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THELMA BEE IN TOIL AND TROUBLE and A Few Other MG Books You Should Read

Happy Labor Day!

It’s been a while since I participated in Marvelous Middle Grade Monday, but I finally caught up on some middle grade reading, and these books are so fantastic I just had to jump back in!

First up is THELMA BEE IN TOIL AND TROUBLE by Erin Petti, which comes out tomorrow! I was privileged to read an early copy of this book. It’s the sequel to THE PECULIAR HAUNTING OF THELMA BEE, and if you haven’t read that one, you should definitely pick it up. But either way, you can totally start with this one  and enjoy it.

Eleven-year-old Thelma Bee is a supernatural investigator and has powers of her own she’s still learning about (revealed in the first book). As part of the Riverfish Valley Paranormal Society (RVPS), Thelma and her friends have to investigate a new spike in paranormal activity in their small town. A classmate brings reports that his older sister’s a cappella group–Toil and Treble–is seriously evil. Thelma and the rest of RVPS are at first skeptical, but when Thelma’s sworn enemy joins the group, starts acting nice, and then disappears, she believes it may be true.

I loved all the quirky characters in the first book, and they all return, plus some new fun characters, including the stars of a ghost-hunting reality show. I also really enjoyed how Thelma grows into her powers and also deals with some family drama while navigating her friendships as well. I highly recommend you go pick this one up tomorrow!

I’m always up for a middle grade quest, and LARK AND THE WILD HUNT by Jennifer Adam is the perfect adventure. Lark Mairen lives in the Borderlands–an area that borders the land of the fae. Twice each year elite riders from her side of the border ride in the Wild Hunt with the Fae Court to strengthen the border, maintaining a delicate balance of magic and time. But the morning after the hunt, her brother doesn’t come home with the other riders.

As her family tries to get answers about her brother’s disappearance, Lark befriends a fae boy she calls Rook. To find her brother, she must fix a special clock the Harvest King dropped during the hunt. Fixing things is a particular skill of Lark’s, so she’s up to the challenging task. But others want the clock, plus it appears the fae aren’t keeping their part of the agreement with her people. It’s getting dicey, and way too much rests on Lark’s shoulders.

I don’t read a ton of fantasy, but I found this story completely gripping. Lark’s love for her brother and determination to bring him home, no matter what, is relatable and admirable. I also enjoyed her relationship with Rook. Lark’s parents and sister are great characters too. If this book isn’t on your radar, go check it out!

So, you’ve probably all read AMARI AND THE NIGHT BROTHERS by B.B. Alston, right? I mean, both of my kids read it before me–twice. But I knew it was the beginning of a series (the second book just came out!), so I held off on reading.

Oh my gosh, I understand all the hype now! This book deserves every single accolade it’s received. From the opening pages I got total Men in Black vibes, except with so much more than aliens. Amari gets introduced to the supernatural world and then discovers she’s a magician–but that’s bad. How’s that for a twist? Usually being a secret magician is the good news.

I loved Amari and all the other characters in this book so much. Everyone is so well drawn, and I have to give B.B. Alston a slow clap for hitting me with a twist I did not see coming. It was the perfect kind of twist–the kind where as soon as it happened I could see every seed he planted that I’d ignored. That is just masterful. I haven’t had a chance to read the second book but I will definitely not have the willpower to put it off until the third book is on its way.

I loved Rajani LaRocca’s first book, MIDSUMMER’S MAYHEM, and have been meaning to pick up another of her books forever (she’s been on a total publishing tear, so it’s hard to keep up!). I’m so glad I picked up this one. RED, WHITE, AND WHOLE is a Newberry Honor book and so deserving.

It’s the story of Reha, the only Indian American student at her school in the early 1980s. She feels torn between two worlds–her tight-knit Indian community at home and on the weekends and American middle school during the week. She isn’t sure how to fully embrace either identity or blend them.

Just when Reha feels like she fully fits in at school, she discovers her mother is very sick, and it changes her perspective all over again. Written in verse, this book is a quick read but packs a strong emotional punch. I felt Reha’s tug of war between the two worlds, her love for her family and friends, her journey as she started to discover who she would be as an Indian American. I highly recommend this gorgeous book.

I have some other middle grade books on my TBR, so hopefully it won’t be as long before my next MMGM!

I’d love to hear if you’ve read any of these and what you thought–or if any are completely new to you.

The post THELMA BEE IN TOIL AND TROUBLE and A Few Other MG Books You Should Read appeared first on Michelle I Mason.

1 Month to MSIOY: Places in the Book

I know everyone else isn’t keeping track of dates the same way I am, but today is Aug. 20, which means My Second Impression of You releases in exactly one month!

Every month leading up to publication, I’ve been giving a backstage pass into the book. So far I’ve covered:

The inspiration for the storyA playlistBroadway wisdomThe cover storyA watch list

When I was writing Your Life Has Been Delayed, I incorporated a number of places that really grounded the book in St. Louis. My Second Impression of You is still set in the area, but it’s a fictional suburb, and it’s a bit more of an everyplace, although St. Louisans will still recognize references Maggie makes to places like The Muny, which inspired her love of theater. Side note: I would have loved to have Maggie struggle at the Many the way I did on a scooter with my own broken foot, but alas, this book takes place outside of the Muny season. Please enjoy this photo of me and my best friend at Footloose, scooter and all, in 2019. As I recall, it was a few days before my surgery.

