Author Interview: Donna Galanti and Unicorn Island Giveaway

Happy Monday Everyone! Today I’m excited to have Donna Galanti here to share about her new MG fantasy, Unicorn Island. It sounds like a fast-paced magical adventure. I can’t wait to read it and am hoping my library orders it after I requested it.

Donna shared a fascinating guest post in 2015 on how to get past the agent gatekeeper when her first MG book, Joshua and the Lightning Road, released.

Here's a blurb of Unicorn Island:

Beyond the mist lies a magical secret waiting to be discovered. Unicorn Island is a middle-grade illustrated novel series about a young girl who discovers a mysterious island full of mythical beasts and darker dangers!  When Sam arrives in Foggy Harbor, population 3,230, all she can see is a small, boring town that’s way too far from home. And knowing that she’s stuck there all summer with her grumpy Uncle Mitch only makes things worse. But when Sam discovers a hidden trapdoor leading to a room full of strange artifacts, she realizes Foggy Harbor isn’t as sleepy as it seems. With the help of a new friend, Sam discovers an extraordinary secret beyond the fog: an island of unicorns whose fates are intertwined with hers.

 Follower News

Before I get to Donna’s interview, I have follower news to share.

Sue Heavenrich released a new picture book, 13 ways to eat a fly. Here’s a blurb and a few links:
Math meets science as a swarm of flies meet their demise. Whether they are zapped, wrapped, liquefied, or zombified, the science is real--and hilariously gross. Includes a guide to eating bugs, complete with nutritional information for a single serving of flies.www.riverow.com
https://bookshop.org/books/13-ways-to-eat-a-fly/9781580898904
www.sueheavenrich.com

Cathrina Constantine has a new YA release, The Upside Down of Nora Gaines. FYI it’s currently on

sale for $1.99 this week. Here’s a blurb and a few links: Nora has visions of horrific things. Things that lurk in the shadows and feast on bones. After moving with her mother into an old farmhouse, Nora discovers a blank journal that fills itself with an ominous warning. A cursed beast is coming for her and time is running out.
https://www.amazon.com/Upside-Down-Nora-Gaines-ebook/dp/B08V8KFBD7/ref=sr_1_1?crid=6AZRCCHWM7O6&dchild=1&keywords=the+upside+down+of+nora+gaines&qid=1612622185&sprefix=the+upside+down+of+%2Caps%2C159&sr=8-1
http://cathrinaconstantine.blogspot.com
Twitter @cathconstantine

Pat Garcia has a new short story being published, Turn on the Light. Here’s a blurb and a few links:

Meet Della Cartwright. A superstar at what she does professionally, but when the tall, mysterious, Italian stranger, Alessio Terracina, enters her world, she begins to question her judgment and everything about her.
Website: http://patgarciaauthor.com
Facebook Fan Page: http://facebook.com/patgarciaauthor/
Twitter: HTTP://Twitter.com/pat_garcia
https://www.amazon.com/Turn-Light-Pat-Garcia-ebook/dp/B08WCGNGTF/

Interview With Donna Galanti

Hi Donna! Thanks so much for joining us!

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

I’m an avid outdoor adventurer and nature lover. My favorite pastimes are hiking, biking, and kayaking. I usually go off in the woods every day and it’s where I get my story ideas. I knew I wanted to be a writer at seven years old after falling in love with The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis. After that I wrote a screenplay, a murder mystery, and acted it out with the neighborhood kids. I went on to write my first fantasy story when I was ten about Dodo birds, wizards, and a flying ship—and I’ve loved writing fantasy ever since. However, it was a long road to becoming a published author. I held corporate marketing and communication jobs, after a stint in the U.S. Navy as a photographer for Fleet Intelligence Pacific in Hawaii, and didn’t start writing novels until I was forty. That was the year my mother died from cancer. My mom had been my champion and she especially supported my writing. I always wanted to write a book and in her passing away my mom left me a gift—the gift to follow my dream of sharing my stories with the world. 

