No Book is an Island

In the summer of 2009 I got the call that Michael Green at Philomel wanted my book. I think I may have blacked out for a second or two. I managed to contain myself because I was on the phone with Agent Richard and was, at that point, still concerned that I not be too weird around my agents.

Fast forward: October 2010

Tomorrow my debut novel, Nightshade, hits stores. Agent Richard and Agent Charlie now both now how absolutely crazy I am and seem to like me anyway. Michael Green is still my hero and Jill Santopolo, my editor, is not only brilliant - she's also my friend.

Nightshade started at Penguin but it's making it's way around the world thanks to Foreign Agent Lyndsey who is an absolute star.

I've had the chance to travel all over the country meeting librarians, booksellers, and readers and each place I've been makes me more thrilled about my book's release date. And the more I'm drawn into the writing and publishing world, the more I know this is a collaborative work of love and I am deeply indebted to Penguin, Inkwell, librarians, booksellers, and fans for bringing Nightshade to the wider world.

I will never have enough thanks. The Nightshade pack is growing - thank you for running wild with me.

Taking Risks Contest

What are you afraid of? How can your fears hold you back?

These questions become very important as you make choices about life and who you want to be in the world. Fear keeps many of us from pursuing dreams.

Super Reader Girl just posted an interview where I discuss how terrifying it was to actually pursue my dream of becoming a writer. But if I'd never taken that risk I wouldn't have any of the joy I'm experiencing now with Nightshade's publication.Last week after BEA I did something else scary. Trapeze.

The Penguin offices in SoHo overlook the Trapeze School New York. When Editor Jill pointed the school out to me and I said "wow, I'd like to try that," she said "next time you're in town we'll go!"Editor Jill keeps her promises.Trapeze is scary. You have a little bit of practice.
But up on the platform you can see all the way to the Statue of Liberty.

Fortunately Abby is up there to reassure you -when you stretch your arm outand then both arms.The hardest part is right here, when you're leaning forward, toes over the edge of the platform and your heart is pounding.And that's when you have to jump. Yes, jump. Even though your blood is shrieking "no, no, no, no, no!" fueled by millenia of survival instincts.

But if you don't jump, you can't fly.And flying is worth the risk.
You just have to believe in yourself.And if you're like Editor Jill you can even fly upside down. Go Jill!! (I couldn't quite get the upside down, but next time I will!)
And remember there are people cheering you on - here's our teacher, Evan.
If you don't leap you'll never soar. And you need to remember that it's okay to fall. Everyone ends up in the net, but that doesn't mean you won't fly again.
It's June - a new month, leading us to summer. And it's time for a new giveaway. At BEA I had the joy of meeting so many amazing readers and writers all aspiring to wonderful dreams.

The characters in Nightshade face a number of their deepest fears to overcome obstacles. To win a signed Nightshade ARC leave a comment below describing something you'd like to try but are afraid to (like trapeze!) be it bungee jumping, writing a story, climbing a mountain.

The winner will be drawn randomly on Friday!

BEA: Day 3

Day 3 was really full and will take up a few posts.

But let's start with the morning. I snapped a few pictures of my favorite BEA objects

the Penguin mini

the giant Abrams typewriter

and the Vlad Tod steps!

Then it was on to the signing. Thanks to Editor Jill and Publicist Sarah for shuttling me around and getting everything set

Thanks to Agent Richard for cheering me on and letting me get him to pose with giant Nightshade. I am officially obsessed with giant Nightshade.
And a HUGE thanks to all the lovely BEA goers who came to say hello!

Signing was fun

I signed 150 books in 50 minutes - there was a line! Amazing!

But my hand didn't cramp up
And it was pretty much a hoot and a half :) Thanks, Jill Bailey, for the fabulous purple Sharpie - the perfect Nightshade signing implement!

I'll be posting more about BEA after I've had a chance to catch my breath. Also coming soon: I visit an aircraft carrier (yes for real) and do trapeze without dying (also for real).

Nightshade Goes to London

No this isn't a repost of my UK book deal - though Atom Books has been posting some awesome tweets about Nightshade and Wolfsbane. UK publication doesn't happen until January 6, 2011 - but Nightshade is hopping across the pond next week for the London Book Fair.
I am pretending (while pining) that I also am going on this trip for four reasons:

1) I love London

2) I am convinced I would love book fairs and hope that with enough wishes to the Universe I'll eventually get to go to one.

