About Samantha | Media Kit

The Quiet is Loud cover image (high-res)

Adult literary sci-fi, published in 2021 by Invisible Publishing.

Shortlisted for the 2022 Kobo Emerging Writer Prize.

The perfect marriage of literary and speculative fiction for readers of Kazuo Ishiguro and NK Jemisin.

When Freya Tanangco was ten, she dreamed of her mother’s death days before it happened. Freya’s life since has been spent in hiding: from the troubled literary legacy created by her author father, and from the scrutiny of a society that is hostile to vekers—people who, like her, have enhanced mental abilities.

When her prophetic dreams take a dangerous turn, Freya finds herself increasingly forced to sacrifice her own anonymity—and the fragile safety that comes with it—in order to protect those around her.

Interwoven with themes of Filipino Canadian and mixed-race identity, fantastical elements from Norse and Filipino mythology, and tarot card symbolism, The Quiet Is Loud is an intergenerational tale about the consequences of secrets and what happens when we refuse to let others tell our stories for us.

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“The Quiet is Loud explores the grey areas between what we say and what we conceal and the stakes of keeping one’s identity hidden… It’s a fearlessly unique book.”—Maria Cichosz, Broken Pencil

“The Quiet is Loud is a zeitgeist zirconia, a choker of sparkling speculation for Gen Z readers whose reading tastes are migrating toward adult literary spec fic. For her debut novel, Toronto writer Samantha Garner pours her curiosity into an approachable, recognizable narrative… Garner wears her spec fic, geek, and SF influences on her sleeve, and The Quiet Is Loud is a warm welcome to the more literary part of that universe.”—Understorey Magazine

“In The Quiet is Loud, Garner builds a world where dream visions, tarot readings, and the existence of the paradextrous are a natural part of day-to-day life. Written in clear-eyed prose that effortlessly weaves in Filipino and Norse mythology, The Quiet is Loud is an exciting and sensitive look into the mind of a young woman grappling with the consequences of family secrets, while also coming to terms with her unique talents. It is a powerful debut.”—Teri Vlassopoulos, author of Escape Plans

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