KATIE ZHAO INTERVIEW AND THE DRAGON WARRIOR GIVEAWAY

Happy Monday Everyone! Today I’m excited to have debut author Katie Zhao here to share about her MG fantasy THE DRAGON WARRIOR. It sounds like a fantastic story steeped in Chinese mythology but set in modern times. I'm super excited to read it!

Here’s a blurb from Goodreads: 

As a member of the Jade Society, twelve-year-old Faryn Liu dreams of honoring her family and the gods by becoming a warrior. But the Society has shunned Faryn and her brother Alex ever since their father disappeared years ago, forcing them to train in secret.

Then, during an errand into San Francisco, Faryn stumbles into a battle with a demon--and helps defeat it. She just might be the fabled Heaven Breaker, a powerful warrior meant to work for the all-mighty deity, the Jade Emperor, by commanding an army of dragons to defeat the demons. That is, if she can prove her worth and find the island of the immortals before the Lunar New Year.

With Alex and other unlikely allies at her side, Faryn sets off on a daring quest across Chinatowns. But becoming the Heaven Breaker will require more sacrifices than she first realized . . . What will Faryn be willing to give up to claim her destiny?

Inspired by Chinese mythology, this richly woven contemporary middle-grade fantasy, full of humor, magic, and heart, will appeal to readers who love Roshani Chokshi and Sayantani DasGupta.

Hi Katie! Thanks for joining us.

1. Tell us about yourself and how you became a writer.

I was born and raised in Michigan. From a young age, I loved reading, and knew I wanted to be a writer when I grew up. I came to write for children because I’m a child at heart who simply loves children’s books. I strongly believe that not only are kids’ books fun to read, but they also are powerful in that they can shape readers’ minds from a young age. This is especially important to me because I am passionate about Asian American representation in literature.

Growing up in Michigan, I had access to a limited Asian American population, but mostly felt removed from the community. I struggled a lot with my identity as a child, and I wish more than anything that I could have grown up with stories featuring heroes who looked like me. Now that I’m older and have been fortunate enough to receive the opportunity to write those stories, I’m committed to writing Asian American protagonists for the next generation of Asian American children to be able to look up to.

 2. My daughter is adopted from China, and we wished there were more characters that looked like her too. Where did you get the idea for THE DRAGON WARRIOR?

THE DRAGON WARRIOR is pitched as PERCY JACKSON AND THE OLYMPIANS meets the

work of Grace Lin. Much of the story, specifically the elements of Chinese mythology and culture, was inspired by the stories I consumed as a child - most notably the beloved Chinese cartoon Journey to the West, an animated adaptation of the classic text by Wu Cheng’en.

I created a cast of Chinese American characters based off the family and friends I knew, who I’d rarely seen represented in books before. Even the food that the characters eat during their quest is the food that I ate as a child (Asian snacks like Pocky, shrimp crackers, etc). I did my best to write THE DRAGON WARRIOR in the fun, adventurous, accessible manner of PERCY JACKSON, fusing together the stories I grew up with from two cultures to create THE DRAGON WARRIOR. Finally, the Chinatown settings are inspired by the family trips from my childhood; my parents always sought out Chinatowns wherever possible in each new travel destination.

3. Yum! My daughter and I love Pocky! I love that you set the story in San Francisco but is based on Chinese mythology. Were there challenges in mixing them vs. using an older setting in China?

I deliberately set THE DRAGON WARRIOR in a US-based Chinatown but incorporated Chinese mythology because I wanted the story to ring true to a Chinese American readership. Growing up as Chinese American, I always felt removed from the rich stories and mythology of China, and yet felt removed from Western stories as well. The greatest challenge in blending American and Chinese elements was doing so in a respectable manner. As a Chinese American, I have long worried that I’m not “Chinese” enough to claim to be part of China’s rich culture and mythology. I knew that no matter how much research I did, I’d probably get some of the Chinese mythology “wrong” in THE DRAGON WARRIOR. The greatest challenge was accepting that I did my best to write the Chinese American contemporary fantasy story of my heart, and that I’m enough, and that this story is enough.

4. I can relate to those worries because I'm writing a story about a Mexican-American girl. I've been in my husband's family for 30+ years but worry I'm not "deep" enough into the culture. What research did you do into the Chinese mythology you used in your story?

As I mentioned earlier, much of the story is based off of Wu Cheng’en’s classic tale JOURNEY TO THE WEST; luckily, that means I already did this research when I was a kid, watching the cartoon adaptation. Outside of that, I did online research and read various texts to learn more about Chinese mythology, like CHINESE MYTHOLOGY FROM A TO Z by Jeremy Roberts.