But back to MSIOY–because I wrote most of these as more universal locations, you could basically go visit many of the places in this book almost anywhere you live. Okay, maybe it’s mostly the U.S., but I bet even if you’re international you can visit this first one…

Starbucks – It’s the scene of Maggie’s heartbreak. She goes in expecting a promposal from Theo and gets dumped instead . Then, as she’s texting and walking down the steps outside, she breaks her foot.

If you want to get really authentic when you visit Starbucks with your copy of My Second Impression of You , order a mocha cookie crumble Frappuccino and a chocolate chip cake pop.

Urgent Care – Now I don’t actually recommend you make a trip to Urgent Care, but it’s Maggie’s second stop in the book and also quite a universal place. (Do people still go to the ER? I guess when it’s really serious, God forbid.)

After the urgent care doc gives Maggie some very unwelcome news, she also gets a follow-up appointment with a specialist, which leads to a surgery center, which leads to her clicking on a certain link when she’s still woozy…

School – High school may not be exactly the same everywhere, but the drama of going back after a breakup should be familiar to many. Add in the complication of trying to navigate school on crutches and finding out–oh, spoiler. Preorder the book!

Town fair/carnival – As she’s coming out of surgery, Maggie receives a text offering her the opportunity to return to her “best day.” She chooses the day she met Theo. The majority of Maggie’s best day takes place at Bridgeport Days. Maybe you know the sort of carnival I mean–they drive into town with the rides and food venues on the back of big trucks, set it all up in a local park, and open for business. You either buy tickets for rides or a pass for the day. Local businesses and organizations have booths you can visit. The food’s all junk but tastes like nostalgia and summer. If you take MSIOY to your local carnival, look out for a Ferris wheel, Skee ball, a dunk tank, and check out the shows!

Mini golf – Who doesn’t love mini golf? Please don’t raise your hand. I’ll just be sad. Aaanyway, both Theo and Carson are competitive golfers, and there’s a key scene in the book where Maggie tags along to mini golf (want to guess with which boy?)–on a scooter. Incidentally, there’s also traditional golf.

A theater – Because, of course, Maggie can’t stay away from the theater, even with a broken foot. As to whether she’s performing or observing (or both?), you’ll have to read to find out. I bet you can find some sort of theater wherever you are, and it’s the absolute perfect place to take MSIOY!

Aside from these more universal locations you’ll find in the book, Maggie also visits a couple of restaurants, but I’m pretty sure those are only local. I can’t wait for you to read all about her experiences!

As a reminder, my preorder campaign is now live. Preorder from The Novel Neighbor, Main Street Books, or Left Bank Books for a signed book (you can also come see me at one of these stores in September–see details on my events page), then submit your receipt to receive a bookmark, three character stickers, and enter for the grand prize drawing, which includes a stuffed unicorn, theater mask necklace, and Best Day Ever hat. Receipts from other retailers are also welcome. All details at http://bit.ly/mysecondimpression. Thank you for your support!!

 

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My Second Impression of You Preorder Campaign!

I am so excited to announce the My Second Impression of You preorder campaign! With Your Life Has Been Delayed, I was so overwhelmed with the whole experience I did a very minimal preorder campaign, but from the moment I announced MSIOY, readers started asking if my future preorder campaign would be bigger this time, so I decided to have fun with it!

Everyone who preorders the book will receive a bookmark and three character stickers, all designed by Jacqueline Li, the cover artist for My Second Impression of You. The stickers feature Theo holding the unicorn he wins for Maggie on the day they meet, Maggie about to click on the Best Day App, and Carson holding the balloons he sends to Maggie after her foot surgery.

If you preorder from The Novel Neighbor, Main Street Books, or Left Bank Books, your book will also be signed and you can request personalization. I’m doing events at all three of these stores and would love for you to support them!

Now on to the extra-fun part! In addition to the bookmark and character stickers, I’ve been collecting items for a special grand prize package for one lucky winner. It started with a stuffed unicorn I won at a county fair last year and have been saving for just this occasion. Then, I consulted my marketing assistant (my daughter) on what the other items should be, and she recommended they match the other two characters. So, we have Maggie’s theater mask necklace and a Best Day Ever hat in honor of Carson, who only takes his hat off when required.

Fill out the form at http://bit.ly/mysecondimpression to receive your bookmark and stickers and to be entered for the grand prize. All details about eligibility, etc., are here too. Thank you so much to my publisher, Bloomsbury, for coordinating!

I hope tons of you enter, because if not, I already have one person in my house who’d like to keep all the grand prize items . Preordering books is a great way to support authors, as it helps build early buzz and tells booksellers and libraries (and my publisher!) that readers are excited about the book. So if you’re thinking about buying My Second Impression of You, I’d appreciate your support through a preorder.

If you’d like to come pick up a book in person, here’s where you can find me in September!

Tuesday, Sept. 20, 6:30 p.m. Central
Launch Event at The Novel Neighbor (with cake!)
7905 Big Bend Blvd, St. Louis, MO 63119
Registration is recommended but not required here

Wednesday, Sept. 21, 6:30 p.m. Central
In Conversation with Jennifer Lynn Alvarez at Parnassus Books
3900 Hillsboro Pike Suite 14, Nashville, TN 37215
Registration is required here

Saturday, Sept. 24, 2 p.m. Central
Signing at Main Street Books
307 S. Main Street, St. Charles, MO 63301
No registration required

Monday, Sept. 26, 6 p.m. Central
Event at Left Bank Books
399 N. Euclid Ave., St. Louis, MO 63108
Additional details to come

Any questions? Feel free to drop them below!

