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Young Adult Fiction, YA Book Giveaways, Advice from Young Adult Authors, Plus Writing Tips, Publishing Information, and Insider Tidbits
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Our February workshop opens today at noon, EST. We'll take the first five Middle Grade, Young Adult, or New Adult entries that meet all guidelines and formatting requirements. Click here to get the rules. I will post when it opens and closes on Adventures in YA Publishing and on twitter (@etcashman), with the hashtag #1st5pages. In addition to our wonderful permanent mentors, we have author Brian Katcher and agent Christa Heschke!
So get those pages ready - we usually fill up in under a minute!
February Guest Mentor – BRIAN KATCHER
Brian, a Stonewall Book Award-winning author, is the author of THE IMPROBABLE THEORY OF ANA AND ZAK, ALMOST PERFECT, EVERYONE DIES IN THE END, and PLAYING WITH MATCHES. Brian’s worked as a fry cook, a market researcher, a welding machine operator, a telemarketer (only lasted one day), and a furniture mover. He lived on an Israeli military base one summer, and once smuggled food into Cuba. When he’s not writing, he works as a school librarian. He lives in central Missouri with his wife and daughter.
THE IMPROBABLE THEORY OF ANA AND ZAK
The Improbable Theory of Ana and Zak is Stonewall Book Award-winning author Brian Katcher’s hilarious he said/she said romance about two teens recovering from heartbreak and discovering themselves on an out-of-this-world accidental first date.
It all begins when Ana Watson's little brother, Clayton, secretly ditches the quiz bowl semifinals to go to the Washingcon sci-fi convention on what should have been a normal, résumé-building school trip.If slacker Zak Duquette hadn't talked up the geek fan fest so much, maybe Clayton wouldn't have broken nearly every school rule or jeopardized Ana’s last shot at freedom from her uptight parents.
Now, teaming up with Duquette is the only way for Ana to chase down Clayton in the sea of orcs, zombies, bikini-clad princesses, Trekkies, and Smurfs. After all, one does not simply walk into Washingcon.
But in spite of Zak's devil-may-care attitude, he has his own reasons for being as lost as Ana-and Ana may have more in common with him than she thinks. Ana and Zak certainly don’t expect the long crazy night, which begins as a nerdfighter manhunt, to transform into so much more…
Purchase it at your local bookstore, or
online. And add it to your shelf on
Goodreads!February Guest Agent –
CHRISTA HESCHKE
Christa started in publishing as an intern at both Writers House and Sterling Lord Literistic, where she fell in love with the agency side of publishing. Christa has been at McIntosh and Otis, Inc. in the Children's Literature Department since 2009 where she is actively acquiring for all age groups in children’s. For YA, she is especially interested in contemporary fiction, thriller/mystery, and horror. She is always on the lookout for a compelling voice combined with a strong, specific hook that will set a YA novel apart in its genre and the flooded market. She is open to all types of middle grade and especially enjoys adventure, mystery, and magical realism, whether in a voice that is more light and humorous or one with more of a timeless, literary feel. For both YA and MG, she is particularly interested in unique settings and cultural influences, interesting storytelling structure, complicated romances, diverse characters, sister or friendship-centric stories, and stories that feature artists of any kind.
We're excited to have Lisa Maxwell join us to talk about her latest novel UNHOOKED.
Lisa, how long did you work on UNHOOKED?UNHOOKED was a long time coming. The book started as my 2011 NaNoWriMo project, but when I was done, it was a hot mess. I revised it for almost a year before I queried it, and then it went through a round of revisions and two agents before it went on submission. After the first round of submissions didn’t pan out (no pun intended), I revised the book again, changing it from past tense to present tense. That was back in 2012. So I’ve been working on one version of this or another for over four years, and I’ve gone through two agents and countless revisions for this book, so I’m so excited my characters finally are making their way out into the world.
What is your favorite thing about UNHOOKED?My favorite thing about UNHOOKED is the way I’ve gone back to the source text and revived the darker aspects of it. When I was re-reading Peter and Wendy, there was one line that really struck me, that Peter would “thin” the lost boys out when they got too old or too plentiful and that “I never remember them after I kill them.” Those lines certainly didn’t speak to any Disneyfied version of Neverland, and I wanted to bring that sense of danger back to the story. In my Neverland, Pan doesn’t remember those he’s killed, because memory isn’t something that lasts in Neverland. The erosion of memory is one of the most dangerous parts of my story, and it’s something I took from the original story itself. In Barrie’s original tale, it made Neverland a fantastical adventure, but also a dangerous place, and I hope it does the same for mine as well.
Oh, and my pirate… I can have two favorite things, right? ;O)
What are you working on now?I’m currently working on my 2017 book, which is untitled at this point. I’ve pitched it as Gangs of New York with Magic. But there’s some time travel involved too, and I’m really excited about how it’s coming together.
ABOUT THE BOOK
Unhookedby Lisa MaxwellHardcoverSimon PulseReleased 2/2/2016For as long as she can remember, Gwendolyn Allister has never had a place to call home—all because her mother believes that monsters are hunting them. Now these delusions have brought them to London, far from the life Gwen had finally started to build for herself. The only saving grace is her best friend, Olivia, who’s coming with them for the summer.
But when Gwen and Olivia are kidnapped by shadowy creatures and taken to a world of flesh-eating sea hags and dangerous Fey, Gwen realizes her mom might have been sane all along.
The world Gwen finds herself in is called Neverland, yet it’s nothing like the stories. Here, good and evil lose their meaning and memories slip like water through her fingers. As Gwen struggles to remember where she came from and find a way home, she must choose between trusting the charming fairy-tale hero who says all the right things and the roguish young pirate who promises to keep her safe.
With time running out and her enemies closing in, Gwen is forced to face the truths she’s been hiding from all along. But will she be able to save Neverland without losing herself?
Purchase Unhooked at AmazonPurchase Unhooked at IndieBoundView Unhooked on GoodreadsABOUT THE AUTHOR
Lisa Maxwell is the author of Sweet Unrest, Gathering Deep, and Unhooked (Simon Pulse, 2-2-16). When she's not writing books, she's an English professor at a local college. She lives near DC with her very patient husband and two not-so patient boys.
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Have you had a chance to read UNHOOKED yet? Have you stuck with a novel through years of revision? Are you surprised by the darker tones of some of the original pre-Disney stories? Share your thoughts about the interview in the comments!
Happy reading,
Jocelyn, Shelly, Martina, Erin, Susan, Sam, Lindsey, Sarah, Sandra, Kristin, and Anisaa
If you've ever read one of our own Martina Boone's books, you know that she rocks emotion. So, who better to listen to if you're seeking to add more emotional depth to your writing. We're revisiting one of Martina's old craft posts today that will help you do just that. Read how Martina will take you from bland writing to something deeper...even with zombies!
Writing Deeper: A Craft of Writing Post by Martina Boone
"Beware of clichés. Not just the clichés that Martin Amis is at war with. There are clichés of response as well as expression. There are clichés of observation and of thought – even of conception. Many novels, even quite a few adequately written ones, are clichés of form which conform to clichés of expectation." ~ Geoff Dyer
Books are about what happens and why. But what keeps us turning pages is our desire, our need, to know how the protagonist feels about it and how those emotions will make her respond.
Think back to when you were a kid. What books kept you up with a flashlight under the covers? What books lately have kept your heart racing long after hubby was snoring happily beside you? Chances are, it wasn’t just high-action and shoot-em-ups. For me, at least, that compulsion to find out what comes next isn't the result of chases or explosions, it comes more from emotional resonance, from an MC whose response is honest and prompts her to make decisions that lead to new complications and new decisions. That’s when I fall in love. THAT'S when I connect.
