It’s that day again–time for Sooz’s YA and MG Publishing Industry Lowdow. The general idea is that I share all the deals I know 0f in the young adult and middle grade publishing world each Friday.

My source for deal news is Publishers Marketplace, which requires a paid subscription. As such I’m only sharing part of the information here–basically, just author names and pitches. If you want to know deal sizes (e.g. advances), editors, publishers, and agents, I highly recommend you sign up for PM–it’s totally worth the cost!

Holy moly, we have three weeks of deals to catch up on. YIKES! We’d best get started!

Deals

Bruce Hale’s middle grade SCHOOL FOR SPIES, first in a series pitched as James Bond meets Artemis Fowl, where reluctant orphan-turned-spy Max Segredo discovers intrigue at the Merry Sunshine Orphanage and must confront an international group bent on world domination all while uncovering mysteries from his past, to Stephanie Lurie at Disney-Hyperion, in a good deal, at auction, in a three-book deal, by Steven Malk at Writers House (world English).

THREE TIMES LUCKY author Sheila Turnage’s next middle grade Tupelo Landing novel featuring a 6th grader and her trusty sidekick as they solve mysteries in their tiny North Carolina town, in a two-book deal.

Literary agent, former publisher, and Christopher Award-winner Brenda Bowen’s  middle grade THE FAIRY BELL SISTERS, written again under the pseudonym Margaret McNamara, an early chapter book series about Tinker Bell’s five little sisters and their adventures on magical Sheepskerry Island, pitched as “Little Women with wings,” in a four-book deal.

Eliza Wheeler’s illustrations and cover art for Holly Black’s forthcoming middle grade DOLL BONES, for publication in 2013.

Author Maiya Williams’ middle grade THE DAILY DYNAMITE, following a group of cub reporters from Kaboom Academy (an experimental middle school specializing in “Learnomology,” “Thinkonomics,” and “Edumechanics”) as they uncover a shocking secret about their eccentric principal — a secret that might tarnish the reputation of their beloved school, should they uphold the ethics of journalism and reveal the zany truth in their student newspaper.

NYT bestselling author Lisi Harrison’s four-book  young adult series THE PHOENIX FIVE, in which an unidentified high school student exposes the secret journals of the five most popular freshman, for publication in Fall 2013.

Tatjana Mai-Wyss to illustrate Linda Elovitz Marshall’s young adult  THE PASSOVER LAMB, about a girl’s Passover seder at her grandparents’ home and the unexpected arrival of triplet lambs, for publication in Spring 2013.

Tiffany Schmidt’s young adult  BRIGHT BEFORE SUNRISE, taking place over the course of one night when a boy is forced to move in the second half of his senior year, rebelling against a girl, the embodiment of all things superficial and popular, who has hidden depths and insecurities, for publication in Winter 2014.

Stonewall Honoree James Klise’s OUTSIDER ARTISTS, the story of a crime and its aftermath told from ten suspect points of view.

Toni De Palma’s young adult DEVIL’S TRIANGLE, in which a seventeen-year-old boy is given one more chance at life and love by the Devil’s sister, and DEVIL’S TEMPTATION, for publication in December 2012.

NEVERSINK author Barry Wolverton’s three-book seafaring saga middle grade THE VANISHING ISLAND, about a 12-year-old boy in a 17th-century English city who is thrown into the midst of an epic adventure when he comes into possession of a powerful and sought-after map, for publication in beginning in winter 2014.

Tess Hilmo’s middle grade SKIES LIKE THESE, again to Margaret Ferguson at Margaret Ferguson Books, about a city girl visiting her aunt in Wyoming at her dog boarding ranch, and the boy she meets who believes he’s related to Wild West royalty – cowboy Butch Cassidy.

Nancy Cavanaugh’s debut middle grade RATCHET, the story of one eleven year old’s quest to make a friend, save a park, and find her own definition of normal, told through the assignments in her homeschool language arts notebook, for publication in Spring 2013.

Peter Reynolds, Paul Reynolds and Fablevision’s middle grade  series, introducing students and teachers to a new learning approach which incorporates the arts into the more traditional STEM model (science, technology, engineering and math); in which siblings discover the world around them through simple science concepts and through their own creative writing, sketching, singing, and more, in a three-book deal.

Kate McMullan middle grade HIT THE ROAD HELEN!, in which Hades tells the story of the Trojan War like you’ve never heard it before — from Helen’s point of view; and AHOY THERE, JASON!, in which Hades gives readers the inside scoop on the Argonauts’ quest for the Golden Fleece..

P.J. Hoover’s middle grade TUT, in which a young immortal King Tut, who has been stuck in middle school for over 3,000 years, must defeat an ancient enemy with the help of a dorky kid from school, a mysterious Egyptian princess, and a one-eyed cat, for publication in Winter/Spring 2014.

Confetti Girl author Diana Lopez’s middle grade ASK MY MOOD RING HOW I FEEL, about a girl who makes a special promise when she discovers her mother has breast cancer, and her struggles to take care of her family, for publication in Spring 2013.

