Get ready to drool over some long-awaited new books! Our dear friend Elana Johnson’s book finally releases this week, and that’s just the beginning. Read on for amazing books and author interviews. Scroll all the way down to enter our giveaway! And don’t forget to visit yesterday’s post to enter a second time…
This Week’s Interviews
by - From Goodreads: Vi knows the Rule: Girls don’t walk with boys, and they never even think about kissing them. But no one makes Vi want to break the Rules more than Zenn…and since the Thinkers have chosen him as Vi’s future match, how much trouble can one kiss cause? The Thinkers may have brainwashed the rest of the population, but Vi is determined to think for herself. But the Thinkers are unusually persuasive, and they’re set on convincing Vi to become one of them…starting by brainwashing Zenn. Vi can’t leave Zenn in the Thinkers’ hands, but she’s wary of joining the rebellion, especially since that means teaming up with Jag. Jag is egotistical, charismatic, and dangerous–everything Zenn’s not. Vi can’t quite trust Jag and can’t quite resist him, but she also can’t give up on Zenn. This is a game of control or be controlled. And Vi has no choice but to play.
How long did you work on this book?Depends on what kind of work. Drafting = 17 days. Revising/editing = 13 months. And that was just before querying. After that I worked on POSSESSION some more. About 6 months more.
How was your journey to publication? Long, short, how many rejections?
Long to me, short compared to some. Long to others, winding to me. POSSESSION was actually the second book I queried; no one wanted the first. I sent 189 query letters over an 8-month period. I was rejected 188 times.
I’m grateful for the one yes. My book sold very fast, and I’ve been waiting 16 months since then. So it’s been long, short, and everything in between.
What advice would you most like to pass along to other writers?
Besides the standard, “Don’t give up,” I think it’s important for authors to allow themselves to find what works for them. Don’t sit and beat yourself up over your process or what other people do. Find what works for you, and do that.
What has surprised you most about becoming a published author?
So many things! But I think the thing that is most surprising is other people’s views of my book. Sometimes I’ll read a post and go, “Interesting. I’d never thought that about Vi.” (This is a good thing, but it is surprising.)
by - From Goodreads: My life seriously couldn’t get any worse. First, my rightful designation of dragon slayer is STOLEN right out from under me by Curtis Green. Sure, he’s really cute, but that doesn’t give him an excuse. On top of that, I am assigned to slay fairies. I know what you’re thinking—how hard could it be, right? Wrong! These menacing beasts with their tiny hipster clothes and mocking sarcasm love taunting me. And they won’t STOP! But the thing that tops my list of stuff to ruin my day? That would be the GIANT KILLER FAIRY that I have to hunt down and slay because I am the only one who can see it. There is someone who can help me. Unfortunately…it’s Curtis. It’s going to be a fairy bad day.
How long did you work on this book?
I’m going to be very honest here and admit that this book was a bit of a beast to write! I think it took me about five or six months and then I went through two rounds of revisions which took another two months.
How was your journey to publication? Long, short, how many rejections?
My road to publication was looooooooooooooooong with a zillion, gazillion rejections along the way and it probably took about six years! I was so clueless when I started writing and to begin with I was trying to write category romance (which is actually great training for any writer). Then I moved to chick lit before finally finding YA/MG. Along the way I wrote about twelve complete manuscripts and I queried the butt off all of them. I was really driven to get an agent so once I had enough rejections on one manuscript, I would move onto the next one. In the end, after all the waiting, once I finally wrote what would become my debut book, You Had Me at Halo, I ended up getting an agent and a sale very quickly (which actually sums up publishing since it’s all about waiting and then crazy bursts of excitement!)
What advice would you most like to pass along to other writers?
Oh, I love this part! It’s like when I tell my kids not to eat chocolate while I secretly chew on a Snickers bar! So really, any advice from me isn’t what I do, but more what I aim to do!!!!!! First and most importantly I think you really need to nurture your voice since in the end, it’s your voice that will help you standout to an editor/agent. Second, I think you really need to stay perky and upbeat. Publishing (and the road to publication) can be a bit doom and gloom and if you buy into it, it’s going to really bring you down. Third, you’ve got to believe in yourself because honestly, no one cares about this career choice of yours more than you do!
What has surprised you most about becoming a published author?
The most surprising thing is that my family absolutely refuse to treat me any differently at all, which I think is very unreasonable of them! But apart from that, there are so many great things. Like when you see your cover for the first time. When you get a cool review or a nice email from a reader. Or even when you manage to sell another book!
