Until Death Taps You on the Shoulder

Until Death Taps You on the Shoulder, Volume 1, is a young adult fiction novel that blends contemporary war and Slavic folklore. Set during the conflict in Ukraine, the story follows Carmina and Agnieszka as they navigate the terrors of Russian bombings. While seeking refuge in the Carpathian woods, the two teenagers encounter Mara, a shadow creature known as Baba Yaga. This guide to the Beyond finds herself stranded in the living world because war-tortured souls can no longer see her.

This action and adventure story explores themes of friendship and belonging through an LGBTQ lens, featuring nonbinary and asexual representation. As Mara learns the value of life from the girls, they must face the inevitable arrival of death. This hopepunk work of fiction utilizes multiple POV and epistolary elements to create a haunting yet hopeful narrative about survival and mythical creatures.