -- Mo Daviau, author of Every Anxious Wave

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Book SynopsisCity of Weird conjures what we fear: death, darkness, ghosts. Hungry sea monsters and alien slime molds. Blood drinkers and game show hosts. Set in Portland, Oregon, these thirty stories blend imagination, literary writing, and pop culture into a cohesive weirdness that honors the city's personality, its bookstores and bridges and solo volcano, as well as the tradition of sci-fi pulp magazines. Including such authors as Rene Denfeld, Justin Hocking, Leni Zumas, and Kevin Sampsell, editor Gigi Little has curated a collection that is quirky, chilling, often profound--and always perfectly weird.Trade ReviewBooklist: "The 30 stories collected here come from an impressive cast of authors. All stories are set in Portland, Oregon (you don't need to know anything about Portland to enjoy them), and partake, to varying degrees, of the unique brand of weird that defines that city. Some center around specific landmarks (Powell's bookstore makes several appearances), some reference the history of the town, and some treat the city only as a general setting. These stories range from highly speculative to more mainstream, from upbeat to cynical, silly to serious; stories of love and loss, humor and pathos, from the bizarre to the poetic. There's even an illustrated comic. Some are wonderfully pulpy, and some are more modern. "Transformation," by Dan DeWeese, uses an alien invasion as critique of mindless conformity; "Yay," by Bradley K. Rosen, is a Christmas Krampus story of madness and indigence; "Waiting for the Question," by Art Edwards, is a gritty urban fantasia featuring Alex Trebek. All of the stories are very good, making this a fun and recommended collection." -- John Keogh "If weird makes you think of funny and moving and disturbing and just plain odd in that wondrous Portland way, well, City of Weird is the book for you." -- Jess Walter, author of Beautiful Ruins "City of Weird is a dark, imaginative and entertaining exploration of the bizarre, set against the backdrop of Bridgetown. From the career troubles of the undead to what's lurking in the basement at Powell's, this book is perfect for readers who want to know what truly keeps Portland weird." -- Ian Doescher, Portland native and author of the William Shakespeare's Star Wars series "Forget everything you know or think you know about Portland--all that twee Wes Anderson-y Portlandia crap--this is Portland re-imagined as exactly what it is: one more screen on which to project the American Nightmare." -- Ben Loory, author of Stories for Nighttime and Some for the Day "With work ranging from myths to folklore, science fiction and a surprising dark comedy of eco-feminist post-Fukushima revenge, Gigi Little has collected together a brilliant showcase of literary talent working in the Pacific Northwest." -- Monica Drake, author of Clown Girl "City of Weird is everything I love about Portland: its next-gen sensibility, gleeful disregard for expectation, and that undercurrent of darkness which acts as foil to the eccentricity. I popped these stories like the handmade treats they are, and enjoyed every one." -- Averil Dean, author of The Undoing and Alice Close Your Eyes "Nimbly spanning the gamut from heartfelt to absurd, lyrical to laugh-out-loud funny, City of Weird confirms the suspicion held by many a Portland resident that you don't have to look far to find the fantastical. It'll be a long time before I walk on Mount Tabor or wander Powell's without looking over my shoulder." -- Fonda Lee, author of Zeroboxer "Like old pulp magazines, City of Weird runs the gamut from simply odd to straight-up horror, from comic to tragic, from short to long and, because it's Portland, there's even one graphic story (Jonathan Hill's 'How Do You Say Gentrification in Martian'). Whether you're already a fan of the weird and horrific in fiction or just enjoy short fiction well-told, City of Weird will have something to satisfy you. Also to horrify you and make you laugh, maybe at the same time. If this is what the bumper stickers mean when they say 'Keep Portland Weird,' count me in." -- Billie Bloebaum, bookseller, Third