LEA NOLAN INTERVIEW AND CONJURE GIVEAWAY

Today I’m excited to interview debut author Lea Nolan. Her book, CONJURE, was released on October 23, 2012. I’m excited to share this with you because it involves hidden pirate bounty and unleashing a Gullah curse. Doesn’t that sound fascinating?

Here’s a blurb from Goodreads:

Be careful what you search for...

Emma Guthrie expects this summer to be like any other in the South Carolina Lowcountry—hot and steamy with plenty of beach time alongside her best friend and secret crush, Cooper Beaumont, and Emma’s ever-present twin brother, Jack. But then a mysterious eighteenth-century message in a bottle surfaces, revealing a hidden pirate bounty. Lured by the adventure, the trio discovers the treasure and unwittingly unleashes an ancient Gullah curse that attacks Jack with the wicked flesh-eating Creep and promises to steal Cooper’s soul on his approaching sixteenth birthday.

But when a strange girl appears bent on revenge, demon dogs become a threat, and Jack turns into a walking skeleton, Emma has no choice but to learn hoodoo magic to undo the hex, all before summer—and her friends—are lost forever.

Hi Lea. Thanks so much for joining us.

You’re very welcome! It’s a pleasure to be here.

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

I’m a wife and mom to three youngish, school-aged kids. I grew up in a small town on Long Island, New York and was always near the water. After my husband and I settled in Maryland, we both missed the water so much that we decided to move to a town that’s closer to the Chesapeake Bay. Our community has its own private beach off a river that feeds into the Bay. I love going to dock side restaurants to eat crabs, which are a Maryland specialty.

As for how I started writing fiction, it happened after I read Twilight. Like many recent writers, I was inspired by the powerful emotional feelings Stephenie Meyers conveyed in that book. It reminded me of how earth-quaking first love can be and spurred my interest in YA fiction. I’d already been a non-fiction/health policy writer for more than 15 years so I had the basic necessary mechanical knowledge, but I lacked a background on the genre. Like a good researcher, I read a bunch more YAs then decided to give it a try. My first manuscript took me six re-writes before it was good enough to query agents. That manuscript is still unpublished, but my next became CONJURE and sold in a three-book deal!

2.  Awesome how a book kindled your interest in writing. For me, it was Harry Potter. CONJURE is set in the steamy South Carolina Lowcountry. It sounds like a really interesting setting. What made you pick this setting and what research did you need to do to get the setting right?

I picked the Lowcountry for a number of reasons: 1) Pirates were active off the South Carolina coast in the 18^th-century; 2) I've always been interested in the Gullah; 3) Hoodoo magic is extremely cool; and 4) The Lowcountry is one of the most gorgeous and romantic places I've ever been. Who can resist the giant live oaks, Spanish moss, lush marshes, pristine beaches and bottle trees? Not me!!!

3.  It sounds like you really put a lot of thought into the setting. And you're making me want to go there the way you describe it.. I love the idea of unleashing the Gullah curse. Share a bit about it and how you came up with the idea of including it in your story.

The wicked flesh-eating curse is called The Creep. Since I don’t want to spoil it, I won’t explain why it’s got that name but trust me, it’s deliciously, gloriously disgusting! When I decided to write the story, I knew from the beginning that the pirates and their ship were cursed, but I didn’t know how or what had happened to them. But I trusted that I’d figure it out when I needed to. Then one day I was vacuuming and the idea for The Creep popped into my head. I knew right away it was a keeper and there was no way I was going to change it.

4.  I love hearing how ideas come to authors. Fun how they come to us when we're doing something mundane like housework. Who was your hardest character to develop and why? How did you overcome the challenges in get the character right?

Miss Delia. In the beginning, before I introduced her in the story, I was concerned I wouldn’t be able to write her convincingly or that I wouldn’t do her justice. She’s the ninety-seven year old Gullah root worker who agrees to teach Emma Guthrie the magic to reverse The Creep. A character like that could easily be caricatured or exploited and I was adamant that I wouldn’t do that to her. I did a lot of background research on the Gullah, their culture and mythology, and hoodoo magic to make sure I handled things as factually possible, although I knew I’d have to take some artistic license here and there to keep things interesting in a novel. Then I sat down to write Miss Delia. From her first line of dialogue, her personality came across so strong and wise, as well as compassionate that I knew there wouldn’t be a problem. She demanded respect and no one was going to deny her.

