Short Bio

Abbie Harlow received her MFA in Creative Writing (Writing for Young People track) from Lesley University in 2019, and her bachelor’s degree from Brigham Young University in 2016. Her debut young adult novel, THE BUTTERFLY’S STING, which was her thesis project at Lesley, will be published by Groundwood Books on October 7, 2025. She is represented by Ammi-Joan Paquette of the Erin Murphy Literary Agency.

Long Bio

TBD

Cover for The Butterfly's Sting, young adult debut novel by Abbie Harlow. Orange and black cover featuring teenage girl boxer

The Butterfly’s Sting

Abbie Harlow’s debut young adult novel

Publication information: To be published October 7, 2025 by Groundwood Books. Available wherever books are sold.

Tagline: For Bo and her siblings, the underground fight club may finally provide escape from life with an abusive uncle―but only if she can win.

Full Description: Never again. That’s what seventeen-year-old Bo Clark has promised her two younger siblings ever since they were put in separate foster homes―a situation that nearly turned deadly for her little brother, and that they have vowed never to repeat. Bo will do anything to keep that promise. Even if it means enduring the abuse of Uncle Jack, their new guardian. When Jack discovers that Bo has a talent for boxing, he signs her up for an underground fight club tournament, which could bring in enough money for her to move out with her siblings as soon as she turns eighteen.

But the ring is a brutal place, and when Bo’s cutman is arrested, Jack is forced to bring a new one onto the team. Liam turns out to be a schoolmate of Bo’s, and even as the two of them grow closer, she worries that he will go to the authorities if he ever finds out Jack is hurting her.

As Bo makes her way closer to the big prize, Jack starts to set his sights beyond the tournament, and in an explosive finale, the violence moves outside the ring, putting everything Bo loves at risk.