Street BooksTable of ContentsIntroduction from the Editor FROM THE DEEP The Sturgeon Queen Rene Denfeld / 9 Octopocalypse: a Love Story Brigitte Winter / 15 Orca Culture Leigh Anne Kranz / 27 FROM THE SKIES Transformation Dan DeWeese / 34 How I Got this Job Brian Reid / 43 A Sky So Blue Stefanie Freele / 49 Alder Underground Jonah Barrett / 53 How Do You Say Gentrification in Martian Jonathan Hill / 74 TO THE DOGS A Code for Everything Andrew Stark / 80 Yay Bradley K. Rosen / 85 Out of Order Kevin Meyer / 99 IN THE BOOKS Aromageddon Jason Squamata / 120 The Mind-Body Problem Susan DeFreitas / 126 The Color Off the Shelf Karen Munro / 141 OF THE DEAD This Many Lost Things Nicole Rosevear / 158 Squatty and Weasel Boy Doug Chase / 165 Stone Cold Monk Linda Rand / 181 The Heft of Ashes Kirsten Larson / 183 OF THE UNDEAD Vampire Justin Hocking / 196 The Fixer: a Serial - 1 - The Duchess Sean Davis / 198 The Deflowering Suzy Vitello / 208 Trainwreck Leslie What / 222 INTO THE WEIRD Tunnels Leni Zumas / 236 Waiting for the Question Art Edwards / 241 Letters to The Oregonian in the Year 30,000 BC Mark Russell / 249 In Transit Kevin Sampsell / 253 NO RETURN Notes from the Underground City Stevan Allred / 260 Queen of Tabor B. Frayn Masters / 275 Twin Carbs on Bad News Jeff Johnson / 280 Always Adam Strong / 297 Editor Bio / 302 Contributor Bios / 303

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Book Synopsis"A magical journey to a world of mystical delights.” — Deepak Chopra, MD A Girl Called Rumi, Ari Honarvar’s debut novel, weaves a captivating tale of survival, redemption, and the power of storytelling. Kimia, a successful spiritual advisor whose Iranian childhood continues to haunt her, collides with a mysterious giant bird in her mother’s California garage. She begins reliving her experience as a nine-year-old girl in war-torn Iran, including her friendship with a mystical storyteller who led her through the mythic Seven Valleys of Love. Grappling with her unresolved past, Kimia agrees to accompany her ailing mother back to Iran, only to arrive in the midst of the Green Uprising in the streets. Against the backdrop of the election protests, Kimia begins to unravel the secrets of the night that broke her mother and produced a dangerous enemy. As past and present collide, she must choose between running away again or completing her unfinished journey through the Valley of Death to save her brother.Trade ReviewNautilus Book Award winnerThe BookFest Book Award winnerForeword INDIES award finalistLocus Award finalistRecommended by Ms. Magazine"Spellbinding."—Kirkus Starred Review"Beautifully layered"—BuzzfeedBest Books of 2021—UndomesticatedFavorite Books of 2021, San Diego Union-Tribune"Satisfying debut"—Shelf Awareness"Brilliant writing." —Locus Magazine"Lush and layered"—Debutiful"Compelling"—Entropy MagazineFeatured on CBS 8 Front page, San Diego Union-Tribune"This stellar first novel marks the writer as an author to watch."—Kirkus Reviews (starred review) "A Girl Called Rumi is a magical journey to a world of mystical delights, enchantment, and revelation. It's a page-turner that goes deep into the nature of reality beyond perception.” —Deepak Chopra, MD "I was utterly captivated by this book. In A Girl Called Rumi, activist artist and writer Ari Honarvar manages to weave potent Sufi teaching stories, a gripping mystery set in the midst of the upheaval of the Iran-Iraq War, and beautiful writing into a magic carpet that transported me from the moment I opened the book to the moment I reluctantly turned the last page. Highly recommended." —Mirabai Starr, author of Wild Mercy and Caravan of No Despair "Ari Honarvar’s gorgeous debut novel, A Girl Called Rumi, shuttles between Iran and America as it grapples with the trauma of the Iran-Iraq war, the crackdown on female freedoms, and intergenerational conflict as well as the costs of resilience and forgiveness as children and parents are forced to make difficult decisions. This is a pulsating and culturally rich Iran seen through the eyes of its fables, its storytellers, its poetry, and its politics. In delicate and meditative prose, Honarvar takes her unforgettable characters— mystics, siblings, parents, best