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THE SUMMER OF LOST LETTERS and A Few Other YA Books You Should Read

Happy summer! My kids are out of school, and we’re in full break mode. I’m sure many of you are as well, and I have some fantastic books to recommend, whether you’re on summer break yourself, heading out on vacation, or just looking for your next great read. With a range of genres in this roundup, there should be something for every YA reader!

I love books that mix the present and past, so I was immediately intrigued by the premise of THE SUMMER OF LOST LETTERS by Hannah Reynolds. The story follows 17-year-old Abby Schoenberg, who’s recently gone through a breakup and the loss of her grandmother. When a box full of love letters to her grandmother that aren’t from her grandfather arrive, Abby sets out to discover more of her very private grandmother’s story.

All Abby really knows about her grandmother is that she fled the Holocaust in Germany as a very young child. These letters are from a the head of a very rich family on Nantucket. She makes arrangements to work there for the summer and quickly encounters the man’s grandson, Noah, who doesn’t want her looking into the past at first. But soon, they start investigating together.

I loved how Abby gradually discovered more about her grandmother throughout the story, as well as the theme of how the past is such a matter of perspective for people. I really enjoyed the resolution of what she learned. I also loved the growing romance between Abby and Noah and how they both had to figure out who they were in order to be together. It’s a truly fantastic story of complicated family, self-discovery, and first love.

THE SUMMER OF LOST LETTERS comes out tomorrow (June 15)!

Last year I did a post on 10 Story Elements That Always Hook Me, and one of them is twins. If the twins are separated at birth, discover each other, and secretly switch places–even better! I never get tired of this setup, and Sarena and Sasha Nanua put their unique spin on it in SISTERS OF THE SNAKE.

Princess Rani, daughter of a powerful raja, is never allowed to leave the gilded palace. Ria survives as a thief on the streets and has just been conscripted into the raja’s army. She enters the palace to steal some jewels so she can flee the country when she comes face to face with Rani. Ria wants to discover who she really is, and Rani has a mission from her old tutor, who was put to death in the kingdom’s infamous snake pit, so they switch.

There’s intrigue both inside and outside the palace. I loved how the stakes kept rising on both sides. And as an occasional fantasy reader, the magical system was easy for me to follow. As the title implies, the magic involves snakes, and I have to give major props on the writing there because snakes freak me out, but I was really drawn into the snake bond. Also, the romantic storylines were believable and sweet. This book left me wanting more Ria and Rani!

SISTERS OF THE SNAKE also comes out tomorrow (June 15).

The first time I saw the cover for KIND OF SORT OF FINE by Spencer Hall, I was like: I’m not sure what’s going on here, but I want to find out! Even so, I still really had no clue why they were running across a roof based on the book description, which talks about seniors Hayley and Lewis getting partnered up for a project in TV production class. Now that I do know why they’re running across a roof with that other person’s foot going off the image and spray paint cans flying everywhere, well, I don’t want to spoil anything. You really should read this book yourself!

What I will say is that this book has so many fantastic layers to it. Hayley is dealing with the aftermath of an anxiety attack that left her parked in a busy intersection until she had to be pulled from her car by police–and it was filmed by half the school. Lewis is stuck in the default of making jokes anytime things get serious, including with his friend Rebecca, who he’s crushed on forever. Both individually and together, Hayley and Lewis start to figure some things out about themselves and who they want to be going forward. Along the way, their project helps them understand that there is more to everyone’s story than what you see on the surface.

This book tackles some serious issues but also had me laughing out loud and took me by surprise when it twisted in directions I didn’t expect. Such a great read!

KIND OF SORT OF FINE comes out next Tuesday (June 22).

I’ve never delved into the the world of online fan forums like Stella and Wes in SHIPPED by Meredith Tate, but I love how Stella writes fan fiction fixing the unsatisfying cliffhanger ending of Warship Seven, while Wes draws fan art. Even better, I love that they first clash online over their differing opinions about the one-season show ending but slowly get to know each other under aliases.

Meanwhile, in real life, they’re rivals for the coveted valedictorian position at school. And this isn’t just a regular valedictorian position—it comes with a full ride scholarship to the school of the student’s choice. Talk about stepping up the competition! The contrast between Wes and Stella is so well drawn. Wes’s family is very well off, but he wants to attend a different school than his parents expect for him and needs the money to be independent. Stella will be the first in her family to attend college, so she needs the scholarship to avoid a lifetime of student loans.

The You’ve Got Mail setup of in-person rivals vs. falling for each other online is so well done. The pranks Wes and Stella pull on each other had me laughing out loud, but there were also so many serious moments that made their relationship believable and earned. I also really enjoyed the supporting characters and how they contributed to the overall story.

This book was such a quick and fun read, but it still tackled some serious issues in the background. Loved it all around!

SHIPPED is already out!

Like THE SUMMER OF LOST LETTERS above, this is another book that mixes history with the present.

WORDS COMPOSED OF SEA AND SKY by Erica George is about aspiring poet Michaela Dunn, who wants to attend a somewhat pricey poetry workshop at a nearby college. There’s a scholarship available for the poet who writes the dedication for the statue honoring Captain Benjamin Churchill, a whaler who died more than 100 years earlier. When Michaela visits one of Churchill’s supposed haunts, she discovers the lost diary of Leta Townsend, who clearly knew—and possibly loved—him.

The story alternates between Leta’s diary entries and Michaela in the present. Leta is falling for the imperfect Captain Churchill, while Michaela is dealing with her own preconceived notions about love and the type of boy she should be with. Both stories are heartfelt, real and completely gripping.

