Indies Introduce Winter / Spring 2017 Titles

“Julie and Evan, a young couple just out of college, move to New York looking for success and for a place to establish themselves. Their relationship is rocked in the crucible of the big city in a time of financial crisis. I guess one can call it a coming-of-age novel for uncertain times, but it’s one that feels honest and even cathartic because it doesn’t flinch at the complicated and messy ways we relate to each other, especially to those we love. Pitoniak is an astute, unflinching, and sensitive observer of both the tender and terrible dynamics of young love, and she has given us a novel about coming of age in New York and in the 21st century that manages to feel both intimate and familiar. The Futures is a terrific debut from a talented author!” 

A young refugee boy who may or may not be the lead in the Second Coming but who is definitely the answer to one failing church’s prayers; an otherwise unremarkable man who is conscripted to be Ronald Reagan’s double and takes his job a little too seriously; six sisters, not all of whom are among the living, who turn their family homestead into a highly irregular hospice and become romantically entangled with their patients, both living and newly dead —Trunkey’s remarkable debut collection of stories, Double Dutch, circles life’s mysteries from unexpected vantage points in these plausibly fantastic stories. I can’t wait to see what she does next. If you enjoy Flannery O’Connor, Jennifer Egan (A Visit From the Goon Squad), Karen Russell (Swamplandia), or simply great writing that surprises and entertains, you will find something to love in these stories by a gifted young writer.

This book could not be coming at a better time. Amidst a calamitous political landscape, Americans today seem wary of their fellow citizens and suspicious of one another’s beliefs, religion, and ethnicity. Forsthoefel does an amazingly wonderful job showing us that our fellow citizens are not to be feared, but instead are to be celebrated for their humanity and their heart. Setting off to walk across the country after graduating college, Forsthoefel aims to get to know the people in the world by taking the time to listen to as many people who cross his path. And the stories he brings us of the individuals he meets along the way, in addition to his own personal journey, are insightful and ultimately uplifting. A thoughtful and inspiring portrait of America today. 

Bui’s graphic memoir is outstanding. As the story of Bui’s life unfolds, from the birth of her child to the dark days of her own childhood in war-torn Vietnam, the reader is drawn in more and more by the poetry of the words as well as the gorgeous black-and-white drawings. The Best We Could Do, a story about the power of family and place and home, is poignant and heart-wrenching, timely, and ultimately uplifting. What an exciting new talent we have in store!

Hey kids, Let's put on a show! Calling all former theatre nerds, entrepreneurs, and kids with moxie! We all want to be a part of this gang of friends who unite to save the Juicebox Theater, solve a mystery, and probably achieve world domination. The fast, funny, conversational script style of this middle grade novel draws in young readers and adults alike. It's a perfect "giggle aloud" read for a classroom or backstage with a flashlight.

Sky pirates! I repeat: sky pirates! When young protagonist Honorine finds herself swept away on an adventure to the literal stars, she shows us a fantastical world where magic and science swirl together in a bubbly concoction of steampunk goodness. From a fleet of mechanical flying pirate ships to a collection of constellations come to life, this debut has all the ingredients for the beginning of a wonder-filled adventure series. 

There is well-written pirate adventure, fantasy fiction, and young adult romance, and then there is this gem that manages to do all three at once. In Daughter of the Pirate King, Levenseller introduces readers to the dangerously cunning Alosa through a fight scene in the first chapter. Within five pages, we are given the thrilling start to an exemplary narrative that ends with an unbelievable twist. Alosa is incredibly portrayed as both a kickass heroine and a maturing young woman, a dual characterization that is admirable and believable. She is thrust into a maritime feud between her father, lord apparent over the pirate world, and two orphaned brothers attempting to make their own mark. In between sword fights and swooning, Levenseller gives us insight into Alosa’s bravery in not just navigating perilous waters but understanding her own power. This is an exemplary reminder of how fantasy can relate to our own lives, especially to those who struggle for self-expression.

Julia might be Deaf, but that hasn’t held her back in her graffiti art, or in life, until she gets turned in for vandalizing her school to save her best friend from humiliation. She gets kicked out and finds herself the only Deaf kid in a hearing school and without a best friend. In the midst of all this chaos, she uses her graffiti skills to claim her place in her new environment. When she is thrust into a graffiti war, she must decide how far she is willing to take things. Julia is not always likable, but you will spend the book rooting for her anyway. Gardner has managed to make a very specific and angst-filled story universally appealing and lovable. She gets bonus points for her well-researched depiction of Deaf culture.