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✨Fantasy Author & Your Tarot Bestie✨
4th gen reader | 2k+ tarot readings |
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It was a pleasure to have local author Giselle Vriesen at the store today signing copies of her new YA fantasy novel, Why We Fight the Tide.
Check it out, it is part of a duology that began with her debut, Why We Play With Fire.

Reserve a copy on our website, call the store at 250-748-1533, or pay us a visit!

#localauthor
#yafantasyromance
#indiebookstore

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If you loved Why We Play with Fire, you won’t want to miss Why We Fight the Tide by Giselle Vriesen.

Join me and Giselle LIVE on Instagram today at 1:30 PM EST as we discuss Thea’s continuing journey, the mythology behind the series, grief, destiny, impossible choices, and what we’re willing to risk for the people we love. (REPLAY ON THE FEED) 🎉

We’ll be talking about gods, prophecies, bargains, heartbreak, and the emotional threads that make this fantasy series so compelling.

📚 Come with your questions.
✨ Bring a friend.
🎥 Meet us live at 1:30 PM EST.

#Literapynyc
#BibliotherapyintheBronx
#yafantasybooks
#yafantasyseries
#yafantasyauthor

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I’m really happy to be returning to the 𝑯𝒆𝒂𝒍𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝑻𝒉𝒓𝒐𝒖𝒈𝒉 𝑾𝒓𝒊𝒕𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝑭𝒆𝒔𝒕𝒊𝒗𝒂𝒍 this year. I’ll be sharing a few powerful, practical ways to build a seasonal writing process, one that shifts with you, so you can write while also working, caring for family, and actually living your life.

I always come back to this: our writing practice isn’t separate from our lives. It lives inside of it. It’s easy to feel like we’re “not writers” when we’re not actively drafting, but that’s just one part of the process.

When you build a process that fits you, something changes. It becomes supportive. Even a kind of medicine.

I know I’m a writer whether I’m deep in a draft or simply sitting with a question, turning an idea over in my mind. My process holds that truth for me. It reminds me who I am, even on the days I’m not at the page.

Two other speakers I am excited for is @gisellevriesen 's Tarot session and @willoweol ’s session! Please check them out too.

Hope to see you at this year’s 𝐯𝐢𝐫𝐭𝐮𝐚𝐥 𝐟𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐚𝐥 𝐌𝐚𝐫𝐜𝐡 𝟑𝟎 - 𝐀𝐩𝐫𝐢𝐥 𝟐! Link to sign up is in my bio!

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Have you check out our Winter Reading List yet? 10 Picture Books. 10 Chapter Books/Middle Grade titles. 10 Young Adult titles.

Here’s a closer look at some more of our middle grade picks:

- I Won’t Feel This Way Forever by Kim Spencer
- You Never Know What You're Going To Get edited by Juleus Ghunta
- Allyship as Action by Tanya Boteju and art by Bithi Sutradhar
- Never Silent by Setsuko Thurlow and Kathy Lowinger, art by Michelle Theodore
- Why We Play With Fire by Giselle Vriesen

See the link in our bio for the winter reading list and to download it.

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Books, Bookstagram, WNDB, CanLit, Middle Grade, Reading List, Winter Reading List A graphic that reads, “FOLD Kids 2025 Winter Reading List,” with the cover of I Won’t Feel This Way Forever by Kim Spencer.

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I’ve been meaning to post more about books I’ve edited in the past so I thought I’d share a few today.

I’ve been lucky enough to work across genres, though I most often edit YA, fantasy, poetry, and romance titles.

In no particular order, here are six titles I’ve edited (in some capacity) and why you should read them.

1. What Did My Ancestors Eat by @authorquinn is an early reader picture book which features beautiful illustrations by @jillianailsa
2. Flower Grand First a lovely poetry collection by @gus1679
3. Why We Play With Fire a tense and engaging portal YA fantasy by @Gisellevriesen
4. The Feely Cards @feelycards Guidebook written by @youmeempathy and illustrated by @itskindaok a deck of cards that help inspire emotional connection
5. Raising Trans Kids by @gender.specialist a powerful tool for providers and caregivers who want to be supportive
6. Broken Heart by lilyjoy.i

Books are published by @rowhousepub @luminarypublishinghouse and @moontidepress

#writingcommunity #bookeditor #publishing #freelancelife

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We had a blast and a half at @victoriafestivalofauthors on Sunday! Thanks so much to the kind and thoughtful @gisellevriesen for helping us lead our "Meet Your Main Character" workshop for kid authors (ages 8-12) 💫

Together we explored character development and designed original characters who were ready to helm a story ✍️ Our character roster included princess wolves, soccer players, courageous readers, and so many others!

We also led Atlas of Imaginary Worlds, a teen writing workshop with the friendly and creative @kenneth.oppel 🗺️ A full and fun day!

Want to write with Story Studio? Sign up for our newsletter to learn about our upcoming programs 👉 storystudio.ca/newsletter

#yyjkids #yyjarts #yyjfamilies

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What a joy and privilege to moderate the panel discussion with authors Giselle Vreisen and Uma Krishnaswami for the Victoria Festival of Authors yesterday. It was honest, rich, funny… all that and more! and I’mstill basking in the glow. Thank you @victoriafestivalofauthors and congratulations on 10 years!!! @cormorantbooks @gisellevriesen

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Join authors Giselle Vriesen and Uma Krishnaswami for a powerful conversation about writing stories that resonate with today’s youth. From fantasy worlds to real-world challenges, both authors create books that speak to themes of identity, belonging, and transformation.

