Katy Upperman's Blog, page 5

Welcome to the world, Jilly and Max!

It’s here, it’s here, it’s here!

Kissing Max Holden has finally (FINALLY!) made its way into the world — I can hardly believe it! 

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In case you’re new around here, a brief summary of the story: 

After his father has a life-altering stroke, Max Holden isn’t himself. As his long-time friend, Jillian Eldridge only wants to help him, but she doesn’t know how. When Max climbs through her window one night, Jill knows that she shouldn’t let him kiss her. But she can’t resist, and when they’re caught in the act by her dad, Jill swears it’ll never happen again. Because kissing Max Holden is a terrible idea.

With a new baby sister on the way, her parents fighting all the time, and her dream of culinary school up in the air, Jill starts spending more and more time with Max. And even though her father disapproves and Max still has a girlfriend, not kissing him is easier said than done. Will Jill follow her heart and allow their friendship to blossom into more, or will she listen to her head and stop kissing Max Holden once and for all?

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I wrote about the beginnings of Kissing Max Holden‘s path to publication in On Patience, Perseverance, and the Elusive Book Deal, back in December, 2015 so I’ll spare you a rehashing of how selling this book was a long, bumpy road, but please do check out that post if you’re into book-ish origin stories, or if you’re working on getting your own manuscript sold and need a little inspiration in the way of sticking it out.

Today, I’d like to say thank you…

Thank you to Holly West and Lauren Scobell, who selected Kissing Max Holden from a wealth of truly excellent Swoon Reads submissions, and helped me shape it into the story it is today. And thank you to Kat Brzozowski, who’s offered such kindness and guidance and patience over the last year.

Thank you to Jean Feiwel, who took the genius idea of a crowd-sourced YA imprint and turned it into a reality, simultaneously making my dream of publication a reality.

Thank you to my ever diligent publicist, Kelsey Marrujo. Thank you to marketing superstar and early Kissing Max Holden champion Ashley Woodfolk. Thank you to Valerie Shea and Starr Baer for their copyediting prowess. Thank you to Emily Settle for all the things. Thank you to Rebecca Syracuse for the gorgeous, gorgeous cover. Thank you to everyone else at Swoon Reads, Fierce Reads, and Macmillan who had a hand in making my debut (and my debut experience!) so amazing.

Thank you to my agent, Victoria Marini, who is smart and honest and funny and real, and who’s stuck with me through it all.

Thank you to my little group of critiquers — Alison Miller, Temre Beltz, Riley Edgewood, and Elodie Nowodazkij — for their brilliant feedback, endless inspiration, and boundless enthusiasm. All writers should be so lucky to have friends like you.

Thank you to Jessica Love, Tracey Neithercott, Jaime Morrow, Christa Desir, and Erin Bowman for sharing their wisdom, humor, and priceless critiques on Kissing Max Holden at its various stages of storydom. This book is so much better because of you!

Thank you to the #SwoonSquad for being so welcoming and warm. Thank you to my fellow 2017 middle grade and young adult authors. Your support, pep talks, and commiseration have been invaluable. Thank you to the YA community for making me feel like one of you, even in the beginning. And thank you to Jessi Kirby, Miranda Kenneally, Jessica Love, Lisa Schroeder, and Erin Bowman for the beautiful blurbs.

Thank you to my parents, for indulging my lifelong love of reading, and for stressing the importance of education, and for making me feel loved at all times. Thank you to my brothers for providing plenty of fodder for my fictional familial relationships, and for accompanying me on the wild ride that was growing up. Thank you to my mother-in-law and father-in-law for their unwavering support, and thanks to the rest of my family for their constant excitement regarding my writing. You guys are the best!

An enormous, heart-shaped thank you to my husband, who shares Max’s best traits, who always knows how to cheer me up, and who happily orders pizza when I’m in the weeds. Thank you to my daughter, who has never stopped believing this would happen, and thank you to my littlest munchkin because even now, your love of books (and me!) shines bright.

And thank you — yes, you!

