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Curious Writer Questions To Answer (And I Talk About Quiet Dreams, Critics, And Tropes I Love To Write)

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It’s time to answer some curious writer questions.

Mostly because I get to say curious and curiouser and remind myself that Lewis Carroll is pretty heckin’ famous despite making up his words because he couldn’t think of any existing ones. If that isn’t a big mood. That is like the origin of writers waving their hands vaguely and saying, “Can you pass me the thingie thing,” because wording on the paper is easier than wording with the mouth.

Anyway.

I am here to answer some QUESTIONS (that I pretty much stole) because I really love answering questions! I also love how writers can be so different with their processes and styles and reasons-for-writing — it’s most fascinating to discuss.

I’m always curious about other writers, so here let me just answer…

I got these questions from @rebeccarmix (who is fantastic on twitter you should follow her!!) from a thread here and am turning them into a blog post instead of a tweet thread because LET ME RAMBLE ON AND ON. So if you want to grab these questions for your blog, make sure to link back to Rebecca!)

Otherwise it’s nearly NaNoWriMo…so hey! Let’s talk writing!

OMAGHAOGH IT’S NEARLY NANO.

what are your favourite kinds of scenes to write? why?

Oh, hands down, it’s the banter scenes. I absolutely love them. Although the true irony is I put a lot of effort into making my banter sound, well…effortless. When it flows though, I AM MAGIC. I AM A MAGICAL CREATURE AVAST AND ADORE ME. (Usually it is a struggle that makes me cry tho so like, do not worry about my ego. It’s that smudge on the floor generally.)

I also really like the scenes were I absolutely break. everything. and. everyone.

(I am NICE.)

 

we’re all our own worst critics—so, what about your writing are you genuinely proud of? don’t hold back.

I’m genuinely proud of my prose! It can be a purple and flowery, and I use a lot of metaphors built from gossamer and eggshells and I freaking love it. I think, if you write the kind of books that you crave reading, then you’re on a good path.

I’m also super proud of MY DISASTER SONS. Ugh they are such ridiculous messes and make terrible decisions, but they feel like real people to me and I just??? I love writing my characters. I love it even more when my readers fall madly in love with them too.

 

what do you love about writing? what excites you? what makes all of this nightmare struggle worth it?

✧ i love love love writing outlines and developing threads of new stories and thinking, wOW DON’T MESS THIS UP CAIT, THIS COULD BE GREAT. (No pressure clearly.)
✧ publishing excites me. WILDLY!! seeing my book’s cover for the first time!! getting copy-edits back!!
✧ dude?! copy edits excite me !! I’m a real author!!
✧ I love finishing. Don’t get me wrong, I do love the writing process and losing myself in writing a scene, but that moment when you FINISH?! it is glorious.
✧ when you’re typing a line and you think, “Wow. Wow that was good.”
✧ the part where i explode into a thousand moths and vanish into the grim moors to avoid my problems

 

what’s something you’re not as strong in that you’d like to improve?

I need to get better at world building WOW do I just. I get so scared of info-dumping that I leave you with three breadcrumbs and a piece of cotton fluff and say, “Yes this my world, adore it.” Which is…not helpful.

I also want to get better at characters?! I tend to write many similar personalities (panics) and my idea of romance is often they kiss and then someone gets shot/falls off a cliff. You think I’m exaggerating but those are ACTUAL SCENES I have written. Because like what do you do with post-kiss emotions??? Burn them with fire???? hElp

 

we talk a lot about “big” writing dreams (movies! shows! bestseller list!) but do you have a smaller, quieter dream for you and your work? what is it?

✧ go into a library and see my book there !! (seeing it in a bookstore WAS UNREAL I’M STILL FLAILING)
✧ be blurbed by an author I admire (might be considered still a “big” dream though bUT I WANT THIS)
✧ have a shelf lined with books I have written
✧ hire someone to draw fanart for my books ajfdksald
✧ the cover of my book = on little edible cupcakes
✧ meet my agent/publisher in London someday!

 

are there things that pop up in your writing over and over again whether you like it or not? what are they?

The theme of “protecting” comes up a LOT. I find myself drawn to writing about characters who both need protecting and will do anything to protect another.

I also write a lot about violence, which is very ironic for someone who is a pacifist. But I like to explore things that make me angry or that make me want to do something to help. I write about how violence is also invisible bruises and how, just because you can’t see pain, doesn’t mean it isn’t there.

I also write a LOT OF SLYTHERINS AND HUFFLEPUFFS OK. I CAN’T STOP. IT JUST HAPPENS. The stab and the soft. My children.

 

what are some tropes that you unapologetically adore writing? what are ones you never write bc you can’t stand them?

LOVE
✧ tiny feisty people who bite ankles
✧ nearly-happened-but-then-didn’t kisses
✧ monsters who want to be human
✧ sassy mouthed flirts who are secretly damaged inside 

HATE
✧ alpha males ughghg my boys will nEVER
✧ any sort of cure storyline ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
✧ they-break-up-they-get-together-they-break-up
✧ mean girls

 

if you could hop in a time machine and give baby-writer you one piece of advice, what would it be?

Write more books before you’re published and panic about meeting expectations!!

NEVER LOOK FOR REVIEWS. WAIT FOR NICE PEOPLE TO TAG YOU FOR GOOD ONES BUT (SMACKS HAND) GET OFF GOODREADS YOU LIMP LETTUCE

Just accept your 1st drafts are horrible. They are little night-demons. Let them be. They will settle down someday and wash their nasty little feral faces and learn manners, it’s ok. You are not a failure for needing to write a book 4 x to get it right.

 

what’s the last book/last books you read that made you go HOLY SHIT that’s some good writing!!?

oh!! OH!! I have read so many good ones this year! But ones that just made me sit with my jaw hanging while I whispered, “I want to learn to write like that,” are definitely:

   

do you have a book out? a book you’re working on? tell me about it!

You already know about my first son, A Thousand Perfect Notes, which has been out for FOUR MONTHS already! (And also just sold rights to be translated into both Czech and Slovak! And Polish!) And if you haven’t read it yet (OMG YOU SHOULD YOU LOVE ME) it’s about music and domestic violence, disaster siblings, the softest friendship, a whole lot of dubious cakes, many good dogs, and saving yourself.

And my second book, The Boy Who Steals Houses, is out in April (WHICH SEEMS SOON) and I swear the cover reveal is coming soon. Eventually. Maybe. (I have really no idea lmao.) But just know !! it is about homeless disaster brothers, a messy big family, autism, thievery, a very long string of bad decisions, lifesaving waffles, a prickly Slytherin girl and the softest honey Hufflepuff boy.

As for my current WIPs?!? It’s hard but I can’t really tell details much anymore. But I’m hoping my NaNo project will be something that tastes delightfully and wickedly of a story that’s Jumunji x Stranger Things.

ooh talk to me!! tell me what you’re working on? and what themes/tropes/topics do you find yourself writing again and again? have you read a book lately that’s inspired you?

5 Things I Did (Before I Was Published) To Become A Better Writer

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One of the top questions I get asked now that my first book is out in the world is, “hEY BUT HOW DID YOU DO IT???”

And to this I say: ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Okay I’m juuuust kidding. I do actually have about 13% of a clue what I’m doing. This is a staggering percentage and we are all in awe of it. (Hush. Act in awe.) I’ve basically been writing seriously for 9 years. I’ve been agented for 5 years and had a book published by Hachette UK for, ah….2 months. SO! I have a lot to learn still about being a published author. (I still rather feel like the child with muddy gumboots in a room full of Adult Authors.)

But I did get here. And I did do a lot of things that I truly think helped me get here. YES there’s a bit of luck and timing involved, but also freaking haaaard work. It’s easy just to say: “Oh look!! Cait has a big blog!! Now she has a book deal!! It came so easy for her!!”

Haha. Haaa hahahaha. No. I worked hard for YEARS so let’s see what I was doing, hmm?!

1. I WROTE MILLIONS OF WORDS AND OVER 30+ BOOKS

If you’ve followed my blog for a while, you’ll know I am a wild writer like this. In 2017 I wrote a million words (including outlines that went over 40K sometimes, and 7 novels…some of which were over 130K). That is a LOT OF WORDS. And truly, I needed them to learn how to write. Some might learn to write a lot faster than I did…but I needed SO much practise. All these horrible gnarly drafts (starting from age 15) got my to where I am = a published author.

Are these 30 drafts something you might read someday???

LMAO. They are not.

“So what was the point of writing them all??? Wouldn’t it have been better to write less books but write them better and work on them harder?”

Look this is a seriously good question. I did edit some and rewrite others. Actually the 16th draft I wrote was what became A Thousand Perfect Notes.

Personally, I needed to write a lot to learn. I wanted to experiment. I wanted to chase that glittery idea that probably wasn’t marketable. I had the time to do this and the energy, so like, why not?! I would NOT be writing how I am today if I didn’t have dozens of “practice novels” in the dust behind me. 

