MIRANDA ASEBEDO INTERVIEW AND THE DEEPEST ROOTS GIVEAWAY AND IWSG POST

Happy Monday Everyone! Today I’m excited to have debut author Miranda Asebedo here to share about her YA contemporary/magical realism THE DEEPEST ROOTS. I always love stories with magical realism and this is a thriller too. Can’t wait to read it.

Before I get to my interview, 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 (Tuesday this month)of the month is officially Insecure Writer's Support Group Day.

The co-hosts this month are: Dolorah @ Book Lover, Christopher D. Votey, Tanya Miranda, andChemist Ken!

Optional Question: How do major life events affect your writing? Has writing ever helped you through something?

I have gone through many life changes since I started writing. Many of the earlier ones, like death of my sister and many of my late husband's health challenges made life too busy to write with work, being a caregiver to him, being a mom, and maintaining this blog. My most recent life change is my most major one: the death of my husband suddenly, loss of job and career change, and become an empty nester within 18 months has been the most challenging. I've shared about it some before. I've lost a lot of who I used to be in the process.

My new career is as a contract writer at home, and I love the writer's life. In my low points, writing is comforting. I'm still figuring out who I am and how much writing stories fits into that. I don't know anymore and will keep you posted. I do know that I'm a really strong person and will this all out some day. It just takes time.

And I'm sorry that I'm not around as much as I'd like recently. Right now I'm producing Shakespeare in Love and being the assistant director for my boyfriend, who is the director. It's the first year that the play could be produced by community theaters and we're one of three in Michigan that got the rights. It's been a lot of work, which included getting about $1,200 in sponsors. The play runs 11/8-11/17. I'm excited about it but also looking forward to 11/19 when it will be over and I can slow down, visits blogs more, write for myself, and relax. Until then, I apologize if I don't stop by your blog as much as usual.

Now onto my interview with Miranda!

Here’s a blurb about THE DEEPEST ROOTS from Goodreads: 

Cottonwood Hollow, Kansas, is a strange place. For the past century, every girl has been born with a special talent, like the ability to Fix any object, Heal any wound, or Find what is missing.

Best friends Rome, Lux, and Mercy all have similar talents, but to them, their abilities often feel like a curse. Rome may be able to Fix anything she touches, but that won’t help her mom pay rent or make it any easier to confide in Lux and Mercy about what’s going on at home. And Rome isn’t the only one. Lux has been hiding bigger, more dangerous secrets.

As Rome struggles to keep her friendships close, she discovers the truth about life in Cottonwood Hollow—that friends are stronger than curses, that trust is worth the risk, and sometimes, what you’ve been looking for has been under your feet the whole time.

Hi Miranda! Thanks so much for joining us.

1. Tell us about yourself and how you became an author.

I grew up in rural Kansas, and I loved books and telling stories. I got my Bachelors and Masters degrees in English in Creative Writing and Literature, and then I got a job teaching at a university as an instructor. The great thing about this job was that it gave me a flexible schedule, so I was able to write and still have a “day job” to pay the bills. I took the traditional route of querying and publishing, and THE DEEPEST ROOTS was plucked out the slush pile at Nelson Literary Agency.

2. Where did you get the idea for THE DEEPEST ROOTS?

This is a fun story! A few years ago, I lived in a mobile home out in the middle of a huge, open field, and I waited too long to leave during a tornado watch. By the time I knew I had to get out of there and find a storm shelter, it was far too dangerous to leave, and the watch had turned into a tornado warning, sirens blaring. So I had to stay in the trailer and hope for the best. Talk about a terrifying hour of my life! But I was recalling that storm in the summer of 2016, and about how a storm could change the course of a person’s life. And I started imagining a teenage girl in that storm, and how she might react in that situation, and how it might affect her. That girl eventually became Rome, and that’s how I got the opening scene for the THE DEEPEST ROOTS.

3. Yikes! That sounds like a really scary experience. I’m a huge fan of magical realism. Share how you developed the magical elements into your story. What advice do you have for other writers wanting to write in this genre?

