Cusp Born by Lorraine Hawley — front cover, illustrated by Jocie Salveson
✦ First Edition · Out Now

Cusp Born

Step into the Zodiac Realm — a world where the stars do more than shine, and a young hero discovers that courage is something you're born toward, not born with. The debut title from McGuffin Press, and the story we chose to begin everything with.

$19.99 First-edition hardback · + applicable taxes

Limited-edition hardback with UV spot-gloss cover — the kind of book that becomes an heirloom.

  • Genre Upper Middle Grade Fantasy
  • Ages 8–12 (and grown-ups who never stopped)
  • Format Hardback · First Edition
  • Published April 14, 2026
  • Publisher McGuffin Press
About the Book

Inside Cusp Born

Cusp Born is an upper middle-grade fantasy adventure set in the Zodiac Realm — brought to life in cover art and interior illustrations by Jocie Salveson. It's a story about finding courage you didn't know you had, the kind of book a child carries with them long after the last page.

📝 For the McGuffin team: paste the official back-cover synopsis here (2–3 paragraphs). This evergreen description is what Google indexes and what converts browsers into buyers — replace this placeholder with the finished jacket copy.

"Children's books and adult fiction chosen because they have something genuine to say. Great storytelling has no age limit."

The Creators

Author & Illustrator

Author

Lorraine Hawley

A published author, mentor, and critique partner — and the founder of McGuffin Press. Cusp Born is the book she chose to launch the press she built for fellow authors and illustrators.

Visit her website →

Illustrator

Jocie Salveson

Designer, painter, and book illustrator who believes the world is her blank page. Her cover art and illustrations give the Zodiac Realm its light.

Visit her website →

Limited & Collectible

The Zodiac Realm Map

A beautifully illustrated map of the Zodiac Realm from Cusp Born, rendered by illustrator Mark Sean Wilson — a must-have for fans of the series. Join the list and we'll tell you the moment it's available.

Praise

What Readers Are Saying

For the McGuffin team: add 2–4 real reader / reviewer / educator quotes here as they come in (name + role). Social proof on the book page is one of the strongest sales levers — and lets us add AggregateRating schema for star ratings in Google.
★★★★★

"Your review could be here — share what you loved about Cusp Born."

★★★★★

"A quote from an early reader, teacher, or librarian goes here."

★★★★★

"One more spot for praise as the reviews roll in."

Bring Cusp Born home

A first-edition hardback for the reader in your life — or the one who still lives in you.