Most of these novels are: (A) HORRIBLE because I wrote them when I was, um, smol and deluded, (B) some I’ve actually repurposed bits and pieces into newer novels, (C) they gave me a chance to experiment with so many styles and genres! I learned my favourites and what I didn’t like to write about, and (D) I might still go back to some of them!!

Nothing is wasted. They all taught me.

This doesn’t mean YOU have to write 30 novels before you’re published. The point is: WRITE WRITE WRITE. Don’t just write one book, write more. Don’t except yourself to be excellent now. Practise. If you write and it’s not as good as it was in your head? WRITE SOME MORE. 

And heyyyyy = have fun with this, ok?! I have such fond memories of all these books and characters!

2. I LEARNED HOW TO REWRITE AND EDIT

This follows directly on from the last one but seriously: DO NOT JUST WRITE FIRST DRAFTS. You learn almost everything by rewriting and editing. Books aren’t writing, they’re rewriting. So if you’re dreaming of being an author and you’ve never learned to edit??? Goooo, fiend. GO. This is absolutely where you need to apply yourself.

3. I RESEARCHED PUBLISHING ALL. THE. TIME

People often think researching is sitting down for an hour and Googling around. WELL ACTUALLY. It’s something you kind of need to do…all the time. For years. I didn’t learn about agents and book deals and editing and submissions all at once. I learned it over several years with constant reading of author blogs, agent blogs, tweets, youtube vlogs and teaching sessions, articles, facebook groups, etc. etc. I just SUBMERSED myself in it as much as possible.

YES I asked real people questions…but mostly I learned by reading the information available online. There’s a lot. It’s hard to know where to start, but soon you click on one thing that leads to another and another and VOILA. You are gathering information. (You don’t have to do this ALL in one day!! So don’t be overwhelmed!)

PRO TIP: Don’t ask me “how do I get published” if you’ve never never researched for yourself. #siiiiigh (But I am VERY MUCH HERE to answer specific questions if you have them! And providing I can actually help!)

4. I LEARNED TO HUSH MY LITTLE SELF AND LISTEN

This is actually hard because you NEED to learn to listen and take on advice…but you also can’t listen too much. Like sometimes I absolutely freak out (STILL!!) because there’s so much to learn and know and remember and EVERYONE’S ADVICE CONTRADICTS. What can I write?? What can I not write?? Do you want this type of agent? Should you pitch? Query? Hire an editor? Get sensitivity readers? What country should you aim for? Should your debut be a series or standalone? Is your style marketable? If you get anxious about all of this, will you turn into a lizard? DoES ANYONE KNOW WHAT THEY’RE DOINGGGGGGG.

Anyway. It’s a trip to figure all that out.

But it’s still important to: 

  • Listen to what agents tell you (nope you are NOT the exception to a rule)
  • Listen to what readers are saying (because they will point out things you didn’t think about, especially regarding content if you’re writing something not directly in your experience)
  • Listen to what your writing buddies are saying (and GET SOME if you don’t have any! Seriously you can’t pick up all the problems with your novel yourself. There are always things that get left in your head and don’t make it to paper like they should. FEED BACK IS 100% THE BEST THING. Don’t be scared of it. Don’t hate it.)
  • Listen to the trees. Most people say “why would you do that” but seriously you can say it’s important to sit in a forest and listen to the trees but in reality you can just take a nap. You deserve a nap. We all deserve a nap.

5. I READ UNTIL MY EYEBALLS FELL OUT

I can’t even saaaaay how important reading is! These are your BEST TEACHERS. If you ever get stuck with writing (“how the heck do I write an action scene?!”) read back through like 5 or so of your favourite books’ action scenes. ANALYSE them. You can do this for any type of scene! Dialogue. Characterisation. Description. Let books TEACH YOU.

You also need to read so you know (a) what’s overdone or trending or popular or avoided (probably for good reasons!), (b) what’s happening amongst your bookish peers, and (c) because it stops you turning into a goblin who eats children at night.

Also 10/10 you can buy books for “work now”. This is perfect. Nothing can go wrong.

  

 

what’s the best writing advice you’ve been given?! and do you prefer 1st drafts or doing rewrites/edits??

How To Keep Writing When You Have A Mental Illness (And Just Kinda Want To Shriek)

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Yes, many writers struggle with mental illness. And noooo it’s not charming or helpful for our work.

Writers are often stereotyped to be, at the very least, depressed. And (I’m not kidding) there are people who openly say artists HAVE to be mentally ill to create good art. And do you want to know what I think?? mY FULL OPINION IS: NO.

Writing while being mentally ill is frikkin’ hard. It’s not a lot of fun and often it makes us quit, or lose opportunities, or not enjoy something we truly love because it’s such a fight to keep it up. You need support. You don’t need to be stigmatised or told you’re “broken” or told your work is more valuable if you’re struggling or sick.

I have been diagnosed with social/general anxiety and depression. I don’t say much about it online, but sometimes I want to mention it, because it’s helpful to know you’re not alone. We writers tend to look at other’s work and think, “Yeah they have it together and I never will.” Haha h HAH AH HAHA. No, my friend. I am just a constant silent scream.

So SHOUT OUT TO YOU. I think you’re doing great. And if I may share some things that have helped me…

 

MAKE VISUAL REMINDERS OF THE GOOD THINGS.

For me personally, my brain likes to DELETE everything good that ever happens. This sucks, but I don’t think it’s fully our fault. So I collect good things. Nice comments about my work. Tweets of people flailing! A really super epic thing my agent said. A beta reader’s comment.

Print them. Stick them to your wall. Put them in a folder on your laptop. DO IT.

This is not narcissistic. And I was about to say “this is not pride”…but pfffffffffft. To heck with that. BE PROUD.

Recently I had an excruciating round of edits. I ended up with 7 pages of edit notes and this insurmountable dread that I couldn’t do this. I must’ve failed so so bad for my book to need this much work, right??? Well, for starters: no, brain! No! Making something better doesn’t always mean the last version was trash. But that aside, what I did was: I picked out the comments on my edits that were super encouraging and I ENLARGED THEM, PRINTED THEM, PUT THEM ON MY WALL.

I have a note from my agent that says “Your writing is brilliant here” —> That is the comment I look at when I’m feeling like a pile of stale crumbs.

PACE YOURSELF WHEN IT COMES TO CRITIQUES.

Um, yeah, you still need critiques. You are not going to be a great writer until you get them. (TRUST ME.) Now you already know your brain is going to buckle when you get told what sucks, so pace yourself! Actually prep your brain with coping mechanisms!

Keep these in mind:

☆ don’t get TOO many opinions all at once
☆ you will overwhelm yourself and then turn into a potato and fall into a muddy paddock and ne’er return
☆ 2-3 critique partners/betas is a good idea (I like to have 1 who’ll fangirl + 1 who’ll be tough….balance!)
☆ do not work on critiques the second you get them back!! leave it a few days, a few weeks! mull on them!
☆ be teachable, because you seriously didn’t get it perfect on the first try
☆ NO ONE GETS IT PERFECT. YOU’RE NOT A FAILURE
☆ look at critiques as an opportunity to spend more time with your favourite characters
☆ eat between 2 or 9 cakes

YOU DON’T HAVE TO WRITE ABOUT YOUR MENTAL ILLNESS.

While I do love the #ownvoices movement, I think it brings this expectation to write your own experiences. You do not have to if you don’t want to. There is a need for your voice, your story, your experience on the topic! Of course! But you are actually free as an artist to art about whatever you heckin’ want.

I almost always write anxious characters. But the first time I decided to address anxiety with a label and treatment? My 27th writing project.

Writing your experiences can be (a) triggering and send you backwards, (b) exhausting, and (c) a lot of pressure. So you don’t owe anyone your experience, but do share it if you want to!

 

WRITING IS HARD FOR EVERYONE.

I have seen people say “No one will publish me because I have X illness.” And look…there are awful agents out there and narrow-minded publishers. Good writing and good authors get snubbed because they’re “too different”. Not denying. It’s not fair and it’s not right either.

But also? Writing is hard for everyone. I mean really hard. I’ve thought of my atypical brain as a reason I haven’t gotten an opportunity. (My first book didn’t sell, peoples. It got thoroughly trunked. A Thousand Perfect Notes came after.) But I do think…more often than not…it’s things like timing and us needing to get better at writing.

There’s a difference between “no one gets my writing” and “my writing needs to get better.”

The point is: when your brain says “this is too hard because of who we are” = your reply is “nO IT’S NOT. I GOT THIS.”

DON’T FOLLOW SOMEONE ELSE’S SCHEDULE.

There is always that feeling that you have to do “THIS AND THIS AND THEN THIS” to be a writer. I can thoroughly attest that you don’t. Don’t let someone tell you that you have to write every day or use this-and-this writing program or plot with the snowflake-method, etc. etc. Try a ton of methods and axe what you hate.

Do you need to write 500 words and lie down? DO IT. Do you need to write 200 words at a time? THAT’S FINE! Does it take you a year to finish a draft? AT LEAST YOU FINISHED IT!

There are so many ways to get to your goal even if you have to climb the mountain with your teeth. *

 

* SHOUT OUT TO SUNNY BAUDELAIRE.

