Why I Decided to Indie Publish

A lot of you have asked about how I came to the decision to Indie publish. It’s been a long road to get here. The idea for this manuscript started all the way back in 2012. You can read about that journey and how it got to where it is today in this post. And if you are subscribed to my newsletter you got a sneak peek into how the idea for TRACKER220 came to be.

From the moment the idea for TRACKER220 popped in my head, I knew it was special. The words poured out of me. I couldn’t stop writing, and I saw edits and layers to add and change early on. Things just clicked all around.

And although I hit many roadblocks with edits and it was difficult to find a champion I finally did. A LOT of champions. This manuscript more than any other I’ve written so far, gathered hundreds of likes/retweets on pitch contests from agents, and more importantly writers and readers. So many people expressed interest in this story. I had an agent who believed in it enough to take me on as a client and even though she left agenting, TRACKER220 is so much stronger because of the time spent learning and working from her notes.

The market has seen some ups and downs, and unfortunately TRACKER220 with its slight dystopian slant, hit the market at the wrong time for YA Sci Fi. It’s why finding the right agent was a struggle and why the few small presses I queried had wonderful things to say but ultimately passed. YA Sci Fi has a hard time finding a place in the market. Publishers struggle to market it and therefore are extremely picky about the YA Sci Fi they do pick up.

But ultimately there are still readers hungry for stories like TRACKER220. Stories with future technology, abuse of power, nerdy techy boys, young artists, and teens fighting the good fight. Because stories like TRACKER220 were not readily available to me as a teen, I didn't read much. I struggled to find science fiction that was accessible to my reading level. I hope that is not the case for today's generation of teens.

And of course, there’s a desire for more diverse YA fiction and specifically stories with Jewish main characters written by Jewish authors. I’ve been hung up on the lack of Jewish main characters in literature, specifically young adult fiction. There’s many Holocaust stories out there, but not many stories with Jewish characters living their everyday lives. In the YA and even MG spaces, we’re starting to see more #ownvoices contemporary stories with Jewish main characters and some fantasy as well, and it’s exciting. But there’s still very few YA Science Fiction stories with Jewish characters. I think some of this is because YA sci fi is a difficult sell right now, and sometimes in science fiction it can be difficult to weave religion in without beating the reader over the head with it. I know I struggled with this in my own story for a long time. And still struggle with what having Jewish characters in projects I’m currently working on really means.

For all of these reasons I knew Tracker needed to be out in the world. Bottom line, I believe in this story. I know it’s good. And I know people will enjoy it. And honestly, I don’t know if I would have had the courage to step out and take on the publishing piece on my own if it wasn’t for every single one of those supportive tweets, blog comments, write on con feedback, DMs etc. It was the community that cemented the decision for me. I wanted this story out in the world because I want people to be able to read it. They deserve to read it.

Thank you to everyone for following me on this journey. I can’t wait for you all to hold this book in your hands and experience it.

I Have NEWS!

I have some really big news that I've been bursting to tell folks.

YOU READY?

Ok here's a BIG hint

That's right you guessed it! I'm publishing my first book TRACKER220!

For those who have been following my blog and/or following me on twitter, you've likely seen my twitter pitches, query, and/or first page for TRACKER220.

For those that aren't familiar with the project or might need a refresher, here's a short pitch:

As a Jewish artist, sixteen-year-old Kaya is at odds with the tracking tech in her brain. Sure it provides access to infinite knowledge. But knowledge isn't power if it keeps her from what she loves. And when her chip glitches, it isn't the answer to her prayers.

I'm so incredibly excited to be on this journey and can't wait to share this book with everyone. It's been a long long process to get here (more on that in another post), but now that I'm on this road it feels right in so many ways. I'm so excited and grateful to have all of you with me on this road to publication.

Thank you for all the support on this project, for every liked tweet and note about how awesome you think this book sounds. For those that spent time reading and critiquing. And for everyone who cheered me on along the way. Without all those kind words, I might never have found the courage to put this book out in the world.

Stay tuned for more news about TRACKER220. It will release in Fall of 2020.

And if you missed this announcement in my newsletter make sure you sign up here to get all the upcoming news on TRACKER220.