5. It sounds like Faryn, Alex, and the other characters have great voices and are memorable characters. Share a bit about your character development process.

Thank you! I’d like to think that my characters have great voice and are memorable, because in school my teachers always seemed to agree that “voice and style” was my strong suit. While developing my characters, I knew I wanted the protagonist to be a Chinese American girl (like me), who had a younger sibling (also like me - I have two, in fact). As I wrote and rewrote the story, the characters’ personalities came to me, more defined with each draft. It was almost like Faryn, Alex, Moli, and co. told me who they were, and as their author, I simply did my best to accommodate their interesting stories and personalities!

6. You graduated from University of Michigan in 2017 with a B.A. in English and Political Science, and you’re now pursuing a master’s degree there in Accounting. What’s your secret for juggling the demands of college with your writing career?

Well, I have since graduated with my accounting degree, and I’ve actually been working full time for the past year (since September 2018). It’s not easy, but I make time for my writing. I write on almost every lunch break at work, and often in the evenings after work as well. When I’m really crunched for time, I also write on my commute to and from work, since I take the train and don’t have much else to do for that time anyway. I also write on the weekends, which means I often have to say no to social outings to meet a deadline, but it’s worth it to me to be able to work my dream career.

7. That's true dedication to your writing! What was your road to obtaining representation by your agent and signing a book deal like?

I’ve known that I’ve wanted to be a published author since late elementary school. I started writing novels in eighth grade. During my senior year of high school, I seriously began pursuing publication with my fourth completed novel, which was also my first #ownvoices novel featuring a plus-sized Chinese American protagonist. I queried a bunch of agents, but it didn’t go anywhere, so I gave up on writing for three years while college life kept me busy.

During my fourth year of college while studying accounting, I realized that I was heading down a path that would only lead me further from my life’s greatest dream. I wrote intensely, and queried three separate projects during 2017 and early 2018. The third project I queried for only two weeks before receiving an offer of representation from my current literary agent, Penny Moore. Penny took the project onto submission to editors in March 2018, and two weeks later the book went to auction and we accepted an offer with Bloomsbury. When the cards fell into the right place, everything happened quickly, but I would still say that my road from publishing desire to fruition was not short by any means.

8. That's a great road to publication story. How are you planning to market THE DRAGON WARRIOR? What made you decide on your plan?

I’m mostly using Twitter and Instagram to market my book. Thankfully, my publisher (Bloomsbury) has taken the lead on reaching out to conferences and festivals for me to attend to pitch my book, which has been the most successful in terms of making connections with industry professionals and getting the word out there.

9. What are you working on now?

I’m currently in-between projects as I wait for my editor to send the next round of notes for the sequel to THE DRAGON WARRIOR. I also have a YA social thriller scheduled for publication in winter 2021, titled HOW WE FALL APART. It’s ONE OF US IS LYING meets CRAZY RICH ASIANS, and chronicles the story of four high-achieving Asian American students attending an elite prep school, who suddenly become the prime suspects when their valedictorian best friend turns up dead.

Thanks for sharing all your advice, Katie. You can find Katie at her website (www.katiezhao.com), Twitter (@ktzhaoauthor), and Instagram (@ktzhaoauthor).

Marvelous Middle Grade Monday is hosted by Greg Pattridge. You can find the participating blogs on his blog.

Katie has generously offered an ARC of THE DRAGON WARRIOR for a giveaway. To enter, all you need to do is be a follower (just click the follow button if you’re not a follower) and leave a comment through November 2nd. If your e-mail is not on your Google Profile, you must leave it in the comments to enter either contest.

If you mention this contest on Twitter, Facebook, or your blog or follow me on Twitter, mention this in the comments and I'll give you an extra entry. You must be 13 years old or older to enter. The ARC giveaway is U.S. and Canada.

Here's what's coming up:

Monday, October 28th, I've got an agent spotlight interview with Jessica Reino and a query critique giveaway

Wednesday, November 6th I have an interview with debut author Kimberly Gabriel and a giveaway of her YA mystery EVERY STOLEN BREATH and my IWSG post

Thursday, November 14th I'm participating in the Gratitude Giveaway Hop

Monday, November 18th I have an interview with author Annie Sullivan and a giveaway of her YA fantasy TIGER QUEEN

Hope to see you on Monday!

SPOOKTACULAR GIVEAWAY HOP

Happy Tuesday Everyone! Today I'm excited to participate in the Spooktacular Giveway Hop hosted by by BookHounds. I am so grateful to Mary at BookHounds for continuing to host these giveaways because I know they take time for her organize.

