Unhinged ARCs and a face lift...

First of all, as I'm sure you've already noticed, my blog has a new face. Or *faces* if you want to get technical. ;) I've spent the past couple of days updating my website's theme and motif, so I had to adjust my blog . It's the fashion diva side of me, everything has to match.

The best part is, Splintered and Unhinged now have their own themed pages with information pertaining to each individual book, including playlists, book club questions, and special giveaways. This should make my website easier to navigate.

I hope everyone likes my new duds!

And now for the ARC announcement: They're here! (Click on the pictures to see bigger versions)

 

 

 

 

They arrived on my doorstep on Friday, and boy was I happy to see them! They have all been soundly kissed and are awaiting new homes, so I'll be having a giveaway for a few coming up SOON! Oh, and I also received a handful of Team Jeb and Team Morpheus buttons--displayed against the back of the cover there--so I'll be sure to throw some of those into the mix.

Yay! I love having giveaways. :) Keep checking back here for deets.

Until then, I need to make up for all the writing I missed so I'll be quiet for a few days. See you soon, and happy Labor Day!

It's ALIVE!

Oh frabjous day, my new website is alive and kicking!

If you were wondering why I've been so quiet in the blogasphere and on twitter lately, it's because I was designing banners and adding text (we won't even mention my intake of caffeine). Heh

But it was worth the drowsy-hazed days and neglected teddy bear (he' still not speaking to me), because I now have a finished creation: simple, functional, and morbidly pretty. All the things I love in a monster, er, website.

Special thanks to Itkupilli, a Finnish artist and designer who offers free blog banners and backgrounds. You can find the "Free Backgrounds and Other Stuff" button on my blog's sidebar if you'd like to check out the artwork for yourself. One of those lovely free banners provided the perfect foundation for my website/blog's theme.

Also, thanks to my wonderful husband, the real mad scientist behind this project, who brought life to my index page, a Gothic Victorian storefront with blinking candlelight. If you'd like a peek at that, hop over here: www.aghoward.com.

Now, the only thing that makes me happier than this sense of accomplishment is knowing I get to celebrate with you!

And celebrate, we shall. Wonderland style, of course.

Welcome to the...

(Yes, that's me in the red wig. Not the best look, I'll admit,
but I'm thinking I could give Ronald McDonald a run for his money.)

Oh, and best news of all? This contest is INTERNATIONAL, yo!


Now, let's check out what's up for grabs.

• 1st Place Prize: A hot off the press signed Splintered ARC

• 2nd Place Prize: Signed 18X24" Splintered Poster

• 3rd Place Prize: Signed title page from an original Splintered galley

• 4th Place Prize:  Assorted Splintered / Alice swag, all signed

• 5th Place Prize: Choice between ONE of these fab YA books:

• 
  6th Place Prize: Set of 5 Alice in Wonderland Mini Book Charms  

• Two super Awesome BONUS Prizes: A query critique by the fabulous Jenny Bent and also one by the fantastic Molly Ker Hawn from The Bent Agency (Please note: Ms. Ker Hawn only takes YA or MG queries, and due to time constraints, her critique will get back to the winner sometime in early September). 

A couple of notes about the prizes: There's something very special about the galley title page, a secret about the book's formatting that has been kept under wraps. Also, about the BONUS prizes, since there are two crits, that means two lucky writers will get the inside track into what an agent likes to see in their inbox.

Now, how do you get a hold of these wonderful prizes? Use my new website linkies at the top of my sidebar. Go to the "Contests and Giveaways" page, and find out how to get your name in the drawing.

See you over there, my little madlings!

Cue the White Rabbit...

Yes, I'm racing against the clock today! Seems like I'm doing a lot of that, lately.

When I look back, I realize I was pitted against the clock for years while trying to get published. Interestingly, I never realized how long it took me until I finally got there. That's because I wasn't watching every second tick away like I am now. And I think maybe that saved me.

Here's a peek into my publishing journey for those of you still racing Father Time to get your novel written, an agent to take notice, or a publisher to sign you. 

My Publishing Timeline:

• March 2006 started querying my first novel. After 100 or more rejections, trunked it and wrote two more books.


• July 2007, started querying my third novel and worked on the forth one while it was out.

• May 2008, signed w/my first agent on my fourth novel. She submitted the novel for one and a half years while I finished books five and six, which she turned down for being too fantastical.


• December 2010, left Agent One after she wanted me to take the fantasy out of my seventh book, Splintered, my YA Alice in Wonderland spinoff. Started querying new agents immediately.

• February 2011, signed with my present agent (aka, Agent Goddess) who loved the fantasy in Splintered.


• August 2011, went to auction and signed with Amulet.


• January 2013, Splintered hit the bookshelves!


Okay, you'll notice I left out two very important details. How long was I on sub and how many passes did I get before I got my yes-es? Splintered was on sub for nine months and was rejected by 23 publishers before it went to auction, sold to Amulet and then to over a dozen foreign countries. The entire series hit the NYT bestselling list in 2015 with Ensnared's launch, and Splintered itself went on to hit INTL bestselling lists, proving that dreams can come true if you never give up, and in a bigger way than you ever could've imagined!

So, 7 books and 7 years after I first started this journey, my publishing dreams became a reality. The best advice I can give any aspiring writer is: The only way to "fail" in this business is to give up on yourself. If you keep writing and submitting new work, polishing your craft and believing in your talent, one day someone else will see the value of your stories, and it will be your turn to shine.

I'm hoping that now, after seeing how much time and how many books it took me, you're feeling encouraged, your determination renewed, and can move forward without ever looking back. Because the best way to embrace your future is to leave the past behind and stop looking at that blasted clock. ;)