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THE AGATHAS Plus a Few Other YA Books You Should Read

It’s review roundup time! Every summer I think, “Oh, now I’ll finally have more time to read!” And then, somehow, I have less time? I think it’s because I’m driving around to a different camp every week. Now I just joined TikTok and am trying to figure that out too (you can follow me @michelleimason if you’d like!), so that’s another distraction. I have no idea what I’m doing yet, but I’m there!

Anyway, back to the reason for this post–books! What I love about all of these is that they were so completely engrossing they got me to stop thinking about the million and one things I had to do for my kids or promoting my upcoming book. And there’s a good variety, so hopefully you’ll find one to add to your TBR too.

I love Agatha Christie. I don’t remember when I read my first one–probably when I was a teenager like the main character, Alice–but I have a whole collection of them on my shelves. So the idea of a book centered around two teens trying to solve a mystery using Agatha Christie as their inspiration is perfect. But then, the actual story turned out to be just as gripping of a mystery in itself. I seriously couldn’t stop turning the pages of THE AGATHAS by Kathleen Glasgow & Liz Lawson.

The story’s told in alternating viewpoints. There’s Alice, who used to be one of the popular girls, but last summer she disappeared for five days without explanation. There was a whole manhunt for her, and the town–and her friends–weren’t happy about it, especially since she didn’t explain afterward. Then there’s Iris, who is assigned to tutor Alice because the homeschooling after the disappearing act wasn’t so great.

When Alice’s former best friend disappears and everyone, including the police, say she’s “pulling an Alice,” she doesn’t believe it. Turns out she’s right, and she and Iris start up their own investigation into what happened to Brooke. The twists and turns are so good in this book, and I loved all the Agatha Christie references too. I totally get why I was seeing this book everywhere.

Have you ever read a book and thought, “This author was inside my head?”

I mean, probably only if you’re also an author. But I totally wrote a YA version of The Truman Show, which is basically what THIS IS NOT THE JESS SHOW by Anna Carey is. So for the first half of the book, that’s what I was thinking.

Jess becomes suspicious that her life might not be everything it seems when a device falls out of her friend’s bag (clearly an iPhone), and then everyone makes up weird stories about it. Things get even stranger when her sister’s long-term illness suddenly turns deadly, and her dog isn’t her dog anymore.

Jess wants answers, and she starts to get them, but then she has to decide what to do about her life going forward.

This book was such a quick and interesting read. Jess lives in 1998, so I also found the nostalgia interesting (hey, I also wrote a book with a character from 1995, and you can get that one ).

I mentioned that the first half of this book reminded me of the one I had written, although not completely. Because as all writers know, any two authors can take the same premise in a completely different direction. This one definitely ended up being more of a thriller, while mine was a YA romance. But such a fascinating read!

I have been waiting for the third book in Katharine McGee’s American Royals series for what seems like forever, but I guess it was only two years? I read the first two books in quick succession, and a third wasn’t guaranteed, but it finally arrived!

So, full confession, I was not happy with the end of the second book. Not going to give any spoilers, but let’s just say the second book changed around a lot of the relationships. I was okay with much of that. But also, I was anxious for a third book because I had confidence in Katharine McGee, and let me say, that confidence was well placed.

This third book in the series once again was unputdownable, but it also developed one of the characters–Daphne–in a way I found quite surprising. I pretty much hated her before, and I still don’t love her, but I feel like I understand her now and am even sort of rooting for her–maybe just not in the way she wants.

Oh, this all sounds really vague, doesn’t it? Well, I just don’t want to spoil anything if you haven’t read these books yet. Please click on that link I left for the first book and start there.

Side note: I think these books started out as YA, but they feel pretty adult to me now .

If you’re looking for a thriller that keeps you turning pages and gasping at new revelations, I highly recommend GIRL ON THE RUN by Abigail Johnson.

Here’s the setup: Katelyn and her mom are always moving, but she’s hoping this time they can really put down roots. So even though her mom has always been super strict about internet use, she creates an online dating profile for her mom, in hopes if she makes a love connection they can stay. But it has the exact opposite effect, as “they” find them, and Katelyn and her mom are suddenly stealing cars, hopping fences, and running for their lives.

When Katelyn’s left without her mom, it starts to become clear how everything her mom has taught her in life–all the games about knowing all the escape routes–were training for this day. She ends up running with a guy she’s sure she can’t trust but wants to, and all sorts of secrets start coming to light.

It’s a total thrill ride you won’t be able to put down. But also, do be aware if you’re at all squeamish, Katelyn and her running partner go through A LOT in this book!

So, I have a whole stack of library books plus some others I’ve purchased at local signings to read. I’m wondering how many I can get through before the end of the summer…. probably not as many as I’d like!

More reviews to come soon–including some middle grade again!

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2 Months to MSIOY: Watch List

It’s July 20, which means My Second Impression of You releases 2 months from today!

Every month leading up to publication, I’ve been giving a backstage pass into the book. So far I’ve covered:

The inspiration for the storyA playlistBroadway wisdomThe cover story

And now it’s time for a watch list!

You should know by now that the main character of My Second Impression of You, Maggie, dreams of a life on Broadway. So the watch list to accompany the book of course begins with musical theater movies–but if you can find YouTube versions of the stage shows or can go watch them live, even better!