Why I Love YA Books

 
It's no secret that I'm an adult who reads YA (young adult fiction). However, I don't often talk about why I almost exclusively shop for my reading material in the YA (and MG) section of the bookstore. There is something special about young adult books today. I think in part, my love stems from the fact that when I was young I loved to read. However, I could never find those action adventure, fantasy and sci fi books that you see all over the YA shelves today.

In fact YA didn't technically exist as an official genre when I was a growing up. Were there children's books? Of course, but there was nothing specifically designated between children's chapter books and adult reading. And guess what happened when I hit my teen years? I almost entirely stopped reading. I could make excuses and say homework, friends, extracurricular activities, etc. all got in the way, but the honest truth is I couldn't find a single book I wanted to read. Adult books were too far above my reading level and there were very few children's books I wanted to read (R.L. Stine being a huge exception). The fact that I wasted so many of my valuable teen years not reading, to this day makes me so unbelievably sad.

In High School, I took a Science Fiction English class. This was probably the single best class choice I ever made. In that class we read a little known (or big known) book called Ender's Game. And while YA was by and large an unheard of genre, and Ender's Game was technically classified as adult science fiction, today you will also find it in the YA section because at its heart Ender's Game is a Young Adult book. This book, my absolute all time favorite, made me fall in love with reading all over again. I hungered for more stories about Ender and I read every single one available. At the time there was the back three trilogy, and a brand new debut parallel novel Ender's Shadow centered about Bean. And then nothing. I waited for sequels to the Bean series but again, I'd run out of books.

Lucky for me, within two years a movie titled Harry Potter came out. This movie led me to all the wonderful things in the world Harry Potter, and once again I found a series of books I couldn't stop reading. From Harry Potter, I soon discovered a whole world of other readers who were reading Young Adult books. This is when I discovered that YA was a thing and there was not only one book, but shelves of them, an entire section in the bookstore in fact, of things I wanted to read. They were books that excited me about the possibilities of what if and books that allowed me to escape into gorgeous and adventure filled lands.

If it was not for Young Adult books I wouldn't read today, at all. Reading is an escape for me. I while away many hours with my nose in all the wonderful YA books. There are so many in fact that I can't keep up. And in reading so much, I've discovered another piece of myself that I never expected to find. The more I read, the more ideas started forming. Until one day they burst out of me onto the page. I became a writer. For a little over two years now, in addition to reading YA, I have spent countless hours pouring words onto the page writing my own YA and MG science fiction. A talent and joy I never would have discovered without YA books. Writing is a part of me I never knew was missing. Had I never picked up YA books to start, I wouldn't be where I am today. For that I am eternally grateful. And that is why I love YA books.

So if you've never read a YA book, I highly recommend the next time you are in a bookstore wander over to that section. The covers are beautiful. The stories are inviting and fantastic. I dare you not to find one book that interests you there. There is literally something for everyone. Pick up a book and start your adventure. Who knows what you might find about yourself inside that YA book.

This post was inspired by Beth Revis Celebrate Books Contest where you can win a signed library of 50 YA books. Be sure to check it out!

And the winners are....

Thanks to all who entered my first blog contest!

Three people won Starters bookmarks signed by Lissa Price.

Kerry
Priya
Ishita aka Fishy

And the winner of the signed bookmark plus a copy of Starters is ....

Rhee!

Congrats to all the winners, I emailed you, please send me your mailing addresses and I will send out your prizes!

Enjoy!

Starters Review + Giveaway

I had the pleasure of reading an Arc of Lissa Price's Starters, and in addition to the following review I will be hosting my very first giveaway! **Squees with excitement** Giveaway details below.
Callie Woodland is a sixteen year old Starter living in a dystopian version of Los Angelos. Her world has been ravaged by the Spore Wars. Only the very young and the very old were inoculated against it. Those between the ages of twenty and sixty died when the spores were released. Starters unclaimed by Ender relatives were forced to the streets unable to work or make money to survive - until Prime Destinations.

Prime Destinations is a secretive company that allows Starters to work by renting out their bodies to Enders who want to feel young again. The Starters go to sleep for a period of time and wake up much richer.

