books
Releasing in the UK in Fall '25
Coming Feb 17. ARCs available from Penguin
audiobooks
Narrated by Fabian Cook Jr.
Narrated by E.R. Fightmaster
Narrated by Dani Martineck
Narrated by Bex Taylor-Klaus
Narrated by Lauren Fortgang
Narrated by Lauren Fortgang
Narrated by Krystal Hammond
Narrated by Zachary Roe
Narrated by Kevin R. Free
Narrated by Sophie Amoss & Brittany Pressley
Narrated by Cailtin Davies
Assorted narrators
Narrated by Carlotta Brentan
Narrated by Carlotta Brentan
Narrated by Devon Sorvari
short stories
bios
A. R. Capetta
A. R. Capetta is an award-winning and bestselling author of wild magic. A.R.’s next release is Costumes for Time Travelers, a cozy romantic fantasy coming May 2025 from Candlewick Press. Other magic-infused novels include The Lost Coast, The Brilliant Death, Lambda Award winner The Heartbreak Bakery, and the national bestseller Once & Future co-authored with spouse Cory McCarthy. A. R.’s short fiction has appeared in The Best American Science Fiction and Fantasy and The Year’s Best Dark Fantasy & Horror. For young readers, A. R. pens the Hocus and Pocus series.
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A. R.’s love for all things SFF has taken them from co-editing an acclaimed anthology for MiTPress to writing an official Stranger Things novel to contributing recent stories to Sunday Morning Transport. Accolades include JLG selections, Locus Recommended Reading List, Booklist Top 10 Horror/Fantasy, ALA Rainbow List, Hal Clement Notable Title, New England Book Award Finalist, and best-of-year lists from BookPage, Buzzfeed, Tor.com, Autostraddle, The Boston Globe, Kirkus, PW, and more.
Upcoming works include five titles in the Hocus and Pocus early reader series illustrated by Charlene Chua, and a new rip-roaring co-authored space fantasy series.
Cory McCarthy
Cory McCarthy is a bestselling and award-winning author of over a dozen novels. Man o’ War, a Stonewall Honor Book, was a BookPage Best Book of ’22. Cory author-illustrated the short story “Museum of Misery” in The Collectors, which won the Michael L. Printz Award for Excellence in Young Adult Literature. He authored the quadruple-starred picture book Hope is an Arrow about fellow Lebanese poet Gibran Khalil Gibran and coauthored the national bestseller Once & Future with A. R. Capetta.
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Cory’s books have earned 20+ starred reviews, been translated into 6+ languages, and were finalists for the New England, Green Mountain, and Ohioana book awards. His works have appeared on annual best lists from: Kirkus, SLJ, PW, Boston Globe, Autostraddle, Chicago Public Library, Texas Library Assoc., BuzzFeed, Bank Street Books, RISE: A feminist list, and Man o’ War was the selection for the 2024 Read Brave program in St Paul.
A love letter to the end of humanity. Inbound February 17th.
Future works include three other novels forthcoming from Penguin Random House/Candlewick Press.
“The real in us is silent; the acquired is talkative.” - Gibran
Coauthors
A. R. Capetta & Cory McCarthy coauthored the bestselling ONCE & FUTURE series, a finalist for the New England Book Award and a best of 2019 title according to Kirkus, Boston Globe, Tor, and Book Riot.
Check out their Much Ado retelling in the anthology, That Way Madness Lies: 15 of Shakespeare's Most Notable Works Reimagined.
Get ready to get the hell out of this universe on their pirate space ship, launching 2027 from Candlewick.
once & future series
A King Arthur retelling in space
A futuristic twist on the Arthurian canon starring a girl King Arthur and one grumpy teenage Merlin. (Little, Brown)
A New England Book Award Finalist
A Barnes and Noble Bestseller
A Kirkus Reviews Best Book of the Year
A Tor.com Best Book of the Year
A Boston Globe Best Book of the Year
A Book Riot Best Book of the Year
Starred reviews from Kirkus Reviews, School Library Journal, Publishers Weekly, and Shelf Awareness
American Library Association Rainbow List '20, '21Rise: A Feminist Book Project List
Available in UK & Australia from One World. Audiobook available in scroll above.
by a. R. Capetta
Costumes For Time Travelers
A cozy, time travel fairy tale.
Out now from Candlewick Press and out in the fall in the UK from Walker.
