Tag: 2014 debut

Upcoming Event: YA Panel at Porter Square Books on July 17th!

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Summer might seem like a long time away, especially for those of us in the Boston area who are still surviving the coldest/snowiest winter ever. Fortunately, I’m looking forward to a July 17, when I’ll be on a YA panel with several other 2014/2015 debut authors! The details:

Young Adult Author Panel Discussion
Friday, July 17th, 7pm
Porter Square Books
Porter Square Shopping Center, 25 White Street, Cambridge, MA 02140
Join YA authors Susan Adrian, Jen Brooks, Annie Cardi, MarcyKate Connolly, Trisha Leaver, Rachel Shane for a panel discussion, moderated by YA author Mackenzie Lee, as they talk about reading, writing, and the debut experience.

Porter Square Books is where I had the launch party for The Chance You Won’t Return and I’m so excited to be back there with a bunch of other lovely debut authors. Mark your calendars!

A Primer for a YA Author in Her Debut Year

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This time last year, I was gearing up for my year as a debut author. The Chance You Won’t Return came out in April, and 2014 has been the most amazing, scary, exciting, stressful, awesome year ever. For all the debut authors gearing up for their debut years in 2015 and beyond, I’ve put together a list of things that will probably happen around their book launch:

You will hold your ARC for the first time and realize that your book is actually going to be out in the world.

You will think, “This book is so great. Surely it will win all the awards.”

You will think, “This is the worst book ever and no one should ever see it.”

You will make bookmarks/postcards/bracelets/magnets/buttons and wonder if you really need bookmarks/postcards/bracelets/magnets/buttons.

You will connect with other debut authors and bond over the stress and awesomeness of writing and marketing and life.

You will sign up for Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, Pinterest, Youtube, etc. You will maybe only use one or two of those platforms regularly.

You will get a great review that shows your book really connected with a reader.

You will get an awful review by someone who didn’t get the book at all.

You will get an awful review that makes thoughtful criticisms. You’ll think, “Yeah, that’s fair.”

You will look at your Goodreads/Amazon/etc. reviews way more often than you tell people you do.

You will go into a bookstore and see your book on the shelves with all of your friends’ books. You will not believe your book is actually on a shelf for readers you don’t even know to find.

You will go into a bookstore and your book and your friends’ books will not be there.

You will do readings and panels and lots of people will come to see you.

You will do readings and panels and only one or two people will come to see you, and those one or two people will be people you already know.

You will read your fellow debut authors’ books and think “Oh my gosh, maybe someone I know is going to win the Printz/Morris/Newbery/etc.” You will be so proud of your friends for their talent and hard work.

You will read bad reviews for your fellow debut authors’ books and think “Are you kidding me, that was the best book ever!” and get even more incensed than when you read bad reviews for your own book.

You will sign your book for the first time.

Your friends will share pictures of your book at bookstores, in libraries, on their bookshelves.

People will ask, “When are you going on your book tour?”

People will ask, “So, how’s the book selling?” You will resist the urge to ask about their salary.

You will worry about how your book is selling.

You will worry about being on lists or being named for awards or getting starred reviews. You will see friends get named to lists or awards or starred reviews and wonder if there’s something you’re doing wrong. (There’s not.)

You will Google yourself. A lot.

You will see that people you’ve never met before are reading your book.

You will introduce yourself as a writer, and when people ask what you’ve written, you can finally tell them the title and say it’s now available at their favorite bookseller’s.

You will stress out about your follow-up book and wonder if you should give up writing for something less stressful, like juggling flaming swords.

You will write your follow-up book (and the one after that and the one after that) because no matter what happens, this is way better than any other job.

You will meet some of the greatest people in the world and wonder how you ever lived without them.

Sometimes you will have to remind yourself that, no matter what, you have a book in the world. You made it. And no matter how the rest of your career goes, no one can ever take that away from you.

But really, you will know that this is only the beginning.

Happy 2015 and beyond, writers!

Ten Reasons Why You Should Read…Beware the Wild by Natalie C. Parker

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I was first introduced to Natalie Parker’s Beware the Wild at the Fourteenery retreat in 2013. It was so good, we made her read the first and second chapters. So I’d been looking forward to this one for a while, and it was so awesome. Here are a few of my reasons why you should read Beware the Wild.

1. Sterling
Beware the Wild reminded me of a classic Grimms’ fairy tale in that it was about one girl on a quest, fighting the forces of darkness to save her brother. Like any good fairy tale heroine, Sterling is brave and determined and clever. But Sterling is also a normal girl in so many ways–she’s sensitive and scared and funny and doubts herself. She’s a phenomenal protagonist and I loved getting to join her on this adventure.

