Books published by publisher Fathoming Press

A short-story prequel to BREAKWATER.A storm is brewing.Fourteen-year-old Alexander has a secret. Several, in fact. He’s in love with Jade Cleopola. He covers up for his violent, drug-addicted father. And he often goes hungry. His friends at school wouldn’t understand—they’re high-class mer like Jade. But Alexander has bigger problems than the latest gossip and the parties his friends live for. When his father’s irresponsible choices leave Alexander facing a blade-wielding debt collector, Alexander discovers himself trapped in a tangled, ever-tightening net. He must find a way to survive in unfriendly currents.Even if it means losing her.Dive into an underwater adventure in Broken Tides, a series of mermaid tales perfect for fans of Carrie Anne Noble, Leigh Bardugo, Jennifer Donnelly, and Kiera Cass.PRAISE FOR BREAKWATER BY CATHERINE JONES PAYNE"A compelling story about helping others at great personal cost. With artful world-building, skillful dialogue, and a powerful message, Breakwater is a book you can immerse yourself in with an ending you won't believe." -New York Times bestselling author Tosca Lee"Breakwater has it all: a lifelike merworld, political intrigue, emotional wreckage, and--of course--murder. My only disappointment is having to wait for the sequel!" -Carol Award-winning author Nadine Brandes"Woven through with intrigue and a touch of romance." -Carrie Anne Noble, award-winning author of The Mermaid's Sister

Mermaids. Murder. Mayhem.Realm Award Finalist for Best Debut, 2018 Parable Award Finalist, 2018Alliance Award Semi-Finalist, 2018A red tide is rising.Seventeen-year-old Jade is recently engaged to a handsome soldier and about to choose her own career. But she didn't expect to witness a murder.When her fiancé kills a naiad, plunging the underwater city of Thessalonike into uproar, tensions surge between the mer and the naiads. Jade learns too late that the choices she makes ripple further than she'd ever imagined. And as she fights against the tide of anger in a city that lives for scandal, she discovers danger lurking in every canal, imperiling her family and shattering the ocean's fragile peace.Can the city's divisions be mended before the upwelling of hate rips apart everything Jade loves?Breakwater is the spine-tingling first novel in a complete trilogy of YA mermaid fantasy books. If you like enigmatic mystery, stirring romance, and harrowing intrigue, you'll love Catherine Jones Payne's riveting underwater world.Plunge into a page-turning adventure perfect for fans of Carrie Anne Noble, Leigh Bardugo, Jennifer Donnelly, and Kiera Cass.

What would you do if you saw someone committing unimaginable acts of cruelty? Turn the other way or defend those in need—no matter the cost? That’s the dilemma thrust upon Persimmon, a clever and compassionate raccoon, and her loyal forest friends. Instantly, the courageous critters spring into action, risking their own lives to rescue any animal they see suffering at the hands of humans. What the team doesn’t know is just how rampant this violence really is, and soon their exciting rescue missions turn shockingly dangerous and deadly. Will they succeed in saving the animals of the world from humans’ brutality, or will they fall victim to the powerful system of abuse they’re trying so desperately to end?Persimmon Takes On Humanity is the thrilling first novel in The Enlightenment Adventures, and for anyone who loved the intensity of The Hunger Games, the social commentary of The Jungle, and the heart of Charlotte’s Web, this will be your new favorite book.

Vincent and The Dissidents is the thrilling second book of the acclaimed YA series, The Enlightenment Adventures. If you haven’t read the first book, Persimmon Takes On Humanity, get your copy today!In Book Two, while Persimmon and The Enlighteners continue their daring efforts to rescue all animals who are suffering, little do they know that Vincent—the cunning mink who helped the team liberate a fur farm—has been assembling an army. Vincent and The Dissidents are conducting their own rescue missions, but their violent tactics against humans are quickly leading to catastrophic consequences.Meanwhile, just as Persimmon and The Enlighteners are mounting their most ambitious rescue so far, a tragic incident alters Persimmon’s life forever and jeopardizes the fate of The Enlighteners.

