If you are the sort who, instead of writing your pages, dithers on the web, checking up on the news and reading blogs and watching Orson Welles drunk outtakes, then you may well have seen Jackson Pearce's screed against book pirates. Some background: She'd tweeted a few days ago that she must subsist off of ramen because she is broke, and meanwhile her books are being downloaded illegally. People responded to the tweet (apparently in support of book piracy—arrrrr!), and she answered those people with this charming video in which she costars with a pirate puppet.But to my mind, both she and the people she's answering are missing a bigger question, which is this: If those downloaded copies of the book(s) weren't available on a pirate board, would the people who download them instead have purchased copies? That is, what is the actual impact of these downloads on sales?There's no way to be sure, of course, but I'd argue that the effects are negligible or positive. And that, considering that piracy is unavoidable, best then to find ways to make it work to one's advantage—such as using a Creative Commons license. (For a better explanation of all of this, see Cory Doctorow's post at the Guardian—which additionally has some startlingly frank talk about how artists should not expect to make a living from their art; in short, don't quit your day job.)The thing is, people who download illegally? They aren't going to buy the book anyway. They're just not. (Or a few may, but the lion's share never will.) They are part of the culture of ferreting out uploads and taking what's available. They are never going to wander into a bookstore real or virtual to buy the book. I know several of these people—they have files of all the latest movies and albums and like to boast about what they've "got" recently.They are habitual thieves of a sort, but never mind that: They do talk up what they've got. They are one part of word-of-mouth. A scurrilous part, surely, but a group whose activities and talk may well spur awareness of a project—whether album, film, or book. As Doctorow has said elsewhere, his biggest fear isn't that people will download his book for free, it's that they will have never heard of it.If the piracy of intellectual property is unavoidable (as it seems to be), then the only recourse is to create art that creates fans—people who are willing to support it. I have had friends "slip" me downloads of albums that I then went out and bought (in some cases—as with Frank Turner—six copies over time, more than paying him back for the brief time I "pirated" his album). I've become a fan, and it was because of that first sample. It may well have to be this way for authors, too.What do you think? Is free the way of the future? How are authors going to make a living once everything is digitized and available for the price of a little bit of poking around the internet?
As many of you clever writers out there already know, it's ALA's Banned Books Week, a yearly celebration in support of reading in general and the First Amendment.As you also probably know, the four of us here at Upstart Crow are huge readers and have been heavily influenced by a great number of titles on the banned list over the years. And then I discovered, by way of a lovely blog post by my client Josephine Cameron about her struggles with banned books as a child, that young adult writer Jo Knowles has started a fun meme on her blog as a way of celebrating Banned Books Week. Here's how it works:
I don't want to spend too much time boring you with a rehashing of some of the banned books that shaped my life as a reader. I've spoken about how Harry Potter changed my perception of children's books, my love for J.D. Salinger, and how an early introduction to Stephen King in the fourth grade set the tone for years of bookwormery to come.I will say, however, that I'm grateful for an upbringing in which my love of reading was encouraged. I'm grateful for having the freedom to read whatever I wanted, aside from a few times when my mother said something was "too adult" for me, like with Stephen King's Gerald's Game, and asked me not to read it which, of course, made me want to read it more. For the record, I definitely SHOULD NOT have read Gerald's Game when I was thirteen.But I digress. My main point is we need books that challenge us, force us to face truths that can be sometimes uncomfortable, and don't always conform to the accepted norm. Keep writing, keep pushing against the walls, and keep taking risks. I'm curious to know what some of your favorite banned books are, and how these books worked to shape you as a reader and writer. Let us know in the comments!
As we zoom into another week, I thought it might be fun to start out with a light post, a little game of sorts, to see what you’re reading these days.
