Esme Symes-Smith
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esmesymessmith.bsky.social
Esme Symes-Smith
@esmesymessmith.bsky.social
550 followers 470 following 150 posts
USA Today Bestselling Author of SIR CALLIE, Random House Kids
https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/authors/2263444/esme-symes-smith/
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Rep: @jenazantian.bsky.social
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esmesymessmith.bsky.social
Esme Symes-Smith @esmesymessmith.bsky.social · Sep 19
When I wrote the final SIR CALLIE book, I had to imagine the very worst Peran's world could be--a world where no one is immune to his whims and tempers; where his most dedicated are treated with as little humanity as his enemies. Where the world and the war are just a game for his own entertainment.
esmesymessmith.bsky.social
Thank you for having me @ncte.org !
November 23, 2025 at 3:54 AM
Reposted by Esme Symes-Smith
mombian.bsky.social
Want new LGBTQ-inclusive middle grade books? We’ve got them! These titles include the latest from the award-winning Alex Gino, plus two drag-themed novels, sequels in two magical adventure series, and an inclusive non-fiction title about body literacy. Reviews: mombian.com/2025/11/06/6... #BookSky
6 New LGBTQ-Inclusive Middle Grade Books - Mombian
Want new LGBTQ-inclusive middle grade books? We've got them! These titles include the latest from the award-winning Alex Gino, plus two drag-themed novels, sequels in two magical adventure series, and...
mombian.com
November 6, 2025 at 1:03 PM
Reposted by Esme Symes-Smith
cartooncreaturelvr.bsky.social
Here's my interpretation of Elowen from Book 1 of the Sir Callie series!

She turned out so pretty! (And was faster to finish than the others so far, probably because I didn't have to draw her legs, lol!)

#FanArt #CharacterDesign #SirCallie #Lesbian #Fantasy #FantasyCharacter #QueerBooks
A digital, fullbody, illustration of my interpretation of Elowen from the Sir Callie book series by Esme Symes-Smith, more heavily based on the series’ descriptions the character. Elowen is a 12 year old girl with long, wavy, neat brown hair; a lighter blue bow ties it together into a contained low ponytail. She has snowy pale skin, icy blue eyes, & very faint freckles on her nose. She’s wearing a navy blue ribbon around her neck like a choker necklace, a matching implified, navy blue, sleeveless, cotehardie-inspired overdress with a long sleeved, cerulean blue, coteharder-inspired underdress, an off-white apron over her dress skirts, lighter blue tights or socks that peek out beneath her long skirts, & 14th century inspired, black, leather, flat shoes. She stands confidently, smiling, one hand on her hip & the other holds up a magic flame. Elowen stands against a sky blue background, framed by a darker sky blue rectangle, which is decorated with four-pointed stars, taken from the Sir Callie logo, at each corner, & triangular pointed shapes; the frame coincidentally resembles a fantasy spellbook. A cropped, close up image of Elowen's face; her faint nose freckles & icy blue eyes are easier to see in this image.
October 24, 2025 at 5:18 PM
Reposted by Esme Symes-Smith
blazewarriorwolf.bsky.social
I cannot express enough how truly masterful the Sir Callie series by @esmesymessmith.bsky.social is. I need an animated cartoon adaptation! Like it hits all of the points needed to tell a fantastic story, I cant wait to read books 3 & 4! Read books 1 and 2 today online via the local public library!
October 30, 2025 at 3:02 AM
esmesymessmith.bsky.social
I'M THE LUCKIEST AUTHOR IN THE WORLD! 😭😭😭
cartooncreaturelvr.bsky.social ✨ Cartoon Creature Lover | Rachel ✨ @cartooncreaturelvr.bsky.social · 26d
Sir Callie 2.0 (but with their cloak this time!)

I also made an alt version of this piece with the cloak Callie gets at the end of Book 1 to complete their whole outfit!

I absolutely love how it turned out!

#FanArt #SirCallie #CharacterDesign #Non-binary #Non-binaryCharacter #QueerBooks
A digital, fullbody, illustration of a stockier interpretation of Callie from the Sir Callie book series by Esme Symes-Smith, more heavily based on the series’ descriptions the character. Callie is a 12 year old kid with messy orange-ginger hair that’s styled with bangs & pulled back into a low ponytail. They have warm, beige, freckled skin, hazel eyes, & is wearing a dark cool-green cloak, an emerald green medieval tunic with a copper trim, a creme-colored undershirt, reddish-brown pants with roughed up knees, & dark, red-brown, leather gloves, boots, & knot belt. They stand determinedly, a tooth missing from their smile, wielding Satin, their sword. Satin has been interpreted as a leaf-bladed sword with a green, gem-like, diamond-shaped, dragon pommel & the sword’s name visibly engraved into the blade; otherwise, Satin resembles the book cover’s design. Callie stands against a soft orange background, framed by a darker orange rectangle, which is decorated with four-pointed stars, taken from the Sir Callie logo, at each corner, & triangular pointed shapes; the frame coincidentally resembles a fantasy spellbook. A cropped, close up image of Callie's face; their freckles, Hazel eyes, missing tooth, & floral cloak clasps are easier to see in this image.
October 31, 2025 at 6:22 PM
esmesymessmith.bsky.social
Edwyn
adwills.bsky.social A.D. @adwills.bsky.social · 26d
CAUTION: There's a chance that small side character you just created becomes way more important to the story than you had originally planned because you keep daydreaming cool things about them, and you end up liking them too much
October 31, 2025 at 6:17 PM
Reposted by Esme Symes-Smith
celestemoonbunny.bsky.social
Got my swag from @novelneighbor.bsky.social that comes with the newest book of one of my favorite beings and authors @esmesymessmith.bsky.social ! 🎉

