T. J. KLUNE

Years ago, when Shawn Speakman read The House in the Cerulean Sea, he became entranced like so many have by the wonderful imagination of T. J. Klune.

Shawn reached out to him about Grim Oak special editions. The House in the Cerulean Sea with stunning artwork by David Curtis published and is available to ship now. And on August 19, 2026, its sequel, Somewhere Beyond the Sea, will be available for pre-order.

Here is what makes these special editions beautiful art for your shelf:

  • Double-signed by author and artist
  • Foiled and embossed dust jacket
  • Bonded leather with foiled front board and spine
  • 9 full-color interiors and signature page
  • Smyth-sewn binding and sewn-in ribbon
  • Limited to 1000 copies
  • Matching numbers available

LAST SHIPPED: THE HOUSE IN THE CERULEAN SEA

WHAT'S NEXT: SOMEWHERE BEYOND THE SEA

ORDER NOW

INTERVIEW WITH T. J. KLUNE

GRIM OAK PRESS: The Grim Oak Press edition ofThe House in the Cerulean Sea is one of my favorite books that we’ve done. What do you like about it and special editions in general?

T. J. KLUNE: I love the weight of it, which might be an odd thing to say. It's heavy, which in my brain means it's perfect. You can feel the love and hard work put into it. Special editions can sometimes be hit or miss for me, but Grim Oak Press does a bang up job putting these out.

GRIM OAK PRESS: Art for Somewhere Beyond the Sea is being done right now by David Curtis. How did you come to recommend him for these Grim Oak special editions and what do you like about his art?

T. J. KLUNE: David was the original cover artist for The House in the Cerulean Sea. The higher ups at the publisher decided they wanted to go in a different direction, which happens! Luckily, we got Chris Sickles who does amazing work with all my covers. However, David's original version was never far from my thoughts, and when it came time to select an artist for this project, I knew that he'd do incredible work in bringing these editions to life--and he has. There's art in the first book of Chauncey looking like a pile of goop that might be my favorite image of him.

GRIM OAK PRESS: What book in your catalog do you think deserves the Grim Oak treatment?

T. J. KLUNE: It's not a book that has come out yet! In January 2027, I will be releasing a book called The Stars Look Like Home, which is from the point of view of a dog who is trying to find his place in the world. I think it would make for a great special edition and I can already picture how the art would look. So many dogs!!

GRIM OAK PRESS: I read on social media that you are having great fun writing. What are you currently working on right and what’s it so fun?

T. J. KLUNE: I'm currently in the process of drafting The House in the Cerulean Sea three--the third and final book in the trilogy I never expected to write. It is a sort of swan song for these characters, and I'm having a blast going on one last adventure with them. It's wild to think that it's almost been ten years since I wrote Cerulean Sea, and here I am, getting ready to say good bye. It's bittersweet, but I think this story is an absolute blast.

GRIM OAK PRESS: And since people always want to know, what are you currently reading? And what’s one book — in SF&F — you think everyone should read and why?

T. J. KLUNE: Currently, I'm reading Ghost Story by Peter Straub. For some reason, I missed this book when I was younger and going through my Stephen King phase. It's a classic for a reason, and I'm really enjoying it so far. And a book for everyone to read: Luck in the Shadows by Lynn Flewelling, which is the first book in the Nightrunner series. Published in the 90s, that book was the first time I got to see queer characters in a fantasy setting. It blew my mind and made me want to make my stories as gay as possible. I was lucky enough earlier this year to be asked to write the forward for the reissue of this series, which will be coming out at some point in the future.

INTERVIEW CONDUCTED AUGUST 3, 2026