Austin Aslan's Blog, page 5

Gearing up to thru-hike the 800 mile-long Arizona Trail

I have an announcement. Starting the first weekend of October, I will begin thru-hiking the entire Arizona Trail, north to south, from Utah to Mexico. It’s an 800 mile (exactly) hike. Should take between 6 to 8 weeks. I’ll be going solo but not alone. My wife is offering up incredible time and support as my stocker (haha) and overall hike manager. I’ll be posting the adventure, mostly via pics, as often as reception allows, on most of my platforms. (Probably not here so often, but be sure to follow me on Twitter and Tumblr and Facebook!) This hike will take me through the Grand Canyon, up the heights of Mt Humphry’s (13.5k ft elev), down the Mogollon Rim, through the Superstitions, up and over many other mountain ranges, and through a great swath of the Sonoran Desert. Should be a grand and sometimes nerve-racking adventure. Stay tuned for many more posts as I gear up and strike out on the trail!

Introducing ISLANDS 48-page Comprehensive Core Curriculum Teaching Guide!

Hey, teachers and librarians! And people who know teachers and librarians! Are you looking to teach a popular and exciting literary novel? Look no further! The Islands at the End of the World, a Kirkus Best Teen Novel of 2014, now has a 48-page comprehensive Common Core multi-discipline curriculum guide! Developed by education professionals. Immediately downloadable here for a nominal $3.50 fee. (Use coupon code “Book2” at checkout to save even more!)

A 2014 Junior Library Guild Selection, ISLANDS is being taught in many classrooms and school districts already. Please consider it for your curriculum, too! (This will also work in many college classes, for sure, including Biology and Science classes.) And authors, if you’re looking to consult with a pro to have something similar developed for your book(s), email me and I’ll connect you with the professional educators who developed this.

I should add, too, that I’m happy to become part of your curriculum. I’m available for school and site visits with students, Skype visits, and more! Contact me to arrange details and logistics.

Here’s a teaser:

Announcing ISLANDS 48-page Comprehensive Core Curriculum Teaching Guide!

Hey, teachers and librarians! And people who know teachers and librarians! Are you looking to teach a popular and exciting literary novel? Look no further! The Islands at the End of the World, a Kirkus Best Teen Novel of 2014, now has a 48-page comprehensive Common Core multi-discipline curriculum guide! Developed by education professionals. Immediately downloadable here for a nominal $3.50 fee. (Use coupon code “Book2” at checkout to save even more!)

A 2014 Junior Library Guild Selection, ISLANDS is being taught in many classrooms and school districts already. Please consider it for your curriculum, too! (This will also work in many college classes, for sure, including Biology and Science classes.) And authors, if you’re looking to consult with a pro to have something similar developed for your book(s), email me and I’ll connect you with the professional educators who developed this.

I should add, too, that I’m happy to become part of your curriculum. I’m available for school and site visits with students, Skype visits, and more! Contact me to arrange details and logistics.

Here’s a teaser:

Announcing the arrival of THE GIRL AT THE CENTER OF THE WORLD!

Dear Reader,

THE GIRL AT THE CENTER OF THE WORLD, sequel to my 2014 YA science fiction debut (The Islands at the End of the World) is finally out! Please consider supporting your local brick-and-mortar bookseller. And don’t forget…Islands releases in paperback this week, too! I will be able to autograph a copy of any book for you if you order through Changing Hands Bookstore and ask for it to be personalized at checkout: http://www.changinghands.com/search/author/%22Aslan%2C%20Austin%22

But let’s dispense with logistics, shall we?

Welcome to the Big Island! Enjoy your escape, but know that this is no vacation. Leilani Milton and her family, whom you may have met in The Islands at the End of the World, are heading down a very difficult and bewildering road. Of course, unique hardships are nothing unusual for Hawai`i.

