Sarah Beth Durst's Blog, page 31
January 10, 2019
THE DEEPEST BLUE Giveaway
So many sea monsters!!! Harper Voyager is giving away 50 advance copies of my forthcoming epic fantasy, THE DEEPEST BLUE! Enter by 1/18 for your chance to win: https://a.pgtb.me/6VMgFh
December 4, 2018
FIRE AND HEIST comes out today!!!
Today is the book birthday for my new YA book, FIRE AND HEIST! Yay!!!
FIRE AND HEIST is my seventeenth book, and my seventh for teen readers. (For those of you who are wondering, yes, this one is also appropriate for tweens.) Think Ocean's Eleven... with were-dragons!
Over the years, I've written about bloodthirsty nature spirits, vampires in high school, cupcake-loving monsters, and a girl made of stone. And now I'm thrilled to introduce you to Sky!
Sixteen-year-old Sky Hawkins is a socialite, a thief, and a were-dragon (like a werewolf but less fur and more fire). She's reckless and sometimes selfish, but she's also fearless and determined, and I love her.
I've always been obsessed with dragons. I spent most of my childhood in the woods behind my house searching for a dragon's egg. (No luck, sadly.) I have always secretly felt that there is no story that cannot be improved by the addition of a dragon.
In Sky's world (which is our world plus were-dragons), you need to lead your first heist, if you want to be accepted by society. But on the night of her first heist, Sky discovers a dark truth that could reunite her family or tear them apart forever.
I had the idea for this book while I was in my kitchen, debating heist movies with my family: Is Ocean's Eleven with George Clooney better than Ocean's Eleven with Frank Sinatra? Which is cooler, The Italian Job or The Thomas Crown Affair? Does Ant-Man count as a heist movie? As we polished off a bag of tortilla chips, I had the image of a girl dangling upside-down from the chandelier in the foyer of her parent's mansion... and I knew this girl could breathe fire. That was the moment Sky was born.
If you're interested, more information can be found on my website, including the first chapter (with Sky and her chandelier).
I hope that you'll enjoy adventuring with Sky and her friends as much as I did!
Thanks for reading! And happy holidays!
FIRE AND HEIST is my seventeenth book, and my seventh for teen readers. (For those of you who are wondering, yes, this one is also appropriate for tweens.) Think Ocean's Eleven... with were-dragons!
Over the years, I've written about bloodthirsty nature spirits, vampires in high school, cupcake-loving monsters, and a girl made of stone. And now I'm thrilled to introduce you to Sky!
Sixteen-year-old Sky Hawkins is a socialite, a thief, and a were-dragon (like a werewolf but less fur and more fire). She's reckless and sometimes selfish, but she's also fearless and determined, and I love her.
I've always been obsessed with dragons. I spent most of my childhood in the woods behind my house searching for a dragon's egg. (No luck, sadly.) I have always secretly felt that there is no story that cannot be improved by the addition of a dragon.
In Sky's world (which is our world plus were-dragons), you need to lead your first heist, if you want to be accepted by society. But on the night of her first heist, Sky discovers a dark truth that could reunite her family or tear them apart forever.
I had the idea for this book while I was in my kitchen, debating heist movies with my family: Is Ocean's Eleven with George Clooney better than Ocean's Eleven with Frank Sinatra? Which is cooler, The Italian Job or The Thomas Crown Affair? Does Ant-Man count as a heist movie? As we polished off a bag of tortilla chips, I had the image of a girl dangling upside-down from the chandelier in the foyer of her parent's mansion... and I knew this girl could breathe fire. That was the moment Sky was born.
If you're interested, more information can be found on my website, including the first chapter (with Sky and her chandelier).
I hope that you'll enjoy adventuring with Sky and her friends as much as I did!
Thanks for reading! And happy holidays!
November 26, 2018
Signed Books
Signed books make great gifts!!! Good Choice Reading is hosting a virtual signing for several of my books. Order by 12/1, I'll sign and personalize, and they'll ship to you: www.gcreadingvs.com
Happy holidays!November 5, 2018
FIRE AND HEIST Pre-Order Giveaway
Only a month until my next YA novel, FIRE AND HEIST, comes out! Eeeeeeeeee!!! In honor of this, I'm doing a pre-order giveaway. If you pre-order a copy of FIRE AND HEIST (hardcover or ebook) by 11:59pm EST on 12/3/2018, I'll send you an awesome dragon pin and a bookmark!
