Easter Author Surprise!

Happy Easter everyone! As some of you might know, I live on the wonderful island of Cyprus (near Greece), and Easter is a very big deal over here, so it’s time for us to celebrate! For me, there’s no better way to celebrate than to tell you all about the release of my close friend’s (and CP’s) debut book: THE CASTAWAYS by Jessika Fleck. First off, just look at that cover.

Isn’t that the most gorgeous thing you’ve seen? It reminds me of Aslan from Narnia, and you can’t not fall in love with that. So, go ahead, read the blurb below, and be super lucky and pre-order. Trust me, this book will whisk you away (and I’m not just saying that because Jessika’s my friend. Her book is actually really good).

BLURB

The Castaway Carnival: fun, mysterious, dangerous.

Renowned for its infamous corn maze…and the kids who go missing in it.

When Olive runs into the maze, she wakes up on an isolated and undetectable island where a decades-long war between two factions of rival teens is in full swing.

Trapped, Olive must slowly attempt to win each of her new comrades’ hearts as Will—their mysterious, stoically quiet, and handsome leader—steals hers.

Olive is only sure about one thing: her troop consists of the good guys, and she’ll do whatever it takes to help them win the war and get back home. 

You can pre-order Jessika's wonderful novel at:

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Castaways-Jessika-Fleck-ebook/dp/B06XK9CW4H/

Barnes and Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-castaways-jessika-fleck/1125955437?ean=9781633759183

Right, we all want to know the juicy details from an author, but we want extra special questions since it’s Easter, right? Of course we do. So, let’s see what we can rustle up.

      Welcome to the blog, Jessika! Thank you so much for joining us. What we want to know is why did you choose YATopia. I’m sure some people think it’s simply promotion, but I know that isn’t true (see, I told you I know her). How is it we managed to entice you here?

First off, I’m so thrilled to be here and to have my lovely and talented friend, Fiona, interviewing me! Talk about win, win! I’ve been following YATopia for years now. I love the interviews (I’ve found some amazing books for my TBR list here!) as well as the posts on everything from craft to inspiration to editing to query etiquette!

     

      Well shucks, we’re happy you picked us. Alright, dual questions: Why did you write the Castaways? And what does it feel like to be pulled into such a dramatic world full of intrigue and danger?

I wrote The Castaways when I had two ideas come together in a struck-by-lightning sort of moment (Sometimes, cheesy as it sounds, it really does happen like that!). Part one was the story of a girl being bullied. At the time, I had a friend whose daughter was being brutally bullied at school and their struggle was heartbreaking. I knew there was an emotional and important story there. Part two happened when, around the same time, we took our daughters to a pumpkin patch for Halloween and, of course, we went into the corn maze. We had to have been the only ones there because it was dead silent and when we decided to split up and race to the finish, my youngest daughter and I silently roamed the corn stalks. As we twisted around corners and hit dead ends, I was struck: what a perfect place to run away or hide. And then, inevitably, the what ifs began to spiral and the beginnings of The Castaways was born. As for what it’s like to be thrown into this dangerous fantasy world... I suppose I’m used to it. I definitely tend toward telling darker tales in strange settings. So, I was quite at home.

      What’s your favorite moment in the book? Why is it your favorite?

This is hard (especially without giving away spoilers), but I’d have to go with when Olive is tasked to take Bug to bathe in the springs. It was a fun, sweet scene to write.

Since it’s Easter, I’m going to ask…do you think the time of year you set your plot in helps mold your plot? Would the plot be different in Christmas/Easter/Thanks Giving/the summer holidays? Why or why not?

Definitely. The Castaways is set in the fall when carnivals and festivals are most frequent in the US. Also, I’m pretty sure corn, as a crop, grows in the summer, is harvested, and then, in some instances, the left overs are made into mazes in autumn. This book WOULD NOT work without the corn maze. If set in Easter, it’d have to be a tulip maze – not near as creepy. Thanksgiving might work, but the maze would be pretty dried out by then. Christmas would be too late (Pine tree maze? Probably not.). The summer is too hot, I needed a bit of bite in the air (even if set in Texas). Yeah, The Castaways had to be set in the fall.

