Kristy Gardner is joining us today to talk about her novel, The Stars Inside Us. Here’s the publisher’s description:
She’ll burn it to the ground…
The ashes have settled since Calay’s harrowing escape back to Earth, but the threat from the Others-and humanity itself-hasn’t. After surviving devastating losses and impossible choices, Calay drags herself to the doorstep of the one place she never wanted to return: The Resistance.
Forced to trust hidden motives and questionable loyalties, Calay intimately knows the only way they survive, is together. But as she dives deeper into alien territory, her new reality is even more alarming than she could have anticipated. A perma-winter has settled over the planet. A strange new league of mutations has emerged amongst the Others. And despite her best efforts, past decisions come back to haunt Calay-taunt her.
It doesn’t take long for her plans to go horribly wrong. Her terror is compounded when she realizes she’s not only trapped with the enemy-a group that would gladly kill her if they knew her secrets-but that she’s actually started to care for them; especially Briar, the tea-loving, open-hearted woman who makes Calay feel like home.
In these final dying days, stars collide and the darkness within ignites. The world’s future is in Calay’s hands and she must decide what’s more important: saving herself, or saving what makes us human.
Hopeful and devastating, The Stars Inside Us is the third volume in Kristy Gardner’s enthralling queer sci-fi series, The Broken Stars.
What’s Kristy’s favorite bit?
Despite the fact that I’m an introvert who prefers the peaceful (often elusive) solitude of my own company, my favourite bit of The Stars Inside Us is the cast of characters we meet at the end of the world, in this third and final chapter of Calay’s journey.
Shocking, I know.
When I first started writing The Broken Stars series, these books were born from unexpressed sadness and suppressed rage—written by a woman clawing her way out of self-abandonment and narcissistic abuse. They took root in that pain, but over time, with enough sunlight (and words), grew beyond it. And at the heart of that growth was queerness. This series is unapologetically queer—sapphic, with neurodivergent, bi, pan, and non-binary representation, and characters who are messy, flawed, and beautiful. Just like real life. But you know, with an alien apocalypse.
This third book feels different. In the first two, Calay spent much of her time isolated, grappling with her inner demons. There’s still plenty of that in The Stars Inside Us, but this time, she’s not fighting alone. A whole new community barged into her life with this book—and mine—and left a mark that changed everything.
I’d like to tell you a little bit about them.
Briar is the kind of woman who sneaks up on you, quietly powerful and deeply complex. In the book, Calay finds herself unexpectedly drawn to her—sapphic love at first sight. Briar’s got secrets, passion, and a bit of a ‘don’t mess with me’ attitude, but underneath all that? She’s got a big heart. Writing her was like peeling back layers of an onion, and every time I thought I knew her, she surprised me.
Adam–we met him in book 1. He’s not your typical “good guy,” but he’s not a bad guy either. He and Calay have this complicated, messy relationship—one minute they’re trying to save each other, the next they’re ready to tear each other apart. Trust me when I say Adam’s moral compass is as twisted as his past. But like a true survivor, he’s trying to make sense of the chaos around him, and sometimes, that means making impossible choices.
Speaking of chaos, I can’t wait for you to meet Salem. With her sharp edges and sharper wit, she’s one of those characters who just gets under your skin. She’s a survivor, like the rest of them, but her methods are… let’s just say unconventional. Calay learns that trusting Salem is like walking a tightrope—you never know if she’s going to pull you back to safety or cut the line.
Holden is one of my favourites. They’re a wildcard—chaotic energy wrapped in an intense, genius package. Holden’s the kind of person who thrives in the shadows, the one you’re not sure if you should trust or run from. But as Calay discovers, sometimes the darkest places are where you find the light.
Then there’s Callum. Loyal, steady Callum, the one you can count on when the world is falling apart. He’s not flashy; he’s not trying to be. But when it comes to protecting the people he cares about–like Adam, Callum is as fierce as they come. Writing him was about finding strength in quiet moments, in those tiny, almost invisible acts of bravery that make us who we are.
Ezra is a character who’s hard to forget. He’s also hard to like. He’s brilliant, violent, but also carries a deep sense of guilt that never quite leaves him. There’s weight in every decision, and that inner tension makes him one of the more complicated people in Calay’s orbit. Ezra’s been shaped by the losses he’s endured, but that grief fuels him in ways that catch everyone—including Calay—off guard. He’s the guy who seems to have it together on the surface, but underneath, there’s a storm brewing.
Of course, I can’t forget about Max–a reader fan-favorite. Max, the black pitty-mix with golden eyes and white paws, is more than just a furry companion—he’s a symbol of loyalty, hope, and the simple love that can exist even in the darkest times. In a world that’s falling apart, Max represents a pure, unbreakable bond. Calay’s relationship with him is one of the most heartfelt parts of the book, a reminder that sometimes, the smallest acts of love are the most powerful.
But here’s the thing: wrapping up this story was bittersweet. One of the hardest parts about writing The Stars Inside Us was saying goodbye to these characters. They’ve been with me for a short amount of a time–for a reason. A season. And maybe in my imagination, a lifetime.
As for Calay, this book is the ending she deserves. She finally finds her voice, her true power within. She’s been through hell, across the stars and back, and in these final dying days, when the world is in her hands, she must decide: save herself, or save what makes us human. Watching her come into her own and embrace who she is, flaws and all—that’s been the most rewarding part of this entire journey.
I’m forever grateful to everyone who’s stuck with me (and Calay) through this wild ride. Thanks for coming. Nine years later, here we are. The end is neigh, and I couldn’t have done it without a single one of you, or these characters. Now, let’s light ‘em up.
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BIO:
Kristy Gardner (she/her) is a bi sci-fi, fantasy, and horror writer. She is the author of the Broken Stars sci-fi series, and the award-winning cookbook, Cooking With Cocktails. Furnished with degrees in Gender Studies and Sociology, she crafts queer characters that adventure through space, time, and emotional maelstroms questioning what identity – and home – really mean. When she’s not jet-setting words on her laptop, she’s chasing stars, mountain adventures, belly laughs, curating playlists for her books, and packing her carry-on for another escape to SE Asia. She resides in Vancouver B.C. with her partner. Sign up for her monthly newsletter to get the playlists for each book at https://kristygardner.com/newsletter
