To help count down to the release of Shaun Hutchinson's The Deathday Letter, today we're running a little contest on here, Facebook, and Twitter.The Deathday Letter takes place in a world much like our own: the one difference? In this world, you receive a letter the day before you kick the bucket letting you know your croakage is happening within 24 hours whether you like it or not. When teenage Oliver receives his deathday letter, he embarks on an epic and hilarious last day full of risks, best friends, and pudding. Yep. Pudding. As the clock ticks down and Oliver's staring the reaper in his surprisingly pretty blue eyes, he realizes it's his last chance to make his mark, however small, on the people around him.Sounds awesome, right? It is! So here's the question I pose to you: What would your teenage self have done with 24 hours left to live? Stood up to the bully? Finally tried foie gras? 24-hour laser tag session?Leave your answer in a comment (please limit to one sentence or less) or tweet your answer using the #MyDeathday tag. Everyone who participates before 5 PM EST on Monday, June 14th will have their names entered to win a signed copy of The Deathday Letter.Be sure to check out Shaun's blog for other chances to win copies, news about the book, and a special surprise video coming soon of Shaun doing something crazy as his #MyDeathday moment. And if you want to buy the book, it hits stores June 15th!
[Today's post comes via the dizzyingly sharp Jennifer Ung, who once upon a time interned for one of us here at Upstart Crow (albeit at a different company). Jennifer has just returned from a season in England, and we thought her observations on the two markets well worth sharing. Especially fascinating are explanations of how, though united by common language, American and British teens are so different that teen novels in each market don't "translate" to the other.]
I’m an intern.By MTV-reality-show standards, that probably means that I’m the go-to person for coffee, bagels, and general mind-numbing office work. I entered the interning realm thinking I’d end up doing tedious, unpaid work I didn’t care about but did only for the sake of furthering my barely fledgling career. Much to my complete and utter surprise, every single place I’ve interned at so far has treated me like a princess. And who am I to complain? I love being a princess. Especially one who gains valuable experience in possibly the best industry in the world (!).Hyperbolic metaphors aside, interning at two literary agencies in New York City has given me valuable insight into this super cool, ultra close-knit community known as children’s books. I particularly fell in love with all things YA. I became the kind of person you’d find staying up all night reading the latest Hunger Games novel (ahem, ican’twaitforaugust!), or stalking the stories in the Publishers Weekly Children’s Bookshelf to discover new debut titles worth reading. I absolutely adored the fact that I could flip to the acknowledgments section of a YA novel and find the author thanking other fellow YA authors. It gives me a warm, fuzzy feeling inside knowing that I am pursuing a career in an industry full of people who actually love what they are doing—and even better, love the people they are doing it with.I chose to study abroad in London this past semester with the intention of learning about children’s book publishing as it happens on the other side of the Atlantic. I interned at a well-established literary agency that works with many children’s authors and illustrators. Now, in comparing literary agencies in the US with literary agencies in the UK, I understand that I may have to make sweeping generalizations that may not completely and accurately characterize either side. And you should also know that my experience is slightly skewed by the nature of what I did at each internship—more YA in the US and more middle grade/illustrated books in the UK. But I shall press on anyway!The business side of things at a literary agency is fairly consistent between the US and the UK. An aspiring author sends in a submission, and within four to six weeks, we respond with either a “Yay, may I see more of your manuscript?!” or an “Ah, sorry, this just isn’t the right project for us.” And if the unsolicited submission happens to receive a “yay” response, it probably takes another few weeks to determine whether or not we will offer representation.
What most people don’t realize is the sheer number of unsolicited queries that enter the mailboxes of all literary agencies. At the agency in London, we would receive maybe 20-30 a day via email. By post? Probably another 20-30. It adds up—especially when you take into account the heavy physical envelopes chock-full of sample chapters exceeding the page-limit we set on our website. It’s safe to say, however, that we take good care of all of the submissions we receive, and we do read every single one that comes in.My job consisted mostly of going through those unsolicited queries and determining which ones to pass on. This was the common thread in all of the internships I have held. Once you get past the “mum”’s instead of “mom”’s and the decorative “u” in words like “colour,” working with unsolicited queries in the US is very similar to that of the UK. The number of people who make it through the slush pile remains unfortunately small, but aspiring authors should not lose hope—I can’t even count the number of times that I have come across a submission I loved and thought had wonderful potential but just did not quite fit the agency I was working with. It’s all a matter of who you contact, and a lot a lot a lot of patience.What struck me the most about my experience in the children’s book industry in the UK was the strength of the YA market—or rather, the lack thereof. That’s not to say that YA is completely absent in the UK. It’s just that in the US children’s book market, YA kind of smacks you in the face with big name titles and six-figure deals involving vampires, fallen angels, dystopias, and the like.
