Grumbones coming this year!

Oh-so-proud to tell you that my first middle grade book, Grumbones, will be available to purchase in North American stores August 1, 2023. It’s a spooky adventure story—and a bit of a mystery! Two childhood friends take a trip through the underworld after our protagonist, Helena, suspects her beloved deceased grandmother isn’t resting well. If you like my characters and humor, and you’re fond of my old Arcadia Bell series (Jupe and Cady’s dynamic, especially), or perhaps The Lady Rogue, you might give this a try. I had SO MUCH FUN writing it. And I’m currently writing more middle grade for you right now.

It’s not something I intended to write, but after so much romance, I just wanted to do something different. Not that I don’t love romance, because I do! (And more YA romance is coming, don’t fret.) But deep down, my heart will always belong to monsters and adventure, so this was a joy for me. I hope you enjoy it, too! Here’s my publisher’s synopsis:

Pixar’s Coco meets Neil Gaiman in this chilling middle grade novel about a girl whose quest to ensure her deceased grandmother is resting peacefully leads her to the magical and perilous kingdoms of the underworld.

Everyone in Whispering Pines knows their town is full of ghosts, but Helena Novak hasn’t seen a trace of her late grandmother, Babi. Helena and her best friend, Ben, spend most of their free time in the cemetery, yet no amount of gifts on Babi’s grave has lured her spirit out. But someone else has been paying attention.

Helena feels she’s being followed, and one day, all Babi’s grave gifts disappear. When Helena and Ben investigate, they find a secret door in a crypt that leads to the underworld itself. The sprawling subterranean world is a maze of eerie kingdoms, piercing castles, creepy forests, swirling seas, and crowded marketplaces full of unsavory characters. While the living can visit, if they get lost—or taken by the mysterious Nightmare—they won’t be able to leave. Despite the danger, Helena is set on finding her grandmother and seeing for herself that Babi is doing well in this strange place.

So when eccentric underworld guide Grumbones offers to help Helena and Ben find their way, they think it’s their lucky break. Sure, he looks like Santa’s skinny evil brother and some of the memento mori spilling out of his pockets look awfully familiar, but better a slightly suspicious helper than none at all…right?

Buy it: | AMAZON | BARNES & NOBLE | BAM | INDIE |