5.  How are you planning to market your book and what’s Entangled Publishing doing to help you with this?

Entangled has helped me just about everything I’m doing! Two months before CONJURE’s release we had a fantastic cover reveal event with over 130 bloggers and authors with blogs which helped to raise visibility and anticipation. Then a month before publication we distributed tons of digital ARCs to fabulous bloggers which also helped to create a bit of buzz. My publicists at Entangled have also put together a superb blog tour with more than 40 great sites like Literary Rambles. 

I’ve also created a street team called The Apprentices which is open to anyone who’s interested in helping spread the word about CONJURE and the rest of the books in The Hoodoo Apprentice Series. It’s a great way for me to get to know enthusiastic readers better. Members get special sneak peeks and story tidbits, exclusive swag, and are entered for a monthly prize. I’ve also invested in a bunch of book swag to give away at blog stops, Facebook and Twitter contests, signings, library events, and schools. And I’ve also got a dedicated Facebook Page for The Hoodoo Apprentice Series.

6.  That's awesome that your publisher is helping so much. And it sounds like you've got a great marketing plan in place. For all us aspiring authors, what advice do you have on the querying process?

Take a log-line/query workshop. You can find them through Savvy Authors and RWA affiliated chapters as well as other places. Although I tried to write a competent query before I took a workshop, none of them were right. It wasn’t until I took a class that I really learned how to write one of these monsters. You get outstanding feed back from your professional instructor(s) and your fellow students. Then, after you’ve finally got a great, vetted query, don’t blanket the agent world with it. Send it out in small batches of between 5-10 agents. If you don’t get any requests for partials or fulls, there’s a good chance your query still needs work. Pull it back, share it with writers you respect to get their opinion, tweak and try again. Also, make sure you do your research when selecting agents. Read their websites, any blogs they’ve visited, interviews they’ve given, their twitter feed, etc. to get a sense of what they’re looking for and if you’re a good fit.

7.  That's all such great advice. And timely for me because I'm hoping to query for the first time after the list of the year. What are you working on now?

I’m working on CONJURE’s sequel, ALLURE. The plot gets darker and more creepy and takes some very surprising turns. I can’t wait to see what people think of it!

Thanks so much for having me, Natalie! I had a great time visiting with you!

~Lea

 

Thanks Lea for sharing all your great advice. Good luck with your debut. You can find Lea at her website, on Facebook, Twitter and on Goodreads. CONJURE is available at both Barnes and Noble and Amazon. 

Lea and her publisher generously are offering a copy of CONJURE 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 by midnight on November 17th. I’ll announce the winner on November 20th. If your e-mail is not on Blogger, please list it in your comment. 

If you mention this contest on Twitter, Facebook, or your blog, mention this in the comments and I'll give you an extra entry. International entries are welcome.

Here's what's coming up:

On Friday I'm hosting debut author Chris Howard and giving away a copy of his book ROOTLESS, a dystopian world about a world about trees. Does it sound like a unique dystopian story? 

Next Monday I'm interviewing J.A. Souders and giving away a copy of her new book RENEGADE, a fantasy about an underwater world. I'm anxiously awaiting the copy for the giveaway from her publisher so I can read it.


Next Wednesday I'm interviewing agent Mary Kole and giving away a copy of her new book, WRITING IRRESISTIBLE KIDLIT: The Ultimate Guide to Crafting Fiction for Young Adult and Middle Grade Reader. We'll also be talking about what she's looking for in submissions so be sure to stop by.

And don't forget our Tuesday Tips and Casey's Thursday agent spotlights.

Hope to see you Friday!

THE SPINDLERS GIVEAWAY AND ASK THE EXPERT INTERVIEW

Before I get to our fantastic interview with Jenna for my ASK THE EXPERT series, I just want to say that I hope you are all safe and getting your lives back to normal from Hurricane Sandy. And I hope you vote tomorrow.


And now I have a few winners to announce.

The winner of SAMANTHA SUTTON AND THE LABYRINTH OF LIES is MELODIE WRIGHT!

And the winner of OF GIANTS AND ICE is JESSICA HAIGHT! 


Finally the winners of BLIND SPOT are EVIE and JESSIE!

Congrats! E-mail me your addresses so I can send you your books. You must e-mail me by the end of Wednesday or I'll have to pick another winner.

Today I’m excited to interview Jenna, a 12^th grader who is also an aspiring author for my ASK THE EXPERT series. Jenna is also getting back into blogging and you can check out her awesome blog here.

Hi Jenna. Thanks so much for joining us.