Illustrator and co-founder of design boutique, the Nimbus Factory, Julia Kuo, to illustrate Newbery Medalist Cynthia Kadohata’s new middle-grade novel, for publication in Summer 2013.

NYT and USA Today bestselling author Sophie Jordan’s young adult UNINVITED, the first in a two-book series pitched as The Scarlet Letter meets Minority Report; in which a teen’s perfect world unravels when mandatory genetic profiling reveals she’s a carrier for HTS (Homicidal Tendency Syndrome), otherwise known as the “kill gene” and she’s forced to question herself, her world and her love..

USA Today Bestselling author of THE ELEVENTH PLAGUE, Jeff Hirsch’s thriller young adult DOG SOLDIER, about a 16 year-old soldier who abandons his post and tries to make his way home across a country torn apart by a near future civil war while being hunted by both sides and accompanied only by a loyal stray dog.

Vassar College senior and soon to be MFA candidate at Columbia University Emil Ostrovski’s debut young adult novel, TO GRANDMA’S HOUSE WITH SOCRATES, in which a high school senior kidnaps his infant son, names him Socrates, and goes on an odyssey with his best friend and ex-girlfriend to his grandma’s house to introduce the two of them before his grandmother passes away, and a second young adult novel.

Natalie Parker’s young adult BEWARE THE WILD, pitched as Twin Peaks meets The Village, in which a claustrophobic Louisiana town is dominated by its sinister, encroaching swamp, which swallows up a boy who is instantly forgotten by everyone except his sister, and replaced by a mysterious girl from the past who is intent on taking over his family and his life, in a two-book deal, for publication in Winter 2014.

Paula Freedman’s young adult MY BASMATI BAS MITZVAH, set firmly in today’s most multicultural borough, Queens, humorously capturing the dilemma a 13-year-old faces when she starts to wonder whether she’s Indian or Jewish, and if she has to choose, for publication in Fall, 2013.

Barbara Stewart’s young adult THE IN-BETWEEN, a psychological thriller in which a 14-year-old Elanor’s near-death experience opens a door to a world inhabited by bold, beautiful Madeline — a girl who is everything Elanor isn’t — and Elanor finds her life quickly spiraling out of control.

Jennifer Armentrout’s untitled 4th and 5th books in the young adult Lux Series, which continues the story of a book blogger who has fallen in love with the not-so typical alien next door as they continue to evade the DOD and even more powerful enemies, in a two-book deal, for publication in Summer 2013.

P.J. Hoover’s young adult SOLSTICE, about a near-future global heating crisis and a Texas teen who uncovers the strange untold ending of the Persephone myth, only to find that she is part of the story — and that her choices in love, in family, and in friendship will determine the destiny of her world,  for publication in Spring 2013.

Nina de Gramont’s young adult THE BOY I LOVE, in which best friends both fall for the same guy, creating an unusual love triangle, especially when Tim has a secret of his own.

BISG executive director and former COO of the American Booksellers Association Len Vlahos’s young adult THE SCAR BOYS, a humorous coming-of-age story about a severely burned and disfigured high school boy who finds refuge playing guitar in a mid-80s punk band.

Former Seventeen fitness blogger and Oprah guest, Whitney Holcombe’s young adult 1 YEAR, 100 POUNDS, filled with encouraging diet and exercise tips, about how at 14 years old and 230 lbs., the author was able to safely lose the weight all on her own, to Nicole Geiger at Beyond Words.

Bethany Crandell’s young adult SUMMER ON THE SHORT BUS, in which a snarky, privileged 17-year-old swaps her designer duds for lanyards and “Kumbaya” when forced to work at a summer camp for disabled teens, gaining unexpected friends and an important life lesson in return, for publication in Spring 2014.

Emily Kate Johnston’s young adult THE STORY OF OWEN, set in our world, but with vicious, destructive dragons that feed off our ever-increasing carbon emissions (and we all know dragons must be slain), for publication in Spring 2014.

Laurie Boyle Crompton’s young adult ADRENALINE, about a thrill-seeking girl who pushes herself too close to the edge one fateful day, and must learn to live with the consequences of her actions.

Amelia Kahaney’s young adult THE BROKENHEARTED, in which a wealthy ballerina living in a heightened, Gotham-like version of Chicago, has her heart broken – literally – and receives a dangerous bionic heart, transforming her into a superhero, in a two-book deal, for publication in Fall 2013.

Leslye Walton’s debut YA novel THE STRANGE AND BEAUTIFUL SORROWS OF AVA LAVENDER, about a sixteen-year-old pariah with useless wings who traces her lineage to understand why she was born this way, and the boy who tragically mistakes her for an angel, for publication in Spring 2014.

Lisa Roecker and Laura Roecker’s young adult THE HUSH FUND, when a girl drowns at an annual private school picnic a group of friends pool their trust funds to expose the high society culprit, for publication in Spring 2014.

Heather Montgomery’s WILD DISCOVERIES, a look at weird and wacky newly discovered animals and prompts young readers to help discover more,  for publication in spring 2013.