Maggie highly recommends a weekend bingeing the following:

HamiltonInto the WoodsHairspray (There are multiple versions, so pick your favorite!)The Music Man (If you’ve gotten to see the new stage production on Broadway with Hugh Jackman and Sutton Foster, I am so jealous!)Grease 2 (Yes, Maggie also knows it’s not as good as the first one, but there are still some catchy songs.)Annie (Wow, so many excellent choices for this one! But for purposes of the watch list, Maggie would go with the 1982 movie, as the voice guiding her through the Best Day app sounds just like the actor who played Grace!)Newsies (Seize the day, right?)

And if you can get access to live shows:

HadestownWicked (Who else is excited for there to be a movie???)Frozen (I’m always up for watching the animated movie, but it does not include the song Maggie sang when she was in the musical so won’t give you the full experience.)

There is more to Maggie’s life than musicals… sort of.

When Maggie breaks her foot, the surgery prevents her from performing as Helena in her school’s production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream. I highly recommend the 1999 movie adaptation of Shakespeare’s classic comedy; the star-studded cast is fantastic!

In addition to losing out on her current role, Maggie can’t audition for a summer production of Footloose the Musical (her brother has a field day with that!). There isn’t a musical movie (yet ), but you can watch either the original Kevin Bacon movie or the 2011 remake.

Now on to some movies/shows you won’t see specifically mentioned in the book but are still great companions.

First up is one of my all-time favorites: Legally Blonde. As you may have heard me mention before, the book opens with Maggie anticipating a promposal from her boyfriend, Theo. What I don’t believe I’ve mentioned before is that my early drafts started with Maggie running out of the coffee shop, having already been dumped. During my first round of revisions, my editor suggested I back it up and show Maggie being dumped and specifically mentioned Legally Blonde, although she referenced the musical version (which I haven’t seen yet, but I get to NEXT WEEK!). Anyway, Maggie’s breakup scene is definitely inspired by Elle’s proposal-turned-breakup scene in Legally Blonde.

As you’re reading the book, you’ll probably also get some Christmas Carol vibes–okay, maybe more than vibes. There’s actually a mention that Maggie feels like Grace (the voice in the Best Day app) is Ghost of Christmas Pasting her. There are tons of direct adaptations of A Christmas Carol you could watch, plus all sorts of other stories that pull directly from it and allow someone to change their life, but my personal favorite is Scrooged with Bill Murray. It’s totally campy but still gets the message across. If you have a favorite adaptation, drop it in the comments!

Finally, I need to give a nod to the two guys in the story, Theo and Carson, who are both competitive golfers. If you’re into it, you can tune into the Golf Channel for the next PGA tournament (looks like the 3M Open starts tomorrow!), or you could go with something more widely accessible like Holey Moley. It’s kind of like mini golf plus American Ninja Warrior–not for the average recreational mini golfer! I wonder how Theo and Carson would do? In the book, Maggie tackles mini golf on a scooter while recovering from her broken foot, so maybe she’s already the best equipped for managing extra challenges…

I hope you enjoyed this latest backstage pass into the book. Just one more until the book is out!

I am so close to announcing everything for the pre-order campaign. Jacqueline is finalizing the design for the bookmark and character stickers (I love them so much!), and I’ve also ordered items for a grand prize. If you are ready to pre-order now, I recommend ordering from one of my local stores–The Novel Neighbor, Main Street Books, or Left Bank Books. I will be doing events with all three of these stores (details coming soon!). But if you’ve already pre-ordered somewhere else (thank you!!), there also will be a way to get pre-order goodies and enter for the grand prize.

Thank you so much for your support, and I can’t wait for you all to read this book in just two short months!

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On Binge Watching and Character Development

Hello, my name is Michelle, and I’m a binge watcher.

Wait. I’m not sure this is a new confession. I’ve had that line about watching too much TV in my bio for YEARS. Plus, check out this dictionary definition for binge watching:

So, what this means is, when I bought those box sets of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Friends and Alias like 20 years ago and popped one in after another, I was binge watching? I guess I was ahead of the curve and didn’t even know it!

But in all honesty, I was not an early adopter of streaming services, mainly because I still watched a ton of network shows and had them piled up on my DVR (okay, I still have entire seasons of things on my DVR). And then Fuller House debuted on Netflix. The subscription was supposed to be a Christmas gift that I canceled after I watched the show. That was–what?–five years ago? So far our only other subscriptions are Prime and Disney+, but I wouldn’t rule out the possibility that something will entice me to add another. (We did have a free AppleTV subscription for a while and another season of Ted Lasso could tempt me…)

The first several shows I binged were all new shows, specifically written for streaming services. But then I realized Netflix also offered the opportunity to catch up on some older shows I’d never gotten around to watching, and I have to say my experience bingeing older shows has been… mixed.

I started with a show that is beloved by many YA authors. I loved the smart dialogue and banter, even if one of the two main characters annoyed me most of the time. I made it through six seasons, and then it just lost me. It seemed like the writers decided to rely on plot to keep viewers hooked instead of staying true to the characters, because the non-annoying main character started acting completely out of character. I just didn’t buy her actions. But the beauty of binge watching is that I could look ahead at descriptions for the rest of the show and decide, “Nope, not spending my time on this!”

I tried another older show, also popular in the YA community (actually from a book series). I got through two seasons of that one before giving up. And once again, a main character started acting in a way that made no sense with the way he’d been set up previously. I haven’t read the books, so I don’t know if it lines up with them or not, but I was done.