1.  Please tell us a little bit about yourself, your school, and what you like to read.

Right.  I’m not so great at introductions, but here goes.  I’m a senior in high school, a complete superhero freak (Marvel trumps DC), and a Whovian.)  My school’s tiny—sixty people in my grade—and I typically like to read about anything impossible.  Fantasy, sci-fi, supernatural, superhuman…I’m open to all sorts of stuff.  At the end of the day, though, it comes down to character, not genre.  I’d follow a grey, likeable character anywhere.

2.  You like a lot of the same genres as me. And you're right, the stories have to be about great characters. I know you’re an aspiring author too. Tell us a little bit about what you’re working on and how you juggle writing with a busy high school schedule of homework and other activities.

 

Right now, I’m working on finishing up my final draft of my YA novel before I start querying.  It’s a superhero fiction, a sort of origin story for a team of superhumans.  I’ve been re-re-rewriting it since eighth grade, and sometimes I get irritated with myself for taking so long and having to redo it so many times—you know how it is—but now I’m pretty glad.  After all, thanks to The Avengers, most people have seen what a superhero origin story is like, even if those people aren’t normally comic book fans

As for finding the balance between life and writing, my method of juggling is more like seesawing.  I sort of ride the wave when I have free time, get as much done as I can when I can.  And when things are crazy and I can only eek out 100 words a day, I take that too.  I could be better about it, but I think finding your own balance is a learning process.  You find out what works for you as you go.

3.  Congrats on getting to the querying stage soon. It's quite an accomplishment finishing a story while in school. And if it makes you feel any better, it's taken me about 10 years to get my manuscript ready to start querying. Before you started writing, how did you find out about the books you read? What about new books coming out?

I didn’t stumble upon the blogosphere until a couple years after I started taking writing seriously.  And before that, I really just read whatever I could find at my school library.  Since a small town equals a small library, there were never a ton of options, so I wasn’t too picky about what I read.  Sometimes friends would suggest books from the outside world, or if I was really impressed by a book, I’d investigate its author’s other stuff.  I really only found out about new books coming out if I followed that series or author online.  Which makes me sound like a total hermit, but whatever.

4.  I grew up in a small town too and didn't have that many choices either. Like you, I read whatever I could get my hands on. How has writing changed what you read, if at all? What books are you waiting to be released?

Before I started writing and discovered the blessing/curse that is Netflix, reading was the main way I spent my time.  I didn’t do much else.  So even if I wasn’t a huge fan of the writing or characters or plot of a certain book, I would almost always finish it anyway.  Now that I’m writing, I have a better idea of what I do and don’t like—and with less time for reading, I’m a tiny bit more selective in what I do read.  As for my to-read list, I’m not waiting for a ton of specific books—just some that seemed interesting when I read about on other blogs, or sequels to stories I already like.

5.  Do you buy most of your book or get them at the library? How often do you go to a bookstore? 

As a rule, I only buy books I’ve already read and really liked.  If I know that’s a book I’ll want to reread, I’ll buy it.  Possibly Dave Ramsey’s warped my brain, but it’s also because I’ve been disappointed every time I’ve bought a book without reading it, just based on the back cover or recommendations.  And since I live 45 minutes away from the nearest bookstore and don’t drive, I don’t get to visit them often.  Sad stuff.

6.  That's interesting that you wait to read a book before buying it. That must be hard living so far from a bookstore. Do you read any teen book blogs, author blogs, or author or publisher websites? Become a fan of an author on Facebook? Why? Has this changed at all since you started writing?

 I do follow authors’ blogs, but most of the time that’s as a writer.  As a reader, I keep up with authors’ blogs either because they’re entertaining or because they keep me updated with books and series I love.  One of my favorites belongs to Scott Westerfeld; the blog oozes personality, fosters a sense of community among his readers, and has Fan Art Fridays.  I also follow Catherine Fisher’s website, mostly because of her Q&A page.  She publishes each question that’s submitted to her, plus her answer, all in one place.  And most of the questions have to do with her books—story world questions that were never explored in the series, or what color she imagined a character’s eyes being—so it’s interesting to go through.  Because her answers provide new information about series that are often already over, it’s like getting to see a small, behind-the-scenes extension of the books.

7.  I'm a fan of Catherine Fischer. I'll have to check out her website. Thanks for the tip. Have any of your teachers recommended any blogs or websites to your class or to you?

Afraid not.  My Shakespeare teacher started a blog this year for her English classes, though, so there’s hope for future generations.

8.  I'm not surprised. Not many teens I interview say their teachers recommend blogs or websites.. Are there things your favorite authors could do that would make you more likely to visit their website, their blog, or become a fan on Facebook?