About the Book:
FIRE AND HEIST is a contemporary fantasy about a teen were-dragon who must steal her first treasure. But a dark discovery during her heist could put her family in incredible danger. Think Ocean's Eleven with were-dragons!
You can read the first chapter here: http://www.sarahbethdurst.com/FireandHeistexcerpt.htm
How to Enter:
1. Preorder FIRE AND HEIST (hardcover or ebook) by 11:59pm on 12/3/2018 from anywhere books are sold, such as:
Amazon
Barnes & Noble
Books-a-Million
Any independent bookstore
2. Email proof of pre-order to sarah@sarahbethdurst.com with the subject line "Fire and Heist Pre-order Campaign" and include your preferred mailing address (US addresses only, please).
Proof of pre-order can be a screenshot or a photo of your receipt or email order confirmation -- or, you know, anything that says you pre-ordered a copy of FIRE AND HEIST.
Pins are available only while supplies last.
Happy reading! And happy dragon-ing!
About the Book:
FIRE AND HEIST is a contemporary fantasy about a teen were-dragon who must steal her first treasure. But a dark discovery during her heist could put her family in incredible danger. Think Ocean's Eleven with were-dragons!
You can read the first chapter here: http://www.sarahbethdurst.com/FireandHeistexcerpt.htm
How to Enter:
1. Preorder FIRE AND HEIST (hardcover or ebook) by 11:59pm on 12/3/2018 from anywhere books are sold, such as:
Amazon
Barnes & Noble
Books-a-Million
Any independent bookstore
2. Email proof of pre-order to sarah@sarahbethdurst.com with the subject line "Fire and Heist Pre-order Campaign" and include your preferred mailing address (US addresses only, please).
Proof of pre-order can be a screenshot or a photo of your receipt or email order confirmation -- or, you know, anything that says you pre-ordered a copy of FIRE AND HEIST.
Pins are available only while supplies last.
Happy reading! And happy dragon-ing!
October 31, 2018
World Fantasy Convention 2018 Schedule
Very excited for one of my favorite cons this weekend: World Fantasy Convention! I'll be signing during the Mass Autographing on Fri at 8pm, and I'll be on the "Optimism in the New Dark Age" panel on Sun at noon. Hope to see you there! #WFC44 #WFC2018
October 26, 2018
Excerpt from FIRE AND HEIST
One of my favorite things to write is first chapters. And the first chapter of my next YA novel, FIRE AND HEIST (coming out 12/4), was one of my all-time favorites to write. Think Ocean's Eleven with were-dragons! You can read the excerpt here: http://www.sarahbethdurst.com/FireandHeistexcerpt.htm
October 14, 2018
Northborough Free Library
Had a very awesome day yesterday! I was invited to be the 150th anniversary guest author at the Northborough Free Library, my childhood library in Northborough, MA. It's no exaggeration to say that this place shaped the entire course of my life.
See those shelves on the back wall (below)? After I'd read everything in the children's room, my mom took my hand and walked me upstairs to those very shelves, where she introduced me to the Belgariad, the Dragonriders of Pern, the Sword of Shannara...
Also got to see a quilt hanging in the Northborough Library's Children's Room, which has a patch for my debut novel, INTO THE WILD!
And I toured around my old hometown a bit. Very happy to see the Agway rooster is still there. Also, the Northboro House of Pizza has the same old plastic sign it's had for my entire life, which is awesome.
When I was a kid, we spelled the town "Northboro." It got fancier after I left and is now "Northborough." Still the same Northboro of my heart, though. Love that town. Thanks so much to everyone who came to my book event and to the Northborough Library for inviting me!
See those shelves on the back wall (below)? After I'd read everything in the children's room, my mom took my hand and walked me upstairs to those very shelves, where she introduced me to the Belgariad, the Dragonriders of Pern, the Sword of Shannara...
