Tales Retold

R.C. Lewis teaches math to teenagers—sometimes in sign language, sometimes not—so whether she’s a science geek or a bookworm depends on when you look. Her debut novel Stitching Snow was a sci-fi retelling of Snow White, and her latest novel, Spinning Starlight (Hyperion), is a sci-fi take on Hans Christian Andersen’s “The Wild Swans.”

Conor McCreery is the co-founder of Kill Shakespeare Entertainment.  Previously, he was a print and television journalist on three continents covering everything from the NBA, to stock-market apocalypses, to celebrity gossip. His work has been featured in the Globe and Mail, the Grid, WIRED.com and Globeinvestor.com. McCreey has co-authored Kill Shakespeare: Backstage Edition Volume 1 (IDW Publishing), which collects the entirety of the first twelve-issue arc of the award-winning series in one gorgeous hardcover volume. Filled with never before seen art, sketches, a brand new back-up story, and fun annotations by top Shakespeare scholars, the Backstage Edition is a must-have for both fans of the series and those looking for a thrilling new comics adventure. In Sherlock Holmes vs. Harry Houdini (IDW), the world's most famous detective meets the world's most famous magician... and death ensues! Famed sleuth Sherlock Holmes and brash showman Harry Houdini must combine forces to defeat a mysterious mystic dedicated to destroying Houdini's career and killing anyone who gets in his way. Written by Anthony Del Col and Conor McCreery, the Harvey Award-nominated creators of Kill Shakespeare. This edition collects the complete comic book storyline of Sherlock Holmes Vs. Harry Houdini issues #1-5.

E. K. Johnston is a forensic archaeologist by training, a bookseller and author by trade, and a grammarian by nature. In A Thousand Nights (Disney-Hyperion), Johnston tells the dazzling tale of a brave teen who the murderous Lo-Melkhiin takes as his wife. He takes a wife in each town, and kills each of them in turn, but in this retelling of the classic Scheherzade story Arabian Nights, the strong heroine captivates her husband enough to stay alive, day after day. Each tale she tells brings her more power, and she dreams of becoming strong enough to put an end to a monstrous reign once and for all. In a starred review, Kirkus Reviews writes, "Detailed and quiet, beautifully written with a literary rhythm that evokes a sense of oral tale-telling, this unexpected fantasy should not be missed.”