But Niya and Tusika are not your average citizens of Cahokia. For most, it is a ceremony focused on that single individual, surrounded by family and loved ones. It binds the recipient to their chosen Path animal and, in some cases, bestows upon them a supernatural gift.

Instead, after a climate disaster alters the course of history around the world, advanced civilizations develop over centuries, fueled by Indigenous knowledge, culture and determination and powered by the mysterious Adanadi that arrived in the wake of the disaster.In Makasing, the Adanadi ceremony is a nearly universal rite of passage into adulthood. Hemlock & Sage is the first novel set in the world of Coyote & Crow, an alternate history science fantasy where colonization of the Americas never happened. And when a strange, passionate young woman shows up with stories of a dark cult and asking for help, there’s nothing that can stop it from bursting into flames. When the ceremony does not go as planned for either of them, their worlds begin to spark and smoke. Tusika’s family has power and a long line of Abilities-and the expectations that come with that. Niya comes from a modest background and her family has never received special Abilities from the Adanadi. Best friends with a bond that goes beyond sisterhood, the two young women have chosen to undergo the ceremony together.īut each of them brings with them their own secrets and burdens. In Makasing, the Adanadi ceremony is a nearly universal rite of passage into adulthood. And Mackenzie Neal created a beautiful cover! The full back cover text: Heidi Billy did a fantastic job editing and developing the book with Tali, and Francita Soto did a lovely job on our layouts.

When we first discussed it, we quickly agreed that we wanted to tell a coming of age story, one that focused on relationships, friendships, family and the Adanadi. While I’d like to have written it (and will likely eventually write at least one myself), I fully trusted Tali and the story they wanted to tell. The book is written by Tali Inlow, not me. We’d have liked to have had it to you sooner, but between Covid, the world being…the world, and the fact that we really wanted to get this book right, it took us a minute. It’s been a very long time coming, but we can finally announce the release date of our first novel, Hemlock And Sage – November 16th! Just a week out! We’ve been working on it for more than year now. UPDATE: The book is now available! Links below!

The Sisterhood by Tali Inlow