      Do you have any “Easter Eggs” hidden in your plot? Can you give us a clue (no, seriously, we need a clue!).

I’m the worst at planting Easter eggs! Sometimes, I’ll admit, they show up unintentionally (that’s how truly bad I am at them). I do include Easter eggs across books. You’ll find some seriously recurring items or mentions... things like names and locations and pop culture references. Even sometimes made up plants from fantasy worlds. Hint: a plant from the island on The Castaways will resurface in my next YA novel, THE OFFERING.

      If you could add any one character from another book to your book who would it be and why? Or would you choose not add anyone else?

Hmm... I’m a big fan of animal companions (as you know ;) and I love polar bears. Now... I know, a polar bear would never work on an island, but you said ‘any one character’, so I’d love to have had Iorek Byrnison from the His Dark Materials trilogy there on the island (inserted interviewer's note: I adore your choice!). The kids definitely could have used a calm, voice of reason and a great big cuddle.

      We always ask authors what one piece of advice they would give an aspiring author (and of course we want to know that, too, so spill it!), but we have another question, as well: if you could go back in time before you wrote the Castaways, what would you have told your former self from your experiences?

My one piece of advice for aspiring authors is to persist. I know it’s like the author’s rallying cry, but it’s the biggest piece of truth I can offer: Don’t. Give. Up. As for what I’d tell myself if I knew pre The Castaways what I know now... Probably to get to the island sooner! I ended up cutting thousands of words from the beginning that, in the big scheme of things, just weren’t necessary and definitely slowed the pacing. I’d also tell myself to put my pantsing pants away and PLOT! 

      What was the hardest moment in writing your book? Why?

The hardest moment was finding a balance between the two very different sections of the book. Part of it takes place in modern day, small town Texas while the other is on a fantasy island. Eventually, (thanks to my editor) I figured out I needed to cut the beginning significantly and show more of Olive’s background throughout the book instead of up front. This worked wonderfully in regard to getting into the real action of the book as well as not bogging the reader down with erroneous details. Those editors... They know their stuff!

      Finally, how are you going to celebrate Easter (we want everyone to get to know you, not just one book – after all, you’re an author to look out for, as I know you have some very special books coming up soon!)?

My daughters aren’t little bitties anymore (they’re 10 and 12), but they still get baskets from the Easter Bunny who always leaves a sneaky scavenger hunt for them (which, incidentally, gets more and more difficult the older they get). Also, on Easter’s Eve, we’ll dye eggs per tradition

Now that we know all your secrets, I’m going to give you a tough one. Choose one of your characters (any one of them), and tell us how they’d celebrate Easter?

Bug! She’d be sure to trap a cave full of chickens and would gather piles of eggs herself. Then she’d forage for different plants and berries to use as dyes and hand paint each and every one, being sure to make a special egg for each of her fellow Lions. (She’d also be sure to stash a basket out of sight from Tilly so she and Charlie and Jude could have an extra-messy, secret egg fight!)

Thank you so much Jessika for joining us on YATopia. It’s a pleasure to see such a great debut author about to make it big on our blog, and we’re super excited to see how everyone will love THE CASTAWAYS!

Wait, hold on a minute (oh come on, you can’t get away from us that easy!). Bonus round: Give us a paragraph, one that’s not in your book, that never made it in there, but you still love!

It’s been my pleasure being here—thanks for having me! <3

Okay, this is fun! Originally, I gave a glimpse into how Olive and her BFF, Tawny met. Here’s a snippet of that elementary school meeting:

              ‘“I’m Tawny.”

”My name’s Olive.”

“Oh!” Her face lit up and I braced myself for her to flee. Instead she zipped open her lunch bag, ferociously dug through it, and pulled out a small container of black and green olives, setting the jar between us.