Don’t Stop Now
by Julie Halpern
- From Goodreads: On the first day of Lillian’s summer-before-college, she gets a message on her cell from her sort-of friend, Penny. Not only has Penny faked her own kidnapping, but Lil is the only one who figures it out. She knows that Penny’s home life has been rough, and that her boyfriend may be abusive. Soon, Penny’s family, the local police, and even the FBI are grilling Lil, and she decides to head out to Oregon, where Penny has mentioned an acquaintance. And who better to road-trip across the country with than Lil’s BFF, Josh. But here’s the thing: Lil loves Josh. And Josh doesn’t want to “ruin” their amazing friendship. Josh has a car and his dad’s credit card. Lil has her cellphone and a hunch about where Penny is hiding. There’s something else she needs to find: Are she and Josh meant to be together?
How long did you work on this book?
At the time I wrote it, I was working as a school librarian and could only write during the summer. Also, I have a young daughter, so I could only write while she slept. I felt that the book didn’t need to be long, which is sort of a pressure in YA now (maybe because of Harry Potter), but this book wasn’t calling for that. So, the first draft took me a summer to write, writing about two hours a day. That’s pretty much how long my first two books took, too.
How was your journey to publication? Long, short, how many rejections?
It wasn’t too painful. My first book, a picture book called “Toby and the Snowflakes” that I wrote and my husband, Matthew Cordell, illustrated, was pulled from a slush (sludge? I never remember) pile. We used The Children’s Writers and Illustrators’ Market as our guide and sent a proposal to 19 publishers. In six months we received 18 rejections and one maybe. I worked for another six months with the maybe, and finally it became a yes. That book wasn’t very successful, but it brought Matt into the publishing world. He is working quite successfully as an illustrator full time now. Because of that, he had many editorial contacts. I had a portion of my manuscript for my first YA novel, Get Well Soon, and had sent it to two editors whom I had met at ALA. One of them said they already had a book about a teen in a mental hospital, and the other said they would look at it again if I changed the format from letters to straight writing. I didn’t want to do that. Then I entered it into the Delacorte Press First YA Novel Contest. When everyone on the message boards started receiving their rejection letters, I began to think about what I would do if I lost. Matthew was working with an editor at Scholastic that he really liked, Liz Szabla, and she recently left Scholastic with Jean Feiwel to start the Macmillan imprint Feiwel and Friends. When my contest rejection letter came in the mail, I emailed Liz that night and told her who I was, that I heard she was at a new imprint, and were they looking for any YA novels since I had one about a girl in a mental hospital, but it was funny. She emailed me back the next morning and said it sounded right up her alley. Three weeks later, we were on the phone making a deal. We work together beautifully, and I’m so happy we found each other. We are now working on our fourth book together.
What advice would you most like to pass along to other writers?
My two pieces of advice:
1) I know somewriters really like to go back and revise as they write, but for me that would stop the momentum completely. One of the biggest accomplishments as a writer is that moment when you finish a book. I say write straight through, and once the first draft is done you can change it up as much as you like. If you keep looking back, how are you ever going to move forward?
2) Finding an editor or agent is like finding a mate. If someone rejects you, it means they weren’t the right person for you anyway. Would you really want to work with a person who doesn’t think you’re funny or doesn’t get your work? Be patient; the right person is out there. Hopefully you will find them sooner rather than later.
What has surprised you most about becoming a published author?
It’s not very exciting, except in tiny doses. Release day means little, since there’s no big red carpet premiere. Not all bookstores carry my books. Sometimes no one shows up for your events besides your family and friends. Most authors don’t get heaps of publicity or book tours. That said, there are the exciting moments when I receive fan emails, or someone says that my book has helped them. My publisher finds conferences or events for me to attend, or I am asked directly, and those can be very rock star. I just took part in the Great Rochester Teen Book Festival, and that was amazing. So, all of the people out there who believe getting published means a glamorous, exciting life, may be in for disappointment. But writing is really a solitary job, and all of the *wow* moments are blessings.
by - From Goodreads: Each night when 16 year-old London Lane goes to sleep, her whole world disappears. In the morning, all that’s left is a note telling her about a day she can’t remember. The whole scenario doesn’t exactly make high school or dating that hot guy whose name she can’t seem to recall any easier. But when London starts experiencing disturbing visions she can’t make sense of, she realizes it’s time to learn a little more about the past she keeps forgetting-before it destroys her future.