Frances Sackett’s debut, PETER LUBINSKY AND THE MAGICIAN’S DOG, in which the son of a deployed soldier adopts a talking dog who offers to teach him magic but only if he first helps rescue the dog’s former master, an evil magician who might destroy him, and using magic may make him evil, too.

PRETTY AMY author Lisa Burstein’s DEAR CASSIE, the companion young adult novel that follows Cassie’s post-prom arrest to a rehabilitation retreat in the woods, told in Cassie’s irreverent voice via her diary entries, for publication in 2013.

Cecily White’s ANGEL ACADEMY: Prophecy Girl, a debut young adult series about a girl who is the center of a prophecy that states she is destined to kill everyone she loves, for publication in Spring 2013.

Martha Wells’s young adult EMILIE AND THE HOLLOW WORLD, an adventure story with elements of Victoriana and steampunk, in a two-book deal.

(Source: Publisher’s Marketplace)

♥

Disclaimer: I am more grateful than you can ever, EVER know about becoming a published author. But everyday I learn new things about this whole “writing under contract” that I had no idea about before I sold my book. I don’t want you to think I’m complaining; I am merely stating the way things are in my life and also the lives of many of my author friends. C’est la vie d’un auteur.

Why Getting a Multi-book Deal is Awesome

1. The obvious reason is that you’ve just sold three books. You’re guaranteed >1 published novel–huzzah!*

2. Your first advance is kinda big. I mean, not necessarily huge, but certainly the biggest of your advance checks. Why? Because it’s your “Signing Advance”. For example, in a three book deal where each book sold for $15K, then each book’s advance will be split three ways. This means each advance check will be $5K. HOWEVER, that first signing check is nice and fat because you just signed for all three books. So you’re first check is a wopping $15K. Yippee!**

3. You can brag to people about selling multiple books because it sounds really wicked cool.

*Nothing–absolutely nothing is guaranteed in publishing. Or life, for that matter. See #1 under The Rough Parts.

**Publishing never, ever, EVER pays on time and it’s very hard to live from check to check in this biz since you only get ~2 checks a year. Plus, you’re gonna lose 15% of each check to your agent (and they are worth every penny!) and then another 25% to Uncle Sam. So of the starting $15K on your signing check, you’ll only actually get $9,500. Ouch, huh?

Why Getting a Multi-book Deal Can Also Be Rough

1. If your first book flops, the publisher can cancel your contract. OR if you sold a series and the series flops, then they cancel the series. In that case, you might be expected to write other books to fulfill the contract you signed.  Does that make sense? So for example, if you sell a four book series but the first book fails, then they might not publish books 2-4. Instead, they’ll expect you to write 3 different books. And consider, you’ll probably already have written and turned in books 2 & 3 before the publisher even knows book 1 didn’t sell. So…under that 4-book contract, you could feasibly end up writing 7 books.*

2. You’re writing a book that you might not want to write on a deadline you might not be able to meet. Think about that for a minute. Your next book will be due soon. Soon could mean a few months or maybe a whole year, but it’s still soon. Probably less time than it took you to write that first book. You need to write the contracted book, revise it, send it to your crit partners, and revise it again all before you turn it into your editor.

NOW, some people are better writers than me, and they don’t need as many revisions as I do…but alas, I’m not one of those people. I wrote, revised, rewrote, and revised again A Darkness Strange and Lovely in 3 months. Do. Not. EVER DO THIS. Like many debut authors, I way over-estimated my ability for how quickly I could write a book. A Darkness Strange and Lovely almost killed me. I am trying to be smarter with book 3. I started writing it this month and I already have 20K. However, considering that I only finished book 2 a few months ago, my inspiration to work on book 3 is kinda low. It’s taking a lot of force of will to hammer out new words each day. But I have to BICHOK anyway.

3. Not only do you have to write multiple books, but you also have to promote multiple books. Right now, I’m spending a solid chunk (~3-4 hours) each day preparing promotional stuff for book 1…I also need to write book 3 and work on editorial revisions for book 2. There is no leftover time for writing what I want to write–which is Screechers. I gave Screechers a full month of TLC, and now–even though it destroys my little soul–I have to set it aside for what’s in my contract. This is kinda tied to #2 above. And #4 below.

4. Kiss vacation goodbye. Even with a single book deal, you have NO idea when you’re next moment of free time will be. I have no idea what will be expected of me in the next six months–both in terms of revising/writing under contract and also in terms of book promotion. I do not foresee any vacations for a long, looooong time. My poor husband.

5. Kiss free time and weekends goodbye. See #4. It’s kind of the same, just on a day to day scale. My poor, poor husband.

6. If you still work a day job or are in school, then consider how much time you actually have in a day to work on your writing. It might not be enough, plain and simple. I know more than a few authors killing themselves to meet deadlines…and even more who kill themselves and then need extensions. There’s nothing wrong with that, it’s just how it is.

7. Oh! I just thought of one more. Coming up with the plots for sequels is REALLY HARD. If you sold book 1 as a “series with standalone potential” (as most debut authors do) then you will be faced with creating a new story that can last X-amount of books. You’re faced with writing the same characters for X-amount of books and working in the same world for X-amount of books. To some people, this might be a great thing (so let’s make it #4 under Awesome, just with happy language), but to others, it can be a real challenge.