I highly recommend you pick this one up! It’s available now.

For the past two years, I’ve participated in Jessica Brody’s 30 Books in 3 Months challenge on Instagram, and I’m going to attempt it again this year. With my book releasing at the end of August, my reading may slow a bit, but it’s worth the attempt!

Do you have any summer reading goals?

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THE LAST WINDWITCH and a Few Other MG Books You Should Read

Happy Memorial Day! Here in the United States, it’s a day to remember those who have sacrificed all for our country. As it’s a national holiday, like many people, I’ll be spending it with family.

I’ve been on quite a middle grade reading spree this past month, so I wanted to jump into MMGM and share a few of these with you. Three of these books are fantasy, but I do have one contemporary middle grade as well. All of them are by debut authors and available now.

I was privileged to attend the virtual launch party for THE LAST WINDWITCH by Jennifer Adam in April, and I was immediately intrigued. It’s about young Brida, apprenticed to a hedgewitch in the small village of Oak Hollow. She’s sheltered from the evils of the Queen of Crows and mostly concerned with mastering her own magic. But when the fabled stormhorses return, they trigger an adventure that leads Brida into all sorts of discoveries about her magic, her past, and her potential.

I loved how this story kept twisting in new directions. It’s quite long for a middle grade, but the stakes kept rising, and there were new tasks for Brida for achieve, so the length was exactly right for the story. The magic is explained very well, and I loved all the characters Brida met along her journey. 

I highly recommend THE LAST WINDWITCH for the middle grade readers in your life—or for anyone who enjoys spunky young witches.

Set in 1905, THE GILDED GIRL by Alyssa Colman takes place at Miss Posterity’s Academy for Practical Magic in New York City. Wealthy 12-year-old Emma has just joined the school, and she’s a bit behind the other students sparking their magic, while servant Izzy can do much more. The problem is, society dictates that when the December winds blow, Izzy will not be worthy and her magic will be snuffed out, while Emma can kindle her magic permanently.

When Emma’s father dies unexpectedly and leaves her penniless, she has to work off her debt at the school and is switched to the same status as Izzy. The two girls work together to figure out how to kindle their magic in spite of the rules.

I loved how this story used magic to address class differences and open both girls’ eyes as well as those beyond them to how the rules needed to be changed. I also enjoyed the house dragon (disguised as a house cat) and the various friendships within the book. The one between Emma and Izzy is fantastic, but there are several others that grow throughout. 

THE GILDED GIRL is full of magic, friendship, and girls determined to change the world.

In MANY POINTS OF ME by Caroline Gertler, almost 12-year-old Georgia is the daughter of a famed artist who passed away two years earlier. She misses her dad most of all, but others often talk to her in terms of his art, like he’s still here. She’s struggling with her grief and also struggling with her friendships, especially with her best friend, Theo, who was close to Georgia’s dad in a way that’s hard for her to reconcile.

One of her dad’s most famous works was a set of paintings that highlighted a bird, himself, and her mom, and when she finds a sketch that indicates she would have been the fourth painting, she sets out to prove it. Her journey includes some missteps, particularly with her relationships, but it’s also important. 

I really loved how Georgia grows in the story, both personally and figuring out how art fits into her life. I also loved all of her relationships and how she grew within each of those. The ending was absolutely perfect.

I highly recommend this beautiful middle grade read that tackles grief, friendship, family, and finding yourself in the midst of all of that.

THE LAST FALLEN STAR by Graci Kim is about Riley Oh, who can’t wait to see her sister/best friend Hattie initiated into the powerful Gom clan of Korean healing witches. But she’s also devastated that she can’t be initiated, too, since she’s a saram (person without magic). So they try a spell that will allow them to share Hattie’s magic.

Of course that all goes horribly wrong. This book was non-stop adventure, with the sisters’ actions leading to Hattie’s life endangered and Riley tasked with finding the last fallen star. Whatever that is. Her best friend, super baker and team anti-magic Emmett, joins her. 

I loved how this book kept twisting in new directions and throwing in new information. I loved the theme that there are always two sides to every story. And I loved the focus on friendship and family. Basically just loved it all!

Oh, and there’s a diagram of the magic system inside the front cover, which immediately sold my 13-year-old son on reading, even though he has mostly moved up to YA now. So good to know those extras make a difference!

Have you read any of these? If so, let me know what you thought! If not, which one intrigues you most?

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3 Months to Release: Character Names!

It’s May 24, which means we are now at 3 months to the release of YOUR LIFE HAS BEEN DELAYED.

T H R E E  M O N T H S !!!

A little over a week ago, to celebrate 100 days until the book lands in stores everywhere, I released a parody video of the 1980s song “Jenny/867-5309,” replacing the chorus with “It’s Not 1995.” In case you missed it, you can still watch it here.

The song is directly linked to this month’s release countdown topic:

How do you choose character names?

My answer varies depending on the book, but at least for the main character, it usually has roots in three things:

The meaning of the name – I have been known to give characters names where if you know what it means, it might give you clues to a plot point Most popular names for the year the character was born – I get a lot of secondary character names this way, just by scanning through the year’s list.Who their parents are – Think about it. At some point, you’ve probably asked your parents why they gave you the name they did. I know I have! And my husband and I were very particular about the names we chose for our own kids. So knowing about the character’s parents can be key to naming them. Are they mainstream? Quirky? Trendy? Weird? There doesn’t have to be a big story about your character’s name, but if a girl with super uptight parents has a name like Flower, that would be odd .

Sometimes a character name jumps right out at me, and I immediately know it’s the right one. Other times I spend hours reading through my physical baby names book and/or searching the internet to find names that fit them. Here are the stories behind some of the character names in Your Life Has Been Delayed.

