Licorice, suckers, bubblegum, melt-aways, mints... The candy became an obsession between two outcasts—one who only wanted to fit in, the other who knew she never would.

Urban legends, rumours, lies, myths, mysteries, fairy tales... Stories, in all their magical forms, bound them together.

"Satin Chocolate-Covered Chicken Bones,""Astro Pop,""Fun Dip,""Thrills"... The candy stories—outrageous, twisted, hysterical—were an escape from a harsh reality and revealed a startling truth.

Darkly lyrical, sensual, suspenseful, and disturbing, The Candy Darlings is a celebration of friendship, story, and the power of each to help you define yourself—or simply survive.

Christine Walde has been published for her poetry, fiction, and non-fiction. Recent publication credits include appearances in Vallum, Carousel, The Antigonish Review, Plath Profiles, Hunter & Cook, and Border Crossings, among others. Her first novel, The Candy Darlings, was published with Penguin Canada and Houghton Mifflin (2007). In September 2011, London's baseline press published her first chapbook, The Black Car. She lives in Victoria, British Columbia.

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