DON’T QUIT. TAKE A BREAK.

I see so many writers say “I can’t do this anymore I quit.” When what they really need is actually a break. A decent break. I have been one of these writers, don’t worry! I stopped writing for about 6 months. Then I went back because ohhhh look at that, Smol-Youthful-Author-Cait??? YOU NEEDED A BREAK.

So before you get to “I quit”, try:

☆ taking a break!
☆ don’t write or think about writing for at least a month
☆ refill your creative tank
☆ if you need time off??? you take it. you don’t have to do everything all at once
☆ what if you ate a lot of waffles. I’m not saying it’s the cure but I’m not saying it isn’t…
☆  NO ONE HAS TO WORK AT 500% ALL THE TIME
☆ if you still “need” to be working or you panic (I get that!) then try doing something else: plot a new fun story, listen to some different music, write “bloopers” into your story (these are fun!!) or toootally switch up your writing routine
☆ get someone to flail over your characters. 10/10 this helps
☆ raise a kraken as your son

THE BEST WAYS TO GET BETTER ARE BY READING AND WRITING.

This is my #1 advice for any writer at any time. Write tons of books. It doesn’t matter if some are hellishly ugly. Write more and more. You get better by practising. I know this feels like an insurmountable request at times (mental illness often comes with feeling so exhausted from just trying to live) so remember no one is asking you to write a million words today. Or even tomorrow.

But don’t throw it because it’s not working. EVERY writer needs to practise.

SHOUT THESE AT YOURSELF EVERY TIME YOU FEEL LIKE YOU CAN’T DO THIS

☆ you don’t have to write EXACTLY LIKE YOUR FAVOURITE AUTHOR to be considered “good”
☆ just because it’s not good now, doesn’t mean it won’t ever be
☆ yes your brain will self-sabotage and yes you might be physically incapable of writing for a while…but you can still do this. Even if it’s not right this minute.
☆ it actually doesn’t matter how long it takes you to achieve your goal
☆ holding your own book is 5000000% better than you even can imagine. THINK ABOUT THAT. YOU CAN GET TO THIS.
☆ the internet shows you a lot of success stories but I guarantee those authors bled and wept too
☆ a ton of your favourite authors are also struggle with mental health! For my favourites authors (and these ones are open about it online) I know that VE Schwab and Katrina Leno have anxiety, Maggie Stiefvater and Adam Silvera and John Green have OCD, and Patrick Ness has depression/anxiety.
☆ remember to love writing (I know that’s hard!!) but sometimes it’s actually the perfect escape from your own spiralling thinking to some place where you can control the adventure
☆ think of all the READERS’ TEARS YOU’RE GONNA DRINK
☆ your story IS important!! no one can tell it like you can!!
☆ you got this because you’re kind of made of magic

don’t feel pressured to share your mental health struggles if you don’t want to! but if you do…feel free to add your tips in the comments! (please keep this WRITING orientated and not about curing/fixing mental illness) what keeps you writing? do you write about your mental illness or do you prefer not to?

Your Frequently Asked Questions Are Being ANSWERED! (About Publishing, Querying, And If I Ever Sleep???)

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For the first time in my small slightly rabid life, I am about to do a Frequently Asked Questions post.

FREQUENTLY. Do you see that?! Usually I am either (a) making up questions to ask myself because apparently I’m just that needy, or (b) just answering some random questions I’ve called out to the universe for! But this time it’s: FREQUENTLY. Because being an author means a lot of you have the same questions. Good questions! I will give good answers! Lmao complete lie I will most undoubtedly leave some troll answers. I’m just definitely feeling like I’ve made it as an author ok.

Anyway just in case you didn’t see me mention it 29894 times: my debut A Thousand Perfect Notes is now OUT. You can add it on Goodreads and buy it on BookDepository (which does free world wide shipping) or Amazon US. And my neeeext book, The Boy Who Steals Houses, is out April 2019.

I’M FINALLY A REAL LIVE AUTHOR HOW DID THAT HAPPEN.

 

LOOK AT MY SONS

PS. That is not the final cover for TBWSH haha no. But I’ve been told it will be yellow!

Also my author copies arrived and I am 100% using this post as an excuse to show you my ultimate stacks.

WHAT INSPIRED YOU TO WRITE A THOUSAND PERFECT NOTES

I get asked this a lot. And I also go ahead and flap around nervously because THE ANSWER IS SO HUGE. I get inspiration from everywhere. I pull a book together from hearing a piece of music, reading a line out of a book, listening to someone say three words, writing something that means a lot to me, etc. etc.

Some of the influences for ATPN specifically are:

  • It’s a very very loose retelling of a classical composer’s life (can’t say who because it’s a spoiler, but you’ll know when you read it!)
  • Also “apparently” this specific composer was forced by a parent to play all night…
  • Also a small smoosh of a genderbent Cinderella in there (AUGUST IS PRINCE CHARMING)
  • I’m also a pianist, so I wanted to write about a musician!
  • I wanted to talk about low self-worth. I think it’s a devastatingly universal topic.
  • And, um…ok about 13% of the reason I wrote it is also because I wrote “COMPOSER RETELLING HIS NAME IS BECK” on a sticky note on my wall and picked it randomly amongst dozens.
  • I DON’T KNOW WHAT TO TELL YOU. PRETEND I HAVE A BETTER ORIGIN STORY.

CAN YOU SEND ME A REVIEW COPY?

You have to request via my publicist at Hachette Children’s UK! I’m not in charge of this and I’m not super rich so I can’t just send copies to anyone.

Also, when a book is out, usually now is the time to buy it! I know that’s not possible for everyone so: ask your library to order it in too!

WHAT IS YOUR DAILY ROUTINE AS A WRITER?

I actually don’t have one. I write in intense hits, instead of daily. But my average-sort-of-process-to-writing-a-book is:

  • Spend anywhere from 1 week to 2 years thinking up a novel idea.
  • Plot the WHOLE THING in my head like an epic movie.
  • Hate myself for all the explosions I put in due to dramatic soundtracks while plotting????
  • Cait??? This is a freaking contemporary??? You caNNOT.
  • Write an outline (usually 20,000-words). This totally eliminates writers’ block for me while drafting!
  • Write the 1st draft (anywhere between 3 days to 10 days).
  • Give it a break (anywhere from 3 weeks to 10 YEARS)
  • Pitch to my agent and see if she likes it!
  • Rewrite or edit extremely intensely (often I rewrite every. single. word)
  • Get feedback from one or two betas or my sister if I cry enough on her and she takes pity on my pathetic soul
  • REWRITE / EDIT SOME MORE
  • Send to agent.
  • If she says yes we should submit it to publishers: moooore edits and rewrites!
  • Submission to publishers!
  • If I’m lucky enough to land a deal — GUESS WHAT MORE EDITS AND EDITS AND EDITS.
  • A little book, in your hand. And me, sobbing vaguely in joy and also slight deranged madness in the background.

HOW DID YOU GO ABOUT QUERYING FOR ATPN AND HOW DID YOU KNOW WHO TO QUERY?

So firstly: I didn’t query ATPN! I signed with my agent for a fantasy book that we submitted to publishers and it didn’t sell. ATPN was the second book I wrote and gave to my agent. (See?! You have more than one shot at these things!)

And secondly: if you’re asking things like “who do I query”, I’m not trying to be mean, but you NEED to do more research. You need to google and read up on the immense volume of advice that’s out there. I know it’s intense, but you need to do it. Don’t rely on other people to walk you through it, ok? It’s not particularly fair on them to do the work for you. If you want to be an author, you need to do the work yourself.

ARE WE EVER GOING TO GET [INSERT BOOK I’VE BLOGGED ABOUT IN THE PAST]?

Ok so the awkward part about being a blogger and now a traditionally published author is that I have talked about a heck of a lot about projects that you will never never get to read. I’m SORRY. There are so many factors, from (a) if I even like that book anymore, (b) if I’ve kind of reused parts of it in other books thus killing it bloodily, (c) if my agent thinks it’s a good idea?! (d) if publishers are looking for that kind of story, (e) etc. etc. etc.

So I currently have a 2-book deal. I have NO IDEA what will come next! I’m working on things™ and I can’t talk about them! So I won’t say “no” to anything OR “yes” to anything. Don’t you love me.

WAS A THOUSAND PERFECT NOTES OR THE BOY WHO STEALS HOUSES MORE FUN TO WRITE?

Definitely TBWSH was more fun! As you know, ATPN is pretty dark and tense and the cute smoosh parts are brief. TBWSH has a lot of banter and shenanigans (BEFORE I TOTALLY RUIN YOU WITH THE DARKNESS) and there’s a big family in there…so the antics are madness and so so much fun.

I’M SO EXCITED FOR YOU TO READ THIS AHHHHHHHHH.

WILL YOUR BOOK BE OUT IN AMERICA SOON?

For now the answer is no! This isn’t up to me. An American publisher has to want to buy ATPN from my UK publisher and so far no one has.  ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Book Depository has free shipping though and it is currently up on Amazon US (although they run out of stock quite fast sometimes?!)