2. I’m glad your mom left you a gift. I’ve found it comforting to see the gifts my husband left me too. Where did you get the idea for Unicorn Island?

The idea actually came over lunch! My publisher tossed out that he’d like me to write a book “about a girl who has to take care of a unicorn.” From that, we spent six months bashing around the concept. We wanted to write a story with a strong, misplaced girl character but one that appealed to all genders. I love stories that are magical but also set in the real world—and that’s what guided me.

3. How awesome that your publisher suggested the idea. Your book has been described as a fast-paced adventure. How did you keep the plot moving so readers want to continue turning the pages?

I actually started out writing thrillers for adults and applied what I learned there to write thrillers for kids. As my son became a selective reader, I discovered that kids love to be thrilled not just in movies but in books, too. I started reading some of the books my son had on his bookshelf and in doing this, I saw patterns in these kid adventure tales—and I began applying what I learned to create my own stories. I also discovered that ending chapters on cliffhangers encourages kids to keep turning the pages to find out what happens next.

4. I saw on your website that there are five books in this series and more will be released in Spring 2021. How did you plot this out as a series? What tips do you have for other writers planning a series?

My main focus for the series was the mystery and secrets of Unicorn Island. With this in mind, I created the main character, Sam, to come into her own with uncovering the truth and fulfilling what she believes is her legacy. With each story I wanted a complete plot that has a satisfying ending, but also leaves threads open for the possibility of more to come—and reveal there are still secrets to be uncovered. The story Unicorn Island released first digitally in May 2020 as a 5-part serial with Epic, the leading digital reading platform for kids 12 and under. Epic then partnered with Andrews McMeel, an imprint of Simon & Schuster, to release the series as an illustrated hardcover. The next 5 books in the series come out on Epic this May, Unicorn Island: Secret Beneath the Sand, and then again in hardcover next winter.

For writing a series, one thing I recommend is that writers create a “series bible”. These are things that will be included in each book such as the theme, the setting, the rules of the world, and ongoing characters. While it’s key that each book in the series have a story arc that is complete, it’s also important for the series to have a story arc that spans the entire series. This story arc is something that won’t be resolved in book one but at the end of the series. Plotting this out beforehand can help drive the story, create tension, and make it cohesive.

5. I love your idea of a series bible. Your first series was published by a small publisher and then you republished some books on your own. Unicorn Island is being published by Simon & Schuster. Share a bit about how you’ve grown your career as a hybrid author.

It’s definitely been a learning experience! With small and large publishers, I’ve been lucky in having amazing editors to work with and learn from to improve my writing craft. With each book process I’ve grown as a writer and learned more about how the industry works. I dabbled in self-publishing when I created a prequel of short stories for my adult thrillers in the Element Trilogy. This helped me when I received the rights back to some of my books and re-published them myself. Through all of this over the years, the biggest benefit was building a large network of writing peers, authors, and industry professionals such as agents, editors, and publishers. Having a great-fit critique partner has also helped boost my writing and encourage me when tough rewrites are needed. I like to say we can write alone but we can’t get published alone. This network of wonderful people has helped me advance in my publishing career. And it was one such connection that led to new opportunities, including work-for-hire which led to several book projects in the last two years.

6. It’s great that networking has helped your career and given you so many more opportunities. What has it been like working with a larger publisher and your editor for this series? What have you learned from the process?

The marketing department of Andrews McMeel has been fantastic to work with! They have been so organized with driving publicity, connecting with review contacts, and also creating bookmarks, bookplates, a book trailer, and downloadable activities for kids. My editor has also been fantastic. We are both in sync with the story series and she always calls me out on the things I know should be changed or fixed but don’t address right away. I also learned how to write fast under deadline. It was inspiring to get it done so quickly while also enjoying the process.

