I’m super excited to be touring with four other fabulous YA authors: Amy Parker (Random House), Jessica Khoury (Razorbill/Penguin), Anna Banks (Feiwel & Friends/Macmillan), and Jessica Brody (Farrar, Straus and Giroux/Macmillan).
We will be visiting middle schools, high schools, colleges, libraries and bookstores to talk to students, readers and writers about writing and reading. Here is the link to our website and the tour details!
Yesterday we had GILDED’s launch party and it was even better than I could possibly hope for. So many friends, co-workers, and students attended to show their support of the book. I was in awe.
The launch party was a celebration of everything that it took to get published as well as a way to share my excitement with the people I care about.
A big thank you to the Windermere Library for allowing me to have the launch there. They even invited me back for my next launch in September! My family helped me set up and decorate the library with Korean decorations.
There was cake.
My sister introduced the event.
I did a short presentation on the history of writing GILDED.
And read a portion of the book.
I went through 3 gold pens signing everyone’s books.
We had a huge crowd of about 120 people show up.
Including my awesome teammates from Keene’s Crossing Elementary! Don’t they look awesome wearing their GILDED shirts!
Check out this beautiful gift from Larissa Hardesty.
And this one from Tara Gallina.
Afterwards a bunch of us went out to dinner.
The whole event couldn’t have gone better. I felt so blessed and grateful to everyone who showed up. Thank you all for your support and for making this day special for me!
(Also, I have video footage too of the launch so after my tour is over next week, I’ll be sure to post it!)
GILDED will be touring around the blogsphere over the next few weeks. I hope you’ll take the time to stop by and chat with each of the tour hosts and say hit. And while you’re touring, maybe you can learn a little about Korea and GILDED!
I’ll be giving away 10 Korean silk swag bags full of GILDED and Korean goodies. To sweeten the deal, my so-very-incredible publisher, Skyscape, is giving away, not one, but TWO, Kindle Paperwhites!!!!!!
I know. My mind is completely blown, too. Big thanks to Elana Johnson who set the whole tour up and made this happen!
Here’s the line up. Aren’t these bloggers AMAZING?
March 3rd
Le&ndra Wallace– Interview
Seeing at Night– Review
March 4th
The Eater of Books!- Review
Reader Girls– Korean Food Tour + Review
March 6th
Me, My Shelf and I- 25 Things About Me
March 7th- Feeling Fictional
March 10th- Manga Maniac Cafe
March 18th- YA Guy– Review
I have to admit when I saw the list of the places GILDED was visiting I was so excited because these bloggers are not only creative, but they have excellent content. Looking forward to ‘seeing’ you at all these stops!
If you would like to order an autographed copy of any of my books, Writer’s Block Bookstore is my indie bookstore! If you let them know you’d like a personalized copy, I do go down every so often and sign books. Just let them know in the comments section of your order.
All my books can be found here.
THANK YOU to everyone for joining my friends and I as GILDED launched today! It was such a great day and I thank you for making that happen.
To end this day, I’m leaving you with this video. If you are the one perusing your dreams, make sure you have a group of support members to be there at your side.
And if you have friends or family members pursuing their dreams, be there for them because it’s through you that those dreams become a reality.
Also, here is a summary of all the posts from today in one swoop!
8:00 am- Christina Farley- Intro + giveaway of critique pack (query +3 chapters)
9:00 am- Andrea Mack- Shoot for Your Dreams with Determination and Patience
10:00 am- Erica Cameron- giveaway of autographed copy of SING SWEET NIGHTINGALE
11:00 am- Natalie Aguirre- Follow Your Dream At Your Own Pace + giveaway of 2 hardcovers of GILDED
11:30- Casey McCormick- Proud to be a Sidekick
12:00 pm- Elisa Nader-Shot through the Heart: 7 Ways Following Your Dream is A Lot Like Falling in Love + giveaway of signed hardcover of EDEN
1:00 pm- Kit Grindstaff- I Won’t Give Up + giveaway of audiobook of THE FLAME AND THE MIST, bookmarks, buttons
2:00 pm- Vivi Barnes- Keep Focused + giveaway of autographed copy of OLIVIA TWISTED
3:00 pm- Beth Revis- Finding your mark + giveaway of autographed paperback of SHADES OF EARTH
4:00 pm- Debbie Ridpath Ohi- Aim High! + giveaway of audio of GILDED
5:00 pm- Amy Parker- Equipping Your Arsenal +giveaway of a GATED pack (2 winners- audio and t-shirt and bookmarks)
6:00 pm- Robin Constantine- Fill the Quiver (with inspiration) + giveaway of THE PROMISE OF AMAZING
7:00 pm- Meredith McCardle- Some People Dream, Others Hunt Them Down + giveaway of autographed hardcover of THE EIGHTH GUARDIAN
8:00 pm- Maureen McGowan- Let It Fly + giveaway of choice of either DEVIANTS or COMPLIANCE
Let it Fly
Plus Giveaway of either DEVIANTS or COMPLIANCE below
By Maureen McGowan
In publishing, as with any endeavor, you’ll never hit a bulls-eye, never mind clip the edge of a target, if you leave your arrows in your quiver.