              “Want some? They’re my faaavorite.” She smiled, removing her pink sparkly retainer and setting it on a napkin.

              We laughed, divided up the olives, and have been sitting together since.”

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Jessika Fleck is an author, unapologetic coffee drinker, and knitter — she sincerely hopes to one day discover a way to do all three at once. Until then, she continues collecting vintage typewriters and hourglasses, dreaming of an Ireland getaway, and convincing her husband they NEED more kittens. Her YA debut, THE CASTAWAYS (Entangled TEEN), releases 4/3/17. Her next YA novel, THE OFFERING (Swoon Reads/Macmillan) is due out in the fall, 2018. Jessika is represented by Victoria Marini of the Irene Goodman Literary Agency.

Guestopia - Ampersand Prize winner, Cally Black

Today, we've switched things up! Instead of our Guestopia Interview going live on the 26th, we've brought it forward - and for good reason!

First, let's meet today's very special guest... Australian author, CALLY BLACK!

Cally is a winner of Hardie Grant Egmont's Ampersand Prize, and her debut novel In the Dark Spaces will be published in 2017.

She has travelled throughout Asia, Europe and Africa and now lives in Melbourne with her family. When she's not writing YA sci-fi, she teaches TAFE, writes for the educational market, and works with gifted children.

Awesome! Now click here for a little info about the Hardie Grant Ampersand Prize, which closes this year on Friday, September 16th, to find out what a massive writing prize this is!

So, let's gooooooo!

Is this your first published book?

Yes, this is my very first trade novel. It's very exciting.

I've had short stories published for children in Educational Publishing and in SF magazines before but have been focussing on YA novels for the last couple of years.

What’s it called?

In the Dark Spaces, which has a double meaning, and, I feel, invokes a mood similar to one of my favourite stanzas from a Robert Frost poem, “Desert Places.”

Which genre?

Science Fiction Thriller

Which age group?

Young Adult

Is it a series or standalone?

This is standing alone, and if it does really well... who knows?

Are you an agented author?

No. Unagented.

Which publisher snapped up your book?

Hardie Grant Egmont selected it as their Ampersand Prize novel for 2016 from their annual competition. Very exciting for a first novel to hit the ground with an award behind it!

How involved have you been in the whole publishing process of your book?

I'm very hands-on. Marisa at HGE has a lot of advice and ideas for tweaks and I see it as my job to realise that potential, so it's a lot of hard and rewarding work. I don't think anyone else could do it for me. There's an unusual voice and it's set in an unusual world. I wouldn't want anyone else to do it for me!

Do you have another job?

I have two other jobs. I work for a private educational company that works with children during the day and I teach at TAFE at night. Fortunately, I get school holidays off both of those.

Did you receive many, if any, rejections prior?

Only about a gazillion! Actually the last couple of years I'd stopped sending work out (this stops rejections!) and turned inwards to focus on my writing to try to understand why it got attention but never an offer, and to try to improve. It was a process that involved reading a lot of essays and articles by writers and reading their novels and picking apart how they did the things I loved. I'm still in that process. I may always be in that process. There's so much to learn!

What created/what were you doing or watching when the first idea for this book sneaked up on you?

 I'd read Hunger Games and then I read 5^th Wave and I thought you know what? These authors are having fun and letting go and not censoring themselves. Gloves off! I'm going to go into a novel swinging and punching. What's the worst that can happen? I told myself I didn't have to show it to anyone. It was just for me. And there were a few new techniques that I wanted to try so it was all useful.

How long did you plot/plan until you started writing it?

I don't plot. I write to tell myself a story, to entertain myself. If I plotted, I will have told myself the story and the process of writing it would change. What I do is I write scene by scene, and when I get to the end of the story. I put it aside and write it again in a more orderly fashion from scratch, and try to fully realise the motivations and quirks of each character. So I write and then I plot, and then I write again. This second time, I guess is with a writer hat on, whereas the first time, I suppose I'm inhabiting the viewpoint character. This is a very slow way to do things, even if you can type 40wpm, but I think, if the writer is enjoying themselves and connected with their character, you can feel that in the words.