7. Your agent is Liza Fleissig. Share how she became your agent.

I actually knew Liza for many years before becoming her client. My critique partner, Erica George, is agented by her as well so we would all see each other at various writing conferences. When I was ready to submit work, Liza, and I had a pow wow at the SCBWI conference in NJ. Liza is a fireball of energy and tells you like it is! I knew right away that I’d love to partner with her. Finally, I signed with her in the spring of 2019 with a contemporary middle grade novel.

8. How are you planning to market Unicorn Island and the rest of this series, especially in light of the pandemic.

I love doing author visits and have had some virtual visits already and more planned with young readers. I also did an Author in Conversation virtual launch event on the day of the release, February 9^th, with my local bookshop. My publisher has done quite a lot, too. They’ve set up several online interviews and podcasts, reviews with bloggers and industry publications, and publicity with industry events. 

9. You have been a published author for 5+ years now. What have you learned about having a social media platform and marketing your books that you think would be helpful to other writers?

There are so many things writers can be doing with platform and marketing. I think most importantly,

it’s key to align yourself with your peers and band with other authors. If you’re a debut author, try and join a debut group to cross promote for more exposure. Also, joining local and industry organizations related to your genre and audience can help you network and discover opportunities. Depending on what you write, these can be organizations such as SCBWI, Mystery Writers of America, International Thriller Writers, Science Fiction Fantasy Writers, or Horror Writers of America. Over the years I’ve taught writing marketing and craft at dozens of workshops and conferences and eventually turned many of them into online courses for writers. Writers can get a sneak peek at them and try my free course here, 5-Step Blueprint for Author Platform Success: https://www.udemy.com/user/donna-galanti/

10. What are you working on now?

I have so many projects on my plate and a goal to finish most of them this year! I have another online course on world building to create and publish. I’m revising two contemporary MG novels and finishing the draft of another contemporary middle grade. All of these stories have a strong nature theme running throughout them. I also have a fantasy MG to revise that involves a world with a floating island, a broken legacy, and a medieval flavor. I also have the final novel in my Element Trilogy for adults to publish. And I already have a new idea for a MG with a magical realism steampunk element to it. Clearly, I need more days in my year!

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

https://www.donnagalanti.com/

https://twitter.com/DonnaGalanti

https://www.instagram.com/donnagalanti/

https://www.facebook.com/DonnaGalantiAuthor

https://www.udemy.com/user/donna-galanti/

https://publishing.andrewsmcmeel.com/book/unicorn-island/
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/54335181-unicorn-island

Giveaway Details

Donna has generously offered a hardback of Unicorn Island for a giveaway. To enter, all you need to do is be a follower of my blog (via the follower gadget, email, or bloglovin’ on the right sidebar) and leave a comment by March 20th. If your e-mail is not on your Google Profile, you must leave it in the comments to enter the contest. Please be sure I have your email address.

If you mention this contest on Twitter, Facebook, or your blog and/or follow me on Twitter, mention this in the comments and I'll give you an extra entry for each. 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. 

Upcoming Interviews and Giveaways

Monday, March 15th I have a guest post by debut author Merriam Sarcia Saunders and her agent Caryn Wiseman with a query critique giveaway by Caryn and a giveaway of her MG contemporary Trouble with a Tiny t by Merriman

Tuesday, March 16th I’m participating in the Chasing Rainbows Giveaway Hop

Wednesday, March 17th I have an agent spotlight interview with Jennifer Herrington and a query critique giveaway

Monday, March 22nd I have an interview with debut author Christina Li and a giveaway of her MG contemporary Clues to the Universe

Wednesday, March 24th I have an interview with publisher Maria Dismondy of Cardinal Rule Press

Monday, March 29th I have an interview with debut author Jessica Olsen and a giveaway of her YA fantasy Sing Me Forgotten

Hope to see you on Monday!

 

Debut Author Interview: Tirzah Price and Pride and Premeditation Giveaway and IWSG Post

Happy Wednesday Everyone! Today I’m thrilled to have debut author Tirzah Price here to share about her YA historical mystery Pride and Premeditation. I was able to get an e-ARC through Netgalley. This is a fantastic, page-turning mystery. I loved that it was a retelling of Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice in such a refreshing way. And I really felt for Lizzie, who finds a way to be independent, in a time when women were not free like we are now. I can’t wait to read the next book in the series.