Showing your work to other people, especially your creative work, can be terrifying—petrifying, crippling—so I understand the temptation to hold it back. But you can’t. Not if you ever want to be published.
Over the years, I’ve met many aspiring writers who’ve been working on the same manuscript for years, or who keep starting new projects without finishing any. Or they have a multitude of excuses for why they don’t (or rarely) send their work to agents or editors.
And their fear is valid. When you first submit your work to professionals, or seek critiques from anyone with more experience than you, it’s probable that the initial feedback will be negative. You’ll miss the target. You’ll land short or long or wide and you’ll need to suck it up, figure out how to improve, and shoot again.
Worse, even after you’ve developed more skill, the wind might pick up right after you shoot, or the target might suddenly move, making you miss with an arrow that would have hit, if it had been released a split-second earlier or later. No one said publishing was fair.
And the risk of missing doesn’t end once you’re published. Writing is subjective and the targets continue to move. In fact, there’s never any guarantee that your agent or editor will like the next thing you write, (published authors get rejected all the time), and there’s certainly no guarantee that readers will like your book once it’s published. In fact, it’s almost guaranteed that some readers will passionately hate your book. Learning to take the bad with the good is just part of being an author, and all of that starts with submitting.
So if you’re an aspiring writer, I encourage you to send your work out. Don’t hide your stories in your quiver. Nock your arrow, pull back the string, take careful aim, and shoot.
You can’t possibly hit any targets if you don’t let your arrows fly!
Maureen McGowan is the author of two popular young adult series, including the best-selling and award-winning dystopian thriller trilogy: The Dust Chronicles. She writes exciting, fast-paced novels, enjoyed by teen and adult readers alike.
Maureen always loved writing fiction, but side-tracked by a persistent practical side, it took her a few years to channel her energy into novels. After leaving a career in finance and accounting, she hasn’t looked back.
Aside from her love of books, she’s passionate about films, fine handcrafted objects and shoes. She lives in Toronto, where she attends the film festival every year. Her most recent titles include: Deviants (Oct, 2012), Compliance (June, 2013), and Glory (June 10, 2014). To keep up with her latest news, sign up here: http://eepurl.com/N81kT or visit www.maureenmcgowan.com
Twitter: @MaureenMcGowan
Website: http://maureenmcgowan.com/
Some People Dream, Others Hunt Them Down
Plus a giveaway of an autographed hardcover of THE EIGHTH GUARDIAN below
There’s a song that’s very special to me. A song that’s gotten me through some rough times in my writing career. Through form rejections to my query letter. Through scathing letters from editors who clearly only read a few pages of my manuscript. Through plot points that won’t work themselves out and through characters who won’t behave. And mostly through the crippling self-doubt that can plague anyone trying to pursue a dream.
That song is Head Full of Doubt by the Avett Brothers. It’s hauntingly beautiful (with a video to match), and whenever I need it, that song is always there to inspire me.
Or watch it here on YouTube.
There’s one line in particular that resonates with me:
There was a dream and one day I could see it
Like a bird in a cage I broke in and demanded that somebody free it
Because, for me, that’s what a dream is—a bird trapped in a cage. And some people are content to leave the bird there, to never let it spread its wings and soar. But there are other people who can’t listen to the bird rattling at the cage doors anymore, who know that birds are meant to be free…and they open the door.
I suppose it’s fine to live in a dream world, to imagine what if without having to take that terrifying first leap. But, as someone who swallowed the fear and took that leap, there’s no comparison between imagining a dream and living a dream.
Open the cage. Unlock your potential. And let your dreams soar.
Website: http://meredithmccardle.com/
Twitter: @MeredithMcP
I grew up in South Florida dreaming up stories in my head and writing down the good ones. I attended the University of Florida and received degrees in both magazine journalism and theatre. In a moment of sheer practicality my senior year of college, I realized that journalism wasn’t my passion and that theatre was nothing more than a hobby, and I went to law school. After graduating from Boston University School of Law, I spent seven years working as a commercial litigator by day and toiling away as a writer by night. Following the birth of my first daughter in late 2009, I left the law behind to focus on my writing full-time.
Fill the Quiver (with inspiration)
Plus giveaway of THE PROMISE OF AMAZING below
Last October I went on my first writing retreat. Going in, I didn’t know what to expect. I imagined a group of us with laptops, clicking away, occasionally taking breaks for meals or naps, but mostly writing. I set the lofty goal to hit twenty thousand words by the end of the four-day weekend. Prepped with some craft books, pens, my trusty laptop, some fuzzy socks and about fifty pages of a new WIP, I was all set for a productive weekend.