friends, enemies, fanatics— on a journey through the ‘Seven Valleys of Love’ eventually culminating in how healing happens, or doesn’t, and how to move on. Iran’s poets and poetry guide this heartfelt novel into a story as majestic as the thirty birds who make up the Simorgh, the fantastical being and mythical heartbeat of A Girl Called Rumi. " — Soniah Kamal, author of Unmarriageable: Pride and Prejudice in Pakistan “From the horrors of Iran-Iraq war to the complex reality of modern-day Iran, this is a novel that is as mesmerizing and dynamic as the Persian poetry it carries.” —Sahar Delijani, author of Children of the Jacaranda Tree “This is a lovely, illuminating and touching debut novel. I was moved to tears reading this manuscript. Ari Honarvar is a brilliant writer and readers hunger for stories like this—full of fascinating new worlds and redemptive outcomes.” —Rene Denfeld, author of The Child Finder “Storytellers, mythical birds, and bombs collide in Honarvar's lyrical coming of age novel about post-revolution Iran.” — Marivi Soliven, author of The Mango Bride

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Book SynopsisOne of the New York Times Best Children's Books of 2021A Children’s Book about finally being seen. Blancaflor, a superb graphic storytelling of a classic Latin American folktale, showcases the invisible labor of women and the contributions of Indigenous cultures.A damsel to the rescue! Raised by a mean ogre of a father who eats his opponents for dinner, Blancaflor is often told not to show off her own considerable powers for fear of scaring off suitors. When a prince falls from the sky and wakes up in her lap, she is spellbound and moves heaven and earth to help the endearing, yet not so clever, young man, all while trying not to let him know. With their trademark magnificent brio, Nadja Spiegelman and Sergio García Sánchez update a classic tale extolling the strength and resourcefulness of women.Trade ReviewOne of the New York Times Best Children's Books of 2021"[Blancaflor] is splendidly designed and impeccably colored, and it crackles along at an adventurous pace that makes it excellent treehouse reading." -- The New York Times"Witty and touching" -- The Wall Street Journal★ "Spiegelman’s retelling is a fresh take on the classic story, with contemporary and effortless language that will resonate with modern audiences. Sánchez’s energetic illustrations are a visual delight." -- The Horn Book Magazine Starred Review"It’s impossible not to be charmed by art so full of personality, and the story itself is a subversive treat—Blancaflor’s no damsel in distress, but the one who ultimately saves the day." -- Booklist"This version of the classic story is a lovely confluence of European and North American culture that celebrates the strength and wit of a young girl whose abilities have been overlooked or underestimated." -- School Library Journal"An energetic, girl-power addition to the fairy- and folktales shelf.” -- Kirkus ReviewsA Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection"A female-focused lens infuses the tale with classic energy." -- Publishers Weekly"It's gorgeous and smart!" -- Author and Librarian Betsy Bird"The text and art work wonderfully together to tell an ancient tale with relatable sensibilities." --Youth Services Book Review, 5 out of 5 stars

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Book SynopsisOne of the New York Times Best Children's Books of 2021A Children’s Book about finally being seen. Blancaflor, a superb graphic storytelling of a classic Latin American folktale, showcases the invisible labor of women and the contributions of Indigenous cultures.A damsel to the rescue! Raised by a mean ogre of a father who eats his opponents for dinner, Blancaflor is often told not to show off her own considerable powers for fear of scaring off suitors. When a prince falls from the sky and wakes up in her lap, she is spellbound and moves heaven and earth to help the endearing, yet not so clever, young man, all while trying not to let him know. With their trademark magnificent brio, Nadja Spiegelman and Sergio García Sánchez update a classic tale extolling the strength and