Thank you for asking about my writing, for sharing my shamelessly promotional tweets/posts/images, for asking me to come to your town for a signing, for passing out my bookmarks, for preordering Kissing Max Holden, for requesting it at your library, for talking about it with the readers in your life, for complimenting its cover, its summary, and its blurbs. Thank you, so much, for your tireless support.

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Because it’s release day, I’m going to drop a few links below — you know, should you want to order Kissing Max Holden for yourself or your favorite book lover. You should also be able to find it at most major brick-and-mortar book retailers, as well as many independent bookstores. If you can’t find it, just ask! Most stores are more than willing to order requested books.

July Reading Wrap-Up

I read some amazing YA books in July!

Don’t forget to share your recent favorites in the comments.

KISSING MAX HOLDEN’s Launch Party!

Come celebrate the release of Kissing Max Holden

with me and a whole bunch of cookies! 

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Hope to see you there!

One…

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June Reading Wrap-Up

Kind of an eccentric mish-mash of books this month… 

A little something for everyone?

KISSING MAX HOLDEN Preorder Incentive

Friends, preordering a book is an AWESOME thing to do.

First, preordering almost always ensures that you’ll pay the lowest price; many online retailers have a preorder price guarantee, meaning even if you order the book now at its full price, you’ll end up paying the lowest price that book might fall to. Win!

Second, preordering means you’ll have a brand new book delivered to your doorstep, very often on its release day. So, you don’t have to get dressed, or forgo your hot cup of coffee, or battle traffic to get that new book you’ve had your eye on. Again, win!

Third, preordering helps authors; when booksellers see preorder interest in forthcoming releases, they often purchase and shelve more copies of those releases, giving them more exposure and, hopefully, greater sales. And again, WIN!

Fourth, sometimes (THIS TIME!) there are incentives associated with preordering…

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If you have preordered or plan to preorder a copy of Kissing Max Holden, you’re eligible to receive the preorder incentives detailed below! 

Tier One

A gift for all who enter, while supplies last. Includes one signed Kissing Max Holden bookmark, one card featuring the secret recipe for Jilly’s *Best* Chocolate Chip Cookies, and one exclusive bookplate, personalized and signed, just for you! International.



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Tier Two

Three winners will be chosen at random to receive the gifts in Tier One, plus a cupcake notebook, nail polish in “Dream On”, a Lindt Caramel Brownie treat, and a Swoon Reads coloring book. U.S. only.

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Tier Three

One winner will be chosen at random to receive the gifts from Tiers One and Two, as well as a kissy lips cookie cutter, an arrow-heart spatula, a hardcover edition of the Cookie Love cookbook, and a “Happily Ever After” candle. U.S only.

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Here’s How To Enter

Preorder a hardcover (ISBN 9781250111166) or eBook (ISBN 9781250111159) of Kissing Max Holden {UK edition hardcover (ISBN-10: 1250111161) or eBook (ISBN-13: 978-1250111166} from your favorite bookseller. For convenience, here are some quick links: Amazon, Indie Bound, Barnes & Noble, BAM!, Target, Powell’s, One More Page Books, Amazon UK, Chapters Indigo.
Photograph or screenshot your proof of purchase.
Fill out this KISSING MAX HOLDEN Preorder Incentive form, including your name, email address, mailing address, and preferred bookplate personalization.
Email your proof of purchase to UppermanPreorders@gmail.com.

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Fine Print

Entries must be submitted via the linked form by July 31st at 11:59 PM. First Tier gifts are available to all entrants. Second and Third Tier gifts are available only to entrants with U.S. mailing addresses. Proof of purchase must be submitted for eligibility. Preorder incentive is open as long as supplies last. Gifts will be mailed on a first-come, first-serve basis, beginning in August.

Questions? Please email them to UppermanPreorders@gmail.com.

As always, thank you so much for your support!

Announcing the *Kissing Summer Goodbye* Tour!

Guys! I’m taking Kissing Max Holden on the road!

