The Taste of Freedom

Posted on May 15, 2012 by Amie Kaufman

Publishing often involves working furiously or kicking back and enjoying your downtime while it lasts. This week I’m delighted to have some downtime, and I thought I’d show you how I celebrate!

Top Deck: The best combination of chocolate known to man. And it’s fair trade. My dietary sin comes with a clear conscience.

My Beach Date: I take a copy of Gordon Korman’s I Want To Go Home down to the beach, buy myself a chocolate milkshake, park where I can take in the view and read. It’s a dangerous combination, because this is the one book on earth that brings me close to snorting the milkshake out my nose, but it’s the ultimate childhood comfort read. Perfect middle-grade comedy.

Kiva: See this post for all the reasons I donate to Kiva. When I’m done with something major, I hop on over and lend $25 to someone who needs it. I get to do my favourite thing for a living. It feels like that much luck requires a show of thankfulness.

Book Shopping: I can’t say too much about this here, because my husband may surface from Diablo 3 long enough to read it… but let’s just say there are new books in my life, and others still winging their way across the world to me.

Date Night: Husband, great restaurant, enough said. This time around, this one will take place some time after he’s done gorging on Diablo 3. He was a revision widower, I can be a Diablo widow for a few days!

The Floordrobe: My house is a total disaster by the end of a draft or a revision. I start with the outrageously large piles of clothes on the floor, then work my way out. Husband is truly amazing at holding down the fort while I work, but he’s just one man and I make a lot of mess.

The To-Be-Read Pile: Leaving aside some fabulous ARCs I have on the kindle, here are the frontrunners for my attention until the next edits come in!

Shadow and Bone is up first –which book should I tackle next? How do you celebrate?

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The Kindness Project: Week One

Posted on May 9, 2012 by Amie Kaufman

Too often kindness is relegated to a random act performed only when we’re feeling good.  But an even greater kindness (to ourselves and others) occurs when we reach out even when we aren’t feeling entirely whole. It’s not easy, and no one is perfect. But we’ve decided it’s not impossible to brighten the world one smile, one kind word, one blog post at a time. To that end, a few of us writers have established The Kindness Project, starting with a series of inspirational posts.

If I asked you to loan me $25, what would you say?

Most of you would say yes, I suspect, and many of you don’t know me that well. You might not even ask why I needed it.

What if I promised to pay the $25 back in a year or two, and you knew that the loan would change my life for the better in a dramatic way.

Of course you’d say yes.

For my inaugural post on kindness, I want to talk about Kiva. Kiva is an incredible not-for-profit that offers microloans to those who need a hand establishing or improving their businesses. The idea is to provide them with the resources they need to change their lives, rather than short term handouts that don’t ultimately bring change.

Lenders offer up $25 each, and club together to help out those who have applied for loans. Since 2005, Kiva has made $309 million in loans in 59 countries, and has a repayment rate of 98.93%. As someone with one foot in the financial world, I can tell you that’s better than most banks! Every cent of your $25 goes straight to the loan recipient.

And of course, when your $25 comes back to you, you can send it out to do more good.

So far, looking at just a few of my loans, one payment of $25 has helped Novruz from Azerbaijan buy ten new sheep and fodder, doubling his flock. He’d already worked his way up from two sheep to ten on his own. Once he repaid it, it helped Tuvshinjargal from Mongolia buy more goods to sell at the market, helping her raise money for her daughters’ education. She repaid it ahead of time, and now it’s helping Maria from Bolivia. She’s twenty, and is supporting her three year old son–with her loan she purchased tools and products to help expand her burgeoning beauty business.

What could you do with $25? For me, that’s 6.5 of the hot chocolates I buy each morning on the way to work. It’s a couple of desserts when we go out for dinner. It’s an impulse buy of a shirt I might not even wear later.

For the recipients of Kiva loans, it’s a life-changing experience.

Posting today for The Kindness Project:

Elizabeth Davis           Sarah Fine

Liza Kane                     Sara Larson

Matthew MacNish      Sara McClung

Gretchen McNeil         Tracey Neithercott

Lola Sharp                    Michele Shaw

Meagan Spooner         Carolina Valdez Miller

Be sure to check them out! We post the second Wednesday of every month. Want to join us? Grab our button and spread a little kindness.