See what I mentioned about Westerfeld’s and Fisher’s blogs, and do as they do.

9.  Have any authors visited your school? Who? Is there anything you’d recommend that an author do to make their presentation more interesting to you and other kids at your school?

 My school doesn’t actually get many visitors—mostly just a guy every year with an anti-drug slideshow.  Which is great and all, but becomes a little less interesting each time you hear it.  Considering that, I’m sure any authors would be welcome to make an appearance at my school.  I’d think a behind-the-scenes view of the writing process might be interesting to all the students as a whole.

Thanks Jenna for sharing all your great advice. Good luck with the querying!

I've also got a great book, THE SPINDLERS, to share with you today. I'm a huge fan of Lauren Oliver and was so excited when I was able to get an ARC of her most recent book.

Here’s a description from Goodreads:

One night when Liza went to bed, Patrick was her chubby, stubby, candy-grubbing and pancake-loving younger brother, who irritated and amused her both, and the next morning, when she woke up, he was not. In fact, he was quite, quite different.

When Liza's brother, Patrick, changes overnight, Liza knows exactly what has happened: The spindlers have gotten to him and stolen his soul.

She knows, too, that she is the only one who can save him.

To rescue Patrick, Liza must go Below, armed with little more than her wits and a broom. There, she uncovers a vast world populated with talking rats, music-loving moles, greedy troglods, and overexcitable nids . . . as well as terrible dangers. But she will face her greatest challenge at the spindlers' nests, where she encounters the evil queen and must pass a series of deadly tests--or else her soul, too, will remain Below forever.

From "New York Times" best-selling author Lauren Oliver comes a bewitching story about the reaches of loyalty, the meaning of love, and the enduring power of hope.

One of the things I loved was the fantastic world building when Liza goes Below. Everywhere Liza journeys, we’re introduced to fantastically creative creatures like the lumer-lumpers, who are the keepers of the light and similar to glow worms, troglods, who are rock shaped creatures, and my favorite, the nocturna, small creatures that fly and are the keepers of the dreams. Lauren does a fantastic job with the world building and shows the depth of her imagination in creating this world.

Liza is a character kids will sympathize with. As soon as she knows something is wrong with her brother Patrick, she tries to tell her parents. But her parents are distracted by their own problems of mounting bills and her dad losing his glasses. So they don’t listen to her and when they do, just think she’s making up the problem. I’m sure many kids can relate to that experience.

So Liza sets off to find Patrick’s soul Below. She’s not a perfect character. In fact, she’s not very nice to Mirabella, the rat helping her on her journey to the Spindlers’ lair. But in some ways, it makes her more endearing, because all great characters need to grow. And she has a one pointed dedication to trying to save her brother no matter what dangers she faces. She’s loyal and smart and I couldn’t help really liking her.

Mirabella is an odd sewer rat, who likes to wear a weird wig, too much make-up, and pieced together clothes. She can be annoying at times. But even in the face of danger and when Liza doesn’t treat her the best, she sticks by Liza. And she has her own lessons to learn. That’s all I’ll say about her because I don’t want to spoil it for you.

I’m not usually a fan of books with talking animals, but THE SPINDLERS, like GREGOR THE OVERLANDER by Suzanne Collins, and NIGHTSHADE CITY by Hilary Wagner, are exceptions to the rule. This is a quick read into an amazing fantasy world that middle grade kids—boys and girls—and middle grade adult lovers will really enjoy.

Harper Collins generously provided me with an ARC of THE SPINDLERS and then I got a book in the mail too. So I'm giving away both. 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 on Jenna's interview by midnight on November 17th. I’ll announce the winner on November 20th. If your e-mail is not on Blogger, please list it in your comment.

If you mention this contest on Twitter, Facebook, or your blog, mention this in the comments and I'll give you an extra entry. International entries are welcome.

Marvelous Middle Grade Mondays was started by ShannonWhitney Messenger to spotlight middle grade authors. Check out the other Middle Grade group:

Shannon O’Donnell

Joanne Fritz

Sherrie Petersen

Brooke Favero

MyrnaFoster

Barbara Watson

Just Deb

Michael Gettel-Gilmartin

Pam Torres

Jennifer Rumberger

Mundie Kids

Ms. Yingling Reads

The Accidental Novelist

Gabrielle Prendergast

Gina Carey

Nye Louwon

Brennan and Meyrick Murphy

Andrea Mack

Laurisa Reyes

Kim Aippersbach

Akossiwa Ketoglo

Julie from That's Swell

Jemi Fraser

Michelle Mason
Faith Hough 
Heidi Grange 
Susan Olson 

 Here's what's coming up:

On Wednesday I'll be participating in a blog tour for debut author Lea Nolan and giving away a copy of her new book CONJURE. The awesome Elana Johnson is organizing her blog tour and I was excited when she asked me to be part of it. Lea's book is about hidden pirate bounty and unleashing a Gullah curse and sounds fantastic.

