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Ask a Question (#3): How did you come up with Nix’s character?
Apr 15, 2013
This question deals with a character in SKYLARK–there are some mild spoilerish parts in this answer! Nothing major gets revealed, but if you’re as anti-spoiler as I am and you haven’t read SKYLARK, be warned!
Carolina S. asked, “Nix is positively my favorite character! How did you come up with him?”
It’s funny–Nix is genderless, but almost everyone uses a gendered pronoun when they talk about the character, because we’re not used to saying “it” to describe sentient, animate creatures. More people seem to call it a “him,” but I’ve definitely come across plenty of people who call Nix a “her!”
For those who aren’t familiar with SKYLARK, Nix is a pixie–which, in Lark’s world, is the name for little mechanical insect-like creatures that the Institute uses to spy on its citizens. When Lark escapes, Nix tracks her, and after she incapacitates it, it’s forced to become her reluctant ally.
Nix started out as sheer necessity. As I was writing the first draft of SKYLARK (which was then called THE IRON WOOD, but that’s another story) I was just ripping along at a great pace until Lark escaped the city and was out in the wilderness. Completely alone. I realized she had no one to talk to and no one to interact with, and while there are a lot of amazing books out there which handle this situation beautifully, it wasn’t actually what I was going for. So I decided she needed a companion (aside from Oren, who she meets later). (Read more…)
Ask a Question (#2): What was the process behind naming SKYLARK?
Apr 12, 2013
Amie Kaufman and I are running a MASSIVE giveaway with swag and ARCs from over twenty YA authors in order to kick off our brand new joint newsletter. Be sure to go check it out!
Katelyn L. asked, “What was the process behind naming SKYLARK?”
The original title of SKYLARK was THE IRON WOOD. That was the title I’d called it from the very beginning. I don’t outline, but I do usually have a pretty good idea of where a story is headed, and I knew where Lark was going when she escaped. So that was the title of the manuscript when I queried and signed with my agent, and that was also the title under which the book sold.
Mega Prize Pack Giveaway–and Newsletter!
Apr 08, 2013
It’s newsletter time–and GIVEAWAY time! Amie Kaufman and I now have a joint newsletter, where you can receive all the latest news on our books, as well as information about upcoming signings and events, writing advice and tips, exclusive contests, and sneak peeks at secret upcoming projects! What’s more, by signing up for our newsletter in the next two weeks, you can also enter to win our TOTALLY awesome contest. In the process, you can let us know what YOU want out of your newsletter, and get extra entries!
Because we want to hear from YOU, we decided to offer a prize pack of swag and books from over TWENTY authors, not just our own. The winner will receive a package full of signed swag (including bookmarks, postcards, temporary tattoos, jewelry, tea, buttons, author business cards, book plates, magnets, stickers, and more) from over twenty authors, as well as FIVE advance reader copies from my collection, which the winner will be able to choose. Click on the image to enlarge it and see the prizes!
Contest is open INTERNATIONALLY, but due to shipping costs, international winners won’t receive the ARCs. (We’re so sorry, but the cost is insane!) You will get all the other awesome stuff though!
Click the link below to subscribe, then be sure to come back here in order to enter the contest and tell us what you want in a newsletter!
Subscribe to Our Newsletter!
Ask A Question (#1): Why become an author?
Apr 05, 2013
Your questions are starting to come in, and I decided to kick this new feature off by choosing a question about why I do what I do!
Lexie F. asked, “What made you want to become an author?”
Reading was probably the single most significant part of my childhood and teenage years. Books were my best friends and my greatest love, and I never went anywhere without them. I could never get enough words and stories and characters. Being completely and utterly absorbed by a book remains one of the most rewarding and satisfying experiences I can think of. How can I not want to give that in return to kids today?
I love writing, but the drive to do it professionally comes from the desire to share these stories and worlds with kids today the way the authors of my childhood did with me. I want to form those same bonds across time and space, and if I can make even one reader get lost in my books, I’ll have done my job.
Do you have a question you’d like me to answer about books, publishing, or anything else? Ask it here, and enter my monthly drawing to win a prize pack of signed swag!
To see more questions I’ve answered, click here.
Cover Reveal for THESE BROKEN STARS!
Feb 20, 2013
Did you come here looking for In Search of the Write Space? Well, too bad. You’re getting something different today. There are still book to be won, though. Oh, are there ever books to be one.
Guys, it’s finally here. It’s FINALLY HERE! The cover for THESE BROKEN STARS is live today–RIGHT NOW! I could show it here in all its glory, but where would the fun be in that? Instead, Amie and I have gathered six awesome bloggers to share in the reveal. Visit each blog to see the gorgeous cover, and enter on each to win one of SIX advanced reader copies, the very first to roll off the presses! Plus, check out the unique content on each blog for more about our upcoming book. (Read more…)
Signing Schedule and Updates!
Feb 01, 2013
It’s been a busy couple of months on my end, and I haven’t done much updating here outside of the Write Space series. I like looking at other authors’ desks (and giving away their books) a lot more than I like talking about what I’m doing, though, so that suits me fine! Be sure to check out the two current contests, where you can win the whole ACROSS THE UNIVERSE series by Beth Revis, and where you can win a signed copy of TIME BETWEEN US by Tamara Ireland Stone.
