On this episode of Everything is Canon, Steve talks with author Alexander Freed and Del Rey’s Creative Director Elizabeth Schaefer all about Star Wars: Victory’s Price, the final chapter in the Alphabet Squadron trilogy. (more…)

In this episode of Everything is Canon, Steve talks with author Ashley Shuttleworth all about their fantastic debut novel, A Dark and Hollow Star! This thrilling urban fantasy set in the magical underworld of Toronto, follows a queer cast of characters racing to stop a serial killer whose crimes could expose the hidden world of faeries to humans. A Dark and Hollow Star is a sometimes-thrilling urban fantasy, sometimes murder-mystery that will stun you with ethereal world-building, high-stakes mortal and immortal adventure, and a main cast of characters you won’t soon forget. Ashley and I talk about the excitement of releasing a debut novel, the journey it took to get here, and course, all that beautiful queer love. Choose your player. The “ironborn” half-fae outcast of her royal fae family. A tempestuous Fury, exiled to earth from the Immortal Realm and hellbent on revenge. A dutiful fae prince, determined to earn his place on the throne. The prince’s brooding guardian, burdened with a terrible secret. For centuries, the Eight Courts of Folk have lived among us, concealed by magic and bound by law to do no harm to humans. This arrangement has long kept peace in the Courts—until a series of gruesome and ritualistic murders rocks the city of Toronto and threatens to expose faeries to the human world. Four queer teens, each who hold a key piece of the truth behind these murders, must form a tenuous alliance in their effort to track down the mysterious killer behind these crimes. If they fail, they risk the destruction of the faerie and human worlds alike. If that’s not bad enough, there’s a war brewing between the Mortal and Immortal Realms, and one of these teens is destined to tip the scales. The only question is: which way? Wish them luck. They’re going to need it. You can read my full review HERE! A Dark and Hollow Star is available now, click one of the links below to get your copy today! Bakka Phoenix Books (Canada) Bookshop (U.S.)

On this episode of Everything is Canon, Steve talks with New York Times bestselling author J. Elle all about her debut novel Wings of Ebony! The first in a duology, Wings of Ebony, and her powerful protagonist, Rue, deals with race and racism in both a contemporary Houston, and the fictional world of Ghizon. At times a personal accounting of J. Elle’s own life, Wings of Ebony is a moving piece of storytelling that looks to tackle head-on weighty issues like colonialism, allyships, and subjugation, all through the lens of a modern day Black American teenager. The story is not only inspiring but revels in both form and function, and we talk about what true life experiences helped shape the narrative and how Rue will undoubtedly inspire future generations of would-be warriors. As we discuss some of the book’s key elements and themes in detail, we do have some fun trying to figure out which team J. Elle she ships, Julius or Jamal, and maybe a little of what we can expect from them going forward. To read my full book review, click HERE! Wings of Ebony is out now wherever books are sold, and head on over to Wings of Ebony dot com to find the best way to pick up a copy today! SPOILER WARNING!!!

On this episode of Everything is Canon, Steve talks with author David Arnold (Mosquitoland) all about his brand-new book The Electric Kingdom! Described as "The 5th Wave in a genre-smashing story of survival, hope, and love amid a ravaged earth" and while that certainly gives you a general idea of what the book is about, The Electric Kingdom goes deeper than that and will appeal to fans of both Science Fiction and the Philosophy genres. Here's the summary... When a deadly Fly Flu sweeps the globe, it leaves a shell of the world that once was. Among the survivors are eighteen-year-old Nico and her dog, on a voyage devised by Nico’s father to find a mythical portal; a young artist named Kit, raised in an old abandoned cinema; and the enigmatic Deliverer, who lives Life after Life in an attempt to put the world back together. As swarms of infected Flies roam the earth, these few survivors navigate the woods of post-apocalyptic New England, meeting others along the way, each on their own quest to find life and love in a world gone dark.  The Electric Kingdom is a sweeping exploration of art, storytelling, eternal life, and above all, a testament to the notion that even in an exterminated world, one person might find beauty in another. What David is truly looking to examine here is something only he knows, but from Steve's point of view he’s looking to suggest that what good is finding the answers if you have no one to share them with. That life is a shared experience and that includes friendship, happiness, and love. Steve and David talk about his career in music, their shared love of Ted Chiang, and whether or not The Electric Kingdom is a coincidental survival guide, or dire warning. Head on over to DavidArnoldBooks.com to find out more information including how you can get your hands on signed copy!

On this episode of Everything is Canon, Steve talks with author B.B. Alston all about his new book, the excellent middle-grade fantasy Amari and the Night Brothers! The first book in a trilogy and B.B.'s debut, Amari is described as "...Artemis Fowl meets Men in Black". And while it does give off some familiar vibes, those stories don't have B.B.'s unique system of magic which he brilliantly tethers to and intertwines with great narrative concepts, including top-to-bottom stellar character work. The worldbuilding and central cast is so good in fact, that the series has been optioned by Universal Pictures with Don Cheadle producing. They talk about what inspired him to write this important series and how Amari is going to inspire current and future generations of Black girls, why he stepped away from writing for many years, and how getting the series optioned by Universal Pictures is the greatest thing ever! To purchase a copy of Amari and the Night Brothers, click HERE!

