Lisa McMann's Blog
October 28, 2023
Happy reading!
Book 4 will be out Feb 13th. There will be seven books in all.
January 8, 2023
The Invisible Spy is half off for a limited time!
Rebel Undercover is coming June 6, 2023!
November 8, 2022
October 20, 2022
The Forgotten Five: The Invisible Spy is on sale November 8th. Pre-order now or find me on tour!
Preorder now from your favorite bookstore, or get a signed copy by finding me on book tour–cities below!
Full list of tour stops — details below! I hope you can make it. November 3, 2022 The Invisible Spy Tour–GRANDVILLE MI In-Person: Barnes & Noble Rivertown Crossing, 6:00pm 3700 Rivertown Pkwy #2058 Grandville, MI 49418 (616) 531-1825 More Information
November 4, 2022 The Invisible Spy Tour–GRAND RAPIDS MI In-Person: Barnes & Noble Woodland Mall, 7:00pm 3195 28th St SE Suite B116 Grand Rapids, MI 49512 (616) 940-0820 More Information
November 6, 2022 The Invisible Spy Tour–CHICAGO AREA In-Person: Barnes & Noble Oakbrook Center, 3:00pm 297 Oakbrook Center, Oak Brook, IL 60523 (630) 684-0586 More Information
November 8, 2022 The Invisible Spy Tour–CINCINNATI In-Person: Joseph Beth Booksellers, 7:00pm 2692 Madison Rd Cincinnati,OH 45208 More Information
November 10, 2022 The Invisible Spy Tour–TEMPE AZ In-Person: Changing Hands Bookstore, 6:00pm 6428 S McClintock Tempe, AZ Tickets required! Get them at the More Information link. More Information
November 11, 2022 The Invisible Spy Tour–CHANDLER AZ In-Person: Barnes & Noble Chandler Mall, 3:00-5:00pm Chandler, AZ More Information
November 14, 2022 The Invisible Spy Tour–HOUSTON In-Person: Blue Willow Bookshop, 5pm 14532 Memorial Dr. West Houston, TX More Information
November 15, 2022 The Invisible Spy Tour–DALLAS In-Person: Interabang Books, 4:30-5:30pm 5600 W. Lovers Lane #142 Dallas, Texas 75209 214-484-4289 More Information
November 16, 2022 The Invisible Spy Tour–DENVER In-Person: Book Bar, 6:00pm 4280 Tennyson St Denver CO
November 17, 2022 The Invisible Spy Tour–GLENDALE CO In-Person: Barnes & Noble Co. Blvd. II, 4:00pm 960 S Colorado Blvd Glendale, CO 80246 (303) 691-2998 More Information
November 21, 2022 The Invisible Spy Tour–MESA AZ In-Person: Barnes & Noble Dana Park, 6:00-8:00pm 1758 South Val Vista Drive Mesa, AZ 85204 (480) 545-8507 More Information
July 5, 2022
Lisa McMann Summer Tour USA: Boston, Portland ME, Connecticut, Ohio, Michigan, Sacramento. Plus two virtual seminars for new authors!
It’s going to be a busy summer, and I can’t wait to celebrate The Forgotten Five: Map of Flames and all my other books with you around the country. Below are the cities where I’ll be. Let’s get kids excited about reading this summer! And if you’re a debut or newish children’s author, or you just want to sell more books and you’re trying to figure out how to do this job to the best of your ability, I’ve got a seminar or two coming in August that might help. Keep reading and find more details about my Book Parties and webinars at http://www.lisamcmann.com/appearances.php
7/8/22 Boston, MA, Brookline Booksmith
7/12/22 Portland, Maine, Longfellow Books at Congress Square Park
7/18/22 Madison, CT, R.J. Julia Bookstore
7/20/22 Monroe, CT, Turning the Page Bookstore
7/25-7/26/22 nErDcamp, Wadsworth, OH, Wadsworth High School and Middle School
7/28/22 Grand Rapids, MI, Schuler Books and Music
7/29/22 Holland, MI, Barnes & Noble
8/7/22, 8pm ET / 5pm PT — Virtual Marketing Webinar for New Children’s & YA Authors, hosted by The Country Bookshop. Link and more info coming soon.
8/14/22, 1pm, Sacramento, CA, Capital Books on K, with Lisa Moore Ramée, Beth McMullen, Lisa Schmid, and Matt McMann. Event link coming soon.
8/31/22, 8pm ET / 5pm PT — Virtual “Ask Me Anything” Webinar for New Children’s & YA Authors, hosted by The Country Bookshop. Link and more info coming soon.
May 17, 2022
Summer Book Parties & The Forgotten Five Book 2!
Keep an eye on my LinkTree to see where I’m headed this summer (psst–Phoenix, Boston, CT, MI, OH)! I’ll be talking about my new series, The Forgotten Five. Book one, Map of Flames, was an instant New York Times and Indie Bookstore bestseller, and it’s on sale now! Book two is coming this fall. It’s called The Invisible Spy. Here’s the awesome cover, created by Brian Thompson.
https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/668145/the-invisible-spy-the-forgotten-five-book-2-by-lisa-mcmann/9780593325438/I hope to see you! And I hope you’re enjoying Map of Flames. Pick up a copy here!
Your friend,
January 15, 2022
Coming soon: The Forgotten Five Series
If you’ve been feeling a little out of sorts since The Unwanteds Quests series ended, I’ve got great news for you. I have a brand new fantasy series starting February 22, 2022! The Forgotten Five: Map of Flames is book one. What’s it about?
