Blackwood

Update: Joseph-Beth Event, Hijinks Elsewhere

Blackwood, Nattering / By /

Happy Monday! If you're in the path of uber-storm, please stay safe. Here's hoping this is another one that won't be as bad as expected–though looking at the scary satellite photos makes that seem unlikely. Here in the Bluegrass we don't expect much except some moderate wind and rain (with snow in the mountains), at least at this point. Which means if you are in these pleasantish environs you should DEFINITELY come out to Joseph-Beth tomorrow night for my pre-Halloween event there. 

The details: Tuesday, October 30, at 6 p.m., Joseph-Beth Lexington, me discussing and signing Blackwood. Be there or be square. (Should you be attending the Walking Dead creator event at UK, I think you'll still have plenty of time to get there. Do both!) In addition to talking about Blackwood and taking questions, I plan to tell at least one ghost story and I might, depending how things go, read a short scene from The Woken Gods.

Display!

(If you can't make it but want a personalized copy or want to order one if you're elsewhere, then I'm sure the store would be happy to hook you up. Here's their contact info.)

A couple of other quick things:

And yes! I'm still waiting for the big news to be share-able, which should happen anytime. Keeping secrets is hard. But soon. Soooon.

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Bookish Updatery, Tuesday Five Edition

Blackwood, Nattering / By /

Five things to share today, so a quick update. I’m knuckling down on the second half of this revision and staring down the barrel of jury duty later this month, with more revising of a different project coming soonish…so probably this will be a season of less frequent updating. (But if anyone has requests or suggestions for a particular topic for a blog post, then let me know in the comments or at twitter or via email and I’ll do my best to work it in.) Also, hello lovely visitors by way of Vampire-Diaries.net. *waves*

  • First things first:

Received confirmation this morning that barring mega-earthquakes, volcanic explosions, or other large-scale protests from the Earth, the release month for The Woken Gods will in fact be next July! (Which means there will probably soon be an official description and maybe preordering type links. Cover discussion has tentatively begun. In the meantime, if you want to know more there’s this.) Cue *nerves*. Not that there is going to be time for them.

  • Second things second:

Are you in Kentucky, particularly near Lexington? Then you should come out to the fabulous Joseph-Beth Booksellers on Tuesday, October 30, at 6 p.m. I will be discussing Blackwood and telling a scary ghost story or two in honor of Halloween and taking your questions and I might even share a little snippet from the new book, time permitting.  (Signed copies of Blackwood make a great stocking stuffer–and Christmas will be here before you know it. Just saying!) I dropped by the store last Friday and was a bit woozy to see that I have a table display and an event banner:

 

Banner!

 

This is particularly cool and surreal because this is the bookstore that first taught me what a wonderland bookstores could be. It was basically my favorite destination as soon as I discovered it in high school, having before only had access to a WaldenBooks (which was itself an hour away). And the team from Joseph-Beth has been absolutely wonderful to me. *draws hearts in air* This one should be fun. So, cooome out, okay? Okay.

  • Third things third (you see how this is going, right?):

New audiobook review from Bob Reiss of the excellently named audiobook-focused blog, The Guilded Earlobe: “Blackwood is a strong YA tale with themes that permeate the label but are done in a unique and engaging way. The strength of this novel is in its characters. Bond created two engaging protagonists, and a slew of secondary players that are well developed.”

Want to sample said audiobook? I thought you’d never ask. The folks at AudioGo have just put up a youtube clip for your sampling pleasure.

  • Fourth comes fourth:

Two things absolutely made my day yesterday. The first was a review from Delaney, age 12, in the October issue of the Sacramento Book Review. Snippet: “Blackwood was an amazing book! … This book was an excellent mystery, full of romance, ghosts, ancient curses, historical figures, betrayal, and so much more. I loved how the already intriguing mystery of the Lost Colony was given some unexpected twists and turns. I would highly recommend this book to anyone who loves mystery and magic.” (Thanks to the one and only Bookalicious Pam for the pointer.) *beam*

  • Fifth and final:

The other thing that made my day was this photo from Ballou High School:

You can see another photo of books arriving and read more about the impact the Ballou High School book fair has over at Guys Lit Wire. To whoever sent my book to Ballou, my love to you, kind soul. And if you haven’t sent a book via the Powell’s wishlist yet, there’s still plenty of great ones left to choose from.

Annd that’s it from me today. Have a great week, everybody.

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Returning Vampires Snippet Celebration + In The News

2 Comments / Blackwood, TV Goodness / By /

Yesterday I had a nice long conversation about YA and Blackwood and related topics with Louisville public radio station WFPL's ace arts reporter Erin Keane (who is also fabulous writer–highly recommend both her poetry collections), as a preview to the Writer's Block Festival where I'll be panel discussioning about YA (and signing) on Saturday. The resulting story is here.