The Big Island is a challenging and unpredictable place during the best of times. It’s a cauldron of brewing forces—in every sense. One side is a vacation paradise, perfect for golfing, deep-sea fishing, scuba diving, luaus, and beachside massages. The other side is a rocky, rainy jungle too harsh for most visitors but beloved by locals, erupting with unique culture, tradition, and historical tension. And between the two sides are volcanoes—literally erupting at this very moment!— at once strangely accessible and beautiful, yet cruel and deadly.

Few fantasy or science-fiction worlds can boast such a spectacular setting.

I was only a guest there myself. I lived in Hilo long enough to earn a master’s degree in Tropical Conservation Biology. During that time, the schizophrenic Big Island settled deeply into my soul, and when I began to think about writing a novel set there, Leilani Milton appeared. Several years later, Leilani is a constant companion, and her severe paradise remains vividly close. I’m so excited to return to Leilani’s story, to linger in the stranger-than-fiction setting of her haunting home—and I’m grateful that you’ll be joining us on this new adventure.

As these pages open, I’m both exhilarated and unsettled by the extraordinary trials facing Leilani. Just as my time on the Big Island and with Leilani has done for me, I hope this book delights you and disquiets you in equal measure, and stays with you after you’ve said goodbye.

Happy reading.

Austin Aslan

Are Your Moon Phases Accurate in Your Writing?

MoonConnection.com All rights  reserved.

Did you know that a full moon ALWAYS rises at sunset and sets at sunrise? (Think about it…that’s why it’s full…it’s opposite the sun in the sky.) Did you know that a new moon ALWAYS occurs exactly two weeks after (or before) a full moon? And every other phase of the moon is set like clockwork, too. Half full moons are always out for half the night. Waxing half moons set at midnight, while waning full moons rise at midnight. Crescent moons always appear near the horizon at sunset or sunrise.

Always.

The night sky is very important in my newest novel. My characters stare up at the dazzling stars often, and the questions they ponder are important to the story. But the stars don’t dazzle when the moon is full (or when it’s out at all, for that matter—and this is doubly true within bright cities). So its important for me as the author to know which times of the night my characters can expect to see the Milky Way and which times of night they can’t.

Maybe this isn’t important to you, or to your characters. Authors constantly have to choose details to be concerned about, and details which are largely irrelevant to the story. For me, with my new novel, getting this aspect right was not only critical to believable storytelling, but a matter of pride. Very few readers will notice any discrepancy when it comes to moon phases. If I were to have a fallacious half moon rising at sunset in my story, who cares? But I would know. For me, it’s one of those details about the physical world that I notice. And if I don’t want to drive myself crazy, I best have my moon ducks in a row.

A funny corollary, if you will: I’ve been watching the Fox show LAST MAN ON EARTH, which is supposed to take place in Tucson. I’ve lived in Tucson. I know Tucson. That show CLEARLY doesn’t take place in Tucson. The Old Pueblo is blanketed with the iconic gem of the Sonoran Desert: saguaro cacti. I’ve never seen a saguaro appear on the show. Instead, I see Joshua Trees, which is completely ridiculous because those only appear in the Mojave Desert, which is mostly in California and Nevada.

Anyway, does this detail matter to the show? Maybe, maybe not. Probably not. But it’s a good example of how getting the facts wrong can become a distraction for members of your audience. Why distract them if you can get the facts right with a little research? For TV, there are reasons: Fox can’t film in Tucson, but Palm Springs and on-location sets closer to LA make sense. But for authors who work with blank pieces of paper and a pencil, we have no such excuse. It costs us nothing to get the facts right.

Moon phases can hurt the brain if you think about them too hard. But the pattern is real and it’s set. I developed the following chart for myself for use in my revisions, and it was helpful in getting a few extra details in place. This diagram is crude. Times are approximate, and would vary depending on latitude and time of year. This is also only accurate for the Northern Hemisphere (the pattern would be reverse Down Under). But the progression is locked no matter where you are. Please feel free to consult this crude diagram yourself. Let me know if you do, and if you found it helpful! You may notice how the progression of moon phases in my new book start with a description on page 39. The moon phases then progress from here onward in the story, each new phase correctly corresponding chronologically with the reality of how the moon really works. I’ve included a few example lines from the story to show you what I mean.

