Shoeshine Boy & Cigarette Girl

“SHOESHINE BOY & CIGARETTE GIRL is a contemporary fairy tale that weaves perfectly the cautionary and the heartfelt, exploring themes of new love, idealism, desperation, deception, sacrifice, forgiveness, and understanding.”

— Ai Jiang, Nebula and Bram Stoker Award winner and Hugo Award finalist of A Palace Near the Wind and Linghun

“An adorable little retro-future story with lovable characters that pulls off a happy ending gift-of-the-magi twist like a rabbit out of a hat.”

— Tina Connolly, Hugo-nominated author of Ironskin

“It’s impossible not to fall in love with Shoeshine Boy’s earnest hope and Cigarette Girl’s scrappy sweetness. A charming retrofuture Toronto is the perfect backdrop for the story of this delightful couple. P.A. Cornell promises us the moon, and she definitely delivers!”

— Julia Rios, Hugo and Bram Stoker Award-winning editor

“With a tenderness reminiscent of The Little Prince, Cornell has crafted a comforting retrofuture love story that is brimming with optimism.” 

— Angela Liu, Hugo, Nebula, Ignyte, Rhysling, Locus, and Astounding Award finalist writer

“Shoeshine Boy & Cigarette Girl feels like a classic tale with a delightful sprinkling of retro space dreams. In this zingy and charming story, you can’t help but fall in love with Cigarette Girl and Shoeshine Boy and will quickly find yourself rooting for their sweet nature against the harsh realities of the world. The writing is filled with vivid descriptions that make the story pop right off the page.”

— Jesse Reid, author of Bran Finds His Feathers 

“A heartfelt story about trust, love, and the other unsaid things that light the path to our dreams; even to the moon. I read it in one sitting!”

— Eliane Boey, author of Club Contango

“A hard-worn romance that means it, the hope and commitment we need right now, from the best writer called P. Cornell.”

— Paul Cornell, author of I Walk With Monsters, the Lychford novels, and writer on Doctor Who

“Shoeshine Boy & Cigarette Girl is a delightful mashup of all those wonderful old (Depression-era) movies with a tasty SF twist as “moon”-eyed lovers pin their hopes on each other but must deal with a thorough scoundrel first. Enjoy!”

— Julie E. Czerneda, author of Imaginings and To Each This World

“P.A. Cornell is a master of her craft, with a keen eye for the most important things that make us human. Utterly engrossing and imbued with charm, this illustrated novelette of an alternate Toronto is a delight to read. It’s bound to put a smile on your face.”

— Stewart C Baker, author of The Butterfly Disjunct: And Other Stories

“Shoeshine Boy & Cigarette Girl is a charming tale of love and dreams, and how they fare against the dangers of the world. A retrofuture fable that endears and inspires in equal measure, highlighted by its detailed prose and heartfelt characters. A perfect love letter of a story for Valentines Day!”

— Harvey Hamer, Diamond Dimensions Universe author and Star Wars Insider contributor

“Shoeshine Boy & Cigarette Girl is a fun, nostalgic romp through an alternate Toronto with a laser-focused message: love conquers all.  Cornell’s prose is as clear and crisp as a mountain spring, and you’ll be rooting for her characters from page one.  With plenty of action and a bold sincerity that pervades so much of Cornell’s work, this book will leave you smiling, eager for Shoeshine Boy & Cigarette Girl’s next grand adventure.”

— Derrick Boden, Sturgeon Award finalist author featured in Lightspeed and Clarkesworld

“Set in a wonderous retrofuturistic Toronto, Shoeshine Boy & Cigarette Girl delivers an endearing—and timeless—romantic romp at a time when we need these stories most.”

— Pedro Iniguez, Bram Stoker and Elgin Award-winner, and author of Echoes and Embers: Speculative Stories

“Shoeshine Boy & Cigarette Girl is a clever modern parable that imagines an alternative Toronto and the dreamers who reside within. Full of deception and resilience, this short tale will leave its readers aching for more.”

— Nathaniel Luscombe, author of Moon Soul

“P.A. Cornell gives us a fun romantic tale set in a retrofuturistic Toronto. A story not only about fulfilled love but also of trust and care for each other. Shoeshine Boy & Cigarette Girl will leave you smiling and wishing for more happy endings.”

—Renan Bernardo, Nebula and Ignyte finalist and author of Disgraced Return of the Kap’s Needle