books
Man o' War receives a Stonewall Honor
American Library Association, Youth Media Awards, 2023
audiobooks
Narrated by Dani Martineck
Narrated by E.R. Fightmaster
Narrated by Lauren Fortgang
Narrated by Lauren Fortgang
Narrated by Krystal Hammond
Narrated by Zachary Roe
Narrated by Sophie Amoss & Brittany Pressley
Narrated by Cailtin Davies
Assorted narrators
Narrated by Carlotta Brentan
Narrated by Carlotta Brentan
Narrated by Devon Sorvari
cory mccarthy
(he/they)
Cory McCarthy is the author of weird, bold, and affectionate stories. Cory studied poetry at Ohio U and screenwriting at UCLA before earning an MFA at Vermont College of Fine Arts. He coauthored the bestselling Once & Future series, a finalist for the New England Book Award, with his spouse A. R. Capetta. He recently published the Stonewall Honor-winning Man o' War, best of '22: Kirkus, Bookpage, Buzzfeed, Chicago Public Library, and Autostraddle. As well as Hope is An Arrow, a picture book about fellow Lebanese American, Kahlil Gibran, which was a best book of '22 by Kirkus and School Library Journal. Cory is also mid-series with the middle grade futuristic trilogy: B.E.S.T. World. Their books are in translation in over six languages, and they live in New England.
representation
Jim McCarthy at Dystel, Goderich & Bourret LLC (literary/film/tv/etc)
forthcoming
- Some Assembly Required, B.E.S.T. World 3, fall '23
- New YA
- Illustrated short story in unannounced anthology
- New coauthored series, unannounced
Man o' War named one of the Top Ten Best Books of 2022
BookPage
books
MAN O' WAR
HOPE IS AN ARROW: THE STORY OF LEBANESE AMERICAN POET KAHLIL GIBRAN
HOPE IS AN ARROW: THE STORY OF LEBANESE AMERICAN POET KAHLIL GIBRAN
An achingly honest and frequently hilarious coming-of-age about an Arab American trans teen fighting to keep their head above water in a landlocked Midwestern town.
- A Stonewall Honor Book
- One of BookPage's Top Ten Books of '22 and Best YA of '22, Best of '22 lists for Kirkus, Buzzfeed, Autostraddle, Chicago Public Library
- Starred reviews fro
An achingly honest and frequently hilarious coming-of-age about an Arab American trans teen fighting to keep their head above water in a landlocked Midwestern town.
- A Stonewall Honor Book
- One of BookPage's Top Ten Books of '22 and Best YA of '22, Best of '22 lists for Kirkus, Buzzfeed, Autostraddle, Chicago Public Library
- Starred reviews from Kirkus, Publisher's Weekly, Bookpage
- Junior Library Guild
- Amazon's Editor's Choice June 2022
- Audiobook available, narrated by nonbinary actor E.R. Fightmaster
Dutton/Penguin Random House '22. CW: internalized queerphobia, racism, self-harm, TERFs, and animal abuse (for-profit captivity)
HOPE IS AN ARROW: THE STORY OF LEBANESE AMERICAN POET KAHLIL GIBRAN
HOPE IS AN ARROW: THE STORY OF LEBANESE AMERICAN POET KAHLIL GIBRAN
HOPE IS AN ARROW: THE STORY OF LEBANESE AMERICAN POET KAHLIL GIBRAN
A picture book chronicling the life of Lebanese American poet and artist Gibran Khalil Gibran, aka Kahlil Gibran. Illustrated by Ekua Holmes.
- Best Books of '22 lists: Kirkus and School Library Journal
- Starred reviews from Publisher's Weekly, Horn Book, School Library Journal
Candlewick Press '22
ACE TAKES FLIGHT, B.E.S.T. WORLD BOOK 1
HOPE IS AN ARROW: THE STORY OF LEBANESE AMERICAN POET KAHLIL GIBRAN
ACE TAKES FLIGHT, B.E.S.T. WORLD BOOK 1
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.
- "Recommended for all school libraries serving middle graders." School Library Journal
- "Fas
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.
- "Recommended for all school libraries serving middle graders." School Library Journal
- "Fast-paced, imaginative, and refreshing" Kirkus
- Audiobook available
Clarion/HarperCollins/HMH.
UNDER PRESSURE, B.E.S.T. WORLD BOOK 2
HOPE IS AN ARROW: THE STORY OF LEBANESE AMERICAN POET KAHLIL GIBRAN
ACE TAKES FLIGHT, B.E.S.T. WORLD BOOK 1
In book two of this action-packed near-future adventure, McCarthy crafts an incredible world with high-stakes storytelling, magnetic characters, and thematic undercurrents that spotlight the complexities of family and friendship, self-empowerment, and the magnitude of truth.
- Book 3 coming fall '23
- Audiobook available narrated by Kevin R. Free
Clarion/HarperCollins/HMH.
NOW A MAJOR MOTION PICTURE
NOW A MAJOR MOTION PICTURE
NOW A MAJOR MOTION PICTURE
Fandom, first love, and feminism collide in Ireland on a high fantasy 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
- Available in translation in Germany (This is Not a Love Scene) and the Netherlands (Nu in de Bioscoop).
Published by Sourcebooks/PRH '18. CW: child abduction in backstory
YOU WERE HERE
NOW A MAJOR MOTION PICTURE
NOW A MAJOR MOTION PICTURE
Latent grief blows. Five not-friends urban explore through an abandoned insane asylum, beneath the streets of Columbus, to the top of a forgotten roller coaster.
- Prose, graphic novel, and word art chapters.
