In which we reveal the inaugural cover for the first short story in our 2018 season, Awakenings: When the Letter Comes by Sara Fox.
Behold the smugglerific cover:
About the Story
Henry believes that someday, something awesome will happen–everything will turn out all right and all her problems will disappear once her letter arrives, welcoming her to magic school. So even though puberty is already here with changes (like her voice deepening and hair growing in places she does not want), she also knows it’s only a matter of time. After all, hundreds of books have said so.
But when the letter finally comes on Henry’s thirteenth birthday, it is not addressed to her, but to her sister.
When The Letter Comes is a short story with a YA trans protagonist that embraces the experience of those left behind, who must find their own way in the world–magic or not.
A Word From Your Friendly Neighborhood Editors (and Book Smugglers)
Do you remember the first time you read Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone? And when those letters arrived for Harry, via all manner of owl? And Harry’s wonder and elation when he finally realizes that he’s a wizard; that he’s special, and all the parts of his horrid life that didn’t make sense now finally make sense because Hogwarts is truly where he belongs and can become who he is supposed to be?
When the Letter Comes plays with this powerful expectation–for every child who doesn’t quite fit, who yearns for a letter to arrive from a magical school that will make everything wrong with the world at least make a little more sense. What happens when that letter finally arrives… but it doesn’t come for you? Henry’s story is heart-wrenching and powerful–as she learns to find her place in the world in the face of her parents’ disapproval and her sister’s “betrayal” (by going to her dream school and being the magical one in the family), Henry also learns who she is and what she is capable of. We absolutely love this story for its premise, its main character, and for Sara Fox’s beautiful writing. We hope you’ll be as enchanted by When the Letter Comes as we are.
About the Author: Sara Fox
Sara Fox is an information specialist and a ne’er-do-well often found wandering in airports both local and abroad. A fan of continuously recreating themselves, they’ve been a researcher, elementary through college teacher, and a techie. Their stories generally dabble around fantasy coming of age and emotive scifi with LGBT+ characters. To learn more please go to mxsfox.com.
About the Artist: Emma Glaze
Emma Glaze is a freelance artist and illustrator living in Las Vegas. She has a passion for color, floral prints, bones, and dad music. Reach her at emma.e.glaze@gmail.com or @bedsafely on twitter
How to Get the Story
When the Letter Comes will be published officially on May 22, 2018. You can purchase the DRM-free ebook (EPUB, MOBI) that contains the story as well as an essay from the author available for purchase on all major ebook retail sites and directly from us.
Preorder the Ebook Today
Smashwords ¦ Amazon US ¦ Amazon UK ¦ B&N
Want the book right now? Buy the DRM-free ebook edition directly from us and read the story today:
Add the book on Goodreads, and read When the Letter Comes for free next Tuesday, May 22, 2018.
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A Smugglerific Cover: WHEN THE LETTER COMES by Sara Fox – Headlines
May 17, 2018 at 6:57 am[…] post A Smugglerific Cover: WHEN THE LETTER COMES by Sara Fox appeared first on The Book […]
Shortly Ever After: May - Reading the End
June 4, 2018 at 6:01 am[…] Book Smugglers’ 2018 season of short fiction kicked off with Sara Fox’s “When the Letter Comes,” a story about a trans girl who waits and waits for her invitation to magic school. But when […]