HOW MANY AUTHOR COPIES DO YOU GET?

This depends on every individual author and what’s in their contract! I’ve just gotten mine and I got 20! Now 19 because my family seems to think they are fREE FOR ALL.

JUST KIDDING. I LOVE YOU MUM. THANKS FOR KEEPING ME ALIVE IN MY CHILDHOOD.

DO YOU STILL HAVE TIME FOR FRIENDS AND FAMILY WITH YOUR CAREER?

HAHAH JUST KIDDING.

I mean, I need to spend time with family so I can steal their habits and mannerisms, their speech and weird Sunday lunch stories because like how the heck else do you write.

WHY ARE YOUR BOOKS YOUR “SONS” AND NOT “DAUGHTERS”?

Because I’ve only written by boy narrators at this point so thEY ARE MY SONS.

HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE TO ACTUALLY GET PUBLISHED?

Duuuude. There is no ANSWER FOR THIS! Some people take years. Others take (I’m not even kidding) 3 weeks to land an agent and a book deal. It’s your journey and it’s going to be different.

But for me:

  • It took 3 years to go from 1st draft to published novel.
  • It generally takes about two years from signing your contract to getting your book on the shelf.
  • If you sacrifice honey cakes and your least favourite sister to the fairies, maybe things will go faster.
  • Not that I…have….done that….

I also wrote a post on how I got an agent and a book deal.

HOW DOES BEING A PUBLISHED AUTHOR COMPARE TO WHAT YOU THOUGHT IT WOULD BE LIKE?

I actually had no idea what to expect. I mean, it ain’t all glamourous. Things aren’t smooth….there have been a lot of disappointments and hiccups in the behind-the-scenes of what I wanted my “perfect” publishing journey to look like. But hey me?!? Unrealistic expectations much?!

Also I never never realised just how freaking GOOD it would feel to hold your own book. To see it on shelves!! To have people saying they over it and it means something to them. And to make your editors cry. To have professionals in the industry ABSOLUTELY LOVE YOUR WORK.

UGH IT’S SO SURREAL AND INCREDIBLE.

WHAT’S YOUR NEW BOOK ABOUT AND WHEN IS IT PUBLISHED?

It is called The Boy Who Steals Houses and it’s out April 4th, 2019! You can read the proper synopsis on Goodreads but basically it’s about two homeless brothers who break into houses when the occupants are on holidays. Until one day it goes badly wrong…and they end up in a house with a huge noisy family. Genderbend Goldilocks retelling?! WHY YES.

It also features horrible decision making, #ownvoices autism rep, immense amount of sibling bonds, and the kind of ending you’re going to scream at me about. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

DID YOU HAVE MUCH SAY IN YOUR BOOK COVER DESIGN?

Nope! Total surprise for me and I freaking loved it.

HOW LONG DID IT TAKE YOU TO WRITE A THOUSAND PERFECT NOTES?

10 days for the first draft.

DO YOU EVER SLEEP?

WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE THING ABOUT A THOUSAND PERFECT NOTES?

  • It is shiny
  • It is smol
  • It is mine

ADVICE FOR WRITERS WHO WANT TO PURSUE THIS AS A CAREER?

But if you want a book deal? DON’T. QUIT. It seems like the most cliche advice. But seriously! If your book fails? Write another! If you get rejected? Rework it. If you’re not good enough? Write and write and read good books and then write and write some more.

HOW DO YOU GET MOTIVATION TO FINISH WRITING BOOKS?

Holding a finished copy of your book is actually the most motivational thing ever. And I just WANT THIS?! I don’t know how else to explain it! I want it so so so much so there was no way I was ever going to quit or slow down.

WHY DID YOU USE GERMAN IN YOUR BOOK?

Again, because it’s based on a German classical composer’s life! I also had the amazing help of Maraia and Sebastian to make sure my German was, ya know…actually intelligible. My last name is German and my great-grandparents were German immigrants to Australia, but let me tell you: I GOT NOTHING STILL.

WHAT PLANS DO YOU HAVE FOR UPCOMING NOVELS?

I caaaan’t say! Did you know I kept ATPN’s book deal a secret from you for like 16 months? Ya. So I can’t keep you 100% up-to-date on what I’m doing with my publishing journey, but so right now just know I’m working on various drafts, my agent and I have PLANS™ and my publishers * probably want to buy me a pocket dragon because they love me so much.

* This is a full lie.

WHY DID YOU BREAK MY HEART WITH A THOUSAND PERFECT NOTES?

WHERE ARE YOUR BOOKS AVAILABLE?

In Australia, Europe and New Zealand = in bookstores! If it’s not, ask them to get it in.

Rest of the world? Try ordering online at Amazon, Book Depository, Wordery, Booktopia, Waterstones.

OR ASK YOUR LIBRARY.

so if you’ve had a burning question and I missed it?! go ahead and askkkkk. i don’t bite! except when i’m very hungry. and let me know where you get inspiration for your writing from!!

Happy Release Day To A Thousand Perfect Notes!

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My little book is officially out in the world today and my entire mind is just !!!!!!

I’ve dreamed about this day for so so so long that now it’s actually happening, it’s all still so surreal! Although this is the UK release date and Australians and New Zealanders have to wait till the 12th. (SORRY, BUT REMEMBER I’M WORTH IT.) But it’s officially: A Thousand Perfect Notes is in stores and shipping and in houses across the world and…I can’t even.

I CANNOT.

Insert me looking starry-eyed and shellshocked…and so so SO SO HAPPY.

Every time someone sends me a photo of it in a bookstore…or them reading it…or saying how much they loved it…It’s absolutely and completely incredible. UGH EMOTIONS. There were so so many years I thought I would never get here, but look!!

Look!! I did it!

Writing often feels like a lonely thing since it’s mostly you staring at your computer screen and shouting, “WHY” several times very loudly into the void until the void finally has enough and shouts back. (10/10 recommend for someone to talk to. The void seems nice.) But actually there’s so many people to thank?! I’m such a cliche, but IT’S TRUE. And I already gushed in the acknowledgements of my book…but just…

…thank you to my agent, Polly Nolan, for pulling me out of the slush pile and championing my books. I seriously have a super agent who believes in my work like nothing else and I am so thankful!

…and to my editors at Orchard / Hachette Children’s UK, Megan Larkin and Rosalind Macintosh! And the rest of the team! For falling in love with my book and making it 100 x better and being just the general best! My publicists, cover designer…LOVE YOU ALL.

…to my parents, who always supported my dream to be a writer. Which is huge, really. I am so lucky! And about 14% of thankfulness to my five siblings because n o n e of them have read it, but I did learn how to bicker with siblings from them and put that in my book. So at least there’s that. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ (Although to the ones that have preordered…you can stay.)

…I’m going to thank cake because I can’t be stopped.

…NO thanks to my dog. Who leaves the room when I try to pet him and thinks my entire bed is his and I am still missing a sock what the heck did you do with it. Stuart in the book is YOU.

…and a Specific Classical Musician (won’t say the name because it’s a bit of a spoiler for my book!) who I listened to on repeat in my teendom until my mum literally took the CD off me.

…to my critique partner, Emily!! Bookstagram Pastel Queen!

…and Maraia (and Sebastian!) for all the help translating the German!

…and just generally Maraia who suffers through reading so many bad drafts of so many books and who is just an incredible friend. I can’t even. You are the best. All our endless texts and book discussions mean the world to me.

….and you. I mean, look at you all. You’re reading this post. You’ve probably read MANY of my posts. You’ve cheered my blog, my social medias, my photography, my snippets, the time I threatened to sort cereal into Hogwarts houses, and my millions of typos because, even now, I pretty much can’t spell. THANK YOU, MY BLOGGING FRIENDS. You are incredible and supportive and it means the worlddddd to me. I’m actually gushing. The Vulcan piece of bread has fallen. I hope you’re happy.

