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Publishing Behind the Scenes: Copyedits

Happy New Year!

I can’t believe my debut year is already over and we’re now into 2022, when my second book will release. Each step of the process makes it feel more real, like this past Friday, when my editor sent me the clean copyedited version of My Second Impression of You. It was so pretty I immediately read the first two chapters. I might have sat there and read the whole book again if I hadn’t had other things on my to-do list .

For those who are unfamiliar, when I say the clean copyedited version, I mean that my editor sent back a document in which all of the comments and changes have been resolved and agreed upon by both me and my publisher. It’s still a Word document, so it’s not laid out and typeset yet, but it’s one step closer. After going back and forth with several rounds of the manuscript with in-line comments, it’s nice to read a clean copy.

So here’s where we are in the editing process:

Developmental edits

Line edits

Copyedits

⃞       Pass pages

The copyedited version is not final–we still have pass pages to go–but those will happen after the Advance Reading Copies go out. That’s why there are so many warnings on ARCs not to quote them as final–because things still get tweaked.

While developmental and line edits are just between me and my editor, copyedits bring new people into the process and thus a completely fresh look at the manuscript. At my publisher, that includes the internal production editor and a freelance copyeditor.

I sort of thought copyedits would be like another round of line edits, except with the copyeditor focusing on grammar and punctuation. Well, copyeditors do look at grammar and punctuation. Plus, they also make sure your book is in the correct style for your publishing house and not slipping into, say, Associated Press Style like you use for your PR clients… Anyway, I’m very grateful for the kind copyeditors who cite the correct style in the comments for me so I can learn it . (Behold, all those who have suffered at the other end of my red pen are cackling with it’s your turn joy somewhere.)

But even that is just the beginning of what copyeditors do. Here’s what else happens during the copyediting process:

Design memo and/or style sheet. A design memo lays out any different kinds of type that will be used in the book; for example, in Your Life Has Been Delayed there’s [HEADLINE HAND]. This notation is inserted into the Word document so that when it goes to layout, they know something’s changing in the text. The style sheet I received for My Second Impression of You included the design memo as well as a list of approved spelling for words, characters with their descriptions, and a chapter by chapter breakdown. I’m totally in love with this document!Fact checking! The copyeditor also fact checks and puts in links to references. As a writer who triple checks all of her information, I love that there’s another person still checking me again to ensure my information is correct.Fresh eyes. This is so important after the same two people have been over and over it multiple times. Because the copyeditor catches things like how the timeline isn’t lining up with the number of days that have passed (YLHBD) or that the surgeon said she’d be on vacation but is still there (MSIOY). In both manuscripts, the copyeditor made comments/asked questions that caused me to go through and make subtle tweaks throughout the whole book. A single comment about Jenny and chat rooms made me re-evaluate (again) how I was presenting her relationship with technology as a nineties teen. Often what I discover with these sorts of questions is that I just haven’t explained something fully enough yet. If the copyeditor asks, readers surely will too!Copyright infringement. Song lyrics. I get it. There are copyright laws. But my character’s in musical theater. She wants to sing! It’s fine. The copywriter was just doing their job. So I did my job. I wrote around it. But does that mean in some future event I can’t recreate what Maggie was meant to be singing in chapter eight while she’s hyped up on painkillers? Be prepared for me to demonstrate what I had to cut out…

So that’s the gist of copyedits. They turn me into a total word nerd. No regrets! Next up is pass pages. Let me know what questions you have about those or any other step of the process.

On another note, my latest newsletter is out today, and it includes a giveaway for a signed copy of YOUR LIFE HAS BEEN DELAYED. I’d love for you to sign up for my newsletter (it also includes the first character profile for MY SECOND IMPRESSION OF YOU!), but you are still welcome to enter the giveaway either way.

Stay tuned next week for my first review roundup of the year!

The post Publishing Behind the Scenes: Copyedits appeared first on Michelle I Mason.

What I Read in 2021

Happy New Year’s Eve!

I thought long and hard about whether to do my annual favorite reads post this year, and when it came down to it, I just couldn’t choose a top 10. I read way too many fantastic books this year, and the majority of them were by my fellow debut authors.

BUT, I don’t want to leave you without a year-end wrap-up, so here are all of the books I read in 2021, with some extra info and links.