3) I'm dying to meet my awesome UK editor Samantha, who is uber cool and so much fun

4) I love London (I know I already said that, but I really , really love it)I was already green with envy over Bologna, where there were awesome things like Kristin Cashore sword fighting.
and now Calla is going to London without me, but I'll think she'll do fine hunting down more foreign deals.
But I'd be fine spending my time swooning over these rows and rows of books. (Hey look, there's Penguin! Hi Penguin!!)
I mean it's at frickin' Earl's Court! Earl's Court is where they have Lady Gaga's concerts - it's that big.

Sigh.

Maybe Calla will bring me a souvenir.
No. Not that please.

Ben Barnes AND Robert Pattinson? That's more like it! Good hunting, Calla!!

April Answers

Thanks for all the great questions! Here are answers:

From Anya:

How do you go about writing? Do you outline? The story arc or maybe each chapter and how do you develop your ideas/story and your characters?

My writing process is not so much a process as a reaction. A certain character or scene will get stuck in my head and I'll free write from there. I don't write in order, but write scenes as they come to me and then pull the scenes together.

In terms of arc and character development, I tend to think of my books as webs, not lines. The narrative spirals around a central character and her/his problem and then the web represents all the relationships - personal and environmental - connecting to that main problem.

The first time I outlined was for BLOODROSE and in that case I felt I had to outline because I already had so many scenes floating in my head I didn't want to forget anything.

Also..do you listen to music while writing?

Yes!

And do you feel like your characters "speak" to you and tell you what to write? :P

Ha! And, yes. While I wouldn't say they are dictating their dialogue to me, each character's voice is distinct and I'm often surprised by what they say. That happens to be one of my favorite parts of writing.

From Tina:

From what I can tell Niteshade is about Wolves and magic? Are these the only two elements that surround the universe or are there any other paranormal in this series?

It's about wolf warriors, called Guardians, and two factions of witches - Keepers and Searchers, who've been at war since the Middle Ages. That's all I can say without getting spoilery!

Do you have a playlist for the books? If yes, can you put it on your site for us to listen too?

I do have a playlist for my books and you can find a partial list here. I'll post the full list this summer as the release date gets closer. I can't post live links to the playlist because of copyright issues. Maggie Stiefvater just blogged about this frustration today. I wish I could post playable lists!

What kind of love story can we expect? A triangle perhaps? Or something complicated and juicy? ( Okay this one might be a spoiler one, so I don't expect an answer, but I had to ask;))

Yes, this is a bit spoilery and I have a strict no spoiler policy. What I will say is that there are two boys, Ren and Shay, and they make Calla's life very, very complicated.

Are you like any of the characters written in your work? Which one is your favorite?

I'm deeply attached to the whole pack, so picking a favorite is hard. I'd have to go with Ansel though. He's Calla's younger brother and is loosely based on my own younger brother. I also think Ansel is the character most like me because my brother and I are a lot alike!

I know that this series is only just starting and I think it's safe to say that your fans are already jumping up and down for October to come, but I was wondering if you have any plans or ideas to write something after this series?

Thanks so much! I'm jumping up and down for October to come too! There are three books and a prequel thus far in the Nightshade series. I'm also working on a YA steampunk series that you can read about here. But my writing time is nearly 100% consumed by Nightshade right now (which I love so it's fine), and it's likely that series will be a while in coming.


From Katarinasmama:

How many revisions did you do? And how did NIGHTSHADE's story change from it's initial version?

Hmmmmm. I did one round of revisions for my agent and another two for my editor...I think. It might have been three, but each time the revisions got lighter so the there were really two big rounds of revision.

I can't go into detail without revealing plot, but most of the changes were about offering more of Calla's inner dialogue (she doesn't like to share her feelings, so it was tough for even me to get them out of her) and switching up some timing of events in the narrative. The story itself is essentially the same.