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Win a Skylark ARC!

Posted on April 13, 2012 by Amie Kaufman

“Intense and absorbing, Skylark transported me to a world of magic and danger unlike anything I’ve read before. Dark, original, and beautiful, this is a novel you don’t want to miss.” — Veronica Rossi, author of Under The Never Sky

You know you want to win a copy of Meagan Spooner’s amazing debut SKYLARK–it’s the book that landed Meg multiple offers of representation, ended up at auction, and now it’s been selected to feature on the prestigous BEA Young Adult Buzz Panel, as one of the titles that everyone will be talking about this Fall! You all know I adore Meg’s writing–it’s one of the many reasons I co-authored THESE BROKEN STARS with her. In SKYLARK, she totally lands it. This book rocks, simple as that.

Vis in magia, in vita vi. In magic there is power, and in power, life.

For fifteen years, Lark Ainsley waited for the day when her Resource would be harvested and she would finally be an adult. After the harvest she expected a small role in the regular, orderly operation of the City within the Wall. She expected to do her part to maintain the refuge for the last survivors of the Wars. She expected to be a tiny cog in the larger clockwork of the city.

Lark did not expect to become the City’s power supply.

For fifteen years, Lark Ainsley believed in a lie. Now she must escape the only world she’s ever known…or face a fate more unimaginable than death.

In Meagan Spooner’s compelling debut, magic, technology, and human frailty collide in a brilliant new world.

I know, right? Awesome. And right now the very first advance reader copies are up for grabs!

You can head on over to NetGalley and put in an application for an e-galley, but perhaps you’d like to try your hand at winning a copy of your very own, to have and to hold and keep under your pillow at night?

The site you seek is The Story Siren! Check out an interview with Meg and enter to win one of three ARCs, or shimmy on over to Pub(lishing) Crawl for an exclusive look at the book’s first pages, and the chance to win an ARC of your own in an international competition!

But hurry, there’s only a few days left on both competitions!

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We Have A Title! And A Giveaway!

Posted on April 2, 2012 by Amie Kaufman

We knew from pretty early on that WRECKED would need a new title—although we think it’s great, it’s also already in use, and didn’t communicate everything we wanted to about our story.

So, the search was on for something that would convey a sense of our setting, the romance of the story, and just stand out as something beautiful and memorable.

Oh, how we brainstormed! Our editors and agents joined in, as did our critique partners, early readers and ever our families. Props go out here to the awesome team at Disney-Hyperion, who were really committed to making sure we were happy.

So finally, here we are! The new title for our book will be… (drumroll, etc!)

THESE BROKEN STARS

 As one of our early readers said when I told her: “I can’t imagine now how it was ever called anything else.”

Meg and I have decided to celebrate with a competition! The winner has a choice of:

-       A query critique from both of us (and though we say it ourselves, we write highly requested queries!) OR

-       A first five pages critique from both of us OR

-       A pre-order of a 2012 debut we’re excited about – THRONE OF GLASS, SOMETHING STRANGE AND DEADLY, STORMDANCER, SHADOW AND BONE, WHAT’S LEFT OF ME or the 2012 debut of your choice!

Here are the ways you can enter:

For two entries, add THESE BROKEN STARS on Goodreads (you earn two points if you’d already added it) and leave us a link to show you did so.

For one entry, comment on my blog and let me know your favourite book title, and why.

For one entry, comment on Meg’s blog and let her know your favourite science fiction book.

For one entry, tweet about the competition and leave us a link (once a day – you can use this text if you like: Come celebrate @amiekaufman and @meaganspooner’s new title, THESE BROKEN STARS, & win books or critiques! http://wp.me/p16S22-eH)

For two entries, blog or FB about the competition and leave us a link.

Total up your entries and leave the number in the comments (on just one of our blogs), and of course make sure we have a way to contact you! Good luck! The competition closes at 11:59PM EST on Monday 9th April 2012.

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Writers: Four Signs Your Research May Have Gone Too Far…

Posted on March 21, 2012 by Amie Kaufman

Every profession has its hazards, and authoring is no exception. The devil, as they say, is in the detail–to write a great story, you need to touch on those little things that bring a character or a setting to life. Of course, it’s not always that simple. Here are four signs you may have crossed the line… and don’t worry, I qualify for all four!