Starving on the street and with a sick younger brother Tyler, Callie inquires at Prime Destinations and ultimately decides to become a donor. Things seem to be going well, until she wakes up at a nightclub in the middle of one of her rentals. She quickly finds something is wrong with her chip. The discovery sends her on a journey that causes her to question her actions and everything she knows. She risks her life to try to uncover a much larger and more sinister plot

From the moment I heard about Starters, I knew I wanted to get my hands on this book. It definitely did not disappoint. It reminded me a bit of Joss Whedon's Dollhouse in premise but there are only a few similarities. The book was exciting, hard to put down, and left me guessing what the next surprise would be at every turn of events.

I loved Callie's character and strength throughout her journey. She changed nearly every person's life she touched. Despite having to make difficult choices, she stuck to her beliefs along the way.

Starters is an eery and twisting ride that takes a deep look at human behavior. As adults we all want to be young again but at what cost? The story makes you take a deep look inside and wonder about the choices we make and the costs we may not have considered. Starters had me squirming in places wondering if people could really be that cruel for their own benefit. And it ultimately forces the question, if you were in Callie's situation what would you have done?

Starters debuts Tuesday, March 13 and I highly recommend you check it out! An e-short entitled Portrait of a Starter: An Unhidden Story is available now and also well worth a read. It sets the stage for the story that unfolds in Starters. For more information about Starters, to see the book trailer or read an excerpt visit http://www.randomhouse.com/teens/starters/ . For more on author Lissa Price visit her website http://www.lissaprice.com/ .
I'm definitely looking forward to two more upcoming e-shorts and the second book Enders!

And now for the giveaway! One winner will receive a copy of Starters plus a bookmark signed by Lissa Price. Three other winners will receive signed bookmarks. All you have to do to enter is follow my blog and leave a comment below answering the question, if you were an unclaimed Starter, would you go work for Prime Destinations or would you find another way to survive? Don't forget to leave your email address so I can contact you if you win. If you tweet/facebook/blog etc. about the giveaway you'll get an extra entry, just be sure to leave a link as proof.

Contest ends midnight CST Monday, March 19, 2012. International entries welcome!

YA Reads For the Holidays

Looking for that right book to get someone for the holidays or something to dig into yourself? Here's a list of suggestions for holiday ya lit reads and there's something for everyone. Some of these books are known, while others you may not have heard of but you should definitely give them all a look, especially if you enjoy Young Adult Literature as much as I do.

For the YA Fantasy/Mythology/History Lover: The Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel by Michael Scott

If you are a Harry Potter fan like me, then the name Nicholas Flamel probably grabbed your attention, but what a lot of people do not know is that J.K. Rowling borrowed Nicholas Flamel from history (he's a real guy google him). But aside from Flamel, the use of magic and prophecy and the page turning read, the similarities between the two series deviates there. The Flamel series, is a wonderful, action packed, magical adventure centered around fifteen year old twins Sophie and Josh Newman, who soon learn they might be the twins of legend mentioned in an ancient prophecy in a magical book called the codex, which is guarded by Nicholas Flamel. At the onset of the series, the evil Dr. John Dee steals the book from Flamel, and Flamel takes it upon himself to awaken the magic in the twins and train them in various forms of elemental magic. This series is fast paced taking place over the course of two weeks, and author Michael Scott masterfully weaves characters together from history and numerous mythologies. In fact every character except the twins is someone that can be looked. If you are looking for a post Potter read, this is it. The first five books The Alchemyst, The Magician, The Sorceress, The Necromancer and The Warlock are out now and the final book the Enchantress is due out in May 2012. And if that wasn't enough to keep you busy for a while, there are a couple of short stories related to the series available in eBook format, and an offshoot series loosely linked to the Flamel series entitled Earthlords is due out in the next year or two. You can watch the book trailer for The Alchemyst here.

(And shameless plug if you've read the series, then you must check out the official fansite http://www.flamels-immortal-portal.com/ complete with news, a podcast, and forums that Michael Scott visits)
For the YA Paranormal Romance Lover:
Falling Under by Gwen HayesGwen Hayes knows romance, and Falling Under is her debut novel to the ya paranormal romance scene. Falling Under is a unique twist on the typical paranormal romance. You wont find vampires, werewolves, angels or zombies in this book which is one reason its so refreshing. I know you aren't supposed to judge a book by its cover but this book has an absolutely gorgeous one that is just as beautiful as the romance written inside it. Theia Alderson leads a sheltered life, but one part of her is free from that, her dreams. And when the mysterious boy she's dreamed about shows up in her school, she is naturally intrigued. She is inexplicably drawn to Haden, but in the real world he wants nothing to do with her. So every night when she closes her eyes, Theia draws closer to him but is pushed away when her eyes are open. What is Haden and why does Theia feel such a strong pull to him? Why is she falling under his spell every night? You'll have to read to find out more. The sequel Dreaming Awake comes out just after the holidays on January 3, 2012, and its cover is equally as stunning as its predecessor. You can watch the book trailer for Falling Under here.