  • I wrote a post on my publishing journey and I was VERY EMOTIONAL.
  • A Thousand Perfect Notes is listed amongst the “romance bestsellers” on Book Depository AND it’s ranked 224…I don’t remotely understand the rankings there, but out of the thousands upon thousands of books, that seems pretty freeeeeaking awesome?!? (It’s not really a romance though but THANKS ANYWAY, BOOK DEPOSITORY.)
  • Move over fanart I have FAN CAKE, which is literally the peak of my author life.
  • People on instagram have been sending me SO MANY PHOTOS and my heart is so so full!
  • It’s literally out in bookstores?!? ON SHELVES. IT IS ON SHELVES.
  • SHELVES
  • IN A BOOKSTORE
  • MY ACTUAL DREAM
  • Someone messaged me this and I just !!!!
  • My blog tour is being lovely!!
  • No Safer Place = why I wrote A Thousand Perfect Notes and the inspiration behind it
  • Once Upon A Bookcase = interview with my cover designer + some looks at early drafts which is sO COOL
  • A Whisper Of Ink = interview with me and the COMPLETELY NICEST REVIEW
  • And more coming!! I will be tweeting links!
  • My book is featured on Kobo’s picks of the month!
  • Incredible reviews have been pouring in! I’m really terrified I won’t get a chance to thank everyone?! I want to! Your support is absolutely amazing. I would give you all the cake of the planets. I know it’s easy to think, “Oh Cait has a big blog, she’s fiiiiine,” but seriously it’s the little reviews, the tweets, the preorders, the constant cheering that actually makes this all happen.
  • (And if you’ve done reviews on your blog, please put them up on retailer sites too!! It makes an amazing difference for me! Like Amazon, B&N, Waterstones, etc.!)
  • I’ll be doing a Twitter takeover and Chat on @DateABook on the 12th! This is so cool and I’m totally nervous ha! Be there if you can, I neeeeed you!
  • And on the 11th I’ll be alllll over Hachette NZ’s instagram page for the day, doing snippets of my writers life + so many colourful explosive photos.
  • You seriously can’t get away by this point.
  • My book is featured in a book box! (Click here to know which, but you will get spoilers for the box, obviously!) It even got an exclusive edition (sprayed red edges!) and I signed hundreds of book plates and am still reeling that this dream came true omg. STOKED.
  • And my instagram challenge is finishing up on the 7th but you can STILL JOIN IN! The hashtag is #1000perfectnotes and all the details are here. I’ll leave it running for a few days for latecomers! Winner gets an annotated copy of my book. The final day is for posting a picture of ATPN (or just the cover on your phone if you don’t have a copy yet!) and I’m hoping it gets a bit of buzz (!!!) which will make this world 1000 x better and I will probably climb the walls, but that’s ok. Chill is to be had by no one anyway.

Here are a few questions I get asked quite often! But feel free to ask me things anytime. You know I don’t bite! I mean well I do bite but it’s only a small bite and sometimes people get hungry ok don’t worry about it.

 

Why did you write A Thousand Perfect Notes?

My stories always come from a huge tangle of ideas. I am forever collecting shiny pieces of inspiration and then working out how they can all fit together. For ATPN, I wanted to retell a classical composer’s life…and maybe add in a bit of a genderbent Cinderella. I wanted to talk about music. And passion…and obsession. I wanted to talk about self-worth and friendship and annoying loveable sibling relationships. I wanted to write a book of contrasts, where it’s sometimes dark and bleak…but also warm and hopeful. I wrote a book full of emotions and intensity and I’m so proud of it.

 

What made you keep pursuing publication?

I don’t think I have the hardest publishing journey of anyone on the planet, for sure, BUT !! it was stressful for me. It was long (5 years since I first signed my agent) and I ate several brick walls and wanted to quit a lot. But my #1 dream in life is to walk into a bookstore and see mY BOOK on a shelf. And honestly I am a fiercely motivated Slytherin so I don’t lose my ambitions till death do us part, basically.

 

Easiest vs hardest thing about this book?

Since it’s my debut, there were a LOT of learning curves in the editing. (Trust me, book 2 has already been easier because I know how it works!) So all the little changes (and then never remembering what stayed/what went) was really hard. Also being on submission FRIED MY NERVES TO SATURN AND BACK. The easiest parts? Writing it was actually really fun and not as terrifying as I thought it would be. Watching it grow into a Real Book™ was incredible. Seeing the cover. Knowing it was at book fairs. Having industry professionals say they LOVE IT. Never never never going to get over that my little book that I wrote with half-frozen fingers because it was so cold in my house and had NO IDEA if anyone would even remotely like it — is a real and loved book. I just !!!!!

!!!!!!!

REALLY JUST !!!!!!

 

Biggest loves vs fears of it being out in the world?

I’ve already gushed about seeing people reading it, seeing it in photos, having people tell me it meant a lot to them (!!) So those are my biggest loves. Also, won’t lie: would be tooootally down for it to be a bestseller, turn into a movie, be published in 17 countries, and have no one mention in my signature that my G looks like a 6. (It DOES but shh.) Anyway all those last things have NOT happened. But I can dream.

My fears are all just the cliches! That everyone will hate it (BRAIN, IT’S NOT TRUE!) and honestly I sigh at how some people write August off as a “manic pixie dream girl.” I shouldn’t say anything much once a book is out, it’s out. It’s yours to interpret now! I respect that fully, believe me. But August gets dismissed because she’s happy. That kind of sucks lol lol. (If she was a boy, she also wouldn’t be critiqued for being happy. I see @ you sexism.  ¯\_(ツ)_/¯) August doesn’t cure Beck, she doesn’t save him, she doesn’t show him how to fix his messed up life. You know what she does? She tells him he’s worth fighting for. She takes him out for cake because he’s upset. She makes herself a safe space. That’s called friendship. 

Anyway I love these two called Beck and August. I LOVE THEM. I’ve been on this journey with them for 3 years and finally they get to find their way out in the world. I AM hAPPY FOR THEM.

 

 

My beginning blogger years were full of me standing atop a box (because I am rather short) saying, “I am taking over THE WORLD.” And everyone smiled and humoured my joke. But look. Look. My book is in dozens of countries. In bookstores. In homes. On kindles. On shelves. Who’s to say I was joking? 

Thank you THANK YOU for supporting me and coming along on this journey! I know I show the sparkly parts a lot, but trust me, there’s blood and tears and hard hard work behind this, and I’m so freaking grateful for everyone who’s helped and believed in me.

I’m pretty freaking proud.

also I’m exhausted I’m going to go melt into the carpet now lmao it was nice knowing you

My Publishing Journey! How I Got An Agent And a Book Deal

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It’s getting to the point where I realise my debut novel comes out in less than a week, and I’m just sit here thinking, “I DID IT???”

I’ve been working towards this for so so long. I often say “IT’S BEEN 5 YEARS IN AZKABAN” because it absolutely has and that’s no small length of time if you think about it. These last 5 years have been absolutely exhausting and full of heartbreak and encouragements and successes and nerves and triumphs — and now I get to actually hold my book???? I sometimes don’t know how to believe this is real.

I’ve been busting to share the details of my publishing journey with you! Every author tumbles into publishing a different way, but it’s interesting to read all the versions…so finally, here we go!

And please FEEL FREE when this post ends, to ask me questions! About publishing or A Thousand Perfect Notes! I may use some of the questions in a little Q&A on release day too.

Do you want to know how I started writing? I have one of those fantastic and heart-warming origin stories.

I was about 6 or 7 years old. I “wrote” the Three Little Bears out with eloquent illustrations and then told my family I’d invented it. HEARTWARMING, SEE? Later, at 12, my little sister started writing stories and was getting way too much attention, so I joined in. But it wasn’t till I was actually 15 that I finished a real book (it was probably barely 40K in retrospect ha) and thought, “Yep, this is going to be my life.”

Author. Bestseller. Adored all over the world. Etc. etc.

I grew up as a rather adorable book monster, the kind who’d hide with Tintin and Narnia on Christmas and ignore everyone, and my house was filled with books…so NONE OF THIS IS MY FAULT. I was doomed. I’ve always been obsessed with storytelling and had an incredible imagination — so figuring out I could tell my own stories plus control the ending plus (obviously) get famous for it someday was life changing.

What more could a little sharp-toothed, curious-eyed book monster want?

At 19, I was ready to start querying.

When I say “I researched”, I mean I was freaking obsessed with it. I still am, honestly. I still research and read and watch and listen to so much about the publishing world.

Before I queried, though: I had critique partners. I’d written dozens of (awful) books. I was really into a few teen writer communities and had feedback from authors. I religiously read advice and tips. I didn’t just work hard, I overworked hard, just in case you wonder if younger-me had some chill?

HAHA HAH AH. NEVER, NO.

 

  • Writing out several versions of my query and ANGUISHING over them.
  • I entered a few contests to get critiques.
  • One (professional) author said, not only did my book not work, my query was awful too.
  • I cried.
  • Seriously querying is super hard on your self-esteem.
  • I queried in the UK and USA. I’m in Australia, but this was 2013 and as much as I researched, I couldn’t find many Aussie agents?! I remember the biggest one took ONLY snail mail! Which they posted back to me…ya, thanks.
  • I pretty much angsted and freaked out over making sure I followed every individual agent’s guidelines.
  • I GOT REJECTIONS.
  • I didn’t actually track it very well, because the rejections were devastating for me and I’m sooo not the whole “Put your rejections on the wall!” type of writer. My opinion on that: the heck no. I put encouragement on my walls, thanks.
  • I did about 20-30 queries? Maybe less.
  • They were all form rejections except…maybe…2?????
  • Mostly there was nothing.
  • Technically I’m still waiting to hear back from about 10 agents.  ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
  • I started to think Professional Author Who Said I Wasn’t A Good Writer was right…
  • Then I got one yes.
  • I only needed one yes.
  • I signed with Polly Nolan @ Greenhouse Literary UK (who is, by the way, a super agent and our visions for my writing click so so well and I couldn’t be happier)!!! Seriously best moment.
  • This took about 10 months all up.

Things did go slowly at first.