This August, I’ll be setting out on a five city book tour with my good friend and fellow debut author Christina June (It Started With Goodbye)!

We’re making a loop through the southeast, with stops in Richmond VA, Charlotte NC, Asheville NC, Decatur GA, and Greenville SC. I’m so looking forward to visiting some amazing independent bookstores and meeting up with some special guest authors, including Gwen Cole (Cold Summer), Shaila Patel (Soulmated), Joanne O’Sullivan (Between Two Skies), and Lauren Karcz (The Gallery of Unfinished Girls). I can’t wait to talk writing, sign books, meet likeminded YA lovers, and eat greasy roadside food with Christina!

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Hope to see you along the way!

8 Lessons Learned From Subbing to Swoon Reads

 This is a reposting of an article I wrote for the YA Buccaneers, a blog run by a group of wonderful YA authors — one that has since dropped anchor because those authors have become all sorts of busy with authorly things. Since the Buccaneers are no more, I wanted to save this material and keep it available, as I think it’s helpful to those who are considering submitting their manuscripts to Swoon Reads (my publisher). I’m reposting as is, with only a few supplemental additions, which I’ve marked with asterisks.

First, some background information on Swoon Reads, borrowed from the Swoon Reads “FAQ” page:

“Swoon Reads publishes young adult and new adult romance novels. Writers can submit their original, unpublished manuscript to the Swoon Reads website, and readers who sign up can rate and comment on manuscripts to help us [editors] choose which titles we want to publish. Swoon Reads is an imprint of Macmillan publishing under Feiwel & Friends and was founded by Jean Feiwel.”

I submitted my contemporary YA romance, Kissing Max Holden, to Swoon Reads in early October (*2015). Here’s what I’ve learned so far…

1. Submit for the right reasons.

I spent months exploring Swoon Reads and thinking about whether I wanted to upload my swooniest manuscript, Kissing Max Holden, to the site. Factors that led me to believe Swoon Reads is an opportunity worth pursuing:

The untraditional path to publication Swoon Reads offers is very cool. They get readers involved and consider their opinions when deciding whether to acquire stories. (*Though, Swoon Reads is not a popularity contest. The Swoon Team is looking for quality manuscripts that fit in among their list. While ratings and comments are important, they aren’t all that matters.)
Swoon Reads members leave reflective comments on submitted manuscripts, Swoon Reads authors, editors, and publicists blog about the writing and publication processes, and readers share the stories they love via social media. All of this fosters a community that is helpful, warm, and enthusiastic. (*I continue to experience this sense of encouraging community, more than eighteen months after selling Kissing Max Holden!)
I’ve read a few Swoon Reads stories and they’re wonderful. Unique concepts, lovely prose, compelling relationships, and characters who leap off the page. The quality is extraordinary.
I truly believe my story is a great fit for Swoon Reads. I’m a romance girl through and through (Kissing Max Holden is proof!), and I’m all for an imprint that celebrates swoon.

2. Submitting to Swoon Reads is fairly simple.

You’ll need an original YA or NA manuscript of at least 45,000 words, formatted to the Swoon Reads specifications. Swoon Reads focuses on romance of all sorts, so bring on the swoon no matter what genre you write. (*Now, Swoon Reads focuses on all YA, whether it includes romance or not! If you write fantasy, mystery, sci-fi, etc, keep Swoon Reads in mind.)

3. Entice Swoon Reads members/potential readers with an appealing cover.

It’s okay to use the default cover provided by Swoon Reads, but I recommend creating a cover image that captures the tone of your story. I made Kissing Max Holden’s cover using a free stock image and the photo editing site Pic Monkey.

[image error](*This homemade cover will always hold a special place in my heart, but I love the final cover designed by Swoon Reads so much more!)

4. It’s important to nail down your manuscript’s genre.

Swoon Reads categorizes stories so it’s easy for readers to find what they’re interested in. Once you’ve chosen a genre (contemporary, adventure, historical, paranormal, etc.) you can get even more specific. For example, under the “Contemporary” heading, you’ll find these subtopics: Beach/Summer, Holiday, School, Family, Issue, Friendship, Mystery.