I knew I wanted to write a story that contained magic because I love stories with magic and ghosts and curses! I’m a huge fantasy fan, but I wanted this story to be contemporary, and to reflect the kind of modern problems that girls and women face in places like rural Kansas. So to give a very “ordinary” kind of world this sheen of magic was so much fun! Places like Cottonwood Hollow have a lot of history, so I first set up the backstory for the town, and out of that came the curse and the magic of the girls who live there. The talents that the girls possess are all skills/abilities that would come in useful if you were a pioneer woman out on the prairie, so in many ways the magic is framed around the setting of the story. My advice for other writers is to think not only of characters, but of setting when creating a system of magic. What kind of magic would characters need to survive or thrive in this environment?

4. Your book is set in Cottonwood Hollow, Kansas, not the most usual setting for any sort of fantasy. Share why you chose this as a setting and what your world building process was like.

I love this question! As I said before, I grew up in rural Kansas, and as a teen reader, I was always

disappointed that books were rarely set in a place that was recognizable to me. There were books set in New York, LA, and other huge cities. There were books set at the beach, or on vacation in France. There were not books set in towns where there are more cows than people. And that’s the world I grew up in. So when I decided to write this story, I knew it had to be set in rural Kansas. And I’ve been so lucky to hear from other Midwest readers who identify with the girls and their hometown. For me, the world building process was very easy because it was essentially “write what you know.” I grew up in a town of 150 people, so Cottonwood Hollow was “big” compared to my hometown!

5. Glad you gave us all this more normal setting. This book is also about the friendships between Rome, Lux, and Mercy. It’s been described as a very realistic friendship and messy. Which character was harder to develop of the three? Why?

I love all three girls, but there were aspects of Rome and Lux that were hard for me to develop. For example, Rome had a very hard time expressing herself, and as a writer, this isn’t usually a problem for me. I know how to use my words. So there were some scenes where I had to really put myself in Rome’s shoes and try to understand how she would show love or fear with her actions rather than with her words. For Lux, the most difficult part was the battle between her vulnerabilities and her sharp edges. Lux is dealing with some big problems at home, and so she’s trying to put up walls to keep it a secret from her friends. I wanted to show that Lux was trying to keep her distance so as not to reveal her crisis, and that sometimes that distance revealed itself as indifference, or sarcasm. But I also wanted Lux to be likeable as a character, and to show that her behavior wasn’t always so distant, so it was a struggle to maintain that balance.

6. It sounds like this story is filled with mysteries and is a real page turner. How did you weave your mysteries into the story and maintain a fast pace that makes readers want to keep reading?

Definitely through a lot of revisions! For me, a first draft is always really fast. But after that, it’s a matter of picking up all the threads of the story and weaving them a little more deftly together. So by the end I had my “reveal” of the answers to the questions throughout the book, but I had to pull all those threads through the story so that they’re always present, even if they’re not obvious.

7. Your agent is Kristin Nelson, someone I’ve always admired. Share how she became your agent and what your road to publication has been like.

Kristin and everyone at Nelson Literary Agency are fabulous. I am an old-school publication story! I didn’t do any Twitter events or go to conferences to pitch my book. I cold-queried after a lot of research on agents that I would like to represent me, and my query was plucked out of the slush pile. After I signed with Kristin, we did some revisions. Most books don’t immediately go from the slush pile to the auction block! There’s actually quite a bit of work that goes in before that. NLA has an in-house Director of Literary Development, Angie Hodapp, so she read through and gave me notes, as well as Kristin. When we felt the book was ready, we went on submission. THE DEEPEST ROOTS sold at auction a couple of months after that!

8. That's great to know the slush pile works. How are you planning to spread the word about your book? What advice do you have for others about marketing their debut book?