As a devoted lover of books, it’s not unusual for me to have many books and magazines stacked haphazardly on my bedside table, some of which I’m in the process of reading, some of which I’m hoping I’ll be in the mood to read soon, and some I’ve already read (multiple times) and love so much that I just can’t stand to put them back on the bookshelf just yet.The books on my bedside stand are a reflection of my mood, of inspiration, and my goals. Books are my greatest pleasure, my stolen moments, and my meditation. I simply cannot fall asleep without reading at least a few pages of a book. And oftentimes, I like to wake up in the very early morning before the day gets too crazy, grab a book from my bedside table, and tiptoe into the living room (so as not to wake The Husband or The Daughter), and spend a delicious, silent hour curled up on the couch, reading.And so, dear readers, I present to you, my list:The Incorrigible Children of Ashton Place, Book I by Maryrose Wood The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot The Elegance of the Hedgehog by Muriel Barbery The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald The American Woman in the Chinese Hat by Carole Maso Mastering the Art of French Cooking by Julia ChildAnd on the floor next to the bed: Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus by Mo Willems, which my daughter flung to the floor this morning in a joyous fit of giggles once we finished reading it.What about you? What’s in your reading pile (or, for those of you techie folks out there, on your Kindle/iPad/e-reader thingy) at the moment?
As we zoom into another week, I thought it might be fun to start out with a light post, a little game of sorts, to see what you’re reading these days.
As a devoted lover of books, it’s not unusual for me to have many books and magazines stacked haphazardly on my bedside table, some of which I’m in the process of reading, some of which I’m hoping I’ll be in the mood to read soon, and some I’ve already read (multiple times) and love so much that I just can’t stand to put them back on the bookshelf just yet.The books on my bedside stand are a reflection of my mood, of inspiration, and my goals. Books are my greatest pleasure, my stolen moments, and my meditation. I simply cannot fall asleep without reading at least a few pages of a book. And oftentimes, I like to wake up in the very early morning before the day gets too crazy, grab a book from my bedside table, and tiptoe into the living room (so as not to wake The Husband or The Daughter), and spend a delicious, silent hour curled up on the couch, reading.And so, dear readers, I present to you, my list:The Incorrigible Children of Ashton Place, Book I by Maryrose Wood The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot The Elegance of the Hedgehog by Muriel Barbery The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald The American Woman in the Chinese Hat by Carole Maso Mastering the Art of French Cooking by Julia ChildAnd on the floor next to the bed: Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus by Mo Willems, which my daughter flung to the floor this morning in a joyous fit of giggles once we finished reading it.What about you? What’s in your reading pile (or, for those of you techie folks out there, on your Kindle/iPad/e-reader thingy) at the moment?
Being a writer has a lot to do with being a dreamer.Every writer dreams about writing a novel—the characters, the plot, the emotions that go into telling the story. The next step, of course, is the dream about getting that novel published. To have your writing reach others. But sometimes, the dream extends beyond that.
We are ecstatic here at Upstart Crow with congratulations to our very own Bree Despain, whose DARK DIVINE trilogy has been optioned by 1019 Entertainment. You can read all about it in the Variety article here.
And coming at the end of December this year is the second Dark Divine novel, THE LOST SAINT. As before, Egmont has put together a truly stunning package—which you can get a sneak peek of after the break.
I am thrilled to offer my hearty congratulations to Yvonne Woon, whose debut novel, Dead Beautiful, releases today from Disney-Hyperion.
Dead Beautiful was an exceptionally rewarding book to work on, and has the wonderful mixture of literary and commercial qualities that we are all looking for in a novel. Already garnering a ton of great reviews, be sure to pick up this outstanding novel and get ready to fall in love with Dante and Renee.Congrats, Yvonne!Early reviews for Dead Beautiful:“Anyone who reads knows that vampires are in. But this hefty novel takes a new and unconventional look at the undead, focusing on story and interesting characters and leaving gore and mayhem hidden in the background…Well written, intriguing and, above all, different, this story ends with much to explore in what one hopes will be swiftly forthcoming sequels.
—Kirkus (Starred Review)
“Boarding-school story meets Murder, She Wrote meets the Twilight series in this nifty title, which also offers an attention-grabbing take on zombies. Detailed world building and setting contribute as much to the story as character and plot. Atmospheric touches such as school rituals, classes like Imaginary Arithmetic, and the use of Latin as the “insider” language all add to the ambience… give this to the earnest Twilight crowd but also to teens who like impossible love stories with supernatural flavor.