*Don’t worry. I only a know a few people to whom this has happened. I don’t think it’s that common.

Why I’m Telling You This

Contrary to what you might think, I’m not telling you all this to scare you. Or to complain about my lack of vacation time (I can hear my brother all the way across the world making a sarcastic ”WAAH” sound at me). The purpose of this post was just so you know what to expect when you set out to write a series. Or write ANY book under contract, for that matter. For example, when you sell a book based on a proposal (synopsis + partial MS), then you’re facing a lot of the same issues.

Some people have no problem with the Rough Parts–some of my close friends, in fact, manage with no trouble at all. They can hammer out beautiful prose with no need to feel inspired, and they are 100% able to juggle families, full-time jobs, and hobbies to boot (here’s looking at you Kat Brauer).

But people like ME find it a challenge. It is a challenge I’m willing to face (as I proved with my stupid write-a-sequel-in-3-months debacle), but it was also a challenge I never expected. I can’t lie: I do miss the days of writing whatever I wanted whenever I wanted. Of dropping X book to work on Y book…and then head off to dabble with Z book. But I’m also very, very happy to be exactly where I am today. (Even if self-promotion scares the willies out of shy old me.)

So the overal moral of the story is that there’s good and bad in multi-book deals. And at the end of the day, there’s a whole LOT in favor of writing a single, solitary, standalone book (and publishers are actively seeking them! REMEMBER THIS!).

You tell me: As a writer, do you tend to write single books or series? What about as a reader–are you more likely to read standalones or series?

♥

5 out of 5 stars.

I adore this book. ADORE. I think I first read it in the fifth grade, and it remains one of my favorites. I have reread it more times than I can count, and I love The Perilous Gard more with each reread.

In 1558, while exiled by Queen Mary Tudor to a remote castle known as Perilous Gard, young Kate Sutton becomes involved in a series of mysterious events that lead her to an underground world peopled by Fairy Folk—whose customs are even older than the Druids’ and include human sacrifice.

Let’s start with Kate, a heroine worthy of attention. She isn’t a tough girl with some magical power or ability to fight–nay. She’s merely a normal girl exiled to a place where nothing is as it seems, and the only weapon she has is her mind. I admired Kate as a child, and I admire her character even more as an adult. She is forced to make choices that change her, and as she makes those choices–for better or worse–she grows.

Now let’s move to Christopher. I think he was one of the first book characters I fell for. It might have been the fact the book is beautifully illustrated and Christopher is one good-looking guy…

That's Chris up front and center. I adore his scowl. Kate is the girl off to the left.

Christopher is another character who evolves according to the choices he makes. His past is haunted, and he begins as melancholy, almost cruel young man. And…he only gets worse as the book progresses. I won’t tell you how it all ends, though.

And finally, my favorite part of this book is the villain. I won’t tell you who she is, but I will say that she was without a doubt the first three-dimensional villain I remember reading about. While I feared her, I also loved her–as does Kate.

So, if you’re looking for historical settings, a strong heroine, or a delicious romance, then you absolutely must pick up Elizabeth Marie Pope’s The Perilous Gard.

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5 out of 5 stars.

If you enjoyed the first two novellas in Sarah J. Maas’s Throne of Glass series, then I can promise you’ll love #3: The Assassin and the Underworld. This one is my favorite in the series so far–and not because I thought the others weren’t amazing, I just found this story the most toe-curling delicious.

When the King of the Assassins gives Celaena Sardothien a special assignment that will help fight slavery in the kingdom, she jumps at the chance to strike a blow against an evil practice. The misson is a dark and deadly affair which takes Celaena from the rooftops of the city to the bottom of the sewer—and she doesn’t like what she finds there.

Not only is this novella fraught with mystery, but Celaena’s assassin skills are really brought into focus. Even better–at least in my opinion–we get to finally get to see exactly where things (and by things, I mean FEELINGS) stand between Celaena and Sam. Wow, my heart is ramping up just thinking about that particular storyline.

If you’re in the mood for a fast-paced mystery, some page-turning action, or a delicious romance, then be sure to pick up Sarah J. Maas’s The Assassin and the Underworld.

Oh, and don’t forget to check out the TRAILER for Throne of Glass, which releases today on MTV!! Guys, I won’t lie: it’s a pretty incredible trailer. I’m personally all about the Simple Is Best when it comes to book trailers, and I think Bloomsbury nailed it with this one!

You tell me: what’s your favorite childhood book? What do you think of the Throne of Glass trailer?

♥

Of your house getting struck by lightning?

Because that happened to MY house last week. And not only did it scare the bejeezus out of my husband, my visiting family, and my poor, poor pets, but it also fried our internet router.

Worse, my crappy internet service provider can’t come to fix the aforementioned fried router until Friday.

Seriously: WTF?!

So I am internet-less YET AGAIN. I can check my email daily at the nearby library, but…anything else (i.e. blogging) will have to wait another week.

Sigh. See you in a week…I hope.

You tell me: Has YOUR home ever been struck by lightning?

