Category Archives: News

Look what I got in the mail today!

Guys, for the first time EVER, I held a real book with my name in it somewhere. Words I wrote! In my name!

This is hugely exciting! Like, for serious. I love the cover of this book, especially because I have always had a thing for Dali and the clock in the center reminds me of The Persistence of Memory. Even better than cool covers, though, is opening the book and seeing this:

SEE THAT?! My story is second! SECOND! I mean, fourth if you count the two introductions, but still! That’s pretty good placement. Also, I’d like to direct your attention to the page numbers. Yes, I did manage to write a 21 page story and still slap the label “short” on it. According to the word counts for the Hugo Award, “Whatever It Takes” technically qualifies as a novelette. But for the purposes of the anthology, we’re still going to call it a short story.

Even better than all that, is flipping to page 7 and getting to look at the opening page of my story:

Only 11 days until people will have their own copies of Doorways to Extra Time! Until then, I’m going to hug mine and pet the cover and flip through the pages about a million times.

On a last note: Anyone who gets a copy and reads my story, come back and let me know what you think!! 😀

Counting down to release day! 11 days!

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Getting closer and closer, everyone! Only 11 days left until Doorways to Extra Time releases and, with it, my story “Whatever it Takes“! Details are still in the works for my personal giveaway program, but… soon! Don’t forget, though, there’s still time to enter to win one of five copies on Goodreads! Also in the works, a possible appearance at Dragon Con later this month, which would be more than a little epic. I’ll let you know once I’m 100% positive I’m going to be there.

Today I’m posting another peek at “Whatever It Takes” and there are still four more to come! These posts will also be cross-posted on thedreamwarsaga.com where, later this month, you’ll be able to find a list of songs that remind me of Sing Sweet Nightingale as well as the character bios I mentioned on Wednesday!

doorwaystoextratime Now for snippet number two:

My mother always told me that you could make anything happen if you wanted it bad enough. Anything, she promised.

Problem is, even she thinks what I want is impossible.

The one thing I want is to change a night I can never get back. The night I could’ve saved him. I want that chance more than I want food, water, and air combined, but everyone tells me it’s impossible. “There’s no use crying over spilled milk.” “You can’t unring a bell.” “Those who walk looking backward fall behind.” It all translates to one thing: you can’t change the past, so don’t bother trying.

Do you get the feeling she’s going to try anyway? Cause I do. 😉

I forgot to add these last time (which is very silly of me!) but, just in case you’re interested in picking up your own paperback or ebook version of Doorways, check out one of the fabulous sites below! And come back on Monday for another look into “Whatever It Takes.”

Buy it from: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Books-A-Million | IndieBound
Add this book on Goodreads.

SSN Edits Round Two! Or is it three?

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This week, I’ve begun work on a new round of edits for Sing Sweet Nightingale! I think it’s round two. But it might be three. Maybe 2.5? Whatever the number designation, it’s edits and it’s from my beloved editresses, so that means it’s awesome. 😀

It’s also pretty cool that I can put up the pretty, pretty cover when I talk about the book instead of some random image that has nothing to do with it. Don’t think I’ll ever get tired of that!

Anywho, edits. This round is tough! Which is weird because my edit letter is less than a third the size of my previous edit letter. I guess the broad strokes of fixing big problems were a little easier to deal with than examining a scene and surgically adding and removing to make it… not suck. I’m making progress and I still have time, so here’s hoping I can pull off all the tweaks I need to make. More updates shall follow. Eventually.

Also–and in non-editorial-related news–there’s only ONE MONTH LEFT until you can have a copy of my first ever published short story in your hands! Doorways to Extra Time releases August 27 and my story “Whatever It Takes” is the second one in the book! Fourth if you count the two introductions by the editors… Fourth or second, it’s still really early in the book! Read it and you get to meet a character who will show up in The Dream War Saga at some point! Not going to tell you which character, but at least one of them is coming back! Go order it now!

Buy Doorways from:
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Books-A-Million | IndieBound

An interview and a little bit of news!