From Anya:

How long did it take you to write the first draft of Nightshade? And then how long did the revisions take?:)

I wrote the first draft of Nightshade between Thanksgiving and Christmas of 2008. My agent, Charlie, requested the full ms in February 2009 and I got 'the call' from him at the beginning of March. I was at a conference in Seattle and it was 6:30 a.m. Pacific time (usually I'm in the central time zone) - that is by far the best early morning phone call I've ever gotten. I worked with Charlie on the manuscript in the spring and it went on submission that summer. Michael Green at Philomel pre-empted the series in August. My editor, Jill Santopolo, and I worked on revisions in September and then the book was off to copy edits!

Just an FYI - this pace is light-speed for publishing, I'm still amazed that I was so lucky to have my work picked up and moved onto the fall 2010 list so quickly as I'm terribly impatient. Waiting until October is hard enough! But it's much more usual to wait 18+ months for publication from the point of acquisition.

From Voidwalker:

Has there been any changes offered by your editor that made you cringe, but you did them anyway?

Are you trying to get me in trouble, Void? LOL. Seriously, I have an amazing editor who I trust completely. Jill understands my characters and the world of Nightshade so well and her suggestions are spot on. Whenever I have a question or am on the fence about an idea I can talk to her about it and we've never had trouble arriving at a solution we're both happy with. She is a rock star and I adore her.

On a related note to aspiring authors - you must be open to taking revision suggestions from critique partners, agents, and editors. Keep in mind that if you've done you're homework and found partners you trust, and an agent and publishing house that are the right fit for you, then everyone is on the same team. Everyone wants your book to be a success. Too often I think writers take an adversarial stance against agents and editors as if everyone is for some reason out to ruin their perfect book. There is no perfect book. Writing is a craft, you always are growing and improving with time. Your agents and editors are there to help you along the way. Be open minded to their ideas - you don't have to take them all, but you should listen with sincerity and realize that they are often right.

From Lynsey:

Andrea, as an aspiring writer who is currently working on my WIP, I'm really interested in your writing process. I've decided that I'm a bit of a "Pantser" but then I run into a brick wall and think "Hmm...I need an outline of where this is going I think". I also think that I struggle with dialogue scenes and I have to work on this. So, in conclusion - any advice and tips on the writing process please. Thank you! :)

It's awesome that you're writing Lynsey - keep at it! I've written a bit about my process above, but my advice is that it's pivotal to find your own process. Every writer I know works differently. Writing is such a personal craft that it's much better to learn what your style is and go with it. As much as there are writing advice manuals out there, I think at the end of the day it's really a matter of trial and error. It's also a great idea to find critique partners who you trust. I met my amazing critique partner, Lisa Desrochers, at the San Francisco Writers Conference. I don't know what I'd do without her!

As far as hitting a brick wall - it happens to all of us. When I run into that wall I turn to my number one scene creator: music. I either lay on my couch listening to music, or take a walk with my book's playlist on my iPod, it usually only takes a few minutes before new scenes or dialogue are filling my head.

Thanks so much for all the great questions guys! Watch for the next ARC giveaway coming soon!!

Surprise!

My awesome editor, Jill, sent me a surprise package in the mail. The REAL ACTUAL WILL-BE-ON-THE-HARDCOVER jackets for NIGHTSHADE!

Here is the front:
Here is the jacket on a real (though not NIGHTSHADE, obviously) hardcover book. I hadn't given much thought to all the different shapes and sizes books come in until I tried to find a book that was the right size for this jacket. It took at least half a dozen tries 'til I got the right fit!!
Here is the back jacket on a real book:I'm so thrilled! They are beautiful. I keep holding them up to different light to see the way the colors change.

Can't wait until October!!!!

Remember still two days left to enter the Paranormal Haiku contest and win a signed ARC!

March (Q&A) Madness!

It's March! Time for Q&A!

But first - the Madness!

It's totally awesome madness in the form of incredible news.

I just signed on for two more Nightshade books with Jill Santopolo and Michael Green at Philomel! *shrieking* *dancing* *glee* *fainting*

I'm beyond thrilled that I'll continue to work with such a wonderful editor and publisher and the brilliant team at Penguin. Thanks so much to Penguin and I'm throwing roses to my amazing agents Richard Pine and Charlie Olsen at InkWell.

Okay, deep breaths. Restoring calm. (Yeah right).

Now onto Q&A - post your questions in the comments and I'll sling out the answers in Monday's blog.