Read more »
Our February workshop will open for entries on Saturday, February 6 at noon, EST. We'll take the first five Middle Grade, Young Adult, or New Adult entries that meet all guidelines and formatting requirements. Click here to get the rules. I will post when it opens and closes on Adventures in YA Publishing and on twitter (@etcashman), with the hashtag #1st5pages. In addition to our wonderful permanent mentors, we have author Brian Katcher and agent Christa Heschke!
February Guest Mentor – BRIAN KATCHER
Brian, a Stonewall Book Award-winning author, is the author of THE IMPROBABLE THEORY OF ANA AND ZAK, ALMOST PERFECT, EVERYONE DIES IN THE END, and PLAYING WITH MATCHES. Brian’s worked as a fry cook, a market researcher, a welding machine operator, a telemarketer (only lasted one day), and a furniture mover. He lived on an Israeli military base one summer, and once smuggled food into Cuba. When he’s not writing, he works as a school librarian. He lives in central Missouri with his wife and daughter.
THE IMPROBABLE THEORY OF ANA AND ZAK
The Improbable Theory of Ana and Zak is Stonewall Book Award-winning author Brian Katcher’s hilarious he said/she said romance about two teens recovering from heartbreak and discovering themselves on an out-of-this-world accidental first date.
It all begins when Ana Watson's little brother, Clayton, secretly ditches the quiz bowl semifinals to go to the Washingcon sci-fi convention on what should have been a normal, résumé-building school trip.If slacker Zak Duquette hadn't talked up the geek fan fest so much, maybe Clayton wouldn't have broken nearly every school rule or jeopardized Ana’s last shot at freedom from her uptight parents.
Now, teaming up with Duquette is the only way for Ana to chase down Clayton in the sea of orcs, zombies, bikini-clad princesses, Trekkies, and Smurfs. After all, one does not simply walk into Washingcon.
But in spite of Zak's devil-may-care attitude, he has his own reasons for being as lost as Ana-and Ana may have more in common with him than she thinks. Ana and Zak certainly don’t expect the long crazy night, which begins as a nerdfighter manhunt, to transform into so much more…
Purchase it at your local bookstore, or
online. And add it to your shelf on
Goodreads!February Guest Agent –
CHRISTA HESCHKE
Christa started in publishing as an intern at both Writers House and Sterling Lord Literistic, where she fell in love with the agency side of publishing. Christa has been at McIntosh and Otis, Inc. in the Children's Literature Department since 2009 where she is actively acquiring for all age groups in children’s. For YA, she is especially interested in contemporary fiction, thriller/mystery, and horror. She is always on the lookout for a compelling voice combined with a strong, specific hook that will set a YA novel apart in its genre and the flooded market. She is open to all types of middle grade and especially enjoys adventure, mystery, and magical realism, whether in a voice that is more light and humorous or one with more of a timeless, literary feel. For both YA and MG, she is particularly interested in unique settings and cultural influences, interesting storytelling structure, complicated romances, diverse characters, sister or friendship-centric stories, and stories that feature artists of any kind.
Time for your second chance!
Our Red Light/Green Light Contest, judged by lovely literary agent Patricia Nelson of
Marsal Lyon Literary is now open to take the next 25 submissions!
This submission window will remain open until we've filled all 50 contestant slots plus some additional alternate spots in case of disqualifications.
If you'd like to review the contest rules and format, go
HERE.
Ready to enter? Go HERE NOW! ALL YOU NEED IS THE FIRST TWO SENTENCES of your MG or YA Novel for this round.
Here's the link again:
http://martinaboone.com/contests/index.asp
*** Please note. We're trying out a new submission form, so if there's an error, please be patient! We'll take the submissions and do our best to reconcile any changes that are required! : )
Good luck, everyone!
It's time!
Our Red Light/Green Light Contest, judged by literary agent Patricia Nelson of
Marsal Lyon Literary is now open to take the first 25 submissions until 3PM Eastern today!
The submission window will remain open until we've filled 25 contestant slots plus some additional alternate spots in case of disqualifications.
If you'd like to review the contest rules and format, go
HERE.
Ready to enter? Go HERE NOW! If you miss the window, try again at 3pm Eastern/Noon Pacific, when we'll take an additional 25 entries plus alternates!
*** Please note. We're trying out a new submission form, so if there's an error, please be patient! We'll take the submissions and do our best to reconcile any changes that are required! : )
Good luck, everyone!
It's here!
Our Red Light/Green Light Contest, judged by fabulous agent Patricia Nelson of
Marsal Lyon Literary, will be taking submissions starting today!
Submissions will remain open until we've filled all 50 contestant plus some additional alternate spots in case of disqualifications.
If you'd like to review the contest rules and format, go
HERE.
Ready to enter? Go HERE at Noon Eastern/9am Pacific! If you miss the window, try again at 3pm Eastern/Noon Pacific!
Again:
1st submission window: First 25 entries (plus some alternates) at Noon Eastern/9am Pacific.
2nd submission window: 25 additional entries (plus some alternates) at 3pm Eastern/Noon Pacific.
*** Please note. We're trying out a new submission form, so if there's an error, please be patient! We'll take the submissions and do our best to reconcile any changes that are required! : )
Good luck, everyone!
Today we're welcoming Jennifer Longo, author of January's UP TO THIS POINTE and SIX FEET OVER IT to the blog. Jennifer has written a great post over writing for the love of it.
Writing For the Love of It by Jennifer Longo
Honestly, the one thing that made the difference between my being an aspiring author and a published author, is one very fortunate thing: I love to write. I love it. I did not write toward being published. I write because I love to write. I was sustained through the process of finding an agent and editor by being completely distracted by doing the one thing I love most in the world: Writing. Seriously. I love to write.
Mystery solved.
I’m speaking here about traditional publishing, and about fiction, and these are the things I know.
If a person’s desire to be published supersedes their love and compulsion to write, nothing good will come of it. Nothing bad, either – basically nothing’s going to happen. A writer writes; publishing is it’s own unique and separate endeavor and only one is a possible consequence of the other. The nuts and bolts of how to acquire an agent and sell to an editor are simple - not easy - but fairly pedestrian and consist mainly of a willingness to revise, patience, persistence, and access to an email account. The only way I found to claw my way out from the slush pile to be published?
I wrote.
I didn’t go to conferences or writing retreats, I didn’t talk to anyone about anything (Though those things can be very helpful, but also very distracting from the actual work of writing) I came home from work, got my daughter to nap, and I wrote. listened to the agents and editors who generously gave their time and attention to pages I sent, and I sifted through their notes and I applied what I’ve learned all my life and I revised and wrote and read and wrote some more and the book got better. Writing is work, but work I don’t have to make myself do, because I want to, I can’t stop - because have I mentioned I love writing?
Years (yes, years) of submission and revision and rejection can be heartbreaking and will whittle one’s confidence down to a short, sharp stick that stabs you right in the ego. But if you love writing, what difference does it make? Send out the queries and then get back to writing. There’s no rush. There’s no deadline. You’re not counting on publishing a book to put food on the table. (Oh God, are you? If you are, spoiler alert: I don’t personally know any published writers who make a living solely from writing. There are like, five people in the world who do, and that’s awesome for them. But being a published author of fiction is not about making money.) Publishing is about curating and making better the stories we give to the world to make people happy, or hopeful, or excited, or less lonely, or to learn about people we’ve not met, or to laugh or let someone know, without having to straight-up say it to their face, that I’m super pissed. (You call it passive aggressive, I call it being creative and fancy. Potato, potahto.) Books and their creators (Editors, agents, artists) ought to be valued and able to make a living wage with our work, and when I’m president of the universe being an artist of any consequence will be a viable career option. But until then, you know how those writers who make their living writing got to do that? THEY WRITE.