♥

I have family visiting this week, so I’ll be away from the blog.

But while you’re here, BE SURE to check out the cover reveal for Sarah J. Maas’s Throne of Glass today! Plus, the Throne of Glass Facebook page had been revamped with all sorts of cool stuff, so browse while you’re there!

See you in week!

♥

It’s that day again–time for Sooz’s YA and MG Publishing Industry Lowdow. The general idea is that I share all the deals I know 0f in the young adult and middle grade publishing world each Friday.

My source for deal news is Publishers Marketplace, which requires a paid subscription. As such I’m only sharing part of the information here–basically, just author names and pitches. If you want to know deal sizes (e.g. advances), editors, publishers, and agents, I highly recommend you sign up for PM–it’s totally worth the cost!

Now, let’s get started, shall we?

Deals

Author of the Olivia Kidney series, SLOB, The Kneebone Boy and The Humming Room, Ellen Potter’s new middle grade series OTIS DOODA: STRANGE BUT TRUE and OTIS DOODA: LETS IT RIP, pitched as Diary of a Wimpy Kid meets The Catcher in the Rye, if Holden Caulfield was in third grade, with illustrations by New Yorker cartoonist David Heatley.

Diana Sharples’ young adult RUNNING LEAN, in which six months after burying his brother, Calvin discovers his girlfriend has an eating disorder and decides to “fix” the problem…even at the cost of their relationship, in a nice deal, for publication in 2013.

Katrina Leno’s debut young adult THE HALF LIFE OF MABEL PIERCE, about a girl with Dissociative Identity Disorder whose alternate personality is trying to save her life, in a two-book deal.

Alex Mallory’s young adult WILD, pitched as a take on Tarzan for the digital age, in which a girl skips her senior trip to go into the wild instead, and finds a boy raised to believe that the world outside the forest has been decimated by a modern plague.

Barbara Mariconda’s young adult GYPSY, set during the passion and chaos of the Spanish Civil War, in which a young gypsy finds herself caught in a conflict that’s not her own – and caught between multiple love interests who hope to tame her free-spirited nature – only to discover a true home, and love, through the electrifying dance of Flamenco.

ALIEN INVASION author Brian Yansky’s young adult UTOPIA, set in a quirky small Iowa town where the strange is normal, about a 17-year-old who has the gift or curse, depending on how you look at it, of being able to talk to dead people, and finds himself caught up in the mystery of two murdered girls, murders that lead him to town secrets long buried.

Gae Polisner’s young adult FRANKIE SKY, still reeling from her little brother’s drowning death, a girl finds her herself holding back – from summer trips to the ocean, friendship, budding romance – till she meets another young boy who may be her brother’s reincarnation, which awakens her to new possibilities.

Esther Friesner’s young adult KESTREL’S PRINCESS and KESTREL’S FLIGHT, about the teenage years of a girl, who grew up to become the legendary “Warrior Queen” of medieval Ireland, for publication in 2014 and 2015.

J.R. Johansson’s young adult INSOMNIA, about a teen boy who thought spending every night trapped in other people’s dreams was bad, but discovers that losing control of his own body and mind is so much worse, in a two-book deal, for publication in 2013.

Tara Sullivan’s middle grade GOLDEN BOY, about a 13-year old Tanzanian albino boy who is running for his life from the bounty hunter who wants to kill him for his body parts, considered to be lucky, until he meets a blind sculptor, who helps the boy see his real worth, for publication in Fall 2013.

Miriam Glassman’s middle grade CALL ME OKLAHOMA, a lighthearted view of a ten-year-old’s determination to try on a more forceful persona, the first step being a name change (but does she really want to be called “Oklahoma?”.

FLUTTER author Gina Linko’s young adult INDIGO, in which a 17-year old girl moves to moody, atmospheric New Orleans with her family following the death of her sister, a death that she believes she caused, until she meets a boy, who convinces her that, rather than taking life, her touch has the power to give life, for publication in Fall 2013.

Author of the 2003 Orange Prize-winning young adult PROPERTY, Valerie Martin and Lisa Martin’s ANTON AND CECIL: CATS AT SEA, about two animal heroes whose curiosity about the world and passion for adventure takes them on a journey beyond their wildest expectations, pitched as in the tradition of The Wind and the Willows, Stuart Little, and Poppy.

Lisa Harkrader’s middle grade COOL BEANS: the Adventure Continues, second installment in The Adventures of Beanboy.

(Source: Publisher’s Marketplace)

Other Stuff

Give me the knows ‘cos I don’t have it. If you haven’t noticed, I have been absent this week (WRITING! I’m almost to 60K in my SCREECHERS rewrite!!). I have been late on getting posts up and I haven’t been answering comments. EEK! I will. Today. I promise. ♥

You tell me: Whaaaa happened this week in publishing?

♥

I’m deep in the trenches of my Screechers rewrite. I’m almost to 50K, and thankfully, I’m not sick of the story yet. I’ve cut a lot from the original manuscript and written in new POVs to show the same scenes. It has taken time, and I’ve had to plan this book out more than any other book I’ve written. Otherwise, there’s no way for me to get ALL the POVs and plot threads to finally meet up at the end.