When I arrived home on Sunday, I returned with some new reading material, a box of the world’s most insanely rich chocolate truffles, and four thousand new words in my WIP. You might look at that word count and think my retreat was a wash.
Nothing could be further from the truth.
Photo curtsey of Fantasy Journal
So what was my quiver filled with by the end of the weekend?
New friends – Writing is not exactly a social activity. I’ll admit all the time I spend alone made me slightly angst ridden about meeting new people. Turns out I wasn’t only meeting people – but kindred spirits. We talked about plotting, querying, books we loved and even had nightly readings. One morning there was a discussion about interesting ways to kill people with household cleaning products and what someone would think if they read a writer’s Google search history. Never a dull moment!
New tricks – To loosen up our creativity we did some story mapping. You take a large sheet of paper, some colored pens and draw yourself a map of your story. It could be bits on characters or plot or just general thoughts about where you want to go with the story. I loved this exercise and still use it from time to time to help construct individual chapters.
Comfort Food – I can’t believe I lived this long without knowing Trader Joe’s Chocolate Covered Peanut Butter Pretzels existed! Or something called Tortilla Espanola! I loved this dish so much, I wrote it into my WIP. Yes, really.
Fresh Air – The retreat house was nestled in the mountains of North Carolina. Taking a leisurely stroll around the neighborhood pretty much meant taking a hike. All that heart pumping activity and oxygen enriched blood definitely cleared the cobwebs and reminded me that exercise is a good tool to get your creativity flowing!
An Amazing Place – On our last full day we took a field trip into Asheville. If you haven’t been, then you need to change that, right away. I think creative energy is pumped into the streets. It’s palpable. And there’s Malaprops Bookstore! Oh, and that box of insanely rich chocolate truffles – yep, from Asheville. It’s a magical place.
Words – While I didn’t manage my lofty twenty thousand, I did write four thousand words over the course of the weekend. Not only that, but I had a new direction and focus on my story. When I arrived home I couldn’t wait to attack it.
Jro, Kip, Patty, Jen, Mary Ann, Juliana and Lauren – Wait, isn’t this like my first point on the list? Yes and no. See, I didn’t really know these wonderful women and writers before I went on the retreat. Now? I like to think there’s a gossamer web that ties us together – or Twitter, take your pick. Word of encouragement, a quick hello – I get to see them every day. This is the most prized possession in my quiver!
I know there are probably retreats that focus on output, word wars, and rewards for meeting daily goals – I think that’s wonderful. I’d love to go on a retreat like that some day. But this retreat helped me fill a creative quiver I hadn’t even realized was empty.
Debuting is an incredible adventure, but it can also be terrifying. Exuberant highs are sometimes met with crushing lows. The retreat gave me a moment to step out of the insanity of my pre-debut and help me remember why I love to write in the first place. Taking some much-needed time to re-energize and ‘fill the quiver’ was the best gift I could give myself and one I highly recommend to anyone in need of reboot. I hope to do it again soon!
Happy Debut, Christy!
Enter to win an autographed copy of THE PROMISE OF AMAZING!
Robin Constantine is a born and bred Jersey girl who moved down South so she could wear flip-flops year round. She spends her days dreaming up stories where love conquers all, well, eventually but not without a lot of peril, angst and the occasional kissing scene.
Her YA debut, THE PROMISE OF AMAZING, was released on December 31, 2013 by Balzer + Bray, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers.
Twitter: @RConstantine14
Website: http://www.robinconstantine.com/
Equipping Your Arsenal
Plus giveaway of a GATED pack (2 winners- audio and t-shirt and bookmarks)
To watch it on YouTube go here.
And Amy is giving away to a GATED pack (2 winners- audio and t-shirt and bookmarks)! Enter here:
AMY CHRISTINE PARKER , author of Gated, writes full-time from her home near Tampa, Florida, where she lives with her husband, their two daughters, and one ridiculously fat cat.
AIM HIGH
Giveaway of GILDED audio below
Debbie Ridpath Ohi writes and illustrates books for young people. Based in Toronto, Debbie is represented by Ginger Knowlton of Curtis Brown Ltd. Her illustrations appear in I’M BORED, a picture book written by Michael Ian Black (Simon & Schuster Books For Young Readers, 2012) and was selected by The New York Times for its list of Notable Children’s Books. You can read what the press has said about Debbie’s illustrations and view samples here.
Her upcoming books include NAKED! (by Michael Ian Black, illustrated by Debbie, coming out from S&S in Summer/2014) and WHERE ARE MY BOOKS?, which is written AND illustrated by Debbie (coming out from S&S in Spring/2015). She is currently working with Simon & Schuster Books For Young Readers, Harpercollins Children’s and Random House Children’s Books.
Coming Apr.29, 2014: NAKED!
