Becca Fitzpatrick

Jen over at Wondrous Reads sent me a pic of her UK ARC of HUSH, HUSH (which she just got - yay!).  The cover is very similar to the US one, but there are a few differences.  Here they are, side by side.  (UK on left.) 

        

By the way, it's crazy to think ARCs are going out in the UK now!!! 

We're leaving tomorrow for Boston (yay!) so I'm running around the house throwing stuff into the suitcase and pretending to get lots of work accomplished before I go.  I'm going to "try" not to do any work while I'm gone, and I'll get back to you on how well that goes!  

Pretty much my day has gone like this:

Eat a cupcake, do a little work.  Eat a cupcake, do a little work.  Eat a cupcake...




Anyway, since I probably won't be hopping back on here before I leave, I wanted to say HAPPY FOURTH OF JULY!  To those of you who're celebrating: Have fun!  

Also...I have some super exciting news.  Sometimes I feel like I probably go a little overboard on announcing good news, but when I was struggling to get published, I stalked author blogs, living vicariously through them.  Hopefully I can pass on the favor.  

Now, without further ado, Barnes and Noble has selected Hush, Hush for their First Look book club!  This is especially cool because it's the first time they've picked a YA title for the book club.  I'm really hoping this gives YA more exposure and opens up the chance for many, many more YA books to be selected.  Go, YA!  Of course, I can't tell you how nervous I am.  I don't want to blow it!  :).  This is a tremendous opportunity - I'll get to converse directly with readers about Hush, Hush before it's published - and I'm already wondering what kinds of questions everyone will have and where the discussions will go, but I know one thing: This is my dream, and it's coming true a hundred times over.  Wow.  Just...too cool. 

I promise to post more details as things develop.  

Happy Fourth!

-Becca

Hi everyone!
 

Back from my pre-pub tour, which turned out to be one of the best experiences I’ve had on my road to publication so far. I'll be honest – I was really nervous going into it, not knowing what to expect, but looking back, there was absolutely no reason to be nervous at all. Everyone was so friendly, enthusiastic, passionate about books, and incredibly easy going.

Sunday

I flew into Michigan Sunday afternoon, and had the pleasure of meeting Victor Iannone, Simon & Schuster’s National Accounts Manager. I can say with absolute certainty that Victor is one of the friendliest people I’ve ever met. He put me right at ease and I enjoyed every moment of our time together. He gave me a tour of Ann Arbor – so many trees! (But I guess that’s what you expect from a city named Ann Arbor!) The University of Michigan has a beautiful campus, surrounded by several old churches like these:

       

The Methodist church (last picture) was directly outside my hotel window – not a bad view!  Sunday evening I roamed campus and the surrounding neighborhoods.  Main Street reminded me a lot of Church Street in Burlington, Vermont.  There were lots of boutiques and quaint restaurants with outside seating.  And being the ice cream nut that I am, I was not about to miss stopping by Kilwin's to get a cone. I tried Ann Arbor Mud to tip my hat to the locals.




At dark, I came home and read a little of Sarah Rees Brennan’s The Demon’s Lexicon, watched an episode of Law & Order (I rarely get to watch TV at home, so this was a special treat.  Plus, I <3 Chris Noth!) and then it was off to bed.  Big day tomorrow! 
 

( Read more... )

 

 

 

Whew!  It has been a crazy, exciting week and, let's see...yup, it's only Tuesday!  I don't think I've mentioned this before, but I'm flying out to Ann Arbor Sunday morning to meet with book buyers from Borders, and then later in the week I'll be in NYC meeting with buyers from Barnes and Noble.  I'm super excited for the trip, but I have a lot to do before I go!  (Like decide what I'm going to wear!)  I've already enlisted the professional opinions of Lisa and Laura, who are going to read this and laugh at me.  Yes, I am a dork.  Deal with it.  