How long did you work on this book?
I got the idea for FORGOTTEN in November 2008 and began writing immediately; I finished the first draft three months later. However, I did multiple rounds of edits with the help of my agent before it went to publishers, then more editing after Little, Brown purchased the book. Factoring in editing time, FORGOTTEN took a little over a year and a half to complete.
How was your journey to publication? Long, short, how many rejections?
I’ve always wanted to be a writer: I created stories in elementary school; wrote poetry in junior high; loved creative writing class in high school and majored in journalism in college. About six years ago, in my spare time, I wrote a (terrible) women’s fiction book that will never see the light of day, just for the sake of flexing that creative writing muscle again. I made a weak attempt at finding an agent and was rejected a handful of times. However, I’m so glad I did it: I think it was the hurdle I needed to jump over to prepare me for what was to come.
When the inspiration for FORGOTTEN struck, I didn’t second guess myself about whether I could write a book: I already had. Instead, I just sat down and wrote. And wrote. And wrote. I think waiting all that time for the right idea helped the publication process move quickly for me…well, that and little luck. My agent wrote back to my pitch in minutes, asking for the full manuscript. He signed me up and the book went to auction about six months later. Now, it’s hitting store shelves, making my lifelong dream a reality.
What advice would you most like to pass along to other writers?
I guess my best advice is that if you want to write a book, write a book. Since this process started, I’ve heard from friends and acquaintances that they want to write a book, but…There’s always that “but.” “But I’m too busy.” “But I don’t have a good idea.” “But I don’t know where to begin.”
My advice is that if you want to be a writer, you need to make time for it. What works for my family is that my husband gets up with our twin preschoolers in the morning and gets them ready, so I have a nice block of time every day before he leaves for work. Morning is when I’m freshest. Find the time that works for you and your schedule so that writing isn’t optional. Then, like Nike says, just do it! Sections of FORGOTTEN were like verbal vomit on the first go round; don’t self-edit along the way, worry about that later. Just get it down on paper. Finally, if something’s not working, don’t force it. I have at least ten beginnings of books that just weren’t working for me for one reason or another. You might go back later, knowing how to fix the problem. Or, perhaps a failed story will lead you to an idea for a great one.
What has surprised you most about becoming a published author?
Hmm…everything? The whole experience was and is still new and exciting for me, so really every milestone is a surprise. I suppose the biggest surprise was the slowness of it all. I always thought the process went something like: write, edit, print. And sure, those steps are part of it, but there’s a whole lot more…and it seems like every little thing takes forever. As a naturally impatient person, I’ve had to learn to grow patience.
My Life Undecided
by Jessica Brody
- From Goodreads: PLEASE READ THIS! MY LIFE DEPENDS ON IT! Okay, maybe that was a bit melodramatic, but I’m sorry, I’m feeling a bit melodramatic at the moment. Here’s the deal. My name is Brooklyn Pierce, I’m fifteen years old, and I am decisionally challenged. Seriously, I can’t remember the last good decision I made. I can remember plenty of crappy ones though. Including that party I threw when my parents were out of town that accidentally burned down a model home. Yeah, not my finest moment, for sure. But see, that’s why I started a blog. To enlist readers to make my decisions for me. That’s right. I’m gave up. Threw in the towel. I let someone else be the one to decide which book I read for English. Or whether or not I accepted an invitation to join the debate team from that cute-in-a-dorky-sort-of-way guy who gave me the Heimlich Maneuver in the cafeteria. (Note to self: Chew the melon before swallowing it.) I even let them decide who I dated! Well, it turns out there are some things in life you simply can’t choose or have chosen for you—like who you fall in love with. And now everything’s more screwed up than ever. But don’t take my word for it, read the book and decide for yourself. You’ll laugh, you’ll cry, you’ll scream in frustration. Or maybe that’s just me. After all, it’s my life.
How long did you work on this book?
The first draft only took about three months to write, which is pretty normal for me. Then my editor gave me some notes for a second draft which took a few weeks to implement. Then there’s about 2-3 months of really intense editing where the editor goes line by line and marks up your book with red pen. It always makes me feel like I’m back in elementary school!
How was your journey to publication? Long, short, how many rejections?
