Sarah Beth Durst's Blog, page 24
May 7, 2020
Tour My Writing Space Tomorrow!
Tomorrow (Friday 5/8) I'll be taking over the HarperCollins Library Love Fest Instagram to show you my writing space, with a video tour at 11am EDT. Come visit my writing room, meet my cat, and see where I create my monsters and the women who ride them! https://www.instagram.com/harperlibrary
April 23, 2020
SPARK on the Florida Sunshine State Young Readers Award List!
Woohoo!!! SPARK made the Florida Sunshine State Young Readers Award 2020-21 list! Thanks so much, Florida librarians! You have absolutely made my day!
https://www.floridamediaed.org/ssyra.html
https://www.floridamediaed.org/ssyra.html
April 21, 2020
RACE THE SANDS comes out today!!!
Today is the book birthday for my new epic fantasy novel for adults, RACE THE SANDS!!! My 20th book!!! It's about two kickass women vying to become monster racing champions. I loved writing this book, and I hope it will provide an escape to everyone who needs one.
Tamra, the disgraced monster-racing trainer at the heart of RACE THE SANDS, is named after Tamora Pierce, author of the Tortall books and one of the most awesome and great-hearted people I know. In writing this book, my goal was to write a character as kickass as she is.
I believe that fantasy is a literature of hope and empowerment. It can serve as a light in the darkness, a guide toward strength, and an escape from pain. I hope that someone will read about my monster-riding women in their sun-blasted land and find strength, escape, and hope.
If you're interested, there's more information on my website, including the first chapter: http://www.sarahbethdurst.com/RacetheSands.htm
Thank you to my awesome editor, David Pomerico; my incredible agent, Andrea Somberg; and all the wonderful people at Harper Voyager for bringing this book to life!
Happy book birthday, RACE THE SANDS!!!
Tamra, the disgraced monster-racing trainer at the heart of RACE THE SANDS, is named after Tamora Pierce, author of the Tortall books and one of the most awesome and great-hearted people I know. In writing this book, my goal was to write a character as kickass as she is.
I believe that fantasy is a literature of hope and empowerment. It can serve as a light in the darkness, a guide toward strength, and an escape from pain. I hope that someone will read about my monster-riding women in their sun-blasted land and find strength, escape, and hope.
If you're interested, there's more information on my website, including the first chapter: http://www.sarahbethdurst.com/RacetheSands.htm
Thank you to my awesome editor, David Pomerico; my incredible agent, Andrea Somberg; and all the wonderful people at Harper Voyager for bringing this book to life!
Happy book birthday, RACE THE SANDS!!!
April 20, 2020
RACE THE SANDS Book Necklace Countdown: Book 20
I'm counting down to the publication of my 20th book, RACE THE SANDS, out 4/21, by sharing pics of each #booknecklace my husband gave me to celebrate each of my prior books...
Book 20 (adult SFF): RACE THE SANDS. And this brings us to my newest book and newest #booknecklace! Tomorrow my 20th book comes out! It's a standalone epic fantasy about monster racing. The primary monster is a metal lion, and my husband found the most perfect necklace on Etsy!
My cat Gwen claims she's the inspiration for this book since she loves to run around the house at top speed. And it is true that I wrote most of the book with her sitting on me!
Funny thing is that my husband forgot he already gave me a #booknecklace for RACE THE SANDS -- a tiny hourglass with sand inside. But don't tell him, because I love both.
Thanks so much for joining me on my #booknecklace countdown to RACE THE SANDS pub day! It will be out in the world tomorrow!!! I hope all of you are safe, healthy, and happy. Sending so much love to everyone!
Book 20 (adult SFF): RACE THE SANDS. And this brings us to my newest book and newest #booknecklace! Tomorrow my 20th book comes out! It's a standalone epic fantasy about monster racing. The primary monster is a metal lion, and my husband found the most perfect necklace on Etsy!
My cat Gwen claims she's the inspiration for this book since she loves to run around the house at top speed. And it is true that I wrote most of the book with her sitting on me!