5. Snag readers with irresistible story descriptions.

If you submit to Swoon Reads, you’ll need a short pitch, as well as longer query-like summary. For me, this was the hardest part of the submission process! I tend to be wordy, and it was a challenge to pare my pitch and summary down while ensuring they grabbed the attention of potential readers.

6. Promote, promote, promote.

Swoon Reads is all about reader feedback, which means you’ve got to attract, you know, readers. After I submitted Kissing Max Holden, I had to get brave and spread the word. (Why is it SO scary to share our work with the world?!) Here’s what’s worked for me in the way of promotion:

I’ve posted my story’s cover on all of my social media platforms, and I’ve shared about how Swoon Reads works, which has people excited. Even those who don’t normally read YA romance seem to be eager to be part of the publishing process; lots of my family members and friends have created Swoon Reads accounts because they want to help give writers a shot at a book deal.
I’ve created graphics with Kissing Max Holden teasers to post on Instagram and Twitter and, since my story’s main character is an aspiring pastry chef, I’ve shared photos of my own baked goods along with the story’s link.
I’ve talked about the Swoon Reads process on my blog, and I’ve shared the story’s first chapter with an accompanying link, so those who’d like to read more can.
For me, the biggest help in spreading the word about Kissing Max Holden has been the people who’ve read and enjoyed the story. I feel so lucky to have had readers and fellow writers recommend Kissing Max Holden to their friends and followers via social media.

7. Engaging with readers can be fun.

I think we’ve all heard some version of this very important publishing advice: Don’t respond to reviews! Except at Swoon Reads, writers are encouraged to reply to the comments left on their stories. This, at first, made me very nervous. (What if someone hated my story and listed all the reasons why they thought it was terrible? I’d have to come up with a gracious response while simultaneously sobbing and eating a gallon of ice cream.) But here’s the thing: Swoon Reads members are awesome, and they love stories, and they want to help writers improve. Have all the comments my story’s received been glowing accolades? Not exactly. But every single one has been thoughtful and kind and enthusiastic, and it’s a pleasure to respond with my heartfelt thanks.

8. Enjoy the process.

There’s no guarantee that any one book submitted to Swoon Reads will be published by the imprint. Kissing Max Holden might catch the team’s collective eye, or it could be passed over. No matter the outcome, I’m so glad I posted my story on the site. I’ve fallen in love with its characters all over again, I’ve interacted with some incredible readers, and I’ve learned so much. So far, the experience has been amazing. (*My experience continues to be amazing. I’m so proud to be a Swoon Reads author!)

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Preorder Kissing Max Holden from…



Amazon

Indie Bound

Barnes & Noble

BAM!

Target

Powell’s

Kissing Max Holden on Goodreads

Kissing Max Holden at Swoon Reads

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May Reading Wrap-Up

May has been a super varied month of reading,

and I’ve got lots of good stuff to recommend…

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The Invention of Wings by Sue Monk Kidd – This one is the June pick for my book club (I’m actually ahead for once!) and it really impressed me. It’s based on the life of historical figures Sarah and Angelina Grimke, early abolitionists and feminists, but also tells the (almost entirely fictionalized) story Hetty “Handful” Grimke, a slave who comes of age in the Grimke household. I was worried that this tale would center on Sarah helping Handful to freedom, but it doesn’t. Both Sarah and Handful are strong women with agency, and their evolving relationship is fascinating. The Invention of Wings is a difficult read, as it holds little back in the way of depicting the severe realities of slavery, but it is also a beautiful story about love and sacrifice and standing up for what’s right. Recommended for anyone with an interest in American history, and fans of sweeping historical fiction.