So here are your choices. I've got a combination of MG and YA books and recent books by followers that I hope you're looking forward to reading. Remember, if you want an earlier book in any of these series, you can pick that instead as long as it doesn't cost more than the book here. You can find descriptions of these books on Goodreads.

 

If you haven't found a book you want, you can win a $10 Amazon Gift Card.

To enter, all you need to do is be a follower of this blog and leave a comment telling me what book you want or that you want the gift card through October 31st. If your e-mail is not on your Google Profile, you must leave it in the comments to enter the contest.

If you mention this contest on Twitter, Facebook, or your blog, mention this in the comments and I'll give you an extra entry. I will also give you an extra entry if you follow me on Twitter and let me know this. You must be 13 years old or older to enter. This giveaway is International as long as the Book Depository ships there for free.

Here's what's coming up:

Monday, October 21st I have an interview with debut author Katie Zhao and a giveaway of her MG fantasy THE DRAGON WARRIOR

Monday, October 28th, I've got an agent spotlight interview with Jessica Reino and a query critique giveaway

Wednesday, November 6th I have an interview with debut author Kimberly Gabriel and a giveaway of her YA mystery EVERY STOLEN BREATH and my IWSG post

Hope to see you Monday!

And here's the link to the other blogs participating in this blog hop:

JENNIFER CAMICCIA AND STACEY GLICK GUEST POST AND THE MEMORY KEEPER AND QUERY CRITIQUE GIVEAWAY

Happy Monday Everyone! Today I'm excited to have debut author Jennifer Camiccia and her agent Stacey Glick here to share about her debut MG contemporary THE MEMORY KEEPER. It sounds like a real page turner that will pull at your heart.

FOLLOWER NEWS

Before I get to Jennifer's and Stacey's guest post, I have Follower News! Lynda Young writing as Elle

Cardy is releasing a debut YA fantasy WIELDER'S PRIZE. Here's a blurb and some links:
Jasmine’s whole life is a lie. When she’s snatched, she learns how much of a lie it has been. Not only can she wield, but she’s a danger to everyone if she can’t control her magic. And worse: there’s another out-of-control wielder on the high seas who wants her dead.

Wielder's Prize Amazon: https://amzn.to/2kaZKSV

Wielder's Prize Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/48122294-wielder-s-prize

Elle Cardy Website: https://www.ellecardy.com/

Elle Cardy Blog: http://lyndaryoung.blogspot.com/

Here's a blurb from Goodreads:

Amy Cloud at Aladdin has bought North American rights to Jennifer Camiccia's middle grade debut, The Memory Keeper. When 12-year-old Lulu Carter develops a photographic memory at the same time her beloved Gram begins to lose hers, she blames herself. Lulu becomes obsessed with a finding that posits that memory loss can be attributed to an unaddressed trauma, and goes about excavating her grandmother's personal history in order to try to save her. Publication is set for fall 2019; Stacey Glick at Dystel, Goderich & Bourret negotiated the deal.

Now here's Jennifer and Stacey!

Jen’s questions to Stacey:

You represent such a wide variety of work. How do you decide what projects to work on?

I have to be drawn to a project in some personal way first, and then think about it professionally and the marketability of it. I don’t have a formula but consider new projects individually and if something can keep my attention for an extended period of time and I find myself thinking about it later, then I know it’s a project I want to consider taking on.

     What’s your favorite thing about being a literary agent? 

I love being an agent because it enables me to work creatively on books that delight and inspire me in some way. To be able to work on so many projects that readers of all ages get so much from makes me feel so satisfied and grateful for the work I do and the books I help to put out into the world. I also feel very fortunate that I can do so much of what I do from home giving me the flexibility to raise my family and maintain my agenting career in perfect (or often imperfect!) harmony.

      What do you look for in middle grade or YA projects?         

I love books that feel different in some way. Because my girls are currently ages 10-14, I look for things that I think they would like. I’m drawn to realistic contemporary stories that show kids going through a challenging situation and persevering to overcome their challenges. I also like a setting that acts as a character, a place that feels like an important part of the story. 

In a query, what grabs your attention enough to make you request the whole manuscript?

I like queries that are personalized in some way so I know the author has researched me and

my books. I also look for a pitch that feels fresh and unique, that is clear and concise (think flap copy), is well written and well-paced, and that reveals characters and a plot that feel inviting, compelling, and accessible. I also like humor, especially when interwoven in serious stories, to lighten it up while still addressing those darker issues that all humans face.

What books made the most impact on you as a young reader? 

