Jes Battis (they/them) is a queer autistic writer and teacher and the author of the Occult Special Investigator series and Parallel Parks series (as Bailey Cunningham) with Ace. Their first novel, Night Child, was shortlisted for the Sunburst Award. Jes teaches queer and trans studies, medieval literature, and representations of disability/neurodiversity in pop culture at the University of Regina. They split time between the prairies and the west coast.
Authentic portrayals of queer, trans, and disabled characters along with a delightful mash-up of modern Vancouver, college life, and Arthurian legends become an immersive story of trying to be in control of your own path, no matter your past. VERDICT Battis (Bleeding Out) gives Arthurian retellings a new twist with this queer urban fantasy. -- Library Journal Starred Review Battis handles the psychology of the reincarnated characters well, balancing their awareness of past lives with their present-day agendas. Weaving endearing queer coming-of-age threads throughout the mythically grounded mystery, this satisfying reimagining delivers. -- Publishers Weekly A charming story of mythological figures in the modern day. Battis's prose breathes new life into ancient folklore. -- Zabe Ellor, author of Silk Fire Arthurian knights vie for power at a university in a contemporary Vancouver where queer and genderqueer students must contend with magic and murder among the faculty. Richly imagined and lushly written, The Winter Knight gives us intriguing characters, a compelling story, and a vivid sense of a beautiful and complex city colonized by invasive myths and ancient dread. -- A.M. Dellamonica, author of Child of a Hidden Sea This inventive take on the Arthurian myth is a testament to story -- the wisdom inherent in old stories, and the power that lies in reimagining what they could be. The possibilities for a combination like this? Endless, as Jes Battis will show you! -- Amanda Leduc, author of The Centaur's Wife