On Friday I'm hosting debut author Chris Howard and giving away a copy of his book ROOTLESS, a dystopian world about a world about trees. Doesn't it sound like a unique dystopian story? 

Next Monday I'm interviewing J.A. Souders and giving away a copy of her new book RENEGADE, a fantasy about an underwater world. I'm anxiously awaiting the copy for the giveaway from her publisher so I can read it.  

Next Wednesday I'm interviewing agent Mary Kole and giving away a copy of her new book, WRITING IRRESISTIBLE KIDLIT: The Ultimate Guide to Crafting Fiction for Young Adult and Middle Grade Reader. We'll also be talking about what she's looking for in submissions so be sure to stop by.

And don't forget our Tuesday Tips and Casey's Thursday agent spotlights.



Hope to see you Wednesday!

Agent Spotlight: Nathaniel Jacks

This week's Agent Spotlight features Nathaniel Jacks of InkWell Management.
Status Update on 12/19/2025: Accepting submissions.
About: "Nathaniel Jacks joined InkWell Management after graduating from Columbia University with a BA in literature. Among the books he represents are The Birth of Cool by New Yorker contributor Nicola Twilley, The Heavenly Table by Guggenheim Fellow Donald Ray Pollock, American Hookup by sociologist Lisa Wade, Ph.D., The Code of Trust by behavioral expert Robin Dreeke, and Broad Influence by TIME Washington correspondent Jay Newton-Small. He is excited to work with ambitious authors whose books enlighten everyday life, demystify systems, explore the mind, question the status quo, and empower self-improvement. He also oversees contracts at InkWell." (Link)
About the Agency:
"InkWell is one of the world’s leading literary agencies, proudly representing major literary prize winners as well as many of the world's bestselling and best-loved authors. We enjoy a considerable international reputation as a significant and innovative player in the industry.
“In addition to its full-time agents and their assistants, the InkWell team includes a tireless foreign rights department, a dedicated social media, marketing and publicity expert, and a meticulous contracts manager. We also join forces with leading literary agencies in every foreign market and have agents based in Australia, Boston, and Dallas. We continue to be excited by—and on the lookout for—original ideas, riveting stories and great writing….” (Link)
Web Presence:
InkWell Management website.

QueryTracker.
What He's Looking For:
Genres/Specialties:
Fiction: Literary, commercial, women’s, young adult, historical, short story.
Non-Fiction: Memoir, biography, narrative, travel, religion, food & wine, history, current affairs, business.
What He Isn't Looking For:
Screenplays, picture books.
Editorial Agent?
Unknown.
Clients:
A list of InkWell Management clients is available on the website.
Mr. Jack's clients include: Matt Gross, Maria Mutch, Donald Ray Pollock, Molly Knight Raskin, Richard La Ruina, Lise Saffran, Sara Leigh Walsh, Brook Wilensky-Lanford, among others.
Query Methods:
E-mail: Yes (only).
Snail-Mail: No.
Online-Form: No.

Submission Guidelines (always verify):
In the body of an e-mail include a query letter and short writing sample of one to two chapters.
Please see the Inkwell Management website for complete, up-to-date submission guidelines and terms of agreement.
Response Times:
The agency has a stated response time of up to two months Stats on requested material are limited but show a range of 1-3 months.
What's the Buzz?
I couldn't find much information on Mr. Jacks beyond what’s on the agency website, but he’s actively making sales and his clients have good things to say. Nothing suggests an interest in middle grade but he does represent select YA projects including Sara Leigh Walsh’s DARKLIGHT (Simon Pulse).
Worth Your Time:
Interviews:
None found.
Contact:
Please see the InkWell Management website for contact and query information.
Profile Details:
Last updated: 3/19/2024.
Agent Contacted For Review? No.
Last Reviewed By Agent? N/A.
***

Have any experience with this agent? See something that needs updating? Please leave a comment or e-mail me at natalieiaguirre7@gmail.com

Note: These agent profiles and interviews presently focus on agents who accept children's fiction. Please take the time to verify anything you might use here before querying an agent. The information found here is subject to change.