Author Kim Spencer has released her second novel, I Won’t Feel This Way Forever, a poignant coming-of-age story set in the summer of 1989. A member of the Gitxaala Nation, Spencer draws deeply from her own life growing up on B.C.’s North Coast to tell the story of Mia, a young Indigenous girl navigating friendship, grief, and cultural reconnection.
A sequel to Spencer’s acclaimed debut Weird Rules to Follow, this new book follows Mia as she copes with the illness of her grandmother while rediscovering her love of basketball and reconnecting with her Indigenous roots through a camp at the local Friendship Centre.
“I think my hope is that Indigenous youth can feel, you know, seen and heard through their lived experience,” said Spencer in an interview with CFNR.
The book will officially launch this evening in Prince Rupert at the Chances Convention Centre and is already resonating with readers, including youth far beyond Canada. Spencer recently returned from Germany, where young readers connected deeply with her stories.
Spencer’s writing style—told in short, heartfelt vignettes—brings powerful moments of everyday life to the page, offering readers of all backgrounds a way to connect with Mia’s journey.
The author isn’t slowing down. She has two new books set for release in March 2026: a picture book titled Springtime in Kitkatla and a young adult novel, Here for a Good Time, to be published through Swiftwater, the new imprint led by David A. Robertson.
You can read more about Spencer’s earlier success and award nomination here.
Disclosure: This story involves a family connection. CFNR News reporter Sabrina Spencer is related to the author.
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