             

I loved anything by Judy Blume and Roald Dahl, but there was a book that really resonated with me called Somebody Else’s Kids by a wonderful teacher named Torey Hayden. It’s actually nonfiction about a group of very different troubled kids Torey taught and how they all bond together over the course of one year. It’s interesting because I still love nonfiction that reads like fiction and really enjoy stories about people, kids and adults, overcoming adversity and discovering their best true selves. 

Stacey’s questions to Jen:

           
When did you first decide you wanted to become a writer?

           

I’ve been making up stories in my imagination since before I could read. They were movies in my mind that I’d press pause on whenever I was busy doing other things, and then start again when I had a free moment. I guess you could call it daydreaming with purpose. So, in a way, I’ve always been a writer.

How do you come up with your book ideas?

Sometimes they’re inspired by something I’ve seen in a movie or even a real life event. Often, I write the first chapter to see if the idea is something I can sustain and have an affinity for. It’s the ideas that won’t go away that I usually pursue.

What does your writing process entail?

It’s feast or famine with me. When I have an idea, I write everyday until I’m finished. But then I’ll usually take a break and recharge by reading and binging television shows. I find I write better if I take a little time off now and then.

How do you create your query letter or sales pitch?

I used to write them after I was finished with a book. But, lately, I’ve tried to write the pitch before I start. This really helps keep me focused on what exactly I hope to accomplish while writing the actual book. Then, when I’m finished, I can tweak the pitch to reflect whatever minor—or not so minor—changes I’ve made. I try to start the pitch off with the hook that will capture attention, and then I bring out the points of the story that my main character experiences. I leave out side stories or minor characters so the pitch is streamlined and, hopefully, uncluttered.

Best advice for finding an agent?

Research (basically stalk) agents to find out the kinds of stories they’re looking for. Follow them

on twitter, read books by their authors to get a sense of what resonates with them. Also, put yourself out there with writing contests. Placing in the finals in a writing contest is what brought me to my wonderful agent’s attention. Sometimes, that can be just enough to help you stand out from the hundreds of queries agents get each month.

Thanks for sharing all your advice, Jennifer and Stacey: You can find Jennifer at:

Jen’s social media links:

https://twitter.com/jencamiccia

https://www.instagram.com/jencamicciawrites/

https://www.jencamiccia.com/

Preorder links:

https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1534439552?tag=simonsayscom

https://www.booksamillion.com/p/9781534439559

https://www.indiebound.org/book/9781534439559?aff=simonsayscom

https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/The-Memory-Keeper/Jennifer-Camiccia/9781534439559

Marvelous Middle Grade Monday is hosted by Greg Pattridge. You can find the participating blogs on his blog.

Jennifer generously is offering a hardback of THE MEMORY KEEPER and Stacey is offering a query critique for a giveaway. To enter, all you need to do is be a follower (just click the follow button if you’re not a follower) and leave a comment through November 2nd.  If you do not want to be included in the critique giveaway, please let me know in the comments. If your e-mail is not on your Google Profile, you must leave it in the comments to enter either contest.

If you mention this contest on Twitter, Facebook, or your blog or follow me on Twitter, mention this in the comments and I'll give you an extra entry. You must be 13 years old or older to enter. The book giveaway and the query critique giveaway are International.

Here's what's coming up:

Tomorrow, Tuesday, October 15th I'm participating in the Spooktacular Giveaway Hop

Monday, October 21st I have an interview with debut author Katie Zhao and a giveaway of her MG fantasy THE DRAGON WARRIOR

Monday, October 28th, I've got an agent spotlight interview with Jessica Reino and a query critique giveaway

Wednesday, November 6th I have an interview with debut author Kimberly Gabriel and a giveaway of her YA mystery EVERY STOLEN BREATH and my IWSG post

Hope to see you tomorrow!

SHARON MAYHEW INTERVIEW AND KEEP CALM AND CARRY ON, CHILDREN GIVEAWAY

Happy Monday Everyone! Today I'm excited to have debut author and long-time friend Sharon Mayhew here to share about her MG historical KEEP CALM AND CARRY ON, CHILDREN. It's a great story set in World War II that shows how the war affected kids in London during the bombings. I found it to be a real page turner.

Here's a blurb from Goodreads:

Eleven-year-old Joyce and her little sister hide in their bomb shelter during the German Blitz on London, during World War II. After nights of bombing, it’s decided that they’ll join the over 800,000 children who’ve already been evacuated during Operation Pied Piper. They board a train not knowing where they’re going or who will take them in.