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The Edge of Everything by Jeff Giles – This is a cool book — it calls back to those 2007-2009 paranormal romances we all loved so much, but it definitely has its own unique spin. I bought The Edge of Everything because of its fabulous cover, but didn’t know much about what I was getting into until I started reading. The gist: Montana girl meets underworldly (yes)  boy; mayhem, mystery, and romance ensue. I love Zoe for her stubbornness and sass, and I love X for his vulnerability and sense of chivalry, and I love the two of them together because, despite the completely bonkers situation they find themselves in, they just… make sense. The voice of this debut impressed me, too. While the story is action-packed, author Jeff Giles has infused some smart humor into, too, which made it a super entertaining read. Pick this one up if you’re nostalgic for paranormal romance, or if you like captivating characters and evocative prose.

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The Truth About Happily Ever After by Karole Cozzo – I’ve loved all of my Swoon Sister Karole’s books, but this one is definitely my new favorite. The Truth About Happily Ever After is everything I wanted it to be — fantastic writing, layered characters who are so easy to root for, and super swoony romance. Protagonist Alyssa is relatably flawed and instantly likable, and I’ve got a new favorite Book Boy in Miller. This NA novel takes place at Enchanted Dominion, a stand-in for Disney World (my favorite!). Alyssa and her friends are character actors — Alyssa plays Cinderella with passion and perfection, and expects life and love to be the fairytale she presents at work. Of course, it doesn’t work out that way, and Alyssa is forced to come to terms with some pretty unexpected challenges. Her character arch is steep and satisfying, while still feeling magical and fun. Perfect for those wanting an authentic-feeling romance between college-aged characters, with a delightfully enchanting setting.

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The Hot Shot by Kristen Callihan – I’m not even gonna lie — this book is full of smutty goodness, so if that’s not your thing, probably steer clear. But if you’re looking for a guilty pleasure read about an NFL quarterback and the utterly endearing photographer he falls for, this is the book for you. I recommend reading the first three books in this series first; I found them all unputdownable!

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Always and Forever, Lara Jean by Jenny Han – It’s hard for me to chat about this third and final book about Jenny Han’s adorable Lara Jean and her winsome boyfriend Peter K because to admit that I loved this story probably gives a lot away. But yeah. I LOVED IT. Always and Forever, Lara Jean tackles the very real challenges of a high school senior: college applications and acceptances, stretching friendships, shifting family dynamics, and tested romances. It’s all very authentic, but still very charmed, as Lara Jean’s stories tend to feel. She’s matured in this book, which I appreciated seeing. She’s a better communicator, she’s less naive, and she’s even more thoughtful when it comes to the people she loves. And Peter’s grown too — he’s basically the world’s best boyfriend. ❤️ I could rave about this one all day. Read it if you haven’t yet, and if you’re waiting around to start this series, now’s the perfect time!

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The Couple Next Door by Shari Lapena – May’s book club selection, and I was captivated. This one’s about a couple who leaves their 6 month old baby, Cora, asleep in her crib while they have dinner/drinks with (you guessed it) the couple next door. They’ve got a baby monitor and they’re checking on her every half hour, but of course something horrible happens: Cora is kidnapped. This novel is fast-paced and full of twists and turns; it kept me guessing through its final pages. My only two qualms are the writing style — for me, it felt flat and at times tell-y — and the conclusion which, as far as baby Cora is concerned, I thought to be incredibly implausible. Still, this is a great summer read, sensational as it is. Recommended for those who like mystery and psychological thrillers.

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Fireworks by Katie Cotugno – Oh my goodness — this book exactly what I needed in nineties-set novel about a fledgling pop girl group and the dreamy boy band they come to know. Y’all, if you’re not reading Katie Cotugno’s books, please start now. She’s so good. I adored my time with this third novel of hers very much. Main character Dana is cool and layered and easy to relate to, and her love interest, Alex, is fantastic. I loved the way their relationship unfurled — it’s equally romantic and realistic. I also enjoyed how the demise of Dana’s best friendship was portrayed; her “break-up” with Olivia rang very true, and is an issue I don’t see addressed often enough in young adult literature. Fireworks is another excellent summer story, perfect for the beach or pool, and a must-read for contemporary lovers, particularly those who were teens in the nineties.