By Cam Miller
Last month, I had the amazing opportunity to be an ARC reader for queer indie author Historia Strange’s debut novel Just Buried! which comes out on Wednesday, February 14, 2024.
On top of that, my co-Editor-in-Chief Liv O’Toole and I had the chance to celebrate the Lunar New Year by going to Historia Strange’s release party at Golden Hour Piercing in Dayton, Ohio for their new book! There, we got to hear Historia read an excerpt from their book, participate in a gift basket raffle, ask a few group questions, and meet the author personally.
Historia Strange began writing Just Buried! in May 2023, finished writing in September, and had everything ready for publication by December! Since they decided to self publish, it was a much speedier publication schedule, but they couldn’t have done it without their trusty notebook, which is filled with character sheets and interviews along with a detailed chapter-by-chapter outline of their novel. They’re already planning a sequel to Just Buried! along with spin-off stories.
When Liv and I got to the front of the line to meet Historia, they were so excited to find out we braved the 10-hour round trip to support them, and we got our picture taken together to commemorate the trip. I also ended up being lucky enough to win the raffle for the cozy tea gift basket, filled with carefully-picked teas, honeys, and tea-time snacks. Overall, it was such an amazing experience to be able to celebrate Historia’s book release with them, and I’m so glad the stars aligned in such a way for us to do so!
Just Buried! is a modern-day take on death marriages, an ancient Chinese superstition and tradition, which would be arranged by a bereaved family member hoping to send their loved one to the afterlife with a partner by betrothing them and entangling their souls together forever. In Just Buried! however, adventure ensues when a red envelope and several bad choices meet, sending the main character Delta on a wild goose chase to reverse her death marriage with the help of her ghostly groom Yufei and his eccentric grandmother Hongmei.
This novel is an incredibly unique rom-com, with its fresh idea and intriguing situation, and it’s filled to the brim with culture, queer representation, and emotion. Be sure to grab yourself a copy when it comes out!