Shannon Messenger's Blog, page 2

HOORAY–the awesome FLASHBACK cover is here!!!

Since my new website is *still* being finished (who knew websites were so much work?), this blog gets to reveal one more cover before it finally goes into retirement. I guess we’ll think of it as ending with a bang.

KEEPER 7 TITLE REVEAL

I’m still waiting for a few final things to get done on my new website, so in the meantime I’m still posting important updates over here. And in case you missed this on my social media, here it is–the title of KEEPER #7! (I think I saw a *few* of you guess it):

(in case that graphic doesn’t load–the title is FLASHBACK)

I know some of you might be surprised, since this isn’t a word I’ve used much in the series. But trust me, it fits the story perfectly.

And the book is scheduled to release 11.6.18 in the US!!!!!

(no, it can’t come out sooner–I’m still writing it!)

What the title DOES mean: Memory plays a BIG role in book 7 (which you can probably guess from certain things that happened in NIGHTFALL–please don’t spoil)

What the title does NOT mean: The entire book is one long flashback. Mind you, it’d be fun to mess with you guys that way, but even I’m not *that* evil.

MMGM: Time for a change

And not a bad change–I promise!

In fact, it’s a change that’s kind of already happened and the only thing that’s really happening now is that it’s becoming permanent.

The brilliant Greg Pattridge has already been hosting MMGM for the last couple of months (thank you Greg!!!). But now, I’m officially passing the torch over to him for good.

It’s a bittersweet decision for me, because I’ve loved blogging. It’s how I started my writing journey (way back in 2009). And I’ve met so many incredible people and discovered so many awesome books because of my blogging years.

But I’m staring down a deadline calendar that makes me want to curl up into a little ball. I’ve also had to admit that I desperately need a proper author website, instead of a blog held together by virtual duct tape.

In fact, I already have a new website being built and will hopefully be launching it in the next few weeks. (Side note: I LOVE IT. It’s so pretty. And it has my art for the headers. And it’s so well organized. And it will have the things you keep asking me about, like the NIGHTFALL playlist and the downloadable coloring sheet I posted about on Instagram.)

But it won’t have a blog.

And as soon as it’s launched, I’ll be shutting this blog down.

So alas, it’s time to give MMGM over to better hands.

Fortunately, Greg is amazing–and is most likely a WAY better host than I’ve been, with my sleep deprived brain and 3am posting.

So from now on, if you want to participate in MMGM–or want to find all the other people participating–make sure you go HERE to find Greg’s website. And make sure you send your links to gpcolo@gmail.com.*

And thank you for all the middle grade love you put into the blogosphere. I created MMGM because I’d noticed that pretty much no one was blogging about middle grade, and I’d hoped that if I set up a means to connect people, that eventually middle grade writers and readers would form their own community. So watching it grow–and now knowing that it will now carry on without me–makes me so incredibly happy. Thank you all for giving this category the attention it deserves.

And now … back to deadlines.

Oh, and stay tuned for the launch of my new website. I can’t WAIT until it’s done and I can show you guys! (not sure when it will be–hopefully very soon!)

*waves a wistful goodbye*

*FYI: If you’re trying to reach me with fan mail, please do not use Greg’s email address. Use the contact info on this blog.

The post MMGM: Time for a change appeared first on Shannon Messenger.

HOORAY–the awesome FLASHBACK cover is here!!!

Since my new website is *still* being finished (who knew websites were so much work?), this blog gets to reveal one more cover before it finally goes into retirement. I guess we'll think of it as ending with a bang.

HOORAY--the awesome FLASHBACK cover is here!!!

Since my new website is *still* being finished (who knew websites were so much work?), this blog gets to reveal one more cover before it finally goes into retirement. I guess we'll think of it as ending with a bang. ;)

And I seriously can't believe that this is the SEVENTH time I've gotten to reveal an amazing KEEPER cover to you guys. I swear, every year I think there's no way it will be able to top the previous covers, and then somehow I end up totally blown away.

But we all know you're not here to listen to me ramble. In fact, you're probably already scrolling down to the shiny, so scroll away!








....







....







....









TA DA!