Here’s a blurb from Goodreads:

Perfect for fans of the Lady Janies and Stalking Jack the Ripper, the first book in the Jane Austen Murder Mysteries series is a clever retelling of Pride and Prejudice that reimagines the iconic settings, characters, and romances in a thrilling and high-stakes whodunit.

When a scandalous murder shocks London high society, seventeen-year-old aspiring lawyer Lizzie Bennet seizes the opportunity to prove herself, despite the interference of Mr. Fitzwilliam Darcy, the stern young heir to the prestigious firm Pemberley Associates.

Convinced the authorities have imprisoned the wrong person, Lizzie vows to solve the murder on her own. But as the case—and her feelings for Darcy—become more complicated, Lizzie discovers that her dream job could make her happy, but it might also get her killed.

IWSG Post

 

Before I get to my interview with Jennifer, I have my IWSG post.

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

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!

The awesome co-hosts for the March 3rd posting of the IWSG are  Sarah - The Faux Fountain Pen Jacqui Murray, Chemist Ken, Victoria Marie Lees, JQ and me.

Optional Question: Everyone has a favorite genre or genres to write. But what about your reading preferences? Do you read widely or only within the genre(s) you create stories for? What motivates your reading choice?

When I started writing middle grade and young adult fantasy, I only read in those genres. But then I went through a reading crisis after I lost my husband. I later learned that this is a common part of grief. For awhile I could only read adult mysteries, thrillers, and some contemporary.

As time has gone on, I have thankfully been able to read middle grade and young adult fantasy again. I also read more widely. I read more contemporary and mysteries in MG and YA as well as the same genres in adult fiction.

I read in my genre and ones I may want to write in because I think it’s important to read in the genres you write. And I enjoy them. I also read adult books because I like them a lot and sometimes I need to see myself as an adult in the characters I read. I’ve always loved to read a lot since I first learned to read and mainly read for the pleasure of it. I read almost every day and have for most of my life. I really don’t know what I’d do without it.

What about you? What do you like to read?

Interview With Tirzah Price

Hi Tirzah! Thanks so much for joining us.

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

Thanks so much for having me! I’ve always been a big YA reader and writer, although I didn’t get serious about writing until college. I applied to Vermont College of Fine Art’s MFA program for Writing for Children & Young Adults because so many of my favorite YA writers have graduated from that program. It was life-changing, and gave me the confidence and skills to go from starting novels to actually finishing them!

2. That’s so awesome that you decided to pursue your dreams. Where did you get the idea for Pride and Premeditation?

I’ve always enjoyed retellings and genre mash ups, and I’m a big fan of YA ahistorical novels that bring a bit of a modern sensibility to a historical period or classic work. I also really wanted to write a mystery, so the idea of writing a murder mystery retelling of Pride & Prejudice seemed too fun to pass up!

3. I’m thinking that I want to write a mystery too. Tell us a bit about your writing process for this book. Did you plot it out or were you a pantser? How long did it take you to get it to the point where you felt you could query?

Pride and Premeditation isn’t actually my first novel, but my third! I wrote two YA novels before it—

my first got me my agent, and both went on submission but unfortunately didn’t sell. I generally consider myself a plotter, and I had to get very structured with writing this mystery. I worked on a detailed chapter outline where everything worked and came together before drafting, and then I had a lot of revision.

4. Lizzie must solve a murder mystery to convince her father that he should hire her as a solicitor. How did you plot out the clues and twists of who the murderer was? Do you have any tips or books you recommend for other writers who want to write a mystery?