2. The Swamp
Sterling lives at the edge of the swamp, which is the center of all sorts of creepy local legends and magical activity. At the beginning of the novel, Phin has disappeared into the swamp, which has already claimed the lives of other Sticks residents throughout history. I loved the swamp as a magical and scary setting, and getting to hear snippets of other swamp folklore.

3. Lenora May
One of the swamp’s creepy elements–Lenora May, who appears after Phin has disappeared and takes over his life for everyone except Sterling. Lenora May is a wonderfully complex villain/sister, and I spent the whole book wondering if I should be afraid of her or trust her.

4. Phin
Even though Phin has disappeared into the swamp at the beginning of the novel, we get a sense of him as a brother through Sterling’s memories. I loved getting a sense of his strength and loyalty and fear, and learning about why he felt he had to escape.

5. Family
Obviously in a book about a sister trying to rescue her brother, family is a big deal. But even outside of Sterling and Phin’s relationship, family is a big part of Beware the Wild. I won’t spoil anything here, but I loved Natalie’s exploration of families’ particular traumas and secrets and griefs and how they can rebuild.

6. Southern Gothic
Beware the Wild feels like a book that could only be set in the American South. Between the swamp magic and lore and towns filled with secrets and wild characters, it’s a novel that fits right into the Southern Gothic tradition.

7. Heath
Sterling and Heath have one of my favorite romances in 2014 YA debuts. They find each other through their losses and support each other in the belief that their loved ones exist. Their relationship feels so grounded in not just attraction, but also mutual respect and support.

8. Sticks
At the end of Beware the Wild the book, I really wanted a Beware the Wild movie and spin-off TV series. The world Natalie’s created, from the swamp to the high school to Sterling’s family to the Clary store, the town of Sticks feels so real and expansive and I want to dive into it even more. Home becomes a big theme in the book, and I think part of that is because the sense of place is so alive in this book, even beyond the swamp.

9. Shine
The Shine is the magic of the swamp that can give power and/or destroy people. It feels timeless, almost a force of nature, in that way that I love magic in books to feel. It’s a force that needs to be respected and can’t exactly be understood, and lends a mystical and unsettling air to the book.

10. Natalie is the best
Most of my emails to Natalie over the last year or two have included the phrase “You’re the best!” Because Natalie C. Parker is truly the best. She puts together the most amazing retreats and organizes projects like the Hanging Garden. She’s thoughtful and kind and an enthusiastic supporter of her fellow writers. She’s definitely the kind of writer and person you want to know.

Beware the Wild is now available, so make sure to get your copy today!

Ten Reasons Why You Should Read…No Place to Fall by Jaye Robin Brown

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I was so glad to get No Place to Fall in the mail. Obviously I’m a big fan of contemporary realistic YA, and I have a special place in my heart for books about a) small town life, and b) the South. No Place to Fall had that perfect small town, Southern atmosphere that I was hoping for, and so much more. Here are a few of my reasons why you should read No Place to Fall:

1. Amber
The entire time I was reading No Place to Fall, I kept picturing Tyra Collete from Friday Night Lights. If you’re an FNL fan, you already know this means lots of feels. For those who haven’t yet experience FNL (seriously, go to Netflix now), that basically means Amber is a complicated character filled with lots of heart and lots of doubt and lots of strength and lots of sass and lots of pain and lots of awesomeness.

2. Mama and Daddy
A part of No Place to Fall that I didn’t expect based on the general blurb but ended up loving–Amber’s parents and their relationship. They’re facing their own relationship trouble and come across as very real characters. Even though it would be easy to put the blame on one party or another, they come across as real people with real problems, and I love how Amber loves both of her parents, sometimes in spite of herself. Also really want a warm hug from Mama.

3. Whitney and Sammy
Amber’s sister, Whitney, and Whitney’s boyfriend, Sammy, provide another unexpected dose of real life. Sammy’s involved in drugs, which means Whitney is, too, and trouble for Amber’s family. But even Sammy isn’t a mustache-twirling villain. He and Whitney are people who have made some bad choices, but are very real people caught in a cycle of drugs and crime in a small town.

4. Music
Music is a big part of No Place to Fall. I loved getting a sense of Amber finds escape through song, from folk tunes to country to classical to church hymns.

5. Church
Religion is a big part of lots of teens’ lives, but I don’t encounter a lot of it in YA novels. I liked seeing church and religion as a presence in Amber’s life, which felt like another real touch in a small, rural town. It was also nice to see church not as a particular plot point (aside from Amber’s musical connections there), but as part of her life.