Not that there aren't several big-deal titles in the UK—sure there are—but none that create quite the hoopla that I’ve seen in the US. I approached my brilliant-beyond-brilliant boss about my observation, and she completely agreed. She explained to me that a lot of the issues that contemporary YA deals with in the US are not as relevant to teenagers in the UK.For example, most teenagers in the UK don’t drive. They may get their licenses around the age of 17, but because of the high price of gas/cars and the high quality of public transportation, they often don't feel the need to. Whereas US teens often have greater distances to travel and cars/gas are relatively cheap. While this may seem a small detail in the wide scope of a teenager’s life, it’s these details that make US YA very much US. I mean, how interesting would Nick and Norah’s Infinite Playlist be if Nick and his friends weren’t able to drive around New York City in the middle of the night? And what would have happened between Q and Margo Roth Speigelman if Q wasn’t able to steal his mom’s van that fateful night in Paper Towns? That is just one of many subtle and not-so-subtle differences between American teenage culture and British teenage culture.For example, as my boss pointed out, marriage figures more prominently and earlier in US culture than it does in the UK. Attending university is more of a given for US teens but not so much for UK teens. There are not as many social provisions available to US teens (i.e. unemployment benefits, health insurance, etc.), so work and career and full-fledged adulthood comes much sooner than it does for most UK teens. Therefore, US teens tend to gain more independence at an earlier age. And it's this culture of teenagers-who-kind-of-believe-they're-grown-up that create such heartwarming and compelling coming-of-age stories.But that’s not to say that UK teenage culture isn’t worth writing about. Teenagers in the UK undoubtedly have stories to tell, and equally tumultuous adolescent years. My boss also pointed out that UK teens are allowed to drink at an earlier age. So, while US teens are more independent in some senses of the word, UK teens also have to deal with their issues of growing up too fast. They just grow up too fast differently than US teens do.My experience in London has widened my knowledge of children’s books, but more importantly, it’s taught me how some things about publishing are fundamentally the same no matter what country you’re in. The passion for books is still there, the excitement about reading something with infinite potential is still there, the drive to inspire a new generation of readers is most definitely there. And although I sometimes find myself questioning whether or not I’ll ever make it in the big world of publishing, there’s honestly no where else I’d rather be.
[Today's post comes via the dizzyingly sharp Jennifer Ung, who once upon a time interned for one of us here at Upstart Crow (albeit at a different company). Jennifer has just returned from a season in England, and we thought her observations on the two markets well worth sharing. Especially fascinating are explanations of how, though united by common language, American and British teens are so different that teen novels in each market don't "translate" to the other.]
I’m an intern.By MTV-reality-show standards, that probably means that I’m the go-to person for coffee, bagels, and general mind-numbing office work. I entered the interning realm thinking I’d end up doing tedious, unpaid work I didn’t care about but did only for the sake of furthering my barely fledgling career. Much to my complete and utter surprise, every single place I’ve interned at so far has treated me like a princess. And who am I to complain? I love being a princess. Especially one who gains valuable experience in possibly the best industry in the world (!).Hyperbolic metaphors aside, interning at two literary agencies in New York City has given me valuable insight into this super cool, ultra close-knit community known as children’s books. I particularly fell in love with all things YA. I became the kind of person you’d find staying up all night reading the latest Hunger Games novel (ahem, ican’twaitforaugust!), or stalking the stories in the Publishers Weekly Children’s Bookshelf to discover new debut titles worth reading. I absolutely adored the fact that I could flip to the acknowledgments section of a YA novel and find the author thanking other fellow YA authors. It gives me a warm, fuzzy feeling inside knowing that I am pursuing a career in an industry full of people who actually love what they are doing—and even better, love the people they are doing it with.I chose to study abroad in London this past semester with the intention of learning about children’s book publishing as it happens on the other side of the Atlantic. I interned at a well-established literary agency that works with many children’s authors and illustrators. Now, in comparing literary agencies in the US with literary agencies in the UK, I understand that I may have to make sweeping generalizations that may not completely and accurately characterize either side. And you should also know that my experience is slightly skewed by the nature of what I did at each internship—more YA in the US and more middle grade/illustrated books in the UK. But I shall press on anyway!The business side of things at a literary agency is fairly consistent between the US and the UK. An aspiring author sends in a submission, and within four to six weeks, we respond with either a “Yay, may I see more of your manuscript?!” or an “Ah, sorry, this just isn’t the right project for us.” And if the unsolicited submission happens to receive a “yay” response, it probably takes another few weeks to determine whether or not we will offer representation.