I was signed for a dark YA fantasy that I’d been rewriting and rEWRITING since I was 15, so it was like The Story™ but it needed help. We did a lot of editorial work first. (I still have no idea why I got signed loooool. I’m relieved I did! Don’t get me wrong! BUT HOW DID I GET SIGNED.) Then we went out on submissions to UK publishers.

Then we got rejected.

So my agent said, “What about another book? What about a contemporary?”

And I being (a) desperate, (b) incredibly motivated to work my eyeballs out, (c) wanting this dream to be a reality mORE THAN ANYTHING, (d) being excruciatingly good at saying “yes” and thinking later, and (e) really open to advice…

I said “I’D LOVE TO!”

(Note: I had written 15 books before this. None of which were contemporary.)

Apparently, it seems, I am tolerably good at contemporary. I insert a smug little cute smile here.

Because in 2015 I wrote a little book called “Tremolo.” After revisions and edits, my agent suggested the title, A Thousand Perfect Notes.

In 2016, when I was twenty-one, I signed a 2-book contemporary deal with Orchard / Hachette Children’s UK.

I actually got the email at 4am, because WHO SLEEPS (#insomniac #life) and waited until about 8am for my family to rise from the dead so I could just lurk awkwardly and stare at them which is absolutely how you convey you have a book deal. I swear, I’m super good at communication.

I stood atop a mountain for about 6 months, just screaming in relief. I am a good writer. I am worth a book deal. I worked so freaking hard and long for this and I made it.

(Also I apologies to everyone I ABSOLUTELY LIED TO for the 16 months between signing my deal and announcing it. Ha ha hahaha. Oh wow. I am great.)

Has it been a super easy road?! OH YOU SWEET SUMMER CHILD.

Haha hahha no.

As you can see, I didn’t have any magical shortcuts. I didn’t do query contests or pitchwars (I didn’t even have a twitter for ages?!) and I didn’t have 4989 agents asking for me or 9389 publishers vying for my book. I am the poster child of: “IT JUST TAKES ONE YES” for publishing. And it is so true. This is success and I am proud and happy! And freaKING NERVOUS.

I have social anxiety and autism, which makes communicating hard for me, but my agent and publisher has been 100% onboard with meeting my needs. I have a big online audience, but it actually did 0% in getting my book deal. (It’s the writing that’s important, peoples!) And little things went wrong along the way…like my ARCs didn’t have my copy-edits in them, and I didn’t get to do a cover reveal, and there’s been lots of niggling things behind-the-scenes that haven’t been perfect. I have stressed. I have eaten through a few brick walls.

I’m not telling you that to complain. I’m saying publishing isn’t perfectly smooth for anyone! It has its highs and lows. I’m pretty sure 0% of debut authors have got it all together.

And between all the waiting and hoping — I was writing. If I can ever give one piece of advice to writers pursuing publication: WRITE AND WRITE SOME MORE. Write literally millions of words. Nothing makes you better and more confident than sheer amounts of practise.

 

And the things I still can’t stop happily freaking out about??

Getting translation deals! Seeing people wanting for my book without me having to spend 398 years begging them to read it like I did pre-getting-a-deal (HAHAH LIFE IS SWEET). My editors saying the most AMAZING things about my owrk. Also my editor crying…oh oh my halo just slipped can someone grab that for me.

Having people understand my work. Having professionals improve my work and now my writing is 100 x better and I still can’t get over that. Having my book go to book festivals in Europe! Getting a gorgeous cover (!!!) Knowing I have a SECOND book coming out in 2019. My publishers bought a book off me that didn’t even EXIST yet. I still can’t get over how amazing that is.

And holding my hard work in my trembling paws and knowing that I finally finally did it after I thought I might never get here.

I am all sparkly and my heart is so full right now!

 

Also, I will just say: getting a book deal is wonderful for the self-confidence. 10/10 would recommend.

Thanks for coming along on this publishing journey! Even if you’ve just started reading my blog or been here for the last 7 years…it’s been amazing to share this with you! Look I’m getting emotional, ugh, someone bury me.

A Thousand Perfect Notes is out in just 5 days!

if you’re a writer, feel free to tell me what your journey has looked like so far! plus ASK ME QUESTIONS! about my book(s) or publishing! i am answering!

Favourite vs Things I Shriek Plaintively At About The Author Life

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A wonderful thing about writing is how we love and rant about it all the time, usually in the same breath.

I do this about types of sandwiches too. It’s honestly very soothing to make favourite vs least favourite lists for just about anything. Although honestly, you could threaten to toss me into a black hole in space and I still would not eat grated soggy carrot on a sandwich. Do I look like a monster with no standards.

Now since I have a book coming out (hOW iS it onLY 13 MOrE DayS) I thought it’d be prudent to talk about what I LOVE vs DISLIKE about the author life! This gives you a great opportunity to get to know more of my utterly professional writing life and not get worried that I wrote my book out of crumbs and crayons while shrieking back at the whispers in the trees.

Haha, I did not. Don’t regret your preorders. Please. I love you.

☆ THAT BRILLIANT BURST OF INSPIRATION

Okay so “brilliant” might be my humble * side coming out, but I can’t even describe the satisfaction that comes when you smack through a plot problem or just get that sliver of an idea that’ll tie two pieces of plot together. And my feelings are just: !!!!!! Seriously, if exclamation marks were a feeling, IT’D BE ME. Those moments are what makes me fall sparkly-eyed in love with writing.

* LMAO WHAT IS THAT. DO I HAVE ONE.

 

☆ REREADING YOUR WORK AND ACTUAL LIKING IT

It took me yeeeears to get there, but HEY. I have arrived. First drafts are still dubious but I actually genuinely love my work and this is so satisfying.

 

☆ WHEN YOUR HUMOUR IS ACTUALLY FUNNY

I swear writing humour is like having someone stand 12ft away away and throw an egg in your mouth. IT’S SO HARD TO MAKE IT WORK. Like: am I sleep deprived or is this brilliant wit??? And half the time my book’s humour is like I just wrote the blooper reel into the book. (I may or may not have a scene in A Thousand Perfect Notes where a “big secret” is revealed and instead of kindness, the love interest just laughs and laughs and laughs. So supportive. Much kind.) But when you know you got that scene’s humour right?? BREAK OUT THE CAKE FOR I AM SKILLZ.

 

☆ WRITING EASTER EGGS

Whyyy did no one never mention how fun this is!?? My book’s are actual minefields of references, sometimes to fandoms or things I like or a meme (or even my blogggg!). But the best is when I can reference my own books. I knoooow. Small things amuse small minds but I get such pleasure out of this.

Although lowkey disappointed that “writing easter eggs” does not involve, in fact, any chocolate eggs. Sometimes the world fails us in the most horrible ways.

 

☆ WRITING HIGHLY-STRUNG EMOTIONAL SCENES

I insert a deviously malicious smiley face here. HA. I love writing those moments where everything and everyone is just breaking, and maybe nearly-crying or fighting emotions or losing their mind over something terrible happening. THIS IS MY MOMENT. I also actually do a lot of unique-formatting with my words too. This pleases me.

THIS IS FROM A WORK-IN-PROGRESS.

 

☆ BEGINNINGS

Bring me the BEGINNING this is where I thrive! Or, well, where I cry marginally less. OK actually in the last fantasy book I wrote I wanted to stab my book’s opening. But usually the beginnings are my favourite because there’s lots of banter and not everyone is DEAD YET.

 

☆ WHEN SOMEONE ELSE LOVES YOUR BOOK.

THIS GOES WITHOUT SAYING. BUT IT IS THE FREAKING BEST THING IN THE WORLD AND I CAN’T EVEN. Also making people cry? Right up there too.

Um, yeah, I am a nice person. I return my library books on time, I pet my dog, I often vacuum the whole house for my family. And I thrive on the dark glory of making people cry when reading my books. I don’t know what else to tell you. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

 

☆ HOLDING YOUR BOOK AND KNOWING YOU NEVER HAVE TO READ IT AGAIN.

Hah haha hahha. I’m so sorry. But it is such a beautiful moment…like omg look at YOUR SON. It’s all grown up and wearing clothes a cover now and has hopefully no typos and is ready to trot off into the world and and offend someone probably be loved by all.

I LOVE HOLDING MY BOOK. LOVE IT.

☆ WAITING…AND WAITING…AAAAND WAITING

The road to being an author is 67% waiting and thinking about cheesecake. Let no one tell you differently. This has me shrieking constantly and I’m pretty sure they hear me in Peru and everyone there is just crossing fingers and hoping I pass out at some point to give them a break. BUT I SWEAR, WAITING NEVER GETS EASIER.

 

☆ THE FIRST TIME YOU LET YOUR NEW BABY PROJECT OUT INTO THE WORLD FOR HUMAN EYE CONSUMPTION.

Ughhh I swear this is why I procrastinate so much. It’s that moment when you have to go: “OK someone else is going to read my book for the first time and prOBABLY HATE IT and I will die a quiet slow death in the mountains with only a goat and a square of cheese to last out my final hours before the bog mires take me.”

I mean, that’s literally never happened. But my brain assures me the next time will be it.

