Last Friday we hauled ourselves into Ponsonby to celebrate the launch of local indie author Cat Sirota’s second book, Embracing Light - the final book in her Binary Souls Duology. And honestly? What a bloody night. 

We sold out of books. On the night. Pure magic. I’m still not over it.
And somehow, after all that excitement, we ended up dancing like unhinged gremlins at a wedding. (No regrets. Maybe one. But we don’t talk about that one.)

Also, yes, I did in fact take another tequila shot to settle the nerves before talking in front of 60+ book lovers. Public speaking is terrifying; tequila is not. Simple math.

One of my favourite parts of the whole night was talking to so many of you. Every conversation reminded me why The Grimoire exists and why supporting NZ authors matters so damn much. This community? Absolutely unreal. I would’ve happily stayed chatting even longer - there was just so much going on and so many people I wanted to talk to - and I loved every second of it.

The event itself was hosted at Broken Lantern Bar in Ponsonby, which turned out to be the perfect spot for a fantasy launch: cosy, atmospheric, and full of energy. Guests enjoyed a live reading from Cat, signed copies, photos and chats, a character-inspired cocktail for each attendee, exclusive goodie bags, and yes, even a discounted bar tab. It was the right kind of chaotic; bookish, warm, and a little bit feral in the best way.

And because this is technically a bookish blog: Embracing Light continues Cat’s dark fantasy world of witches, fae, morally grey chaos, and magic with sharp teeth. It’s the second and final book in the Binary Souls Duology, which I know a lot of you appreciate - nothing like the satisfaction of a complete story in two books.

Supporting NZ indie authors is a huge part of what we do at The Grim. There’s something genuinely special about seeing local talent celebrated, watching readers show up for them, and being part of a night that feels bigger than just a launch. Moments like this make the stress, the planning, and the tequila-fuelled panic absolutely worth it.

If you were there, thank you. You made the night what it was.
If you weren’t, don’t worry, there will be more chaos to come. And probably more tequila.

And if you haven’t grabbed your copy of Embracing Light yet… well. You already know what you need to do.