What most people don’t realize is the sheer number of unsolicited queries that enter the mailboxes of all literary agencies. At the agency in London, we would receive maybe 20-30 a day via email. By post? Probably another 20-30. It adds up—especially when you take into account the heavy physical envelopes chock-full of sample chapters exceeding the page-limit we set on our website. It’s safe to say, however, that we take good care of all of the submissions we receive, and we do read every single one that comes in.My job consisted mostly of going through those unsolicited queries and determining which ones to pass on. This was the common thread in all of the internships I have held. Once you get past the “mum”’s instead of “mom”’s and the decorative “u” in words like “colour,” working with unsolicited queries in the US is very similar to that of the UK. The number of people who make it through the slush pile remains unfortunately small, but aspiring authors should not lose hope—I can’t even count the number of times that I have come across a submission I loved and thought had wonderful potential but just did not quite fit the agency I was working with. It’s all a matter of who you contact, and a lot a lot a lot of patience.What struck me the most about my experience in the children’s book industry in the UK was the strength of the YA market—or rather, the lack thereof. That’s not to say that YA is completely absent in the UK. It’s just that in the US children’s book market, YA kind of smacks you in the face with big name titles and six-figure deals involving vampires, fallen angels, dystopias, and the like.
Not that there aren't several big-deal titles in the UK—sure there are—but none that create quite the hoopla that I’ve seen in the US. I approached my brilliant-beyond-brilliant boss about my observation, and she completely agreed. She explained to me that a lot of the issues that contemporary YA deals with in the US are not as relevant to teenagers in the UK.For example, most teenagers in the UK don’t drive. They may get their licenses around the age of 17, but because of the high price of gas/cars and the high quality of public transportation, they often don't feel the need to. Whereas US teens often have greater distances to travel and cars/gas are relatively cheap. While this may seem a small detail in the wide scope of a teenager’s life, it’s these details that make US YA very much US. I mean, how interesting would Nick and Norah’s Infinite Playlist be if Nick and his friends weren’t able to drive around New York City in the middle of the night? And what would have happened between Q and Margo Roth Speigelman if Q wasn’t able to steal his mom’s van that fateful night in Paper Towns? That is just one of many subtle and not-so-subtle differences between American teenage culture and British teenage culture.For example, as my boss pointed out, marriage figures more prominently and earlier in US culture than it does in the UK. Attending university is more of a given for US teens but not so much for UK teens. There are not as many social provisions available to US teens (i.e. unemployment benefits, health insurance, etc.), so work and career and full-fledged adulthood comes much sooner than it does for most UK teens. Therefore, US teens tend to gain more independence at an earlier age. And it's this culture of teenagers-who-kind-of-believe-they're-grown-up that create such heartwarming and compelling coming-of-age stories.But that’s not to say that UK teenage culture isn’t worth writing about. Teenagers in the UK undoubtedly have stories to tell, and equally tumultuous adolescent years. My boss also pointed out that UK teens are allowed to drink at an earlier age. So, while US teens are more independent in some senses of the word, UK teens also have to deal with their issues of growing up too fast. They just grow up too fast differently than US teens do.My experience in London has widened my knowledge of children’s books, but more importantly, it’s taught me how some things about publishing are fundamentally the same no matter what country you’re in. The passion for books is still there, the excitement about reading something with infinite potential is still there, the drive to inspire a new generation of readers is most definitely there. And although I sometimes find myself questioning whether or not I’ll ever make it in the big world of publishing, there’s honestly no where else I’d rather be.