The long, crowded train ride is less than pleasant. Thankfully they make two allies, Sam and Molly. Upon arriving in Leek, the evacuees are herded off the train and paraded down the street like sheep. Joyce and her sister are terrified they won’t be chosen.

Eventually, a family welcomes them. As they adjust to all the changes, they find the people of Leek aren’t so accepting to all the evacuees. Sam’s host is dark and abusive. As the girls help plan his escape, they discover this sleepy little community holds a dark secret...

Hi Sharon! Thanks so much for joining us!

1. Tell us about yourself and how you became a writer.

I was born in what used to be a suburb of London (it’s really just a part of the city today). Because of a series of events my mum and I moved to America when I was eight. The transition to a new life in America came with lots of challenges; a new country, a new family, leaving the life I had known and all of my relatives, (don’t laugh…) even the challenge of a new language (I said don’t laugh…) But thankfully, I met some wonderful people in Iowa and eventually Arkansas and was able to adapt. (Yes, the language and culture changed for me again when we moved to Arkansas…)  By the eighth grade I knew what the American Dream was and I wanted it. Books were my places to escape to and to dream of the better life everyone talked about. I realized I could show children how they could escape their present in books, just like I did. Naturally, becoming an elementary school teacher would allow me to share that with kids who had been on the same path as me. I taught for seventeen years in Arkansas and Missouri. When my daughter hit middle school, my husband and I decided it was the perfect time for me to stay home. In 2007 my step-grandmother passed away and my first story came to me…then I was addicted to it. Being creative, creating new worlds, and getting lost in characters.

2. I can see that it must have been a shock to move from London to Iowan and Arkansas. Where did you get the idea for KEEP CALM AND CARRY ON, CHILDREN?

Great question! So, the initial seed came from my grandparents telling stories about their lives during World War II. His family, like so many patriotic families joined the war effort in any way they could. One thing his mum did was take in two evacuees for the entirety of World War II. They didn’t really talk about war times until about 2010, at that point I would sneak back up to my bedroom and write down notes of Grandad’s and Nanny’s stories. As the years went on, I started taking notes on my Iphone while they were telling me about their youth’s.

3. What research did you do in writing your book? What advice do you have for other authors writing historical fiction?

  

When my grandparents saw how interested I was in the history of the British people during that time

period they started taking me to historic places related to the war and I started buying books, fiction and non-fiction, purchasing reprints of wartime documents, and doing independent research on Operation Pied Piper.

I would say that doing your research thoroughly is so important no matter what genre you write. Document your research! I’ve sent myself loads of emails with details and the links. You don’t have to “prove” you are historically correct to anyone, but knowing you are gives you peace of mind. In an early version of my story, I had lots of things wrong. Thankfully, I had some great writing friends (Lenny Lee) who pulled things to my attention and taught me the value of research. The “seed” of your story has to be believable.

4. That's awesome that you had your grandparents as a resource. Which was your favorite character to write—Joyce, Sam, or Molly—and why?

That’s a hard one! I love Joyce, the main character. She’s stronger than she thought she could ever be. She’s loyal. She is a defender of the people who matter to her. Sam, is a gentle soul. He’s had a rough life, so you have to love him too…And Molly, she’s so spunky, but very much the proper little girl. Oh my goodness! Your questions are making me think I need to write a sequel. I didn’t realize I missed them.

  

5. I think you did a good job nailing why all three are such likable characters.  What was a challenge you faced in writing this manuscript? How did you overcome it?

Great question! Looking back, the most important thing to me was being historically accurate. This goes back to your second question…doing lots and lots of research and double checking everything. It would have been easy to just listen to stories from family and friends about the war and writing them down, assuming they were accurate, but you can’t do that and be confident that those memories were not biased or made hazy through the years.

6. Your publisher is Black Rose Publishing. Share about your road to publication.

Oh, the path…I wrote, I revised, I had critiques. Then repeated over and over until I thought I could do no more, I queried publishing houses and a couple agents. Notably, Abigail Samoun of Red Fox gave me an R and R, ultimately passing but her suggestions improved my manuscript so much. I’m grateful for her help. I had a quite a few personal rejections, so I didn’t give up hope. I kept querying and one day I got an email asking if my manuscript was still available.

   

7. Black Rose Publishing is a smaller publisher. What do you think are the benefits of working with a small publisher? What advice do you have to a debut author working with one?

One of the most important things a writer should do during the querying stage is research the publishing house and it’s people before they sign a contract with anyone. I contacted five author’s that had published with Black Rose Writing. Four of them graciously answered my questions. The creator of BRW answered every question I asked to my satisfaction and in a timely manner. I think that is a benefit of working with a smaller house. They even let me have input on the cover. Several of my critique partners who are published with big houses said they had no say in their cover.