When the children of 8 supernatural criminals are left to fend for themselves on a tropical island, they must use their powers and a mysterious flaming map to break out of isolation, go to the city of Estero, and find a hidden treasure…and maybe hunt for their missing parents, too.
I’ll be appearing at Arizona bookstores on my February tour, and attending a festival or two — keep an eye on my APPEARANCES PAGE if you want to meet me, snap a photo, and get your books signed. You’ll also be able to get free book swag if you preorder Map of Flames from my local independent bookstore, Changing Hands. Sign up for my Fairly Infrequent Newsletter for all the details!
Check out my social media to discover a really fun #MapofFlames Challenge–you could win books!
Educators, do you want to book me for a virtual or in-person speaking engagement, or school presentation for grades 3-8? Find out more about that here.
I’m so excited about this new series, and I think you’re going to love these five kids as much as I do. Enjoy!
October 12, 2021
Clarice the Brave is here! And a Story from 4th Grade.
When I was in 4th grade, my teacher, Mr. Avink, announced to the class that we would all write stories. He would choose the student with the best story to attend something called the Young Authors’ Conference—a magical-sounding place.
I was a decent student, but I was never the best at anything. And this writing contest wasn’t a new thing—all my teachers since first grade had done it too, and I had never won.
4th grade LisaStill, I put my heart into writing about a young elephant who had some unlikely friends in the jungle. We all turned in our stories and waited.
One day, Mr. Avink called me into the hallway and closed the classroom door. I thought I was in trouble (I was a little bit loud at times, I suppose). But he looked at me and said, “Lisa, I just wanted you to know that I loved your story. And I’m sending you to the Young Authors’ Conference.”
I remember exactly where that classroom was in the hallway of what was then called Southside Christian School on Pine Ave in Holland, Michigan. And I remember exactly where I was standing. An uncontrollable smile spread across my face and excitement welled up inside. I couldn’t believe it.
Mr. Avink grinned back and told me to take a few minutes to walk down to the drinking fountain and collect myself. He was going to announce this to the class the next day and he didn’t want my clearly-not-a-poker-face to give away the secret. He went back into the classroom, and I went floating down the hallway, thinking, “I’m going to be a writer.”
A lot of obstacles got in the way of me accomplishing my 4th grade goal, from people telling teenage me that being a writer wasn’t a real job, to tons of rejection letters that led me to quit writing for ten years. But I couldn’t stay away. My first book came out a week after I turned 40.
Today, my 27th book hits the shelves. And, like in 4th grade, it’s an animal story that I poured my heart into.
Clarice the Brave is about sibling ship mice who get caught up in a mutiny. When the captain is thrown off the ship into a lifeboat, Clarice ends up stuck inside one of the crates that goes with him. Her brother, Charles Sebastian, who was chased out of the crate by a ship cat, remains on the ship. When the two vessels drift apart, the brother and sister call to each other across the waves, vowing against insurmountable odds to find each other again.
In a time when separation from family is all too common, this story brings a ray of hope. These scared yet tenacious mice navigate their worlds alone…at first. But then they build unlikely friendships along the way in their quest to fulfill their promises to each other.
I hope you enjoy this story. It’s a perfect for a read-aloud family book, or would make a great gift for ages 8 and up. You can find it at your local bookstore or online wherever books are sold. It’s available in hardcover, ebook, and audiobook—and let me just mention that the audiobook is read by amazingly talented Alexa Magro, who put her heart into the recording…and this is her very first audiobook narration. I’m so proud of her and grateful for her hard work! Her audition sample made me cry, it was so beautiful.
Recently, Daniel Golden from Boswell Books in Milwaukee reviewed Clarice the Brave in the bookstore newsletter, calling it “…an epic tale of adventure and friendship that already feels like a classic! So exciting, so emotional, so many lines I want to quote – Clarice the Brave is a triumph!” I hope you feel the same.
From Boswell Books NewsletterIf you want to help Clarice make a splash (oof, bad joke for a mouse at sea) you can:
–buy the book wherever books are sold, or use my Bookshop
–check out my recent newsletter for info on how to get free Clarice the Brave swag
— watch for my upcoming Clarice podcast with Reading with your Kids
–join me and fellow authors Joanne Levy and Dusti Bowling at our virtual launch event October 14
–watch my Tweens Read Festival panel and so many other great authors October 18-23–there’s something happening every day
–attend a virtual event with Margaret Peterson Haddix and me on October 26
–check out this YouTube interview with Ric’s Book Reviews
–talk about the book on your social media and tag me–I’m @lisa_mcmann on Instagram and Twitter, and /mcmannfan on Facebook
–keep an eye on my Appearances page on my website for new opportunities to connect
Thank you so much for your support over the years! My heart is overflowing with gratitude. I hope reading this book brings you as much joy as it brought me while writing it.
More reviews of Clarice the Brave
September 30, 2021
August 10, 2021
Lisa McMann on Her Cross-Country Bookstore Tour
Getting ready for my bookstore tour!My husband, upcoming Putnam (@penguinkids) debut author Matt McMann, and I had been intentionally living without a vehicle for the past four years, opting to experience life without wheels in walkable cities like Sacramento, Calif., and currently in Tempe, Ariz. But the shiny 2007 convertible that my 81-year-old dad had lovingly cared for (and hardly driven—it only had 22,000 miles on it) was too hard to pass up. The only problem was that my parents—and the car—were far away, in Holland, Mich. We could ship the convertible home (boring!) or we could drive it, and turn the trip into a cross-country adventure and see some sights along the way (ding ding ding!).
