New Release Date for Gardner’s Second YA Novel: September 29

ST. PAUL, MN, March 26, 2020 – Flux, an imprint of North Star Editions, Inc. (NSE) announced today that the May publication date of Finding Balance by Kati Gardner has been moved to September 29, 2020. This change allows time for promotional events to be rescheduled and bookstores to reopen while also launching the title during Childhood Cancer Awareness month. Finding Balance, Gardner’s second YA novel, is an #ownvoices young adult contemporary novel about two childhood cancer survivors learning to move on. While both have lingering effects from their illnesses, one chooses to hide from his past, the other can’t.

More about Finding Balance:
Jase Ellison doesn’t remember having acute lymphocytic leukemia when he was three years old. His cancer diagnosis only enters his mind twice a year. Once at his yearly oncology checkup and once when he attends Camp Chemo in the summer. No one in his “real” life knows about his past, especially his friends at school.

Mari Manos has never been able to hide her cancer survivorship. She wakes every morning, grabs her pink forearm clip crutches, and starts her day. Mari loves Camp Chemo—where she’s developed a healthy crush on fellow camper Jase. At Camp, she knows that she’ll never get “the look” or have to explain her amputation to anyone.

Jase wants to move on, to never reveal his past. But when Mari transfers to his school, he knows she could blow his cover. That’s the last thing he wants, but he also cannot ignore his attraction to her. Mari wants to be looked at like a girl, a person, and not only known for her disability. But how do you move on from cancer when the world won’t let you? 

Advance Praise and Early Buzz
“Plenty of heartbreak and joy shape this compelling story, as do reminders to find balance in our own lives.” —Booklist, starred review

“By turns turbulent and tender, Mari and Jase’s story perfectly captures the nuanced reality of life with a disability or chronic illness.” —Cindy Baldwin, author of Where the Watermelons Grow

“An authentic, searingly-honest, and captivating story of survivorship, young love, and friendship.”
—Rebecca Caprara, author of The Magic of Melwick Orchard

About the Author
Kati Gardner is a recovering actor, wife, and mom. She is a childhood cancer survivor and amputee who writes books about disability and kissing. Originally from Atlanta, she now lives and writes in Raleigh, North Carolina. She is also the author of Brave Enough. You can find her on Twitter at @AuthorKati, on Instagram at AuthorKatiGardner, and at katigardner.com.

Flux publishes diverse young adult fiction. North Star Editions, Inc., publishes fiction and nonfiction for readers of all ages that inspires, informs, and entertains. For more information, visit fluxnow.com or northstareditions.com.

For more information contact: Taylor Kohn, publicity@northstareditions.com, 651-424-4623.