I’m doing a lot of work on social media to spread the news about my book. I’m also doing some signing events, author panels, and school visits. The best advice I have for authors is to start building your social media platform before you get your book deal! Most of my strongest supporters on social media are people I met online through Twitter or Instagram before I even had an agent. But your social media platform is the best, easiest, and cheapest way to get the news out about your book, so don’t wait to start working on it!

9. That's great advice. What is something that has surprised you about the time from signing your book contract and now debuting?

I think one of the biggest surprises was how many times I would read my own book! From edits, to copy edits, to pass pages, there are sometimes when I think I could recite the chapters by heart!

10. What are you working on now?

I am just finishing up edits for my second YA novel, A CONSTELLATION OF ROSES, which is out from HarperTeen in Fall 2019. Like THE DEEPEST ROOTS, it’s a contemporary with a twist of magic. It’s also set in the same world as THE DEEPEST ROOTS, so keep your eyes peeled for a few Easter Eggs!

Thanks for sharing all your advice, Miranda. You can find Miranda at:

https://www.mirandaasebedo.com

https://twitter.com/MirandaWriteNow

https://www.instagram.com/mirandawritenow/

https://www.harpercollins.com/9780062747075/the-deepest-roots/

Miranda is generously offering a hardback of THE DEEPEST ROOTS 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 20th. 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. You must be 13 years old or older to enter. This giveaway is U.S.

Here's what's coming up:

Monday, October 8th I have an interview with debut author Miranda Cruz and a giveaway of her MG contemporary EVERLASTING NORA 

Sunday, October 14th I'm participating in the Spooktacular Giveaway Hop

Monday, October 15th I have an interview with debut author Katya de Becerra and a giveaway of her  YA mystery/fantasy WHAT THE WOODS KEEP

Monday, October 22nd I have an interview with author Sherry Ellis and a giveaway of her MG BUBBA AND SQUIRT'S BIG DIG TO CHINA

Monday, October 29th I have an agent spotlight interview with Wendi Gu and a query critique giveaway

Hope to see you on Monday!

AGENT LAUREN SPIELLER AND LAURA WEYMOUTH GUEST POST W/ QUERY CRITIQUE AND THE LIGHT BETWEEN WORLDS GIVEAWAY

Happy Monday Everyone! Today I'm excited to have debut author Laura Weymouth here with her agent Lauren Spieller to share about Laura's debut YA THE LIGHT BETWEEN WORLDS. It's set in post-war England and the characters sound fantastic.

And I just want to mention that Lauren is also an author and her YA contemporary YOUR DESTINATION IS ON THE RIGHT released earlier this year.

Here's a blurb of THE LIGHT BETWEEN THE WORLDS from Goodreads:

Five years ago, Evelyn and Philippa Hapwell cowered from air strikes in a London bomb shelter. But that night took a turn when the sisters were transported to another realm called the Woodlands. In a forest kingdom populated by creatures out of myth and legend, they found temporary refuge. 

When they finally returned to London, nothing had changed at all—nothing, except themselves. 

Now, Ev spends her days sneaking into the woods outside her boarding school, wishing for the Woodlands. Overcome with longing, she is desperate to return no matter what it takes. 

Philippa, on the other hand, is determined to find a place in this world. She shields herself behind a flawless exterior and countless friends, and moves to America to escape the memory of what was. 

But when Evelyn goes missing, Philippa must confront the depth of her sister’s despair and the painful truths they’ve been running from. As the weeks unfold, Philippa wonders if Ev truly did find a way home, or if the weight of their worlds pulled her under.

Now here's Lauren and Laura!

On Building a Strong Author/Agent Relationship

 Laura: Hi Natalie! I’m so excited to be joining you on Literary Rambles today. I had a good think

about what I’d want to share with writers at all stages of their journey, whether they’re just starting out, looking for an agent, already agented, or heading towards publication. I know for many writers the first big hurdle to get through is querying and finding representation for their work. There’s already a lot out there about the querying process and how to get that elusive agent offer, so I wanted to talk about what comes after: building a strong relationship with your agent. My own agent, Lauren Spieller, is actually joining us to chime in with her perspective on this too!