Then I moved on to Downton Abbey, which has nothing to do with the YA community but was just recommended to me by all sorts of people. I was immediately hooked, and once again, I realized it all came down to characters. I recently presented to a group of teen writers for a camp, and one of the things I said was that each character, major or minor, should be the main character of their own story. Watching Downton Abbey, I seriously couldn’t think of anyone (except an extra) who didn’t have a fully developed story.

I feel like I could ask these character questions for everyone from Daisy in the kitchens to the dowager duchess:

What do they want more than anything?What internal conflict keeps them from getting it?What external conflict keeps them from achieving their goal?What in their background contributes to how they react to conflicts/new opportunities?

PLUS, the characters remained consistent throughout the show–yes, I made it all the way to the end of this one! To clarify, that doesn’t mean the characters didn’t grow and change with what they learned about the world or from other people in their lives. It just means from beginning to end they were fundamentally still the same people at heart, working toward the same goal.

My favorite character was the dowager countess, played by Maggie Smith. She has the best lines in the show. Here’s one I especially enjoyed. —–>

I’m now wondering: If I binge watched some of those DVD box sets as a new viewer, would I still see them the same way? Would Buffy getting involved with Spike push me over the edge? (It almost did anyway.) Would I give up on the endless back and forth between Ross and Rachel? (I mean, Chandler and Monica are clearly the better couple anyway.) And don’t get me started on Lost… Actually, that one did turn me away in the end. My kids have been bugging me to watch Buffy, so maybe I’ll just get their take on it.

I’m sure I’ll still keep trying older shows that others rave about, just so I know what they’re talking about, but I wonder if I’ll keep finding the same issues. I’m curious if anyone else has tried binge watching an older show and experienced the same thing. My sense is that streaming services, with seasons being released closer together and the previous seasons always available, have made writers more accountable with characters–and plot too, I suppose.

Curious what others think. Let me know in the comments!

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3 Months to MSIOY: Cover Story

Today marks 3 months until the release of My Second Impression of You. 3 months!

Every month leading up to publication, I’ve been giving a backstage pass into the book. So far I’ve covered the inspiration for the story, a playlist, and Broadway wisdom. Last week I shared an interview with Jacqueline Li, the cover artist for My Second Impression of You, and today’s backstage pass is an in-depth look at the MSIOY cover.

If you subscribe to my newsletter, you already got a sneak peek at this cover story, but I promise you this post will include additional, never-before-seen sketches as well as some more info I didn’t have room to include in the newsletter. My caveat, as always, is that this only represents my experience with my publishing house (Bloomsbury). I’ve formatted this like a conversation, showing my thoughts and Jacqueline’s, but of course there were many others involved in the process, and you’ll see them mentioned as well.

Michelle:

For me, the first step in the process was my editor asking if I had any concepts already in mind. At the time, the book still had my working title–Best Day of My Life–so a few of my ideas centered around somehow graphically showing that it was anything but the best day of her life. This particular idea didn’t gain ground because one of the early marketing decisions was to change the title. Possibly I’ll do a separate post on that .

My other ideas were like: Make it look like a Playbill! Put the title on a marquis! I’m not a designer, folks .

In addition to concepts, I also forwarded character descriptions and samples of covers I liked.

Next, my editor sent samples of potential illustrators from the design team. There were several great options, but Jacqueline had created one of my favorite covers from my debut group (Hot British Boyfriend), so that pushed her to the top of my list. Fortunately, she was also available!

Jacqueline:

When approaching book covers, my initial concepts are always guided by the text, since the story’s settings and themes determine what ideas will represent it well visually. In this case, I thought about motifs like the carnival, where Maggie initially meets Theo and Carson, the stage—a nod to her love of performing—and the magical phone app, and so on. After reading the manuscript, I’ll spend some time doing image research—looking for references of the things I’ll need to draw, or actors that might resemble the characters. Once I’ve sufficiently “absorbed” enough information, I’ll convert it into sketches. This stage is really just about exploring different ideas, and trying out as many as possible to see what works.

Roughs are generally quite loose, since there’s no need for a pretty, finished drawing yet—all that the sketch needs to do is indicate everything that will be on the cover and where those things will go. After coming up with a few solutions that work, I’ll shortlist the strongest 3 or 4 options to send back to the team.

Because a book cover will always have text, when beginning sketches, I try to come up with a text treatment first. Besides helping to establish a sense of what the whole cover will look like, it’s easier to know where the text will go and make the drawing work around it, rather than the other way around! Sometimes, a designer will set the typography—the visual appearance of the title, author’s name, and any other text that might go on a cover. Other times, I’ll do the lettering and draw the title by hand, which we did for this book.

As for illustrating characters, my approach is to think about them like real people! When visualizing Maggie, Carson, and Theo, I thought about where they might shop, what kind of clothes they’d choose, how they’d style their hair, how they’d naturally stand… Since the artwork has to be self-explanatory, every visual detail can be an opportunity to help tell the story.

Michelle:

Here are the two sketches my editor forwarded to me. The designer, Jeanette Levy, had already included some comments from their standpoint, and then asked for my feedback. I loved both of these initial sketches so much it was hard to even decide which direction to choose. As you’ll see, it ended up being a sort of combination of the two.

BUT, in addition to these two sketches that gave me heart eyes, Jacqueline also graciously shared with me two more of her initial sketches. I love that one of these also includes Maggie’s brother, Adam (the soccer player), and her best friend, Rayna. And the other one features Maggie in the spotlight! Thank goodness for my awesome design team making tough choices so I wouldn’t have to.