Of the 88 books I read this year, they broke down as:

15 middle grade63 young adult10 adult

And 57 of the 88 were books by fellow #the21ders, so approximately two-thirds. If you’re interested in books by #the21ders, check out our Bookshop page, where you can order them directly and support an independent bookstore.

On to the books I read in 2021! If I reviewed the book in one of my roundups this year, it’s linked, and if it’s a debut book, I noted that as well. Also note that there are a few books toward the end of the year that I still plan to cover in a roundup soon!

Glitter Gets Everywhere by Yvette Clark (MG debut)Maybe This Time by Kasie WestThe Scottish Bride by Catherine CoulterDragonfly Girl by Marti Leimbach (YA debut)The Quantum Weirdness of the Almost-Kiss by Amy Noelle Parks (YA debut)Happily Ever Afters by Elise Bryant (YA debut)The Inheritance Games by Jennifer Lynn BarnesSea of Kings by Melissa Hope (MG debut)First Comes Scandal by Julia QuinnGlimpsed by G.F. Miller (YA debut)The Obsession by Jesse Q. Sutanto (YA debut)The Other Side of Perfect by Mariko Turk (YA debut)A Vow So Bold and Deadly by Brigid KemmererTake Back the Block by Chrystal D. Giles (MG debut)Hot British Boyfriend by Kristy Boyce (YA debut)Alone by Megan E. Freeman (MG debut)You Have a Match by Emma LordA Pho Love Story by Loan Le (YA debut)A Taste for Love by Jennifer Yen (YA debut)Where the Rhythm Takes You by Sarah Dass (YA debut)Chasing Cassandra by Lisa KleypasThe Wide Starlight by Nicole Lesperance (YA debut)The Ex Talk by Rachel Lynn SolomonThe Last Shadow Warrior by Sam Subity (MG debut)Prepped by Bethany Mangle (debut)The Bright & The Pale by Jessica Rubinkowski (YA debut)An Occasionally Happy Family by Cliff Burke (MG debut)Beach Read by Emily HenryAmerican Betiya by Anuradha D. Rajurkar (YA debut)Firekeeper’s Daughter by Angeline Boulley (YA debut)Kisses and Croissants by Anne-Sophie Jouhanneau (YA debut)Pride and Premeditation by Tirzah Price (YA debut)Sisters of the Snake by Sarena and Sasha Nanua (YA debut)No Offense by Meg CabotThe Last Windwitch by Jennifer Adam (MG debut)The Gilded Girl by Alyssa Colman (MG debut)Summer of Lost Letters by Hannah Reynolds (YA debut)Dial A For Aunties by Jesse Q SutantoMany Points of Me by Caroline Gertler (MG debut)Kind of Sort of Fine by Spencer Hall (YA debut)The Last Fallen Star by Graci Kim (MG debut)Baby & Solo by Lisabeth Posthuma (YA debut)Shipped by Meredith TateNot Our Summer by Casie Bazay (YA debut)Where It All Lands by Jennie Wexler (YA debut)Words Composed of Sea and Sky by Erica George (YA debut)Simone Breaks All the Rules by Debbie RigaudMade in Korea by Sarah Suk (YA debut)You & Me At the End of the World by Brianna Bourne (YA debut)Curse of the Specter Queen by Jenny Elder MokeThe Half-Orphan’s Handbook by Joan F. Smith (YA debut)In the Same Boat by Holly Green (YA debut)Everywhere Blue by Joanne Rossmassler Fritz (YA debut)Manatee’s Best Friend by Sylvia Liu (MG debut)Breath of Magic by Teresa MedeirosRea and the Blood of the Nectar by Payal Doshi (MG debut)My Contrary Mary by Brodi Ashton, Cynthia Hand & Jodi MeadowsBlue Hawaiian by Carla LunaTime Villains by Victor Pineiro (MG debut)Lies Like Wildfire by Jennifer Lynn Alvarez (YA debut)Josephine Against the Sea by Shakirah Bourne (MG debut)14 Ways to Die by Vincent Ralph (YA debut)Vampires, Hearts, and Other Dead Things by Margie Fuston (YA debut)How We Fall Apart by Katie ZhaoLuck of the Titanic by Stacey LeeHow Not to Fall in Love by Jacqueline FirkinsDark and Shallow Lies by Ginny Myers Sain (YA debut)Loathe At First Sight by Suzanne ParkLike A Love Song by Gabriela Martins (YA debut)Tokyo Ever After by Emiko JeanFor All Time by Shanna Miles (YA debut)Once Upon A Broken Heart by Stephanie GarberNot Here to Be Liked by Michelle Quach (YA debut)The Hawthorne Legacy by Jennifer Lynn Barnes10 Truths and a Dare by Ashley ElstonDefy the Night by Brigid KemmererThe Witch Haven by Sasha Peyton Smith (YA debut)The Jasmine Project by Meredith Ireland (YA debut)Aurora’s End by Amie Kaufman and Jay KristoffThe Bookshop of Dust and Dreams by Mindy Thompson (MG debut)Every Other Weekend by Abigail JohnsonInstructions for Dancing by Nicola YoonJade Fire Gold by June CL Tan (YA debut)Eat Your Heart Out by Kelly DeVosWithin These Wicked Walls by Lauren Blackwood (YA debut)Starling by Isabel Strychacz (YA debut)Don’t Hate the Player by Alexis NeddSo Many Beginnings by Bethany C. Morrow