Funny thing is that my husband forgot he already gave me a #booknecklace for RACE THE SANDS -- a tiny hourglass with sand inside. But don't tell him, because I love both.
Thanks so much for joining me on my #booknecklace countdown to RACE THE SANDS pub day! It will be out in the world tomorrow!!! I hope all of you are safe, healthy, and happy. Sending so much love to everyone!
April 19, 2020
RACE THE SANDS Book Necklace Countdown: Book 19
I'm counting down to the publication of my 20th book, RACE THE SANDS, out 4/21, by sharing pics of each #booknecklace my husband gave me to celebrate each of my prior books...
Book 19 (MG): SPARK is my newest book for kids. It's about a girl and her lightning dragon (a storm beast), and how even the quietest voice can change the world. My #booknecklace is a lightning bolt, and I wore it so much that I broke the chain.
I wrote SPARK for all the quiet kids out there. But it's not about a quiet kid who learns to be loud. It's about a quiet kid who discovers that she's strong exactly as she is. She doesn't have to change herself to change the world.
I also wrote it because I not-so-secretly want my own lightning dragon.....
Book 19 (MG): SPARK is my newest book for kids. It's about a girl and her lightning dragon (a storm beast), and how even the quietest voice can change the world. My #booknecklace is a lightning bolt, and I wore it so much that I broke the chain.
I wrote SPARK for all the quiet kids out there. But it's not about a quiet kid who learns to be loud. It's about a quiet kid who discovers that she's strong exactly as she is. She doesn't have to change herself to change the world.
I also wrote it because I not-so-secretly want my own lightning dragon.....
April 18, 2020
RACE THE SANDS Book Necklace Countdown: Book 18
I'm counting down to the publication of my 20th book, RACE THE SANDS, out 4/21, by sharing pics of each #booknecklace my husband gave me to celebrate each of my prior books...
Book 18 (adult SFF): THE DEEPEST BLUE is a standalone epic fantasy set in the same world as The Queens of Renthia (but you don't have to have read the trilogy first -- it's a true standalone). It features a LOT of sea monsters so my #booknecklace is a sea monster!
When I saw the cover for THE DEEPEST BLUE, I was thrilled to see that the artist (Larry Rostant) had depicted the sea monsters precisely as I'd imagined them. The sea dragon, the kraken, and the multi-headed snake -- those are my murder-babies!
Book 18 (adult SFF): THE DEEPEST BLUE is a standalone epic fantasy set in the same world as The Queens of Renthia (but you don't have to have read the trilogy first -- it's a true standalone). It features a LOT of sea monsters so my #booknecklace is a sea monster!
When I saw the cover for THE DEEPEST BLUE, I was thrilled to see that the artist (Larry Rostant) had depicted the sea monsters precisely as I'd imagined them. The sea dragon, the kraken, and the multi-headed snake -- those are my murder-babies!
April 17, 2020
RACE THE SANDS Book Necklace Countdown: Book 17
I'm counting down to the publication of my 20th book, RACE THE SANDS, out 4/21, by sharing pics of each #booknecklace my husband gave me to celebrate each of my prior books...
Book 17 (YA): FIRE AND HEIST is about a sixteen-year-old socialite from a family of master thieves... who can also breathe fire. Think Ocean's Eleven with were-dragons! My #booknecklace for this one is, quite appropriately, a flame!
While I was writing FIRE AND HEIST, I watched so many YouTube videos on how to pick locks, read so many articles on real-life heists, and researched the specs of so many secure vaults that I wanted to add a disclaimer to all my Google searches: "This is for a book! Really!"
Book 17 (YA): FIRE AND HEIST is about a sixteen-year-old socialite from a family of master thieves... who can also breathe fire. Think Ocean's Eleven with were-dragons! My #booknecklace for this one is, quite appropriately, a flame!
While I was writing FIRE AND HEIST, I watched so many YouTube videos on how to pick locks, read so many articles on real-life heists, and researched the specs of so many secure vaults that I wanted to add a disclaimer to all my Google searches: "This is for a book! Really!"
Clone Wars Anthology Cover Reveal!