 

☆ COPY EDITING

Because it’s hard!! By this point I’ve read my book 500 times and I want to put in a pot with a few stones and when the stones are soft, that’s when I feel like looking at my manuscript again. (lol lol what a roast…what a pot roast.) (YEAH OK I’LL STOP NOW.) But I also am just terrified of typos getting through. I’m a little dyslexic so spelling is…haha. What is that.

 

☆ FINISHING A PROJECT AND ENTERING THE VOID

I need to be working!! Always !! working !! And if I finish a project with nothing immediately to move onto…

This is me 1000% in gif format.

“Take a break!” they say. “It’ll recharge you they say!” WELL I’D RATHER PANIC, THANKS. I like to always be stewing on something, so if I’m in a void where I’m either (a) blocked, or (b) super blocked, or (c) bLocKEd and WaiTING and bLOCKED = then expect me to just stand there shrieking. Forever.

 

☆ WORRY THAT MY CHARACTERS OR IDEAS ARE TOO SIMILAR

Nothing’s more fun than self-plagiarising. OF COURSE. And I’ve written thirty-drafts of novels so it’s up to the point where I am like, “IS THIS NEW GENIUS OR STOLEN GENIUS FROM ANOTHER OF MY BOOKS.” Mostly I just shriek and eat ice cream. There is no cure. There is only dOOM.

 

☆ NEGATIVE REVIEWS

I mean. Obviously. And look I learned my lesson! I read a bunch of negative reviews about two months ago and I have not looked at ANY reviews since. (Except for some super lovely ones people sent me.) Although lowkey d y i n g that I’ve been tagged in some negative reviews. Like I do not expect everyone to love my book, but reviews aren’t for the author so leeeeeave me out of it.

 

☆ ALL THE GENERAL HARD STUFF

Like when you have to rewrite THE WHOLE BOOK. Or you’re absolutely blocked on solving a problem. Or you’re sick of your book. Or if you read super good books by other authors and despair of ever being good enough. Rejection! Forgetting how to use words! Spilling crumbs over your laptop! Chewing through a brick wall! Forgetting your characters’ names! nOT BEING SURE WHAT YOUR BOOK IS ABOUT!

BEING TOLD YOU ONLY GOT A BOOK DEAL BECAUSE YOU HAVE A LOT OF FOLLOWERS. (This is so so unfair lol lol.)

All that stuff.

So fun. Much hard. It makes me all shriek.

And yet somehow it doesn’t outweigh the good stuff?! It absolutely just does not. As hard as writing is (and it is hard and I’ve put absolutely thousands of hours into it), it is still my favourite thing and I will be an unashamed sap here and just say:

i really love the magic of telling stories and i can never never stop

tell me YOUR best vs worst parts about writing?! do you struggle with the beginnings, middles, or ends the most? are you constantly thinking up ideas or can you take breaks?? 

Announcing My Second Novel (The Boy Who Steals Houses) Coming Out in April 2019!

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I am practically beaming with happiness right now okay?! Let me introduce you to my second soon-to-be-published novel!

If you remember from when I announced A Thousand Perfect Notes back in October, I said it was a 2-book deal. And here is news of my sECOND SON. My second novel is called The Boy Who Steals Houses and it’s coming out in April 2019, with Hachette Children’s / Orchard UK! Which is actually less than a year away already.

I’m growin’ up so fast omg hold me.

Now it is still so so early so I’m not going to say a lot (!!) but I’ll do a fun little Q&A for this post and basically continue beaming until I outshine the sun. I know it looks like, “WOW Cait is coming out with all these books so fast!!??!” but trust me there’s been 7 years of work behind this and quite a few sacrifices to the trees and a criminal amount of chocolate.

But I’m so so happy and my heart is so full. There were so many times I nearly quit and screamed myself into another dimension…but here I am. Author of two books. That you will soon be able to read. And I just…my current state is: !!!!!

THE BOY WHO STEALS HOUSES

Can two broken boys find their perfect home?
Sam is only fifteen but he and his autistic older brother, Avery, have been abandoned by every relative he’s ever known. Now Sam’s trying to build a new life for them. He survives by breaking into empty houses when their owners are away, until one day he’s caught out when a family returns home. To his amazement this large, chaotic family takes him under their wing – each teenager assuming Sam is a friend of another sibling. Sam finds himself inextricably caught up in their life, and falling for the beautiful Moxie.
But Sam has a secret, and his past is about to catch up with him.

Goodreads  Book Depository  Waterstones  Amazon UK  Pinterest Board!

 

To be clear, on one has asked me anything yet. But I am prepared. Hence here is a presumptuous Q&A where I will answer questions no one asked.

Q: What’s the title?
A: The Boy Who Steals Houses!

Q: Why is this vaguely familiar to me, a keen observer of your blog.
A: Because, you clever finch, you might remember me talking about this project back in 2016 when I wrote it for NaNoWriMo! It was a book I finished in 3 DAYS and I was pretty excited about that. I never knew if it’d end up being an actual published novel but look!! look!! I’m so happy I can’t even explain !!!

Q: So is this a sequel to A Thousand Perfect Notes??
A: It is not. It is a standalone, but it’s in the same world as ATPN and it’s set 1 year later. In fact Beck and August from ATPN go to the same school as Sam and Avery from TBWSH.

This is page 18 in A Thousand Perfect Notes…

I am ridiculously pleased with myself and my Easter Eggs, ok. RIDICULOUSLY PLEASED. The scheming here from me is wild.

Q: Can we call agree TBWSH is a horrible acronym and looks like mouthwash.
A: Yep. I’m gonna go ahead and agree.

Q: Also tell me about the title.
A: Can you believe I, the infamous horrific titler, actually TITLED THIS ONE MYSELF. I’m so proud. (FYI A Thousand Perfect Notes was named by my agent! I originally called it Tremolo because I cannot title.)

Q: How do you steal a whole house.
A: You know what? You’ll have to wait and see.

Q: Will there be ARCs?
A: I assume so but it is waaay too early. I have literally only just sent back an early round of edits. This isn’t quite even book-shaped yet.

Q: So do you have a favourite between your two sons now?
A: Nooooo. I mean, I love them both to death and each has a special place in my heart. But TBWSH has definitely stolen (har har) my heart and it’s one I can’t ever stop thinking about. Sam and Avery are the softest cinnamon sons, who also make such bad decisions I have no idea how they’re still alive. This book is dark. It’s very raw and honest. It’s extremely special to me.

Q: Are there dragons this time????
A: um, still no

Q: Is there cake?
A: YES. Actually, funny story: when I wrote this, I was living alone (my sister doesn’t count as a person because she was there but useless in the kitchen) for a month and basically living off sandwiches and brownie because apparently cooking is hard and I am small and tired. In the end there was brownie in like every third chapter of TBWSH. It’s not quite that bad now, but the whole book is an ode to brownie.

Q: Will I cry tho. Is it happier or sadder than ATPN????
A: Dude, you know it is sad. You already know. And it is just as dark as ATPN…

Q: What’s with all the yellow?
A: Yellow is a really important colour in the book! Also I’m not sure if the protagonist, Sam, is a Hufflepuff or Gryffindor…I will get back to you on that. And also, this is a genderbent Goldilocks retelling!

Q: So you are writing about autism.
A: Yes! There is an autistic character in here from an autistic author. And look, I just want to smile in a very deviously satisfied way to all the people who’ve told me that autistic authors DON’T get published. They do! Hello! I know I am very lucky, but I’ve also worked monstrously hard and I’m not undermining that by saying it’s all luck and timing. And while this book has an autistic secondary character in it (Avery), it isn’t actually about autism. Because autistic kids get to have plots and narratives too. This also isn’t the “usual” autism narrative you see. Avery isn’t a math genius, he has a lot of stims/tics, and he gives me a chance to talk about the autistic kids who aren’t low or high functioning and how the world either demands too much or too little from them.

Q: What does this mean for the blog then?
A: You get to put up with me mentioning two books all the freaking time. Please don’t go.

Q: When will we see the cover?
A: I haven’t even seen the cover! Probably not for quite a while!

Q: Anything else you want to spill? Look I can see you shimmying around. Just spill it.
A: OKAY!! So if you’ve preordered a copy of A Thousand Perfect Notes, there is actually a sneak peek (half of the first chapter!!) of The Boy Who Steals Houses in the back!! YOU GET TO MEET MY SONS, SAM AND AVERY, VERY SOON. In 19 days to be exact. And then you get to wait 320 days for the rest. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Q: What else goes down in this book?!
A: There are two homeless brothers + also a very very big messy chaotic family + a lot of banter + the cutest awkward romance ever + more bad decisions than is healthy for anyone tbh + a glitter catastrophe like you’ve never seen + one of the biggest character-casts I’ve written + it GETS DARK.

Q: Tell me something cool.
A: um on Waterstones it’s being compared to “Perfect for fans of Jandy Nelson and Jennifer Niven.” And I just !! That’s pretty neat! Don’t mind me as I explode into the sun!

APRIL 2019. I’m so happy you’ll meet Sam and Avery!