1. You’re googling things that will put you on a watchlist.

Great stories only happen when things go horribly wrong. I mean, ‘happily ever after’ is fine, but it only works at the end. Before that, you need death, drama and disaster! In the pursuit of a story I’ve googled how to blow up a building, what happens to a corpse after you bury it, and whether it’s possible to ride a llama. (Answer: Yes, but that doesn’t mean you should. Though the guys on the right are playing polo on llamas!) Somewhere, a government agency is probably watching me and drawing some very concerning conclusions about my evil plans.

2. You’re asking socially inappropriate questions.

I have a relative who’s a very skilled ophthalmologist. The other day I emailed him to ask how long it would take someone who’d been trapped in the dark for years to adjust to daylight. Then, a little while later, I remembered to go back and specify that said person was fictional. Hands up if you’ve ever plunged into a line of questioning, then realised you were freaking everyone out?

3. You see daily events in terms of the experience they can offer.

A few months ago I was at the station on my way home from work when I found a young guy who’d passed out. People were just walking on by, so I stopped to help. Later, when the paramedics were assessing him, he woke up and freaked out. As we chased him down and tried to calm him down, he jumped the railing of the balcony and started climbing along the edge, then led us down a staircase. I’ll admit it: a tiny part of my brain was taking ‘chase scene’ notes. (And he was fine in the end, don’t worry. Also, none of us looked this athletic during the chase.)

4. You’re acting it out.

Somebody please tell me I’m not the only one who tries out facial expressions, physical movements, checks whether it’s possible to climb things or abruptly runs out of my study to stare at the exact colour of something, then runs back in. And then somebody please tell me I’m not the only one who’s ever looked up and suddenly realised everybody’s staring at me…

What’s the weirdest (or most awesome) thing you’ve done in the name of research? What would you love to do, if you got the chance?

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Join Me On A Pub Crawl!

Posted on February 28, 2012 by Amie Kaufman

When I first started daydreaming about publication, I didn’t know the first thing about how it all worked. I thought agents were for film stars in Hollywood, who would wave away unwanted attention with a casual “call my agent”. I’m pretty sure I remember thinking revision involved checking your grammar and spelling before you were good to go, and I certainly didn’t have a clue what a query letter was, let alone how to write one. As for how manuscripts got into the hands of editors and were transformed into real, live books, I had no idea.

But I learned, from a series of fantastically generous and informative blogs and websites put together by those who had already worked it out, and were willing to share. As I sit here revising my first book for publication, I owe those guys a lot, and I think the best way to repay the debt is to pass on what I’ve learned as well.
I’m beyond excited to announce that I’m the newest member of the team behind Pub(lishing) Crawl, a blog run by a group of authors and industry professionals. The team provides insights on writing life and peeks inside the industry, as well as book recommendations, interviews with authors and heaps of giveaways! They’re smart, savvy and well-informed, as well as just plain delightful.

Pub(lishing) Crawl and its predecessor site, Let The Words Flow, have always been on the list of websites I get to every day, even if I have to read while stirring dinner with the other hand. I’m so excited to be joining such great company, and I hope you’ll click over to check out the website and enter the giveaway we’re running to celebrate me joining. (No seriously, please click over, I don’t want to look all lonely! And I’d love one of my regular readers to win!)

What are your must-visit websites these days? If you’re a reader, where do you find your book talk? If you’re a writer, where did you learn the tricks of the trade?

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Why You Should Stop To Get Started

Posted on February 16, 2012 by Amie Kaufman

First things first — I have a brand new Facebook author page, which is where I’ll be sharing info about WRECKED this year. I am a little shy about mentioning it, but especially as we move closer to publication, I’m keen to have ways to stay in touch with you guys. I would be ever so grateful if you would consider jumping over there and clicking “like”.

What is Busy Head?

Do you find that every time you sit down to write (or do your artistic thing of choice), what comes out is awful, or suddenly you’re somehow on Facebook, or you feel an overwhelming urge to get up and fold the laundry?

Or do you find that you can’t stop trying to work? You get home from work and plunk down in your chair without taking a break, somehow trying to make up for the fact that your story isn’t working by putting extra time into it.