In all honesty, my experience so far has been positive, but you have to be prepared to do more leg work/marketing when you work with a small house. Marketing is hard work.

  

8. That's great advice about researching publishers. Your book was released in September. How have you been marketing it? What are you planning to do in the future to promote it?

I didn’t expect marketing to be hard. I love talking to people. I’ll talk to just about anyone…but marketing my “brand” makes me feel very exposed. I’ve had amazing support from family and friends on social media. One lady I’ve “met” is championing my book in the town of Leek, England where the story takes place. It fills my heart!

As, I said, the marketing part overwhelmed me a bit, but I’m pushing through and trying to do one item on my to-do list every day. This week is about doing requested interviews, next week will be about contacting bookstores. 

9. The though of marketing overwhelms me too. What are you working on now?

I’m working on a picture book about a duck with some issues. The “seed” for this story was the ducks we had when I was a teenager.

Thanks so much for inviting me to share about KEEP CALM AND CARRY ON, CHILDREN!

Thanks so much, Sharon! You can find Sharon at:

http://skmayhew.blogspot.com/

https://twitter.com/sharonkmayhew

https://www.facebook.com/sharon.K.mayhew

https://www.linkedin.com/in/sharon-k-mayhew-665b7615/

Marvelous Middle Grade Monday is hosted by Greg Pattridge. You can find the participating blogs on his blog.

Sharon has generously offered a hardback and e-book of KEEP CALM AND CARRY ON, CHILDREN and a signed bookmark for each for a giveaway. To enter, all you need to do is be a follower (just click the follow button if you’re not a follower) and leave a comment through October 29th. If your e-mail is not on your Google Profile, you must leave it in the comments to enter either contest.

If you mention this contest on Twitter, Facebook, or your blog, mention this in the comments and I'll give you an extra entry. I will also give you an extra entry for following me on Twitter if you mention this in the comments. You must be 13 years old or older to enter. This hardback giveaway is US and the e-book giveaway is international. 

Here's what's coming up:

Monday, October 14th I have a guest post debut author Jennifer Camiccia and her agent Stacey Glick and giveaway of Jennifer's MG THE MEMORY KEEPER and a query critique by Stacey

Tuesday, October 15th I'm participating in the Spooktacular Giveaway Hop

Monday, October 21st I have an interview with debut author Katie Zhao and a giveaway of her MG fantasy THE DRAGON WARRIOR

Monday, October 28th, I've got an agent spotlight interview with Jessica Reino and a query critique giveaway

Hope to see you on Monday!

ROSARIA MUNDA AND DANIELLE BURBY GUEST POST W/ FIREBORNE AND QUERY CRITIQUE GIVEAWAY AND IWSG POST

Happy Wednesday Everyone! Today I'm excited to have debut author Rosaria Munda and her agent Danielle Burby here to share about Rosaria's YA fantasy FIREBORNE. It sounds like a real page turner with high stakes for Annie and Lee.

But before I get to their post, I have my IWSG Post.

Purpose: To share and encourage. Writers can express doubts and concerns without fear of appearing foolish or weak. Those who have been through the fire can offer assistance and guidance. It’s a safe haven for insecure writers of all kinds!

Posting: The first Wednesday is officially Insecure Writer's Support Group Day.

The co-hosts this month are Ronel Janse van Vuuren, Mary Aalgaard, Madeline Mora-Summonte, and Ellen @ The Cynical Sailor!

Optional Question: Should you be a reader if you are a writer or is it okay not to read?

I think writers should read and should read some in their own genre. You support other authors by reading and can learn a lot about the craft of writing and how other people handle issues in your genre by reading other stories. I don't think that you have to read all the time, but some time should be spent on this.

What do you think?

Now onto Rosaria's and Danielle's guest post. First, here's a blurb of FIREBORNE from Goodreads:

Game of Thrones meets Red Rising in a debut young adult fantasy that's full of rivalry, romance... and dragons.

Annie and Lee were just children when a brutal revolution changed their world, giving everyone—even the lowborn—a chance to test into the governing class of dragonriders.

Now they are both rising stars in the new regime, despite backgrounds that couldn’t be more different. Annie’s lowborn family was executed by dragonfire, while Lee’s aristocratic family was murdered by revolutionaries. Growing up in the same orphanage forged their friendship, and seven years of training have made them rivals for the top position in the dragonriding fleet.

But everything changes when survivors from the old regime surface, bent on reclaiming the city.

