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coauthored
A. R. Capetta (they/them) & Cory McCarthy (he/they) coauthored the bestselling ONCE & FUTURE series, a finalist for the New England Book Award. They are also the acclaimed authors of over a dozen solo titles. The couple met while earning MFAs from Vermont College of Fine Arts and fell in love shortly thereafter. They live in the green mountains of Vermont.
A futuristic twist on the Arthurian canon starring a queer girl King Arthur and one grumpy teenage Merlin.
- Finalist for the New England Book Award
- Best of 2019 Kirkus, Tor, Boston Globe, Book Riot
- Barnes and Noble Bestseller
- Starred reviews from Kirkus, School Library Journal, Publishers Weekly, Shelf Awareness
- ALA Rainbow List 2020
- Amelia Bloomer List 2020
Published by Little Brown. Available in UK and Australia from One World. Available in audiobook. (Book 1 of 2)
The Knights of the Rainbow portal into the Middle Ages, where once and future go meta to create a closed temporal loop.
- Starred review from School Library Journal
- ALA Rainbow List 2021
Published by Little Brown. Available in UK and Australia from One World. Available in audiobook. (Book 2 of 2)
Taron and Teagan are not Benedick and Beatrice; they only play them on stage.
"Some Other Metal" reimagines "Much Ado About Nothing" via an intergalactic Shakespeare troupe in That Way Madness Lies: Fifteen of Shakespeare's Most Notable Works Reimagined. Edited by Dahlia Adler.
Published by Macmillan. Available in audiobook.
Transmogrify!
Jak and Wynit embark on a queer, fantasy Juno situation--with a baby dragon twist.
"Baby Dragon 101" in Transmogrify! coming from HarperTeen in '23. Edited by g. haron-davis.
BUY SIGNED COPIES FROM OUR LOCAL INDIE AT BEARPONDBOOKS.COM
Cory McCarthy
author
Cory McCarthy (he/they) is the bestselling, acclaimed author of weird, bold, and affectionate stories. He coauthored the Once & Future series, a finalist for the New England Book Award, with his spouse, A. R. Capetta. Cory studied poetry and screenwriting before falling in love with writing for young people at VCFA where he now teaches.
upcoming releases
- Man o' War 5/31/22,
- Hope is an Arrow 6/21/22,
- Under Pressure (B.E.S.T. World 2) fall '22
- Some Assembly Acquired (B.E.S.T. World 3) fall '23
- unannounced YA, short story, and coauthored trilogy
screenwriter
Cory McCarthy (he/they) is a trans, Arab American screenwriter, whose first script was as comedic mc for his 8th grade talent show. He went on to study screenwriting at UCLA, work with Ohio University's film department, and partner with Sony Pictures and Josephson Entertainment in the development of the film adaptation of his novel Breaking Sky. Cory edits screenplays through Yellow Bird Editors and teaches postgraduate-level screenwriting.
stories by Cory
River McIntyre, competitive swimmer and closeted Arab American, grew up in cultural captivity down the street from SeaPlanet of Ohio—an infamous marine life theme park. When a queer encounter on the annual field trip lands River literally in the shark tank, they embark on a journey to release themself: from internalized homophobia and gender dysphoria, to affirmation surgery and true love.
- Starred reviews from Kirkus, Publisher's Weekly, Bookpage
Releasing from Penguin Teen May 31, '22
A picture book chronicling the life journey of Lebanese American poet and artist Kahlil Gibran. Releasing from Candlewick Press in June '22.
- Starred review from Publisher's Weekly
Illustrated by Ekua Holmes.
At a near-futuristic academy where tweens compete to receive augmented bodies, the very corporation that makes everyday superheroes possible comes under fire for crimes against humanity. Four standout cadets will join forces and save the freakin' day.
The first installment, Ace Takes Flight, is out from Clarion/HarperCollins. Books 2 & 3 coming '22 & '23. Available in audiobook.
Fandom, first love, and feminism collide in Ireland on the set of a LOTR-type film set.