But why am I rambling about this? What I wanted to share was my current playlist. A lot of what I’m listening to is from the Assassin’s Creed: Revelations original score, which I highly, highly, highly recommend. It is just…mind-blowing.

I’m also listening to the Transformers score a lot, and my latest obsession is the original score for the PS3 game, Journey.

Here’s my World Theme Song. Whenever I need to just sink into the world, pick out visceral details, and imagine it’s scope, I listen to this:

This is my Anti-Hero Theme. It’s Starker’s song. He’s A guy with no home. A wanderer with a tendency to burn through cash and resort to less savory methods for getting more. Plus, he has some major arrogance issues…

And this is the City Chase Scene Theme. It’s for all those times Echo, Starker, and many other characters find themselves on the wrong side of the Protectors (a.k.a. the military police).

Here we have the Final Showdown/Slow-mo Theme. It’s for the epic climax when everyone’s plots finally intersect in an explosive (literally) showdown.

This track is my Making Hard Decisions Theme. Can Echo trust Starker? Should the Boy Emperor listen to his head or his heart? Should Lachme keep fighting a fight she know she can’t win?

Now we come to my current OBSESSION. Not only am I obsessed with this score, but I’m obsessed with watching the game play (the game is Journey, btw). Specifically this one part–it is literally one of the most beautiful things I’ve ever seen (especially at the ~15 min. marker). I mean…look at it! Doesn’t it make you just…sigh? It has inspired a whole, unexpected plot about Lost Identities and Miracles.

And here’s the most popular track from that soundtrack, and it has lately become my Big Changes Afoot Theme, or the music for that resolution after all the action has passed and the characters are preparing for new futures…new sequels.

I could literally listen to this soundtrack all day long…and I guess I have been lately!!

You tell me: what are you listening to for inspiration right now?

♥

I love high fantasy, and since childhood, it has been my go-to genre in the adult reading world. As such, I thought I’d lay out a few of all time my favorite series for adult high fantasy, and in turn, maybe YOU can tell me yours.

Now, in no particular order….

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Witches of Eileanan by Kate Forsyth is probably the least well-known on my list, but it’s definitely one of my favorites. Lots of characters, creatures, layers, and scope, this series will suck you in and have you zooming through it (I think there are 7 books in total).

In the Celtic land of Eileanan, witches and magic have been outlawed, and those caught for practicing witchcraft are put to death. It is a land ruled by an evil Queen, where sea-dwelling Fairgean stir, and children vanish in the night. But in a valley deep in the mountains, young Isabeau grows to womanhood under the guidance of an elderly witch, and must set out on a quest, carrying the last hopes of the persecuted witches.

Though Isabeau is declared the main character, the overall cast of characters (whose POVs we all follow) is enormous. And  though the world is described as “Celtic”, it’s much broader–from the sea-folks to the ice-dwellers to the witches to the regular old people like you and me, these books cover a huge, rich world that has stayed firmly in my memory as one of my favorites.

Be warned: I think this book is out of print, so it might be a bit hard to find a copy. If you can, though, it’s SO worth it!

Favorite character: Gabe (swoon)

Favorite book in the series: Skull of the World

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Game of Thrones by George R. R. Martin is of course insanely good. Everyone knows that now thanks to the HBO show…but, of course, the books are better. Epic, sweeping, and VIOLENT, these books will transport you to medieval warfare.

Long ago, in a time forgotten, a preternatural event threw the seasons out of balance. In a land where summers can last decades and winters a lifetime, trouble is brewing. The cold is returning, and in the frozen wastes to the north of Winterfell, sinister and supernatural forces are massing beyond the kingdom’s protective Wall. At the center of the conflict lie the Starks of Winterfell, a family as harsh and unyielding as the land they were born to. Sweeping from a land of brutal cold to a distant summertime kingdom of epicurean plenty, here is a tale of lords and ladies, soldiers and sorcerers, assassins and bastards, who come together in a time of grim omens.

Here an enigmatic band of warriors bear swords of no human metal; a tribe of fierce wildlings carry men off into madness; a cruel young dragon prince barters his sister to win back his throne; and a determined woman undertakes the most treacherous of journeys. Amid plots and counterplots, tragedy and betrayal, victory and terror, the fate of the Starks, their allies, and their enemies hangs perilously in the balance, as each endeavors to win that deadliest of conflicts: the game of thrones.

Look, these books are amazing. Just…just read them, okay? I feel like they should be required reading for all writers–it’s a PhD in character development.

But, keep in mind that the series is finished. There are still 2 books due out…well, no one can really say for sure.

Favorite Character: tie between The Hound and Jaime Lannister

Favorite book in the series: A Storm of Swords

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Assassin’s Apprentice by Robin Hobb is the first in a trilogy…and that trilogy is the first in a three-trilogy series (so 9 books total). I cannot possibly express to you how good these books are. How much SCOPE this world has or how much the characters in it grow.