So this morning I mailed out the first-ever edition of the Becca Fitzpatrick newsletter - yay!  If you don't know what newsletter I'm talking about, you clearly need to register your email address at my website.  It's the fastest and surest way to keep up-to-date on the hottest news and win freebies.  Speaking of freebies, five lucky newsletter subscribers won HUSH, HUSH T-shirts this morning, and one won an ARC of HUSH, HUSH.  (Congrats, Perla!) 

As I was typing this, I got an email from my agent, informing me I was mentioned in Shelf Awareness today.  It appears if you've been wanting to get your hands on an early copy of HUSH, HUSH, you still can.  Simon & Schuster is running a sweepstakes, and all the exciting details are HERE. 

Now.  If my editor, agent, or anyone else professionally associated with me are still reading, please STOP.  This next part is NOT for your ears.  

So.  This morning I had this great idea to take my ARC to my local indie store, The Readers Cove.  I'm a SAHM (stay-at-home mom) so I knew I'd be taking my kids with me (ages 2 and 6), but I'd like to think my children are well-behaved and I assumed there would be no problems.  I strolled into the store, introduced myself to the woman at the front counter, and asked if the children's bookseller was in.  She said no, Charles wasn't in today, and I went on to introduce myself and show her my shiny new ARC.  We talked a little about the book and about my path to publication, and then she graciously offered to deliver the ARC to Charles the next time he was in.  

Now for the bad stuff.  I walked back to the children's section to find my kids, and they asked if they could each buy a book.  As they were carrying their books up to the front counter, my 2 year old bolted for the doors with his book, and ran outside.  Without paying!  I chased him all the way past ACE Hardware and carted him and the book back inside the store.  I was completely embarrassed, but things seemed to be going well since my 6 year old was carrying on a conversation with the woman about a book he'd read on how ice cream is made.  Anyway, I set both books on the counter to pay, when there was a huge crash behind me.  My 2 year old was literally THROWING BOOKS OFF THE DISPLAY TABLE ONTO THE FLOOR!!  I almost died.  I ran over, picked up the books with one hand while I used the other to keep my rabid child away from the display.  Then I paid and fled.  FLED!  

Anyway, I'm pretty sure I left an impression on the people of The Readers Cove.  No worries that they won't remember me the next time I stop in. 

UGH.   

Last post today!  And then I'm going shopping.  Er, working.  (If my agent is reading this, anyway.)  As far as my journey to publication goes, this week was pretty much awesome.  First, my ARCs came, and then today I saw the first-ever review of HUSH, HUSH over on Reviewer X's blog.  At first I wasn't going to read it (I've sworn off reading reviews for my own sanity) but the temptation was too strong.  I went over for a quick look.  

The whole thing made me smile, but especially this part:

"...this is exactly the type of thing I like to and want to read: dark and both relevant and whimsical, with memorable characters, great quotability, and abundant humor. Hush, Hush doesn’t stop at exciting--it was an experience so complete and enjoyable..."

Now I'm going to repent and swear off reading reviews...again. 

-Becca

ARCs!!!!!!

Hi, all!

I can now say with certainty that I know the UPS guy's knock.  I heard it this morning while I was washing my face, and I raced downstairs to find a package on my doorstep.  Inside were my first pass pages and jacket! 




My instructions are to read over the book and "mark any changes."  Holy woah.  I think this might be the last time I make alternations to the book.  (And I can say with certainty that after this read, the book will officially be imprinted on my brain.  No, seriously.  Give me a page number, and I'll be able to recite from memorization.)  One of the cool things about first pass pages is that instead of standard Times New Roman, the book is printed in the unique font that will show up in the final, real, bound book.  All special characters, etc. are also included.  Meaning, the pages look like this:




I also get to make changes to the jacket, but my editor nailed the blurb, so I think the jacket is pretty much good to go.  



So here I go.  Off to read HUSH, HUSH.  When I finish, I'm rewarding myself with shoes from J.Crew's HOT, HOT, HOT sale.  