6. Romance (and more)
A classic recipe for romance: one guy + one girl + music = romance. No Place to Fall has lots of that, plus some real-life heat for Amber. I like that she lets herself be physical, and that the book never shames her for it, even when she makes some less than wise choices. Again, another detail that made her feel like a real teen.

7. Small towns
No Place to Fall feels like the kind of book that needs to be set in a small town. Amber is very aware of what people think of her, of her family, and how deeply she’s tied to the place she lives–both in bad and good ways. One thing that made No Place to Fall stand apart was that aspect of bad and good. Small town life isn’t just something to run away from here. Amber may have bigger things in front of her, but she can’t deny her home.

8. Friends
Amber’s world is also populated by a circle of friends, including best friend Devon, who’s dealing with being a gay teen in a small town, and the other two Ambers in her high school, one of whom is a popular, pretty cheerleader and actually nice! (So glad not to see mean girl cheerleader stereotypes.) It feels like Amber has a wide circle of people she cares about, which felt like a real teen’s friendships. Not everyone has just one best friend!

9. Southern living
No Place to Fall also feels very routed in the South. Amber lives along the Appalachian Trail, where she meets hikers and feels music in the mountains. She’s a character who’s very much a part of where she lives and, although part of that is about small town life (as mentioned above), I don’t think Amber would be the same girl living in a small town in Vermont or Minnesota.

10. Jaye Robin Brown
Jaye is a fellow OneFour Kidlit author and all-around delightful person. In addition to writing YA novels with a lot of feels, she’s also an art teacher, which means that if you follow her on Twitter or Instagram, you get lots of pictures of cool artwork.

No Place to Fall is available on December 9th, so put it on your pre-order list now!

You’re the Only Ten I See: a YA/MG Tennessee Retreat Recap

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Despite my blog silence over the last couple of weeks, I’ve returned from the 2013/14/15 writer retreat in Tennessee. I got to see some awesome writers I’d previously met, give major hugs to writers I’d only met online, and befriend new writers I didn’t know as well. A few highlights:

We stayed at a lodge in the Smoky Mountains, and the view from the porch was amazing!

I got to room with some pretty awesome people (and yes, we did watch “Hush” from Buffy while packing up on the last night):

We didn’t exactly go hungry, thanks to lots of great cooks and bakers:

There may or may not have been a dance party.

Two words: swag table:

Getting to hang out with YA/MG writers I love and admire.

And, of course, getting lots of writing done.

Special thanks to the amazing Natalie Parker for putting this all together! What an awesome time to share thoughts and have fun with some fantastic writers.

Getting Ready for the OneFour Retreat: a Gif Interpretation

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Next week, I’ll be in Tennessee with about forty other 2014 (and 2013 and 2015) debut authors, writing and talking our experiences as debut YA/kidlit authors and hot-tubbing and eating/drinking lots of tastiness and probably hugging a lot. This retreat has been in the works for a while now, and I can’t believe it’s almost here!

My preparation list includes packing, making sure I have all my flight info, and trying to decide what book to bring on the plane. But of course, the only real way to prepare is with gifs.

Trying to pack:
On the flight to TN:

‘Meeting’ people at first:

But then after like five minutes:

Fangirling over everyone’s books:

Talking about our career paths:

Productive writing thing:

When someone puts on the good music:
Sharing bookish gossip:
Feeling all the YA/MG love:

Remembering we have to go home eventually:

 

Post-retreat:
Can’t wait to see all those wonderful writers in a few days!

Ten Reasons Why You Should Read…The Fire Wish by Amber Lough

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I’m a sucker for YA novels that are inspired by fairy tales or folklore or mythology. Give me an old tale with a new twist and I’m there. And tales that deviate from the standard Disney princess category? Even cooler. The Fire Wish by Amber Lough involves a world of jinni and princesses and mistaken identity and it is awesome! Here are a few of my reasons why you should read The Fire Wish.

1. Najwa
Najwa’s a jinn training to be a spy–basically all worlds that are already awesome. But I also love how Najwa is sensitive and thoughtful, even when she swaps bodies with a human and has to conceal her identity to protect herself, the jinni universe, and the humans around her.

2. Zayele
In a novel with two points of view, you’d think it would be easy to forget which narrator is which. But as much as I loved Najwa, I also loved reading Zayele’s chapters. Even though she’s the human side of the story, Zayele is bold and fierce and strong, and has a deep love for her family. She makes mistakes and acts desperately at times, but her flaws round her out nicely as a character.