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Microphone (c) Acuzio

A while back, I received an email from the wonderfully sweet Amy Trueblood over at Chasing the Crazies. Which is an awesome title for a site. Amy asked if I would be interested in participating in a series of interviews she has been doing called Writer Odyssey Wednesday (W.O.W. for short). Of course, my answer was, “YES, PLS. WHERE DO I SIGN?”

The idea that I’ve finally reached the point where I can legitimately be included in a series like this is still a little strange. My debut release is nine months away (250 days, but who’s counting?). It feels like forever. In fact, it’s so far away that it still doesn’t seem real. But that’s just in my head, apparently. To other people, I’m already there. I made the deal, signed the contract, and am officially an author with credits to my name. Wow is right.

So, I agreed! Amy sent me a list of great questions and now you can read both those questions and my answers! I talk about my strange relationship with querying, how I found my glorious editors at Spencer Hill and my wonderful agent Danielle Chiotti, as well as a little bit about Sing Sweet Nightingale and the process of writing it and finding it a home. Click here to see!

In other news, this morning I sent a new book to my wonderful agent Danielle! It’s the second in a contemp series I co-wrote with my bestie Lani Woodland and I cannot wait until these books find a home and I get to share more details about them. I adore these characters and this world and everything about writing them. It’s FUN. There’s a lot to be said about partnering on a book with someone, too. Especially someone I get along with and work with as well as Lani. co-writing is probably not for everyone, but if you find the right partner, it’s divine.

In other other news, I’m heading back to Manhattan next week!! For the first time ever, I’m going to spend the Fourth of July in the Big City. Of course, that’s not the purpose of the trip, but it’s still convenient timing. I’m actually going in celebration of my sister’s 25th birthday and my cousin’s wedding (she’s getting married at the BRONX ZOO! How freaking cool is that?!). The reason for the trip doesn’t matter, though. I still get to spend an awesome week in New York City with people I love. I even get to drop by the Upstart Crow offices and meet some more of the interns and agents in person. So many fantabulous things packed into one trip! If you’re not already following me on Twitter or Facebook, go fix that! I’ll be posting about my trip on those two places more often than on my blog. Easier to access on the go!

That’s all for now! I’ll check in again soon. 🙂

When secret things are happening.

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It’s a secret (c) Paul Brunskill

One of the things that takes some getting used to in the publishing industry is the amount of time you spend keeping secrets. From everyone. Big ones or little ones, you’re almost always not telling someone something.

The problem is, the more secrets I’m carrying, the quieter I get. Right now there are a couple of things happening that I would LOVE to talk about, but I can’t yet. In one case because nothing has really happened yet and in the other because it hasn’t been finalized. When I come to post here, though, all I want to do is talk about THOSE THINGS. And I can’t. So I don’t post anything.

Makes sense, right?

What I CAN tell you is that I’m going to see Neal Gaiman this weekend! One of his tour stops is less than an hour away from where I live, so I’m packing myself into my car and dragging a friend along for the ride to go down and see him. Even though I just saw him talk at BEA. ONCE IS NOT ENOUGH. Obviously. And since this is being billed as his last US book tour, it may quite literally be my last chance. I’ll be there rain or shine… though I really hope it doesn’t rain. Books don’t do well in the rain.

In news I can share, I should be getting my next round of edits on Sing Sweet Nightingale any day! This is both scary and exciting. I want to shine this book until it sparkles like a really pretty amethyst. Despite that desire, there’s also this little fear-demon living in the back of my head whispering that I’m going to mess it up. Or not live up to my own standards.

Faith that my agent and my editors won’t let me screw anything up helps tamp down the first worry, but the second…

The second is kind of an occupational hazard of being human, so I’m not sure there’s much that can be done. All you can do is work as hard as you can, pour as much of yourself into the project as you can, and hope for the best.

So… That’s what’s going on in my life. How are you? 🙂

More from BEA. This time with video evidence!

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So many people weren’t able to come to see my cover reveal because New York is expensive and far away, but with technology, that doesn’t matter! I can bring my cover reveal to you!

This video is thanks to my lovely publishing-sister Joanne Rock. And, seriously, THANK YOU, JOANNE! I never think about recording moments like this until they’re long gone and then I wish for years that I had pictures or, better yet, video. Only thanks to my friends and family at Spencer Hill did I come away from this rather momentous day with anything to remember it by (other than a really cool poster!).