The illegitimate son of the noble Prince Chivalry, is ignored by all royalty except the devious King Shrewd, who has had him tutored him in the dark arts of the assassin. He has barely survived his first, soul-shattering mission, and returns to the court where he is thrown headfirst into the tumult of royal life. With the King near death, and Fitz’s only ally off on a seemingly hopeless quest, the throne itself is threatened. Meanwhile, the treacherous Red Ship Raiders have renewed their attacks on the Six Duchies, slaughtering the inhabitants of entire seaside towns. In this time of great peril, it soon becomes clear that the fate of the kingdom may rest in Fitz’s hands–and his role in its salvation may require the ultimate sacrifice.

We follow Fitz in the first trilogy, and it’s EPIC and WONDERFULLY heart wrenching (I have literally, to this day, never cried as much over a character’s death as I did in this series). If you enjoy high fantasy, then you must, must, must, absolutely MUST read this book.

Favorite Character: Nighteyes

Favorite Book: Assassin’s Quest

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Despite my adoration for the Farseer Trilogy, it’s the middle trilogy–the Liveship Traders series–that I actually favor the most. The characters in that middle series are so complex, grow so very much (not always for the better), and are all so deeply intertwined, I was left with my head shaking in awe.

Bingtown is a hub of exotic trade and home to a merchant nobility famed for its liveships–rare vessels carved from wizardwood, which ripens magically into sentient awareness. The fortunes of one of Bingtown’s oldest families rest on the newly awakened liveship Vivacia.

For Althea Vestrit, the ship is her rightful legacy unjustly denied her–a legacy she will risk anything to reclaim. For Althea’s young nephew Wintrow, wrenched from his religious studies and forced to serve aboard ship, Vivacia is a life sentence.

But the fate of the Vestrit family–and the ship–may ultimately lie in the hands of an outsider. The ruthless pirate Kennit seeks a way to seize power over all the denizens of the Pirate Isles…and the first step of his plan requires him to capture his own liveship and bend it to his will….

Though it says Althea is the MC, she’s really not–there are many POVs in that series, and they’re all perfectly executed. Like George R.R. Martin, Robin Hobb has an amazing ability to craft unique characters and weave them together flawlessly.

Favorite Character: tie between Brashen and Malta

Favorite book in the series: Ship of Destiny

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Inda by Sherwood Smith is the most recent on this list to draw me in–and man, did it draw me in!

Indevan-Dal is the second son of the Prince and Princess of Choraed Elgaer, destined to become his elder brother Tanrid’s Shield Arm-his military champion. Like all second sons, he is to be privately trained at home by Tanrid, the brother whose lands he will one day protect.

When the King’s Voice comes to summon Inda to the Military Academy, he might well feel foreboding, or even fear-war is imminent-yet youthful Inda feels only excitement. But there are things that Tanrid hadn’t prepared him for, and Inda will soon learn that the greatest threats to his safety will not come from foreign enemies, but from supposed allies within his own country.

Like Hobb and Martin, Sherwood Smith manages to create a mind-bogglingly vast cast of characters, a world as expansive as it is unique, and a plot so layered that the resonance in some places (when little details dropped earlier come back to bite with huge significance) that I don’t know how Smith did it. Seriously, I have no idea how she crafted these books so well and so quickly!

Also, I just want to emphasize how deep and convincing her characters are. No two are alike, they all have their secrets and pasts and stories to tell.

Favorite Character: Savarend (“Fox”)

Favorite book in the series: The Fox

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So, if you’re ever in the mood for some high fantasy of the multi-booked, SUPER EPIC variety, then be sure to pick up these series!!

You tell me: Have you read any of these series? Or do you have another high fantasy series you love?

♥

It’s that day again–time for Sooz’s YA and MG Publishing Industry Lowdow. The general idea is that I share all the deals I know 0f in the young adult and middle grade publishing world each Friday.

My source for deal news is Publishers Marketplace, which requires a paid subscription. As such I’m only sharing part of the information here–basically, just author names and pitches. If you want to know deal sizes (e.g. advances), editors, publishers, and agents, I highly recommend you sign up for PM–it’s totally worth the cost!

It has been a really quiet week, but let’s get started, shall we?

Deals

Skila Brown’s middle grade SLICKETY QUICK, a collection of silly and safe-scary poems, each poem about a different breed of shark.

Jennifer Armentrout’s SENTINEL, the fifth and final book in the Covenant Series.

WIG IN THE WINDOW author Kristen Kittscher’s middle grade sequel, TIARA ON THE TERRACE, in which tween sleuths must go under deep cover as pages in their town parade’s “royal court” to find clues and stop a murderer.

Debut author Ari Goelman’s middle grade THE PATH OF NAMES, about an aspiring magician at a Jewish summer camp who must solve a 72-year-old supernatural murder mystery, for publication in 2013.

Megan Miranda’s young adult VENGEANCE, a companion novel and sequel to FRACTURE, in which the lake that claimed victims appears to be cursed as more tragedy unfolds, raising the question of whether a character’s strange affinity with the dying is something even more sinister, for publication in Winter 2014.

BUTTER author Erin Lange’s young adult BILLY D. & THE BULLY, about two very different boys who reluctantly team up to find somebody who doesn’t want to be found; their only clue is an atlas full of riddles, for publication in Fall 2013.