Here are the 3 factors I think play the biggest role in establishing a strong, mutually beneficial agent/author relationship.

COMMUNICATION

Laura: From what I’ve seen thus far in the writing community, the area in which agents and authors are most likely to struggle (at least from an author’s perspective) is communication. It’s not uncommon for authors to feel as if their agents are unapproachable, or don’t respond quickly enough. Sometimes it’s true that an author is being neglected, and sometimes it’s just a matter of unclear expectations.

To start your author/agent relationship out on the right foot, open the lines of communication right away and ask how long your agent generally takes to reply to brief emails, sample chapters, full manuscripts, etc. If you know their time frames, you’ll be less likely to sit and worry that you’ve been lost in the shuffle.

Keep in mind, too, that if your agent goes beyond an anticipated time frame or you have a question, you should always feel comfortable reaching out. Your agent is meant to be on your side. If a question comes up, just ask! An agent should never make you feel silly or like an annoyance for inquiring about the status of your work or asking a question you don’t know the answer to.

Lauren: This is great advice. In fact, I urge writers to ask about communication during The Call—that way, you have all of this information up front, and can use it as you make a decision about whether to accept an agent’s offer of representation. I also suggest that writers talk to an agent’s current clients before accepting an offer, and ask them about an agent’s communication style (among other things!)

RESPECT

Laura: While your agent is meant to be working on your behalf, you also need to be respectful of their time and boundaries. If something comes up and they aren’t able to respond in an anticipated time frame, understand that life happens. If it happens all the time, then maybe you have a problem.

Remember too, that you signed with your agent for a reason—they know the publishing industry, and if they’re a good agent, won’t be asking you to do things or make changes to your work without good reason. Don’t be difficult to work with—it’s okay and important to stand your ground on things you feel strongly about, but don’t forget this is a business relationship, and be sure to choose your battles wisely.

Your agent is your coworker. They should be treated accordingly!

Lauren: I really appreciate this advice, and agree with it. Respect goes both ways. If you don’t feel an agent is respectful of your time and needs—assuming those needs are reasonable—then don’t be afraid to talk to them about that. But it’s also important to remember that agents have lives too, and sometimes you need to cut them a little slack ;) 

CONFIDENCE

Laura: While you absolutely need to be respectful of your agent’s time, insights, and boundaries, maintaining a strong author/agent relationship is also going to require some confidence on your part. Confidence to stand up for the aspects of your work that can’t be changed without fundamentally altering it. Confidence to reach out and let your agent know if you have a problem with something. Confidence to express yourself clearly and go through the process of learning how to problem solve together. And if your agent’s doing their job well, you should have confidence in them as your advocate, too!

You wrote a book. You queried it. You beat the odds and ended up with an offer of representation. As much as you need to respect your agent’s professional capacities and have confidence in their abilities, they need to be doing the same for you. If you don’t feel respected and confident as a result of your author/agent relationship, there’s something wrong. And sometimes, though no one really likes to talk about it, you’ll have to have the confidence to leave a partnership that isn’t working and go in search of one that does.

Lauren: You’ve probably heard the saying that a bad agent is worse than no agent at all—which is fit—even if the agent is great!—can be just as problematic. Remember that this is a business partnership, not a personal relationship, so if you feel your career will be better served by parting ways, that is okay. Do what’s best for you and your career.

true. But sometimes a bad

Laura: At the end of the day, if you do your homework, vetting the agents you query and getting client referrals from any who offer, there’s no reason you shouldn’t have a long, productive working relationship with the agent you end up with. And yes, sometimes things don’t work out, as can be the case in any partnership, but if you keep the above tips in mind, you’ll always know that you did your part as an author and a professional.