One last point worth articulating: this tool shouldn’t become a distraction from your storytelling. Don’t allow getting the facts right to take your reader out of the narrative. What I was principally concerned with in my writing was the times of night when the sky was darkest—I am not interested in acting as an almanac for the reader. Does that make sense? Weaving these sorts of details into the story should be done smoothly and only when necessary. Otherwise they become the very kind of distraction you were trying to avoid, anyway.

Interview with Pima County Library teens during the Tucson Festival of Books

During the Tucson Festival of Books I was honored to be one of a handful of YA authors interviewed by a dynamic group of Tucson teens, others among them including Andrew Smith, Emily Lockhart, Lisa McMann, Isabel Quintero, Jennifer Nielson, and John Rocco! Their interviews are also available following the link.

I realize you’re not not likely to listen to this full interview (if you do have time, go for it!), but check out the excerpt, at least, if you have a second!

Mahalo!

https://soundcloud.com/pcpl/a-conversation-with-austin-aslan-excerpt

https://soundcloud.com/pcpl/a-conversation-with-austin-aslan

“The Guardian” ranks ISLANDS as a “top-ten” among “Cli-fi” fiction

Just wanted to share this fun bit of recognition for ISLANDS that surfaced this week, probably not coincidentally during Earth Week, being the week that contains Earth Day, etc. A nod from the folks at The Guardian is pretty exciting. I’m honored to be among the authors and books on this list, and, more than anything, thrilled that my novel is beginning to add fuel to these kinds of conversations.

http://www.theguardian.com/childrens-books-site/2015/apr/23/sarah-holdings-top-10-cli-fi-books

Excerpt:

7. The Islands at the End of the World by Austin Aslan

Set on Hawaii after a global disaster has struck, the protagonist of this debut novel, Leilani, suffers from epilepsy, and these ingredients provide a powerful and specific context within which to explore a difficult future. We peer through the lens of Hawaii���s culture and mythological past as Leilani and her father struggle across the rugged landscape to find home.

Kirkus Reviews names ISLANDS a “Best Teen Book of 2014”

As a debut author surrounded by giants and gulping for breath in the choppy seas of the publishing world, I can’t begin to express what an incredible bit of news this is. Kirkus Reveiws has named ISLANDS AT THE END OF THE WORLD a “Best Teen Book of 2014!” And by a fluke of alphabetory grace, I’m first on the list! What a ride this journey continues to be!

Check it out! https://www.kirkusreviews.com/issue/best-of-2014/section/teen/

Kirkus Reviews names ISLANDS a “Best Teen Book of 2014″

As a debut author surrounded by giants and gulping for breath in the choppy seas of the publishing world, I can’t begin to express what an incredible bit of news this is. Kirkus Reveiws has named ISLANDS AT THE END OF THE WORLD a “Best Teen Book of 2014!” And by a fluke of alphabetory grace, I’m first on the list! What a ride this journey continues to be!

Check it out! https://www.kirkusreviews.com/issue/best-of-2014/section/teen/

What do you think of the cover for THE GIRL AT THE CENTER OF THE WORLD?

Originally revealed last week on www.sfsignal.com, the cover for Book Two of the “Islands at the End of the World” series is now out in the open. I’m posting it here, too, for those of you who missed the big unveiling, and so that the image will have a permanent home within my domain (my domain…bwahahaha! *mad scientist laugh here*).

I can’t tell you what a thrill this is for me. Designed once again by the very talented Alison Impey at Random House, power leaps off of every single layer of this cover. People do judge books by their covers, and I’m so grateful that THE GIRL AT THE CENTER OF THE WORLD will make it out of the gate with one of its most crucial hurdles already well behind it.

So, what do you think? Will the story involve a volcanic eruption? Hmmm. ;) You’ll just have to pick up the book (when it comes out in August, 2015!) to find out!