It might be that you just need to buckle down, turn off the internet and get some work done. It might be that you just need to step back and do some outlining or plot diagnosis.

Or it might be that you’ve emptied your well, and you have a case of Busy Head. It’s what happens when you’ve drained yourself dry, either trying to get too many things done at once, or pouring so much of yourself onto the page, for such a long time, that there’s nothing left.

But how do you know which is which?

First things first–it’s not okay to claim Busy Head as an excuse and go watch How I Met Your Mother reruns while you recover. That’s just slacking off, if it’s not what you need.

First, try everything you can to get some work done. Set a timer and turn off the internet. Tie yourself to your chair. Talk the issue out with a friend and see the answer clicks into place.

If none of that works, and you can honestly say you’re just out of inspiration, it’s safe to make your diagnosis.

What’s the answer?

The answer to Busy Head is to refill your well, recharge your batteries, pick your metaphor of choice. It’s not just kicking back and putting your feet up. It requires the right kind of stopping. You need to think about what recharges your creative energy, and come up with a personalised plan.

My fab co-author, Meg Spooner, said to me the other day that she likes to recharge by reading amazing books, and she notices the difference when she doesn’t. I agree–when I’m writing, I love to read books in my genre that inspire me. I also love to go see a movie, hit the gym, or drag friends out for a picnic or a day at the beach. Probably above all else, I love to go sailing.

For me, the key is to do something that takes up all of my conscious mind–so that I can’t think about my story for a little while. Then, when I come back to it, I’m ready to go.

How do you work out what kind of stopping you need? Do you have any symptoms or cures to add to the list?

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BTW: Brazil, Book Deals and Books As Your Fingerprints

Posted on February 2, 2012 by Amie Kaufman

B: Beyond the Blog

Internet, it’s been a super busy week! Meg and I are buckled down tight and working through our edits for WRECKED. I had no idea this was going to happen, but I have a newsflash for you: I love revision. I know! I’m as surprised as you are!

I think one of the key differences is that when you’re revising alone, sometimes you can’t tell whether your work is getting better or worse. With in-depth, thoughtful feedback from our genius editor, it turns out this is a blast!

Oh wait, you’re wondering why we’re flying the Brazillian and Polish flags today? I must have forgot to mention that the WRECKED trilogy has sold in Brazil and Poland! Otwarte will be bringing out the books in Poland, and Novo Conceito came out on top in Brazil. We’re both so excited–I can’t wait to see what the books look like translated!

 

T: Things I Like

This great blog post from the SCBWI New York Conference Blog on Kathryn Erskine’s keynote address. It’s a great summary of her presentation on how to stay focused as a writer. I got a lot out of it.

Publishing Crawl, a great new venture from the ladies behind Let The Words Flow, as well as some new friends including agents and booksellers. Tune in every day of the week for interviews, industry inside information, book reviews and writing tips.

This smart and thoughtful post from my partner in crime, Meagan Spooner, on books as fingerprints–why your collection of physical books matters.

W: What I’m Reading

Last week I recommended THE ASSASSIN AND THE PIRATE LORD by Sarah J. Maas — I know some of you grabbed a copy. For those who haven’t yet, here’s the deal — swashbuckling novella prequel to the amazing THRONE OF GLASS, which will be out in August. It’s 99 cents, you’ll race through it in an hour or two, and love every minute. Questions? Thought not.

This week I’m in critique mode, and when I duck out of the edit cave, I’ve been racing through more amazing stuff by a couple of crazy talented authors who’ll be debuting this year. I can’t wait to recommend them to you all when they’re out–for now, buckle your swashes and grab a copy of THE ASSASSIN AND THE PIRATE LORD!

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When Is A Book More Than A Book?

Posted on January 24, 2012 by Amie Kaufman

Every author I know thinks about marketing. Do you try a blog tour, print up bookmarks, organise appearances at bookstores? Do you need a successful blog, or a mailing list, or do you just hire a skywriter and pray?

Today’s post is about two authors who are offering something different–something that’s written, but more than just their books.

The Assassin and the Pirate Lord, by Sarah J. Maas

Sarah’s debut novel, the epic YA fantasy  Throne of Glass, is due out from Bloomsbury on August 7 this year. Sarah has a huge fanbase pre-publication, a result of her years on FictionPress.com.