Once you started, did the story flow naturally or did you have to step in and wrestle it into submission?


I started it. It went in a weird direction after 20,000 words. I turned the page and started it again, and I've been wrestling it ever since!

How many drafts did you write before you let someone read it? Who was that someone?

 Well, you understand this was a novel just for me. I made about half a dozen passes over it. Put it aside, came back to it, and I still liked it far too much for the strange thing it was, the experimental thing I was never going to show anyone. So I showed the opening to an online writing group in the US, and they were really accepting of it. They didn't bag anything I thought they would. So then I showed the opening to Dee White who is a great friend and great writer and she liked it. So then the thing I didn't have to show anyone, became something I could actually show people.

Did you employ an editor/proofreader or did you have a critique partner/beta readers before you started querying?


Only the opening with Dee before querying. The Ampersand was a bit of a spur of the moment thing. Normally I would run the whole thing via friends, do a novel swap. I'm pretty good at editing, so it's the story that I need examined. Dee has read the whole novel since to help me with the HGE edits.

Roughly how many drafts did it take before you sent the manuscript off into the real world?

Probably around eight. I'm obsessive about getting things right. Not good at keeping track of numbers.

How many drafts until it was published?

Another four implementing big and minor changes with Marisa.

Has the book changed dramatically since the first draft?

The core main character has remained the same and the core story, but another character was added, and a lot of work expanding characters and their motivation has improved it significantly. It basically grew a heart.

Are there any parts you’d like to change even now?

Yes! Always! Marisa's just pried it from my hands! I'd keep working on it forever. If only there was more time, if only I could have another 10,000 words!

What part of writing do you find the easiest?

I find being the character and writing the openings the easiest. I love writing dialogue. Finding a voice. I love setting the character free to tell her story.

What part do you find hardest?

Endings are hard. Being bound by word counts and pacing is also hard. Not letting the dark parts of the stories overwhelm the light... as might be judged by a YA reader is difficult, because clearly I'm a dark person! My darkometer is a bit stuffed.

Do you push through writing barriers or walk away?

I'm diseased with writing. Did you see above where I said even though no one wanted to publish me, I wrote just for me for two years? I write to entertain myself. I write to learn more about writing. I write because it's a habit I just can't kick, but at least it won't damage my liver.

How many projects do you have on the go at the same time?

Erm... three lately but usually two.

Do you think you’re born with the talent to write or do you think it can be learned?

100% learned. I'm not “writer material” whatever that is. I wasn't read to or raised among bookshelves, we didn't own many books. School libraries were my only source of books. I was good at English but it wasn't my favourite subject. But I am from a family of storytellers. The things we did, became stories told at late night fires after hard day's work. The things we survived, were relegated to stories, told over and over to friends. My history is a collection of stories that have been garnished for entertainment value. There is the truth softened and made entertaining by the story. I am a collection of stories. Maybe we all are.

Early on in my daydream of learning to write, I read Dare to Be a Great Writer by Leonard Bishop. Bishop told me it didn't matter where your starting point was, as he was once a hobo who won a typewriter in a dice game, your voice can be as relevant as any other, more so, if it's honest and raw. It's taken me a long time to trust my voice.

How many future novels do you have planned?

 100s but how many get published is up to the readers, and whether they like this novel.

Do you write other things, such as short stories, articles, blogs, etc?

I don't have time to blog. Lately nothing on the short story front. But perhaps some more in the future.

What’s the highlight of being published so far?

The first meeting with Hardie Grant Egmont when a young woman from marketing came to meet me with Marisa and I asked what her role in the meeting was (feeling nervous I was being assessed for marketability) and she said, she adored the book so much she had to meet the person who wrote it! My first fan!

Give us one writing tip that works for you.