All my life and in college I lived and breathed all the story forms I could get my hands and brain on – plays, radio theatre, short stories, essays, novels. I majored in acting and playwriting let me tell you – there’s nothing I’m worse at or that gives me the creeps more than improv and puppets and mime and mask work – but it all gave me a relentless work ethic and helped me get over myself, my limitations as a story teller, my inflated ego and insecurities, and now I can read and interpret and truly love a script like nobody’s business.
I am a natural born lover of words, lacking natural talent, but I work every day to put the words together in a story that’s worthy of readers. Because I love to read, and have I mentioned? I love, love, love to write.
About the Book
She had a plan. It went south.Harper is a dancer. She and her best friend, Kate, have one goal: becoming professional ballerinas. And Harper won’t let anything—or anyone—get in the way of The Plan, not even the boy she and Kate are both drawn to.
Harper is a Scott. She’s related to Robert Falcon Scott, the explorer who died racing to the South Pole. So when Harper’s life takes an unexpected turn, she finagles (read: lies) her way to the icy dark of McMurdo Station . . . in Antarctica. Extreme, but somehow fitting—apparently she has always been in the dark, dancing on ice this whole time. And no one warned her. Not her family, not her best friend, not even the boy who has somehow found a way into her heart.
Goodreads | Indiebound | AmazonAbout the Author
Jennifer Longo’s debut novel SIX FEET OVER IT ("SUPERB" - Kirkus starred review) published 2014 courtesy of Random House Children’s Books, Edited by Chelsea Eberly and represented by the resplendent Melissa Sarver at Folio Literary. Her next novel, UP TO THIS POINTE publishes January, 2016. A California native, Jennifer holds a Master of Fine Arts degree in Writing For Theatre from Humboldt State University. She is a two-time Irene Ryan Best Actor award recipient and a Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival Best Full Length Script honoree for her play, Frozen. A recent San Francisco transplant, Jennifer lives with her husband and daughter near Seattle, Washington.
I was asked the plotter versus pantser question while I was on an author panel at the Young Adult Keller Book Festival this past weekend (YAKFEST) (which was wonderful!), and as usual I felt a little deer-in-the-lightsish. And my answer, as usual, is that I'm a plantser.
Plotter + Pantser = Only Mildly Prone To Face Plants
I often do a
very brief synopsis just to get to know the premise, plot, and characters, and then I go ahead and write what I used to call and outline following the
basic idea of three-act structure or the hero's journey, except that it's really a discovery draft where I work out what happens in the story and follow the characters to see where and how
they want the story to go. I don't restrict this to follow the synopsis, but knowing my basic structure helps me keep from getting stuck or stranding.
During the audience Q&A at YAKFEST, we were also asked about finding our way into character, and how that played into story. My answer there also fell squarely into a combination of planning and organic development while writing.
Rough Character Sketch >> Partial Draft of Book >> Deeper Worksheet >> Rest of Book
In other words, I know a little bit about my characters going in, then discover more as I write about a third of the book, then I go ahead and crystallize what I know via a
character worksheet, before going on to write the rest.
Part of the reason that my process seems to have settled in this weird gray area between planning and pantsing is that my stories are commercial with a literary flavor, driven by both plot and character rather than one or the other. But then there's also the one truth that all writers need to know:
Read more »
Happy first day of February! It's hard to believe that the first month of 2016 is already over - surely New Year's Eve was just last week?!? But this month is already starting out great with fifteen new YA releases. Plus we have interviews from five of the authors and four of the novels to give away. With such a great selection, it should be easy to find a book or two to curl up with under the covers on a cold winter day.
Happy reading,
Jocelyn, Martina, Lindsey, Erin, Susan, Sam, Shelly, Sarah, Sandra, Kristin, and Anisaa
YA BOOK GIVEAWAYS THIS WEEK
Banishedby Kimberley Griffiths LittleSigned Full Series plus Swag Giveaway
U.S. OnlyHarperCollinsReleased 2/2/2016She thought she’d lost everything . . .
After spending months traveling the harsh, unforgiving Mesopotamian desert, Jayden reunites with a broken, injured Kadesh. Although everyone was convinced the violent and unpredictable Horeb, Jayden’s betrothed, killed the handsome prince, Jayden knew in her heart that her love was alive and safe. But their reunion is short-lived, as they learn Horeb is on their trail and determined to take back the girl he has claimed. Soon, the two star-crossed lovers are on the run toward Sariba, Kadesh’s homeland, where, as heir to the Kingdom, he plans to make Jayden his princess.
But the trek to Sariba is fraught with heartache and danger. After narrowly escaping being stoned to death for a crime she didn’t commit, and learning that her sister has disappeared, Jayden’s only solace is her love for Kadesh. But even he is keeping secrets from her . . . secrets that will change everything.
This gorgeous and enchanting sequel to Forbidden, is full of love, danger, and heated passion that will leave readers breathless.
Author Question: What is your favorite thing about Banished?My goal was to write a second book that was not just a filler to get to the climax of Book 3. I wanted to truly develop the story of Jayden and Kadesh in BANISHED With a new story ARC, new characters, and a new setting that develops the world of Jayden and Kadesh more fully and more dangerously. Their relationship also changes and Jayden is challenged in several new ways and grows so much more than she did in the first book, FORBIDDEN.
I was extremely excited to get this marvelous review from Booklist that says exactly that: “Jayden achieves almost superhero status, moving from adventure to adventure—not even a near-death stoning can stop her . . . just as good is the pacing, which gets the blood pumping for both characters and readers. Far more than a bridge book, this will heighten anticipation for a no-doubt exciting conclusion.”Purchase Banished at AmazonPurchase Banished at IndieBoundView Banished on Goodreads* * * *
Almost Midnightby C.C. HunterPaperback plus Swag Giveaway
U.S. OnlySt. Martin's GriffinReleased 2/2/2016Nestled deep in the woods, Shadow Falls is a secret camp where teens with supernatural powers learn to harness their abilities and live in the normal world.
Independent and strong-willed Della Tsang did not believe in vampires...until she became one. Chase Tallman is the newest member of Shadow Falls, but what made him into the sexy, mysterious vampire he is today? And what led him to Della Tsang? And for Miranda Kane, magic has always been something she's struggled with, but when an opportunity to test her powers takes her to Paris, she'll have to prove that she's a witch to be reckoned with and belongs at Shadow Falls.
Fans won't want to miss these four remarkable stories of love, magic and friendship.
Author Question: What is your favorite thing about Almost Midnight?ALMOST MIDNIGHT is an anthology of Shadow Falls novellas. There are five different stories in the book and each one had something that makes it special to me. But when writing FIERCE, the one never before published story, I fell in love with the lead character Fredericka Lakota. And I think my favorite part was seeing this girl who never considered herself a part of the Shadow Falls team, suddenly realize that Shadow Falls was more than just a school, it was home and the people there were her family.Purchase Almost Midnight at AmazonPurchase Almost Midnight at IndieBoundView Almost Midnight on Goodreads* * * *
Games Wizards Playby Diane DuaneHardcover Giveaway
U.S. OnlyHMH Books for Young ReadersReleased 2/2/2016Every eleven years, Earth's senior wizards hold the Invitational: an intensive three-week event where the planet's newest, sharpest young wizards show off their best and hottest spells. Wizardly partners Kit Rodriguez and Nita Callahan, and Nita's sister, former wizard-prodigy Dairine Callahan, are drafted in to mentor two brilliant and difficult cases: for Nita and Kit, there’s Penn Shao-Feng, a would-be sun technician with a dangerous new take on managing solar weather; and for Dairine, there's shy young Mehrnaz Farrahi, an Iranian wizard-girl trying to specialize in defusing earthquakes while struggling with a toxic extended wizardly family that demands she perform to their expectations.