What would you do if you saw someone committing unimaginable acts of cruelty? Turn the other way or defend those in need—no matter the cost? That’s the dilemma thrust upon Persimmon, a clever and compassionate raccoon, and her loyal forest friends. Instantly, the courageous critters spring into action, risking their own lives to rescue any animal they see suffering at the hands of humans. What the team doesn’t know is just how rampant this violence really is, and soon their exciting rescue missions turn shockingly dangerous and deadly. Will they succeed in saving the animals of the world from humans’ brutality, or will they fall victim to the powerful system of abuse they’re trying so desperately to end?Persimmon Takes On Humanity is the thrilling first novel in the young adult series, The Enlightenment Adventures, and for anyone who loved the intensity of The Hunger Games, the social commentary of The Jungle, and the heart of Charlotte’s Web, this will be your new favorite book.

A black tide is swelling.In the wake of a horrific massacre, the naiads have chosen to leave Thessalonike, and the merman Jade loves is leaving with them. But the naiads’ departure can’t quell the city’s political tensions or satisfy Jade’s enemies.After disaster strikes, Jade must face sea dragons and the fathomless deep as she journeys to Marbella. There she learns that Thessalonike’s infighting is the least of her world’s concerns. A new empire is rising in the ocean, and it will stop at nothing in its quest for dominion.Can Jade survive the churning current of fear and violence, or will it drag her to the depths?Crosscurrent is the heart-pounding second novel in a complete trilogy of YA mermaid fantasy books. If you like enigmatic mystery, stirring romance, and harrowing intrigue, you'll love Catherine Jones Payne's riveting underwater world.Dive into an underwater adventure in Broken Tides, a series of mermaid tales perfect for fans of Carrie Anne Noble, Leigh Bardugo, Jennifer Donnelly, and Kiera Cass.PRAISE FOR BREAKWATER BY CATHERINE JONES PAYNE"A compelling story about helping others at great personal cost. With artful world-building, skillful dialogue, and a powerful message, Breakwater is a book you can immerse yourself in with an ending you won't believe." -New York Times bestselling author Tosca Lee"Breakwater has it all: a lifelike merworld, political intrigue, emotional wreckage, and--of course--murder. My only disappointment is having to wait for the sequel!" -Carol Award-winning author Nadine Brandes"Woven through with intrigue and a touch of romance." -Carrie Anne Noble, award-winning author of The Mermaid's Sister

Vincent and The Dissidents is the thrilling second book of the acclaimed YA series, The Enlightenment Adventures. If you haven’t read the first book, Persimmon Takes On Humanity, get your copy today!In Book Two, while Persimmon and The Enlighteners continue their daring efforts to rescue all animals who are suffering, little do they know that Vincent—the cunning mink who helped the team liberate a fur farm—has been assembling an army. Vincent and The Dissidents are conducting their own rescue missions, but their violent tactics against humans are quickly leading to catastrophic consequences.Meanwhile, just as Persimmon and The Enlighteners are mounting their most ambitious rescue so far, a tragic incident alters Persimmon’s life forever and jeopardizes the fate of The Enlighteners.

A white tide is crashing.Jade flees home to Thessalonike to find her brother kidnapped and the king assassinated. As the city awaits the arrival of a conquering foreign army, violence surges between the Royal Mer Guard and the revolutionaries, and everyone Jade loves is caught in the ensuing riptide. If the Neptunian army arrives before the city unites, nothing can stop Thessalonike from falling.Floundering to navigate treacherous currents, Jade must rescue her brother before it's too late. And as the city descends into turmoil, she must resist the lure of violence and hatred that threatens to swallow her whole. Can the city mend its divisions to face the Neptunian threat, or will its factions tear it apart? And can Jade protect her loved ones amid the swelling torrent?Experience the stunning culmination of Jade's story in Maelstrom, the final novel in a page-turning trilogy of YA mermaid fantasy books. If you like enigmatic mystery, stirring romance, and harrowing intrigue, you'll love Catherine Jones Payne's riveting underwater world.Dive into a page-turning adventure perfect for fans of Alexandra Christo, Leigh Bardugo, and Kiera Cass.