I’m not yet sure how my reading will look in 2021. I had a particular goal of reading as many books by fellow debut authors as possible this year, and I still have more of those on my list. I’ll still look out for 2022 debut authors next year to support, but I will also probably return to re-reading some of my favorites and working less off a list.

How did your reading go in 2021? Did you read any of the same books? And what do you have on your TBR for 2022?

The post What I Read in 2021 appeared first on Michelle I Mason.

Publishing Behind the Scenes: Line Edits

Happy December!

My latest newsletter is out today, and I’m continuing the series I started last month going behind the scenes of publishing with book edits. Moving on from developmental edits, this month I’m talking line edits!

While developmental edits look at the big picture plot, character, and overall changes that need to be made, line edits are comments the editor makes within the document addressing chapter, paragraph, sentence, and word-specific issues. I thought I knew what to expect. After all, my critique partners have been giving me in-line comments for years. But I confess when I first received my manuscript full of comments like “cut?” and “necessary?” I was a bit taken aback. I didn’t want to cut anything; of course all of those lines were necessary.

Except… they really weren’t.

Like, did it really need to say “Why?” twice for emphasis? Or did Jenny really need to smile tightly and inject a light note into her voice? Or was that just overkill, as my editor was so accurately pointing out?

That’s the thing about writing a book. You’re so close to it that you don’t notice when you’re repeating the same thought multiple ways. Or over-explaining things to readers. Did I accept every one of those suggested cuts? No. There were a few I felt strongly enough about to make an argument for keeping. But, honestly, my editor was right about 95 percent of them. By the time we got to line edits for My Second Impression of You, I just nodded along when I saw those suggestions, although there weren’t nearly as many. Hmm. I guess I streamlined my writing a bit!

But line editing it also where my editor notes other text-specific things like:

Too many instances of the same word close together.How the voice sounds, of my main character and others. Is it too formal? Too old or young? Does the word choice seem off?How the people are moving aroundPhrasing suggestionsIf my metaphors are too outlandish. One line cut from the first chapter of Your Life Has Been Delayed: “Possibly my lips are like a lighthouse, except instead of ships, they’re warning boys that my lips are dangerously boring.”If chapter breaks should be adjustedAny inconsistencies, like saying one thing and doing anotherWhen scenes drag on too long (I may give readers a longer version of a scene from My Second Impression of You as a bonus later!)

Speaking of scenes, sometimes they need extra work beyond tightening during line edits. This format is great for that, because we can reply to each other within the Word document to make sure we’re both on the exact same, er, page about what’s happening. It’s like we’re having a conversation within the manuscript. For some chapters, those chats take up the whole side of the page .

For Your Life Has Been Delayed, I still made some significant changes to the climax during line edits. For My Second Impression of You, I added two new chapters, deleted a scene, and rewrote another based on those discussions. The book is still being shaped into its final, shiny product during line edits.

And the same is true of copyedits, which is what I’ll cover next month. Word nerd that I am, I love those too!

Do you have any questions about line edits? Feel free to ask in the comments!

I’d love for you to subscribe to my newsletter! But in case you just want to keep following me here on the blog, I did share the description for My Second Impression of You, and you can now find it on the book’s page on my website as well.