!!!!!!!!
You guys.
Seriously.
I can't even tell you how much this cover means to me, seeing my little girl looking so grown up and fierce and flinging deadly weapons right at us. Not to mention her outfit. And Tam's bangs. And Wylie! (WYLIE FINALLY MADE IT ON A COVER). Not gonna lie, but I get goosebumps every time I look at it. 
When S&S and I started our annual "cover conversation," this was the moment I pitched that I was REALLY hoping would end up on the final cover. I wasn't sure if it would (covers are a collective decision, since they're mostly about "marketing"). But if there's one image that sums up this book to me, it's my brave, grown-up girl standing up and fighting. So I was super excited when my editor agreed. And then Jason Chan drew it 1000x more amazing than I'd been imagining, and I'm just ... so so so happy. I hope you love it as much as I do.
And I know there's always a lot of intense debate about who you guys are hoping to see on the cover--and believe me, I'm right there with you. I wish I could see all the characters every time--but alas. That gets WAY too cluttered. 
So for those thinking "but where's character X????" please try to believe me when I say that we don't pick characters for the cover. We pick scenes. We're trying to pick a moment in the story that captures the feel of the book, so you get a little taste of what's to come. And in this case, the scene happens to be with Sophie, Tam, and Wylie. That's why it's those three. That's the only reason it's those three. Not because I don't love the other characters just as much. 
And I know whenever I say that, it makes you want to know WHAT'S GOING ON IN THE SCENE???? But obviously I can't tell you that. (No spoilers!) So here's what I can tell you:

~ In case you missed it in my ramblings up above, that is Sophie, Tam, and Wylie.      

~ Yes, Tam is doing something with shadows and Wylie is doing something with light and it is making something very cool happen. 

~ No, I won't tell you what that cool thing is. 

~ And no, I can't tell you why Sophie is flinging that throwing star. 

~ Or where that staircase leads. 

~ Or anything else about the plot of the book.  

~ (Yes, I know I'm a big mean meanie.)  

~ And yes, just like last year (and the year before--and the year before that *sigh*) I am still currently writing the book. But this is a scene that will for sure be in there. That's another one of the reasons we picked it :) 

~ And in case you haven't seen it, the official flap copy has been revealed. Here it is again:

Sophie Foster doesn’t know what—or whom—to believe. And in a game with this many players, the worst mistake can be focusing on the wrong threat. 

But when the Neverseen prove that Sophie’s far more vulnerable than she ever imagined, she realizes it’s time to change the rules. Her powerful abilities can only protect her so far. To face down ruthless enemies, she must learn to fight. 

Unfortunately, battle training can’t help a beloved friend who’s facing a whole different danger—where the only solution involves one of the biggest risks Sophie and her friends have ever taken. And the distraction might be exactly what the villains have been waiting for. 

In this unforgettable seventh book in the New York Times and USA TODAY bestselling Keeper of the Lost Cities series, Sophie must let the past and present blur together, because the deadliest secrets are always the ones that get erased.

And if you feel like marking your calendar, the current official release day for FLASHBACK is 11/6/18!!!

It's also already up for pre-order, so if you feel like you want to jump on that (and make me super happy) here are some handy links:
amazon ~ barnes & noble ~ Books-A-Million ~ Indiebound ~ The Book Depository

(and don't panic if you prefer ebooks. There will be an ebook version. It just won't be available for pre-order for a few more months--don't ask me why. That's just how it goes)

And... that's it for now.

Oh, but in case you're still reading (and not scrolling up to stare at Fierce-Sophie) I want to end with my usual plea: PLEASE help me keep this website spoiler free.

I've put comment moderation on this post because you guys aren't the greatest about this (I know it's hard--you want to discuss theories and debate different things. But I have to make this a safe space for readers who might not be as far along in the series as you are). So my assistant won't be putting through any comments that include spoilers (even if you put something like *SPOILERS BELOW* and then say them all). 

Thank you in advance for being the awesome, respectful readers I know you can be.

And now, I need to get back to writing!!!!!

KEEPER 7 TITLE REVEAL

I'm still waiting for a few final things to get done on my new website, so in the meantime I'm still posting important updates over here. And in case you missed this on my social media, here it is--the title of KEEPER #7! (I think I saw a *few* of you guess it):


(in case that graphic doesn't load--the title is FLASHBACK)
I know some of you might be surprised, since this isn’t a word I’ve used much in the series. But trust me, it fits the story perfectly.

And the book is scheduled to release 11.6.18 in the US!!!!!
(no, it can't come out sooner--I'm still writing it!)

What the title DOES mean: Memory plays a BIG role in book 7 (which you can probably guess from certain things that happened in NIGHTFALL--please don't spoil)

What the title does NOT mean: The entire book is one long flashback. Mind you, it'd be fun to mess with you guys that way, but even I'm not *that* evil.