Tomorrow I’m leaving on a mini signing tour, and I hope I’ll get to see some of you guys along the way! I’ll be hitting up Malaprops in Asheville, NC, Fountain Bookstore in Richmond, VA, Hooray For Books in Alexandria, VA, and Politics and Prose in Washington, D.C. The best part about all of it is that I’m going to be chatting with and signing alongside some absolutely kickass YA authors, including Beth Revis (ACROSS THE UNIVERSE), Megan Shepherd (THE MADMAN’S DAUGHTER), Lenore Appelhans (LEVEL 2), Jodi Meadows (ASUNDER), and Victoria Schwab (THE ARCHIVED).
Event Schedule
Click here to see my event schedule over the next week–be sure to come by if you can! Hanging out with other people who love books, whether they be authors, aspiring writers, readers, or just plain quiet folks who like the smell of binding glue… well, that’s just plain guaranteed to be a good time. (Read more…)
SKYLARK Audiobook Extravaganza!
Nov 15, 2012
So maybe it’s not really an extravaganza, but I really like that word, and it’s my book, so I’m writing it anyway. You can’t tell me what to do!
Okay, maybe I’m a little excited here. But it’s for good reason, I promise! If you came here looking for In Search of the Write Space, the bad news is that there is no TWS post this week. The good news, though, is that I’m taking a break so that I can share some TOTALLY AWESOME NEWS: the SKYLARK audiobook is now available in the US from Recorded Books! EEEEE! (Read more…)
In Search of the Write Space: Jessica Khoury
Oct 22, 2012
Podcast Interview about SKYLARK!
Oct 04, 2012
It’s been quite a week on my end of things. Amie and I got copyedits on THESE BROKEN STARS last week and just handed those in this morning, which means now I’m wandering around trying to remember what I’m supposed to be doing with myself. The answer is “back to work on SHADOWLARK,” but making that transition is always a little rough. My two series are so different in terms of style, story, focus–I love them both, but switching between the two makes my brain go ping! So the next few days will involve a lot of listening to my SHADOWLARK playlist (it’s all instrumental and therefore likely very boring for most of you unless you’re a soundtrack junkie like me) and going for long walks while staring off into space. Hey, some stereotypes about writers are stereotypes for a reason! (Read more…)
E.C. Myers
Sep 28, 2012
E.C. Myers was assembled in the U.S. from Korean and German parts and raised by a single mother and a public library in Yonkers, New York. He has published short fiction in a variety of print and online magazines and anthologies, and his first young adult novel, FAIR COIN, is available now from Pyr Books. The sequel, QUANTUM COIN, will be published in October 2012. He currently lives with his wife and a doofy cat in Philadelphia and shares way too much information about his personal life at ecmyers.net and on Twitter @ecmyers. (Author Photo: S. Kuzma Photography.)
A Note From Meg
Welcome to “In Search of the Write Space,” a new feature on my blog where authors share pictures of their work spaces, giving us all a little glimpse into their creative lives. If you didn’t see this week’s earlier post from Kat Zhang, be sure to check it out for a chance to win her debut novel. This time we’ve got E.C. Myers, author of FAIR COIN and its upcoming sequel, QUANTUM COIN. He’s totally awesome, and so is his space, so I’m going to hand it over to him to take you on your tour!
I share this desk with my wife, and we sometimes work side by side. My favorite part of this setup is my clicky old keyboard, which is probably my wife’s least favorite part.
I tend to be more productive away from the distractions of my apartment, so I wake up at 5:30 every weekday morning and write at this Starbucks near my office before work. I pretty much take my netbook everywhere with me.
On weekends, I prefer working all day at the Chestnut Hill Coffee Co. This is the view from the window seat where I usually write; until recently, that building was a shuttered Borders, which was kind of a depressing sight while working on my books.
This is the mighty bookcase that separates our bedroom from the office space. I like to work surrounded by books, especially our favorite children’s and young adult books; the column on the left holds my “vanity” shelf and research collection. Oddly enough, the Superman cape is my wife’s.
This is what you see when you first enter our apartment; we kind of segregated the bulk of our adult books and graphic novels out here. That image from the Narnia books is the essence of fantasy to me: the surprising juxtaposition of the wondrous and the mundane that creates the best magic, and the only kind I know — imagination.
Quantum Coin
by E.C. Myers
Ephraim thought his universe-hopping days were over. He’s done wishing for magic solutions to his problems; his quantum coin has been powerless for almost a year, and he’s settled into a normal life with his girlfriend, Jena. But then an old friend crashes their senior prom: Jena’s identical twin from a parallel world, Zoe.
Zoe’s timing couldn’t be worse. It turns out that Ephraim’s problems have just begun, and they’re much more complicated than his love life: The multiverse is at stake—and it might just be Ephraim’s fault.
Ephraim, Jena, and Zoe embark on a mission across multiple worlds to learn what’s going wrong and how to stop it. They will have to draw on every resource available and trust in alternate versions of themselves and their friends, before it’s too late for all of them.
If Ephraim and his companions can put their many differences aside and learn to work together, they might have a chance to save the multiverse. But ultimately, the solution may depend on how much they’re willing to sacrifice for the sake of humanity…and each other.
I’m giving away one advanced reader copy of QUANTUM COIN that has been SIGNED and can be personalized to you by the author! Entries are open to US and Canada residents only. Enter using the Rafflecopter form below, and be sure to check out the various ways you can earn extra entries. If you’re a Pinterest user, you can score big on the extra entries scale!
“In Search of the Write Space” is an ongoing feature at meaganspooner.com that showcases authors through the spaces they carve out for creativity. You can find out more about the feature, and see a list of past guests, by clicking here.
If you or someone you represent would like to participate in “Write Space,” check out my policies and fill out the application form here!