- Bank Street Best Book of 2017
- Starred reviews from BCCB & YALSA
- 2017 TAYSHAS List from the Texas Library Association
Sourcebooks/PRH, 2016. CW: accidental teen death in backstory
BREAKING SKY
NOW A MAJOR MOTION PICTURE
THE COLOR OF RAIN
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
- Available in translation in Thailand, Turkey, a
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
- Available in translation in Thailand, Turkey, and Russia (Broken Sky).
- Audiobook available from Blackstone.
Sourcebooks/PRH, 2014. CW: teen death
THE COLOR OF RAIN
NOW A MAJOR MOTION PICTURE
THE COLOR OF RAIN
It's prostitutes in space. Hey, we all gotta start somewhere.
- "...quite possibly the next big thing." - Barnes and Noble.
Running Press/Hachette, 2013. CW: human trafficking, prostitution, threat of sexual assault
A. R. Capetta
(they/them)
A. R. Capetta is an acclaimed author of the strange and magical. Notable titles include Lambda Award-winner The Heartbreak Bakery 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 include 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.
representation
Sara Crowe at Pippin Properties (literary) and Kim Yau at Echo Lake Entertainment (film/tv).
forthcoming
- Early reader series from Candlewick
- New YA from Candlewick
- Coauthored short story
- Unannounced YA
- Coauthored YA series
The Heartbreak Bakery wins a LAMBDA Award
2022
bookS
TASTING LIGHT
THE HEARTBREAK BAKERY
THE HEARTBREAK BAKERY
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.
- Starred review from Kirkus, Best of 2022 list for Kirkus
Published by Candlewick Press and MITPress. Available in audiobook.
THE HEARTBREAK BAKERY
THE HEARTBREAK BAKERY
THE HEARTBREAK BAKERY
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.
ALA Rainbow List '21
Published by Candlewick Press. Available in audiobook.
REBEL ROBIN
THE HEARTBREAK BAKERY
THE LOST COAST
Official STRANGER THINGS novel starring everyone's favorite queer badass.
Published by Penguin Random House. Audiobook available from Listening Library.
THE LOST COAST
THE HEARTBREAK BAKERY
THE LOST COAST
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.
ECHO AFTER ECHO
THE BRILLIANT DEATH & THE STORM OF LIFE
THE BRILLIANT DEATH & THE STORM OF LIFE
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, starre
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. CW: Murder, sexual assault in the backstory, threat of sexual assault
THE BRILLIANT DEATH & THE STORM OF LIFE
THE BRILLIANT DEATH & THE STORM OF LIFE
THE BRILLIANT DEATH & THE STORM OF LIFE
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 Te
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
Viking '19 & '20. 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
CW: murder, suicide
ENTANGLED / UNMADE
THE BRILLIANT DEATH & THE STORM OF LIFE
ENTANGLED / UNMADE
A spacepunk opera with quantum physics and found family. The sequel turns up the urgency to find a home for far-flung human species.
- BEA Buzz Book 2013
- Publisher’s Weekly starred review
Published by HMH Kids
coauthored
trans-4-trans <3
A. R. Capetta (they/them) & Cory McCarthy (he/they) 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. They are also the acclaimed authors of over a dozen solo titles. Check out their Much Ado trans retelling, "Some Other Metal" in the anthology, That Way Madness Lies: 15 of Shakespeare's Most Notable Works Reimagined.
In 2014, they cofounded Rainbow Boxes, a charitable initiative that crowdsourced 15k to send LGBTQ+ fiction to support shelters and community libraries all over the country. In 2018, they cofounded the Rainbow Weekend, the country's first in-community retreat for aspiring LGBTQ+ identifying authors of young adult and children's fiction. The couple are avid cosplayers with aspirations of doing a truly incredible Sophie and Howl someday.
Read a new short story by them in Transmogrify, coming spring '23, and in '24 prepare for a new series of rip-roaring space queers.
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.
representation
Sara Crowe at Pippin Properties (AR: literary)
Kim Yau at Echo Lake Entertainment (AR: film/tv)
Jim McCarthy at Dystel, Goderich & Bourret LLC (CM: literary and film/tv inquiries)
forthcoming
- Coauthored short story in Transmogrify
- Unannounced YA series
ONCE & FUTURE
That Way Madness Lies
SWORD IN THE STARS
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 '19 Kirkus, Tor, Boston Globe, Book Riot
- Barnes and Noble Bestseller
- Starred reviews from Kirkus, School Library Journal, Publishers Weekly, Shelf Awareness
- ALA Rainbow and Amelia Bloom
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 '19 Kirkus, Tor, Boston Globe, Book Riot
- Barnes and Noble Bestseller
- Starred reviews from Kirkus, School Library Journal, Publishers Weekly, Shelf Awareness
- ALA Rainbow and Amelia Bloomer List '20
- Available in UK & Australia from One World
- Audiobook available
Little Brown '19
CW: murder, genocide
SWORD IN THE STARS
That Way Madness Lies
SWORD IN THE STARS
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
- Audiobook available
- Available in UK and Australia from One World
Little Brown '20
That Way Madness Lies
That Way Madness Lies
That Way Madness Lies
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
- Audiobook available
Macmillan '20
Transmogrify!
That Way Madness Lies
That Way Madness Lies
An anthology of stories about trans and nonbinary folk in magical places.
"Dragons Name Themselves" is a fantasy twist on Juno, starring a trans violinist with late magic and a side-eyeing overachiever.
- Edited by g. heron-davis
HarperCollins '23
contact
A. R. Capetta & Cory McCarthy have limited availability.
For 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
