Books publishing news Announcing The Architect to Elsewhere by Charlene Challenger A poignant, cozy story about life and death By Reactor | Published on May 12, 2026 Photo courtesy of Charlene Challenger Comment 0 Share New Share Photo courtesy of Charlene Challenger We’re thrilled to announce the acquisition of The Architect to Elsewhere by Charlene Challenger. Sold to Diana M. Pho at Erewhon Books in a two book deal, for publication in 2028 by Kelvin Kong at K2Literary for World Rights. The Architect to Elsewhere will be available in 2028 from Erewhon Books, and imprint of Kensington Publishing. Dorothy’s life is tiny by design. She loves music and art, dancing and drinking, cats, and caring for the elderly. She wanted to be an actress. Her Maltese parents are jerks. She has never been in love and doesn’t care to be. And, she’s just dropped dead on her kitchen floor.Dorothy now faces the last precious moments of her earthly existence, but she’s not alone; Archie, a divine architect who may or may not also be a porcupine, is along for the ride. Archie’s purpose is to help Dorothy create the afterlife of her dreams. She just has to examine the last forty-eight years of her life with all that’s happened and not happened, to figure out what that means.A poignant, cozy story told from a unique perspective, The Architect to Elsewhere is an affirmation of the highs and lows of life, and living. From author Charlene Challenger: “It is an honor and a privilege to be teaming up with the fine folks at Erewhon Books and sharing my novel, The Architect to Elsewhere, with readers in 2028. This novel is, in part, a reclamation of my Maltese heritage, which was obscured for me for many years. It is also an exploration of the very last and most intimate moment of life, one I feel should be approached with humor, reverence, and joy. Having spent many years telling tales on stages and spinning yarns on pages, it’s my hope that readers will see themselves between the lines of my first adult novel!” From Diana M. Pho, Editorial Director of Erewhon Books: “I never expected to feel transformed by a talking porcupine, but that’s the experience reading The Architect to Elsewhere! This poignant novel is It’s a Wonderful Life for today: by turns whimsical and somber, funny and philosophical, and at the end, truly wise. Dorothy and Archie’s final journey explores nuances of faith, regret, family, hope, and how even the most middling life contains ripples of meaning. Delighted to work with Charlene and bring this book to readers in 2028.” Charlene Challenger is a writer and graduate of Toronto Metropolitan University’s Acting Program. Her first novel, the young adult fantasy The Voices in Between, was nominated for the 2015 Aurora Award for Best Young Adult Novel and long listed for the Sunburst Award Young Adult Novel category. Its sequel, The Myth in Distance, was published in 2016. She lives in Cambridge, Ontario, Canada. Learn more on her website. The post Announcing <i>The Architect to Elsewhere</i> by Charlene Challenger appeared first on Reactor.