If you've seen me speak at a conference, read my online interviews, or follow me on Twitter, you've likely heard me mention Jacqueline West's THE BOOKS OF ELSEWHERE VOL I: THE SHADOWS. The truth is, I love this book. Jacqueline's story was the first project I ever signed as an agent, and I've been anxiously waiting two long years for it to come out so that everyone else could see what made me fall so hard in love with this story, these characters, and this remarkable writer.I'm thrilled to share that the fine folks at Publisher's Weekly loved the project enough to give it a starred review. They write:
The Shadows Jacqueline West, illus. by Poly Bernatene, Dial, $16.99 (256p) ISBN 978-0-8037-3440-1Poet West's debut novel is a quirky and clever beginning to the Books of Elsewhere series. The Dunwoodys, "a pair of more than slightly dippy mathematicians," and their 11-year-old daughter, Olive, have just moved into an old Victorian house. Olive has learned to be independent, given her parents' aloofness ("Her persistently lackluster grades in math had led her parents to believe that she was some kind of genetic aberration"). She explores the house's eccentricities and discovers that, by donning a pair of spectacles, she can enter the house's many unsettling paintings. Inside one, she encounters nine-year-old Morton, who brings to her attention the secrets that the house and its late owner are keeping. With the help of three talking house cats, Olive works to patch together clues to save the painting-dwellers from their dark fate. The house is as much a character as are Olive, Morton, and her family, and a wicked sense of humor tempers the book's creepiness. A suspenseful plot and insight into childhood loneliness--handily amplified by Bernatene's moody and dramatically lit b&w illustrations--will have readers anxiously awaiting the next book.Mark you calendars for June 15th, folks, to get your hands on this wonderful book!
When I first read Angie Frazier’s debut, Everlasting, I knew I had something special in my hands. Together, we worked diligently to revise and shape the manuscript prior to submission. To this day, I am still struck by what a phenomenal writer Angie is, and how she was able to transform an already fantastic manuscript to an even more glorious one. And this was all before she had guidance from her phenomenal editor at Scholastic!Books are hard work. Everlasting is a prime example of a novel’s journey, from its initial draft to sale to finally hitting the shelves. It has been a long wait, but I could not be more thrilled that this novel is now available for readers to fall in love with as much as I have.From the back copy:Sailing aboard her father's ship is all seventeen-year-old Camille Rowen has ever wanted. But as a lady in 1855 San Francisco, her future is set: marry a man she doesn't love in order to preserve her social standing.On her last voyage before the wedding, Camille learns the mother she has always believed dead is in fact alive and in Australia. When their Sydney-bound ship goes down in a gale, and her father dies, Camille sets out to find her mother and a map in her possession—a map believed to lead to a stone that once belonged to the legendary civilization of the immortals.The stone can do exactly what Camille wants most: bring someone back from the dead. Unfortunately, her father's adversary is also on the hunt for the stone, and she must race him to it. The only person Camille can depend on is Oscar—a handsome young sailor and her father's first mate—who is in love with Camille and whom she is inexplicably drawn to despite his low social standing and her pending wedding vows.With an Australian card shark acting as their guide, Camille eludes murderous bushrangers, traverses dangerous highlands, evades a curse placed on the stone, and unravels the mystery behind her mother's disappearance sixteen years earlier. But when another death shakes her conviction to resurrect her father, Camille must choose what—and who—matters most.Heartfelt congratulations to Angie from everyone at Upstart Crow. Visit her at www.angelafrazier.com and get swept up in the action-packed and über romantic adventure that is Everlasting!
If you've seen me speak at a conference, read my online interviews, or follow me on Twitter, you've likely heard me mention Jacqueline West's THE BOOKS OF ELSEWHERE VOL I: THE SHADOWS. The truth is, I love this book. Jacqueline's story was the first project I ever signed as an agent, and I've been anxiously waiting two long years for it to come out so that everyone else could see what made me fall so hard in love with this story, these characters, and this remarkable writer.I'm thrilled to share that the fine folks at Publisher's Weekly loved the project enough to give it a starred review. They write:
The Shadows Jacqueline West, illus. by Poly Bernatene, Dial, $16.99 (256p) ISBN 978-0-8037-3440-1Poet West's debut novel is a quirky and clever beginning to the Books of Elsewhere series. The Dunwoodys, "a pair of more than slightly dippy mathematicians," and their 11-year-old daughter, Olive, have just moved into an old Victorian house. Olive has learned to be independent, given her parents' aloofness ("Her persistently lackluster grades in math had led her parents to believe that she was some kind of genetic aberration"). She explores the house's eccentricities and discovers that, by donning a pair of spectacles, she can enter the house's many unsettling paintings. Inside one, she encounters nine-year-old Morton, who brings to her attention the secrets that the house and its late owner are keeping. With the help of three talking house cats, Olive works to patch together clues to save the painting-dwellers from their dark fate. The house is as much a character as are Olive, Morton, and her family, and a wicked sense of humor tempers the book's creepiness. A suspenseful plot and insight into childhood loneliness--handily amplified by Bernatene's moody and dramatically lit b&w illustrations--will have readers anxiously awaiting the next book.Mark you calendars for June 15th, folks, to get your hands on this wonderful book!