Together they're plunged into a whirlwind of cutthroat competition and ruthless judging. Penn's egotistical attitude toward his mentors complicates matters as the pair tries to negotiate their burgeoning romance. Meanwhile, Dairine struggles to stabilize her hero-worshipping, insecure protégée against the interference of powerful relatives using her to further their own tangled agendas. When both candidates make it through to the finals stage on the dark side of the Moon, they and their mentors are flung into a final conflict that could change the solar system for the better . . .
or damage Earth beyond even wizardly repair.
Author Question: What is your favorite thing about Games Wizards Play?I think it’s the chance to explore, on a much-wider-than-usual canvas, both the size and the scope of the wizardly world the core characters in the Young Wizards series are part of. Though the series so far has taken Nita and Kit out on numerous missions involving not just native Earth wizards but those from other planets or even continua, the actual groups our protagonists have been involved with have still been fairly small. So for a while I'd been looking for a way to use one book to significantly open out the panorama and start giving a better sense of the depth and breadth of wizardly culture on just our own planet. (Not that we don’t have a few “extraSolars” dropping in during GAMES WIZARDS PLAY to take a gander at the big Invitational event at its heart.) This time out we get the chance to meet a whole lot of new people — some of whom are going to become regularly appearing characters over time — and also to do, “on screen,” some things that there hasn’t been time to do in previous books. Purchase Games Wizards Play at AmazonPurchase Games Wizards Play at IndieBoundView Games Wizards Play on Goodreads* * * *
Unhookedby Lisa MaxwellHardcover Giveaway
U.S. OnlySimon PulseReleased 2/2/2016For as long as she can remember, Gwendolyn Allister has never had a place to call home—all because her mother believes that monsters are hunting them. Now these delusions have brought them to London, far from the life Gwen had finally started to build for herself. The only saving grace is her best friend, Olivia, who’s coming with them for the summer.
But when Gwen and Olivia are kidnapped by shadowy creatures and taken to a world of flesh-eating sea hags and dangerous Fey, Gwen realizes her mom might have been sane all along.
The world Gwen finds herself in is called Neverland, yet it’s nothing like the stories. Here, good and evil lose their meaning and memories slip like water through her fingers. As Gwen struggles to remember where she came from and find a way home, she must choose between trusting the charming fairy-tale hero who says all the right things and the roguish young pirate who promises to keep her safe.
With time running out and her enemies closing in, Gwen is forced to face the truths she’s been hiding from all along. But will she be able to save Neverland without losing herself?
Author Question: What is your favorite thing about Unhooked?My favorite thing about UNHOOKED is the way I’ve gone back to the source text and revived the darker aspects of it. When I was re-reading PETER AND WENDY, there was one line that really struck me, that Peter would “thin” the lost boys out when they got too old or too plentiful and that “I never remember them after I kill them.” Those lines certainly didn’t speak to any Disneyfied version of Neverland, and I wanted to bring that sense of danger back to the story. In my Neverland, Pan doesn’t remember those he’s killed, because memory isn’t something that lasts in Neverland. The erosion of memory is one of the most dangerous parts of my story, and it’s something I took from the original story itself. In Barrie’s original tale, it made Neverland a fantastical adventure, but also a dangerous place, and I hope it does the same for mine as well.
Oh, and my pirate… I can have two favorite things, right? ;O)Purchase Unhooked at AmazonPurchase Unhooked at IndieBoundView Unhooked on GoodreadsYA BOOK GIVEAWAYS LAST WEEK: WINNERS
Arrows by Melissa Gorzelanczyk - Michelle Taylor
Rise of the Wolf by Jennifer A. Nielsen - Nadine Stacy
The Mystery of Hollow Places by Rebecca Podos - Catherine Chant
MORE YOUNG ADULT FICTION IN STORES NEXT WEEK WITH AUTHOR INTERVIEWS
Burning Midnightby Will McIntoshHardcoverDelacorte PressReleased 2/2/2016Sully is a sphere dealer at a flea market. It doesn’t pay much—Alex Holliday’s stores have muscled out most of the independent sellers—but it helps him and his mom make the rent. No one knows where the brilliant-colored spheres came from. One day they were just there, hidden all over the earth like huge gemstones. Burn a pair and they make you a little better: an inch taller, skilled at math, better-looking. The rarer the sphere, the greater the improvement—and the more expensive the sphere.
When Sully meets Hunter, a girl with a natural talent for finding spheres, the two start searching together. One day they find a Gold—a color no one has ever seen. And when Alex Holliday learns what they have, he will go to any lengths, will use all of his wealth and power, to take it from them.
There’s no question the Gold is priceless, but what does it actually do? None of them is aware of it yet, but the fate of the world rests on this little golden orb. Because all the world fights over the spheres, but no one knows where they come from, what their powers are, or why they’re here.
Author Question: What is your favorite thing about Burning Midnight?When I was twelve, my sister, a cousin, and I stumbled on a 60 year-old dump in the woods. We spent a summer hunting for antique bottles, and built a collection of something like 200 that we displayed on the porch. Those great memories led me to want to create a story about hunting and discovering incredibly valuable things in the wild. Purchase Burning Midnight at AmazonPurchase Burning Midnight at IndieBoundView Burning Midnight on GoodreadsMORE YOUNG ADULT NOVELS NEW IN STORES NEXT WEEK
Assassin's Heartby Sarah AhiersHardcoverHarperTeenReleased 2/2/2016In the kingdom of Lovero, nine rival Families of assassins lawfully kill people for a price. As a highly skilled member of one of these powerful clans, seventeen-year-old Lea Saldana has always trusted in the strength of her Family. Until she awakens to find them murdered and her home in flames. The Da Vias, the Saldanas’ biggest enemy, must be responsible—and Lea should have seen it coming. But her secret relationship with the Da Vias’ son, Val, has clouded her otherwise killer instinct—and given the Da Vias more reason than ever to take her Family down.
Racked with guilt and shattered over Val’s probable betrayal, Lea sets out to even the score, with her heart set on retaliation and only one thought clear in her mind: make the Da Vias pay.
With shades of The Godfather and Romeo and Juliet, this richly imagined fantasy from debut author Sarah Ahiers is a story of love, lies, and the ultimate vengeance.
Purchase Assassin's Heart at AmazonPurchase Assassin's Heart at IndieBoundView Assassin's Heart on Goodreads* * * *
Away We Goby Emil OstrovskiHardcoverGreenwillow BooksReleased 2/2/2016Westing is not your typical school. For starters, you have to have one very important quality in order to be admitted—you have to be dying. Every student at Westing has been diagnosed with PPV, or the Peter Pan Virus. No one is expected to live to graduation.
What do you do when you go to a school where no one has a future? Noah Falls, his girlfriend Alice, and his best friend Marty spend their time drinking, making out, and playing video games on awaywego.com. But when an older boy named Zach (who Noah may or may not be in love with) invites Noah and Marty to join his secret Polo Club, the lives of both boys change as they struggle to find meaning in their shortened existence.
With an innovative format that includes interstitial documents, such as flyers, postcards, and handwritten notes, Away We Go is a funny, honest look at first love and tragic heartbreak. For fans of Grasshopper Jungle and Noggin.
Purchase Away We Go at AmazonPurchase Away We Go at IndieBoundView Away We Go on Goodreads* * * *
Raging Seaby Michael BuckleyHardcoverHMH Books for Young ReadersReleased 2/2/2016In the first book of Michael Buckley’s Undertow trilogy, the Alpha arrived and the world was never the same. At the start of the second book, most of south Brooklyn is in ruins and the nation is terrified. Nearly everyone that Lyric Walker loves is either missing or presumed dead, including the mesmerizing prince Fathom. It’s up to Lyric to unite the Alpha before the second wave of a cataclysmic invasion wipes out mankind for good.
Purchase Raging Sea at AmazonPurchase Raging Sea at IndieBoundView Raging Sea on Goodreads* * * *
Revenge and the Wildby Michelle ModestoHardcoverBalzer + BrayReleased 2/2/2016The two-bit town of Rogue City is a lawless place, full of dark magic and saloon brawls, monsters and six-shooters. But it’s perfect for seventeen-year-old Westie, the notorious adopted daughter of local inventor Nigel Butler.