While I did not name my main character “Jenny” because of the song “Jenny/867-5309,” I suspect I was on the same wavelength as Tommy Tutone in choosing this name. Because in the 1980s and 1990s, it seemed like every other girl was named Jennifer (often shortened to Jenny/Jennie/Jenn), so it places her as a sort of everygirl of that time. (Although I don’t by any means intend to say that every girl was like Jenny.) This shows that Jennifer was the number one baby girl name from 1971-1984. That’s quite a run!

Dylan’s name is just me being mean to Jenny. Her favorite TV show from the 1990s is “Beverly Hills, 90210,” and there’s a moment where he tells her he was named after Luke Perry’s character. Yikes!

By the time Jenny’s younger brother was born, her parents had realized how popular her name was, so they were a little more careful about not choosing the same name as everyone else . But in all serious, the main consideration for his name was that I wanted one that could be shortened, in this case to “Brad.” When she boarded Flight 237, he was still going by “Bradley,” but as he’s now an adult, everyone calls him “Brad” and she just can’t wrap her mind around that small thing in addition to everything else.

I mainly picked Angela for Jenny’s best friend because it was one of the top names for the time period, but it also provides a nice contrast as it means “angel.” According to Angie, this definition would be closer to fitting Jenny’s personality.

Art was a fairly minor character when I first wrote the book, so I didn’t put a lot of thought into his name as I was drafting. During revision, he grew into a much more important character. But I love that Arthur means either “noble” or “rock,” because he demonstrates both of those meanings in the end.

Ted and Agnes are the oldest passengers on Flight 237. Their first names are indicative of the decade in which they were born (1910s), while their last name is Spring because, well, they aren’t spring chickens .

Jenny’s niece and nephew become an unexpected source of joy, so I looked for names that would represent that. Kira means “sun” or “light” and Eli means “uplifted.”

Funny story: In my first draft, Jenny’s 1995 boyfriend had a different name, and when I read through it again, I realized it was the same name as someone I had a connection to in high school. Didn’t even occur to me at first because I’d plucked it off the common names list, but I quickly returned to the list and carefully chose a different name.

Obviously there are many more names in the book. A few more of them even have stories, but I can’t talk about them now because… SPOILERS! So you’ll just have to read the book to find out!

For the other writers out there, do you have any other methods for picking character names? Drop them in the comments!

In case you missed any of the previous release countdown features, they included:

9 Months to Release: Playlist8 Months to Release: The Title Story (plus tips on titling your manuscript!)7 Months to Release: Watch List6 Months to Release: Research5 Months to Release: Why 1995?4 Months to Release: Book Inspiration

If you’re ready to pre-order the book, you can do so on my books page. Information on a pre-order campaign and launch events will be coming soon, but in the meantime, if you pre-order from The Novel Neighbor, those books will be signed and include a bookmark.

Thank you for supporting my publishing journey!!

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Jenny, It’s Not 1995 (A Parody)

Today marks 100 days until the release of YOUR LIFE HAS BEEN DELAYED! This auspicious occasion happens to fall on an even more important day–my daughter’s 11th birthday. We are celebrating later by going zip lining (hopefully I survive that!). But as for the book side of things, my whole family stepped up to help me record a parody of the ’80s song “Jenny/867-5309” by Tommy Tutone.

A few days ago, I asked my Instagram and Twitter followers what they thought I would replace 867-5309 with, and I received some answers that could have worked:

The flight number (200-30-7 or perhaps MSA 2-37)8-2-4-20-21 (the release date for the book)1-1-5-19-7-8 (Jenny’s birthdate)

My first instinct was the flight number. I also considered somehow using Jenny’s birth date (1-15-1978). So those were both good guesses. I didn’t think of the book’s release date, but I could see that working!

When I sat down to write the lyrics, another very clear chorus rose to the top thematically:

It’s Not 1995

So, I present to you “Jenny/It’s Not 1995,” sung by me with backup vocals by my family and a special solo at the end from the birthday girl. Please note that we realized after we’d already spent about two hours trying to get this right that we should have found it in a higher key . Lyrics below the video!

Sung to the tune of “Jenny/867-5309” by Tommy Tutone!

Jenny, Jenny, where did you come from?
You boarded a plane that never landed
And we all thought that it had crashed long ago
But then it reappeared–you’re all the same age

Jenny, it’s not the same day
It’s been twenty-five years
Jenny, it’s not a big prank
It’s not nineteen ninety-five
It’s not nineteen ninety-five
It’s not nineteen ninety-five
It’s not nineteen ninety-five

Jenny, Jenny, you’ve got to believe me
Oh, you don’t know how much has changed since you’ve been gone
I don’t know quite how to tell you this news
Everyone you loved is now old or deceased

Jenny, it’s not the same day
It’s been twenty-five years
Jenny, it’s not a big prank
It’s not nineteen ninety-five
It’s not nineteen ninety-five
It’s not nineteen ninety-five
It’s not nineteen ninety-five

It’s not the (it’s not the)
It’s not the same day at all
It’s not the (it’s not the)
It’s been twenty… twenty-five long years

Jenny, you’re in a new time
Sorry it’s not a joke
Jenny, get used to it now

It’s not nineteen ninety-five
It’s not nineteen ninety-five
It’s not nineteen ninety-five
It’s not nineteen ninety-five

Jenny, Jenny, where did you come from?
It’s not nineteen ninety-five
You flew into a totally different century
It’s not nineteen ninety-five
It’s not nineteen ninety-five
It’s not nineteen ninety-five
It’s not nineteen ninety-five
Nineteen ninety-five
Nineteen ninety-five
Nineteen ninety-five
Nineteen ninety-five

I hope you enjoyed Jenny’s song! And coming up on May 24, to mark three months to release, I’ll be talking more about character names and why Jenny is Jenny. It’s not because of this song, but perhaps there’s still a connection…

You can also sign up for my newsletter here or pre-order my book at any of the retailers listed on my books page.

