Boston, MA — February 10, 2026
Ruadán Books is delighted to announce that it has signed a deal with author Megan Engelhardt to publish her dystopian hopepunk novella, Milk and Honey, Bitter and Gall.
About her signing, Megan says, “I’m so thrilled to be working with Ruadán Books. Milk and Honey, Bitter and Gall is a story that means a lot to me and it couldn’t be in better hands. I can’t wait to share Salome’s story with everyone.”
This novella tells the story of Salome, a young runaway in the mysterious city of Third Hatch, as they grow into a full-fledged member of the Galilean sub-gang in the midst of violent territory disputes and potential scores. When people have every reason to be the worst of themselves, what keeps the best of themselves alive?
“At Ruadán, we love our fiction to explore the darker side of what it means to human,” says Ruadán CEO R. B. Wood. “Megan has created characters and a story that speak to the dark side of humanity, but also show what hope can do. It’s a beautifully written book with many parallels to today’s world.”
Milk and Honey, Bitter and Gall is tentatively scheduled for release in Spring 2027.
About Ruadán Books
Ruadán Books, founded in 2024 to publish unique stories from underappreciated talent, is bringing readers character-driven storytelling in dark speculative fiction, including dark fantasy, horror, thrillers, and crime fiction.
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About Megan Engelhardt
Megan Engelhardt is the author of the creature-centered story collection Phantom Menagerie with short fiction featured in, among other publications, Asimov’s, Daily Science Fiction, and Crossed Genres. She also co-authored horror novel The Way We Used to Walk with her good friend Mark Beall. She writes stories that are slightly sideways of normal, that explore the hidden corners of the world, and that celebrate found families of all types. When Megan is not writing at home in Ohio, she’s chasing after her four kids, reading about cryptid and alien encounters, and watching musicals with her husband.
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