- Amelia Bloomer List 2019
- Junior Library Guild selection
- "A war cry and a love letter all at once." -Kirkus
- "Joyful and authentic." - Booklist
Published by Sourcebooks. Available in translation in Germany (This is Not a Love Scene) and the Netherlands (Nu in de Bioscoop).
Latent grief blows. Five not-friends urban explore through an abandoned insane asylum, beneath the streets of Columbus, all the way to the top of a forgotten roller coaster. Three prose voices intersect with graphic novel chapters and word art.
- Bank Street Best Book of 2017
- Starred reviews from BCCB & YALSA
- 2017 TAYSHAS List from the Texas Library Association
Published by Sourcebooks.
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 via Sony Pics and Josephson Entertainment
- Starred reviews from School Library Journal and BCCB
- Accelerated Reader Program
- Audiobook by Blackstone
Published by Sourcebooks. Available in Thailand, Turkey, and Russia (Broken Sky).
It's prostitutes in space. Hey, we all gotta start somewhere.
- "...quite possibly the next big thing." - Barnes and Noble lol
Published by Running Press.
Coming soon: a new YA, Book 2 and 3 of B.E.S.T. World, a short story about weird collections
a. r. capetta
A. R. Capetta (they/them) is an acclaimed author of the strange and magical. Notable titles include The Heartbreak Bakery, a finalist for a LAMBDA and the bestselling Once & Future series, a finalist for the New England Book Award, which they co-authored with their spouse Cory McCarthy. Other accolades: JLG selections, Kirkus Best Book of the Year, Locus Recommended Reading List, Booklist Top 10 Horror/Fantasy for YA, and ALA Rainbow List. A. R. lives in Vermont and teaches at VCFA.
YA science fiction is a landscape (and starscape). Get ready for incandescent stories 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.
Published by Candlewick Press and MITPress. Available in audiobook.
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.
Published by Candlewick Press. Available in audiobook.
Official STRANGER THINGS novel starring everyone's favorite queer badass.
Published by Penguin Random House. Audiobook available from Listening Library.
Six queer witches, two timelines, and lots of perspectives, including ravens and redwood trees. A magical mystery for the weird at heart.
- Tor’s Best YA of the Year
- Top 10 SF/Fantasy & Horror for Youth
- ALA Rainbow List
- “Slow-burning, mystical, and romantic” -Booklist, starred review
- “Devastatingly good” -Tor.com
Published by Candlewick Press. Audiobook available from Listening Library.
Magic. Mafia. Romance. This historically-inspired Italian fantasy centers secret strega magic—and gender unbound love.
- ALA 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
Published by Viking Children’s Books. Audiobook from Listening Library.
In this sequel to The Brilliant Death, Teo and Cielo’s wild love entwines with a quest to save Vinalia.
- “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
Published by Viking Children’s Books. Audiobook available from Listening Library.
A young actor, a cursed Broadway production—and a blindingly bright queer love story.
- ALA 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
Published by Candlewick Press. Audiobook available from Brilliance Audio.
Entangled (duology)
A spacepunk opera with quantum physics and found family.
- BEA Buzz Book 2013
- Publisher’s Weekly starred review
Published by HMH Kids.
Unmade
The sequel to Entangled turns the volume up on the urgency to find a home for the remains of the far-flung human species.
- Literally nothing else goes here!
- But I think this book is twice as good as Entangled, so if you like that one, you should probably read it.
Published by HMH Kids.
Announcing soon: an early reader series from Candlewick!
contact
A. R. Capetta & Cory McCarthy have limited availability.
To engage an interview, appearance, event, etc. with A.R. and Cory, reach out to childrenspublicity@hbgusa.com.
For individual publishing related queries--including blurbs, talks, and visits--please contact our agents.
Fan mail can be sent c/o our publishers; all mail will be vetted.
A. R. Capetta is represented by Sara Crowe at Pippin Properties and Kim Yau at Echo Lake Entertainment (film/tv).
Cory McCarthy is represented by Jim McCarthy at Dystel, Goderich & Bourret LLC.
