From Writer to Author

ONE has always been a misfit of a book. This story about a girl with half a superpower and a boy who makes her fly grabbed onto me one late summer morning and hasn't let me go since. It has also defied genre classification and YA-lit cliche, which, I have to admit, I'm proud of.  I poured my heart and soul into writing, revising, and shaping it for nearly a year, and I dreamed of publishing it since I wrote the very first scene.

ONE has been lucky to have many readers - dozens, actually - and got mostly positive feedback.

I was delighted, if not super shocked, when my agent also fell in love with ONE. It hadn't had the best luck querying, and the fact that Agent Tricia not only loved the story, but understood it, had me hopeful that publishers would feel the same way.

The novel went on submission in the late summer. I was so lucky that some of the biggest names in publishing agreed to read the manuscript, and that all of them loved the concept - X-men meets Sky High - and praised my writing. Each one, though, felt that something stood in the way of being able to take it on - something different each time, in fact. 

What it boils down to is this: 
The publishers we submitted to don't think they can sell ONE, but that's okay. 
Because I think I can. 

 I'm thrilled to announce that ONE, my debut novel about a girl with only half a superpower and her struggle to make herself whole, will be published on June 11th, 2013.

The sequel, TWO, will release on October 8, 2013. 

Does this mean that I'm giving up on traditional publishing? Goodness, no, not at all! (In fact, my agent's submitting my YA Contemporary Mansfield Park redux, SOLVING FOR EX, to editors right now.) All this means is that I feel that this is the best way to get this particular book to readers at this particular time.

Am I scared? Heccccck yes. But ever since I've read this blog post from one of my heroes, Tammara Webber, its message has been my mantra. It's okay to be scared, but don't be frozen.

What I'm excited about:

• I'm in control. The final edit of ONE reflects my vision for the story and characters, and no one else's. I can price the book where I want to, and release new material whenever I want.
• I'm not alone. I've already assembled an incredible team, from editors to a cover designer to formatters to marketing artists to a shiny new assistant, who will all have a heavy hand in making ONE the best that it can be.
• I'm not the first. I have friends and role models who are open and honest about this process, helping me along each step of the way. 
• I am supported. Every single person I've told about my decision has been nothing less than supportive.  Beginning with my closest critique partners, so many people are holding my hand and lifting me up through the very toughest parts of this endeavor.
• My career options are wide open. My agent believes that a hybrid publishing model is possible, exciting, and supports me 100%. I'm so very, very lucky to have a knowledgeable and visionary publishing professional on my side, and to be backed by one of the best children's agencies in the business. 

What I'm bummed about:

• There's still some pretty heavy stigma out there. I can't join debut author blogs because I'm not traditionally published, and most book bloggers won't even consider a self-published title for review.
• My book won't be in book stores. Yeah, it was part of the dream. For now, I'm okay with letting it go.
• It's not cheap. Would I have loved for a publisher to pay the up-front costs of putting a quality novel up for sale? Yes. Is it worth the cost? Yes, and I'll pay it. Gladly.

All in all, I'm incredibly happy and confident with my decision. I can't wait for this book to be out in the world. I can't wait for people to read it. It's going to be a great year. 

In the words of my excellent assistant, John Hansen, I'm going to rock this. And when I do, I'll have all of you to thank. 

Speaking of you, a lot of you have been asking what you can do to help (and I love you so hard for that.) There will be cover reveals and blog tours to arrange, and John and I will be in touch with many of you about that. But the most important thing you can do is simple: if you are excited about ONE, talk about it. Online, at school, at work. In reviews or in the grocery checkout. Nothing is more crucial to the success of a book than word of mouth, and I am so grateful to any of you who mentions ONE in a blog post, on the phone with your mom, or somewhere on Twitter.

Lastly, you can add and follow and like ONE all over the internet. Here are the links:

Add ONE to Goodreads
"Like" ONE on Facebook
Sign up for my newsletter
Pre-order ONE

Thank you, thank you, thank you. You, sweet readers and supporters, are what make my world go 'round.