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BETTER THAN THE MOVIES and a Few Other YA Books You Should Read

I have so many amazing young adult recommendations for you this week! As with the middle grade books I shared a couple of weeks ago, these are all debut authors. Reading books by the authors going through debut year with me has been one of the most rewarding aspects of this journey. I used to just pick up books as they caught my eye. This year I have a list! And I’m trying to read as many of them as I can to share with you .

On to the recommendations…

BETTER THAN THE MOVIES by Lynn Painter was the very first ARC I read by a fellow 2021 debut back in December, and I loved it so much I highlighted it among my favorite reads of 2020. It’s the story of Liz Buxbaum, who loves romantic comedies and wants her own. So when her fifth grade crush moves back to town and appears to be as dreamy as ever, she’s convinced he’s the Mark Darcy to her Bridget Jones. She enlists the help of her infuriating next-door neighbor Wes to help her get Michael’s attention, and that’s when everything starts going wrong.

I loved everything about this book. It includes so many fantastic rom-com tropes–enemies to lovers, a fake relationship, an unexpected friendship growing into more. Every chapter begins with a quote from a romantic comedy, and there were even some I haven’t seen and need to check out! There are also completely adorable sketches at the beginning and end of the ARC; I assume they’re also in the printed book.

This book is hilarious, with mishaps ranging from a bloody nose to someone puking all over Liz while she’s trying to impress Michael, but it also has a deeper story of Liz’s unresolved grief from losing her mom years before. That also bleeds into her other relationships, especially with her best friend. Basically, this book just hit all the right notes for me–humor, a great romance, friendship, and family. Plus a bonus of mentioning almost all my favorite movies . This book was just a shot of pure joy. It released last week!

We’re not even halfway through the year, but I’m already pretty sure WHERE THE RHYTHM TAKES YOU by Sarah Dass will be one of my favorite reads of 2021. I devoured this book in a single day back in February, and I’m still thinking about it.

It’s a retelling of Jane Austen’s Persuasion–and I am always up for new takes on Austen, but this one is especially well done. Set in Tobago, the story is centered around Reyna, whose life changed forever two years earlier when Aiden, her best friend and first love, moved away right before her mother died, leaving her to care for the family hotel. Now an international pop star, he’s returning to stay at the hotel with his friends.

The relationships in this book are so well-drawn. Reyna feels a deep commitment to the hotel, based on her complicated relationship with her mother. Her best friend, Olivia, is about to leave for an elite art program she had once hoped to go to herself. And then, of course, there’s Aiden. The romantic tension between them jumps off the page, and I loved how well snippets from the past were interspersed to give the reader glimpses of what had led to the present without giving it away too soon. The author’s love for her home is evident in the evocatively drawn setting. I so appreciate being able to experience it. And there’s a playlist included at the end of the book, so I’ll be checking that out too!

WHERE THE RHYTHM TAKES YOU comes out tomorrow!

I’m not a dancer myself, but I’ve always been fascinated by dance, and ballet in particular is so beautiful. I enjoy attending the ballet, but I also can’t imagine the dedication that goes into pursuing it as a future career–or the complete devastation that would accompany having that dream crushed.

THE OTHER SIDE OF PERFECT by Mariko Turk explores that theme, as Alina shatters her leg in a way that means she can never dance on pointe again. She joins the school musical as a substitute, where she begins to make friends outside the world of ballet.

I found this story completely gripping. Alina’s heartbreak was so real. At times as a reader I started to feel as frustrated with her as the other characters felt, until I would remember that she had lost her lifelong dream, and there’s no time frame on moving through that sort of grief. There was an important theme throughout about the racism she and her best friend had faced within ballet and how to reconcile loving dance while still working toward a better future for it. (Alina is half-Japanese and her best friend is Black.) I also really enjoyed the supporting cast of characters, and the romantic story line was both adorable and had depth. The tension between Alina and Jude was off the charts!

THE OTHER SIDE OF PERFECT also releases tomorrow!

I ordered KISSES AND CROISSANTS by Anne-Sophie Jouhanneau all the way back in November, when I had a birthday gift card, and I am pleased to tell you that it lived up to all of my expectations. 

This book combines three of my favorite things—Paris, art, and romance! Also, like the book above, it’s about ballet–although a different take. Mia goes to Paris to attend a competitive ballet program. While she’s there, she works to uncover a family legend involving the work of Degas and also meets charming Louis, who is a delightful distraction. Add in Audrey, a rival from back home she doesn’t expect to see in Paris, and things get really interesting!

I loved Mia’s dedication to ballet and her journey discovering how to prioritize it in her life. I loved the romance and the jaunts around Paris, particularly the museums, which I could stay lost in for hours. I loved how the relationship evolved between Mia and Audrey. Basically, just loved it all!

And now I am dying for a visit to my local French bakery, but it’s not like I need much of an excuse. I have been frequenting the bakery ever since my high school French teacher introduced us…

I am so in love with PRIDE AND PREMEDITATION by Tirzah Price I CAN’T EVEN!

I read this book in a day, then passed it on to my 13-year-old son, who has become quite the Jane Austen fan himself, and we enjoyed discussing it together. (Somehow he loves fantasy—and Jane Austen .)