On this episode of Everything is Canon, Steve talks with author Mike Chen about his new book We Could Be Heroes! We Could Be Heroes is a fun and interesting concept that teases a larger world and a longer series, but for the most part keeps things focused on the two main characters. Mike expands their world then immediately contracts it, instead choosing a more intimate and personal look at several themes including loss and trauma. In Jaime and Zoe, he's crafted a pair of fantastic leads and the "villains" in the book, while perhaps purposely not fully explored, are wonderfully conceived anti-hero type characters that will definitely put our would-be heroes through their paces. The bottom line is that if you’re looking for a fun sci-fi mystery that has lots of heart and takes a look at loss, trauma, grief, and addiction, this is a great place to start. And the more people that buy this book the better as it's clear there’s more story that needs to be told! Steve and Mike talk not only about that but also his love of hockey, his contribution to last year’s Star Wars: From a Certain Point of View: The Empire Strikes Back, a bit of politics, and many other things. Enjoy! To order We Could Be Heroes, click HERE!

In this episode of Everything is Canon, it's a Disney Doubleheader as Steve celebrates the release of two books, the latest in the Disney Chills series, Second Star to the Fright by Jennifer Brody aka Vera Strange, and the first book in a brand-new series, Disney: City of Villains written by Estelle Laure. These books are following the recent and very welcome trend of revising, re-examining, and re-imagining Disney classic stories and characters, in these cases, some of the most famous Disney Villains of all time. Villains like Ursula, Captain Hook, Maleficent, and Dr. Facilier all get contemporary makeovers in smart and clever ways, but still never losing sight of their rotten demeanors. Enjoy! If you'd like more information about the Youth Writer's Program that Estelle is the curator of, a program that provides, "...a creative, stimulating, and nurturing environment to encourage young writers, ages twelve to eighteen, to express themselves through spoken and written words." click HERE. To order Disney: City of Villains click HERE! To order Disney Chills: Second Star to the Fright click HERE!

In this episode of Everything is Canon, Steve starts off a new season by speaking with Justina Ireland, author of the brand new Star Wars book The High Republic: A Test of Courage! This book, and along with Charles Soules' Light of the Jedi, launches Lucasfilm's brand new The High Republic publishing initiative which explores a whole new era in Star Wars. Steve and Justina talk about how to level the playing field this year regarding diversity in publishing, the greatness of Vernestra Rwoh and Avon Starros, and what it's like developing a entirely new era of Star Wars surrounded by a huge team of likeminded folks! Here's the summary... When a transport ship is abruptly kicked out of hyperspace as part of a galaxy-wide disaster, newly-minted teen Jedi Vernestra Rwoh, a young Padawan, an audacious tech-kid, and the son of an ambassador are stranded on a jungle moon where they must work together to survive both the dangerous terrain and a hidden danger lurking in the shadows…. You can order Star Wars: A Test of Courage by clicking HERE!

On the season finale of Everything is Canon, Steve is joined by author Rebecca Coffindaffer as they look back at their favorite books from the last 12 months! She herself had a book release this year, her debut in fact, the excellent sci-fi thriller Crownchasers. They haven’t spoken since just before its release, so Steve and Rebecca revisit the book and talk about the reaction to it, and what it was like having a book debut this year! And get your TBR list open and ready as we name a ton of books that we both enjoyed this year, so if you’re looking for book recs, I’m sure there’s at least one or two to write down. Below is a list of many of the books discussed with purchase links... A Song Below Water by Bethany Morrow A Song of Wraith and Ruin by Roseanne A. Brown Black Sun by Rebecca Roanhorse The Burning God  by Rebecca Kuang By the Book by Amanda Sellet Cemetery Boys by Aiden Thomas Cinderella is Dead by Kalynn Bayron Crownchasers by Rebecca Coffindaffer Deathless Divide by Justina Ireland Felix Ever After by Kacen Callender Grown by Tiffany Jackson Harrow the Ninth by Tamsyn Muir Legendborn by Tracy Deonn Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia Raybearer by Jordan Ifueko Ruinsong by Julia Ember Soulswift by Megan Bannen Star Wars: Shadow Fall by Alexader Freed The Black Kids by Christina Hammonds Reed The City We Became by N.K. Jemison The Once and Future Witches by Alix E. Harrow The Space Between Worlds by J. Conrad, Micaiah Johsnon

On this episode of Everything is Canon, Steve talks with Melody Simpson, writer and creator of the amazing Melanin in YA directory! Melanin in YA was created as a resource for all things Black in traditional Young Adult publishing. The mission for Melanin in YA is to provide a hub of information to amplify and invest in Black voices, making this a no excuses database in the YA space. The directory is a space to search for Black authors, agents, editors, cover designers, narrators, influencers, and more. The main page covers news which includes but is not limited to book deal and movie/TV adaptation announcements, cover reveals, new releases, awards, and more. They discuss all sorts of things including the inspiration behind this incredible resource and their favorite TV shows, movies, and books of 2020!