Cover reveal!!! So excited to be part of this Star Wars anthology!
STAR WARS: THE CLONE WARS -- STORIES OF LIGHT AND DARK comes out on August 25th and features eleven stories retelling the best episodes from The Clone Wars, each story told by a different author and each focused on a different character. My character is the awesome Ahsoka Tano, and I wrote her story from the point-of-view of Jedi youngling Katooni.
Loved writing this so much! Also loved the excuse to rewatch the series!
http://www.theforce.net/v3-story/frontFirst_Look_At_Star_Wars_The_Clone_Wars_%E2_Stories_Of_Light_and_Dark_186760.asp
STAR WARS: THE CLONE WARS -- STORIES OF LIGHT AND DARK comes out on August 25th and features eleven stories retelling the best episodes from The Clone Wars, each story told by a different author and each focused on a different character. My character is the awesome Ahsoka Tano, and I wrote her story from the point-of-view of Jedi youngling Katooni.
Loved writing this so much! Also loved the excuse to rewatch the series!
http://www.theforce.net/v3-story/frontFirst_Look_At_Star_Wars_The_Clone_Wars_%E2_Stories_Of_Light_and_Dark_186760.asp
April 16, 2020
RACE THE SANDS Book Necklace Countdown: Book 16
I'm counting down to the publication of my 20th book, RACE THE SANDS, out 4/21, by sharing pics of each #booknecklace my husband gave me to celebrate each of my prior books...
Book 16 (adult SFF): THE QUEEN OF SORROW, Bk 3 of The Queens of Renthia, is the final battle between vicious spirits and three strong-willed queens. I loved writing these books so much that I cried when I finished. This book shares its #booknecklace with the first two in the series.
I loved writing an epic fantasy trilogy! It's something I've wanted to do ever since my mom introduced my eleven-year-old self to the SFF shelves in the Northboro Public Library and placed THE SWORD OF SHANNARA by Terry Brooks in my hands.
Book 16 (adult SFF): THE QUEEN OF SORROW, Bk 3 of The Queens of Renthia, is the final battle between vicious spirits and three strong-willed queens. I loved writing these books so much that I cried when I finished. This book shares its #booknecklace with the first two in the series.
I loved writing an epic fantasy trilogy! It's something I've wanted to do ever since my mom introduced my eleven-year-old self to the SFF shelves in the Northboro Public Library and placed THE SWORD OF SHANNARA by Terry Brooks in my hands.
April 15, 2020
RACE THE SANDS Book Necklace Countdown: Book 15
I'm counting down to the publication of my 20th book, RACE THE SANDS, out 4/21, by sharing pics of each #booknecklace my husband gave me to celebrate each of my prior books...
Book 15 (MG): THE STONE GIRL'S STORY is about a twelve-year-old girl made of stone who, when the carvings that brought her and her stone friends to life begin to fade, must go on a quest to save them all. So my husband gave me a #booknecklace made of stones!
THE STONE GIRL'S STORY is, at its heart, a story about stories. I believe that stories are as essential to life as food, water, and shelter. They're how we understand who we are. I wrote this book for everyone who wants to shape the story of their life and choose their own destiny.
It was surprisingly tricky to write about a character made of stone. She can't smell, taste, or sleep. Her stomach never drops, clenches, or feels butterflies. I couldn't use any of the common physical reactions to convey emotions, because stone. Made for a fun writing challenge!
Book 15 (MG): THE STONE GIRL'S STORY is about a twelve-year-old girl made of stone who, when the carvings that brought her and her stone friends to life begin to fade, must go on a quest to save them all. So my husband gave me a #booknecklace made of stones!
THE STONE GIRL'S STORY is, at its heart, a story about stories. I believe that stories are as essential to life as food, water, and shelter. They're how we understand who we are. I wrote this book for everyone who wants to shape the story of their life and choose their own destiny.
It was surprisingly tricky to write about a character made of stone. She can't smell, taste, or sleep. Her stomach never drops, clenches, or feels butterflies. I couldn't use any of the common physical reactions to convey emotions, because stone. Made for a fun writing challenge!