My path to being published was VERY long and paved with rejection letters. It took me five years to sell my first book. Actually my “first” book was never published. It’s still sitting on my shelf! I tried for three years to get an agent for that book and eventually started a new book that would become my first published novel. After five years, I finally landed my first agent and she sold my book in only 10 days! That’s the power of a good agent.
What advice would you most like to pass along to other writers?
Regardless of whether you’re a bestselling author with twenty books under your belt or you’re just starting out, writing is a craft that needs to be constantly honed. Try to write every day. Even if the stuff that’s coming out reads like a third grade book report. Sometimes you have to get the bad stuff out in order to get to the good stuff. And sometimes, writing just to write is the only way to get a book done. Even if it means having to go back later and delete it all!
What has surprised you most about becoming a published author?
I was really surprised to learn how long it takes a book to get to the shelf. I sold THE KARMA CLUB (my first young adult release) to my publisher TWO years before it was released in stores. The publishing industry can be very slow and that’s taken some getting used to. I’m usually about two books ahead of whatever book is in the stores. For example, MY LIFE UNDECIDED, my new teen novel, releases on June 6 and I’ve already written the book that will come out after that and am 1/4 through the one that will come out after that!
Tiger’s Quest (Book 2)
by Colleen Houck
- From Goodreads: Kelsey Hayes is no ordinary college freshman. In fact, the eighteen-year-old girl has just returned from India, where she risked her life—and her heart—to rescue a handsome Indian prince from a terrible curse. Back home in Oregon, Kelsey is determined to move on, despite the lingering feelings she has for the man she left behind. She meets Li, a completely average guy who offers the promise of an ordinary, curse-free life. But just when Kelsey is ready to move on, Ren reenters her life, on a quest to reclaim her heart. Danger threatens their newly rekindled love and to save him, Kelsey must journey with someone else—a man who wants her for himself. The saga begun in Tiger’s Curse continues in Tiger’s Quest, as Kelsey finds herself in an epic battle between good and evil. From the shores of the Pacific Northwest to the jungles of India, the mountains of Nepal and Tibet, and the mystical realm of Shangri-la, this suspenseful tale of love, sacrifice, and redemption is not to be missed.
How long did you work on this book?
Tiger’s Quest took me about seven months to complete, just one month longer than Tiger’s Curse. I was inspired to write by reading about Stephenie Meyer who was just a normal mom who got up one day to write. I thought, “If she can do it, why not me?” I finished Tiger’s Curse a day before Breaking Dawn was released.
How was your journey to publication? Long, short, how many rejections?
After I finished writing Tiger’s Curse, I sent out a few dozen query letters but nothing happened. After I finished Tiger’s Quest I repeated the process but sent out a few hundred letters and a few hundred emails. I was able to interest a dozen or so editors and agents but all of them eventually passed and so I decided to self-publish. After my first two books were on the market for a few months, they generated enough of a buzz that I caught the interest of my agent, Alex Glass, and my publisher, Sterling. My self-published books were pulled from the market in the summer of 2010 and the brand new version of Tiger’s Curse was out on shelves in January and now Tiger’s Quest is coming in June of 2011 so things happened very fast for me.
What advice would you most like to pass along to other writers?
Never give up. If you have a passion to write you should. It didn’t matter to me if I had ten fans or ten thousand. I loved the process and the act of creating a story that was unique and special to me. If that is something that drives you, then do it.
What has surprised you most about becoming a published author?
I was surprised at how many people are a part of making a book happen. There’s a design team, a marketing team, a team who works with my agent to sell the book to other countries. It’s such a huge industry and its made me look at books a little more carefully. I take extra time now to read the acknowledgements, to admire the cover, to note the copyright page. I feel overwhelmed by and grateful to all the people who have helped make my series come to life.
Crush Control
by Jennifer Jabaley
- From Goodreads: Willow has spent most of her life as her mother’s sidekick in a popular Las Vegas hypnotism show. So when she and her mom move back to their sleepy southern hometown to start over, she thinks she’s in for a life of quiet normalcy. Except that her new life turns out to be anything but, when she kinda sorta hypnotizes Quinton, the hottest guy on the football team, to fall madly, deeply, head over heels in love with her. But what started out as an innocent way to make her best friend, Max, jealous soon gets way out of hand, and Willow begins to wonder if the mind–and more importantly, the heart–is something you can really control.
How long did you work on this book?