With war on the horizon and his relationship with Annie changing fast, Lee must choose to kill the only family he has left or to betray everything he’s come to believe in. And Annie must decide whether to protect the boy she loves . . . or step up to be the champion her city needs.

From debut author Rosaria Munda comes a gripping adventure that calls into question which matters most: the family you were born into, or the one you’ve chosen.

Now here's Rosaria and Danielle!

Hi Danielle! So we've been together for two years now and I think we've both had some exciting moments in those last two years. I still remember when I received your offer email, I actually screamed aloud--and I was standing in line in a DMV! Now that Fireborne's almost out, are there any points in our journey that you remember particularly vividly?

We definitely have had a ton of exciting moments! This has been such a fun ride. I mean, the first thing I remember is reading Fireborne and being blown away. The word on the street at that time was that the bar for YA fantasy was getting higher and it was getting harder to sell so some people were shying away from it, but I didn’t care how hard it might be—I needed to represent you. Of course, it didn’t turn out to be that hard after all because multiple editors saw your brilliance too ;)

Meeting you for the first time was so much fun! It is always so funny how well you can get to know someone and how closely you can work together and still never have met in person. I think we’d been working together for close to nine months when you visited NY? Is that right?

The auction itself was such a rush and then, really, everything that has happened since. Seeing the cover on the wall at BEA was such a surreal moment. Your four starred reviews, your NY Comic Con panel, going on tour. It is so exciting to me that other people are getting to experience this story that I love so much and it is even more exciting that they love it too. 

Let's talk about the genre that brought us together--YA fantasy! What draws you to YA fantasy?

Oh gosh, everything. I have always been a huge YA fantasy reader. I love being swept up into another world and I love the big questions fantasy asks. When YA fantasy is done well, it is the most enjoyable kind of story to lose yourself in. It functions on such an epic scale and I’m such a sucker for the excitement of it all. 

You manage to keep a tight handle on that inbox. It's rare that I don't hear from you within 24 hours of an email--and even then you send such charming IOU emails! How do you stay so on top of things?

Ha! It definitely isn’t the easiest thing to do, but I also love it because my email exchanges with my

clients are always such interesting conversations. I’m a very client-focused agent and I made a promise to myself when I started that I would prioritize responsiveness. Part of that is being super selective about who I take on and keeping my client list on the smaller side so I have time for everyone. I probably shouldn’t admit this, but even when I’m not working, I am constantly taking quick little peeks at my work emails just to make sure I know what’s going on. I do try not to respond outside of business hours though! 

I also have stacks and stacks of post it notes all over my desk with all the things I need to get done, which is a little ridiculous. I keep telling myself to get a better (and tidier!) system, but post it notes are what work for me so I guess I should just embrace that. 

We once had a conversation where we realized that you and my main character Annie are both a "6" on the enneagram, the loyal friend/protector. How do you feel like these personality traits help you as a literary agent?

That’s a really awesome and interesting question! One of my most useful 6 traits is anticipating problems, which I think is a big part of agenting. I’m always running through scenarios in my head so I feel like I’m prepared for just about anything that comes up. I’m also very organized, which helps a ton because I’m always juggling lots of different projects at once.

Your list has titles ranging from MG to adult, from contemporary to fantasy--and yet I've yet to read a book you represented that I didn't absolutely love. What would you say are some of the things that unite the books and clients on your list?

Aww shucks. That is literally the nicest thing you could ever say to me! I think the thing that unites my clients is that they are all true artists. All of my clients, no matter the genre or age range they write for, are writers who have a rare ability to say something true and powerful and honest. Those are the creators who interest me and those are the stories that interest me. My clients are all people who can look at the human condition and say something thought provoking about it. That isn’t an easy feat!

Is there anything (story, genre, trope) you're particularly hungry for these days?

Hmm I would love to add some middle grade to my list! And it has been quite a while since I’ve fallen in love with an adult project. I would be thrilled to find an upmarket women’s fiction to work on. 

Lastly, as an author, I can't have favorites. But you can! For Fireborne, would you say you're Team Lee or Team Annie? :)

Oh no, I can’t! I feel like you’re trying to make me choose my favorite child. I am team both! Lee and Annie are incredible characters, but part of what elevates them to spectacular characters is their complicated relationship to each other. So team both. All the way :) 

Now Danielle is interviewing Rosaria.

I know you felt inspired to write Fireborne after reading Plato’s Republic and realizing there was a YA book in there, but do you remember the exact moment the idea came to you? And how soon after that did Lee and Annie make their appearance in your mind?