Writing a mystery is hard! When creating my outline for Pride and Premeditation (and the sequels), I usually start out with the broad strokes. I know who the villains are, and their motives, and I work backwards to the moment when the protagonists learn of the crime. Some tips and tricks I’ve picked up: It’s good to make sure that all of the characters have a secret or two that may or may not relate to the mystery at hand, and they can make for good red herrings. When it comes down to the nitty gritty of the clues, it helps to think about your settings, and how the villain might think of react in the moment of the crime—what do they leave behind? What do they overlook? How can a sharp-eyes sleuth pick up on these details? At this stage, I usually break my outline down in an excel spreadsheet to keep track of all the clues! I’ve never managed to write a good mystery in the first draft, either. For me, the magic happens in revision when I can make sure everything connects in an exciting and satisfying way.

5. Those are great tips! Lizzie is such a sympathetic, intelligent girl who has to try to stay independent in a world where women were expected to get married and take care of their husbands and kids. Did you have any trouble finding the balance between her desire to be an independent girl with the constraints of her time?

Yes! It’s partly why I chose to make the setting ahistorical. In reality, young ladies wouldn’t have been able to pursue careers in law—most didn’t work outside of the home, and those who did weren’t part of the upper class. Lizzie wouldn’t have been able to solve the mystery without causing a huge scandal and ruining her reputation, so I decided to take some liberties. Besides, real change has only ever happened because of the brave women who forged a path outside of what society expected of them. Even though Lizzie is (mostly) supported by her family and friends in her endeavors to build a career, there are still so many societal expectations and cultural bounds she runs up against, and I think that’s still true for a lot of people, even today.

6. Your agent is Taylor Martindale Keen. How did she become your agent and what was your road to publication like?

Taylor is wonderful! When I graduated from VCFA in 2015, I took about a year to revise my YA novel that I wrote while in the program, and I began querying agents the traditional way. Taylor was one of three to read my query and eventually offer representation, and I knew from the first phone call I wanted to work with her. She’s been a wonderfully loyal and supportive agent, especially as the first two YA books I sent her unfortunately didn’t sell. I’m grateful to her for sticking with me until we finally landed on a project that made it to publication!

7. That’s great that she stuck with you until you found the right manuscript to debut with. How are you planning to market your book? What advice do you have to other authors looking to debut or release a subsequent book during these changing times?

These are indeed changing times, and my biggest thanks to everyone taking the time to support debut authors right now! The message I’ve always hoped to send to readers with Pride and Premeditation, and the sequels, is that these are fun mysteries for fans of Austen’s work, but they’re also just plain fun if you have never read a Jane Austen novel. Don’t feel as though you have to be familiar with the source material to pick up the books—in fact, I don’t mind if reading Austen isn’t your favorite. I’m lucky to have the support of my fellow 2021 debuts, the 21ders, and a huge shoutout to the 2020 debuts who forged this new path of debuting in the pandemic for us. One of the great things that these times have shown us is that virtual events are really fun, and they can be done from anywhere, with people who live far away from you. I think anyone debuting should embrace their writer friendships and remember it’s a lot easier to do this if you have a supportive community.

8. Has it been any harder to write the second book in your series now that you are writing under contract? What have you learned that has helped you write a manuscript when you have a deadline to meet?

It’s been a bit more difficult in that when writing book two, I’m also working on revisions and production timelines for book one, and when looking at starting book three, I’m also still working on book two and launching book one…so it’s a balancing act! But one of the benefits is that I have a wonderful team at HarperTeen, and my editor and her assistants have been great about answering questions at the brainstorming phase and helping troubleshoot plot problems at the outline phase. Luckily, I have experience with writing on deadlines through my day job, and I think so many years of working towards publication while balancing a personal life and various jobs has made me pretty disciplined, so I am in the habit of writing consistently and towards a goal.

9. That’s great that your publisher has been so supportive. What are you working on now?

At this moment, I’m revising Sense and Second-Degree Murder, which will be out in 2022! Very soon I hope to start drafting Manslaughter Park, due out in 2023, and in between all of that I’m hoping to write something brand new!