MMGM: Time for a change

And not a bad change--I promise!

In fact, it's a change that's kind of already happened and the only thing that's really happening now is that it's becoming permanent.

The brilliant Greg Pattridge has already been hosting MMGM for the last couple of months (thank you Greg!!!). But now, I'm officially passing the torch over to him for good.

It's a bittersweet decision for me, because I've loved blogging. It's how I started my writing journey (way back in 2009). And I've met so many incredible people and discovered so many awesome books because of my blogging years.

But I'm staring down a deadline calendar that makes me want to curl up into a little ball. I've also had to admit that I desperately need a proper author website, instead of a blog held together by virtual duct tape.

In fact, I already have a new website being built and will hopefully be launching it in the next few weeks.  (Side note: I LOVE IT. It's so pretty. And it has my art for the headers. And it's so well organized. And it will have the things you keep asking me about, like the NIGHTFALL playlist and the downloadable coloring sheet I posted about on Instagram.)

But it won't have a blog.

And as soon as it's launched, I'll be shutting this blog down.

So alas, it's time to give MMGM over to better hands.

Fortunately, Greg is amazing--and is most likely a WAY better host than I've been, with my sleep deprived brain and 3am posting.

So from now on, if you want to participate in MMGM--or want to find all the other people participating--make sure you go HERE to find Greg's website. And make sure you send your links to gpcolo@gmail.com.*

And thank you for all the middle grade love you put into the blogosphere. I created MMGM because I'd noticed that pretty much no one was blogging about middle grade, and I'd hoped that if I set up a means to connect people, that eventually middle grade writers and readers would form their own community. So watching it grow--and now knowing that it will now carry on without me--makes me so incredibly happy. Thank you all for giving this category the attention it deserves.

And now ... back to deadlines.

Oh, and stay tuned for the launch of my new website. I can't WAIT until it's done and I can show you guys! (not sure when it will be--hopefully very soon!)

*waves a wistful goodbye*

*FYI: If you're trying to reach me with fan mail, please do not use Greg's email address. Use the contact info on this blog.

Quick Pre-Order Swag Update

Hey guys!

I know a lot of you are wondering about the NIGHTFALL pre-order swag packs, because you haven't gotten them yet. Don’t worry—they WILL be coming.

For one thing, they were never supposed to come with your book (since the book would be shipping from the retailer of your choice, and the swag comes directly from my publisher.) But as of right now, my publisher hasn't put them in the mail. They had a LOT of packs to assemble, and w/ the holidays it might be another week or two before they finish up and can send them out. But they have assured me they are working as fast as they can!
And honestly, that's still faster than it would be I were in charge of the mailing again this year, since I just got back from tour, am still super sick and stuck in bed right now, and leave for my French tour next week.
Thank you guys so much for your patience. I promise you'll get your swag soon! It hasn't been forgotten!

Looking for MMGM?

In case you didn't see this last week:

Since I'm touring all of November and part of December, and then immediately return home to a huge deadline, I won't be able to host MMGM for the next couple of months.  

But NEVER FEAR--the wonderful Greg Pattridge is taking over for me!!! 

So from now through the end of 2017, do not email your MMGM links to me. Email them to: gpcolo@gmail.com. 
And don't come here for the list of links, go to https://gpattridge.com.  

I promise, Greg will take great care of all of you. (In fact, he'll probably even do a better job than me, because he won't be as sleep deprived as I've been these last couple of years. 

I did forward Greg the links I saw--and I'll try to continue to do that. But I have a lot of travel, so your best bet is sending them directly to him.
Glad to know you're all out there spreading all the awesome middle grade love!

Kepler's Event Update!

Attention Bay Area friends!

In case you haven't seen this on my social media, there's been a slight change to the Kepler's event for NIGHTFALL on 11/9/17.

The store has moved the event to a bigger location, because they'd sold out of tickets for the other. So if you're planning on coming to that event, make sure you go to the right place. The event is now being held here:

The Performing Arts CenterHillview Middle School1100 Elder Avenue, Menlo Park CA 94025
The event starts at 6:00pmDoors will open at 5:00pm
And if you hadn't been able to get tickets, there's now a limited number of new tickets available. Go HERE to RSVP for them.

(And if that link doesn't work for some reason, copy and paste this into your browser: https://www.brownpapertickets.com/eve...)

Hope to see you guys there!