Together, they’ll explore how to balance entertainment with deeper meaning and how to approach complex topics like mental health, climate change, and racism in ways that are thoughtful and age appropriate.

Educators, parents, and young writers alike will come away with fresh insights and practical tips for nurturing storytelling skills—and a greater appreciation for the power of diverse, inclusive children’s literature. This is a conversation about stories that matter — and the young people who need them.

Get tickets today! https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/stories-that-shape-us-writing-forand-inspiringyoung-readers-tickets-1618741953759?aff=ebdsoporgprofile

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We wrap up Day 5 of the Victoria Festival of Authors with three not-to-be-missed panels, which authors who care deeply about stories, identity, belonging, and deep characters.

Oct. 19 @ 1 to 1 p.m.
Stories That Shape Us: Writing for—and Inspiring—Young Readers
KWENCH Coworking & Culture Club
Join authors Giselle Vriesen and Uma Krishnaswami for a powerful conversation about writing stories that resonate with today’s youth. From fantasy worlds to real-world challenges, both authors create books that speak to themes of identity, belonging, and transformation.

Oct. 19 @ 3 to 4 p.m.
In Conversation with Kenneth Oppel
KWENCH Coworking & Culture Club
Join us for an unforgettable conversation with acclaimed Canadian author Kenneth Oppel, whose bestselling books have captivated generations of young readers. From the thrilling skies of Airborn to the mysterious shadows of Silverwing, Oppel’s work is known for its gripping plots, vivid imagination, and deeply human characters.

SOLD OUT: Oct. 19 @ 7:30 to 9 p.m.
In Conversation with Emma Donoghue
Langham Court Theatre
Over the last 30 years, Donoghue—the bestselling author of Room, The Wonder, Learned by Heart, and many other novels, stories, plays, and screenplays—has created an eclectic and award-winning body of work. Join Emma Donoghue for a conversation about The Paris Express, historical fiction, striking details, and the art of the novel today.

Tickets:
https://www.eventbrite.ca/o/victoria-festival-of-authors-11095513695

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We’re focussed on workshops in the morning on the last day of the Victoria Festival of Authors.

SOLD OUT Oct. 19 @ 9:30 a.m. to 12 p.m.
The Ode and the Elegy: Writing Through Celebration and Loss
Open Space Arts Society
A masterclass workshop with Karen Solie. Through examples of published poems, discussion, and in-class writing guided by a series of simple prompts, this session will offer ideas for addressing the most fundamental of human experiences, which are the most difficult to articulate.

Oct. 19 @ 10:30 a.m. to 12 p.m.
Meet Your Main Character
KWENCH Coworking & Culture Club
This is a special workshop for those aged eight to 12. In this fun, hands-on workshop for young writers, participants will invent an original character from the ground up. Led by a Story Studio instructor, this one-hour session will guide kids through creative prompts and activities to develop a rich character bio—complete with hopes, fears, quirks, and secrets. With special guest Giselle Vriesen as our Writer in Residence.

Oct. 19 @ 10:30 a.m. to 12 p.m.
The Atlas of Imaginary Places
KWENCH Coworking & Culture Club
This workshop is for those aged 13 to 18.
Led by Story Studio instructors, young writers will brainstorm and build their own story worlds—whether sky ships, shadowy forests, or futuristic cities—using creative prompts and collaborative activities. With special guest Kenneth Oppel as our Writer in Residence.

Tickets for workshops are still available! https://www.eventbrite.ca/o/victoria-festival-of-authors-11095513695

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Giselle Vriesen (she/they) is an author living on Halalt First Nations land on Vancouver Island. Her debut YA fantasy novel Why We Play with Fire was released in February of 2024 through Row House Publishing, distributed by Simon and Schuster. She is currently working on the sequel. Giselle is also the co-creator of the Anti-Racism Course for Educators, teaches writing through her course Book Baby which encourages marginalized writers to decolonize through storytelling, and has been a professional tarot reader for nearly a decade.
She is featured in Stories That Shape Us: Writing for—and Inspiring—Young Readers and is the Writer in Residence of Meet Your Main Character.

She is interviewed by Isabel Jones

Isabel Jones (IJ): There’s a lot going on in Why We Play with Fire! Tell us about your interest in the many cultural mythologies that permeate your book and why you chose to set your story in this milieu.

Giselle Vriesen (GV): Because I’m mixed race—Black, Chinese, and white—growing up I never found a book that encompassed my mixed identity until I wrote WWPWF. The inspiration for WWPWF was for it to be a reflection of my ancestral roots, and my main character is the same mix as my mother, who until I wrote it had never seen a character with the same background as her.

(IJ): You grew up as your heroine Thea does, somewhat remotely on Vancouver Island. How much does Thea’s journey reflect your own—magic artifacts and world jumping aside?

(GV): I rooted the beginning of the book in a very close representation to my experiences out here, though I wouldn’t call it autobiographical by any means. I changed the descriptions of certain landmarks to set the story adjacent to life but not an exact copy. I really wanted it to have the texture of reality so that when we went into fantasy it was satisfying.

My reflection of the culture is quite accurate to the experience a lot of black people are having on the island presently, distilled, though again—not autobiographical.

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