Sarah and Bloomsbury aren’t just counting on her fans to come out and play in August, though. They’re releasing a set of four novellas that tell the story of our heroine, Celaena Sardothien, in the two years leading up to the opening of Throne of Glass, when we find her doing hard labour in the salt mines. Sarah’s said she sees it as her chance to share some of what she’s always known happened before Throne of Glass.

The Assassin and the Pirate Lord took me less than two hours to race through–it’s a thrilling, swashbuckling romp, and I think anyone who takes a chance on it will be hanging out for the next three, and for the novel coming in August. For just 99 cents, it’s not much of a gamble, but I think new readers will be waiting for Throne of Glass come August as a result of these novellas. (Full disclosure–I critiqued this novella pre-publication, but what you need to know is that I sat in my car at the train station finishing it, because I couldn’t bear to stop and drive home! Seriously, just grab it.)

You can pick up a copy of The Assassin and the Pirate Lord here for just 99 cents, and I highly recommend it. You can pre-order Throne of Glass here, or of course pick up a copy at your local indie come August.

Catching Jordan, by Miranda Kenneally

Miranda Kenneally’s Catching Jordan is a smart, funny, romantic take on high school football–think Friday Night Lights, with a girl as the captain of the football team. I loved it, and I’ll complain to anyone who’ll listen that Miranda Kenneally’s next book isn’t out for ages.

Miranda’s also offering something that’s more than just a blog tour, or a signed bookmark. She’s offering deleted scenes from her book–you can find links on her news page, here. For readers like me, who don’t cope well when a great book finishes (hands up if you read the rights information inside the front cover, just so it isn’t over), this is fantastic–it’s after the book rather than before, but it’s a great way to keep on engaging with readers, and turn them into folks who will follow you on to the next book.

You can pick up a copy of Catching Jordan here (I grabbed it for my kindle), and if you’re anything like me, you’ll get through it in two sittings and forget your dinner on the way. (Full disclosure: I did not critique anything to do with this book, but I am sure Miranda just lost my email address or something. Right? Right?)

What about you guys? What do you think about these offerings? Have you seen anything else you thought was smart? Would deleted scenes keep you thinking about how you loved an awesome writer, or would you grab a 99 cent novella because a friend recommended it?

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Writing Reflections and Resolutions: 2011/12 Edition

Posted on January 17, 2012 by Amie Kaufman

January’s a time for plans and resolutions. Last year I reflected on how I’d spent 2010, and made some resolutions for 2011.

This time last year Meg had just signed with Adams Literary, and the champagne was flowing in the house of Kaufman and Spooner. What’s happened since then?

Meg’s incredible trilogy sold to Carolrhoda Lab. SKYLARK will be out in this year. The trilogy will be published in eight countries.

In June, I signed with Adams Literary, shooting emails back and forth with Tracey from my hotel in Madrid.

In November, Meg and I sold our trilogy, starting with WRECKED, to Disney-Hyperion. We’re now up to our elbows in edits with our amazing editor, Abby Ranger. She is making my brain explode. It’s awesome.

This year we hit New York, England, Italy and Spain. We meandered along the Côte d’Azur (pictured)  and ate our bodyweights in tapas. We renovated our place and had an amazing time with family and friends. But how did I do on my resolutions?

I will query CURSED by Easter: Well, Easter was April and I didn’t query until May, but I did sign with Tracey in June. Near enough is good enough, right?

I will write two first drafts of novels this year: At the end of last year I said I’d be starting a new, collaborative project I was excited to tell you about. That project was WRECKED. I also drafted a new novel I love (though it needs a little more work), and I’m at work on another. Success!

I will make it to the gym (or equivalent exercise) twice a week: Well, I made it once a week without fail, sometimes twice. Semi-win?

My resolutions for 2012?

I don’t think I’m going to make any. I’m going to work on making WRECKED the best book it can be. I’m going to draft its sequel. I’m going to write a book of my own. I’m going to hang out with my awesome husband and my many amazing friends, and I’m going to seek balance between work, writing and the rest of my life. In 2012, I’m going to take care of myself, and be happy.

I’m really looking forward to sharing it with all of you.

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