Westie was only a child when she lost her arm and her family to cannibals on the wagon trail. Nine years later, Westie may seem fearsome with her foul-mouthed tough exterior and the powerful mechanical arm built for her by Nigel, but the memory of her past still haunts her. She’s determined to make the killers pay for their crimes—and there’s nothing to stop her except her own reckless ways.
But Westie’s search ceases when a wealthy family comes to town looking to invest in Nigel’s latest invention, a machine that can harvest magic from gold—which Rogue City desperately needs as the magic wards that surround the city start to fail. There’s only one problem: the investors look exactly like the family who murdered Westie’s kin. With the help of Nigel’s handsome but scarred young assistant, Alistair, Westie sets out to prove their guilt. But if she’s not careful, her desire for revenge could cost her the family she has now.
This thrilling novel is a remarkable tale of danger and discovery, from debut author Michelle Modesto.
Purchase Revenge and the Wild at AmazonPurchase Revenge and the Wild at IndieBoundView Revenge and the Wild on Goodreads* * * *
Romancing the Nerdby Leah Rae MillerPaperbackEntangled: TeenReleased 2/2/2016Dan Garrett has become exactly what he hates—popular. Until recently, he was just another live-action role-playing (LARP) geek on the lowest run of the social ladder. Cue a massive growth spurt and an uncanny skill at taking three-point shots in basketball and voila…Mr. Popular. It’s definitely weird.
And the biggest drawback? Going from high school zero to basketball hero cost Dan the secret girl-of-his-dorky dreams.
A tuba-playing nerd with an eclectic fashion sense, Zelda Potts’s “Coolness” stat is about minus forty-two. Dan turning his back on her and the rest of nerd-dom was brutal enough, but when he humiliates her at school, Zelda decides it’s time for a little revenge—dork style. Nevermind that she used to have a crush on him. Nevermind that her plan could backfire big time.
It’s time to roll the dice…and hope like freakin’ hell she doesn’t lose her heart in the process.
Purchase Romancing the Nerd at AmazonPurchase Romancing the Nerd at IndieBoundView Romancing the Nerd on Goodreads* * * *
Salt to the Seaby Ruta SepetysHardcoverPhilomel BooksReleased 2/2/2016In 1945, World War II is drawing to a close in East Prussia, and thousands of refugees are on a desperate trek toward freedom, almost all of them with something to hide. Among them are Joana, Emilia, and Florian, whose paths converge en route to the ship that promises salvation, the Wilhelm Gustloff. Forced by circumstance to unite, the three find their strength, courage, and trust in each other tested with each step closer toward safety.
Just when it seems freedom is within their grasp, tragedy strikes. Not country, nor culture, nor status matter as all ten thousand people aboard must fight for the same thing: survival.
Purchase Salt to the Sea at AmazonPurchase Salt to the Sea at IndieBoundView Salt to the Sea on Goodreads* * * *
Starflightby Melissa LandersHardcoverDisney-HyperionReleased 2/2/2016Life in the outer realm is a lawless, dirty, hard existence, and Solara Brooks is hungry for it. Just out of the orphanage, she needs a fresh start in a place where nobody cares about the engine grease beneath her fingernails or the felony tattoos across her knuckles. She's so desperate to reach the realm that she's willing to indenture herself to Doran Spaulding, the rich and popular quarterback who made her life miserable all through high school, in exchange for passage aboard the spaceliner Zenith.
When a twist of fate lands them instead on the Banshee, a vessel of dubious repute, Doran learns he's been framed on Earth for conspiracy. As he pursues a set of mysterious coordinates rumored to hold the key to clearing his name, he and Solara must get past their enmity to work together and evade those out for their arrest. Life on the Banshee may be tumultuous, but as Solara and Doran are forced to question everything they once believed about their world--and each other--the ship becomes home, and the eccentric crew family. But what Solara and Doran discover on the mysterious Planet X has the power to not only alter their lives, but the existence of everyone in the universe...
Purchase Starflight at AmazonPurchase Starflight at IndieBoundView Starflight on Goodreads* * * *
Stars Above: A Lunar Chronicles Collectionby Marissa MeyerHardcoverFeiwel & FriendsReleased 2/2/2016The enchantment continues....
The universe of the Lunar Chronicles holds stories—and secrets—that are wondrous, vicious, and romantic. How did Cinder first arrive in New Beijing? How did the brooding soldier Wolf transform from young man to killer? When did Princess Winter and the palace guard Jacin realize their destinies?
With nine stories—five of which have never before been published—and an exclusive never-before-seen excerpt from Marissa Meyer’s upcoming novel, Heartless, about the Queen of Hearts from Alice in Wonderland, Stars Above is essential for fans of the bestselling and beloved Lunar Chronicles.
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The Little Android: A retelling of Hans Christian Andersen’s “The Little Mermaid,” set in the world of The Lunar Chronicles.
Glitches: In this prequel to Cinder, we see the results of the plague play out, and the emotional toll it takes on Cinder. Something that may, or may not, be a glitch….
The Queen’s Army: In this prequel to Scarlet, we’re introduced to the army Queen Levana is building, and one soldier in particular who will do anything to keep from becoming the monster they want him to be.
Carswell’s Guide to Being Lucky: Thirteen-year-old Carswell Thorne has big plans involving a Rampion spaceship and a no-return trip out of Los Angeles.
The Keeper: A prequel to the Lunar Chronicles, showing a young Scarlet and how Princess Selene came into the care of Michelle Benoit.
After Sunshine Passes By: In this prequel to Cress, we see how a nine-year-old Cress ended up alone on a satellite, spying on Earth for Luna.
The Princess and the Guard: In this prequel to Winter, we see a game called The Princess.
The Mechanic: In this prequel to Cinder, we see Kai and Cinder’s first meeting from Kai’s perspective.
Something Old, Something New: In this epilogue to Winter, friends gather for the wedding of the century...
Purchase Stars Above: A Lunar Chronicles Collection at AmazonPurchase Stars Above: A Lunar Chronicles Collection at IndieBoundView Stars Above: A Lunar Chronicles Collection on Goodreads* * * *
Symptoms of Being Humanby Jeff Garvin HardcoverBalzer + BrayReleased 2/2/2016The first thing you’re going to want to know about me is: Am I a boy, or am I a girl?
Riley Cavanaugh is many things: Punk rock. Snarky. Rebellious. And gender fluid. Some days Riley identifies as a boy, and others as a girl. The thing is . . . Riley isn’t exactly out yet. And between starting a new school and having a congressman father running for reelection in uber-conservative Orange County, the pressure—media and otherwise—is building up in Riley’s so-called “normal” life.
On the advice of a therapist, Riley starts an anonymous blog to vent those pent-up feelings and tell the truth of what it’s REALLY like to be a gender-fluid teenager. But just as Riley’s starting to settle in at school—even developing feelings for a mysterious outcast—the blog goes viral, and an unnamed commenter discovers Riley’s real identity, threatening exposure. Riley must make a choice: walk away from what the blog has created—a lifeline, new friends, a cause to believe in—or stand up, come out, and risk everything.
Purchase Symptoms of Being Human at AmazonPurchase Symptoms of Being Human at IndieBoundView Symptoms of Being Human on Goodreads* * * *
The Winner's Kissby Marie RutkoskiHardcoverFarrar, Straus and GirouxReleased 2/1/2016War has begun. Arin is in the thick of it, with the East as his ally and the empire as his enemy. He’s finally managed to dismiss the memory of Kestrel, even if he can’t quite forget her. Kestrel turned into someone he could no longer recognize: someone who cared more for the empire than for the lives of innocent people—and certainly more than she cared for him. At least, that’s what he thinks.