And now, unfortunately, back to the grind. My life is not nearly as glamorous as it looks in that video. 😉

Whatever It Takes

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My short story Whatever It Takes is in this anthology. The story is set within the world of The Dream War Saga, but only tangentially connects to the series itself. A good peek into the Dream War universe, Whatever It Takes is available for pre-order now!

Everyone wishes they could get an extra hour in the day. But what if you could?

What if you had a special device that gave you an extra day every week? You could use it to get ahead at work… unless your boss had it too.

What if you knew a spell that gave you an extra hour every day? You could use it to correct a mistake… or make a new one.

What if you could just stop time? You could accomplish a myriad of wonders… if you only knew how to get time started again.

Time loops and time travel, time apps and time outs, time machines, time merchants, and more can be found passing through these doorways into worlds where time can be spent like money… or where extra time can only be bought at a terrible price.

With stories and poetry by Jody Lynne Nye, Walter Hunt, Erica Cameron, Martin Feekins, Anthony Francis, L.M. Graham, R.E. Gofstein, Melina Gunnett, Betsy Miller, Susan Mittman, Brenda Monguez, Jenny More, Ira Nayman, Errick A. Nunnally, Kate Saturday, Gayle Schultz, Rich Storrs, Keshia Swaim, Aimee Weinstein, and Trisha J. Wooldridge, Doorways to Extra Time presents twenty twists on the idea that if we only had a little extra time…

We’d have to deal with the consequences.

Edited by Trisha J. Wooldridge and Anthony Francis

Buy it from:
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Books-A-Million | IndieBound

My first book shaped baby has a face!

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No matter how many times I stare at this cover, I cannot get over how much I love it. Jeremy West did a fabulous job and I’m so thrilled that I can now share the beautiful face of Sing Sweet Nightingale with the world!!!

Also, ALSO, I can finally share more information about the story! That tiny bit of the story doesn’t tell you anything, but now I have an amazing back cover copy to show off!

Mariella Teagen hasn’t spoken a word in four years.

She pledged her voice to Orane, the man she loves—someone she only sees in her dreams. Each night, she escapes to Paradise, the world Orane created for her, and she sings for him. Mariella never believed she could stay in Paradise longer than a night, but two weeks before her eighteenth birthday, Orane hints that she may be able to stay forever.

Hudson Vincent made a pledge to never fight again.

Celease, the creature who created his dream world, swore that giving up violence would protect Hudson. But when his vow causes the death of his little brother, Hudson turned his grief on Celease and destroyed the dream world. The battle left him with new abilities and disturbing visions of a silent girl in grave danger—Mariella.

Now, Hudson is fighting to save Mariella’s life while she fights to give it away. And he must find a way to show her Orane’s true intentions before she is lost to Paradise forever.

AND, as if that wasn’t enough, my cover designer Jeremy and his videographer brother Jeffrey put together a great video interview during our visit to NYC! Watch below and find out more about the design process, the book, and us!

Did you hear? My cover is coming next week!

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Yeah, okay, I may have already posted about this, but I’M SO EXCITED! I leave for New York on Friday, but next week, this happens:

Jeremy West did SUCH a fabulous job designing this book and I am so thrilled that his work will be gracing the face of my books. You guys, it’s coming soon! SO SOON! We can actually count down the days now! There are only ten of them left! EEK!

Okay, I need to go back to work before I hyperventilate. O.O

ONLINE COUNTDOWNS

Covers and BEA!

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Just in case you haven’t heard yet, the cover reveal for Sing Sweet Nightingale is coming soon. In fact, it’s coming so soon that counting down to that date doesn’t involve three-digit numbers anymore!

There are only 15 days until I get to share my cover with the world! And, to make this already exciting event even more awesome, the first people to see the cover are going to be with me at BEA in New York! We have a lot of really cool things planned, so mark your calendars for May 29th, 2013. My book will get a face and I may or may not have (okay, fine. I will definitely have) something pretty to give away to commemorate the occasion.

Check back here for more details as soon as I’m cleared to share them. I hope you love the cover as much as I do!