3. Rahela
And speaking of Zayele’s family, Rahela was a character I didn’t expect much from but I ended up loving her, too! She joins Zayele on her journey to the palace in Baghdad, and becomes a source of comfort and friendship for Najwa. Friend characters in YA without any personality irk me, and it was so refreshing to see Rahela come to life as her own character, with her own quiet strength.

4. I wish…
When you think ‘jinni,’ you probably think wishes, right? I love how Amber weaved in the classic combination of jinni and wishes into a source of mythic power and magic for this different race of people. (I love their origin story!)

5. Romance
I like my folktale adaptations with a healthy dose of romance, and The Fire Wish delivers with not one, but two adorable love interests. Swoons, guys.

6. Family
Okay, so I like complicated family situations in novels. But it was so heartwarming/heartbreaking to read about Zayele’s devotion to and guilt for her younger brother, Yashar. Also loved seeing both Zayele and Najwa’s complicated relationships with their respective parents, and what kind of expectations are placed on them as daughters. Even though there’s so much awesomeness from magic and worldbuilding here, it’s so nice to see the grounding of things like family and all that implies.

7. Cultures and history
While I love fairy tale retellings, many of them are based on European stories. It’s so refreshing to see a novel based on Middle Eastern mythology. Beyond that, Amber weaves in cultural history and social norms for characters like Zayele–she wears a hijab, prays to Allah, and generally feels like a Middle Eastern girl growing up near Baghdad centuries ago. Similarly, also cool to see a handsome prince character who isn’t white. These kinds of things matter to teen readers who don’t usually get to see characters like themselves in novels, much less exciting novels about magic and spies.

8. Page-turning
And speaking of exciting novels, this is one I couldn’t put down–danger at every turn, mistaken identity, war brewing, villains plotting, new love threatened!

9. Writing
In a novel with magic and spies and war, you’d think the writing would be adequate at best. Not so! Amber’s writing is so well crafted and lovely and connects so well with all her characters without losing any of that aforementioned action and excitement. (Seriously, Amber, are you a jinn?) I kept reading and thinking, “Oh, man, what a perfect way to put that.”

10. Amber Lough, Made of Awesome
Amber Lough is a fellow Fourteenery member, and I’m constantly in awe of her intelligence and kindness and talent and strength. She’s a master of languages, has served in the military, and writes awesome books. Keep an eye on her, folks.

The Fire Wish is now available, so go check it out at your local bookstore!

Come Find Me at Buttonwood Books Tomorrow Night!

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Tomorrow I’ll be at Buttonwood Books in Cohasset, MA (just outside of Boston) for a panel and signing with my fellow 2014 debut YA author the lovely Skylar Dorset!

Come for the discussion about YA writing, stay for the signing and smiles.

The details:

YA Author Panel and Signing
August 13, 7pm at Buttonwood Books
747 CJC HWY RTE 3A
Cohasset, MA 02025

The weather is supposed to be kind of gross, but hopefully by 7pm things will have calmed down. And what better way to spend a rainy day than by hitting up a local bookstore?

Ten Reasons Why You Should Read…Otherbound by Corinne Duyvis

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Otherbound by Corinne Duyvis is book that crosses genre, juggles POVs, and deals with everything from romance to curses to questions of identity. And it all comes together beautifully, with all the feels and thoughtfulness a reader could hope for. Here are a few of my reasons why you should read Otherbound:

1. Nolan
To put it mildly, Nolan’s going through a tough time. He’s been flashing to a fantasy world whenever his eyes are shut, and to everyone around him, it looks like he’s having seizures and hallucinations. Despite the pressure he’s under in both worlds, Nolan is a sensitive person who deeply cares about other people. He’s a character you can’t help but rooting for.

2. Amara
Similarly, Amara’s under a lot of pressure (trying to keep a princess’s magical curse at bay, having Nolan live inside of her, etc.). It’s hard enough to craft one layered main character, but Corinne’s managed to create two. Amara is brave and conflicted and passionate, and easily feels like a classic fantasy heroine.

3. Identity
With two main characters merged together in one body, Corinne brings up interesting questions about what it means to truly exist and own your body, and what kind of control we have over our own lives.

4. Family
Big feels for Nolan’s family. I love that they so obviously care about Nolan and are worried about him, and want to try to help him however they can (even if they have no idea what’s really going on). Pat, Nolan’s sister, is a phenomenal minor character. (Seriously, all the feels.)

5. Big Bads
There are a couple of super creepy, intense moments. Don’t want to spoil anything here, but oh my gosh, stakes get raised on both sides of reality. And even then, I liked seeing how the ‘villains’ and challengers were developed; they were all trying to find some kind of peace, even if it came at another’s expense.