'Don't stage direct the senses.' Your main character is usually too busy seeing something to think about the fact that her eyes are doing the seeing or pointing in a particular direction. Just plunge on in with what's happening.

And one that doesn't.

'Start with action.' Don't start with action, start with some movement, but something that allows your reader an insight into your character. Don't expect a reader to care that an unknown character is under threat of death in the opening paragraph. This is my Ampersand Prize entry tip too.

Can you give us a clue or secret about the next book?

Erm... I haven't got that far along yet. If readers want a sequel, they'll have to let me know next year after they read In the Dark Spaces, but at the moment, I'm writing another YA set closer to home, in small town Victoria, which involves a lot of missing people and a bit of an invasion.

What question have you always wanted to be asked but never have? What would the answer be?

You realise I can say almost anything because as a new author, I've not been interviewed!

But maybe I can share what I was like when I was the age of my protagonist, with the question, “What were you like as a young adult?”

And the answer is: angry, stupid, a lanky goofy thing with no identity or sense of value with a deathwish ambition to be burnt out before 20 (told you I was stupid). And I'm so glad that was one of the many things I failed at.

And that's a wrap! Fantastic. I for one cannot wait to read In the Dark Spaces, it sounds awesome. Thank you so much for joining YAtopia today, Cally!

Guestopia - Aften Brook Szymanski

It's Guestopia time, and this month we are thrilled to welcome YA debut author Aften Brook Szymanski to YAtopia! 

In case you're wondering about her Aften - OF COURSE YOU ARE! - here are a few details to get you started! 

Aften Brook Szymanski, at the age of five, once fell on her bum looking out a large picture window while eating a pickle and people laughed. She thought she was funny, life has never been the same. She’s obsessed with LEGOs, cozy reading nooks, and over-the- knee socks. A graduate of the College of Southern Idaho with an Associate of Arts degree, Brigham Young University with a Bachelor of Science degree, and the University of Utah with a Master of Education degree. Learning is more fun than testing, sometimes we have to endure both.

She lives in a very cold Wyoming valley with her husband, three kids, and one unhappy cat, where they are being cryogenically preserved for all time—thanks to how cold it is.


And now for the interview! Take it away, Aften! 


Is this your first published book?

Yes—through a publisher. Though I have self-published children’s books, mostly for my own kids and family. That is what got me started and taught me that “hey, maybe I can do this writing thing I’ve always loved.” Not everyone considers self-published works to be the same as published.

What’s it called?

Killer Potential

Which genre?

Psychological Thriller

Which age group?

YA or teen

Is it a series or standalone?

It’s written as a standalone novel.

Are you an agented author?

I am not agented. I’d love to have an agent. I’m currently querying a different novel in hopes of finding agent representation.

Which publisher snapped up your book?

BookFishBooks offered me a contract. I had three offers for this piece at the time, and it was difficult to decide where to take the story. I loved the covers that BookFishBooks puts out and they’re contract was very fair. I’ve also loved working with their editors and staff. They’re fantastic.


How involved have you been in the whole publishing process of your book?

I’ve revised a number of areas that just weren’t sharp enough, as well as gone through several rounds of edits. The marketing team lets me know what they’re working on and asks for my feedback, but overall they get the final say. They make good work, so I trust them. I was also able to approve the cover design, which I’m sure stressed the team out a ton. I panicked once of seven times.

Do you have another job?

My favorite job is being a mom. I also work as a teacher for the visually impaired, where I get to do cool stuff like work with braille (only part time). I like to work and have taken jobs from filling in at the local Post Office on Saturday’s for our Post Master to weeding onion fields and picking peas. I’ve worked in a fabric store, burger joint, teen correction facility, psych unit, research aide for a molecular biologist, teaching grade school (this is what my undergrad degree is in), filing HMO’s… I enjoy work where I feel like I’m helping. (I also started working when I was 13 and worked while I was going to college and grad school, which gave me a lot of different work opportunities).

Did you receive many, if any, rejections prior?