Two other quick things:

I’ll be participating in World Read Aloud Day on Feb. 2, 2022. If you’re a teacher or librarian and would like me to visit your classroom virtually, please get in touch via my contact page.If you would like signed copies of YOUR LIFE HAS BEEN DELAYED, they are available for order at Main Street Books or The Novel Neighbor.

Thanks so much, and happy holidays!!

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NOT HERE TO BE LIKED Plus A Few Other YA Books You Should Read

Happy Thanksgiving week! What are you thankful for this year? My debut group, #the21ders, held our monthly Twitter #debutauthorchat yesterday, and the topic was Gratitude. You can check out the chat here if you’d like to learn about some of the fantastic middle grade and young adult books that debuted in 2021 and what we learned.

I’m very thankful for my family and friends this year, as always. I’m so grateful my book is out in the world and to everyone who has helped make that happen, has read and shared about it, or just encouraged me along the way. I’m also super thankful for all of the other great books out there that I get to read. Here are a few I’ve enjoyed recently.

I am always on board for a good YA rom-com, and NOT HERE TO BE LIKED by Michelle Quach adds in the enemies-to-lovers trope with a really interesting twist.

It’s about high school junior Eliza Quan, who expects to be elected editor-in-chief of the school newspaper by her peers thanks to three years of dedicated work and her current position as managing editor. But when newcomer Len DiMartile decides to run at the last minute and gives an engaging speech, the staff elects him instead. Stunned and frankly outraged, Eliza writes a manifesto for herself, but it somehow ends up published and sparks a feminist movement, with her calling on Len to resign. Things get even more complicated when she starts to have feelings for Len.

I really loved Eliza as a character. She’s strongly rooted in what she wants and believes, but she also doesn’t set out to start to start a feminist movement. At the same time, when it happens, she doesn’t shy away from speaking out, and she learns that there are many different ways to be a feminist. I really appreciated that aspect of the book, along with the new friendships Eliza made. I also enjoyed the romance and thought Len was a good foil for her. I highly recommend you add NOT HERE TO BE LIKED to your TBR!

I flew through THE INHERITANCE GAMES, the first book in this series by Jennifer Lynn Barnes, so I was anxious to pick up THE HAWTHORNE LEGACY, and it met all my expectations. I don’t really want to say too much about it in case you haven’t read the first book, which was appropriately billed as ONE OF US IS LYING meets “Knives Out.” The first book followed Avery Grambs, who unexpectedly inherited billions out from under the Hawthorne family.

In this second installment, she is moving forward after some interesting discoveries from the first book. She thinks she might know her connection to the Hawthorne family and why Tobias Hawthorne chose her, but as in the first book, there are many twists and turns. And in addition to the super compelling mystery, there are also the relationships with the Hawthorne grandsons. So complicated to be interested in two brothers…

I thought this was going to be a duology, but the storyline definitely didn’t wrap up. Looking forward to seeing how it all ends!

I loved Brigid Kemmerer’s Cursebreakers series, so I was anxious to read her new YA fantasy series, starting with DEFY THE NIGHT. I thought it might be something in a similar vein, and it surprised me in the most wonderful way.

It’s the story of a kingdom torn apart by a deadly virus, the rulers trying to keep things together the only way they know how, and the people risking their lives to save those who can’t afford the costly cure. What I love most about this book is that it examines all sides so thoughtfully, how there appears to be a clear line of right and wrong but when you know why the choices are made, there’s so much more to it. I really appreciated how the book encouraged readers to look deeper at the reasons behind things–not necessarily to excuse the actions but to work toward better decisions going forward.

Also, the romance is fantastic, and I loved the characters. I could not put this book down and am anxiously awaiting the next one. Bravo, Brigid Kemmerer!

I finished THE JASMINE PROJECT by Meredith Ireland with the biggest smile on my face. And isn’t that the best feeling when you finish a book?

Here’s the story: it’s graduation week for Jasmine Yap, and she’s been with the same guy, Paul, all through high school. Her family and friends can all see he’s not right for her, but she’s planning a future with him, starting in August. When he cheats on her but it still just turns into a summer break with them seeing other people, her family devises The Jasmine Project: a bachelorette-style contest with three guys they think will show Jasmine she’s worth so much more than what Paul has led her to believe.