Thanks for sharing all your advice, Lauren and Laura! You can find Laura at:
www.lauraeweymouth.com

Signed preorders for THE LIGHT BETWEEN WORLDS are available at these two locations:
https://shop.thedogearedbook.com/index.php?route=product/product&product_id=24129&search=the+light+between+worlds&description=true

https://www.liftbridgebooks.com/book/9780062696878
And regular preorders are available at
Indiebound (https://www.indiebound.org/book/9780062696878)
Book Depository  (https://www.bookdepository.com/The-Light-Between-Worlds-Laura-E-Weymouth/9780062696878?ref=grid-view&qid=1518713050596&sr=1-1)
Barnes & Noble (https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-light-between-worlds-laura-e-weymouth/1127872519?ean=9780062696878)
Chapters/Indigo (https://www.chapters.indigo.ca/en-ca/books/the-light-between-worlds/9780062696878-item.html?ikwid=the+light+between+worlds&ikwsec=Home&ikwidx=0)

Amazon (https://www.amazon.com/Light-Between-Worlds-Laura-Weymouth/dp/0062696874/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1525975376&sr=8-1&keywords=the+light+between+worlds)

Lauren's book, YOUR DESTINATION IS ON THE LEFT, is available at:
Indiebound (https://www.indiebound.org/book/9781481492126)

Book Depository (https://www.bookdepository.com/Your-Destination-Is-on-the-Left-Lauren-Spieller/9781481492126?ref=grid-view&qid=1514841049359&sr=1-2)

Barnes & Noble (https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/your-destination-is-on-the-left-lauren-spieller/1127208763?ean=9781481492126#/)

Amazon (https://www.amazon.com/Your-Destination-Left-Lauren-Spieller-ebook/dp/B075RVT4KZ)

Laura is generously offering an ARC of THE LIGHT BETWEEN WORLDS and Lauren 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 6th. 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, 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 and the critique giveaway is international.

Here's what's coming up:

Wednesday, October 3rd I have an interview with debut author Miranda Asebedo and giveaway of her YA magical realism THE DEEPEST ROOTS and my IWSG post

Monday, October 8th I have a guest post with debut author Miranda Cruz and her agent Paula Munier with a query critique giveaway by Paula and a giveaway of MG contemporary EVERLASTING NORA by Miranda

Sunday, October 14th I'm participating in the Spooktacular Giveaway Hop

Monday, October 15th I have an interview with debut author Katya de Becerra and a giveaway of her  YA mystery/fantasy WHAT THE WOODS KEEP

Monday, October 22nd I have an interview with author Sherry Ellis and a giveaway of her MG BUBBA AND SQUIRT'S BIG DIG TO CHINA

Hope to see you on  Wednesday October 3rd!

AMANDA RAWSON HILL INTERVIEW AND THE THREE RULES OF EVERYDAY MAGIC

Happy Monday Everyone! Hope you're having a good fall. Mine is TOO BUSY! But I did get to the Kerrytown Bookfest in Ann Arbor and got to see one of my favorite authors, Cinda Williams Chima on a YA panel and have coffee with her husband and her afterwards. She is a fantastic fantasy writer. Her latest book is STORMCASTER in her Shattered Realms series. She's created a fantastic world in this and her prior series and I really recommend it to any fantasy lovers. Here's a picture of Cinda and me.

Today I’m excited to have debut author Amanda Rawson Hill here to share about her contemporary MG THE THREE RULES OF EVERYDAY MAGIC. It sounds like a great read that tackles issues of friendship, depression, and dementia.

Here’s a blurb from Goodreads: 

Kate doesn’t believe in magic, not really. But she could use some these days.

Kate and her best friend Sofia have been inseparable for nearly as long as Kate can remember. Now, though, Sofia is drifting away, drawn to a new friend. Kate’s grandmother is drifting away too, but in a different way. She keeps getting confused and can’t remember things. 

One thing Grammy remembers, however, is the three rules of Everyday Magic: Believe. Give. Trust.

Kate is willing to try anything, including Everyday Magic, to draw the people she loves back to her—Sofia, Grammy, and even her father, who left months ago and hasn’t been seen since. 

