J.R. Dawson has published shorter works in places such as F&SF, Lightspeed, and The Year's Best Science Fiction and Fantasy. She lives in Omaha with her spouse and three dogs in the middle of a city park. Having earned a BFA from The Theatre School at DePaul and an MFA in Creative Writing from Stonecoast, Dawson works at Nebraska Writers Collective and other Midwestern nonprofits that teach kids the power of performance and storytelling. The First Bright Thing is her first novel.
"This is the magic circus book that I have been looking for all my
life. It's compelling and brilliant, and made me cry on a public
street. I cannot recommend picking up a ticket for Windy Van
Hooten's Circus of the Fantasticals highly enough."--Seanan
McGuire, New York Times bestselling author of Every Heart A
Doorway
"J.R. Dawson welcomes us to a time-traveling circus of magical
outcasts, forged by love into family. A celebration of artistry and
wonder as essential talismans we wield against despair--and with
which we triumph against it. Spanning ages and continents, where
history repeats its cycles of darkness, Windy Van Hooten's Circus
brings with it hard-won light. I, for one, am here for the
show."--Travis Baldree, #1 New York Times bestselling author of
Legends & Lattes
"Perfect for fans of The Night Circus. . . The First Bright Thing
is a genre-bending and wholly absorbing tale that will envelop
readers in its exploration of light and dark."--B&N Reads
"Charming, effervescent, and emotional, the book is a page-turner,
probing into the long-term effects of trauma and the power of
community healing. . . . At its core, The First Bright Thing is an
entertaining and heartwarming ride, populated by memorable
characters and their topsy-turvy adventures, that asserts that your
true family will always have your back."--Locus "Trains leap across
continents, trapeze artists fly through the air, and three women
desperately hurl themselves through time and against the dark tides
of history. This book takes the reader on an audacious, bittersweet
journey, underpinned by the magic of theatre and the alchemies of
grief and love. A masterpiece of the fantastical and the
human."--Freya Marske, author of A Marvellous Light "Mesmerizing
and magical, The First Bright Thing gives friendship, love, and
found family top billing, puts the audacity of optimism on center
stage, and delivers a voice with artistry and flair worthy of the
Ringmaster herself."--Rowenna Miller, author of the Unraveled
Kingdom series "Dawson mashes up history, fantasy, and the magic of
the circus in an emotionally immersive, character-driven
story."--Library Journal, STARRED review "If this circus were real,
I'd be in the front row; it's the found family so many of us crave.
Richly imagined and vividly depicted, The First Bright Thing shows
both the joys and costs of power."--Sarah Pinsker, award-winning
author of We Are Satellites "This magical novel will invite you
into an astounding circus and carry you along on its wild journey
through time, struggling to survive in the shadow of world wars and
the sinister threat of their greatest competitor. The cast of
colorful, endearing characters will make you glad to know that, as
the Ringmaster says, 'Circus people never say goodbye.'"--Louisa
Morgan, author of A Secret History of Witches
"The First Bright Thing will break your heart and stitch it back
together, again and again. A nearly perfect amalgam of Mrs.
Peregerine's Home for Peculiar Children and The X-Men, this story
is inhabited by beautiful and imperfect characters. It is a
delicious tale of magical outsiders, determined to find love and
light, beauty and family, in a world that fears and often hates
them. It is a wonderful tale of hope and heart and
perseverance."--Rita Woods, author of Remembrance and The Last
Dreamwalker "Fans of gentle, uplifting speculative fiction will
find much to enjoy in this heartfelt celebration of
difference."--Publishers Weekly "Brimming with complex characters,
The First Bright Thing is a one-of-a-kind exploration of the
deathless tension between light and dark, in the world and in our
souls. Dawson's debut, like the Ringmaster at its heart, commands
your attention completely."--Greer Macallister, bestselling author
of The Magician's Lie "The First Bright Thing is pure magic. It's a
story of healing and becoming and truth, of finding our broken
pieces and fitting them back together. A beautifully woven
exploration of who we are, who we love, and who we choose to be in
this world--the light or the darkness."--Liz Parker, author of In
the Shadow Garden "The First Bright Thing is a beautiful debut
packed full of heart, hope, and magic. A delightful blend of
history and fantasy shot through with the magic of theater, found
family, and the meaning of love. Fans of The Night Circus will
adore this novel."--R.R. Virdi, USA Today bestselling author of The
First Binding "Found family, faith, queerness, and free will weave
in and out of timelines along with the Ringmaster and her crew. The
circus itself serves, as it often does, as a symbol of a place
where the impossible becomes reality -- and the power of that is
the reason why circus stories will continue to enchant readers for
years to come."--NPR "J.R. Dawson bids you step under the Big Top
to witness one of the most fantastic circuses in genre history. The
time-travelling stars of this show band together to form a unique
family with Rin, the Ringmaster, at center stage in this vividly
imagined world. The First Bright Thing shines!"--James Patrick
Kelly, Hugo and Nebula award-winning author "Like if The Night
Circus smashed into the X-Men and formed a found family that
welcomed every reader with open arms. A beautiful novel."--John
Wiswell, Nebula Award-winning author of "Open House on Haunted
Hill"
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