resourcefulness of women.Trade ReviewOne of the New York Times Best Children's Books of 2021"[Blancaflor] is splendidly designed and impeccably colored, and it crackles along at an adventurous pace that makes it excellent treehouse reading." -- The New York Times"Witty and touching" -- The Wall Street Journal★ "Spiegelman’s retelling is a fresh take on the classic story, with contemporary and effortless language that will resonate with modern audiences. Sánchez’s energetic illustrations are a visual delight." -- The Horn Book Magazine Starred Review"It’s impossible not to be charmed by art so full of personality, and the story itself is a subversive treat—Blancaflor’s no damsel in distress, but the one who ultimately saves the day." -- Booklist"This version of the classic story is a lovely confluence of European and North American culture that celebrates the strength and wit of a young girl whose abilities have been overlooked or underestimated." -- School Library Journal"An energetic, girl-power addition to the fairy- and folktales shelf.” -- Kirkus Reviews"A female-focused lens infuses the tale with classic energy." -- Publishers WeeklyA Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection"It's gorgeous and smart!" -- Author and Librarian Betsy Bird"The text and art work wonderfully together to tell an ancient tale with relatable sensibilities." --Youth Services Book Review, 5 out of 5 stars

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Book SynopsisA great war, a great love, and the mythology that unites them; The Hawkman: A Fairy Tale of the Great War is a lyrical adaptation of a beloved classic.Set against the shattering events of the late 19th and early 20th centuries, at the tale's heart are an American schoolteacher—dynamic and imaginative—and an Irish musician, homeless and hated—who have survived bloodshed, poverty, and sickness to be thrown together in an English village. Together they quietly hide from the world in a small cottage. Too soon, reality shatters their serenity, and they must face the parochial community. Unbeknownst to all, a legend is in the making—one that will speak of courage and resilience amidst the forces that brought the couple together even as outside forces threaten to tear them apart. Trade ReviewNominated for the Montaigne Medal from the Eric Hoffer Award http://www.hofferaward.com/Montaigne-Medal-finalists.html

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Book SynopsisMidgard is a funeral pyre. RagnarÖk, the doom of the gods, has brought the Empire of the Heavens to ruin. For some, the harrowing promises a new beginning. Mother JÖrÐ will rise again, and new gods will return to the golden tables of old. But IÐunn Lind, keeper of the great World Tree Yggdrasil, no longer believes in ancient prophecy or the hand of fate. Across the veil, Churchwarden Michaels is stuck dealing with his own personal RagnarÖk - and just how to save his neck now that three Viking crosses have appeared overnight at St. Mary's. When the boundaries between realities fracture, the two guardians discover that the gods not only play dice with the Vikingverse, they are rolling snake-eyes. In this new chapter of the Vikingverse, the tapestry of time unfurls in deadly new ways.

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Book SynopsisArtfully explores themes of pain, desire, and the meeting place of the two, for a surreal, fairytale-esque accounting of what happens when we go to the darkest places within ourselves, and within others.” —NYLONPart fairy tale, part horror story, Northwood is a genre-breaking novella told in short, brilliant, beautifully strange passages. The narrator, a young woman, has fled to the forest to pursue her artwork in isolation. While there, she falls in love with a married man she meets at a country dance. The man is violent, their affair even more so. As she struggles to free herself, she questions the difference between desire and obsession—and the brutal nature of intimacy. Packaged with a cover and end papers by famed English artist Rufus Newell and inventive, white-on-black text treatments by award-winning designer Jonathan Yamakami, Northwood is a work of art as well as a literary marvel.