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

TirzahPrice.com

Twitter/com/tirzahprice

Instagram.com/Tirzah.Price

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/19982385.Tirzah_Price

https://bookriot.com/author/tirzah-price/

Giveaway Details

Tirzah has generously offered a signed hardback (pre-order) of Pride and Premeditation for a giveaway. To enter, all you need to do is be a follower of my blog (via the follower gadget, email, or bloglovin’ on the right sidebar) and leave a comment by March 20th. If your e-mail is not on your Google Profile, you must leave it in the comments to enter the contest. Please be sure I have your email address.

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

Upcoming Interviews and Giveaways

Monday, March 8th I have an interview with author Donna Galanti and a giveaway of her MG fantasy Unicorn Island

Monday, March 15th I have a guest post by debut author Merriam Sarcia Saunders and her agent Caryn Wiseman with a query critique giveaway by Caryn and a giveaway of her MG contemporary Trouble with a Tiny t by Merriman

Tuesday, March 16th I’m participating in the Chasing Rainbows Giveaway Hop

Wednesday, March 17th I have an agent spotlight interview with Jennifer Herrington and a query critique giveaway

Monday, March 22nd I have an interview with debut author Christina Li and a giveaway of her MG contemporary Clues to the Universe

Wednesday, March 24th I have an interview with publisher Maria Dismondy of Cardinal Rule Press

Monday, March 29th I have an interview with debut author Jessica Olsen and a giveaway of her YA fantasy Sing Me Forgotten

Hope to see you on Monday!

 

 

 

 

Let’s Get Lucky Giveaway Hop

Happy Tuesday Everyone! Today I'm thrilled to be participating in the Let’s Get Lucky Giveaway Hop hosted by The Mommy Island and The Kids Did It. Who couldn’t use some luck these days? I’m hoping we all get lucky and are able to get vaccinated as soon as possible so that we can stay healthy and see everyone we love and miss.

I’ve got a lot of exciting newly releases MG and YA book choices this month to help you get through this month.

FYI I am starting to participate in two book giveaway blog hops every month so that I can feature more books that you'll hopefully want to read. You can enter my other giveaway by clicking on the link in the Current Giveaways at the top of the blog. 

 

Here are the newly released MG and YA books I'm offering in this giveaway hop. You can also choose another book in the series by these authors. You can find descriptions of these books on Goodreads. Here are your choices:

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

Giveaway Details

 One lucky entrant selected by the entry form will receive a book of their choice listed above or a $10 Amazon Gift Card. Open to entrants internationally as long as Book Depository ships to you for free, 13 years and older. Open for entry from 3/02 – 3/16/2021 at 11:59 pm EST. NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. The selected winner will have 48 hours to respond to the notification email to claim this prize or a new winner will be selected.

Please note that you must be a blog follower and leave a blog comment to enter the contest. 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Upcoming Interviews and Giveaways

Wednesday, March 3rd I have an interview with debut author Tirzah Price here to share about her YA historical mystery Pride and Premeditation and my IWSG post

Monday, March 8th I have an interview with author Donna Galanti and a giveaway of her MG fantasy Unicorn Island

Monday, March 15th I have a guest post by debut author Merriam Sarcia Saunders and her agent Caryn Wiseman with a query critique giveaway by Caryn and a giveaway of her MG contemporary Trouble with a Tiny t by Merriman

Tuesday, March 16th I’m participating in the Chasing Rainbows Giveaway Hop

Wednesday, March 17th I have an agent spotlight interview with Jennifer Herrington and a query critique giveaway

Monday, March 22nd I have an interview with debut author Christina Li and a giveaway of her MG contemporary Clues to the Universe

Wednesday, March 24th I have an interview with publisher Maria Dismondy of Cardinal Rule Press

Monday, March 29th I have an interview with debut author Jessica Olsen and a giveaway of her YA fantasy Sing Me Forgotten

Hope to see you tomorrow!

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

 

 

 

 

Guest Post: Agent Allison Hellegers and Debut Author Sam Taylor and We Are the Fire and Query Critique Giveaway

Happy Monday Everyone! Today I’m excited to have debut author Sam Taylor and her agent Allison Hellegers here to share about Sam’s debut YA We Are the Fire. It sounds like a story with fantastic world building and a unique magic system. I’m excited to read it.