Also got to see a quilt hanging in the Northborough Library's Children's Room, which has a patch for my debut novel, INTO THE WILD!
And I toured around my old hometown a bit. Very happy to see the Agway rooster is still there. Also, the Northboro House of Pizza has the same old plastic sign it's had for my entire life, which is awesome.
When I was a kid, we spelled the town "Northboro." It got fancier after I left and is now "Northborough." Still the same Northboro of my heart, though. Love that town. Thanks so much to everyone who came to my book event and to the Northborough Library for inviting me!
October 11, 2018
Book Event at Northborough Library (MA) on Saturday
This Saturday (10/13/18) at 10am, I'll be the 150th anniversary guest author at the Northborough Free Library in Northborough, Massachusetts (near Worcester, MA). This was my library when I was a kid -- it's the place where I first fell in love with books, as well as the library that appears in my debut novel, Into the Wild-- so I am beyond thrilled to be going back. Hope to see you there!
https://www.northboroughlibrary.org
The newspaper clipping below is from the Worcester Telegram & Gazette. That's me, age 4, as the literal poster child for kid-who-will-be-taking-out-a-ridiculous-number-of-library-books.
https://www.northboroughlibrary.org
The newspaper clipping below is from the Worcester Telegram & Gazette. That's me, age 4, as the literal poster child for kid-who-will-be-taking-out-a-ridiculous-number-of-library-books.
October 5, 2018
NYCC 2018 Schedule
Very excited for New York Comic Con this weekend!!! Here's my schedule:
SATURDAY 10/6
11am Signing at HarperCollins booth (#2118) - ARCs of THE DEEPEST BLUE!
SUNDAY 10/7
11am Signing at Houghton Mifflin Harcourt booth (#2008)
1:30pm "Weirdness Accessible" panel in room 1A18 with Edgar Cantero, Sarah Beth Durst, Christina Henry, Vivian Shaw, Margaret Stohl, and Maryelizabeth Yturralde
2:45pm Post-panel signing in Hall 1A, Autograph Area Table 1
Hope to see you there!
SATURDAY 10/6
11am Signing at HarperCollins booth (#2118) - ARCs of THE DEEPEST BLUE!
SUNDAY 10/7
11am Signing at Houghton Mifflin Harcourt booth (#2008)
1:30pm "Weirdness Accessible" panel in room 1A18 with Edgar Cantero, Sarah Beth Durst, Christina Henry, Vivian Shaw, Margaret Stohl, and Maryelizabeth Yturralde
2:45pm Post-panel signing in Hall 1A, Autograph Area Table 1
Hope to see you there!
October 4, 2018
Book Culture LIC Event
TONIGHT (10/4) at 7pm I'll be at Book Culture in Long Island City for a panel discussion and signing (and snacks!). If you're in the NYC area, hope to see you there!!!
https://www.bookculture.com/event/lic-choose-your-player-how-scifi-fantasy-authors-create-legendary-characters
Here's the official panel description:
Choose Your Player: How SciFi & Fantasy Authors Create Legendary Characters
"Whether it’s an iconic drow warrior, a thief with mystical ancestry, or a hitman from Hell, the heroes and anti-heroes that populate our favorite books are the reason we keep coming back for more of their adventures. Join R.A. Salvatore, Richard Kadrey, S.A. Chakraborty, Sarah Beth Durst, and David Pedreira for some hands-on character creation, followed by a panel discussion about the ins and outs of developing compelling characters in SFF. Light refreshments will be served."
https://www.bookculture.com/event/lic-choose-your-player-how-scifi-fantasy-authors-create-legendary-characters
Here's the official panel description:
Choose Your Player: How SciFi & Fantasy Authors Create Legendary Characters
"Whether it’s an iconic drow warrior, a thief with mystical ancestry, or a hitman from Hell, the heroes and anti-heroes that populate our favorite books are the reason we keep coming back for more of their adventures. Join R.A. Salvatore, Richard Kadrey, S.A. Chakraborty, Sarah Beth Durst, and David Pedreira for some hands-on character creation, followed by a panel discussion about the ins and outs of developing compelling characters in SFF. Light refreshments will be served."
