A new release, and the On Spec 2026 Kickstarter funds!

Well, it’s been a busy few days here at Shadowpaw Press World Headquarters, a.k.a. me sitting in an armchair with my Macbook while our CFO (Chief Feline Officer) sleeps somewhere nearby and occasionally takes a lap-on approach to monitoring things.

The big news this week: the Kickstarter for On Spec 2026: New Canadian Literature of the Fantastic has funded! As of this morning (Saturday, April 11), it’s at $10,351, and there are still five days to go, so if you’d like to help out, you have plenty of time.

The great thing about backing a Kickstarter campaign that has already funded is that you know for certain you’re going to get the thing you’re supporting the creation of, and any backers’ rewards you might select. In this case, that means you’re assured of receiving the ebook or print version of the anthology (if you get the print version, you also get the ebook), and you can also still choose from a number of great rewards—ebooks, print books, artwork, online chats with authors (including me), short-story critiques, and more! (If you’ve got a spare $3,000 lying around and need an editor, you can even engage me to edit your book. Nobody has taken me up on it yet, but you never know…)

Take a look and kick in if you’re interested! The campaign closes at noon on Thursday, April 16, but late pledges are enabled, which means even if you miss the deadline, you can still help out for a while. (This is the first campaign I’ve run with late pledges enabled, so I’m interested to see how that works out.)

With the campaign having succeeded, On Spec 2026 has also opened for submissions from Canadian writers (citizens or residents) of science fiction and/or fantasy. You can find the submission guidelines here.

Now for the other big news of the week: a new YA romantasy by Alberta author Jenna Greene. I hope you’ll check it out!

ISBN: 978-1998273546 | 308 pp | $24.99 CDN $18.99 USD

Amazon.ca | Amazon.com | Indigo | Shadowpaw Press

Cover art by Dwayne Wingert

In a world torn by divine betrayal, two lost souls must face a god’s wrath—or lose their love to an eternal rift.

Keely Thompkins, a seamstress bound by fear of the unknown, finds refuge in the quiet of her attic. Briggs Ray, a woodsman scarred by a solitary past, survives on wit and defiance in a village that overlooks him. During a vibrant festival, a shimmering portal steals them from their home, leaving their town vanished and their bodies marked by the enigmatic gods, Ahisa and Menor. Stranded in a realm warped by the Great Rift—a celestial schism spawning deadly frosts and monstrous skitters—they forge a fragile bond to survive.

As they navigate a land of quaking earth and predatory shadows, guided by strangers who revere their marks as divine, Keely and Briggs uncover a perilous truth: they are chosen to mend the rift between the gods, a task that has claimed countless lives. Their love, tested by Teulin—a merciless entity born of the gods’ discord—grows amidst trials of drowning rivers, scorching suns, and haunting memories. With time running out, they must confront Ahisa’s guarded heart and Menor’s remorse, risking not just their lives but the very love that anchors them.

Will their faith in each other prove stronger than a god’s vengeance, or will they become another sacrifice to a fractured eternity?

Praise for Broken Realm

“An intriguing romantic fantasy. Two societies divided by a longtime rift; confusing expectations thrust upon Keely and Briggs; battling gods… Are they the long-awaited couple who will set things right, after countless others have failed? This engaging fantasy will plunge readers into the midst of these issues. It also explores the depths of our human connections.” – Alison Lohans, award-winning author of The Wind and Amanda’s Cello; Timefall; Don’t Think Twice

About Jenna Greene

Jenna Greene has been writing since before she could hold a pencil, building stories with her She-Ra: Princess of Power action figures and My Little Pony toys in her basement or on long car rides. Once she could pen a tale, she composed poetry and short stories, finding that she was best at writing novels. Her first fantasy story (Imagine) came to her when she was in her first year of university, and she drafted it between essays, mid-terms, and reading assignments.

Once finished university, with a B.A. in English as well as a B.Ed, she began her career as a teacher and also found time to return to her writing. Her Reborn Marks series won the 2019 Moonbeam Children’s Book Award (Gold), and other accolades. Her middle-grade novel An Owl Without a Name is a CBC recommended book, as well as a TD summer book club pick. It has been used as One School/One Book around Alberta. In 2021, her first picture book, Winston, the Well-Dressed Wombat, was released.

You can find Jenna online at jennagreene.ca.