Heck yes! There were some weeks when I averaged a rejection a day.

What created/what were you doing or watching when the first idea for this book sneaked up on you?

Probably staring at the blinking cursor of mockery.

How long did you plot/plan until you started writing it?

I’m a bare bones plotter. I create a basic outline and beef it up from there.

Once you started, did the story flow naturally or did you have to step in and wrestle it into submission?

This story flowed. Revisions… That was a wrestle, but well worth it.

How many drafts did you write before you let someone read it? Who was that someone?

Two. I probably should have waited for three. I think Tifani Clark was my first beta reader. We often read each other’s works. She’s an amazing writer.

Did you employ an editor/proofreader or did you have a critique partner/beta readers before you started querying?

I circulated through two rounds of beta readers and critique partners. In each round I had between three and five people read and made revisions first on things that were common concerns, and then went into greater detail with each person’s notes from there. I have great beta readers/critique partners.

Roughly how many drafts did it take before you sent the manuscript off into the real world?

Probably twenty-three. By the time I sent to BookFish It had been revised twenty-seven times (at least, maybe more).

How many drafts until it was published?

If I count the edit rounds with BookFish, I’d say thirty some-odd drafts.

Has the book changed dramatically since the first draft?

So much. Completely. All for the better.

Are there any parts you’d like to change even now?

Sometimes I’d like to make it a happier story, but it just doesn’t fit.

What part of writing do you find the easiest?

The part before revision, but the most rewarding part is definitely the revision phases.

What part do you find hardest?

Due to my natural lack of organization, revisions can be a struggle. But, I’ve managed to employ some helps that make it easier for me to tackle everything thanks to amazing writing friends.

Do you push through writing barriers or walk away?

Both. It depends what’s going on in my day as to whether I can push through or need to just walk away. I’ve found that I generally make better choices to address the barrier if I go with my instinct regarding the hang-up. By that I mean, if I feel the need to walk away, I often discover the problem/solution engaging in other activities. Or if I feel I can push it, the scene often materializes.

How many projects do you have on the go at the same time?

I try to work on one project at a time, but might also be doing revisions while working on a new WIP.

Do you think you’re born with the talent to write or do you think it can be learned?

I’m a firm believer in dedication over talent. I am not naturally talented in writing. I am dedicated and in love with writing. Determination to learn skills in areas I fall short has helped me continue to progress. I love that.

How many future novels do you have planned?

Way too many. I have an abundance of ideas and not enough time to write them all. I have a folder with story ideas that continues to fill all the time.

Do you write other things, such as short stories, articles, blogs, etc?

I write all the things (minus articles). I love venturing into different styles. Though I admit I am not skilled in every genre of writing. If I worked at each genre I’m sure I’d improve in those areas, but I might not ever be awesome at them all.

What’s the highlight of being published so far?

When someone relates to something in the story. That’s my favorite thing in the world.

Give me one writing tip that work for you.

“Whether or not you write well, Write Bravely.” –Bill Stout

And one that doesn't.

“Write every day.”

Can you give us a clue or secret about the next book?

Trust your instincts or accept the consequences.

What question have you always wanted to be asked but never have? What would the answer be?

Q: “Are those salon made silver streaks in your hair? It looks amazing.”

A: “Nope. That’s all my own self-grown wirey-gray strands or life experience and awesomeness. Gray Pride.”

Best question and answer ever! 

Well, thank you, Aften, for taking the time to pop by. We wish you all the best with Killer Potential and implore lovers of dark YA fiction to get out there and buy this book! Here's the blurb and some essential links! 

BLURB

Seventeen-year- old Yvette Gibbs was just admitted to the hospital psych unit in handcuffs as the main suspect in a murder case, which she refuses to talk about. 

Drugs and depression claim her family—leaving Yvette to fight her own demons alone. Adopting the skill of master of passive-aggressive vengeance lands Yvette in the psych unit with no family support, unless she cooperates with her therapist to clear her name, also a convicted murderer.