—Booklist
“It's a Harry Potter start and a Twilight finish”—Publishers Weekly
You’re in the thick of your search for an agent. You've come upon our lovely website. You've read all of our bi
os, read about our tastes, etc. You think the agency rocks (of course you do!). You kinda like my vibe. But you're still looking for more info, for clues tell you if I'm the perfect agent match for you.Why not head over to the Chuck Sambuchino's fantastic blog, where you will not only learn tons about writing and the business of publishing, you’ll also learn a little bit more about little ol' me.See you in queryland!
Lights! Camera! Action! I'm thrilled to announce that this week, two of my clients snagged themselves a segment on the CBS Early Show (which, in case you didn’t know, boasts a cool 3 million viewers).A big congratulations to the phenomenal Deesha Phil
yaw and Michael Thomas, a powerful ex-wife and ex-husband writing duo who teamed up to practice and advocate co-parenting. What the heck is co-parenting, you ask? Co-parenting is the post-divorce practice of putting aside your differences with your ex for the sake of the children in order to create a stable, loving family environment.In addition to their personal commitment to their children, Deesha and Mike created the website coparenting101.org, an online resource for divorced parents looking for ways to effectively and lovingly care for their children. Additionally, they co-host a weekly radio show called Co-Parenting Matters. Last but most definitely not least, their book proposal, Co-Parenting 101, which shows readers how to put the most important principles of co-parenting to work in their daily lives, is in the hands of publishers as I write this, so there should be good publishing news coming for Deesha and Mike very soon.Deesha and Mike are an inspiration, and true role models for parents who wish to foster a nurturing family environment after divorce.You can watch a clip of their interview on the Early Show and learn more about their amazing story here.
Yes, yes—I already mentioned that Jacqueline West's THE BOOKS OF ELSEWHERE: THE SHADOWS garnered a second starred review in this post yesterday, but I then realized there were a few other pieces of ELSEWHERE news I wanted to share. One thing led to another and before I knew it, there was too much information to shoehorn into the previous post. So here we are, with a second post chock full of great Jacqueline West-related info!First—and well worth repeating—is how thrilled all of us were to see THE SHADOWS hit the New York Times Bestseller list. We then received more great news when we learned the fine folks at Penguin were interested in extending the series. Now there will be three additional installments after next summer's SPELLBOUND, the second in the series, bringing the total number of books in the series to five. Five times the books for five times the goodness!But wait, there's more!In relatively minor but still very cool news, there's the completely super dope website for THE SHADOWS, where you can solve puzzles, hear an audio excerpt, and wander around the scary McMartin household. And with the music, it's seriously a little creepy. Not pee-your-paints creepy, but definitely make-sure-there's-a-light-on creepy. Check it out!
And for all of you Germans out there wondering to yourself, "When can I enjoy the wonder that is THE SHADOWS?" or, perhaps more accurately, "Wo ist das pie ich am Dienstag verloren?" fear not! The long wait for the arrival of OLIVE UND DAS HAUS DER SCHATTEN is finally over! Check out the crazy old-school-yet-weirdly-awesome cover you guys have! One day I'll post the covers from all the different countries that will be enjoying Olive's adventures so we can compare and contrast, but for now, Genießen Sie diesen Hut von Würsten, dass ich für dich gemacht hat!Finally, below you can read the complete second starred review for THE SHADOWS from The Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books. They wrote:
The atmospheric old house is a new home for eleven-year-old Olive, and though she finds it fascinating, with its colorful contents that include a collection of arresting paintings, she also finds it creepy. Her instincts prove to be accurate: the vivid paintings are actually portals into other realms, accessible to her if she’s wearing the spectacles found in the house. Advised, albeit cryptically, by Horatio, a talking cat secretly still resident in the house, Olive dabbles in exploration of those realms, but she also unwittingly comes ever closer to enabling the evil trapped inside the house to break free. West creates a delightful concoction of quirky humor blended with a rumbling ominous undertone (“This house belongs to someone else,” Horatio warns Olive, “And that someone may not want you here”); venerable fantasy tropes such as talking cats, animated paintings, the sinister and secret old house, and conveniently distracted parents parade out in enduring and endearing form. The plot is so nicely wrapped up in this volume that readers will wonder where subsequent entries in the planned series might go even as they’re grateful for the rare satisfaction of single-title closure. Sneaking into a hitherto-unsuspected niche between Umansky’s Clover Twig and the Magical Cottage (BCCB 10/09) and Gaiman’s Coraline (BCCB 11/02), this will be a hit with young fantasists ready for a measured helping of menace. Occasional full-page black-and-white illustrations have a touch of Mary GrandPré to their charcoal-edged texture and slightly skewed perspectives, and that’s no bad thing either.