For the Middle Grade Fantasy Lover:
Emerald Atlas by John StephensJohn Stephens is a new author on the scene but you might know him from his previous work in tv. He wrote for both Gilmore Girls and Gossip Girl, so his debut middle grade novel Emerald Atlas is one to check out. Emerald Atlas is a fantasy adventure about 3 children Kate, Michael, and Emma, who are "orphans", I use the term loosely because their parents are not dead but lost. They are whisked away in the middle of the night from the parents and transferred from orphanage to orphanage until they end up at the home of Dr. Pym. In Dr. Pym's house the children find a magical atlas that allows them to travel into the time of photographs when they are placed into the Emerald Atlas. Along the way they encounter dwarves that end up aiding them and an evil countess that is involved in a plot to acquire the magical atlas. This book has the feel of Narnia, combined with a splash of lemony snicket, and the prologue read very much like Harry Potter. So if you are looking for magic with adventure and a splash of time travel, Emerald Atlas is a book to check out. When all is said and done it will be one of three in the Books of Beginning Series. You can watch the book trailer here.



For the YA Dystopian Romance Lover:
Matched by Ally CondieCassia Reyes has just been matched with her perfect mate, her best friend Xander, which in her world is nearly unheard of. Most perfect matches live in different cities and meet slowly over time but Cassia has known Xander her whole life. She lives in a near perfect world that has eliminated disease and crime. So why classify this as dystopian? Well it reminded me a bit of the world in The Giver. Every aspect of Cassia's life is controlled, specialized. Her meal comes to her house ready to eat in the right portion. School, work and "free time" is scheduled for them, and their society is tightly controlled by officials. They don't run or yell, they keep even tempered at all times, and their lives end on their 80th birthdays. If you or I lived in this world we'd probably be miserable but these people at the onset, don't know what they are missing. Early on in the story, Cassia plugs in her microchip from the matching ceremony to learn more about her match Xander and another boy's face mysteriously pops up on the screen. Another boy she knows and grew up with, Ky Markham. When the society tells her its a rare glitch she begins to doubt her life and the society. Things slowly start to unravel and she even starts to fall for Ky despite deeply caring about Xander. A beautiful and confusing forbidden love begins to develop between Cassia and Ky. Matched is truly wonderful and gut wrenching, as Cassia decides between Xander and the society life she has always known to be right, or following her heart, her gut, and what feels right when she is with Ky. And if you've finished Matched, Crossed the second book made its debut on November 1, 2011. You can watch the book trailer for Matched here.

For the YA Sci Fi Lover:
Quantum Prophecy by Michael CarrollIf you like action, scifi and a fast paced read then Michael Carroll's Quantum Prophecy series is for you. In the first installment The Awakening, we learn that Superhumans used to help protect the world, but in the height of their reign they mysteriously disappeared. Ten years later a new era of superhumans is rising. Danny Cooper and Colin Wagner discover that they are children of the original superhumans and are developing abilities of their own. When they are kidnapped and used in a plot to rid the world of superhumans forever, they join with past heroes and fight back to try and save the superhumans. This series is an enjoyable read for all ages that is hard to put down and one that young boys would especially like. The series continues with The Gathering and The Reckoning and also has prequels Superhuman, Ascension, and Stronger which is due out summer 2012. A book trailer with information on the first two books can be found here.

So why these books out of all the ya genre? Well they are all books that I found to be refreshing, thoroughly enjoyed, couldn't put down, and wanted to share with others. Plus I've met three of the five authors and they are all as wonderful as their books. When I meet great authors, I love to share their amazing stories with as many people as possible. This list should keep any reader busy during the holidays, and provides great gift ideas for the book lovers in your life. I'd love to hear some of your holiday reads suggestions. What great books do you want to share with others?

Happy Holidays and Happy Reading!