Anyway, as mentioned above, I love all P&P adaptations and retellings, and this is now one of my favorites. Basically, it’s P&P with a murder mystery. Bingley has been accused of murder; his pal Darcy is defending him, and Lizzie wants to investigate and win the case herself. All the characters you know and love are there with the expected character traits. And all the characters you know and hate (too strong?) are there too…

Anyway, I don’t want to spoil anything. So glad I already had someone in my own house to talk about the book with. Don’t miss out on this fantastic retelling.

Oh, and best of all? There are more books coming in the series. Can’t wait to see who gets murdered in the next book!

So those are my latest #the21ders reads. I’ll have more soon!! What sounds good to you out of these?

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SEA OF KINGS and a Few Other Upcoming MG Books You Should Read

As promised the last time I participated in Marvelous Middle Grade Monday, I have an amazing lineup of debut middle grade books to shout about today! All of these books are coming within the next few weeks, and I was privileged to read Advance Reading Copies as they’re all part of #the21ders debut group. You definitely want to get your hands on these books!

As I was reading my advanced copy of of SEA OF KINGS by Melissa Hope back in January, my 10-year-old daughter asked me what I was reading. I told her it was a story about a young prince from an island kingdom who has never left his home. But when a king from another island kingdom brings a pirate along and they take over the kingdom, he and his brother must venture out to sea following a magical map, discovering magical creatures they didn’t know existed. Her whole face lit up, and this is exactly what makes this book such a delight. It includes all the features that are perfect for middle grade readers, boys and girls alike.

There’s adventure, magic, danger and secrets. There’s also an important focus on family, both between the brothers with their deep bond peppered with rivalry and the main character, Noa, who experiences an ongoing journey to understand his father. There’s even a sweet middle grade crush.

It’s a delightful read that will grab kids with the premise and hold their attention with the consistently rising stakes. A super fun story! SEA OF KINGS releases tomorrow, April 27!

I’m such a sucker for perfect titles, and GLITTER GETS EVERYWHERE by Yvette Clark definitely fits that description. Kitty is 10 when the book opens and has just lost her mother. Her grandmother compares grief to glitter, explaining that you will keep finding it everywhere no matter how you try to clean it up. What an appropriate–and sad–description.

Soon after Kitty turns 11, her dad accepts a temporary position in New York City, and it leads to a mixed bag of emotions. She’s not reminded of her mum everywhere, but she also leaves behind her best friend, grandmother, godmother, and next door neighbor (who is like a member of the family).

There’s so much to love about this story. Kitty is working through her grief, which is obviously not something that has a definite conclusion. She has a unique obsession with colors and paint, which was fascinating. Her relationship with her older sister is complicated but also very relatable to anyone with siblings. All of the secondary characters are fantastic, including Kitty’s new friend Henry, pictured on the book cover. She’s very clear to tell everyone he’s not her boyfriend. Hmm…

I thoroughly enjoyed the story, the characters, and the excellent, detailed descriptions. The book comes out May 4!

Also coming out May 4 is THE LAST SHADOW WARRIOR by Sam Subity. This fast-paced adventure follows 12-year-old Abby Beckett, who comes from a long line of Viking warriors called the Aesir. She’s been training her entire life to hunt the Aesir’s enemy–the Grendel–just like her mom, who passed away.

An attack sends Abby and her father to the Viking Council headquarters (and her new school), where they inform her they’re going to disband the Aesir, on account of no one having seen a Grendel in centuries. Except Abby is positive she has. He put her dad in a coma, and now she’s on a mission to prove the Grendel exists and save her father from his mysterious illness before she loses both parents.

I loved the non-stop adventure in this book, as well as the new friends Abby makes at Vale Hall and the unique twist on Norse mythology. Abby is a determined and relatable character, and the story had a great mix of humor and serious stakes. I was rooting for Abby the whole time, and the ending left me wanting more adventures for Abby and her friends!

My family was all about road trips when I was a kid, so I was immediately intrigued by AN OCCASIONALLY HAPPY FAMILY by Cliff Burke, but this was unlike any trip we ever took!

It’s about 13-year-old Theo Ripley, whose dad decides to take Theo and his older sister, Laura, camping in Big Bend National Park in Texas. It will be their first vacation since his mom passed away.

It’s bittersweet, and there are a lot of emotions for the family to work through—including the fact that Dad springs a new girlfriend on them in the middle of the trip—but this book also had me laughing aloud. You never know what you will encounter in the wild. A social media-obsessed teenager? Check. A bear? Check. A nude French couple? My personal favorites! 

I read this book in a single day. It was heartwarming and funny and just a wonderful story of family, with all of its bumps along the way. I also really loved Theo himself, who draws comics and uses those to express what he’s going through.

AN OCCASIONALLY HAPPY FAMILY releases May 18!

Be sure to add these books to your lists, and in a couple of weeks I’ll have some more young adult reads to share!

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4 Months to Release: Book Inspiration!

It’s April 24, which means we are now at 4 months to the release of YOUR LIFE HAS BEEN DELAYED. It’s getting closer!!!

I’ve been counting down the months leading up to release with behind-the-scenes information about the book. In case you missed any of the previous features, they included:

9 Months to Release: Playlist8 Months to Release: The Title Story (plus tips on titling your manuscript!)7 Months to Release: Watch List6 Months to Release: Research5 Months to Release: Why 1995?

I’ve been (sporadically) participating in #AuthorLifeMonth over on Instagram, and the prompt for today happens to be “Inspiration.” So for today’s monthly countdown feature I decided to go ahead and tackle one of the most popular questions authors are asked:

What inspired you to write this book?