Here’s a burb from Goodreads:

As electrifying as it is heartbreaking, Sam Taylor's explosive fantasy debut We Are the Fire is perfect for fans of An Ember in the Ashes and the legend of Spartacus.

In the cold, treacherous land of Vesimaa, children are stolen from their families by a cruel emperor, forced to undergo a horrific transformative procedure, and serve in the army as magical fire-wielding soldiers. Pran and Oksana―both taken from their homeland at a young age―only have each other to hold onto in this heartless place.

Pran dreams of one day rebelling against their oppressors and destroying the empire; Oksana only dreams of returning home and creating a peaceful life for them both.

When they discover the emperor has a new, more terrible mission than ever for their kind, Pran and Oksana vow to escape his tyranny once and for all. But their methods and ideals differ drastically, driving a wedge between them. Worse still, they both soon find that the only way to defeat the monsters that subjugated them may be to become monsters themselves.

Now here’s Sam and Allison!

Sam’s Story

My journey to traditional publishing is anything but traditional, because I signed with my literary agent (and for a different book!) after I had my book deal for WE ARE THE FIRE.

I’d tried querying WAtF with agents and while there’d been some interest, I didn’t receive any offers of representation. But I still believed in this book and wanted to give it another chance—and my critique partners and beta readers had loved it. I thought, “Readers enjoy this book, maybe readers can help me get it published.” And they did! I posted WAtF to the Swoon Reads website, where readers could rate and comment on manuscripts… and stories with positive reviews could grab the attention of an editor. Mine did, and Emily Settle, an editor with Swoon Reads (and its parent imprint, Feiwel & Friends) reach out to me saying Swoon Reads wanted to publish my book!

So I had that book deal I’d been chasing for years, but I knew I still wanted an agent partner: someone experienced in the business side of publishing, who knew contracts, markets, and the right questions to ask to ensure that my books received the best support. When I had another manuscript ready, I was back to querying… and it was thanks to my Swoon Reads contacts that I finally found and signed with my (amazing!!) agent, Alli Hellegers.

A few months after joining the Swoon Reads team, one of my fellow authors mentioned that a longtime

friend of hers, who’d been in publishing for 17 years at the time, had decided to become a literary agent (and with Stimola Literary Studio, no less). Though Alli was still a couple months away from officially opening to queries, any of us Swoon Reads authors were invited to query her in advance.

Yes, please! I’m a big believer in taking any opportunity that comes your way, no matter how unusual, because you never know where it might lead. I queried Alli with my new manuscript, an Icelandic historical fantasy packed with witches and Viking-age magic. Turns out Alli adores Iceland as well (yes!!!) and quickly asked for the full. A few weeks later, she made that unicorn offer I’d chased for years: agent representation.

Though Alli is new to agenting, because she’s been in the industry for so long, she has the experience I’d been looking for: she’s well-versed in the market, she has both US and foreign connections, and She. Knows. Contracts. While I can craft entirely new worlds from a blank page, with magical characters and wild adventures, pouring through a 20+ page contract full of legalese is overwhelming. There, I wanted someone who knew what they’re doing.

And even though my partnership with Alli began with a different book, she’s still been amazingly helpful when it comes to WE ARE THE FIRE, joining in conversations with my team at Swoon Reads, especially when it comes to the all-important marketing and publicity. That’s a good agent! I’m beyond lucky to have Alli on my team.

Alli’s Story

Thanks, Sam for those comments! It was such a pleasure to get Sam’s YA novel, WICKED IS THE WITCH, previous to opening up widely to submissions in North America. Most of my background in publishing has been in foreign sales, having worked in rights for the majority of my publishing career. Scandinavia was one of the markets I sold in directly for my previous job, Rights People, and I had the opportunity to travel to all countries there, including Iceland. I fell in love with the country, the nature, and the magic of the landscape. On top of that, I’ve always had a love for all things witchy, so it felt like Sam’s story was made just for me (and also for that younger version of myself). She was one of the first clients I signed, and it’s been such a pleasure to represent someone so creative, hard-working, and focused on always growing as a writer. I could read her fantasy worldbuilding, including her descriptions of baked goods from said world, all day!  