Once the direction was chosen, Jacqueline sent back a final rough sketch. It’s the main concept from the first sketch above, but Maggie is facing forward with a theater necklace like in the second, and it also includes the hand lettering from the second sketch.

Jacqueline:

Book covers are a collaborative process from start to finish. At each stage of completion (rough sketches, revising the drawing, color palettes, etc.), feedback is taken from the team and author, and then incorporated into the next iteration to improve it. Besides looking pretty, there are different concerns a cover needs to address—for example, sales/marketing might want to ensure it stands out among other simultaneous releases—so many hands and minds are involved in the process.

Michelle:

Jacqueline makes a very important point here. During the cover process, my editor explained the design team’s thought process on several aspects of the cover, from initially choosing one cover direction because another was too similar to many others currently out there to removing background elements to ensure the title popped more.

Once the final rough sketch was approved, the next thing I saw was a color sketch–in a more muted version of what the final cover is now (far right below). However, Jacqueline also shared with me some of the other colorized sketches, and it’s fun to see the other options. They are the first two below.

After this rough color sketch, I saw the cover a few more times, but much of the tweaking happened between Jacqueline and the design team, with minimal input from me. Each time I received an update from my editor, there would be detailed comments from the designer, Jeanette, with requests for my input. My agent, Elizabeth, and editor, Allison, would also chime in on the discussion. As Jacqueline said, it was a very collaborative process!

Although you’ve seen it before, here’s the final cover .

Jacqueline:

Finally, after my part is done, the designer or art director will take the finished artwork and create the rest of the package—designing the spine, back, and (sometimes) flaps of the physical book in a way that complements the art. It’s always an exciting surprise to see the final product on the shelf months later!

Michelle:

The final product is very exciting! I have seen a draft of the jacket, and I can’t wait to share it!

I hope you found this backstage look at the cover for My Second Impression of You interesting. It was an absolute joy to chat with Jacqueline about the cover. I hope you love her art as much as I do, because she’s also designing the bookmark and stickers to go with it.

As always, I’ll remind you that the book is available for pre-order. You can select your favorite retailer on the My Second Impression of You book page. If you’re on Goodreads, you can also add it there. I can’t wait for you all to read this book!

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Publishing Behind the Scenes: Interview with Cover Artist Jacqueline Li

A few months ago, I did a series of posts on what it’s like to work through the editing process with a traditional publisher. As I’ve been proceeding through some of the other steps, I realized there’s another piece of the process that readers are very curious about: covers!

So today I’ve invited the cover artist for my My Second Impression of You, Jacqueline Li, to answer some questions about how she develops covers. Then, on June 20, to mark three months until release, I’ll have another post more specifically about the cover of my book. I’ll note that not every cover artist or publishing house works the same way, but Jacqueline gives some great insight into her process.

Please welcome Jacqueline!

What made you interested in illustrating book covers?

I was very much a library kid growing up (still am!) and spent a lot of time happily reading. Picture books and chapter books were some of the first places I saw illustration, and favorite book covers are some of the images that have stayed in my mind the longest! Having a lifelong love for reading and drawing made book cover illustration a very natural fit.

What’s the first thing you do when you have a new book cover assignment?

The first thing I always do is read whatever I’m provided with. Depending on what stage the book is at, sometimes I’ll receive an entire manuscript; other times just a few chapters or a short description.

A good cover should provide a sense of what the book will be about, be faithful to the material, and match its tone—so it’s important to have a full understanding of the story. The more I can absorb from the text, the better equipped I’ll be to design an image that fits the narrative.

Who is usually your main contact at the publisher when working on a cover?

Usually, a designer or art director from the publishing house is my main contact during the making of a cover. They’ll typically be the one to reach out with a new project, and communicate between myself and the rest of the team. (This may surprise people, but I don’t often get to interact directly with authors until after the cover is completed!)

Note: The designer at Bloomsbury for My Second Impression of You is Jeanette Levy.

How much information does the publisher usually give you when you’re contracted for a cover?

At the start of a new cover assignment, usually there will be a manuscript (or a few sample chapters of the book) to read, along with a moodboard. Sometimes there are visual examples of my work that the designers would like to incorporate elements of, or pictures the author had in mind for the tone and look. If the team has any ideas they’d like to see me draw, those will be included as well!

What is the process typically like from start to finish for a cover?

There are a few ‘standard’ stages that an illustrated cover will go through. After the project begins, I’ll submit 3-4 rough sketches so the team can choose between a few different concepts.

Once a sketch direction has been chosen, I’ll further develop and tighten that drawing—this might mean adding more detail and information, or revising areas that the team would like to change. After this, I’ll provide a few color options based on the revised sketch to choose between.

After a final direction has been approved, the rest is just polishing up the artwork! Generally, this final stage is pretty straightforward because of all the planning and approval in earlier stages, so there are no big surprises for anyone.

What are some of the covers you’ve created? What are some of your favorite covers by other illustrators?

I adored the Sweet Valley High book covers (art by James Mathewuse) and The Baby-Sitters Club covers (art by Hodges Soileau) while growing up. I’m almost certain that my love for YA books comes from 80’s and 90’s paperbacks!

Some favorites from recent memory:
Once Upon a K-Prom – artwork by Xiao Tong Kong
K-Pop Confidential – artwork by Erick Davila
The Twelve – artwork by Sher Rill Ng
The Front Desk series covers – artwork by Maike Plenzke

How long have you been drawing?