But far north lies a work camp where Kestrel is a prisoner. Can she manage to escape before she loses herself? As the war intensifies, both Kestrel and Arin discover unexpected roles in battle, terrible secrets, and a fragile hope. The world is changing. The East is pitted against the West, and Kestrel and Arin are caught between. In a game like this, can anybody really win?
Purchase The Winner's Kiss at AmazonPurchase The Winner's Kiss at IndieBoundView The Winner's Kiss on Goodreads
We're pleased to have Melissa Gorzelanczyk swing by to tell us more about her debut novel ARROWS.
Melissa, how long did you work on ARROWS?I started the first draft of ARROWS in October 2012. I finished in January and started the revision process—a few passes on my own, then sending it to beta readers for critique. By September 2013, I had started to query agents. I found mine, Carrie Howland of Donadio & Olson, via the #PitMad pitch contest at the end of September 2013, and in January 2014, she sold my book to Delacorte Press.
Read more »
We're honored to have Rebecca Podos join us to talk about her debut novel THE MYSTERY OF HOLLOW PLACES.
Rebecca, what was your inspiration for writing THE MYSTERY OF HOLLOW PLACES?My inspiration for HOLLOW PLACES actually began with my day job as a YA and MG literary agent, where I was on the hunt for a mystery. I’ve always adored the genre, in part because, as Imogene says in the book, you know that whatever burning questions you have, they’ll be answered if you just hang in there till the last page. That’s such a satisfying narrative, when you think about it! So then, I was looking for something more specific in this book: a detective who truly believes in that comforting narrative structure, to the point where she uses it as a guide to navigate her own story. But as she goes along, real life intrudes, challenging what she thinks she knows about mysteries and about herself as well.
And because I’d fallen in love with this pretty particular idea, in the end, I thought I’d write the book myself. So that’s what I tried to do.
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THE POSSIBILITY OF NOW is the latest novel by Kim Culbertson, and we're delighted to have her stop by to chat about writing.
Kim, what did this book teach you about writing or about yourself?I’ve been a high school teacher for 18 years. When I started out to write this book, I knew I wanted to explore our current educational culture and the pressure I see on young people right now to be constantly busy and perfect and forward-thinking. However, my first draft fell flat. My editor, agent and I brainstormed and they both showed me that, honestly, I was trying too hard to make the book “important” or “serious” in that first draft. Because of this, I was missing my voice, my sense of humor and, in many ways, the hopefulness I had in my earlier novels. Once they encouraged me to go back and explore the same subject matter but also employ all of my strengths as a writer that were missing, I truly found the heart of the novel.
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We're excited to have Kali Wallace with us to share more about her debut novel SHALLOW GRAVES.
Kali, what scene was really hard for you to write and why, and is that the one of which you are most proud? Or is there another scene you particularly love?I don't want to spoil the specifics, but there is an extended sequence toward the end of the book that's the build-up to and final confrontation with the main monster at the center of the story. All along as I was writing, through many different versions and drafts, I always knew at the back of my mind that this sequence of scenes (it's a few chapters long in total) had to be really powerful. You can't spend an entire novel building up to a confrontation and have it fall flat.
But that's exactly what it did the first 3454354 times I tried to write it. It wasn't as scary as it needed to be. It felt too small, too fast. The build-up was great, because that kind of dread-inducing, tension-increasing build-up is 99% atmosphere, and atmosphere is one aspect of writing that comes easily to me. (The only aspect. Hey, we all get one freebie.) But the confrontation itself--it was awful. I rewrote it, and it was still awful. Rewrote it again. Still awful. I couldn't get the dialogue right. I couldn’t picture the physicality of the characters, how they were moving relative to each other in a very particular kind of space. I couldn't figure out which details were important.
But I kept trying. I kept rewriting it. When my editors came back on the first edit letter and said exactly what I was expecting--that scene needed to be
better--I did it again. There was no trick. There was no moment of realization, no flash of inspiration. It was just a whole lot of brute force trial and error, but I think it worked in the end. I am damn proud of that scene now, and I am proud of myself for poking it with every writerly stick I had at my disposal until it came out as scary and unsettling and weird as I had always imagined it could be.
Read more »
RISE OF THE WOLF is the second book in the Mark of the Thief series, and we're thrilled to have Jennifer A. Nielsen here to tell us more about it.
Jennifer, what was your inspiration for writing RISE OF THE WOLF?RISE OF THE WOLF was the natural extension of the story of Mark of the Thief, the first book of the series. However, since Nic experienced the amphitheater (Colosseum), I really wanted to take readers to a different part of Rome, and the chariot races seemed like the best possibility. In Rome, the chariot races were on the scale of the Superbowl. Nearly 1 in 4 Romans in the city attended, and most had a favorite faction (charioteers raced as one of four team colors). The fandom was so intense that sometimes Romans would hammer curses into lead tablets and then bury them beneath the chariot track, hoping that if for some reason their God didn’t grant the curse, at least the tablet might trip another rider’s horses. With so much excellent material, how could I not love writing this book?
Read more »
Our February workshop will open for entries on Saturday, February 6 at noon, EST. We'll take the first five Middle Grade, Young Adult, or New Adult entries that meet all guidelines and formatting requirements. Click here to get the rules. I will post when it opens and closes on Adventures in YA Publishing and on twitter (@etcashman), with the hashtag #1st5pages. In addition to our wonderful permanent mentors, we have author Brian Katcher and agent Christa Heschke!
February Guest Mentor – BRIAN KATCHER
Brian, a Stonewall Book Award-winning author, is the author of THE IMPROBABLE THEORY OF ANA AND ZAK, ALMOST PERFECT, EVERYONE DIES IN THE END, and PLAYING WITH MATCHES. Brian’s worked as a fry cook, a market researcher, a welding machine operator, a telemarketer (only lasted one day), and a furniture mover. He lived on an Israeli military base one summer, and once smuggled food into Cuba. When he’s not writing, he works as a school librarian. He lives in central Missouri with his wife and daughter.
THE IMPROBABLE THEORY OF ANA AND ZAK
The Improbable Theory of Ana and Zak is Stonewall Book Award-winning author Brian Katcher’s hilarious he said/she said romance about two teens recovering from heartbreak and discovering themselves on an out-of-this-world accidental first date.
It all begins when Ana Watson's little brother, Clayton, secretly ditches the quiz bowl semifinals to go to the Washingcon sci-fi convention on what should have been a normal, résumé-building school trip.If slacker Zak Duquette hadn't talked up the geek fan fest so much, maybe Clayton wouldn't have broken nearly every school rule or jeopardized Ana’s last shot at freedom from her uptight parents.
Now, teaming up with Duquette is the only way for Ana to chase down Clayton in the sea of orcs, zombies, bikini-clad princesses, Trekkies, and Smurfs. After all, one does not simply walk into Washingcon.
But in spite of Zak's devil-may-care attitude, he has his own reasons for being as lost as Ana-and Ana may have more in common with him than she thinks. Ana and Zak certainly don’t expect the long crazy night, which begins as a nerdfighter manhunt, to transform into so much more…
Purchase it at your local bookstore, or
online. And add it to your shelf on
Goodreads!February Guest Agent –
CHRISTA HESCHKE
Christa started in publishing as an intern at both Writers House and Sterling Lord Literistic, where she fell in love with the agency side of publishing. Christa has been at McIntosh and Otis, Inc. in the Children's Literature Department since 2009 where she is actively acquiring for all age groups in children’s. For YA, she is especially interested in contemporary fiction, thriller/mystery, and horror. She is always on the lookout for a compelling voice combined with a strong, specific hook that will set a YA novel apart in its genre and the flooded market. She is open to all types of middle grade and especially enjoys adventure, mystery, and magical realism, whether in a voice that is more light and humorous or one with more of a timeless, literary feel. For both YA and MG, she is particularly interested in unique settings and cultural influences, interesting storytelling structure, complicated romances, diverse characters, sister or friendship-centric stories, and stories that feature artists of any kind.