There’s so much I love about this book I don’t know how to summarize it quickly, but here goes. Jasmine’s family is big, complicated, kind of out of control, but also super lovable. The boys they choose are each charming in their own way, with one that might just be perfect. And most of all, I loved Jasmine’s growth in the story, as she figured out what she really wanted for herself and her future.

What have you been reading lately? I’m always looking for recommendations!

The post NOT HERE TO BE LIKED Plus A Few Other YA Books You Should Read appeared first on Michelle I Mason.

Publishing Behind the Scenes: Developmental Edits

If you’ve been following my blog for a while, you may have seen my After the Book Deal posts back in 2019. As I have some new followers both here and for my newsletter (which is out today), I’m revisiting the topic of what happens behind the scenes when you’re working with a traditional publisher. It’s particularly timely for me as I’ve been going through the process again over the past few months for MY SECOND IMPRESSION OF YOU (more info on that book coming soon!).

Before my book deal, I had only a hazy idea about the steps involved in the traditional publishing process. Like, your editor gives you notes and you fix it, right? Obviously it’s more involved than that, but I didn’t really understand that there were multiple types of editing, because working with critique partners, you kind of do multiple types of edits at once (unless you specifically ask a CP/beta reader to only address one thing). But I digress…

The main four steps I’m going to cover are: developmental edits, line edits, copyedits, and pass pages. As I go through them, I’ll include some examples of how they affected YOUR LIFE HAS BEEN DELAYED and/or MY SECOND IMPRESSION OF YOU.

First up: developmental edits!

When you hear that an author has received an edit letter from their editor, it’s to work on their developmental edits. This is the big edit! I’ve only worked with one editor, so I can’t speak to all editorial letters, but based on what I’ve heard from other authors, they come in a variety of formats and lengths (up to 20 pages!).

My editor always starts by laying out what’s working well (very helpful so I don’t mess those things up when I start revising ) and then gives areas we need to address, usually with a lot of questions. I love this format, because it allows me to go through and answer the questions or make notes. Then, a few days later, we talk through everything on the phone. There will be items we’re 100 percent on the same page about, some are open-ended and I need to think through what exactly I want to do about them, and others aren’t exactly a direction I want to take, but after talking, a new solution arises.

Then it’s time to get to work! As you may expect, working through developmental edits is the longest part of the process, but there isn’t a set amount of time for every manuscript. It depends on the schedule for the book, the level of edits needed, and the author’s availability/other commitments.

So, what sorts of things do writers address in developmental edits? This is the time to hash out all of the big picture issues in the book and go deeper. And, developmental edits might require more than one round if you don’t nail them the first time. I know some authors who have done up to five rounds of developmental edits and others who’ve just needed one. For YOUR LIFE HAS BEEN DELAYED, I rewrote the climax more than once. For MY SECOND IMPRESSION OF YOU, I needed to build the framework for an app Maggie uses throughout much of the book. I also added several new scenes. For both, developmental edits involved a deeper dive into my characters’ motivations and relationships.

Once the author and editor are satisfied all the big picture items have been worked through, it’s time to move on to line edits. I’ll talk about those next month. My schedule for my newsletter going forward is the second Monday of the month, so that’s when I’ll be doing the posts here as well.

If there’s anything else behind the scenes you’d like to know about the publishing process, drop your questions in the comments.

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How NaNoWriMo Shaped My Writing Process

One of the most common questions I receive from readers and at events is about my writing process.

I don’t remember exactly when I started writing my first middle grade book, only that I started querying it in 2011. It could have been 2009 or even 2008. The reason I don’t know is that it took me FOREVER to write a first draft (and that the laptop I had back then crashed, so all files have the same date from the reboot). Aaaanyway, I couldn’t stop myself from revising while drafting, so I’d spend weeks on each chapter before moving on to the next. Somehow I finally got to the end of that book, but it was TORTURE.

Then, I learned about National Novel Writing Month, otherwise known as NaNoWriMo. The goal is to write a novel during the month of November–or at least 50,000 words of a novel. There’s a whole community of writers encouraging each other through the month (you can learn more about it here if you’re interested: https://nanowrimo.org/). That year, 2011, the timing worked out quite well for me to start my next project, which was another middle grade. I completed a full draft of the book during the month of November, and my life was forever changed. Here’s why:

By setting a goal of 50,000 words within a set amount of time, I could not waste time revising while I drafted.

So, basically, NaNoWriMo revolutionized drafting for me. It forced me to keep moving forward until I reached the end of the story.