Happy Weekend! I'll celebrating the new book deal with something like this:

My Awesome Editor Jill (aka Carrie)

Did a great interview on the Throwing Up Words blog. Thanks for the NIGHTSHADE shout out Jill!

10 Things I Learned in New York

10. Manhattan (sorry, San Francisco - if it helps, you came in 2nd) remains my favorite place to eat. They have everything and it is all so frickin' delicious.

9. The Algonquin has a luggage cat. Her name is Matilda and the only time I saw her leave the baggage cart was to leap on top of a suitcase and settle into her newly selected perch.
8. The New York Public Library is research heaven. I saw this exhibit while I was there.

7. West Side Story on Broadway was amazing, but I liked watching ice skaters in Bryant Park even better.My favorite moment: witnessing a man in a business suit skate around with his son, who looked about 8 and was sporting a Rangers jersey.

6. The Philomel offices at Penguin Young Readers Group have a brilliant view. (Like this, but a bit further away)
5. My editor is Carrie Bradshaw. (No joke, Editor Jill arrived to meet us in the lobby and I did a double take). I think if I lived in Manhattan she would be my BFF (see #4).
4. Next time I visit I will take trapeze lessons - the school is one more cool place you can see from the Philomel offices. (See #5, she promised we'd go!)

3. As I suspected, everyone at InkWell and Penguin dresses oh-so-stylishly (I hope they liked my outfit).Though garbed like fashionistas, everyone I met was really, really nice and super, super fun. And I happily discovered at InkWell - though I had guessed it would be so - Agent Richard is even more impressive and wonderful in person as he is on the phone and Agent Charlie would be my other BFF if I lived in New York. (More comics' chat soon, Charlie!)

2. I have the most talented, wonderful collection of people working on Nightshade. Thank you so much for an incredible visit!! I can't wait to see you again :)1. Going away for a week is much nicer when you have a wonderful husband and two ecstatic dogs welcoming you back. Even if the dogs took over the bed while you were gone. It's nice to be home.

In Other News

While I'm living the life of NIGHTSHADE in Manhattan, things are stirring across the Atlantic. I've just received this press release from Samantha Smith, my amazing UK editor:

Atom Acquires Major New YA Paranormal Series

Atom, the young adult imprint of Little, Brown Book Group, has acquired a major new paranormal young adult series in a four-publisher auction from debut author Andrea Cremer in a two book deal.

Andrea Cremer was represented by Euan Thorneycroft at A.M. Heath on behalf of Richard Pine at InkWell Management. Atom will be publishing the first book in the series, Nightshade, in January 2011. It will be published in the US by Philomel (Penguin).

‘I'm thrilled that Nightshade is hopping across the pond to make its home at Atom! I can't wait for UK readers to meet the characters of this series, who I love so much, and I know we'll have an amazing journey together through Calla's world,’ says author Andrea Cremer.

Atom is planning a major print and online marketing campaign to launch this extraordinary series which follows one young werewolf Guardian, Calla, through a world of forbidden love, secret histories and the ties of destiny.

Samantha Smith, Editorial Director of Atom, says, ‘I stayed up all night reading this stunning manuscript and couldn’t wait to get in the office the next day to get everyone else reading it too. It’s an absolutely extraordinary novel with real crossover appeal, combining elements of Twilight and Shiver but with a wonderfully dark vibe, a fantastic mythology and compulsive storytelling.’

Nightshade will join an impressive 2011 line-up from Atom, including new titles from bestselling authors P.C. and Kristin Cast, Melissa de la Cruz, Kelley Armstrong and Sherrilyn Kenyon.

www.littlebrown.co.uk

www.atombooks.co.uk

www.twitter.com/atombooks

Can I get a "woo" and a "hoo"?!

Apples, Penguins, and Other Excitement

Thanks so much for the great questions in yesterday's Q&A. I had so much fun and I hope you did too! If you came up with a question that you didn't ask, have no fear. I'll host another Q&A on random Monday next month.

Tomorrow I will be in New York. I'm so excited I have a bad feeling that I won't sleep tonight because I'll be too wired about the trip.