Hi Amanda! Thanks so much for joining us.

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

Hi! Thanks for having me here. I’ve always loved books and reading, but growing up I never wanted to be a writer. I dreamed about being a librarian, a neurologist, a geneticist, a teacher…but never a writer. I actually got my degree in Chemistry, got married, and had a couple kids before the thought ever occurred to me. I was in bed one night and couldn’t fall asleep because the entire text of a picture book kept running through my head. Finally, after about 2 hours, I got up and wrote it down. The next morning I looked at it and thought, “That’s pretty good!” So then I googled “how to get a picture book published” and proceeded to send it to some agents (who quickly rejected it. Ha!) So my first foray into writing was a big, huge blunder. But after that, I had the bug and I haven’t looked back.

2. Funny! Sounds a bit like my start. Where did you get the idea for your story?

When my two oldest children were younger, they had imaginary friends, like many children. But they shared imaginary friends. Saw them together, played with them together. They called them their “old ladies.” My kids imaginary friends were two old ladies! Kind of creepy right? Well, I was talking to my mom about it one day after my son wouldn’t let anyone play foosball with him because his “old lady” was playing against him, and she said, “Maybe it’s their great grandma Bev and Pat.” Those were my husband’s two grandma’s who had both recently passed. After that, the idea of this book where a girl’s two grandmothers come back as her guardian angels started taking shape in my head.

Now, obviously, THE THREE RULES OF EVERYDAY MAGIC has undergone A LOT of rewrites because there are no more guardian angels. But that’s where it started.

3. Such an interesting way that you got your idea. You tackle some difficult issues in your story, like Kate’s father’s absence and her Granny’s dementia. Share how you weaved these themes into your story without being preachy.

Gosh, this is hard. Kate’s father’s absence was just an integral part of Kate. When I started writing,

her voice came really strongly to me. And she kept speaking in the second person. She kept addressing everything to this mysterious “you.” But at first, I didn’t know who “you” was. Until I hit the third chapter, when Kate said, “I dialed your number.” And then she says, “Hi dad.” That was when I realized her dad was out of the picture and it was such an important part of who Kate was at that moment that she was addressing the story to him. Those moments are now only presence in her letters to her dad sprinkled throughout the book. But I think because it was such an organic thing to Kate, it wasn’t preachy.

Now, some of the things that Kate realizes about her dad and his depression started getting preachy towards the end of the book, and that’s where my wonderful editor came in. Line edits are really important for pointing out every time you are getting a bit didactic. So I toned down the “preachy” parts through a lot of revising with my editor.

As far as weaving in the dementia, my grandpa died of Alzheimer’s. and while I was young and wasn’t up close for most of it, I remember a lot about it. And so much of Grammy comes straight from memories of my grandpa. And because of that, I think a lot of it is very real. Dementia and Alzheimer’s sometimes makes people say really funny things, sometimes very sad and heartwrenching things. I know that weird, inbetween feeling in the beginning stages when they’re sometimes there and sometimes not and you get glimpses of both sides and it’s painful and yet…they’re still there sometimes so you hold on to that. All of those feelings are part of losing someone to Dementia. And it’s very hard to be preachy about anything when you’re able to show it in a multi-faceted way like that.

4. I know what you mean going through my mom's decline from who she used to be. It sounds like you did a great job creating memorable characters, which is not all easy to do. Did they develop as the story progressed or did you have a clear vision of them before you started?

Characters are actually really hard for me. Like I mentioned earlier, Kate’s voice showed up with a lot of her character already a part of it. But I definitely had to “discover” her over the course of several revisions. Grammy and Jane (Kate’s new friend) were both very easy to write and know from the moment they showed up on the page. Kate’s other friend, Sofia, was a complete mystery to me. I kept fumbling around her, not ever able to get her character and motivation just right…until I brought in two sensitivity readers. (Imagine that, right?) They were able to give me the missing puzzle pieces of what I didn’t understand about Sofia as a white writer. Much of that doesn’t show up outright in the text, but it allowed me to better write her reactions and motivations for things.