I think all of us begin drawing as kids—I just never really stopped doing it! From an early age, there was never really anything I enjoyed quite as much as making pictures, and wound up studying art through programs in high school and university.

What is your favorite thing to draw?

Drawing anything can be fun, but I definitely gravitate towards people and characters.

Observing everyday fashion is a huge source of inspiration, and I love dressing characters in a way that tells their story.

As I see from your bio that you’re a reader too, what are some of your favorite books?

It’s hard to choose favorites, but some books that have stuck with me from my formative years are series like The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants and The Baby-Sitters Club books. Stories about friendship—particularly between young women—have always resonated with me, perhaps because they depict a wide variety of personalities with each one bringing something unique to the group.

As an adult, I try to read a little more diversely—any fiction that sounds interesting, non-fiction to learn about new subjects, sometimes memoirs—but always come back to YA as my favorite genre!

Do you mainly draw by hand or digitally?

All of my commercial work is created digitally. I still like to use a traditional sketchbook for rough sketches; but digital software makes it a lot faster and more convenient to edit artwork, which is really key for projects like book covers that go through a lot of changes. I mostly use Photoshop CC and a Wacom tablet for drawing.

What do you feel is your greatest strength as an artist?

I think my greatest artist asset might be curiosity! Oftentimes, people say that design is about problem-solving, which involves finding the answers to an open question. I’m naturally very inquisitive, and my thought process while working will often include questions like these:

What visual elements or hints could be added here to help tell the story?If this is drawn bigger versus smaller, how will that change the message communicated?Could another color better express the mood this image is meant to convey?

Rather than expressing a thought or feeling, I really enjoy discovering solutions to questions, and that’s typically my approach to illustration.

What advice do you have for other aspiring artists, cover or otherwise?

My favorite piece of advice is to do the work that you want to be hired for—or simply want to do! Specific to book covers, this could mean creating “fake” personal covers for your favorite stories or films. Before working on any commercial covers, I made a number of these for my portfolio—both for enjoyment, and to show potential clients that I could design for books.

Having samples that show you’re capable of doing the projects you’d like to be hired for is the best way to actually get hired for them. The same applies for any type of illustration work.

Besides that, it’s important to recognize your likes and dislikes, strengths and weaknesses. If you don’t enjoy working on certain things, try working on something else that you DO get excited about! Certain styles also fit some markets better than others, so pay attention to what’s out there (where do you see work that looks like yours?) and play to your unique strengths.

Do you work exclusively with publishing houses, or are you also available for inquiries directly from authors?

I typically work with publishers, but I am open to inquiries and commissions from authors as well. For business inquiries, please feel free to contact me at jacqln.li@gmail.com.

Thank you so much, Jacqueline! I love this advice because it also applies for writers. So often we get caught up in writing what we think we should instead of what we enjoy.

I hope you learned something new from my interview with Jacqueline Li, and come back on June 20 for more specifically about the My Second Impression of You cover.

The post Publishing Behind the Scenes: Interview with Cover Artist Jacqueline Li appeared first on Michelle I Mason.

ONLY A MONSTER Plus a Few Other YA Books You Should Read

Happy June!

School is out, and it’s the time of year my schedule is different every week, but I’m also hoping to read a lot more this summer, so hopefully I’ll have reading roundups more frequently. Today I have an interesting variety for you–time traveling monsters, a Jane Austen murder mystery, contemporary YA, and fantasy. Hopefully you’ll find one or more to add to your list!

The tagline alone for ONLY A MONSTER by Vanessa Len is intriguing enough: In every story there is a hero and a monster. She is not the hero.

But here’s a bit more: Sixteen-year-old Joan is spending the summer with her eccentric London family, just like she does every year. She has a summer job at a historic house, and she’s going on her first date with her crush, Nick. But before he arrives, she tries to help an old man and somehow jumps forward to the middle of the night. 

Joan learns that the London side of her family are all monsters, who steal time from humans in order to travel to other times, and she just accidentally did that. Plot twist—her crush’s whole destiny is to kill monsters like her and her family, which he starts to do.

Joan’s determined to save her family, which sets her against Nick and makes her allies with another boy, Aaron, whose family hates hers. Plus she’s forced to steal more time. Then there’s an extra power inside her to figure out.

What did I love about this book? Time travel! Forbidden romance! A hint at a possible love triangle? Plus super complicated family dynamics and moral questions, along with great tension and action. Best of all, this book is the first in the series, so there’s more to come. Can’t wait!

I loved the first book in Tirzah Price’s Jane Austen Murder Mystery series, so I was anxiously anticipating the second installment. If you aren’t familiar, the premise is that the books take characters from Austen’s classic books and insert them into a murder mystery. Well, plus a few other twists .

As you may have guessed from the title, SENSE AND SECOND-DEGREE MURDER tackles the story of SENSE AND SENSIBILITY. In this story, Mr. Dashwood was a private investigator, and in the opening scene, Elinor finds him dead in his study. As in the original story, Mr. Dashwood’s estranged son from his first marriage inherits everything, and his wife (Fanny) doesn’t feel any obligation to her husband’s younger half-sisters.

Marianne, who was an apprentice to her father, suspects foul play, and when Elinor, who wants to study chemistry, discovers an unusual substance in her father’s tea, they start investigating. All the characters you expect from the original story are there, just in slightly different roles: Edward as Fanny’s brother and a young accountant, Willoughby as a charming young man with questionable talents, Colonel Brandon as young Mr. Brandon the apothecary seeking to study medicine, and more. I loved following along as the mystery unraveled and the plot thickened. I can’t wait to see what Tirzah Price does with the next book in the series!