The team here at Adventures in YA Publishing is excited to announce a new monthly column! Starting next month, we'll be highlighting an author and publisher in our Who's Making Waves in Publishing highlight. But we'll do this in a personal and in-depth way by hosting an interview or dialogue between one of the publisher's authors and their editor.
The interview will focus both on the editing process and the publisher's vision for their books. Our aim is to give writers insight into what happens in publishing from the inside.
So be sure to check back at the end of every month to see what exciting new ventures are happening within publishing!
-- posted by Susan Sipal, @HP4Writers
Our February workshop will open for entries on Saturday, February 6 at noon, EST. We'll take the first five Middle Grade, Young Adult, or New Adult entries that meet all guidelines and formatting requirements. Click here to get the rules. I will post when it opens and closes on Adventures in YA Publishing and on twitter (@etcashman), with the hashtag #1st5pages. In addition to our wonderful permanent mentors, we have author Brian Katcher and agent Christa Heschke!
February Guest Mentor – BRIAN KATCHER
Brian, a Stonewall Book Award-winning author, is the author of THE IMPROBABLE THEORY OF ANA AND ZAK, ALMOST PERFECT, EVERYONE DIES IN THE END, and PLAYING WITH MATCHES. Brian’s worked as a fry cook, a market researcher, a welding machine operator, a telemarketer (only lasted one day), and a furniture mover. He lived on an Israeli military base one summer, and once smuggled food into Cuba. When he’s not writing, he works as a school librarian. He lives in central Missouri with his wife and daughter.
THE IMPROBABLE THEORY OF ANA AND ZAK
The Improbable Theory of Ana and Zak is Stonewall Book Award-winning author Brian Katcher’s hilarious he said/she said romance about two teens recovering from heartbreak and discovering themselves on an out-of-this-world accidental first date.
It all begins when Ana Watson's little brother, Clayton, secretly ditches the quiz bowl semifinals to go to the Washingcon sci-fi convention on what should have been a normal, résumé-building school trip.If slacker Zak Duquette hadn't talked up the geek fan fest so much, maybe Clayton wouldn't have broken nearly every school rule or jeopardized Ana’s last shot at freedom from her uptight parents.
Now, teaming up with Duquette is the only way for Ana to chase down Clayton in the sea of orcs, zombies, bikini-clad princesses, Trekkies, and Smurfs. After all, one does not simply walk into Washingcon.
But in spite of Zak's devil-may-care attitude, he has his own reasons for being as lost as Ana-and Ana may have more in common with him than she thinks. Ana and Zak certainly don’t expect the long crazy night, which begins as a nerdfighter manhunt, to transform into so much more…
Purchase it at your local bookstore, or
online. And add it to your shelf on
Goodreads!February Guest Agent –
CHRISTA HESCHKE
Christa started in publishing as an intern at both Writers House and Sterling Lord Literistic, where she fell in love with the agency side of publishing. Christa has been at McIntosh and Otis, Inc. in the Children's Literature Department since 2009 where she is actively acquiring for all age groups in children’s. For YA, she is especially interested in contemporary fiction, thriller/mystery, and horror. She is always on the lookout for a compelling voice combined with a strong, specific hook that will set a YA novel apart in its genre and the flooded market. She is open to all types of middle grade and especially enjoys adventure, mystery, and magical realism, whether in a voice that is more light and humorous or one with more of a timeless, literary feel. For both YA and MG, she is particularly interested in unique settings and cultural influences, interesting storytelling structure, complicated romances, diverse characters, sister or friendship-centric stories, and stories that feature artists of any kind.
Happy Thursday, everyone!
Here are the details for our upcoming contest, which we announced last week!
First, the
SCHEDULE:
On February 4: We will open for submissions! There will be one submission window at Noon Eastern (
9:00 am Pacific), which will close once we have the
first 30 entries--25 entrants and 5 alternates--so be ready if you want a spot! Another submission window will open at 3:00 pm Eastern (
Noon Pacific), and will accept the first 30 entries--again, 25 entrants and 5 alternates--at that time before closing. Please be sure to follow the rules and use the entry form correctly to ensure your spot in the contest.
On
February 11: We will post 50 first sentences on the website, so everyone can see who made it! While our agent judge is reading and making his or her selection of the top 25, YOU can give your opinions on the best first sentences in the comments section!
On
February 18: The top 25 will be announced! These 25 entries will be posted on the website with their first
and second sentences.
On
February 25: The top 10 will be announced! You'll see the first pages of each of the top 10 entries, shared on the blog.
On
March 3: The top 5 will be announced! You'll see the pitches of the top 5 entrants, along with links to read their first chapters.
On
March 10: The winner will be announced!
Next, here are the
RULES:
1. We will take the first 50 entries submitted via the form we'll be posting on February 4th, as described in the schedule above. 25 will be from the first entry window, and 25 from the second entry window.
2. Any currently
unagented person may enter this contest with an
unpublished NA, YA, or MG manuscript! The manuscript does
not have to be complete, but again, it does have to be unpublished.
3. For the purpose of this contest, here's how we'll define a
sentence in your manuscript:
when a period appears, that signifies the end of a sentence. Period. (See what we did there?)
And here's a reminder of the
PRIZE:
The winner of this contest will have their choice of
a 30-minute phone call with one of the following authors: Martina Boone, author of the Heirs of Watson Island trilogy; Sarah Glenn Marsh, author of the forthcoming Fear the Drowning Deep;
or, a 15-minute phone call with our agent judge! During this call, you can discuss your work or book ideas, any questions you have about querying and submission, or anything about writing in general--it's up to you!
Now that all those fun things are out of the way...we're thrilled to introduce you to our agent judge for this contest:PATRICIA NELSON OF MARSAL LYON LITERARY!
Patricia Nelson joined Marsal Lyon Literary Agency in 2014. She represents adult, young adult, and middle grade fiction, and is actively building her list.
In general, Patricia looks for stories that hook her with a unique plot, fantastic writing and complex characters that jump off the page. On the adult side, she is seeking women’s fiction both upmarket and commercial, historical fiction set in the 20th century, and compelling plot-driven literary fiction. She’s also looking for sexy, smart adult contemporary and historical single title romance. For YA and MG, Patricia is open to a wide range of genres, with particular interest in contemporary/realistic, magical realism, mystery, horror, and fantasy. She is interested in seeing diverse stories and
characters, including LGBTQ, in all genres that she represents.
Patricia received her bachelor’s degree from the College of William and Mary in 2008, and also holds a master’s degree in English Literature from the University of Southern California and a master’s degree in Gender Studies from the University of Texas at Austin. Before joining the world of publishing, she spent four years as a university-level instructor of literature and writing.
Good luck to all who choose to enter the contest next Thursday, February 4th!
Today, we're welcoming Chandler Baker to the blog. Chandler is the author of ALIVE, and TEEN FRANKENSTEIN, which came out last week. She's writing today about an amazing technique she uses to ensure she keeps her writing goals.
The Magic of Setting Intentions by Chandler Baker
At the start of 2012, I’d been writing—or at least trying to write and by that I mean interneting—seriously for 5 years. I’d been agented for 4 of those. But I hadn’t yet sold a book. In fact, I’d only managed to write 1 manuscript of my own plus a number of half-baked short stories that I found little joy in other than the fact that they were short and therefore done.
By the end of 2012 I had 4 books under contract—a YA novel with Disney-Hyperion and a YA series with Feiwel & Friends/Macmillan (the first in that series, Teen Frankenstein, comes out this week!) So what happened to cause such a dramatic change in such a short amount of time?
The simplest answer is: I wrote more. A lot more.