-Becca

The day has come.  I have permission to share my cover!  I love it so much I'm tempted to squeeze it to death.  James Porto was the photographer, and it's a good thing he doesn't live in Colorado, or I might be tempted to squeeze him to death too.  He really nailed everything, especially the book's mysterious and creepy atmosphere.  And check out that font.  So sinister! 





p.s. Now you can see why a trampoline was involved! 

Hi, all!

*drumroll*

www.beccafitzpatrick.com is live!  Stop by and check it out, should you desire.  You can register for the Becca Fitzpatrick newsletter (no spam, I promise, but your name will be entered to win a signed ARC of HUSH, HUSH, so proceed at your own risk - ha!) or enter my Name a Character contest. 

Or, you know, just have a look around. 

-Becca   

ETA:  My pub date has changed, as you'll notice.  HUSH, HUSH will now be in stores October 27, 2009!  I'm (obviously!) very excited about this!  

Happy Thursday, all!

Well, I did it.  Copy edits are d-o-n-e.  I'll check everything over once more tomorrow, and then it's off to my local UPS store.  I'm feeling a little emotional about the whole experience.  I mean, after this, edits are over.  My book will go to printland and come back a real book.  How crazy is that? 

I have to say, my copy editor, Valerie, is awesome with a capital A.  Her brain operates on a whole different playing field than mine.  Nothing gets past her.  And I'm not even going to talk about her vocab.  I'm willing to bet fifty dollars she knows the definition of every single word in the English language.  (And then there's me - the girl who took one English class in college.  My professor threatened to fail me, but I think after she realized how hard I was working, she felt compassion and gave me a C.)

So, yeah.  Even though I know Valerie isn't reading this, I'd feel completely ungrateful if I didn't give a major shout-out to her awesomeness.  Way to go, Valerie!  You rock!   

It's 9:45 p.m. here in Colorado, and while I still have time to watch a show/read a book before my self-imposed bedtime, I think I'm going to pass.  My brain feels like it just thought its way through a marathon and all I want is bed. 

'Night!

So, yes. 

I just found out that my copy-edited manuscript arrives tomorrow!  To prepare, I went and did a little yoga, then stopped at Target and picked up a little copy-edits therapy:


I must have been standing with my face pressed against the freezer doors for quite some time, because a guy came up and asked, "What are you debating between?"

"Heath and mint chocolate chip," I said.  

"Oh, man, you gotta go with Heath.  Trust me." 

"Heath it is," I said, opening the freezer door.  

"Bad day, I take it?" 

"Actually, it was a great day.  It's just, my copy edits arrive tomorrow and I'm not quite sure what to expect."

"Am I supposed to know what copy edits are?" 

"Nobody knows what they are until they actually go through them."

"Okay, then.  I think you definitely made the right choice with the Heath." 


More on copy edits tomorrow, I promise!  

but then I saw this hilarious pop quiz over on Teens Writing for Teens and had to share. 

So I got an email this morning from my editor.  Nothing unusual about that . . . except inside the email she informed me that yesterday she attended the photo shoot for HUSH, HUSH's cover!  Guys.  I so picked the wrong week to fly out to NYC.  I mean, I could have witnessed an actual photo shoot!  And not just any photo shoot, but my photo shoot (er, my book's.  See how possessive I'm getting?)  There was even a trampoline involved.  I think my editor (wisely) guessed how absolutely raging jealous this would make me, so she pointed me over to facebook where she'd posted a picture of her jumping (a.k.a. doing dramatic cheerleading kicks) in midair.  All rage was replaced by laughter.  I love my editor.   

(But I still think I should get back at her by posting the picture!)   

Pop quiz time.   What arrived in my mailbox last Friday afternoon?

a) Veronica Mars the complete second season
b) Line edits for HUSH
c) Valpak coupons
d) All of the above

And . . . a big gold star to whoever chose answer D!  I have lots to say about VMars 2, but I'll save it for another time.  Probably, my commentary will have to wait until I've finished the complete season because right now I feel a little manic about the whole thing.  (What is up with Veronica's love life?!?)  Instead, I'm going to talk about line edits.  And all I have to say about them is . . . Hallelujah!  They were quick, painless and, dare I say it, fun?  