I haven’t participated in NaNoWriMo since 2011, but it’s only because the timing has never worked out where I’ve been ready to draft a new project in November. I definitely would if I were at the drafting stage (currently doing research for a new project so not there yet).

However, as I stated at the beginning, I utilize the lessons I learned from NaNoWriMo. Here’s how:

Set a word count goal. As I write YA, I usually start with around 75,000 words and adjust if it looks like I’m running long.Set an end date. I only write on weekdays, and I aim for about 2,000 per day, so that usually ends up being about two months out.

Those are the two main lessons. Everything else is details. For me, I use Scrivener, which allows me to set a goal, end date, and writing days within the program, so it notifies me when I’ve met my word count each day. I stop when I reach the goal, even if I’m in the middle of a scene, because I like to start a new day with momentum. I also don’t start drafting until I have a decent outline, which puts me in the plotter camp of the pantser/plotter question. I definitely have to know where I’m going to reach the end!

Every writer has to find their own process. This is the process that works for me, and I’m so grateful I participated in NaNoWriMo in 2011. Best of luck to everyone participating this year! If you are and willing to share what you’re working on, I’d love to hear about it in the comments.

The post How NaNoWriMo Shaped My Writing Process appeared first on Michelle I. Mason.

TOKYO EVER AFTER Plus A Few Other YA Books You Should Read

Happy last week of October! I can’t believe how quickly the month has flown by. I’ve been able to do some more reading lately, and it’s quite a variety. Today’s roundup includes young adult romance, fantasy, paranormal, and suspense. So hopefully something for every reader!

TOKYO EVER AFTER by Emiko Jean is one of those books I was seeing everywhere and kept thinking I needed to read. For several months, I’d been pretty exclusively reading books by fellow debut authors, but this one broke through the ranks, and I’m so glad it did! I’m not sure what comp titles are being used for it, but it reminded me a lot of THE PRINCESS DIARIES, except instead of a fictional country, Izumi is a secret princess from Japan.

I was immediately drawn into Izumi’s story as a Japanese girl who never felt fully American but then goes to Japan to learn more about her family and doesn’t feel fully Japanese either. She’s torn between two worlds and has to figure out how she fits into each of them and what she wants to hold onto most.

And, of course, there’s a romance as well, with her stubborn, taciturn, too-handsome bodyguard. I loved all of Izumi’s friends, both those she’d grown up with and the new friendships she forms in Japan. I’m so excited there’s a sequel coming next year and can’t wait to read what happens next!

A new book by Stephanie Garber? Of course I’m reading that one right away!

I loved the Caraval series, and while this book is set in the same world and features some of the same characters, it’s not a continuation. I really appreciated how Stephanie Garber portrayed Jacks, the Prince of Hearts, in the earlier series. He’s that character you want to hate because he seems heartless and makes horrible choices, but at the same time, there’s something deeper underneath and you keep hoping he’s going to redeem himself.

Here’s the setup for ONCE UPON A BROKEN HEART. Desperate to stop the wedding of the boy she loves to her stepsister, Evangeline Fox seeks the help of Jacks. As he’s a Fate, the deal she makes with him is not at all straightforward. She thinks she can stay in control of her actions, but of course he has a much bigger plan in the works. She becomes embroiled in international intrigue in the North country where her mother originally came from. The setting is so rich, and as with the previous books, the relationships and plot are so tightly woven.

I read this book in a single day (thanks to traveling). It was full of the twists and turns I’ve come to expect from Stephanie Garber, and I can’t wait to read the next book and find out what’s coming for Evangeline and Jacks and everyone else. Because, of course, the story didn’t end.

Have I mentioned here how much I love all things vampire? Not sure it’s come up or not. But even I am not as much of a vampire aficionado as Victoria and her dad in VAMPIRES, HEARTS & OTHER DEAD THINGS by Margie Fuston.

I loved how this story took a new and frankly heartbreaking approach to vampires. In this world, vampires have revealed themselves as real but then went into hiding, after which many people believe the reveal was a hoax. But Victoria and her dad still believe, which becomes even more important when her dad’s cancer becomes terminal. A vampire may be her only hope to save him.

