The Awesome (27 page)
A
CKNOWLEDGING EVERY PERSON
who helps me write is nigh impossible. I’m surrounded by family and friends whose support makes this crazy career a reality, so here we go short and sweet:
Humans, I adore you. Friend humans and family humans and industry humans who see to it that my brain meats are able to hurl words onto a page, I couldn’t do it without you. You know who you are, you know you are loved and appreciated. Thank you from the bottom of my black, shriveled heart.
That squared, I’d like to call attention to one particular human, without whom this book wouldn’t be possible. Maggie Cunningham is a bold girl who perseveres despite the odds. She’s not afraid to speak her mind. She’s not afraid to put her foot down and say NO. She’s aware she’s not perfect and she’s secure in her own skin in spite of it.
The influence upon her is transparent: Janice teaches Maggie to respect her voice, her body, and in turn, herself. Those lessons came directly from my mother to me. Without my mom, Maggie wouldn’t be possible. Mom’s fierce. She’s fought for everything she has and always comes out on top. If people take anything away from this book (beyond the bawdy humor and a few new and creative curse words) it’s that the world isn’t ever going to validate you, so you better get good at doing it yourself. There’s no shame in knowing your worth as a human being—in knowing how awesome you really are.
Thanks, Mom, from me and Maggie. We couldn’t have done it without you.
When Pen inherits the job of caretaker for a London building with no doors and only a secret entrance from the caretaker’s lodge – which she must never use – little does she know it will lead her into unbelievable danger. For Azmordis, also known as Satan, a spirit as old as Time and as powerful as the Dark, immortality is running out.
In the house with no front door, a group of teenagers are trapped in assorted dimensions of myth and history, undergoing the trials that will shape them to step into his cloven footwear – or destroy them. Assisted by an aspiring chef called Gavin and Jinx, a young witch with more face-piercing than fae-power, Pen must try to stop the Devil’s deadly game – before it’s too late.
‘Jan Siegel is probably the best British fantasy writer working today, and
The Devil’s Apprentice
is, true to form, a box of delights. It is entirely unmissable.’
Lavie Tidhar, World Fantasy Award-winning author
‘She writes in a quiet but uncommonly witty style that can soar into elegance or mute dread.’
Publishers Weekly
on
The Witch Queen
Jade is a seventeen-year-old mixed martial arts fighter. When she’s in the cage she dominates her opponents—but in real life she’s out of control.
After she has a confrontation with a Hollywood martial arts star that threatens her gym’s reputation, Jade’s coach sends her to a training camp in Thailand for an attitude adjustment.
Hoping to discover herself, she instead uncovers a shocking conspiracy. In a world just beyond our own, a man is stealing the souls of children to try and live forever.
‘Shadowboxer is a fast-paced, gripping contemporary dark fantasy thriller. Everything about this book feels utterly real, from the monsters out of Thai mythology to the cage fights, but especially the incandescent Jade Barrera, whose passion and fury are sometimes bigger than she can control.’
Justine Larbalestier, Andre Norton Award winning author of
Liar