That probably seems like an easy question to answer, and sometimes it is for me. I will have watched or read something that sends me off in another direction, and I can pinpoint exactly why I decided to write a particular manuscript. When it’s time to answer this question about book two, I will be able to narrow it down to the exact minute that inspired the story. (Sorry not sorry for being a total tease!)

However, when it comes to YOUR LIFE HAS BEEN DELAYED, the first few times someone asked me this question, I didn’t have a clear answer. I just had this long, rambling note in the app on my phone (spoilers omitted):

The note was dated September 2017, but as it had been added to over time and also included other story ideas, I had no idea when I’d originally jotted it down.

So I kept thinking back and finally traced the inspiration to February 2017, when I tagged along on my husband’s business trip to Australia. On our return flight, we left Sydney on Feb. 27 at 11:30 a.m. and arrived in L.A. on Feb. 27 at 5:35 a.m. I know it wasn’t really time travel, but it felt like it, and I even Tweeted about it at the time.

I remember thinking: What if you got on a plane and landed in a totally different year? And how many ways would that mess up your life?

Thus the rambling, stream-of-conscious note…

But the inspiration goes back even further than this trip, as I’ve always been fascinated by time travel, from when I was a kid and first watched Back to the Future. I love time travel done well, and back in December I shared my favorite books, TV shows and movies here on the blog. But I’ve always known that if I were to tackle it myself, it would have to be in a unique way, because it can be tricky. Like:

If they’re traveling to the past, are they now interfering with it, or is it an alternate version of the past? (Don’t get me started on Captain America and Endgame…)And if the characters travel to the future, how does the future look? How have technology and society advanced? (I love watching Back to the Future II and analyzing what they predicted correctly/falsely for 2015.)

So I was inspired to write a story that would bring someone from the past to the present–or a present two years after I was writing the book. That seemed safe. Things shouldn’t change too much in two years…

So, yeah. If you do the math, my book takes place in 2020. It was originally scheduled to release in January 2021. And because of how far in advance things typically happen in the publishing world, all of my major edits were already completed before the pandemic hit. Which doesn’t mean we couldn’t have still made additional changes, particularly after the book was pushed back to August 2021. And so I do often get this question:

Did you write the pandemic into this book?

Um, no. Definitely not inspired to write that into my book. It would have totally changed the story. I’ll just leave you with this author’s note included in the back of my Advance Reading Copies–and also to be included in the finished book.

Many times I’ve wished I lived in this alternate reality Jenny popped into. But at the same time, the book is about Jenny learning to adapt, and we’ve all learned from this past year, too, haven’t we?

But enough philosophizing. There will be just three more countdown features before YOUR LIFE HAS BEEN DELAYED releases. If you have a special request for a topic you’d like me to cover, please let me know in the comments!

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Social Media Tips for Authors: Twitter

In February, I started a series sharing how I’m using social media to promote my upcoming debut, YOUR LIFE HAS BEEN DELAYED. So far I’ve covered:

Create a social media calendarGraphic resources

Today I’m going to dive into the social media platform I’ve used the longest: Twitter! I joined Twitter back in November 2008 when I was still working full-time in public relations. This very original tweet said:

“Signing on to Twitter for the first time.”

Unsurprisingly, it had no likes .

After that, I started using the account to promote my clients, so my early connections were mainly local reporters, most of whom have now moved on to different jobs. Once I left my full-time job in 2010 to focus on writing, I starting seeking out the writing community on Twitter. I met some of my longest-lasting critique partners on Twitter, and I also learned about contests and gained fantastic knowledge through information shared on the platform.

A lot of that amazing synergy still happens on Twitter today, but it’s also evolved quite a bit in the 13 years since I first started using it. Here are my 2021 tips for getting the most out of Twitter and using it to promote your book.

Your Profile

As with any social media platform, your profile is important! I know when I’m deciding whether to follow someone, it’s where I go to figure out who they are and what they’re about. The major pieces of your profile include:

Profile photo – It can be your professional headshot or something more fun. I recently changed mine to a shot with my ARCs behind me so my books are always top of mind when people see my tweets.The header – It can just be a photo, but if you have a book coming out, it’s prime real estate to showcase it. I created my header in Canva, and it includes the background from my website with my cover and the release date.Bio – Obviously your book, and I recommend your publisher as well. If you’re agented, I’d include that too. Then it’s just a matter of what other info you want people to know. The more books you publish, the less personal this will be!Link – This can be your website or something like LinkTree. I made a hidden page here on my website with a list of links so that people are coming here but still can also go to my buy links, Instagram, Goodreads, etc.Pinned Tweet

Make strategic use of your pinned tweet. It’s the first tweet visitors to your profile see. What are you promoting there? Lately I’ve been switching mine out with my release countdown threads, but no matter what, make sure that tweet is representative of what you most want to promote right now. Unless you’re the type to just highlight something goofy, then just keep being you .

Use Tweetdeck

I’ve actually been using Tweetdeck since back in my agency days, when it was still an independent app. Now it’s part of Twitter and runs on a browser. I love Tweetdeck, especially in today’s environment when it’s so easy to find yourself doom scrolling, because it allows me to set up columns so I don’t miss the tweets most relevant to me. I follow a lot of people, but like in real-life relationships, some of them are closer than others. I currently have columns for:

The main feed – Occasionally I look through this, but only if I really have extra time on my hands.My mentionsDirect messagesPrivate message groupAgent/Editor – This includes tweets from my agent and editor themselves, but also from my publisher and agency overall.Friends – A big category, but basically anyone whose tweets I want to make sure I see so I can engage with them.#the21ders – Tweetdeck allows you to have search columns. This can be a hashtag or search terms. Because it’s my debut year, I want to catch all of #the21ders tweets, but I’ve previously had other search columns, like when I was in PitchWars.Scheduled – I keep a column open for when I schedule tweets so that I can check them.Every once in a while I add another column for a while!

