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Kristen Illarmo is a New Orleans-based author of young adult science fiction and fantasy. Her action-packed, character-driven stories explore the ripple effects of real-world choices, set in decaying societies and with tangled family dynamics. Her debut duology kicks off with Earth vanishing into a black hole, and her latest, Against the Red Sky, is a sci-fi thriller with more explosions than kisses (but just barely). When she’s not writing, you can find her wandering her neighborhood with her tiny giant-eared dog.


Schedule

11:15 am to 12:15 pm
A.Z. Young Park, Author Tent C
Beyond the Horizon: Where Magic, Sci-Fi, and Horror Meet in Young Adult Fiction
K. Ibura, Tempest
Kristin Illarmo, Against the Red Sky
Xan Kaur, When Devils Sing
Trang Thanh Tran, They Bloom at Night
(ages 13 to 18)

12:30 pm to 1:15 pm 
Cavalier House Books Tent
Book Signing


Against the Red Sky: Mission X


Enzo Cruz knows sacrifice. After a failed mission to assassinate the billionaire behind the Mars colony—and the loss of his grandfather—he’s ready for redemption. His new target? The Mars Ascendance Academy shuttle. His orders: infiltrate, sabotage, escape.

As the youngest operative in Terra Primera, Enzo’s talent with explosives could tip the balance in Earth’s fight for survival. But inside the Academy, nothing goes to plan—especially when Maddie Westing enters the picture.

Maddie has dreamed of joining her mother on Mars since she was ten. Now she has her shot: one of thirty elite students in the Academy’s inaugural class. But being the niece of the colony’s powerful founder comes with strings—and shadows.

When Enzo’s mission collides with Maddie’s quest for truth, both teens are thrust into a conspiracy that threatens Earth and Mars alike. Loyalties will be tested. Secrets will be exposed. And the greatest danger may not come from the skies—it may lie in their hearts.

In this heart-pounding YA thriller, survival means risking everything—including the people you thought you hated most.

For fans of The Hunger Games, Red Rising, and Aurora RisingAgainst the Red Sky delivers explosive tension, star-crossed loyalty, and a high-stakes rebellion that could destroy two worlds.