Tag Archives: Girly Muckle and the Queer Hands

LAUNCHED: Girly Muckle and the Queer Hands by Bernardine Ann Teráz Stapleton

Girly Muckle and the Queer Hands in Lights
Girly Muckle and the Queer Hands in Lights

It was a beautiful day when Girly Muckle and the Queer Hands stormed into The Battery Cafe.

That’s right!

Bernardine Ann Teráz Stapleton’s Girly Muckle and the Queer Hands has been launched into the æther, where the curious can find her.

Readers joined us there for drinks and treats while the author delivered an enchanting introduction to Girly Muckle and her besties. A delightful time was had by all within earshot.

Problematic Press would like to extend our thanks to The Battery Cafe for hosting us and to the Writers’ Alliance of Newfoundland and Labrador for inviting us to Pitch Wars, where we had the good fortune of connecting with the author for this publication.

The author thanks the following organizations for supporting the creation of this work of literature: the Canada Council for the Arts; the City of St. John’s; and, Memorial University’s Writer-in-Residence Program.

She also thanks Alexis Koetting, Marilyn Mackay, Katie Vatour, and Nicole Leona Smith, the artist.


Girly Muckle and the Queer Hands is a queer coming of age novel draped in myth, and it is captivating.

While this novel takes place in a fantastically imagined Newfoundland, it bears a tale that is sure to please selkies residing anywhere.

So, for those residing anywhere, Girly Muckle and the Queer Hands may now be ordered in print here while the Kindle edition can be ordered here.

For readers in St. John’s, NL, we now offer curbside pick-up ordering from our office located downtown. Details can be found at the Square site.

Girly Muckle and the Queer Hands on the Shelf

The author and the artist

Bernardine Ann Teráz Stapleton is an author, a playwright, a performer, and an absolute treasure with the voice of a tempest.

Born in North West River and raised in Marystown, her connections to the province of Newfoundland and Labrador resonate throughout her works.

Her plays are regularly produced across the province, and her previous books include the award-winning They Let Down Baskets (Killick Press), Rants, Riffs and Roars (Creative Book Publishing), and This is the Cat (Creative Book Publishing). Her creative memoir, Love, Life, is forthcoming from Breakwater Books.

Learn more about her at bernistapleton.com.


Nicole Leona Smith is an emerging visual artist who divides her time between Newfoundland and her home in Cambridge, Ontario. Her illustrations are simply delightful.

Until now, she has been best known for her writing and her work in theatre.

She is also drafting her first novel with support from the Ontario Arts Council.

Discover more about her at nicoleona.com.


Problematic Press is an independent publisher based in St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada. Get the latest news about our growing selection of titles at problematicpress.com.

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Girly Muckle and the Queer Hands – Ordering, Pre-Ordering, Oh My!

Girly Muckle and the Queer Hands (front cover)

Girly Muckle can’t wait to meet you!

That’s right!

Bernardine Ann Teráz Stapleton’s Girly Muckle and the Queer Hands is here, alive and well and just waiting for you precious and precocious readers to share in her glee.

Perhaps you’ve heard of The Battery – quiet, peaceful, serene. Then there’s Girly Muckle.

Girly knows the folk living in The Battery have plenty of secrets to keep. She has a few of her own. For starters, she’s a selkie.

Now, a selkie isn’t some cutie-pie creature, so you needn’t imagine a princess of the mermaids here. No.

Along with her besties – an adlet and a shapeling – they are the Queer Hands, a band of young punks with big dreams.

But, when a meddling detective threatens to expose their mythical nature to the world, will the Queer Hands even make it out alive?

While this novel takes place in a fantastically imagined Newfoundland, it bears a tale that is sure to please selkies residing anywhere.

So, for those residing anywhere, Girly Muckle and the Queer Hands may now be ordered in print here while the Kindle edition can be pre-ordered here.

Meanwhile, stay tuned for more details to come about the launch of this magical tale.

This is it.

This is lit!

Bernardine Ann Teráz Stapleton and Nicole Leona Smith

Bernardine Ann Teráz Stapleton is an author, a playwright, a performer, and an absolute treasure with the voice of a tempest.

Born in North West River and raised in Marystown, her connections to the province of Newfoundland and Labrador resonate throughout her works.

Her plays are regularly produced across the province, and her previous books include the award-winning They Let Down Baskets (Killick Press), Rants, Riffs and Roars (Creative Book Publishing), and This is the Cat (Creative Book Publishing). Her memoir, Love, Life, is forthcoming from Breakwater Books.

Learn more about her at bernistapleton.com.

Nicole Leona Smith is an emerging visual artist who divides her time between Newfoundland and her home in Cambridge, Ontario. Her illustrations are simply delightful.

Until now, she has been best known for her writing and her work in theatre.

She is also drafting her first novel with support from the Ontario Arts Council.

Discover more about her at nicoleona.com.

Problematic Press is an independent publisher based in St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada.

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COMING SOON: Girly Muckle and the Queer Hands

Problematic Press is thrilled to reveal that our next publication will be Girly Muckle and the Queer Hands, a novel by Bernardine Ann Teráz Stapleton with illustrations by Nicole Leona Smith.

Girly Muckle and the Queer Hands

There can be much more to a person than what meets the eye, and Girly Muckle can vouch for that.

She’s not like most other teens. She’s a selkie. And her best friends are an adlet and a shapeling.

Together with her besties, these young punks are the Queer Hands.

This is just the beginning.

Bernardine Ann Teráz Stapleton

Bernardine Ann Teráz Stapleton is an author, a playwright, a performer, and an absolute treasure with the voice of a tempest.

Born in North West River and raised in Marystown, her connections to the province of Newfoundland and Labrador resonate throughout her works.

Her plays are regularly produced across the province, and her previous books include the award-winning They Let Down Baskets (Killick Press), Rants, Riffs and Roars (Creative Book Publishing), and This is the Cat (Creative Book Publishing). Her memoir, Love, Life, is forthcoming from Breakwater Books.

Learn more about her at bernistapleton.com.

Nicole Leona Smith

Nicole Leona Smith is an emerging visual artist who divides her time between Newfoundland and her home in Cambridge, Ontario. Her illustrations are simply delightful.

Until now, she has been best known for her writing and her work in theatre.

She is also drafting her first novel with support from the Ontario Arts Council.

Discover more about her at nicoleona.com.

Nicole and Bernardine

Problematic Press is an independent publisher based in St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada.

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