But there was also some magic involved. I met a fellow writer, Charlotte Huang (author of For the Record) online. We started a plan to write an email every weekday morning in which we’d set out what we hoped to get done for the day and another one at night relaying what we’d actually accomplished. That was it. Sometimes we wrote what we said we would and sometimes we fell short. It didn’t really matter. The point was in the saying of the thing. To each other. Out loud.
Within months we’d finished whole books. We each got a book deal. We each debuted in 2015. We each have second books coming out in 2016. Is this coincidence? I really don’t think so.
In 2012, remember, I’d written 1 book of my own. I’ve written and revised 4 since beginning our daily emails.
Because these emails are a wish and a prayer that we answer ourselves every day. And they just plain work.
ABOUT THE BOOK
High school meets classic horror in this groundbreaking new series.
It was a dark and stormy night when Tor Frankenstein accidentally hit someone with her car. And killed him. But all is not lost--Tor, being the scientific genius she is, brings him back to life...
Thus begins a twisty, turn-y take on a familiar tale, set in the town of Hollow Pines, Texas, where high school is truly horrifying.
Amazon | IndieBound | GoodreadsAbout the Author
Chandler Baker got her start ghostwriting novels for teens and tweens, including installments in a book series that has sold more than 1 million copies. She grew up in Florida, went to college at the University of Pennsylvania and studied law at the University of Texas. She now lives in Austin with her husband. Although she loves spinning tales with a touch of horror, she is a much bigger scaredy-cat than her stories would lead you to believe.
You can find Chandler as the books contributor on the YouTube channel Weird Girls.
One of the books I’m working on now is a full on fantasy. Beyond the first, wild sweet rush of the initial chapters where I didn’t know anything but the broadest strokes of where the heck I was going, I had to figure out the inner workings and clock pieces of the world. Honestly, that’s true of anything you write.
It may not seem like it, but whether the worlds are contemporary and non-magical or something entirely fantastic and unfamiliar, the process of creating where your characters live and how they became who they are is essentially the same.
It can be daunting to think of everything at once, and if you're like me, doing the step-by-step can feel like it's going to hold up the creative process. When it comes down to it, there are four groupings of information that can act like keys to open up your story.
The Differences in Time, Place, Weather, and Atmosphere: Of course you want to know the basics, but instead of asking yourself an endless list of questions about how your every aspect of your world looks, smells, sounds, and feels in real life, you want to know how the people who live there make it different and made it their own. Know the big picture things, sure, but then then focus on the details that make it personal and make it unique, as well as on the way in which the characters see these details. Think about how the details change during the seasons and how that impacts them the rest of the year. Consider the small questions you wouldn't normally think of, and that will help the big things snap in place.
The Discriminators in Economy, Technology, Religion, and Social Structure: The place in which the characters move involves how they are positioned in society and everything that entails. But it’s not just a matter of thinking how and where they get their food, shelter, and clothing, or even what they believe, but also how they pay for it. What are the jobs and hobbies or extra activities that take away or add resources? It’s important not only to think about what is available to purchase or barter, but what isn’t. What can’t your characters afford or have? Why and how do they make do? What would happen if something changed? How do those who have feel about those who don’t have, and vice versa? How do different characters or factions within society believe in different things and how does this make them feel about each other? What are the biggest discriminators in your story? What creates allies and enemies?
The Recent or Upcoming Change: Obviously something has changed, or you have no story. Something is brewing. But why? What caused the situation? What could have avoided it? What would or will make it worse? And how would solving it make something else go so awry that it would be a nearly impossible decision between the two?
The Past Change and Differentiation: In fiction as it life, there is planning, but there is also luck—both good and bad. Nothing is wholly uniform and nothing goes entirely according to plan. For each of your society as well as your characters, things have gone awry or unexpectedly at some point in the past. Something that set them on some path that wasn’t the one they would have logically chosen. What was it? For what reason? By whose design? How do they feel about it? What does it change for the future and how do different factions from within the story benefit or lose from this?
There are no hard and fast rules, no insert tab A into slot B instructions, for how to create a world, contemporary or otherwise. But a fantasy world must be as complete as the real world in which we live, and the contemporary world of your characters must reflect all the aspects of the world that they’d encounter.
What Do You Think
For me, the best way into a world is through the characters. Once I know what’s important to them and how they live their lives, I can begin to push the boundaries of their immediate world out, and then start to squeeze them walls of the world back in around them.
The push and pull, the squeezing of worlds and characters, that’s what shapes them both. The harder we squeeze, the more we temper them and develop something truly unique and strong.
Building a fantasy world? Here are some resources you might find useful.https://onestopforwriters.com First and foremost, for all things setting and character, not to mention a lot of other things, try the collaboration between the authors of the Emotion Thesaurus and the Character Thesaurus and the creator of Scrivener for Windows. It’s fully searchable by keyword and concept and gives you an enormous wealth of tools and libraries.
http://donjon.bin.sh/fantasy/world/ Want a map generator, fantasy name generator, or medieval demographics generator—or a few other things? Here you go.
About the Author
Martina Boone is the author of
Compulsion and
Persuasion, out now in the romantic Southern Gothic Heirs of Watson Island trilogy from Simon & Schuster, Simon Pulse.
Illusion, the final book, will be out in October of 2016. Martina is also the founder of
AdventuresInYAPublishing.com, a three-time Writer's Digest 101 Best Websites for Writers Site, and
YASeriesInsiders.com, a site dedicated to encouraging literacy and reader engagement through a celebration of series literature. She's on the Board of the Literacy Council of Northern Virginia and runs the
CompulsionForReading.com program to distribute books to underfunded schools and libraries.
It's another great week for YA new releases! We have giveaways of two new releases, and a swag giveaway for a third. PLUS there are interviews from five authors below, to help you get even more excited by the books coming your way this week.
Happy reading,
Lindsey, Martina, Sam, Jocelyn, Erin, Lisa, Shelly, Susan, Elizabeth, Kristin, Sandra and Anisaa
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We're thrilled to have Jennifer Longo with us to chat about her latest novel UP TO THIS POINTE.
Jennifer, what scene was really hard for you to write and why, and is that the one of which you are most proud? Or is there another scene you particularly love?There is a scene where Harper admits to another person the most severe, kind of violent thing she has done to her body in her life-long attempt to secure her dream. And in this moment she understands it made no difference, that is was for nothing. Then the person she’s giving this information to responds, essentially, “Okay. Well, so what now?” It’s confusing and heartbreaking for Harper, both the admission and the reaction, and she can’t pretend anymore. It was so hard to write – I love that moment.
What do you hope readers will take away from UP TO THIS POINTE?The Shackleton family motto:
Fortitudine vincimus: By Endurance we conquer.
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We're delighted to have Laura J. Burns and Melinda Metz join us to share more about their latest novel SANCTUARY BAY.
Laura and Melinda, what was your inspiration for writing SANCTUARY BAY?Too many to name! Shutter Island, The Secret History, every boarding school book we ever read as teenagers…
What do you hope readers will take away from SANCTUARY BAY?We just hope readers will think this is a fun, surprising book. It plays with several different genres, and we want to keep people guessing about what exactly is going on. We talk about Sanctuary Bay being like an onion—every time you peel back one layer, you find another one beneath it.
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THE ISLE is a sequel to THE WARD, and we're excited to have Jordana Frankel here to share more about it.
Jordana, what scene was really hard for you to write and why, and is that the one of which you are most proud? Or is there another scene you particularly love?I think the hardest scene also happened to be the easiest one, once I jumped "the hurdle." (The hurdle being letting go of what I thought *would* happen, so I could write what needed to happen.) I'm talking about one of the final chapters, where Ren dies. I realized after sitting with that scene for a good long while that what I wanted and what the story wanted were not the same thing. And so I had to adjust. Once I did that the words flowed and I wrote both those two chapters in a few hours. And I am quite proud of those pages!
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