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By mid-September, plenty of people are already well into spooky season and breaking out the Halloween decorations, but don't forget about National Talk Like a Pirate Day! This day may have started as a parody holiday and a bit of a joke, but given the popularity of the Golden Age of Piracy (and a desire to find silliness and joy in everyday life), it’s become a day for every seafaring fan to break out the “ahoy mateys.”

Of course, for those looking for a little inspiration for their piratical vocabulary, there are plenty of pop culture pirates to choose from. And of course, it’s possible to go for the big guns like Captain Hook, Long John Silver, but there are plenty of lesser-known pirates in literature that also deserve attention this September.

[Photo by MabelAmber on Pixabay]

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National Teddy Bear Day is celebrated on the 9th of September, and it’s a fantastic excuse to snuggle up to a favorite childhood friend or revisit the stories and characters of childhood. And while teddy bears are usually known as being cute, cuddly, and very wholesome, there are plenty of teddies that are far cooler than you may expect!

These bears of pop culture fame aren’t just fluffy friends for bedtime—they are going on adventures, battling monsters, or generally throwing off the shackles of their cutesy reputation to become a whole new kind of bear…

We’re excited to share the cover reveal of Hunters of the Lost City by Kali Wallace. Perfect for fans of Tamora Pierce and Shannon Hale, or anyone who longs for adventure, this page-turning middle-grade fantasy is packed with shocking twists, frightening monsters, and dark magic. (But trust us—it’s not just for middle-grade readers!)

Designed by Quirk’s senior designer, Ryan Hayes, and illustrated by Matt Saunders, just look at how beautiful this cover is!

Ryan Hayes said, “When creating the cover for Hunters of the Lost City, it was all about mood and atmosphere. The wonder and mystery (and a bit of the danger) that exists beyond the walls of Vittoria is so integral to the story and the characters that we focused Matt’s efforts there. The color of the town is a bit more drab while the mountains and sky beyond the walls is much more dreamy, magical, and inviting—almost calling to our characters to venture to them. ”

To celebrate the reveal, we asked author Kali Wallace to answer a couple of questions about the book and the cover.

Quirk Books: Thanks for joining us for a Q&A today, Kali! If you only had one tweet, how would you describe Hunters of the Lost City?

Kali Wallace: Octavia dreams of being a Hunter who protects the last town in existence from magical monsters, but when she meets a stranger who isn’t supposed to exist, she sets out on a journey that will force her to question everything she thought she knew about her home, her history, and her place in the world.

QB: What was your favorite part of writing Hunters of the Lost City?

KW: I enjoyed writing all parts of Hunters, but the most fun was definitely in creating the friendship—and mutual crush!—between Octavia and her new friend Sima. Some of the most fun to be had while writing is forcing characters to get to know each other while also sticking them in endless peril.

QB: The main character, Octavia, lives in the walled city of Vittoria. The city is protected against magical monsters by two important sets of people: Hunters and magical Crafters. Octavia wants to be a Hunter when she grows up. If you lived in Vittoria and could have one job, what would it be?

KW: To be honest, a big part of the reason I made Octavia’s family own a bakery is because being a baker is the job I see myself doing in most fantasy settings. I would not be great at fighting or casting spells or running into danger, but I can definitely make the pies that all those brave people will need to eat when they come back home.

QB: Now, back to this awesome cover! What is your favorite part of the cover? Without giving anything away, are there any clues hidden on the cover?

KW: I love everything about this cover. I think it’s ridiculously beautiful, and it captures the mood and feeling of the story so well. My absolute favorite part is the silhouettes of the monsters on the wall. But I also love that if you look closely at the mountains in the background, you might get a little hint about how the story ventures beyond those walls and monsters!

QB: One last question before we go… What book(s) are you currently reading?

KW: I am between novels right now, but the next one on my stack is Leigh Bardugo’s Crooked Kingdom—I want to finish the duology before I let myself watch the Netflix show! In the meantime, I have recently decided to read more short fiction, so I have been working my way through Ann and Jeff VanderMeer’s The Weird, a 1100-page anthology of weird fiction that spans over a century. As of now I’ve only made it as far as Ryunosuke Akutagawa’s “The Hell Screen,” so I have a good thousand pages left to go.

Interested in hearing more about Hunters of the Lost City? Sign up for our newsletter here!

Preorder Hunters of the Lost City here.

[Photo by Toa Heftiba on Unsplash]

This post contains affiliate links. When you buy through these links, Quirk Books may earn a commission.

As if a bookworm ever needed the excuse to laze around with a good read and nothing else to do, August 20th is National Lazy Day. That’s right. You aren’t just indulging a desire to curl up with a book. You are marking a very important celebration in self-care!

This August, pair your favorite way to while away the day with some incredible fiction and nonfiction reads, from introspective humor on life to lighthearted novels that will leave a smile on your face…a smile that will last long after you have to get up and back to the real world.

[Photo by JESHOOTS.COM on Unsplash]

This post contains affiliate links. When you buy through these links, Quirk Books may earn a commission.

August 19th may be the official National Potato Day, but for anyone who appreciates the humble spud, any day is a day to celebrate. Deceptively simple, this little starch can be turned into just about anything—national dishes (like poutine), iconic snacks (like French fries), and even rich, creamy dishes that are essentially just a lot of cream, cheese, and butter masquerading as a "vegetable" side.

Versatile, beloved, and often the fastest and easiest way to create that warm fuzzy feeling, potatoes also have a whole lot in common with books. It may seem like a stretch only a shoestring could reach, but they are classic, comforting, and while not everyone loves every book (potato), there’s a potato (book) for everyone. So this August, combine a new read with a delicious snack, and celebrate the best of both!

[Image by TessaMannonen from Pixabay]

This month, we are between two full moons in Aquarius—the first on July 23rd, and the second on August 22nd. Having two moons in the same sign back to back creates a powerful energetic space, and one that is perfect to take advantage of the energy of the water-bearer when cleansing and charging crystals. These moons are focused on collaborative energies, as well as the Aquarian strength to see things differently—and that is only doubled with two in a row!

Cleansing and charging may sound complicated, but it’s one of the simplest ways to work a little kitchen magic and takes nothing than moonlight and thought. (Although, as with all practices, there are plenty of ways to add elements on, if you feel called to.)