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Book SynopsisThe gorgeously illustrated contemporary edition of an ancient Chinese text—for fans of fantastic beasts everywhere Fantastic Creatures of the Mountains and Seas is a new translation for contemporary readers of a classic Chinese text that is at once the geography of an ancient world, a bestiary of mythical creatures, and a book of cultural and medicinal lore. Illustrated throughout with more than 180 two-color drawings that are so sinuous they move on the page, it is a work for lovers of fantasy and mythology, ancient knowledge, fabulous beasts, and inspired art. The beings catalogued within these pages come from the regions of the known world, from the mountains and seas, the Great Wastelands, and the Lands Within the Seas that became China. They include spirits and deities and all sorts of strange creatures—dragons and phoenixes, hybrid beasts, some with human features, some hideous or with a call like wood splitting, or that portend drought or flood or bounty; others whose flesh cures disease or fends off nightmares, or whose pelt guarantees many progeny. Drawn from The Classic of Mountains and Seas, Fantastic Creatures is the work of two members of China's millennial generation, a young scholar and writer once known as the youngest "Genius of Chinese Cultural Studies" and an inspired illustrator trained in China and the United States, who together managed to communicate with the soul of a 4,000-year-old beast and have brought forth its strange beauty. Their work has been rendered into English by the foremost translator of modern Chinese literature in the West.Trade Review“An essential read for anyone interested in fantastical creatures, perfect for fans of Borges’ Book of Imaginary Beings and countless role-playing game bestiaries alike.”—Booklist, starred review "For Americans like me, who learned to read from comic books, this book is a window to an entirely new world using the magic of comic book illustrations, which is universally understood. What a special treat to enter this kingdom of ancient Asian wisdom."—Francis Ford Coppola “Fantastic Creatures of the Mountains and Seas is remarkable for its beauty, ancient perspective, attention to such key issues as the environment, and contemporary vision. The images are inventive, the text exciting, and the design magnificent. It is a masterpiece and a feat.”—Fiona Donovan

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Book SynopsisThe Lenape tribe, also known as the Delaware Nation, lived for centuries on the land that English colonists later called New Jersey. But once America gained its independence, they were forced to move further west: to Indiana, then Missouri, and finally to the territory that became Oklahoma. These reluctant migrants were not able to carry much from their ancestral homeland, but they managed to preserve the stories that had been passed down for generations. On the Turtle’s Back is the first collection of Lenape folklore, originally compiled by anthropologist M. R. Harrington over a century ago but never published until now. In it, the Delaware share their cherished tales about the world’s creation, epic heroes, and ordinary human foibles. It features stories told to Harrington by two Lenape couples, Julius and Minnie Fouts and Charles and Susan Elkhair, who sought to officially record their legends before their language and cultural traditions died out. More recent interviews with Lenape elders are also included, as their reflections on hearing these stories as children speak to the status of the tribe and its culture today. Together, they welcome you into their rich and wondrous imaginative world. Trade ReviewExclusive Interview on All of It with Alison Stewart: "A New Collection of Lenape Folklore" * WNYC *“With On the Turtle’s Back, Camilla Townsend and Nicky Kay Michael offer a stunning edition of Lenape stories that have been told through centuries of cultural practice. They outline key historical struggles in Lenape history to contextualize the meaningfulness of the survivance of those stories. They draw together creation, big house, learning, and other stories. “Told [to] their grandchildren” gestures to a past in which Lenape cared for their stories and a future in which those stories are still meaningful. It is the book I have yearned for as a Lenape person and scholar.” -- Joanne Barker * (Lenape [Delaware Tribe of Indians]), author of Red Scare: The Empire’s Indigenous Terrorist and Nat *“On the Turtle’s Back offers an engaging and previously unpublished collection of Lenape/Delaware stories narrated in the early twentieth century. The scholarship is strong, and the research is impressive; there is no comparable volume in the field.” -- Jean R. Soderlund * author of Separate Paths: Lenapes and Colonists in West New Jersey *Table of ContentsList of Illustrations Introduction: The Storytellers’ History 1 Creation Stories The Turtle’s Back The Seven Stars The Snow and Ice Boy The Girl Who Sounds the Thunders A Snake Legend [Julius Fouts] The Disappearance of Corn [Charles Elkhair] 2 Big House Stories The Misingwe [Charles Elkhair] Vision on the Kansas River [Charles Elkhair] The Future of the Big House [Charles Elkhair and Julius Fouts] Delaware Church [Julius Fouts] 3 Culture Heroes Ball Player [Julius Fouts] The Big Fish [Charles Elkhair] Wehixamukes (Strong Man) [Charles Elkhair] 4 Humans Learning Lessons Rock-Shut-Up [Charles Elkhair] Little Masks [Julius Fouts] He Is Everywhere (Wē ma tī gŭnīs) [Julius Fouts] 5 Talking to the Dead First Cause of the Feast for the Dead [Minnie Fouts] Talking to the Dead [Susan Elkhair] Lost Boy [Charles Elkhair’s daughter?] Otter Hide [Charles Elkhair?] 6 The Coming of the Whites The Coming of the White Men [Julius Fouts] Origination of White Men [Julius Fouts] Whites & Indians [Charles Elkhair] 7 Tales of Ordinary Life A Child’s Life [Julius Fouts] The Three Clans [Julius Fouts] The Origin of Stories An Afterword in Three Parts I What Happened to the Storytellers? II Four Elders at the End of the Twentieth Century Rosetta Coffey (September 17, 1997) Pat Donnell (September 20, 1997) Joanna Nichol (October 11, 1997) Bonnie Thaxton (August 19, 1997) III Today Appendix A: The Turtle’s Back (Iroquoian and Munsee Versions) Appendix B: Dutch Arrival at Manhattan (John Heckewelder’s Version) Appendix C: The Woman Who Wanted No One (as told to Truman Michelson) Appendix D: Elected Leaders of the Delaware Tribe of Indians, ca. 1800–Present Acknowledgments Glossary Notes Bibliography Index

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Book SynopsisThe Lenape tribe, also known as the Delaware Nation, lived for centuries on the land that English colonists later called New Jersey. But once America gained its independence, they were forced to move further west: to Indiana, then Missouri, and finally to the territory that became Oklahoma. These reluctant migrants were not able to carry much from their ancestral homeland, but they managed to preserve the stories that had been passed down for generations. On the Turtle’s Back is the first collection of Lenape folklore, originally compiled by anthropologist M. R. Harrington over a century ago but never published until now. In it, the Delaware share their cherished tales about the world’s creation, epic heroes, and ordinary human foibles. It features stories told to Harrington by two Lenape couples, Julius and Minnie Fouts and Charles and Susan Elkhair, who sought to officially record their legends before their language and cultural traditions died out. More recent interviews with Lenape elders are also included, as their reflections on hearing these stories as children speak to the status of the tribe and its culture today. Together, they welcome you into their rich and wondrous imaginative world. Trade Review“With On the Turtle’s Back, Camilla Townsend and Nicky Kay Michael offer a stunning edition of Lenape stories that have been told through centuries of cultural practice. They outline key historical struggles in Lenape history to contextualize the meaningfulness of the survivance of those stories. They draw together creation, big house, learning, and other stories. “Told [to] their grandchildren” gestures to a past in which Lenape cared for their stories and a future in which those stories are still meaningful. It is the book I have yearned for as a Lenape person and scholar.”— Joanne Barker, (Lenape [Delaware Tribe of Indians]), author of Red Scare: The Empire’s Indigenous Terrorist and Nat Exclusive Interview on All of It with Alison Stewart: "A New Collection of Lenape Folklore"— WNYC “On the Turtle’s Back offers an engaging and previously unpublished collection of Lenape/Delaware stories narrated in the early twentieth century. The scholarship is strong, and the research is impressive; there is no comparable volume in the field.” — Jean R. Soderlund, author of Separate Paths: Lenapes and Colonists in West New JerseyTable of ContentsList of Illustrations Introduction: The Storytellers’ History 1 Creation Stories The Turtle’s Back The Seven Stars The Snow and Ice Boy The Girl Who Sounds the Thunders A Snake Legend [Julius Fouts] The Disappearance of Corn [Charles Elkhair] 2 Big House Stories The Misingwe [Charles Elkhair] Vision on the Kansas River [Charles Elkhair] The Future of the Big House [Charles Elkhair and Julius Fouts] Delaware Church [Julius Fouts] 3 Culture Heroes Ball Player [Julius Fouts] The Big Fish [Charles Elkhair] Wehixamukes (Strong Man) [Charles Elkhair] 4 Humans Learning Lessons Rock-Shut-Up [Charles Elkhair] Little Masks [Julius Fouts] He Is Everywhere (Wē ma tī gŭnīs) [Julius Fouts] 5 Talking to the Dead First Cause of the Feast for the Dead [Minnie Fouts] Talking to the Dead [Susan Elkhair] Lost Boy [Charles Elkhair’s daughter?] Otter Hide [Charles Elkhair?] 