And, if you didn't know (gaspALARM), tonight is…

The_Vampire_Diaries_(title_card)
…the return of The Vampire Diaries.

In honor of this momentous fall occasion, here's a teeny not-spoilery snippet from a scene between Miranda and Phillips in Blackwood:

She blinked, but he couldn't tell if it had worked until she said, "You snooped in my room?"

He had her.

"I had to help pack your stuff." He wrinkled his nose. "You have a thing for brooding vampire brothers?"

"You've seen it?"

Keep her talking. He shrugged. "Study lounge has a TV. Doppelgangers are hot. I'm not proud."

Happy Thursday, y'all.

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Dept. of Nice Surprises Redux

Blackwood, Nattering / By /

So, yesterday was a loooong Monday.  I still had some work to do when I got home, but I couldn't get home. All the streets surrounding our house were blocked off for some mysterious race, so I had Christopher meet me at the only accessible pub grub place I could find. As we were–finally–on our way back after the streets re-opened, I was checking twitter on my phone and saw an i09 update that said "What's more thrilling than a fantasy about the Chosen One? How about the Cursed One?" And I actually thought to myself, Huh, the cursed one instead of the chosen one is kinda how I think about Blackwood; I wonder what the link's about?

Wellll, it turned out to be a lovely review of Blackwood by the fabulous Charlie Jane Anders. Snippet:

There have been a ton of young adult fantasy novels lately where one person stands against a dystopian world, or faces a terrible menace, and they're sort of the chosen savior. But Gwenda Bond's YA debut, Blackwood, takes a very different tack: Her heroine, Miranda Blackwood, is the cursed one, who bears the mark of the betrayer, and she's also the most hated person in her small town. Blackwood is a neat spin on all of those YA fantasies about being special — especially when it turns into a story about "freaks in love."

Go there for the rest. I don't read all reviews (because I don't want to go crazy), but it really is amazing when someone has read the book you were trying to write. And that's how I feel about this one. Day = made, in other words.

Also, a new interview conducted by the delightful Megan Whitmer has just been posted at HerKentucky.com. I talk about Blackwood and Lexington's wonderful literary community and Other Things.

And! I'm told that SOON I will be able to share VERY EXCITING NEWS…but not quite yet. *commences secret chair dancing but tries not to be obnoxious about it*

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Quick Update! (Writer’s Block Festival & Other Things)

Blackwood, Books / By /

I'll be at the Writer's Block Festival in Louisville on Saturday. I'll be doing the following panel in the Green Building Gallery:

1-2:15: Younger Games:  The Pleasures and Pitfalls of Writing Young Adult Fiction

Young adult fiction is hot! Consider the recent Twilight and Hunger Games series, which have been enthusiastically received by both young and adult readers. Join our versatile panel of contemporary young adult fiction writers:  Gwenda Bond (Blackwood); Katrina Kittle (Reasons to Be Happy), and Kelly Creagh (the Nevermore series) moderated by YA novel and short story writer, Matt Jaeger (The Creation of Lilith Pomegranate and The Care Takers). Our panelists will discuss their writing lives and the challenges and the benefits of writing fiction for a young adult audience.

Copies of Blackwood (and everyone else's books) will be on sale courtesy of the wonderful Carmichael's, and I believe I'll be signing at their spot in the Green Building at 2:30, right after the panel. (If that time changes I'll post here. But books should be on sale all day, and I'm happy to sign copies whenever so approach at will.) If you're in the Louisville area, come out and say hi. Most festival events–including the panel–are free to attend.

A few other things:

  • Leo Elijah Cristea review: "Bond writes a compelling, addictive story that merges together so many genres it’s difficult to really call it one or the other: with elements of romance, mystery, the supernatural and even horror, Blackwood is a unique, exciting story that kept me glued to the page. It is an engrossing, detailed story that is deliciously written and marks Bond as a writer to look out for." (Another review I want to marry!)
  • Book Angel Booktopia review by Jenni: "I really enjoyed this book, it incorporated the legend of the Lost Colony well into a contemporary setting blending the past with the present cleverly. The way the plot twists and turns keeps the book exciting from start to finish, there were a couple of moments that left me feeling completely surprised."
  • Much Loved Books review of the audiobook: "The narrator of Blackwood made it interesting and kept me entertained. I even forgot a few times that it was just one person doing all the voices for the characters. I loved her accent and the different tones she uses to get across the emotion the characters are feeling."
  • The LOVELY Megan Whitmer says nice things and is giving away a signed copy of Blackwood over at her blog.
  • The Cynsations giveaway is also still going.

And one last link that is too interesting and important not to share:

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Tuesday Hangovers & Nattering & You Want Some Bookmarks?