Additional Releases
Everlasting (Immortals)
by Alyson Noel
- From Goodreads: Everlasting is the sixth and final installment of the epic love story that has enchanted readers across the world. Ever and Damen have spent centuries facing down bitter rivals, jealous friends and their own worst fears-all in the hope of being together forever. Now in Everlasting, their destiny is finally within reach. Will they be united-or torn apart forever? Readers will finally discover the truth in this anxiously awaited conclusion!
Ten Things We Did (and Probably Shouldn’t Have)
by Sarah Mylnowski
- From Goodreads: 2 girls + 3 guys + 1 house – parents = 10 things April and her friends did that they (definitely, maybe, probably) shouldn’t have. If given the opportunity, what sixteen-year-old wouldn’t jump at the chance to move in with a friend and live parent-free? Although maybe “opportunity” isn’t the right word, since April had to tell her dad a tiny little untruth to make it happen (see #1: “Lied to Our Parents”). But she and her housemate Vi are totally responsible and able to take care of themselves. How they ended up “Skipping School” (#3), “Throwing a Crazy Party” (#8), “Buying a Hot Tub” (#4), and, um, “Harboring a Fugitive” (#7) at all is kind of a mystery to them.
- From Goodreads: Drifting in the dark waters of a mysterious river, the only thing Amelia knows for sure is that she’s dead. With no recollection of her past life—or her actual death—she’s trapped alone in a nightmarish existence. All of this changes when she tries to rescue a boy, Joshua, from drowning in her river. As a ghost, she can do nothing but will him to live. Yet in an unforgettable moment of connection, she helps him survive. Amelia and Joshua grow ever closer as they begin to uncover the strange circumstances of her death and the secrets of the dark river that held her captive for so long. But even while they struggle to keep their bond hidden from the living world, a frightening spirit named Eli is doing everything in his power to destroy their newfound happiness and drag Amelia back into the ghost world . . . forever.
Blood Red Road (Dustlands)
by Moira Young
- From Goodreads: Saba has spent her whole life in Silverlake, a dried-up wasteland ravaged by constant sandstorms. The Wrecker civilization has long been destroyed, leaving only landfills for Saba and her family to scavenge from. That’s fine by her, as long as her beloved twin brother Lugh is around. But when a monster sandstorm arrives, along with four cloaked horsemen, Saba’s world is shattered. Lugh is captured, and Saba embarks on an epic quest to get him back. Suddenly thrown into the lawless, ugly reality of the world outside of desolate Silverlake, Saba is lost without Lugh to guide her. So perhaps the most surprising thing of all is what Saba learns about herself: she’s a fierce fighter, an unbeatable survivor, and a cunning opponent. And she has the power to take down a corrupt society from the inside. Teamed up with a handsome daredevil named Jack and a gang of girl revolutionaries called the Free Hawks, Saba stages a showdown that will change the course of her own civilization.
He’s So Not Worth It (He’s So/She’s So Trilogy)
by Kieran Scott
- From Goodreads: Ally Ryan, come on down to the Jersey Shore and forget your troubles! Have you recently been humiliated in front of your friends and family at your former best friend’s birthday party? Was your almost boyfriend partly responsible for that humiliation by withholding some vital information about where your estranged father is? Did you come home to find said estranged father sitting on your stoop? If so, then it sounds like you could use a vacation! The Jersey Shore is the place to be. Your mother may be living with her boyfriend of only a few months, but at least the stunt Shannen pulled has put some of your friends back in your court. Even so, you’re still angry and what better way to get over Jake than to blow off some steam with local guy, Cooper? People will hardly recognize your new attitude, but the old one wasn’t getting you anywhere, so who cares! Jake Graydon, an exciting opportunity is waiting for you in the service industry! Are your grades so low your parents have grounded you for the summer? Did you the girl you really like unceremoniously leave you behind? Would you rather eat dirt than see your friends again? Then a job at the local coffee shop is just the ticket! Surprisingly, Ally’s father is the new manager so you get to be reminded of her nearly every day. Maybe it’s time to start flirting with your best friend’s ex or even taking school a bit more seriously. Especially when you finally see Ally and she’s hanging around with some loser and it’s couldn’t be more clear that she is over you. Have a great summer!
Giveaway
It’s day two in our YA giveaway! Please fill out the form below and leave a comment on this post to be entered to win POSSESSION, FAIRY BAD DAY, DON’T STOP NOW, CRUSH CONTROL, and FORGOTTEN. We’ll announce the US winners on Thursday!
Happy reading,
The Ladies of ACP
