books
Updates, travels, and various odds and ends
Sep 17, 2012
Well, sorry for the radio silence from this corner of the internet! As some of you may know from my twitter feed, I’ve been traveling around with co-author extraordinaire Amie. (She just got her plane back to her side of the globe yesterday. I’m pretty inconsolable.)
We caught up with our agents at Adams Literary in Charlotte, then headed to Asheville where we met up with the local author ladies there for dinner and chocolate and discussions of serial killers (thanks for the nightmares, Steph). I managed to get my hands on ARCs of THROUGH THE EVER NIGHT and THE MADMAN’S DAUGHTER, and devoured them both. Seriously, they are amazing, folks. Normally I don’t feel the urge to brag about things when I read them before they hit the shelves, but I will be shouting about these two books for a good long time. (Read more…)
Signed Copies of SKYLARK!
Aug 26, 2012
So, you want a signed copy of SKYLARK, you say? Well, in case you don’t want to track me down in true stalkerish fandom (and, uh, please don’t do that) here are a couple alternatives!
Oh, what a week(s) it’s been…
Aug 10, 2012
You guys may have noticed I’ve been a bit quiet lately. Well, there’s a lot of reasons for that. The biggest one is that this happened last week:
SKYLARK is in stores now! (Read more…)
The Kindness Project: Shout-out
Jul 11, 2012
I’m taking a break from this month’s Kindness Project in order to focus on the SKYLARK Blog Tour. (Today I’m over at Nova Ren Suma’s blog, Distraction99, talking about embracing fear on her Turning Points series.) But anyone who knows me knows I’m not very good at multitasking, and since I’ve been writing guest posts left and right for the tour, I couldn’t scramble my brains enough to come up with anything coherent. I have so much I wish I could say–I’ve encountered so much kindness over the past month that I barely know where to start. The kindness and enthusiasm of book bloggers, fellow authors, readers, new fans… it’s overwhelming seeing people supporting me and my book, and supporting books in general.
Still, even though I’m not posting today, I still wanted to make sure you all got the links for everyone who is posting. So please, be sure to check out the amazing people making it their mission to bring more kindness into the world.
The SKY’S THE LIMIT Contest for SKYLARK!
Jul 05, 2012
Today is my birthday. Last year on my birthday I held a contest to celebrate in which I gave away free books. This year, I decided to continue in that tradition… but the difference is, this year I can give away MY OWN BOOK. International folks, be sure to read on—everything except prize levels 2 and 3 are open internationally!
So, without further ado, let me introduce…
The SKY’S THE LIMIT Contest for SKYLARK!
So cheesy it hurts, I know. But I’m excited, and if you keep reading, I think you will be too. This contest was in a big way inspired by the amazingly awesome Beth Revis, and the Epic Contest of Epic that she held for the release of ACROSS THE UNIVERSE. She gave away 100 prizes, some big, some small, and some completely epic.
Well, I wanted to put my own twist on it. What makes this contest unique, you might ask?
What makes it unique is that everyone who enters will win.
Announcing… the SKYLARK Blog Tour!
Jun 29, 2012
Hi guys! I’ve been a little quiet lately–but only because I’ve been busy! Ever since I found out that Skylark was going to be available August 1, two months before its official pub date of October 1, I’ve been arranging guest posts and interviews all over the place. And guys, book bloggers? They are totally awesome. I’m pretty much head over heels for how fun everyone has been to work with so far!
So, without further ado, let me announce:
Big Announcement… and Postcard Extravaganza!
Jun 10, 2012
First of all, before you do anything else, click over to Crits for Water and check out today’s auction! Amie and I are giving away a critique, PLUS Adams Literary will look at your query, PLUS (seriously, this package is crazy) Disney-Hyperion editor Laura Schrieber will read your first chapter AND call you on the phone to discuss it with you! Have you gone to check it out? Yes? Okay, then carry on below.
Well, I think I’m finally recovered (mostly!) from BEA. It was my first Book Expo, and man, what a way to start! My editor, Andrew Karre, spoke on the YA Editors Buzz Panel about SKYLARK, and then I got to sit with the other amazing buzz authors and discuss our books on our own panel. I also got to meet a wonderful bunch of bloggers at the blogger breakfast with me, Maggie Stiefvater, Tessa Gratton, and Brenna Yovanoff.
And then—one of the craziest experiences yet—I got to do this:
Look at that line! Total madness. I got to meet so many awesome people while I signed, I wish I could’ve had more time to talk more! One guy told me that he wasn’t even going to come to BEA that day—but he came JUST to get his hands on a copy of SKYLARK and get it signed. Dude, whoever you are, you made my day. And given what an incredible day it was, that’s saying something.
BEA 2012!
Jun 04, 2012
I’m going to be a bit quiet this week–partly because I’m still catching up after having been away, but mostly because… I’m going to be at Book Expo America!! WOOOO! I’m so psyched about going. It’s my first time, and I have a list about a mile long of authors I want to stalk track down.
If you’re going to be in New York this week, and if you’re planning on going to BEA, be sure to look me up! I’ll be there Wednesday and Thursday (June 6-7). Here’s a list of my scheduled events, so you can track me down.
Farewell, Book Two… and Hello Africa!
May 15, 2012
Today I head to Africa for two and a half weeks. There’s not much I can coherently say about this, because if I try to describe how excited I am I end up just running around in circles until I collide with the wall. Suffice it to say: I’m psyched.
A lot has been going on lately—so much so that I haven’t even had time to pay attention to the Africa trip. Prepping for BEA in June, where SKYLARK is one of five YA Buzz Books, has been awesome. I’ve been getting my first few out and out fan email for SKYLARK, which is even MORE nuts. Trying to set up guest posts and interviews and giveaways for the months leading up to SKYLARK’s release is entirely new territory for me. My spectacularly awesome writing partner, Amie Kaufman, and I, have finished our second round of revisions on THESE BROKEN STARS.
And sitting pretty at the top of the list, one of the hardest things I’ve ever done: finishing the sequel to SKYLARK. (Read more…)
On Tenses: When to Use Present, When to Use Past
Apr 20, 2012
Lately it seems like every other YA novel I pick up is first person present tense. Which, when done right, is awesome. Some of my favorite books are in present tense. But I keep seeing books written in present tense with no actual reason for it. I think THE HUNGER GAMES, among other books, made this particular style of narration jump in popularity lately. I’m seeing a ton of aspiring writers using it in books that I’m not quite sure warrant it. (Read more…)