She travels to New Orleans to find one, accompanied by her estranged best friend, Henry, and finds Nicholas, who gives her a series of tasks to prove she loves life in order to possibly become a vampire herself. There are so many gorgeous layers to this story as Victoria struggles to perform the tasks that force her to live when she’s facing the imminent loss of her father. Plus, there is some major baggage with Henry, who is more than her best friend, and serious romantic tension with Nicholas too. I was already intrigued by the setup of this story, and it gave me so much more than I anticipated. It’s a journey both emotionally and through historic New Orleans.

I highly recommend you pick up this gorgeous debut young adult novel!

DARK AND SHALLOW LIES by Ginny Myers Sain is the kind of suspense story I love most: Early on I had a theory, but as the clues piled up, I kept doubting my own suspicions and wasn’t absolutely sure who was responsible until the very end.

Here’s the setup: 17-year-old Grey returns to La Cachette, Louisiana, where she spends her summers. It’s the self-proclaimed “Psychic Capital of the World” and also where her best friend, Elora, disappeared six months earlier. She’s determined to figure out what happened to Elora, between questioning her friends and trying to decipher snatches of dreams that start coming to her. Add to that a mysterious boy living in the bayou and her childhood crush right there in town, and things get even harder to untangle.

I read this book in a day. And I was sooo tempted to peek at the end, but I resisted. A gripping, twisty read!

If you’re looking for more recommendations, you should check out SCBWI BookStop, a showcase of books by Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators members published between 2019 and 2021. It includes everything from YA, picture books, middle grade, nonfiction, and more. You can search the director at scbwi.org/scbwibookstop, or if you want to check out my page, it’s available here. The SCBWI BookStop will be open through the end of November.

Now’s a great time to start stocking up on gifts for the holiday season. The supply chain is sloooow right now, so if you plan to buy books this year, start now!

Let me know if you read/have read any of the books above or find any other gems at the SCBWI BookStop!

The post TOKYO EVER AFTER Plus A Few Other YA Books You Should Read appeared first on Michelle I. Mason.

What’s Inside Your Life Has Been Delayed

Today marks one month since Your Life Has Been Delayed hit shelves. After the very long wait for the book to come out, I can’t believe how fast the time is passing!

To celebrate the book’s one-month birthday, I’ve jumped on the “what’s inside the book” trend and created a graphic highlighting what to expect when you read Your Life Has Been Delayed.

So, if you haven’t already read the book, inside you’ll find:

A ’90s girl + a 21st century boyTime travel support groupA missing planeFacing loss Everyone in Jenny’s life is 25 years older (or dead)They all thought she was deadConspiracy theorists Best friend betrayals (yes, plural)Secrets (also plural)Teen journalist (that would be Jenny)An awkward crush A viral story (is it good or bad?)Brownies (favorite snack of the Flight 237 support group)

And speaking of that last one, if you check out today’s newsletter, I included one of my favorite brownie recipes!

In other news, if you’re an audiobook listener, you can enjoy the book on Audible! In all the excitement last month, I failed to highlight Your Life Has Been Delayed is also available on audio, read by the super talented Julie Rogers! Click here or on the image to hear a sample from Chapter 1.

If you’re still thinking about buying Your Life Has Been Delayed or any book for the holidays, it’s a good idea to do so now! There are major supply chain issues in the publishing industry, so get your orders in now. I will still sign books at The Novel Neighbor and Main Street Books if you include a request in the order comments. If you’re in St. Louis, the Barnes & Noble Ladue location has signed copies in stock.

If you’ve already read and enjoyed the book, reviews are so appreciated on any platforms where you’re comfortable. You can review the book on Amazon and B&N even if you purchased it elsewhere or read it from the library. Speaking of libraries, it would also mean the world to me if you’d request the book at your local library! Here is all the information you’ll need to do so:

Author: Michelle I. Mason
Title: YOUR LIFE HAS BEEN DELAYED
Publisher: Bloomsbury YA
ISBN: 9781547604081

I’m hard at work finishing up edits for my 2022 book, My Second Impression of You, and hope to be able to share more information about that soon!

Thank you again for your support, and if you have any questions about the book or my journey, please drop them in the comments.

The post What’s Inside Your Life Has Been Delayed appeared first on Michelle I. Mason.

Guest Post on Teen Librarian Toolbox: Bringing A Historical Worldview to the Present

I can’t believe YOUR LIFE HAS BEEN DELAYED has already been out in the world for two weeks! If you’ve been watching my other social media, you may have seen me share a few other interviews, and I’ll drop links to those at the end of this post. But today I wanted to share my guest post on Teen Librarian Toolbox, a site hosted by the School Library Journal.