Blackwood, Hangovers, Nattering / By /

We had a lovely weekend with the Small Beer Press contingent–Kelly, Gavin and Ursula–and Karen Joy Fowler in town for the Kentucky Women Writers Conference. Topics discussed included: should we be the first to cosplay or start a tribute band based on The Casual Vacancy (related: I adore J.K. Rowling; she comes across as the smartest and classiest in every interview she does*), socialist credentials, and ice cream. It was LOVELY.

A few links of note:

Fabulous books I have read lately: Meljean Brook's Riveted (another excellent steampunk romance), Sarah Rees Brennan's Unspoken (gothic banter, ftw), and David Levithan's Every Day (just gorgeous).

A few Blackwood things, including free-to-a-good-home bookmarks:

  • Nova Ren Suma is running a big international giveaway where you can win a featured debut of your choice, including Blackwood.
  • A Fantastical Librarian review: "It turns out I was right to be excited, but I ended up loving the book for completely different reasons than I'd expected. For it wasn't the historical elements that drew me in or the theatrical aspects of the story; no, I got completely taken in by the story's female lead and titular character, Miranda Blackwood."
  • Serendipity Reviews review: "I was totally hooked throughout the book. I really love how the author has interpreted this piece of history. An excellent debut where the author has taken a true story and completely made it her own by adding elements of magic and paranormal activity."
  • Also, a little reminder that if you've recently read the book, you might be interested in my photoset from our Roanoke Island trip and/or my pinterest board for Blackwood.
  • We're almost a month out from release now (ack! hard to believe!). It's a complete thrill when people get in touch to say they enjoyed the book, so please do if you're so inclined, and tell a friend, your favorite teen, a review site of your choice, etc. It is all much appreciated. We live in a complicated bookish world, and the best way to sell books is still through word of mouth. Thanks for any of that you do, and for reading the book. I hope I get to write lots more of them.
  • AND, finally, I still have quite a lot of bookmarks, and it seems silly to keep them in the box behind my desk. If you're a librarian, teacher or bookseller (or similar) who'd like 50-100 (or some other number), get in touch. (And if you know same who you think would be interested, please pass this on to them.) They are lovely–this photo doesn't even really show how lovely (Christopher designed them); in reality they are glossy and beauteous and fine, fine bookmarks.

Bookmarks!

And now back to my previously scheduled cold and trying to catch up on All The Things.

Updated to add: I've seen some buzz about the part about unicorns in this New Yorker interview–it seems like a joke to me? Frankly, I find the need to comment on her make-up and the pop psychology moments and intellectual snarberry (snark meets snobbery) as far more worth getting mad over.

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Dept. Of Nice Surprises On A Friday

Blackwood, Books / By /

Thanks to E.C. Myers for alerting me to this glow-inducing Blackwood shout-out from extraordinary writer and bookseller extraordinaire Kate Milford in the latest YA for Grownups column at the Atlantic. (Read her work, seriously.)

The list is "Teen Reads Better Than 'Fifty Shades' " (which, yes, some cheeky people have pointed out is probably most of them…), described thus:

"With a nod to the "sexy" books that got us started down this road—especially the Judy Blume canon, and especially Forever—this time, we offer up some contemporary books in which Y.A. authors are broaching adult-ish topics in ways that are not just sexy but also are just plain good writing, doing it, we dare say, better than the hyper-popular E.L. James.  "Some do have actual love scenes like Daughter of Smoke and Bone, Shiver, and Graceling," explains Angulo Chen, "but others are all about the emotional connection of being in love for the first time and giving in to those feelings of passion for a really breathtaking kiss, or an old-fashioned snogging session." With the help of her and some of our favorite Y.A. experts, we came up with a few recent and upcoming teen books to consider post-Fifty Shades. We're calling them the steamies."

Or "swoonies," which is probably more applicable to Blackwood, since the romance is more of the emotional connection, awkward moments, and nerdy conversation variety. Still, it makes me so happy to have it included. Anyway, go check out the whole thing! Seriously fine company. Friday made.

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Thursday Hangovers

Blackwood, Hangovers / By /

A few hangovers for today, little magpie links here and yon:

