Wench

A funny, fiercely feminist YA epic fantasy—following the adventures of a tavern wench Tanya has worked at her tavern since she was able to see over the bar. She broke up her first fight at 11. By the time she was a teenager she knew everything about the place, and she could run it with her eyes closed. She’d never let anyone—whether it be a drunkard or a captain of the queen’s guard—take advantage of her. But when her guardian dies, she might lose it all: the bar, her home, her purpose in life. So she heads out on a quest to petition the queen to keep the tavern in her name—dodging unscrupulous guards, a band of thieves, and a powerful, enchanted feather that seems drawn to her. Fast-paced, magical, and unapologetically feminist, Wench is epic fantasy like you’ve never seen it before.

"Charming, thrilling, and always surprising, Wench offers a wildly refreshing reimagining of the fantasy genre, one you won't be able to put down!"-- "Andrew Shvarts, author of the Royal Bastards series", "Smart, plucky, resourceful ... Tanya is exactly the kind of character I love to root for. Readers are sure to delight in the fresh, inventive magic of Wench. This story of lost family and found friends is a heartfelt exploration of what it means to come home."-- "Megan Bannen, author of The Bird & the Blade and Soulswift"

Maxine Kaplan studied English and political science at Oberlin College and held a variety of positions in the publishing world before landing her current job as a private investigator and author. She lives and writes in Brooklyn, where she caters to the whims of her dim-witted but soulful cat.