For engaging with other tweets, I basically only use Twitter on my desktop on Tweetdeck. It’s too easy to get lost in endless scrolling otherwise. I know there are other similar programs out there, like Hootsuite. This just happens to be the one I’ve used forever.

All of this being said, the point of narrowing down the list of who you follow into smaller categories is to engage with them! Like all social media platforms, Twitter is about interacting with people. I obviously don’t reply to everything, but I go through my columns and like/reply/retweet/quote retweet as appropriate. I would never expect my online community to engage/help promote me if I’m not doing the same for them.

Twitter Threads

When it comes to actually composing tweets for book promotion, however, I do still often use the main Twitter app, and the reason for that is Twitter threads. I’m a bit of a late adopter on these–probably because you can’t do threads in Tweetdeck and that’s where I was hanging out–but I’ve been using them more lately and seeing some great engagement.

Basically, threads are a series of connected tweets. Using the Twitter app, either online or on your phone, you can compose the first one and click the plus button to keep adding more until you’re finished, then publish them all together like a story. I’ve used them for my last two release countdown features (click on image to the right to see thread).

Images aren’t required for a thread, but as I mentioned in my last post, they help catch attention as people are scrolling through endless feeds.

Participate in Twitter Chats

My debut group, #the21ders, hosts monthly Twitter chats, and I make a point of participating every month. Is it mainly our own group participating? Yes, but you never know who might pop into a chat. In March, someone responded to one of my tweets asking for a blog interview. Many middle grade authors in our group also participate in a weekly MG chat. These are great opportunities to connect with potential readers.

My best tip for participating in chats is to schedule answers in advance, whenever possible. Even when I’m available to participate when the chat is happening, I don’t want to be focused on making sure my answers are perfect; I want to be able to engage with the other authors participating. So I schedule them all beforehand–double and triple-checking my answers and the timing . You can schedule through the main Twitter app, Tweetdeck or other programs like Hootsuite.

Leverage Your Author Group

I’ve already mentioned my debut group, and they’re a vital part of my social media efforts, I’d say on Twitter more than any other platform, because retweeting is easier than sharing on Instagram. While I have my #the21ders column on Tweetdeck, not everyone remembers or has space on a particular tweet to include the hashtag. But we also have private Facebook and Slack groups where we have dedicated spaces to ask for boosts on tweets when we particularly want to promote something. While my group is for traditionally published debut MG/YA authors, I expect there are groups out there for all types of authors banding together.

Use Graphics & Emojis

I already mentioned it above, but when appropriate, add a graphic to your tweets. I often use Canva (explained in my previous post) to create Twitter graphics, which are wider than the square graphics used on Instagram. Emojis also add an extra element that helps the eye pause.

One note about graphics: it’s also helpful to take that extra moment to type in the alternate text for the visually impaired. It takes less than a minute!

Other Random Thoughts

I have not started using Fleets, so I have no advice on that. Sorry!

When I do use the Twitter app on my phone, what I like most about it is that it pops up the tweets with the most engagement for me to scroll through. Sometimes these are the hot-button tweets I want to avoid, but other times they’re just fun tweets that I decide to join in the conversation.

If you have Instagram connected to Twitter, it used to actually show the beginning of the caption from your Instagram post on Twitter and then link to Instagram. Now it just says something like: michelleimason posted on Instagram. Who’s going to click on that? So you’re better off posting whatever photo you put on Instagram as a separate Twitter post.

I think that’s it for now! What Twitter tips do you have?

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A PHO LOVE STORY and A Few Other YA Books You Should Read

It’s time for another review roundup! All are young adult today. The first two are both rom-coms that involve food, while the second two involve magic. Interesting how there seem to be themes in my reading… All of these are by debut authors and available now!

You know I’m always up for a YA rom-com. Throw in feuding families and food? Even better!

A PHO LOVE STORY by Loan Le is the story of Bao Nguyen and Linh Mae, whose parents own competing pho restaurants. (I’ve never tried pho, but I’m adding it to my list once indoor dining is an option again!) For years, they’ve seen each other from across the street, but their only encounter was at the Buddhist temple as children, when their parents pulled them apart.

It’s sort of like Romeo and Juliet—except it’s thankfully not a tragedy! I loved how Bao and Linh bring out the best in each other. And I loved reading about their families and learning more about their history. Both of their parents had escaped from Vietnam and want the best for their children, which for Linh in particular isn’t a path she wants herself. An aspiring artist, she has to find a balance between pursuing her dream and meeting her parents’ expectations.  

It’s a fantastic story about family, first love, and discovering who you are and how to pursue that.

How adorable is this cover? And then it gets even better, because it’s a PRIDE AND PREJUDICE retelling. I will basically read every P&P retelling, always.

A TASTE FOR LOVE by Jennifer Yen even starts out with a twisted P&P quote: “It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a mother in possession of great wisdom, must be in want—nay, in need—of a daughter who will listen.”

That quote sets the stage pretty well for the tension between Liza Yang and her mom. There are two major sources: Liza wants to attend culinary school instead of pursuing a practical degree like accounting, and she wants nothing to do with the guys her mom deems acceptable. Things get interesting when Liza and her best friend, Grace, meet Ben (Bingley) and James (Darcy). And then Liza’s mom, who owns a popular bakery, recruits Liza to help with her annual baking competition and fills it with Asian American teen boys, turning it into a bachelorette-style situation. Both Ben and James jump in, making things even more fun, especially since James does meet Liza’s mom’s requirements.