Jennifer Armentrout’s young adult SENTINEL, the fifth and final book in the Covenant Series, for publication in Fall 2013.

Christopher Pike’s next book in the young adult THIRST series and next book in the WITCH WORLD series.

Sherry Kyle’s middle grade THE CHRISTIAN GIRL’S GUIDE TO LIFE, an advice book that focuses directly on a Christian girl’s daily life and points to Scripture to answer life’s tough questions, for publication in Fall 2013.

Amy Herrick’s young adult THE TIME FETCH.

Bestselling authors Holly Black and Cassandra Clare’s first full-length collaboration, a five-book middle grade fantasy series starting with THE IRON TRIAL, about a twelve-year-old boy who grown up knowing three rules by heart –Never trust a magician; never pass a test a magician gives you; and never let a magician take you to the Magisterium – but is about to break all the rules, and his life will change in ways he can’t possibly imagine, for publication beginning in 2014.

(Source: Publisher’s Marketplace)

Other Stuff

Publishing seems to have been a bit quiet this week–at least the sites I typically follow haven’t had too much to say. Nathan Bransford over on CNET wrote a great article about the cost of ebooks, and why they aren’t that much cheaper to produce than print books. (Okay, so the article is a wee bit old, but it didn’t hit my radar until this week. Sorry.)

In a similar vein of publishers-losing-their-minds, you can read one author’s speculation on WTF happened over the last 50 years that led to publishing being the incredibly inefficient industry that it is.

Now, I loved Sh*t  Girls Say as much as every other woman out there, but…landing a book deal? With Harlequin, no less? I’m not really sure I understand how the content of this book can possibly add anything to the movies, BUT I guess we’ll see soon enough since it’s scheduled to release this fall.

As quite an avid (read: rabid) fan of original James Bond movies and even the novels (FYI, Ian Fleming had some serious woman-hate. I don’t know how the 13-year-old me stomached those books.), the fact that Amazon has acquired the rights to reissue the books is…well, kind of cool. I guess. Maybe. I mean, it’s Amazon, and we all hate Amazon…but it’s also James Bond, so sexist bigot or not, I’m glad to see the Spy Who Loved Me back with a View to a Kill (haha, bad 007 humor).

Pottermore opened to the general public! Woohoo! Everyone seems enthralled and addicted, which is why I am staying away. Perhaps one day, when I have less demands on my time, I too will finally delve into this world that has everyone so excited. And…sudden epiphany: this must be why there were so few deals reported this week! The publishing industry has been so enmeshed in Pottermore that they haven’t had time to sort (haha) new books!

In more Harry Potter news, ye olde J.K. has announced that a Harry Potter Encyclopedia will be coming. Very. Cool. Well, very cool except for the fact that she estimates it might take her up to 10 years to produce.

And, the winner for the most disturbing news of the week goes to U Star Publishing, who offer personalized classic novels. Yes, that’s right, now YOU can star in Pride & Prejudice.

You tell me: Did I miss any important info or great news to share?

♥

They are nothing short of exquisite (as is all of her art, in my  opinion). It’s as if she reached into my brain and plucked out the exact images I had in mind for Eleanor and Daniel.

Now:], let’s be honest: Covers are out of the author’s control. That’s life; we accept that oftentimes the model on the front can’t possibly look like the character in our heads. While the Eleanor on my cover is undeniably beautiful, she’s not quite how I imagine my heroine.

So the fact that Natalia can not only reproduce my characters exactly as I imagine them, but I can share these images with you (eventually in a final, full-color version! WOOHOO!)…

Well, I am absolutely thrilled.

Now, onto the preliminary sketches along with the rough character descriptions I gave Natalia. (Honestly, it’s a wonder she was able to so accurately create an image from such a crappy slew of sentences.)

Eleanor Fitt

“Eleanor is a 16-year-old, curvy girl. She has blond curls and blue eyes. Her family used to be wealthy upper class, but now they have no money. She is very stubborn and impulsive–she tends to act before she thinks.”

by Natalia Pierandrei

Seriously, have you ever read a worse description? And yet LOOK AT WHAT NATALIA PRODUCED!!!

I mean, just look at all that spunk. Or Eleanor’s historically accurate dress. I can’t even imagine how stunning it will look once it’s colored in…

Daniel Sheridan

“Daniel is supposed to be a 19-year-old who works for the Spirit-Hunters as an inventor. He’s got a short temper and works better with machines than people. He is self-assured to the point of arrogance. He is tall, lanky, has sandy hair and green eyes.”

by Natalia Pierandrei

Swoon.

Swoooooooooon.

I have spent the last two days staring at these sketches with hearts in my eyes. ♥_♥ I want to pet them. Or marry them. I absolutely CANNOT WAIT to see what she does with Jie Chen and Joseph Boyer (the two remaining Spirit-Hunters).

If you haven’t already, then you must go RIGHT NOW and “like” Natalia on Facebook. She puts up new art everyday (erm…no, I’m not stalking her).

You tell me: Does seeing character art make you want to read a book more? Or does it have any affect on you?

♥