I am beyond excited to congratulate Danette Haworth on the release of her second novel, The Summer of Moonlight Secrets.Aside from being a phenomenal storyteller, one of the reasons I admire Danette so much is her drive as an author—she constantly pushes herself to tell new stories and for each one of her novels to involve arresting settings, introduce different sorts of characters, and infuse her writing with a real sense of joy for the middle grade reader.The Summer of Moonlight Secrets is a magical story that I know readers will love just as much as her acclaimed debut, Violet Raines Almost Got Struck By Lightning.Here is the story from the back cover:At the Meriwether, Florida's famous antebellum hotel off of Hope Springs, nothing is quite as it seems. Secret staircases give way to servants' quarters and Prohibition-era speakeasies make for the perfect hide-and-seek spot. Allie Jo Jackson knows every nook and cranny of the Meriwether—she's lived there her whole life—and nothing surprises her, until the first time she spots the enigmatic and beautiful Tara emerging from the springs. Tara's shimmery skin, long flowing hair, and strange penchant for late moonlight swims disguise a mysterious secret, and once Allie Jo and her friend Chase discover Tara's secret, nothing will ever be the same.Not only is the novel absolutely wonderful, the cover is truly delicious. Already, Kirkus has said: “the mix of fantasy and light mystery makes for an entertaining read.”So, go out and pick up your copy today! And visit Danette online at www.danettehaworth.com.
Three writers from the Nashville area have set up a blog where they'll be auctioning off prizes involving writers, agents, and editors, to help victims of the recent flooding. I've just added a 30 minute phone call consultation with an aspiring author as one of the things to bid on. Head over to their blog in the next few days to see the list of great items up for auction, and to bid on 30 minutes with yours truly, CLICK HERE.
On a personal note, in the fall of 2009, I participated in the SCBWI Midsouth conference held in Nashville. I met loads of friendly and wonderful people, from the conference coordinators, to volunteers, to aspiring writers. I got to take in some local flavor at several terrific restaurants, embarked on a walking tour of the city, and sneaked into the Country Music Hall of Fame (pictured right) before heading out. Much of what I saw, including the Hall of Fame, is being severely damaged by the flood waters even as I type this.Please head over to their blog and see what you can do to help.
Sometimes, books change lives. I’m not talking about self-help books, either. I'm also not talking about being on the subway and randomly getting accosted by a man with a knife, who launches the blade at your chest from across the aisle, but thankfully you're reading the new Dan Brown book and the hardcover acts like a shield.What I'm talking about is this: Occasionally, you read a book that is so beautiful and full of life that it makes you to stop to think about your own life: how you are living it, who you are living it with, and what’s important to you.Sarah Ockler’s Twenty Boy Summer is one of those books. And May first was the official release date of the paperback, which is just as good as the hardcover only adorned with wonderful blurbs and fantastic reviews.Stealing liberally from Sarah’s blog (www.sarahockler.com), Why should you snag a copy? Well…Top 10 Reasons to Pick Up Twenty Boy Summer in Paperback:
And—even though Sarah did not write this last one:10. You will really, really, really love it.So, congratulations, Sarah! Now everyone go get a copy! Or two!
I am very excited to invite all Upstart Crow blog readers to a Teen Author event this evening that I’ve helped organize. The reading will feature our very own Yvonne Woon, whose debut novel Dead Beautiful will be published in September.She will be joined by the fantastic Natalie Standiford (How To Say Goodbye In Robot), Bennett Madison (The Blonde of the Joke),
and New York Times bestseller Lauren Oliver (Before I Fall).
Please come to hear these remarkable authors read selections from their novels, talk about their writing processes and their roads to publication, plus their latest projects.There will be a Q&A session immediately following, as well as an author signing with books available for purchase.The details are as follows:WHEN: Today, April 27th at 7 PMWHERE: Fordham University, Lincoln Center Campus, South LoungeDIRECTIONS: 113 West 60th StreetFordham University, Lincoln CenterTake A, B, C, D & 1 trains to Columbus Circle.Exit at 60th Street & Broadway. Go west of Columbus Avenue.Upon entering the glass doors inform the security desk that you are attending the English Department event.Take escalators up 1 floor to Plaza level.For South Lounge: Head to the back of the Student CafeteriaHope to see you there!