I love New York. On my first trip at age 16, the city stole my heart. I try to visit once a year both to see friends and to spend time in the city itself. My favorite thing to do in Manhattan - just walk. Streets filled with people, shops, restaurants, the distinct character of each neighborhood. Manhattan is a feast for the sense.

Though I'm happy for any excuse to visit, this trip is particularly special. It's the first time I'll meet my agents at InkWell and my editor and publisher at Penguin. I've been practicing my 'calm' voice because I'm worried as soon as I see them I'll throw myself into their arms shrieking, "Thank you, thank you, thank you!!!" And then they will run away, which wouldn't bode well for my future as a writer.

Sadly I won't have a camera with which to document my trip, but I'll keep you updated via blog posts sans photos. Since I won't have a photo or video guide to share, just assume it will be something like this:

My Better Half

No, not my husband (though he's wonderful, too) - my editor: Jill Santopolo.

Due to the great success of Unofficial Official Agent Day, the writing world has issued a call to celebrate Editor Appreciation Day. Huzzah!!

I'm delighted to have the opportunity to do wave my pom-poms in celebration of my fabulous editor, or better yet give a super cheer NIGHTSHADE style!
Jill has been such a joy to work with. Insightful, considerate and encouraging, she is a brilliant editor. Jill is also a writer who understands the ups and downs of creating a novel. She's compassionate about how deeply tied I am to my story and characters, and I know she loves my them too and wants them to be their absolute best! She's a fantastic person - a blast to chat with and chock full of mad skills when it comes to bringing a writer's vision to life, overcoming all obstacles that arise.


Thanks, Jill, for being my partner and friend in this thrilling journey!

Snow! Emergency!

Yesterday afternoon a band of wintry weather stretching from the tip top of the U.S. down into Iowa careened across our state, leaving a trail of deep drifts and icy roads in its wake.

For those of you in warmer climes, a snow emergency is the city's way of efficiently clearing the roads for drivers by regulating street parking and towing cars like mad. If you (like me) are sadly living without a garage, extreme vigilance is necessary throughout the snow emergency. Should a car be left too long on the wrong side of the street, it will be whisked away to the impound lot. Those collective sobs you hear rising into the skies over the Twin Cities aren't bemoaning the cold, they're realizing they forgot that today is EVEN SIDE plowing day.
Despite the lack of shelter for my vehicle, I still like snowy days. Snowy days mean I can bundle up on the couch, still in pajamas, and bond with my lap top with no interruption. Bad weather days are usually good writing days.

I also got a call from amazing Editor Jill letting me know that my first pass pages will arrive tomorrow. I cannot wait to see the typset and design for NIGHTSHADE!

For those of you, who like me, are avoiding the howling winds and building drifts - may you steer clear of spin outs and find toast warmth inside. Or if you're truly lucky, having a magical journey with the spirits of the season.

I Have Seen the Future, and it is Good

All my best intentions of blogging more about characters have been railroaded by big book news. BIG BOOK NEWS. One piece of which I can share, the other of which I have to be mean and just post a teaser, leaving you all annoyed (sorry!)

Let's start with sharable joy: NIGHTSHADE and WOLFSBANE sold in Brazil! Eek! The publisher is Grupo Editorial Record and I'm thrilled to be rubbing elbows with the likes of Meg Cabot, Scott Westerfeld, Eoin Colfer, and LJ Smith at this house. Carnaval here I come!

And don't get me started on how incredible it will be to see my book in Portugese! Squeee!

Also, my web site just went live. Check it out!

So onto what I cannot share - I have seen NIGHTSHADE's cover...and it is phenomenal. But if I showed it to you, I'd have to kill you. So for now, know that it is wonderful. I'm dying to share it with the world and will do when able.

Happy weekend (I swear there will be substantive discussion of characters very, very soon).

I Vant to Suck Your Blohd

Ah, vampires. How do we love thee? Let me count the ways (70 million copies of Twilight sold...)

Glancing at any bestseller list it seems that the nation has been overtaken by vampire mania. From Twilight to House of Night to Vampire Academy, it's clear that undead is the new black.

I've long been fascinated by vampires. I read Dracula at age 10 and have gobbled up vamp lit and films ever since. But for me the moment of truth came in 1997 when Buffy the Vampire Slayer premiered on the WB (remember the WB? Dominion of the teen drama? Dawson's Creek, Felicity, anyone?)