6 The Coming of the Whites The Coming of the White Men [Julius Fouts] Origination of White Men [Julius Fouts] Whites & Indians [Charles Elkhair] 7 Tales of Ordinary Life A Child’s Life [Julius Fouts] The Three Clans [Julius Fouts] The Origin of Stories An Afterword in Three Parts I What Happened to the Storytellers? II Four Elders at the End of the Twentieth Century Rosetta Coffey (September 17, 1997) Pat Donnell (September 20, 1997) Joanna Nichol (October 11, 1997) Bonnie Thaxton (August 19, 1997) III Today Appendix A: The Turtle’s Back (Iroquoian and Munsee Versions) Appendix B: Dutch Arrival at Manhattan (John Heckewelder’s Version) Appendix C: The Woman Who Wanted No One (as told to Truman Michelson) Appendix D: Elected Leaders of the Delaware Tribe of Indians, ca. 1800–Present Acknowledgments Glossary Notes Bibliography Index

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Book SynopsisHiram and his son, Michael, are dowsing a well in Eastern Utah when they hear a cry of help from the ghost of a small boy, torn to pieces by wild animals. Before they can even begin to look into that tragedy, however, a prosperous local rancher is murdered right before their eyes. In an attempt to both help the ghost and find the killer, Hiram and Michael must navigate an eccentric cast of characters that includes failed bank robbers, a seductive fortune-teller, an inept sheriff, a crazy prospector, and a preacher with an apocalyptic grudge against the Roosevelt administration. The mystery, however, isn’t just in the hearts of men. There’s an astrological puzzle that Michael, now his father’s apprentice, must solve. Meanwhile, the murderer is moving slowly against Hiram and Michael, forcing them into a trap from which there is no escape. About The Jupiter Knife: “It’s like Jim Butcher crossed with Grapes of Wrath!”—Larry Correia “Butler and Ritchey return to Depression-era Utah for a second thrilling tale of murder and folk magic (after The Cunning Man). . . . The play between Hiram’s earnest Mormonism and the more secular Michael’s growing unease with folk magic adds depth to the father-son dynamic, and the false leads and eccentric side characters make for a delightful mystery. This well-crafted historical fantasy is sure to please.”—Publishers Weekly About prequel The Cunning Man: “An attempt at charity during the Great Depression turns into a protracted fight against supernatural forces in this admirable paranormal mystery. . . . the richly imagined magic system and glimpses of Mormon culture create a fully realized world. Historical fantasy fans will delight in the zigzagging plot of this mystery.”—Publishers Weekly “An amazing tale that grabs you by the throat and won’t let go! Butler & Ritchey are a literary force to be reckoned with! Hit that download button and grab your copy now! The Cunning Man will never let you go!”—Sherrilyn Kenyon, #1 New York Times best-selling author “. . . a brisk and engaging narrative . . . folk and religious based magic . . . for fans of urban or historical fantasy . . . a satisfying read.”—Booklist Praise for D.J. Butler: “Butler follows Witchy Eye with a satisfying second tale of a magic-filled early America. . . . Deep and old magic influences both places and characters, and the story is tightly focused on the determined Sarah . . . Fans of epic and alternate historical fantasy will savor this tale of witchery and intrigue.”—Publishers Weekly “For readers who love history-based fantasy, steampunk, or urban fantasy . . . this series that gives the genre a new twist.”—Booklist “. . . you can’t stop yourself from taking another bite . . . and another . . . and another. . . . I didn’t want to stop reading. . . . Kudos!”—R.A. Salvatore “Excellent book. I am impressed by the creativity and the depth of the world building. Dave Butler is a great storyteller.”—Larry Correia “Witchy Eye is an intricate and imaginative alternate history with a cast of characters and quirky situations that would make a Dickens novel proud.”—Kevin J. Anderson “Butler’s fantasy is by turns sardonic and lighthearted; ghoulish shadows claw into the most remote areas and heroism bursts out of the most unlikely people. Sarah is the epitome of the downtrodden hero who refuses to give up until she gets what she needs, and her story will appeal to fantasy readers of all stripes.”—Publishers Weekly “David's a pro storyteller, and you're in for a great ride.”—Larry Dixon “. . . a fascinating, grittily-flavored world of living legends. Hurry up and write the next one, Dave.”—Cat Rambo “This is enchanting! I'd love to see more.”—Mercedes Lackey “Goblin Market meets Magical Musketpunk . . . A great ride that also manages to cover some serious cultural terrain.”