Most writers go through anywhere from 1 to 100 rounds of big, life-altering global revisions that involve things like taking the ax to a story line, birthing a new character, writing a whole new ending, etc., etc.  But after the big global edits are out of the way, the writer moves on to line edits.  Line edits are smaller, line-by-line changes that deal with things like word choice, eliminating repetitive words and phrases, making sure every scene is in line with the book's tone, etc.  But the best part of line edits, for me, is realizing that my story is pretty close to done.  The metamorphosis is nigh complete.  What I have now is more or less what will end up between the printed pages of HUSH, HUSH.

And how am I celebrating?  Why, with sugar of course.  My dentist will thank me later.  

my study is it offers a great view of the mailbox.  This comes in handy when I'm stalking the mailman, who is supposed to deliver Veronica Mars season 2 any day now. 



So last week I had my semi-annual dental checkup and guess what?  No cavities.  Truth is, I've never had a cavity.  I'm not sure why I'm so insanely proud of this, other than it's a miracle considering the amount of sugar I consume.  Anyway, this particular trip to the dentist was made even more memorable when the hygienist asked me if I work and guess what I said?  

Ha!  Yes!  I admitted to being "a writer."  Other than the fact that I said it like a confession, it was a pretty awesome moment.   

Let's talk about one of the most exciting parts of the publishing journey. Ta da! Receiving and signing The Contract:

The point between selling the book (the book deal) and receipt of the contract varies, but 4-6 months is typical. Ninety nine percent of authors experience anxiety attacks during this waiting period, wondering if their editor will change her mind about acquiring the manuscript. This is called Being Neurotic. There is no cure, not even receipt of The Contract. But it helps.

 

The Contract is a written agreement between the publisher and the author in which both parties agree to work together to help the book be as successful as possible. The publisher promises to edit, publish and sell the book, and the author promises to help these efforts to the best of her ability.

 

Some parts of the contract make the author smile. Like learning her publisher will consult with her in regard to the book's cover art.

 

Some parts make the author laugh. Like the fact that theme park rights are reserved by the author.

 

Some parts make the author think dreamily of the future. Like learning her manuscript will at some point be an actual, physical hardbound book.

 

After carefully reading over The Contract, and agreeing to the terms, the author signs her name on the line:

While most authors are severely serious creatures, signing The Contract has been known to bring out a goofy, cheesy side. Although it is worthy of a good eyeroll, some authors do in fact kiss The Contract.

 

 

 

 

Filling out a publicity questionnaire probably isn't the most exciting part of the publishing journey, but it is a useful tool for authors to brainstorm publicity/marketing ideas.  The questionnaire comes from the publisher and will generally ask the author to list any media contacts they have, journalists who might be interested in covering the book, speaking commitments the author has made, and any other ideas the author might have to raise the book's visibility and drive sales. They questionnaire will also ask the author to list potential blurbers for their book.

 

Established authors with a loyal following make excellent blurbers. If a reader walks into a bookstore and notices a book on the shelf with a blurb from one of their favorite authors, the book goes from being just another book, into a hot new book the reader wants to buy.

 

Here are a few example blurbs:

 

“If I could eat this novel, I would.” --Alice Seabold on Karen Joy Fowler's THE JANE AUSTEN BOOK CLUB

 

“Zusak doesn't sugarcoat anything, but he makes his ostensibly gloomy subject bearable the same way Kurt Vonnegut did in SLAUGHTERHOUSE FIVE: with grim, darkly consoling humor.” --Time on Markus Zusak's THE BOOK THIEF

 

“Virtuoso plot twists . . . Brown's latest thriller engages the primal senses.” --Kirkus Reviews on Sandra Brown's CHILL FACTOR.

 

As I filled out my publicity questionnaire, I had a lot of fun making a wish list of potential blurbers for HUSH HUSH. I mean a lot. I aimed high. Really high. Maybe I even got a little carried away. I stopped short of putting Diana Gabaldon on the list, but believe me, I was tempted.