The Heartbreak Bakery
In this LAMBDA Award Winner, agender baker Syd gets heart broken and makes magical brownies that break up queer love all over South Austin. It'll take flour, sugar, salt--and adorbs trans bike messenger Harley--to heal all those hearts. (Candlewick Press 2021)
American Library Association Rainbow List '21
Junior Library Guild Selection + Book Club
Autostraddle Best Book of 2021
Starred reviews from Booklist and Bookpage
Hocus & Pocus series
Puppies Hocus and Pocus are still waiting to be adopted from the Shelter for Slightly Magical Pets. This could be because the two keep causing mischief so they won’t be separated. When Jinx the witch uses a “spell for home” potion to help a color-changing tortoise find his match, the puppies know what to do: sneak both their hairs into the mixture to ensure they get adopted together. But with these two, anything can happen—from a shrinking spell to giant bees! This adorable new series takes readers to a vibrant world full of magic, community, surprises, and welcoming homes.
The Brilliant Death series
Magic. Mafia. Romance. This historically-inspired Italian fantasy centers secret strega magic—and gender unbound love. (Viking '19-'20)
American Library Association Rainbow List
“A delicious and magical intrigue” -Kirkus, starred review
“A protagonist as ruthless as she is fiery” -SLJ, starred review
“One of the most artful, gorgeous, romantic books in the LGBTQIAP YA canon” -B&N Teen blog
“A unique mashup of fantasy, historical fiction, and queer romance.” -Bustle
About the sequel, THE STORM OF LIFE:
“A highly satisfying conclusion to an original tale” -Booklist
“Wild with thrilling shifts and electrifying prose,
this passionate storm carries the story to a worthy end.” -Kirkus Reviews
Tasting Light
Ten incandescent sci fi stories to rewire your perceptions from: William Alexander, K. Ancrum, Elizabeth Bear, Charlotte Nicole Davis, Nasugraq Rainey Hopson,
A.S. King, E.C. Myers, Junauda Petrus-Nasah,
and a graphic short story from Wendy Xu. "Extremophiles" by A. R. Capetta.
Starred reviews from Kirkus Reviews and Publisher's Weekly
A Kirkus Reviews Best Book of the Year
Hal Clement Notable Title
Green Mountain Book Award Nominee
Published in the UK by Walker Books
(Candlewick Press and MITPress '22)
Once & Future
A futuristic twist on the Arthurian canon starring a girl King Arthur and one grumpy teenage Merlin. (Little, Brown)
A New England Book Award Finalist
A Barnes and Noble Bestseller
A Kirkus Reviews Best Book of the Year
A Tor.com Best Book of the Year
A Boston Globe Best Book of the Year
A Book Riot Best Book of the Year
Starred reviews from Kirkus Reviews, School Library Journal, Publishers Weekly, and Shelf Awareness
American Library Association Rainbow List '20, '21Rise: A Feminist Book Project List
Available in UK & Australia from One World. Audiobook available in scroll above.
Sword in the Stars
The sequel to a futuristic twist on the Arthurian canon starring a girl King Arthur and one grumpy teenage Merlin. (Little, Brown '20)
Series Praise:
A New England Book Award Finalist
A Barnes and Noble Bestseller
A Kirkus Reviews Best Book of the Year
A Tor.com Best Book of the Year
A Boston Globe Best Book of the Year
A Book Riot Best Book of the Year
Starred reviews from Kirkus Reviews, School Library Journal, Publishers Weekly, and Shelf Awareness
American Library Association Rainbow List '20, '21Rise: A Feminist Book Project List
Available in UK & Australia from One World. Audiobook available in scroll above.
The Lost Coast
THE LOST COAST is about six queer witches, two timelines, and lots of perspectives, including ravens and redwood trees. A magical mystery for the weird at heart.
A Tor’s Best YA Book of the Year
Top 10 SF/Fantasy & Horror for Youth
American Library Association Rainbow List
“Slow-burning, mystical, and romantic” -Booklist, starred review
“Devastatingly good” -Tor.com
Echo After Echo
A young actor, a cursed Broadway production—and a blindingly bright queer love story.
American Library Association Rainbow List, Junior Library Guild Selection
“Sophisticated plot development and the lyrical language Capetta uses [...] make this an exceptionally compelling read.” -Publisher’s Weekly, starred review
“Smart and progressive.” -Foreword Reviews, starred review (Candlewick Press)
Rebel Robin: Stranger Things
Rebel Robin: Stranger Things
An official Stranger Things prequel featuring Robin. Check out the podcast starring the voice talents of Maya Hawke and Sean Maher.
by cory mccarthy
Postscript
A love letter to the end of humanity.