—Charles E. Gannon “Witchy Eye is a brilliant blend of historical acumen and imagination, a tour-de-force that is at once full of surprises and ultimately heart-warming. This is your chance to discover one of the finest new stars writing today!”—David Farland “A gritty, engrossing mash-up of history, fantasy, and magic. Desperate characters careen from plot twist to plot twist until few are left standing.”—Mario Acevedo “Captivating characters. Superb world-building. Awesome magic. Butler fuses fantasy and history effortlessly, creating a fascinating new American epic. Not to be missed!”—Christopher Husberg “[A] unique alternative-history that is heavily influenced by urban and traditional fantasy and steeped in the folklore of the Appalachians. . . . Fans of urban fantasy looking to take a chance on something with a twist on a historical setting may find this novel worth their time.”—Booklist Praise for Aaron Michael Ritchey: “. . . richly drawn, beautifully complex characters . . .”—Kirkus on Long Live the Suicide King

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Book SynopsisIn this “captivating” (Harper’s Bazaar) and lyrical debut novel—perfect for fans of The Water Dancer and the Legacy of Orïsha series—the Yoruba deity of the sea, Yemaya, is brought to vivid life as she discovers the power of Black resilience, love, and feminine strength in antebellum America. Shallow Waters imagines Yemaya, an Orïsha—a deity in the religion of Africa’s Yoruba people—cast into mid-1800s America. We meet Yemaya as a young woman, still in the care of her mother and not yet fully aware of the spectacular power she possesses to protect herself and those she holds dear. The journey laid out in Shallow Waters sees Yemaya confront the greatest evils of this era; transcend time and place in search of Obatala, a man who sacrifices his own freedom for the chance at hers; and grow into the powerful woman she was destined to become. We travel alongside Yemaya from her native Africa and on to the “New World,” with vivid pictures of life for those left on the outskirts of power in the nascent Americas. Yemaya realizes the fighter within, travels the Underground Railroad in search of the mysterious stranger Obatala, and crosses paths with icons of our history on the road to freedom. Shallow Waters is a “riveting and heartbreaking” (Publishers Weekly) work of ritual storytelling from promising debut author Anita Kopacz.Trade Review"A riveting and heartbreaking story strengthened by Kopacz’s superb ability to create a sense of place. Fans of Ta-Nehisi Coates’s The Water Dancer will want to take a look" — Publishers Weekly"A fairy tale for American adults, Anita Kopacz’s spellbinding first novel imagines the Yoruban mermaid deity Yemaya as she follows a fleet of slave ships across the ocean in the mid-1800s... A captivating debut." — Harper's Bazaar"We transcend time and space as Yemaya herself grows from a tentative young woman into the powerful deity she's destined to become... this novel crosses genre as easily as it does time." — Buzzfeed"Kopacz's commitment to a vision of healing even while detailing tragedies shapes this tale's themes of redemption and the universal soul. Most remarkable is Kopacz's abilty to maintain a brisk narrative pace as she delves into the weighty issues and complex experiences that shaped Yemaya's quest." — Booklist"Fascinating and lyrical... a story of true love, resilience, strength, and love." — Women's World

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Book SynopsisIn four new novellas, Christina Henry returns to the world of Alice and Red Queen, where magic runs as freely as secrets and blood.Lovely CreatureIn the New City lives a girl with a secret: Elizabeth can do magic. But someone knows her secret--someone who has a secret of his own. That secret is a butterfly that lives in a jar, a butterfly that was supposed to be gone forever, a butterfly that used to be called the Jabberwock...Girl in Amber Alice and Hatcher are just looking for a place to rest. Alice has been dreaming of a cottage by a lake and a field of wildflowers, but while walking blind in a snowstorm she stumbles into a house that only seems empty and abandoned...When I First Came to TownHatcher wasn't always Hatcher. Once, he was a boy called Nicholas, and Nicholas fancied himself the best fighter in the Old City. No matter who fought him he always won. Then his boss tells him he's going to battle the fearsome Grinder, a man who never leaves his opponents alive...The Mercy SeatThere is a place hidden in the mountains, where all the people hate and fear magic and Magicians. It is the Village of the Pure, and though Alice and Hatcher would do anything to avoid it, it lies directly in their path...

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