It's all so special and I can't wait to dive into the finale with my partner. Once again, so proud of you, Esme! And get some rest! 💖
October 22, 2025 at 1:54 AM
Reposted by Esme Symes-Smith
esmesymessmith.bsky.social
My big launch day treat is releasing the very comprehensive soundtracks to all 4 books! I love soundtracks that tell a complete story, and I had so much fun creating this playlist!

esymessmith.com/2025/10/14/s...
Sir Callie and the Unofficial Soundtracks
A complete and chronological soundtrack of all four books, including character tags and scene specifics. Available on Spotify!
esymessmith.com
October 14, 2025 at 5:44 PM
esmesymessmith.bsky.social
I've had so many amazing moments this past week, but gold has to go to the kiddo who handed me an envelope STUFFED with their favorite scenes 💚 I'm so honored that these books mean something to people!

#sircallie
October 20, 2025 at 2:35 PM
Reposted by Esme Symes-Smith
ps9714.bsky.social
'No Kings' isn’t just a slogan. It’s a call to save #democracy before it’s too late.

No single march will bring down a dictator. But a mobilization of this scale can shift the narrative.
'No Kings' isn’t just a slogan. It’s a call to save democracy before it’s too late.
In June, millions of Americans rose up in the largest single-day mobilization in modern history. Today, we’re doing it again, but bigger.
www.msnbc.com
October 19, 2025 at 6:33 AM
Reposted by Esme Symes-Smith
alliecat06.bsky.social
Sir Callie really said NO KINGS before it all happened ⚔️

#EsmeSymesSmith #SirCallie #NoKings #SirCallieAndTheChampionsOfHelston
October 18, 2025 at 10:42 PM
esmesymessmith.bsky.social
I really miss the way B&N used to be, when I could go visit my friends' books on the New and Noteworthy. I haven't found any of them in any store I've been in this week, including Callie 4. It's so sad.
October 16, 2025 at 4:52 PM
esmesymessmith.bsky.social
My big launch day treat is releasing the very comprehensive soundtracks to all 4 books! I love soundtracks that tell a complete story, and I had so much fun creating this playlist!

esymessmith.com/2025/10/14/s...
Sir Callie and the Unofficial Soundtracks
A complete and chronological soundtrack of all four books, including character tags and scene specifics. Available on Spotify!
esymessmith.com
October 14, 2025 at 5:44 PM
esmesymessmith.bsky.social
How it started vs. How it's going
I was a kid who wanted to be a knight, fighting for equality in an unequal world.
I think I've done that 💚
October 14, 2025 at 5:19 AM
esmesymessmith.bsky.social
Four books in, and signing pre-orders never stops being THE COOLEST! I can't wait for your books to arrive!
October 14, 2025 at 12:27 AM
Reposted by Esme Symes-Smith
cartooncreaturelvr.bsky.social
I think this is pretty accurate, no?

#SirCallie #LooksLikeACinnamonRoll #meme
A modified version of the "Looks Like A Cinnamon Roll" meme, this version featuring the kids from the Sir Callie series by Esme Symes-Smith, with cropped images of each of their faces, all taken from the cover of Sir Callie and the Final Stand. The top left square reads, "Looks like a cinnamon roll, is actually a cinnamon roll," & features Willow. The top right square reads, "Looks like a cinnamon roll, could actually kill you," & features Callie. The bottom left square reads, "Looks like they could kill you, is actually a cinnamon roll," & features Edwyn. Lastly, the bottom right square reads, "Looks like they could kill you, could actually kill you," & features Elowen.
October 12, 2025 at 8:44 PM
Reposted by Esme Symes-Smith
cartooncreaturelvr.bsky.social
I am SO excited (AND SCARED)!!!

#SirCallie #meme
A modified version of the "There's Only One More Sleep 'Til Christmas" meme, from The Muppet Christmas Carol; this version is modified to be about the release of Sir Callie and the Final Stand by Esme Symes-Smith. In the first image, Kermit the Frog says, "There's only one more sleep 'til..." In the second image, it's been modified so he says, "Sir Callie and the Final Stand," with a large image of the book's cover with a golden glow around it. In the third image, Kermit the Frog stares off, & it's clarified in brackets that he's "screaming internally."
October 13, 2025 at 5:08 PM
esmesymessmith.bsky.social
⚔️ 24HRS LEFT TO GUARANTEE SWAG! ⚔️
esmesymessmith.bsky.social Esme Symes-Smith @esmesymessmith.bsky.social · Jul 5
Somehow we're little under three months away from SIR CALLIE AND THE FINAL STAND coming out (!?!?!?!)