As soon as I read the description for THIS MIGHT GET AWKWARD by Kara McDowell, I knew I would love it. Think While You Were Sleeping but at the lake. But then it turned out to be even more. Here’s the setup:

Seventeen-year-old Gemma is pretty sure she has social anxiety disorder. She can’t handle social interactions, and when she does try to talk to people, she either freezes up or says the wrong thing. To celebrate the beginning of summer, she goes to the deserted beach, only for a party to form around her and block her truck. Her crush, Beau, inexplicably asks her to pretend she likes him, then knocks his head, falls into the water, she saves his life, but he’s in a coma–and everyone somehow thinks she’s his girlfriend.

She goes along with it, for a variety of reasons that make sense when you’re reading it. But things get complicated when she befriends Beau’s estranged brother Griff. Somehow, she’s not as anxious around Griff, who helps her tackle a to-do list meant to help her address her anxiety. She also has friends for the first time ever, but it’s all a lie, and she doesn’t know how to fix it.

I loved the setup and the romance, but I also loved how this book addresses anxiety and Gemma’s efforts to face it but also to talk about it with the people in her life. Beau and Griff’s family also is loving and fun but not perfect, and I appreciated how that was portrayed. Pick this one up for a funny, romantic read with a deeper thread!

I’ve been trying to catch up on some of the21ders books I missed last year, and I just finished A DRAGONBIRD IN THE FERN by Laura Rueckert. I loved how this book mixes fantasy, mystery, and political intrigue.

Princess Jiara’s older sister Scilla has been murdered, and it’s vital they bring her murderer to justice. Otherwise her ghost will torment her loved ones. Twist: Scilla was supposed to be married to the young king of a neighboring kingdom, and now he wants to marry Jiara instead.

Jiara isn’t totally opposed to the king himself, but it’s a totally different country with different customs and a different language she doesn’t speak. Plus, she has dyslexia so that will make it even harder for her to learn. But the choice becomes moot when she discovers her sister’s killer may be from the king’s country. She must go to find the killer and set her sister’s ghost free.

I really appreciated reading from the perspective of a dyslexic character and gaining a better understanding of her struggle to learn a new language. I also really liked how Jiara adjusted to a new country and figured out how to merge what she had grown up believing with what they believe in her new country. Her ability to adapt in challenging circumstances and be open to new people and customs made her an engaging and inspiring character.

What are you reading this month? Let me know if there’s anything I should add to my list!

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4 Months to MSIOY: Broadway Wisdom

Today marks 4 months until the release of My Second Impression of You. I swear the last countdown was just yesterday. I mean, April is one of those short months, or maybe it’s that May has just been so full of activities the 20th has arrived very quickly.

Anyway, we’re now on the third backstage pass for the book. So far I’ve delved into the inspiration behind the book and shared a playlist.

So many book edits are about making cuts, but as I was going through developmental edits for MSIOY, I ended up adding a new thread: Broadway wisdom.

Here’s how it came about. The original draft of MSIOY opened with Maggie rushing out of Starbucks right after Theo dumped her. My editor suggested I back up the scene to actually show the breakup, but at another point in her notes she had also asked me to show where Maggie’s love for the theater originated and how it bleeds into all aspects of her life. Particularly for this scene, I thought: What if Maggie quoted a famous theater diva? It sent me down a long research rabbit hole. I found so many fantastic quotes from Broadway greats I ended up sprinkling them throughout the story as the wisdom Maggie draws on.

What made this even more perfect is that I’d already built into the story that Maggie’s grandma gives her a tear-off calendar every year. Easy enough to write in that a previous year’s calendar happened to be quotes from famous Broadway stars that she’s memorized as life advice. As she would!

I previewed a few of these quotes in my May newsletter, as shown below, and there are many more in the book, including a totally non-theater-related quote from Kristin Chenoweth in the first chapter. But also read on for some of the fabulous quotes I didn’t find a place for in the book.

And here’s some other Broadway wisdom you won’t find in My Second Impression of You, but it’s just too great not to share.

“I wouldn’t trust any man as far as you can throw a piano.”
— Ethel Merman“Bringing humor and bringing happiness and joy to an audience is a wonderful opportunity in life, believe me.”
— Angela Lansbury“The regrets of yesterday and the fear of tomorrow can kill you.”
— Liza Minnelli“A lot of Americans like happy endings, but life does not necessarily have a happy ending.”
— Chita Rivera“Perseverance is failing 19 times and succeeding the 20th.”
— Julie Andrews“I wish I could be like [George Bernard] Shaw, who once read a bad review of one of his plays, called the critic, and said: ‘I have your review in front of me and soon it will be behind me.’”
— Barbara Streisand“I’m constantly learning, and that is the greatest gift of life in my opinion – to always be learning and growing.”
— Kristin Chenoweth

I hope you enjoyed this month’s backstage look at My Second Impression of You! I already have next month’s topic picked out, although it is dependent on some other factors coming together, so I hope I’ll be able to make it happen. If not, I’ll save it.

As always, I’ll remind you that the book is available for pre-order. You can select your favorite retailer on the My Second Impression of You book page. I will be doing a pre-order campaign again, and this time it won’t be linked only to a single store, so keep your receipt . And if you’re on Goodreads, you can also add it there. I can’t wait for you all to read this book!

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