Releasing February 17, 2026 from Dutton Books. Advanced reader copies available from Penguin Young Readers.
Man o' War
An achingly honest and frequently hilarious coming-of-age about escaping cultural captivity.
A Stonewall Honor Book
A Kirkus Reviews Best Book of the Year
An Autostraddle Best Book of the Year
A BookPage Best Book of the Year (category winner)
A Buzzfeed Best Book of the Year
A Chicago Public Library Best Book of the Year
Junior Library Guild Selection
Amazon Editors's Choice
Ohioana Book Award Finalist
Incredible audiobook narrated by actor and musician E.R. Fightmaster.
Download a free Educator's Guide for Man o' War
(Dutton/Penguin Random House '22)
The Collectors
This anthology of weird stories collected by A. S. King won the Michael L. Printz Award for Excellence in Young Adult Literature.
"Museum of Misery" written, illustrated, and adapted for audio by Stonewall Honor-winner Cory McCarthy.
Incredible audio version voiced by Bex Taylor-Klaus.
(Dutton/Penguin Random House, 2023)
Once & Future
A futuristic twist on the Arthurian canon starring a girl King Arthur and one grumpy teenage Merlin.
(Little, Brown '19)
A New England Book Award Finalist
A Barnes and Noble Bestseller
A Kirkus Reviews Best Book of the Year
A Tor.com Best Book of the Year
A Boston Globe Best Book of the Year
A Book Riot Best Book of the Year
Starred reviews from Kirkus Reviews, School Library Journal, Publishers Weekly, and Shelf Awareness
American Library Association Rainbow List '20, '21, Rise: A Feminist Book Project List
Available in UK & Australia from One World. Audiobook available in scroll above.
Sword in the Stars
The sequel to a futuristic twist on the Arthurian canon starring a girl King Arthur and one grumpy teenage Merlin.
(Little, Brown '20)
Series praise:
A New England Book Award Finalist
A Barnes and Noble Bestseller
A Kirkus Reviews Best Book of the Year
A Tor.com Best Book of the Year
A Boston Globe Best Book of the Year
A Book Riot Best Book of the Year
Starred reviews from Kirkus Reviews, School Library Journal, Publishers Weekly, and Shelf Awareness
American Library Association Rainbow List '20, '21, Rise: A Feminist Book Project List
Available in UK & Australia from One World. Audiobook available in scroll above.
Hope Is an Arrow: The Story of Lebanese-American Poet Gibran Khalil Gibran
A picture book chronicling the life of Lebanese American poet and artist Gibran Khalil Gibran, aka Kahlil Gibran. Illustrated by Ekua Holmes. (Published by Candlewick Press '22)
A Kirkus Reviews Best Book of the Year
A School Library Journal Best Book of the Year
Starred reviews from Publisher's Weekly, Horn Book,
School Library Journal, and Kirkus Reviews
B.E.S.T. World Trilogy
Trilogy complete with audiobooks!
'Fast-paced, imaginative, and refreshing.' — Kirkus Reviews
“Fun, fast-paced, and also exploring a refreshingly complex emotional understory, this book is recommended for all libraries serving middle graders.” — School Library Journal
Now A Major Motion Picture
Fandom, first love, and feminism collide in Ireland on a high fantasy film set.
Amelia Bloomer List/RISE: A Feminist Project List
Junior Library Guild selection
"A war cry and a love letter all at once." -Kirkus
"Joyful and authentic." - Booklist
Available in translation in Germany (This is Not a Love Scene) and the Netherlands (Nu in de Bioscoop)
You Were Here
Five misfits urban explore through prose, graphic novel, and word art chapters.
A Bank Street Best Book of 2017
Starred reviews from BCCB & YALSA
2017 TAYSHAS List from the Texas Library Association
(Sourcebooks/Penguin Random House)
Breaking Sky
America is jacked in cold war. All hopes fall on prototype fighter jets and their athletic young pilots. More Starbuck than Maverick, if you follow my drift.
In Hollywood with Josephson Entertainment
Starred reviews from School Library Journal and BCCB
Accelerated Reader Program
Available in translation in Thailand, Turkey, and Russia (Broken Sky).
The Color of Rain
The Color of Rain
It's prostitutes in space.
"Quite possibly the next big thing."
-Barnes and Noble
"Elegantly written and emotionally cathartic pageturner." -Kirkus
E. R. Fightmaster reads man o' war
Musician, actor, model & badass audiobook narrator
Seriously, it's perfection. Listen.
contact
A. R. Capetta & Cory McCarthy are available through agents.