Please purchase from your local indie if you can, and if you pre-order through The Novel Neighbor, the book will come with some ✨ Cool Swag ✨

thenovelneighbor.com/item/ZoOPMvN...
October 12, 2025 at 4:08 PM
Reposted by Esme Symes-Smith
mariekeyn.bsky.social
Clearly this isn't an easy time to have a proudly queer children's series, but at the same time that makes it more necessary than ever.

SPLINTER & ASH means so very much to me, and I'd love it if you gave it a try. Get it at your favorite local bookstore or at: bookshop.org/p/books/spli... ⚔️💙
Splinter & Ash #2: City of Secrets
Check out Splinter & Ash #2: City of Secrets - <p><strong>The second book in<em>&#160;New York Times</em>&#160;bestselling author Marieke Nijkamp&#8217;s immersive medieval fantasy trilogy! A shadowy ...
bookshop.org
October 7, 2025 at 5:41 PM
Reposted by Esme Symes-Smith
mariekeyn.bsky.social
Dusting off my account to share that SPLINTER & ASH 2: CITY OF SECRETS is out now!

This series is my love letter to the fantasy adventures that I grew up on, but with a disabled princess and a nonbinary squire taking the lead in the fight to make their wartorn kingdom kinder and fairer. 💙
Hardcover copies of SPLINTER & ASH: CITY OF SECRETS on top of paperback copies of SPLINTER & ASH. An illustrated cover, with wonderful art by Vivienne To, shows the two main characters.
October 7, 2025 at 5:25 PM
Reposted by Esme Symes-Smith
celestemoonbunny.bsky.social
First is Sir Callie by @esmesymessmith.bsky.social!
This is one of my favorite book series of all time! The lead protagonist is non-binary, and there's SO much queer and disabled rep throughout the entire series. Not to mention kids kicking bigoted butt!

bookshop.org/p/books/sir-...
Sir Callie and the Champions of Helston
Check out Sir Callie and the Champions of Helston - <b>In a magical medieval world filled with dragons, shape-shifters, and witches, a twelve-year-old nonbinary hopeful knight battles for the heart of...
bookshop.org
October 7, 2025 at 3:54 PM
esmesymessmith.bsky.social
One week to go... and she's PERFECT!
October 7, 2025 at 5:58 PM
Reposted by Esme Symes-Smith
cartooncreaturelvr.bsky.social
Here's a couple of Book 1 Callie expression doodles I did last month!

(Including a little preview of the updated Callie design I need to finish as soon as I'm done with my interpretation of Elowen!)

#FanArt #SirCallie #Doodle #Expressions #Non-binary #Non-binaryCharacter #QueerBooks
Four, traditional art, pencil doodles of Callie’s face, each with a different expression, on a solid white notecard. Callie is from the Sir Callie series by Esme Symes-Smith. From left to right, there’s a simple smiling Callie, their smile shows off a missing tooth. Next is an angry Callie with their nose wrinkled, eyes squinting, & a tense vein symbol floating above their head. Next, is a “horrified & angry” Callie with a wrinkled nose, small pupils, & no eyeshines staring downwards, & a smitten Callie with a big goofy smile & darker blush on their face, staring downwards with a heart floating above their head. A thin rectangular piece of paper sits in the middle of the drawings as a username watermark for the image, it reads, “@cartooncreaturelover.”
October 6, 2025 at 6:12 PM
Reposted by Esme Symes-Smith
cartooncreaturelvr.bsky.social
I've done it again, another fanart!

This time, it's my interpretation of Willow from Book 1 of the Sir Callie series! He turned out SO cute!!!

#FanArt #CharacterDesign #SirCallie #Genderfluid #GenderfluidCharacter #QueerBooks
A digital, fullbody, illustration of my interpretation of Willow from the Sir Callie book series by Esme Symes-Smith, more heavily based on the series’ descriptions the character. Willow is a 12 year old kid with short black hair. He has pale pink skin, dark brown eyes, a beauty mark on the left cheek, below his eye, & is wearing a black & silver-trimmed medieval tunic with a grey-pink undershirt, a black leather belt, grey pants, & dark grey leather boots. The top third of the tunic is grey with a teardrop pattern. His knuckles are noticeably bruised & roughed up. He stands in a friendly but shy manner, hugging an old leather book to his chest, looking away from the viewer with a soft smile. Willow stands against a pink background, framed by a darker pink rectangle, which is decorated with four-pointed stars, taken from the Sir Callie logo, at each corner, & triangular pointed shapes; the frame coincidentally resembles a fantasy spellbook. A cropped, close up image of Willow's face; his brown eyes, beauty-mark, the top of his tunic with the teardrop patterning, the old leather book, & his bruised knuckles are easier to see in this image.
October 2, 2025 at 5:29 PM
Reposted by Esme Symes-Smith
esmesymessmith.bsky.social
Working on a little something for launch day...
September 25, 2025 at 1:56 PM