5. I have a hard time with characters too. Share about a challenge you faced in writing THE THREE RULES OF EVERYDAY MAGIC and how you overcame it.

So, as you can tell, THE THREE RULES OF EVERYDAY MAGIC has gone through a lot of changes from its original form. One of those changes is that it used to be written completely in letters. A true epistolary novel. It was mentored in Pitch Wars by three different mentors and two of them actually ended up disagreeing on whether I should keep it in full epistolary or make it partial-epistolary. Both mentors had very good reasons and loved the book and are both really amazing authors. So, I was flummoxed. What should I do? One person says it’s not working. Another says it makes it really special. And I’d been receiving similar reactions from other readers. Some LOVED it in the epistolary format. Others found it unrealistic.

So I decided to just experiment. I rewrote the first three chapters in partial epistolary (prose with a letter at the beginning or end of each chapter.) And then I got a very large pool of readers. Like 10 or something. And I sent them both versions and asked which worked better. And the partial epistolary came back as the definite winner. So I made the very hard decision at the time, to make it a mix of prose and letters instead of all letters. Even though I loved it as an epistolary novel. Because it appeared that wasn’t working as well as it could and, frankly, I really felt like this book had a good chance with agents. So I was trying to make it as marketable as possible.

Not everyone would have made the same choice. And I maybe could have kept it that way and been able to make it work and still get it published. But I decided to go with the preference of the majority. And in the end, it solved a lot of tension problems I was having too. So it was a good move.

6. Your agent is Elizabeth Harding. How did she become your agent and what was your road for publication like?

Yes! Elizabeth is wonderful. My path to publication actually started with Pitch Wars. After revising with my mentors, I did the agent round, got 12 requests and then started querying. Elizabeth was the first agent who requested off a query and I was floored. I’d always considered her such a long shot. About six weeks later, I got my first offer from a fabulous agent who I would have been 100% happy with. Then another and then Elizabeth sent her offer email and I started crying as she listed off the authors she represents. Gordan Korman, Nikki Grimes, Gennifer Choldenko, Suzanne LaFleur and several others. She was a dream come true and I accepted her offer the next day.

But then the hard part started. Trying to get the book published. Sub was long and grueling. Full of rejections and revisions. I gave up on the book and wrote a new one. Then, the night before Thanksgiving, Elizabeth forwarded me an email from an editor. When I saw it pop up on my phone, I was like, “Elizabeth, I love you, but don’t send me rejections on holidays!” haha But it wasn’t a rejection! The editor went on and on about how much she loved the book! That turned into an R&R after it went to second reads. I did the R&R. They bought it. The rest is history.

7. What an awesome holiday present. Once you signed your book contract, when did you start planning for its release and what were some of the essential steps you’ve taken since then to start promoting yourself as an author and your book?

I signed the contract in April of 2017. In June, I talked to my dear friend and CP, Cindy Baldwin,

about doing a joint newsletter together, but making it a book club and resource for teachers and librarians. We brought on a few other authors to lighten the workload of it, and that was the birth of MG@Heart. MG@Heart has really grown over the last year and put us in contact with so many wonderful authors, teachers, and librarians. And those connections morphed into connections with book sharing groups and chats with teachers and librarians. Those are the really important connections in MG. It’s less about reaching out to your audience and more about reaching gatekeepers, which changes the strategy and effectiveness of many marketing things common in YA.

Now, I’m about to embark on my “Kindness Campaign.” Rather than a pre-order giveaway that doesn’t really move the needle, especially in MG, I wanted to do something that would provide an opportunity for students and teachers to connect to the book and its themes. To see why it might be a good addition to their classroom. I don’t know if it will catch on or anything. But might as well try.