Yvette wants revenge on the world that taught her to be afraid, claimed her mother to depression, hid her father in a fog of job hopping, turned her brother to dealing drugs, and swallowed her sister whole, but to achieve this she must lie, manipulate, and most of all survive. Pitting her dead sister’s shady friend whom she fears against the man who reminded her she’s not immune to victimization, is her perfect solution to all life's hassles, even if that means she ends up with blood on her hands. Until everything backfires.

Follow Aften

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Where to Find Killer Potential

Goodreads

Buy Link

And here's a cheeky giveaway! 
 
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A Bittersweet Good-Bye

A lot happened for me in 2013: I got an agent (yay!), I got a book deal for Becoming Jinn and its sequel, Circle of Jinn (double yay!), and I started revisions with an editor for the first time. I also joined the YAtopia community in September of that year. Sharing my journey to publication with the readers and fellow bloggers at YAtopia has been a privilege—and a blast.

With 2015 came even more excellent stuff: Becoming Jinn’s launch (ah!), finishing up Circle of Jinn (woo-hoo!), and a long period of promotion—events, festivals, writing workshops, giveaways, the Read Local campaign, and more. Marketing is a full-time job, as I quickly learned.

The one thing 2015 hasn’t been for me is a very strong writing year. Marketing and writing at the same time became near impossible for me. Switching hats was less the problem than not having enough heads…meaning I just haven’t had a lot of time to dedicate to writing. While I did manage to write and finish a first draft of something I’m very excited about, I haven’t been able to dig into revisions.

Since 2016 also hold’s a book release with Circle of Jinn coming out on May 17, I knew it was time to make a decision, and that was to start finding more time. Unless Hermione was going to let me borrow her time turner, the only way to do that was to start easing things off my plate. It’s with a heavy heart and reluctant fingers on keyboard that I am announcing my decision to step down from the YAtopia blog.

But here’s a hidden truth: I love blogging! Some of my favorite posts have been on this blog. From my series on novel planning to my posts on finding your writing voice, to my favorite marketing campaign to date. I am sure I will miss it.

Thankfully the kind folks at YAtopia have agreed to let me swing by for guest posts. But I’ll also be blogging on my own Web site once in a blue moon, and the best way to see those posts is to sign up for my newsletter, which comes out every one to two months. It has writing advice, book news, event updates, giveaways, and critique opportunities. I’ll be giving away some preorders of Circle of Jinn exclusively for newsletter followers in the new year.

Another good thing about making some changes is that I’m also now able to do more freelance editing. My roots are in copyediting, and I offer both copyediting and manuscript consulting for all genres. I have query/submission packages as well as marketing consultation services. The number of projects I can take on will be limited, so if you are interested, best to hit me up soon to schedule! I have a particular love for query critiques and have given many away over the past couple of years, especially around Pitch Wars, and most of those folks have found great success (triple yay!). As always, if you buy a new copy of Becoming Jinn or preorder a copy of Circle of Jinn and e-mail the receipt to summerofjinn@icloud.com, you get a free query or first page critique!

A huge thank you to the YAtopia community—my fellow bloggers and all of you readers. I’d love to stay connected, so please follow me on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Tumblr, my newsletter, or in person (though if you follow in person, please don't be creepy about it....)! And you can add Becoming Jinn and Circle of Jinn to Goodreads too!

One last shout-out: My debut group, the Freshman Fifteens, will be doing a special end of year giveaway. Be sure to follow me and the group on Twitter to see what we’re cooking up!

See you next time as a special guest!

Happy Holidays and Happy Writing to all!

Best,
Lori

Lori Goldstein is the author of Becoming Jinn (Feiwel and Friends/Macmillan, now available!, sequel, Circle of Jinn, May 17, 2016, available for preorder). With a degree in journalism and more than 10 years of experience, Lori is a freelance copyeditor and manuscript consultant for all genres. She focuses on the nitty-gritty, letting writers focus on the writing.

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