We are so excited to introduce Kate J. Armstrong for her debut YA fantasy novel, NIGHTBIRDS, the first in a dazzling duology. Kate has brought the glitz and glamour of the Roaring 20's to this fantasy in every way, including the dresses, the jazz music, the underground speakeasies (complete with magical cocktails), and the booming bootleg trade (in magic). Think Dangerous Beauty meets The Da Vinci Code with a dash of Downtown Abbey and The Handmaid's Tale and you'll get this fiercely feminist fantasy, tailor-made for fans of Stephanie Garber, Melissa Albert, and Krystal Sutherland. Are you hooked yet? During the event Kate will discuss NIGHTBIRDS, answer audience questions and sign books.
ABOUT THE BOOK:
In a dazzling new fantasy world full of whispered secrets and political intrigue, the magic of women is outlawed but four girls with unusual powers have the chance to change it all.
The Nightbirds are Simta’s best-kept secret: Girls with a unique and powerful magic they can gift with just a kiss. Some would kill to possess them; the church would kill them outright. But protected by the Great Houses, the Nightbirds are well-guarded treasures.
As this Season’s Nightbirds, Matilde, Æsa, and Sayer will spend their nights bestowing their gifts to well-paying clients. Once their season is through, they’re each expected to marry a Great House lord and become mothers to the next generation of Nightbirds before their powers fade away. But as they find themselves at the heart of a political scheme that threatens not only their secrets, but their very lives, their future suddenly becomes uncertain.
When they discover that there are other girls like them and that their magic is far more than they were told, they see the Nightbird system for what it is: a gilded cage. Now they must make a choice—to remain kept birds or take control, remaking the city that dared to clip their wings.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Kate J. Armstrong has always had a fondness for adventure. After graduating college, she left her home state of Virginia and has never really looked back. She’s explored many places and vocations, working as a high school English teacher and a nonfiction writer and editor for publishers such as National Geographic. In 2018 she started The Exploress, a women’s history podcast with a cult following and over half a million downloads. She is also the co-host of Pub Dates, a podcast that takes readers backstage to join her on the journey to publication for the book you’re holding in your hands right now. When she’s not writing or recording, you will find Kate hiking mountains, trying out cocktails, finding excuses to dress up in historical attire, or reading way past her bedtime. She lives in Melbourne, Australia, with her husband and their noble greyhound, Galahad.