Oh, boy. Honestly the first notes on Fireborne predate that class on Plato's Republic--it was the summer before college when I had an hour long commute to my job, and was listening to an audiobook--still cannot remember why--about the Blitz. I remember walking through a field with my friend (we lived in the middle of nowhere) excitedly telling him, "Okay, it's going to be like Ender's Game, but with pilots--and in North Korea." Basically zero of that survived. It's been a real ship of theseus project! Annie and Lee are two characters that have been around even longer--they showed up in various forms in stories I wrote in high school, too. 

We recently talked about the construct of “the chosen one” and your creation of Annie as an antidote to that concept. She really subverts that trope in a cool way and it was fun to hear how consciously you constructed that. Are there any other tropes you were looking to subvert in Fireborne?

Ooh yes, l love subverting tropes! A few I'd say I wanted to subvert are Mean Blonde Girls, Deposed Aristocrats Seeking Vengeance, and most of all Revolution as a Panacea for Dystopia.

We’ve been doing a ton of work on book 2 lately (sorry readers, my lips are sealed!) and I’d love to hear more about what you’ve observed in terms of the differences between working on a first book with no contract versus working on a second book under deadline. 

That's a really good question. One thing I've been really surprised by is how much harder it is to write now than it was before--and I know that's been the case for almost all the debut authors I know now working on their sophomore book. There's a certain luxury in knowing if you write something bad, you can just put it in the drawer and never look at it again. Now, I don't have that option! I remember as a querying author being filled with self-doubt and telling myself that when I finally got to the other side, it would get better. But I think what I know now, and wish I'd known then, is--in the words of Neil Gaiman in the Graveyard Book--you bring yourself with you. Learning how to trust myself as a writer, and put aside the pressures of self-doubt, is something I have to get better at on my own--no accomplishment or career checkpoint will do it for me. 

Putting aside the tour and launch party, how are you planning to celebrate the release of Fireborne? 

Sleeping! Ha. And taking my husband out to dinner, because I couldn't have done it without him and we celebrate for me enough.

I’m going to ask you an esoteric kind of question right now. (I know we both love philosophy!) What do you think the role of story in society is? I recently read Lisa Cron’s Wired for Story (so good!) and she talked about story being fundamentally necessary for human survival in terms of passing along knowledge, which I thought was so cool. I’d love to hear your thoughts on story and storytelling!

Oooh Danielle I love this! So I'm going to take this one back to Aristotle and my man, Plato--except, in this case, I think Plato was either bonkers or trolling, and Aristotle had it right. Plato said stories are lies, imitations, that are fundamentally harmful because they distract us from reality and truth. But Aristotle, Plato's student, respectfully disagreed. He said, Actually, while history and nonfiction speak about the particular, stories talk about the universal--they talk about the things that are most true. And that's always stuck with me. I'm not sure what the role of that in society is per se--but I think thinking about universals has to be good for us to try to do now and then, right?

What’s your favorite TV show?

Of all time, possibly THE GOOD PLACE. Because, as you mention, I'm a sucker for philosophy! I've also really been enjoying THE BOYS. The writing is quite smart and it does a lot of good trope subverting.

Thanks for all your advice, Rosaria and Danielle. You can find Rosaria at:

Website: rosariamunda.com

Links to Fireborne:

Indiebound | B&N | Amazon

Rosaria has generously offered a hardback of FIREBORNE and Danielle is offering a query critique for a giveaway. To enter, all you need to do is be a follower (just click the follow button if you’re not a follower) and leave a comment through October 19th. If you do not want to be included in the critique giveaway, please let me know in the comments. If your e-mail is not on your Google Profile, you must leave it in the comments to enter either contest.

If you mention this contest on Twitter, Facebook, or your blog or follow me on Twitter, mention this in the comments and I'll give you an extra entry. You must be 13 years old or older to enter. The book giveaway is U.S. and Canada and the query critique giveaway is International.

Here's what's coming up:

Monday, October 7th I have an interview with debut author Sharon Mayhew and a giveaway of her MG historical KEEP CALM AND CARRY ON

Monday, October 14th I have a guest post debut author Jennifer Camiccia and her agent Stacey Glick and giveaway of Jennifer's MG THE MEMORY KEEPER and a query critique by Stacey

Tuesday, October 15th I'm participating in the Spooktacular Giveaway Hop

Monday, October 21st I have an interview with debut author Katie Zhao and a giveaway of her MG fantasy THE DRAGON WARRIOR

Monday, October 28th, I've got an agent spotlight interview with Jessica Reino and a query critique giveaway

Hope to see you on Monday!