So You Think You Can Dance meets Storm SirenRealm Award Finalist for Young Adult, 2020Realm Award Finalist for Fantasy, 2020Alliance Award Semifinalist, 2020Serious Writer Book of the Year Semifinalist, 2020Fire is a dangerous magic.Sixteen-year-old Kyla is preparing for the test of her life: a high-stakes dance competition to win the role of principal dancer in the fire festival's elite troupe. When she's not sneaking off into the woods to practice forbidden magic, that is. Among her people, only the men are entrusted with the mysteries of magecraft. But Kyla's been learning in secret for ten years, and she's never backed down from a challenge.As danger ignites, Kyla must maintain a tight control on her magic. For more than her ambition is in peril. She must stay a step ahead of her enemies—a backstabbing dancer, a repressive council, and a crazed arsonist. If she can't withstand the inferno, the people she loves most will die.Fire Dancer is the heart-pounding first novel in a trilogy of YA elemental fantasy books. If you like fierce girl power, slow-burn romance, and harrowing danger, you'll love Catherine Jones Payne's fire world.Plunge into a page-turning adventure perfect for fans of A.L. Knorr, Mary Weber, and Cassandra Clare.

A flood is surging.Sixteen-year-old Tryphaena Moss just wants to be left alone. In the Camford River, where the king and queen rule with exacting authority, the wisest naiads stay safe by avoiding the attention of the royals. But then Tryphaena’s best friend is condemned to die.Tryphaena’s carefully planned life is upended when she steps forward to take her friend’s place in a trial by ordeal, provoking the anger of the king and queen and attracting the eye of the roguishly handsome crown prince. To survive, she must embark on a dangerous journey to travel to her father’s homewaters and seek an audience with a foreign queen. Can Tryphaena survive the venture into unfamiliar rivers, or will the rapids take her life? And will the prince’s newfound infatuation with her prove to be her doom?Encounter the magic of the naiad rivers in Daughter of the Rivers, a companion novella to Broken Tides, a spine-tingling series of YA mermaid fantasy books. If you like enigmatic mystery, stirring romance, and harrowing intrigue, you'll love Catherine Jones Payne's riveting underwater world.Dive into a page-turning adventure perfect for fans of Alexandra Christo, Leigh Bardugo, and Kiera Cass.

A red tide is rising. As the daughter of one of the mer-king’s trusted advisors, seventeen-year-old Jade has great responsibilities. When her fiancé murders a naiad, plunging the underwater city of Thessalonike into uproar, tensions surge between the mer and the naiads. Jade learns too late that the choices she makes ripple further than she'd ever imagined. And as she fights against the tide of anger in a city that lives for scandal, she discovers danger lurking in every canal, imperiling her family and shattering the ocean's fragile peace. Can the city's divisions be mended before the upwelling of hate rips apart everything Jade loves?

A tidal wave is cresting.Sixteen-year-old harpy Ti's world ends when an army of overlanders and sirens slaughters her family and destroys her home. Adrift in the ocean, Ti makes her way to the city of Marbella, where she tries to piece her life back together. But a new beginning cannot restore her tattered heart.Ti is given employment by the Benoras, a powerful merchant family obsessed with loyalty. There, she learns a deadly secret: the Benoras' illegal dealings are responsible for a surge of deaths in Marbella. And no one else is willing to stop them.When the Benoras' trade threatens the family of Ti's newfound friend, Ti faces a dangerous choice. Can she risk her life to put an end to the Benoras' treacherous dealings? And will it cost her the new life she's desperately trying to build?Discover the wonder of the ocean in To Wander the Paths of the Sea, a companion novella to Broken Tides, a spine-tingling series of YA mermaid fantasy books. If you like enigmatic mystery and harrowing intrigue, you'll love Catherine Jones Payne's riveting underwater world.Plunge into a page-turning adventure perfect for fans of Alexandra Christo, Leigh Bardugo, and Kiera Cass.