It was love at first bite and I've been faithful. BVS is the best show I've ever seen. My morning ritual is to watch an episode as I eat breakfast, repeat, until I get through all the seasons and then start over again. It never gets old.

But Buffy slays vampires, and this post is about the lords and ladies of the night themselves.

So what is it about vampires that fascinates us? Arguably most of us like the sun, so why would we want to hang out with folks who could never join us at the beach?

The current phenomenon of vampire love, while impressive, is not new. Like werewolves, vampires have a long, diverse history of lore and the current manifestation of vampire types reflects this range of mythology.

I have my own theories, but I'd like to ask you two questions.

1) Why are vampires so popular and enduring?

2) What is the best type of vampire (scary, sparkly, somewhere in between)?



And as a final note, I just have to have a mini squeeeeeeee because of awesome (but super secret) news from Editor Jill today. Will share when able!

Fifty!

Fifty followers! Hooray (and thank you!) From my first post, I loved blogging (because hey, it's writing) but wondered whether anyone would ever read what I'd written. Thank you so much for sharing this journey with me. I sincerely hope each of you can say in the future "well, I was a follower before she was famous!" (See my last post on the danger of delusions - I'm not good at taking my own advice.)

Speaking of delusions, have just gotten news from editor Jill and publisher Michael about absolutely fabulous cover plans!! Top secret for now, but will share as soon as I'm able. Speaking of amazing, but creepy artistry check out this Wolf Parade video. Happy Wednesday!

Umm, Not a Democracy

Thank you so much for the votes and lovely comments. I was grinning all weekend as I read responses to the photo poll.

Photo #3 was the winner, with #2 and #5 close behind. Thanks to all you dark horse #4 voters - I love number 4!

Despite the fact that in a pure-vote world #3 would be the photo; other factors intervene to make #5 the official jacket photo. *Cries of protest erupt from the #3 galleries: 'Why? Why?' While photo 5 voters cheer*
The reason being NIGHTSHADE has some...ahem...dark content, and my editor and I decided that the swing set didn't quite reflect the book's themes.

However, all of the photos will appear on my web site. Everybody wins!

Thanks again for all your support and enthusiasm. You guys are fantastic :)

I'd Like to Thank...

Brief interlude from Banned Books Week - I just received a prompt from Editor Jill that I need to send her my dedication and acknowledgments so they can be included in the ARCs.

I had to read that email several times before I could process it because it had dedication, acknowledgments and ARCs in it (and also something about how I wanted my name to appear on the cover).

Reality just smashed through my window to stand grinning me before me holding two dozen roses.

How can this really be happening!!!!

I don't know if other writers are like this, but the acknowledgments and dedication are something I've day dreamed about over and over. Now that I have to write them I'm terrified that I'll forget someone - I am so indebted to so many people. Family, friends, teachers, strangers who did funny things that gave me scene ideas... I love you all and THANK YOU!

As to the dedication, that is tip top secret and no one will know until the ARCs materialize.

The Good, the Better, and the Best

The good: My fever finally broke, I am on the road to recovery!

The better: Great news from agent Charlie about the buzz the PW announcement has created for my novels. Exciting things in the works!!

The best: Editor Jill loves my revisions!!!! She is so wonderful, we make a great team. I can't wait to start working with her on the sequel to Nightshade.

Celebration time :)

Here's a fabu remix I love by one of my favorite bands, Shiny Toy Guns. And I love the video, an homage to the awesome Hubble telescope - I love Hubble!! I have so much love right now!!!

Like Having Your Name in Lights

Wow, I was too ill this week to even find my own announcement on Publishers Weekly.

Philomel Gets 'Shady'

Richard Pine and Charlie Olsen of Inkwell sold North American rights to the first book in a new supernatural series by debut author Andrea Cremer. Michael Green and Jill Santopolo at Philomel pre-empted Nightshade and plan on publishing the book, about a female teen wolf, in fall 2010. According to Inkwell, the book blends “supernatural action, drama, and a subtle dose of dangerous magic.” Cremer, who has a Ph.D. in history, lives in Minneapolis and teaches at Macalester College

If it weren't for the fever and body aches I'd be doing my best Bring It On moves right now.