8. What are your favorite ways of connecting on social media with other writers and readers? Why?

I’m a Twitter girl. It’s short and sweet and you can use gifs when words aren’t enough. It just feels very open and organic. Like there are less walls there. And I love being tagged in things on Instagram. Like, Bookstagrams of your book are probably the best thing ever. But I’m not very good at posting on there myself. I’ve found both venues are good for connecting with teachers and librarians. And there is some chance of connecting with actual kid readers on IG, unlike Twitter for the most part.

9. What are you working on now?

I’ve got a few things cooking. I’m revising a MG about wishes and community. And I’m currently drafting an upper-MG retelling of Cyrano de Bergerac in free verse which I am LOVING so far. I’ve got a few PB’s up my sleeve too. So, hopefully something else sticks with an editor soon!

Thanks for sharing all your advice, Amanda. You can find Amanda at:

Twitter.com/amandarhill32

Instagram.com/amandahillauthor

Amandarawsonhill.com

Amanda has generously offered a signed book giveaway of THE THREE RULES OF EVERYDAY MAGIC. 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 September 29th. 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. You must be 13 years old or older to enter. The giveaway is U.S. and Canada.

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

Here's what's coming up:

Monday, September 24th I have a guest post by debut author Laura Weymouth with her agent Lauren Spieller and a query critique giveaway by Lauren and a giveaway of Laura's YA fantasy THE VANISHING KINGDOM

Wednesday, October 3rd I have an interview with debut author Miranda Asebedo and giveaway of her YA magical realism THE DEEPEST ROOTS and my IWSG post

Monday, October 8th I have a guest post with debut author Miranda Cruz and her agent Paula Munier with a query critique giveaway by Paula and a giveaway of MG contemporary EVERLASTING NORA by Miranda

Sunday, October 14th I'm participating in the Spooktacular Giveaway Hop

Monday, October 15th I have an interview with debut author Katya de Becerra and a giveaway of her  YA mystery/fantasy WHAT THE WOODS KEEP

Monday, October 22nd I have an interview with author Sherry Ellis and a giveaway of her MG BUBBA AND SQUIRT'S BIG DIG TO CHINA

Hope to see you on Monday!

CLEAN YOUR SHELVES GIVEAWAY HOP

Happy Friday Everyone! I'm excited to participate in the  Clean Your Shelves Book Giveaway Hop hosted by BookHounds. I used it as an opportunity to clean out my book covers in my downloads so I could add new ones.

I hope you find a book you like for yourself, a family member, or a friend in the choices offered. Don’t see a book you like? You can win a $10.00 Amazon Gift Card instead. I hope you'll all enter to win a book or gift card for yourself or as a gift for someone.

So here are your choices. I've got a combination of MG and YA books 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 anyway you want and leave a comment through September 30th telling me the book you want to win or if you want to win the Gift Card instead. 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. You must be 13 years old or older to enter. The book giveaway is international as long as Book Depository ships to you for free.

Here's what's coming up:

Monday, September 17th I have an interview with debut author Amanda Rawson Hill and a giveaway of her MG contemporary THE THREE RULES OF EVERYDAY MAGIC

Monday, September 24th I have a guest post by debut author Laura Weymouth with her agent Lauren Spieller and a query critique giveaway by Lauren and a giveaway of Laura's YA fantasy THE VANISHING KINGDOM

Wednesday, October 3rd I have an interview with debut author Miranda Asebedo and giveaway of her YA magical realism THE DEEPEST ROOTS and my IWSG post

Monday, October 8th I have a guest post with debut author Miranda Cruz and her agent Paula Munier with a query critique giveaway by Paula and a giveaway of MG contemporary EVERLASTING NORA by Miranda

Sunday, October 14th I'm participating in the Spooktacular Giveaway Hop

Monday, October 15th I have an interview with debut author Katya de Becerra and a giveaway of her  YA mystery/fantasy WHAT THE WOODS KEEP

Monday, October 22nd I have an interview with author Sherry Ellis and a giveaway of her MG BUBBA AND SQUIRT'S BIG DIG TO CHINA

Hope to see you on Monday!

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

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