Titled “Bringing A Historical Worldview to the Present,” the post is about how I approached researching the worldview of a 20th century teen being dropped into the 21st century. You can read the post here: https://www.teenlibrariantoolbox.com/2021/09/bringing-a-historical-worldview-to-the-present-a-guest-post-by-michelle-i-mason/

If you missed any of my launch week events and would like to see the replays, you can view those here:

Launch event at The Novel Neighbor with Debbie Rigaud: YouTube

Instagram Live with Brianna Bourne: Instagram Live

Pre-Signing Interview with B&N Bookseller Perry: Facebook Watch

I’m also so honored to be the September Featured Author for the Kansas/Missouri Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators (KS/MO SCBWI). I’m a longtime member of SCBWI, and it’s thrilling to finally be on the published side! Here’s the link to that interview: https://ksmo.scbwi.org/featured-author/

I have some other interviews coming up, and I also plan to start sharing reviews again soon. My reading time has been a bit limited lately, but I’m getting back to it and plan to have some recommendations in the near future!

Thank you again for your support!

 

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YOUR LIFE HAS BEEN DELAYED Is Out Today!

Today marks the culmination of a lifelong dream–my debut book is out in the world!

There aren’t words to express how thrilled I am to share it with all of you. I have so many people to thank for making this book a reality, and I’m tempted to just paste my Acknowledgments into this blog post, but that would be looong, so here’s the abbreviated version.

My agent, Elizabeth Bewley, who is the perfect partner on this publishing journey.

My editor, Allison Moore, who loved Jenny from the beginning and continually challenges me to go deeper, along with the rest of the Bloomsbury team.

My critique partners and readers: Kip Wilson, Amy Trueblood, Carla Cullen, Richelle Morgan, Kristin Smith and Beth Ellyn Summer–love you all!! Also Julie Christensen, Shelly Steig, Kyrie McCauley, and KC Karr for reading this book at various stages. Other writer friends: Krista Van Dolzer, Jamie Krakover and Julia Maranan, plus the Pitch Wars 2017 class and #the21ders debut group.

My friends and family, especially my husband, Greg. I wouldn’t be able to pursue this career without his support. Lots of others named in the Acknowledgments too. Thank you!!!

If you’ve already ordered the book, THANK YOU! If you haven’t gotten around to it yet, it’s now available at all major retailers, and you can get signed copies at The Novel Neighbor and Main Street Books.

If a purchase isn’t in your budget (or even if it is), it would also mean the world to me if you’d request the book at your local library! Here is all the information you’ll need to do so:

Author: Michelle I. Mason
Title: YOUR LIFE HAS BEEN DELAYED
Publisher: Bloomsbury YA
ISBN: 9781547604081

I hope you’ll love the book as much as I do. If so, please leave a review on Goodreads, Amazon and Barnes & Noble! You can review the book on Amazon and B&N even if you purchase it elsewhere. Reviews make a huge difference for authors, helping more readers find the book.

I have several events coming up in the next two weeks.

TONIGHT, Sept. 7, at 7 p.m. Central
Come in person to The Novel Neighbor* or tune in online tonight for the Your Life Has Been Delayed Launch Event! I’ll be in person at The Novel Neighbor, in virtual conversation with New York Times best selling author Debbie Rigaud. The event will be streamed live on the Novel Neighbor’s Facebook and YouTube pages. Registration is recommended. Details here.
*Located at 7905 Big Bend Blvd., St. Louis MO, 63119

Thursday, Sept. 9, 1 p.m. Central
I’ll be chatting on Instagram with Brianna Bourne, author of You & Me at the End of the World! We’ll be talking all things YA romance, contemporary books with a speculative twist, and more. At the time of the event, sign in to Instagram and click my profile photo to view the live feed. We’re happy to chat on our own but also would love for you to bring questions!

Saturday, Sept. 18, from 1-3 p.m.
St. Louis friends, if you aren’t able to make the Novel Neighbor event tonight, I will have another in-person signing at the Barnes & Noble Ladue location on Sept. 18. The store is located at Ladue Crossing Shopping Center, 8871 Ladue Rd., Ladue, MO 63124.

Thank you once again for following my publishing journey!

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