The story has all of the usual P&P hijinks, and it works so well with the tension between Liza and her mom. I really loved the romance and the family drama, and then there was the baking. I’ve already looked up where I can go try out all of the pastries described in this book. I guess Liza would recommend I try Boba too…

THE WIDE STARLIGHT by Nicole Lesperance is the story of a girl whose mother whistled to the Northern Lights and was taken away. Ten years later, Eli whistles to bring her back, but she’s not the same. The story moves forward as she tries to reclaim her mother fully, alternating with the past told in fairy tale form. It’s beautiful and heartbreaking all at once, spanning from Cape Cod to Norway.

When I reviewed this book on Instagram, I photographed it with my cat because her name is… Starlight! And it seemed appropriate, because although this book doesn’t include any cats, it’s full of animals touched by magic: Narwhals. Arctic terns. Polar bears. Reindeer. So just another selling point for the animal lovers!

Definitely check out this story of complicated family, friendship, and underlying magic.

I tend to gravitate more toward contemporary novels, but when I do read fantasy, what usually grips me are the relationships, and THE BRIGHT & THE PALE by Jessica Rubinkowski is full of complicated relationships.

It’s about 17-year-old Valeria, who as a young girl survived a magical curse that froze her family and entire village, which sits in the shadow of Knnot Mountain, the source of a valuable resource. The Czar imprisons anyone who managed to escape. To survive, Valeria works for the Thieves Guild and made herself a new sort of family with the leader, Luiza, as a surrogate mother, and Alik, Valeria’s partner and best friend. But a year ago, she watched Alik die.

Except when a mission goes wrong and she’s taken, she discovers he’s been alive all along, and everything she believed may be wrong. Now she must return to her village, braving the curse to retrieve the resource within the mountain. She also must face betrayals and deal with a crazy amount of emotions mixed up with Alik’s return to life. There are so many twists and turns in this book, and the relationship between Valeria and Alik is so well-written. This one ended on a cliffhanger, so I will definitely be picking up the sequel!

Be sure to check out these fantastic books. What are you reading? My reading list is pretty tied up with books by #the21ders right now, but I am always up for recommendations to add for later!

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5 Months to Release: Why 1995?

It’s March 24, which means we are now at 5 months to the release of YOUR LIFE HAS BEEN DELAYED. I can’t believe how fast time is flying by (pun totally intended ).

I’ve been counting down the months leading up to release with behind-the-scenes information about the book. In case you missed any of the previous features, they included:

9 Months to Release: Playlist8 Months to Release: The Title Story (plus tips on titling your manuscript!)7 Months to Release: Watch List6 Months to Release: Research

This month’s topic is:

Why 1995?

I’m sure most people who know me in real life think this question has a very easy answer. I graduated from high school in 1996, which means that Jenny is the same age I was in 1995—and that I’m the same age she should be now .

However, here’s a behind-the-scenes tidbit for you: when I originally came up with the concept, I intended for Jenny to jump forward 30 years, from 1990. It was only as I started to brainstorm and research the progression of technology that I switched to 25 years, and it was because I discovered something very interesting about the year 1995. Particularly in the second half of 1995, technology started to advance at an astonishing speed. This is a big reason why Jenny jumps forward on Aug. 2, 1995. I particularly wanted Jenny to be on the cusp of changing technology, where she would be aware of the internet but not understand how it is woven into everyday life in the twenty-first century.

So, here are a few of the significant changes from 1995-1996 that made 1995 such a perfect starting point for Jenny.

Cell phones

One of my all-time favorite movies, Clueless, released in summer 1995. The technology is completely unrealistic for teens in suburban St. Louis, where Your Life Has Been Delayed is set, but it’s a fascinating precursor for how cell phones were about to take over. Jenny doesn’t reference this movie, but she does mention that cell phones are for rich kids or spies, and here’s an interesting piece of information that makes that even more true. The flip phones used in the movie weren’t actually released to the public for purchase until January 1996, so any teens who had one must have had Cher-level connections! Also, product placement, anyone?

For further reading on the cutting-edge Motorola StarTAC: The first famous flip phone

Windows 95/Netscape Navigator

A game-changer for personal computing, Windows 95 released Aug. 24, 1995. (Hey, that means it will have an anniversary on my release date!) I’ve always been a Mac girl, so I used Netscape, which released Navigator 2.0 in September. These operating systems made it astronomically easier to … er… navigate computers.

Online shopping

Now here’s an interesting fact. Three of the largest and most well-known sites–websites people use on a daily basis still today–all started in 1995. To me, that’s one of the greatest testaments to what was happening with the internet during that time. It was exploding in so many directions, with innovators coming up with new ideas every day. In case you haven’t guessed what they were yet…

AmazonCraigslisteBay (originally called AuctionWeb)Hotmail

Imagine if you could only access your email at home or work, from the computer it was linked to. That was life for everyone in the nineties, until free, web-based email allowed users to access their email online anywhere. Revolutionary! While Hotmail can’t be definitively credited as the first, it’s the leading contender–released in 1996.

Once I decided on the year, it was fun to research all of the other things besides technology that would make up Jenny’s world view. And, of course, those things were also my world view as a teenager. I had no idea at the time how quickly technology would change!

There are four more months left to count down, so if there’s a particular behind-the-scenes topic you’d like me to cover, please let me know!

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