6. Signs
I took ASL in college, so I have major respect for signing as a language. It was really cool to see sign incorporated here as Amara’s method of communication, without it necessarily being a story about a signing experience.

7. Medical Alert
Nolan is dealing with seizures that take him into Amara’s world, and Corinne includes the reality of that kind of situation–the danger of having a seizure, the difficulty of trying to find medication to help, how expensive working with doctors and medications can be.

8. Chases and Escapes
Along with excellent character development and concepts of self, Otherbound includes some good old fashioned excitement. Amara and Cilla are on the run from people trying to kill them and, on yeah, there’s a deadly curse to worry about. Nolan has a hard enough time as it is in the real world without having to deal with stuff like the lines of worlds blurring.

9. Diversity
Otherbound features a wonderfully diverse cast of characters. Obviously Nolan’s dealing with seizures, but he also has a prosthetic leg and is Latino. Amara signs, and is also a WOC and loves a man and a woman (and both relationships feel genuine). None of these features become an “issue” (as in old-school after-school-special “issues”) and are instead just the way these characters exist in the world–which is how it should be.

10. Corinne Duyvis Is Probably a Superhero
If I were going to invent a superhero, it would probably be pretty much exactly like Corinne. She lives in Holland; she writes awesome books and makes awesome art; she’s extremely active in speaking out for diversity in children’s/YA literature (see Disability in Kidlit); and she currently has pink hair. I’m so glad to have gotten to know Corinne through the Fourteenery, and I’m psyched that now readers are getting to know her, too.

Otherbound is now available in all kinds of stores, so go pick it up!

Ten Reasons Why You Should Read…Hexed by Michelle Krys

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I grew up in the era of Buffy and Charmed and stories about paranormal worlds and girls with superpowers, so of course I was excited to read Hexed by Michelle Krys. Needless to say, it’s just as fun and thrilling as I hoped. Here are a few of my reasons you should read Hexed:

1. Banter
Okay, in a book about witches and sorcerers, the banter is at the top of this list? Yeah, that’s right–Michelle’s writing and her character’s voices had me laughing and giving mental high fives the whole way through. Indie’s narration and the dialogue of all the characters gives Hexed such a fun, fresh tone.

2. Magical Factions
Let’s be real–the magical powers side is pretty awesome, too. I love how Michelle sets up the Family vs. the Priory, and how Indie is stuck in the middle of these warring factions because of her family’s Witch Hunter’s Bible. She sets up this world well, and I’m excited to see more of how these sides work and fight–and what they want from Indie.

3. Indie, Unlikely Hero
So often through Hexed I kept thinking of very early Buffy–the Buffy who wanted to be popular and a cheerleader and could the vampires just quit it for one night? But also the Buffy who didn’t put up with crap and was funny and clever and was gonna kick ass. I think readers are going to have a similar connection with Indie, who’s smart and sassy, but maybe not your initial idea of a magical heroine.

4. Paige
Paige was such a delightful addition to the story! She seems like the awkward friend character from TV, but grows into so much more–she’s smart and confident in her own way, and a wonderfully loyal friend to Indie during a totally unstable time. Another example of how Michelle plays with some tropes and makes them into complex, lovable characters.

5. That One Moment That Literally Made Me Jump
No, I’m not going to say what it is. But seriously–jumped in my chair. I had to read the paragraph over again to make sure I got it right because WHAT OH MY LORD HOW COULD THIS HAPPEN?

6. Stakes–and No, I Don’t Mean Vampires
Yeah, the stakes are pretty high in Hexed. (Like in that one moment above.) Michelle doesn’t pull any punches in her narrative, which I really appreciate. So often I read and think “Oh, this person won’t really get hurt because we’re only about halfway through the book.” Um, no. The Priory and the Family are out for their own interests and they don’t care who’s caught in the crossfire.

7. Twists and Turns
Outside of that one moment, lots of other great twists and turns throughout. It makes for a really fun, dynamic reading experience, and makes me think Michelle should be the head writer for a TV show.

8. Humor
Fortunately, with all these dramatic twists and turns, there are also a lot of hilarious comments and funny moments. It helps keep the novel fresh and light, even when seriously bad things are happening to the characters.

9. Cliffhangers
So I’m really glad that the sequel comes out next year, because Michelle gives readers some major cliffhangers. I need to know what happens next, Krys!!!

10. Michelle Krys, Magically Delightful
I’ve gotten to know Michelle through the OneFours, and she’s lovely and funny and supportive of her fellow writers. I’m really excited to see Michelle’s career know and see readers get to know her for the wonderful person she si.

Hexed is out now, so pick up your copy today!