  • A good piece at Time debunking the "Moonlighting curse" and fingers crossed that Castle pulls crossing the great relationship divide off and puts that fiction to bed. Ahem.
  • Clear Eyes, Full Shelves on the Bowker study about YA buying habits. This is a really smart take, and I'm glad to see someone discussing the actual findings (that we can see without the full report; the misleading headline on the initial story did no one any favors). Scott Westerfeld was the first to point out (that I saw) that the study found adults are 55% of buyers, but accounting for 28% of YA sales. So teens are still buying the most YA books. The just-as-notable part of the study to me is the contention that adults are the ones largely driving e-book sales in YA. This makes sense. I'd also be very curious if when the summary mentions the early adoption of devices among these adults as being similar to the numbers among mystery and romance readers whether a lot of the adults probably *are* those genre readers, picking up a YA title here or there on their e-reader. I see all of this as good news, personally.
  • "The Internet, Fan Culture, and Creators: A Blessing We Shouldn’t Turn Into a Curse."
  • Laura Miller digs into some new research on the differences in the brain when pleasure reading or being analytical. Good stuff.
  • The Brave Tart (congratulations to Stella on her book deal as well! you will want this cookbook, people) on the reality of art as job, speaking specifically to people who want to cook professionally but very applicable for lots of disciplines: "The critics themselves, in kitchen memoirs or reality shows, frame the issue in romantic language as if they can taste the passion, or lack thereof, in a chef’s work. The chefs too fall back on this trope, “well, I’m certainly not doing it for the money…” On and on we hear, you’ve gotta do what you love. Put your heart in it. Love what you do. But however much you love it, let’s be clear: this career will never love you back. It can’t. It’s not a person or a puppy, it’s a job."
  • I love it when Jeff Ford cuts through the b.s. Snippet: "Fiction writing isn't about getting up on your soap box and lecturing the world about the way things should be. Fiction writing is first and foremost about describing experience. If you want to relay a big idea to readers, write an essay. If you want to write fiction, concentrate on what happens next. The secret to writing effective fiction is not to exert more control as you might want to in driving a car, but instead to exert less control, to take your hands off the wheel and let the characters and their stories lead you." Read the whole thing.

And a few of me-and-Blackwood-related things, but first thanks to everybody for the lovely feedback on yesterday's post:

  • I'm over at Narratively Speaking (thanks for hosting!) describing a day in my writing life: "Get up, have breakfast, coffee. If a really good day, exert enough willpower to avoid looking at email or twitter until after morning writing session. If a less chipper one, check these things and hopefully not lose too much time to them, then start writing. Note: I always regret checking, and yet I still sometimes do it. Especially if there’s a chance of news. The flesh is weak." Go there for the rest.
  • Jen Robinson's Book Page review: "Blackwood is an excellent choice for anyone looking for paranormal YA, mystery, or just something a little bit different. Unlike a number of other recent YA titles, the romantic elements are fairly low-key. I think this makes Blackwood particularly boy-friendly, and also a good crossover title for adult readers. Recommended for anyone who has ever wondered "what if" (13 and up)." (*BEAMS* Happy-making.)
  • Feeling Fictional review: "Overall I have to say that Blackwood is a great debut and one that has me excited to see what Gwenda Bond will come up with next. If you're looking for a story that brings history to life and then puts a supernatural spin on it, a story that will keep you gripped and make you desperate to uncover the mystery then look no further." (Thank you!)

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Quick Update (Cover Story, Giveaway Tick-Tock, & Etc.!)

Blackwood, Books / By /

As you probably already know, there are a slew of excellent books coming out today–Libba Bray's The Diviners, Rae Carson's The Crown of Embers, and Malinda Lo's Adaptation (which I just praised in the most recent issue of Locus), to name three. I'll be snapping up copies and you should, too. And if you're local to Lexington, the one and only Libba Bray will be at Joseph-Beth tonight at 7 p.m. to kick off her book tour. We'll be there with bells on (well, not really, because that would be weird and possibly loud).

On the Blackwood front:

  • I did a Cover Story for the excellent Melissa Walker's blog, in which you can get a peek at a piece of the art brief and hear about the first draft of the cover.
  • Fantasy's Ink review: "I loved the dreary and sombre feel of the book, the plot had me from the beginning and it was a haunting take on the mystery of The Lost Colony." (Love the reviewing style at this blog–she breaks down and rates each major story element. Also, *beam.*)
  • Always Lost in Stories review: "I loved how the two main characters Miranda and Phillips had to get past their fears and how they grew and changed throughout the book, especially how they grew to trust each other and rely on each other. I love a story with a slow building romantic sideline to it, and this book fits in with that." (Yay!)
  • Bibliotropic review: "If you’re a fan of creative and geeky YA paranormal tales, this is definitely one to check out." (Note: Slightly spoilery. I'll be doing an interview to run here soon as well.)
  • The Eloquent Page review: "The story does have a nicely creepy X-Files-esque vibe that is present in the entire narrative, this sets a good tone. The pacing works and the final reveal fits snuggly within the confines of the rest of the story…. If you enjoy supernatural teen dramas liked Teen Wolf or The Vampire Diaries then I think that Blackwood may be the book for you."
  • I keep hearing (cough) good things about the audiobook, which is happy-making.
  • Finally, today's the last day to enter the giveaway at Nova Ren Suma's as part of her Fall Debut Series: Handmade, supercute duct tape rose swag pen, signed copy of Blackwood, and some bonus bookmarks. Open until 8 p.m. EST.

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