So congrats to Jacqueline from all of us here at Upstart Crow. You really are the cat's meow.
[caption id="attachment_1637" align="alignright" width="300" caption="Photo from trekearth.com"]
[/caption]Well, hello there, friends. Long time no blog. I hope everyone had a wonderful end of the summer and you're all ready for back-to-school for the parents, back-to-work for the teachers, or back-to-working-every-week if you're like the rest of us working stiffs.And yes, I include myself as someone who worked. "But what of your 'break?'" you ask. Well, it wasn't really a break. It was a chance to try (and fail) to catch up on the queries in my inbox (I'm almost through June as of this posting... I know, I'd hoped to do better), spend some time relaxing like in the scene pictured above (you can't see me in the picture—I'm in the water on the other side of the boat about to be struck in the head by the oar), and read, read, read (Who read MOCKINGJAY? OMG text me K?). There may have been a mojito and some golf and some softball mixed in, but trust me, not much.So what else happened this summer? I was lucky enough to see my client Jacqueline West's THE BOOKS OF ELSEWHERE: THE SHADOWS hit the New York Times Bestseller List. It's a terrific achievement for anyone, but especially a debut writer. THE SHADOWS also garnered two starred reviews, the first of which I wrote about here, and the second which just came from The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books, who predict "this will be a hit with young fantasists ready for a measured helping of menace." If all this isn't enough to get you to check out the book, then I don't know what will!The summer also kicked off with the release of Shaun David Hutchinson's THE DEATHDAY LETTER, an occasion Shaun celebrated by jumping out of a freaking plane. While he was up there watching the ground come up to meet him, VOYA was writing that main character "Ollie’s unabashed self-acceptance of his foibles makes him both a hilarious and a heartbreaking character," and Booklist said "the reader is pulled along in Ollie’s grip, wrestling with the big questions of life (and afterlife) at a punishing pace.... This first novel will appeal to male readers who care more about sex than philosophy." I think they served donuts on the ground, too, which is pretty cool.At the end of the summer came Matt Myklusch's JACK BLANK AND THE IMAGINE NATION. What did the critics think? School Library Journal said JACK BLANK had "just the right amount of plasma blasts, fusion cannons, and major explosions" and that the "especially careful plotting that leads to an exciting and thought-provoking conclusion." Publishers Weekly called it an "ambitious, no-holds-barred adventure" and that "the exuberance and anything-goes whimsy of this story—enhanced by a light, comic book sensibility along with questions it raises about fate, corporate power, and heroism—make this a concept with potential." Kirkus got in on the fun, saying Pull quote: "[Myklusch] creates a beguiling, sequel-worthy scenario." It's a good thing a second JACK BLANK book is on the way next summer!These three books should give readers and writers a clear sense of my taste, although other recent sales of some YA projects will tell you even more when those books are available. Stay tuned!Finally, I was busy this summer booking conferences for the fall. For a list of where I'll be appearing in the upcoming months, head to the appropriately titled "Where We'll Be" section of the Upstart Crow website. If you're at any of the conferences in North Carolina, Virginia/D.C., St. Louis, or New Jersey, be sure to say hello. So I'm looking forward to a terrific fall and winter full of friendly people in cities I've never visited, good news for my clients, and perhaps some great stories sent in by writers just like you!