Although I’ve been working in rights for 20 years, I didn’t make the switch to agenting authors directly till I joined Stimola Literary Studio in August 2019. While I adored getting to know the foreign market and helping to launch so many author’s careers around the globe, I also was so drawn to representing authors myself. I had been working on behalf of UK, foreign, and Australian agents and publishers to sell rights back to North American editors, so I was fortunate to know the landscape before I made the switch. Rosemary Stimola (who I knew since my job as a literary scout) happened to be an agent whose career and perspective I greatly admired, and I was over the moon when she asked me to join the Studio. I’m also delighted to be helping other Studio clients with foreign rights as part of my new role.

So far, I’ve been selling mostly middle grade and YA novels, and I’m taking on a few picture books and also adult fiction and non-fiction. It would probably be easier if I specialized in one thing, but my passions are broad, and I love to fall for projects that I’m not expecting to arrive in my inbox. I’m a big fan of voice-driven, boundary-pushing fiction that can fit in multiple categories and cross age-groups, but I still need to have a vision for how it will fit in the current marketplace. I’m drawn to things that are joyful and offer meaning, but I don’t stray from darker storylines and genres. So, twisty mysteries, thrillers, and horror are fine – but the writing has to evoke multiple feelings and emotions, including humor and/or joy in order to appeal. As a very visual person, I always enjoy unique storytelling structures, graphic novels, and novels in verse, as they tend to work well for my way of processing story. And with so much competition to devices these days, I’m excited to help find creative ways to captivate children, including my own videogame obsessed eight-year-old boy.

Overall, I strive to have a nurturing and transparent relationship with my clients. I can provide both editorial and/or big picture notes, depending on client and need, and it would be a big joy to also sell my own client’s works widely around the globe. Mostly, I’m looking to help good people make good books, and if I can help propel diverse and #ownvoices creators, then it’s just all the more rewarding!

Sam on Instagram: @jsamtaylorauthor

Sam on Twitter: @jsamtaylor

Sam’s Website: www.samtaylorwrites.com

Buy WE ARE THE FIRE!

Alli on Twitter: @allidhellegers

Stimola Literary Studio: www.stimolaliterarystudio.com

Giveaway Details

Sam’s publisher has generously offered a hardback of We Are the Fire and Allison has offered a query critique for a giveaway. To enter, all you need to do is be a follower of my blog (via the follower gadget, email, or bloglovin’ on the right sidebar) and leave a comment by March 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 the contest. Please be sure I have your email address. 

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

Upcoming Interviews and Giveaways

Tuesday, March 2nd I’m participating in the Let’s Get Lucky Giveaway Hop

Wednesday, March 3rd I have an interview with debut author Tirzah Price here to share about her YA historical mystery Pride and Premeditation and my IWSG post

Monday, March 8th I have an interview with author Donna Galanti and a giveaway of her MG fantasy Unicorn Island

Monday, March 15th I have a guest post by debut author Merriam Sarcia Saunders and her agent Caryn Wiseman with a query critique giveaway by Caryn and a giveaway of her MG contemporary Trouble with a Tiny t by Merriman

Wednesday, March 17th I have an agent spotlight interview with Jennifer Herrington and a query critique giveaway

Monday, March 22nd I have an interview with debut author Christina Li and a giveaway of her MG contemporary Clues to the Universe

Wednesday, March 24th I have an interview with publisher Maria Dismondy of Cardinal Rule Press

Monday, March 29th I have an interview with debut author Jessica Olsen and a giveaway of her YA fantasy Sing Me Forgotten

Hope to see you Tuesday, March 2nd!