Are Writer Stereotypes True Or Has Someone Been Lying To Us All?!

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When someone shouts “WRITER!” a lot of stereotypes immediately come to mind.

Most of them are to do with fear, and we tend to fling salt and then make for the hills to get away from these types of creatures. HAHHA JUST KIDDING! (Am I tho.) But writer stereotypes can be quite a lot of fun and always somewhat accurate. They didn’t evolve from nothing after all. Someone started it.

Now there are a sheer bucket load of stereotypes out there and obviously we won’t fit them all, so:

Today I want to list some common writer stereotypes and see if I fit them or not!

I actually tweet a heck of a lot of these on a regular basis and people seem to reply with “hey im bein attacked” a lot. So I think I’m onto something. Now let’s see just how much of a walking cliche I am.

 

 

1. WRITERS STAY UP LATE AND WORK BEST IN DARKNESS.

✓ ✗ Look I’ll go ahead and cheat for the very first one, which sums me up entirely. I’M SORRY. But I’m torn for this because (a) I do stay up late because I am an insomniac, so hello I will wear this stereotype’s hat, but (b) I actually work best in the morning! But night time I want to dissolve into the mud from whence I came. Being an upright human is hard.

2. WRITERS DRINK A LOT OF COFFEE + GO TO COFFEE SHOPS TO WRITE.

✗ Soooo false for me. I do not fit this AT ALL. I barely drink a coffee every six months?!? I mean it tastes nice and all but it does absolutely 0% for me so I find it a pointless drink. Like I’d rather consume blood of my enemies or whatnot. Instead coffee makes me sleepy. THAT IS THE OPPOSITE OF WHAT IT’S SUPPOSED TO DO SGHJSF GHSGH.

And I can’t concentrate with even the slightest noise. I c a n n o t. For goodness sakes, I put on noise-cancelling headphones because the clock ticks. So no coffee shops. HILARIOUS.

3. THE WRITER UNIFORM IS: PYJAMAS.

✗ Again! So false for me! I actually hate wearing pyjamas?! I usually wear the clothes I’m going to go for my morning run in so I can save time (the level of over achiever here is wow). And if I do bother to have pyjamas on my bed, mY DOG LIVES TO EAT THEM. I cannot win here.

I am the writer who gets dressed + eats breakfast + brushes my hair = then curls up in bed to take a nap while dictating to my dog because he’s pAYING for those pyjamas he just ate.

4. WRITERS ARE ALWAYS CRYING OVER HAVING TO WRITE.

WRITING MOOD

✓ I was going to say “oh! no definitely not!” because I really enjoy writing and it makes me so happy!

BUT. YET.

I still always cry over it. Only internally though, because I have the emotional range of a loaf of sourdough bread. But my schedule is basically:

  • begin the book = cry because it’s hard to get the rhythm of it
  • write the middle = cry because middles so often suck so you gotta work 50 x harder
  • write the ending = cry because it’s OVER and you aren’t ready to say goodbye to your smol cinnamon murder children

Although to be truthful it’s not so much “cry” for me as “cranky whiner”. I’m super good at it. Frowning is my resting face.

5. WRITERS ARE PARTIALLY MADE OF CRUMBS OR ARE SIX DRAGONS IN A TRENCH COAT.

✓ This is true. No one should ever be surprised with how fantastically writers fake things. We write stories lies for a living, c’mon! Of COURSE we can fool you into thinking we are indeed human. And I’m definitely made of crumbs because wherever I go, there go crumbs before and after me. My most loyal followers and friends.

6. WRITERS ARE OBSESSED WITH STATIONERY.

✓ IT’S NOT A PHASE, MUM. IT’S TRUE LOVE AND I WILL MARRY THE JOURNAL I JUST MET. NONE CAN STOP ME.

Now you’d think being a writer and working entirely on a laptop would mean no stationery needed right??? RIGHT! I absolutely don’t even need a single pen or a scrap of paper to write a book. Do I collect stationery anyway? Absolutely. Does this make sense? Absolutely not. Will I stop? Again, absolutely not.  ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Also no no I can’t use my 1 out of 184 unused pretty journals. My handwriting is horrible. Obviously???

7. WRITERS HATE EDITING.

✓ ✗ I’m going to claim true/false for this because there are some of my books I freaking LOVE editing. Every time I get edits back I actually do a happy dance * because I loooove spending time in that world.

But when there’s plot holes that look a bit like rips in time in space…haaaaaaa. rESCUE ME, OH PLEASE.

And I hate line-editing / copy-editing because I’m a little bit dyslexic and catching typos is a nightmare.

 

* This is a phrase here which means: I give a very small smile and blink twice to signal delight because I’m Vulcan.

8. WRITERS WILL CORRECT YOUR GRAMMAR.

✗ Faaalse false false faaaaalse. I won’t even correct my grammar, so yours is totally safe here, mate. I do not understand grammar. I swear I did some of this stuff in school (BUT THAT WAS 8 YEARS AGO) and promptly blocked it all because it was apparently traumatic. These days I write with very bad grammar and then slam some word art onto the page to distract my editors from the nightmare that is: me.

9. WRITERS WANT TO DRINK READERS’ TEARS.

✓ I WANT NOTHING MORE. My #1 goal in life is for people to say “I CRIED” and I’ve actually been achieving that with my upcoming debut, A Thousand Perfect Notes. And if you think you’re crying for that…hooooly heck, you just wait until my 2019 book. You’re going to BAWL. * I’m so excited. I’m so so frikkin’ excited. 

* MY EDITOR CRIED.

10. WRITERS HISS AT PEOPLE AND LIVE ALONE IN A COTTAGE IN THE DEEPEST MOORS.

MY HOUSING PREFERENCES

 

✓ True. I mean. Just true. Do I fit the antisocial writer stereotype, who has been in the same pair of jeans for 5 years and shrieks at sunlight and avoids actual Humans whenever possible? Oh yes, so much yes. Although the saddest part here is that I do wear my jeans forever because I HAVEN’T GROWN SINCE I WAS 14. I’ve just bought a shirt made for a 12 year old and my mum was like, “Ohh is that too big?? Want me to hem it??”

So yes, I’ll be in my Hobbit Hole if you need me, clearly with my people.

ALONE.

what writer stereotypes do you fit or break?!? and tell me some more stereotypes i missed out on adding to this list!

Q&A With You Favourite (Me) About Publishing My Debut A Thousand Perfect Notes

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April 7th marks exactly TWO MONTHS until my debut is published so I’m celebrating with a Q&A!

Two months is honestly not a long time, so I’m only mildly freaking out. And I know you might be sitting there moaning, “Cait, it IS a long time…” then, oh oh you sweet summer child. I’ve been working towards being published for 7 years so I’ve gotten so good at waiting. *

 

* A phrase here which means “is really good at screaming for hours into the void which sometimes screams back and then we harmonise and that’s how I pass the time waiting to be published”.

Now this is a special Q&A for two reasons being: (1) I’m going to talk about publishing and writing, and (2) these are questions YOU actually asked!!

Wild, right?! Usually I ask my own questions and interview myself because I’m a blogger and that’s what we do. BUT NOT TODAY! I did a call-out on instagram and also last week on my recap post and thanks for the MASSIVE response. I love you too. Even though I unfortunately can’t answer all the questions or this post would be longer than my debut. (I’m really honoured though.) So I’ll just answer the publishing ones this time, OK!?

 

You can preorder via: Book Depository, Amazon, Booktopia, Hachette Australia, Hachette UK, Waterstones, Wordery! And add ATPN on Goodreads!

 

also if you want to know what’s up with the tropical theme these days… ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ I LITERALLY HAVE NO IDEA. I’M JUST GOING WITH IT.

 

if you could pick one song to be the soundtrack to your book, what would it be?

A combination of Chopin Etudes and Beethoven symphonies! READ THE BOOK AND YOU WILL KNOW WHY.

Is publishing a book everything you dreamed it to be?

YES I’M A HUGE FAN OF THE FACT I GET TO HOLD MY BOOK AND SOMEDAY IT WILL SIT IN A BOOKSTORE AND I WILL RULE THE WORLD.

 

Will you ever do signings and go to book events and such?

As of now, probably not, but…ya know…”never say never.” Things are complicated by me living in a tiny tiny town in Australia but being published in the UK, as well as I have pretty severe social anxiety. But I’m online. Literally all the time. Isn’t that nice.

 

what do you think is the no #1 thing all writers should keep in mind when writing a book?

Write something that means a lot to you, like a lot of a lot. Write what’s gnawing away at your heart. Because you’re going to be rereading this darling 801 times if you’re publishing, so you want to love it loooool. (And also because writing on your heart makes an authentically amazing story…minor details there.)

do you still plan on continuing book reviews after A Thousand Perfect Notes and your other secret project? If so, are you going to change the way you review somewhat?

Yes I am still reviewing! The only change is that I’m no longer going to do 2 or 1 star reviews. I’M PUTTING AWAY THE SALT. This is my choice because I would feel weird seeing a favourite author of mine insulting a book. However I won’t lie! I just won’t review books I don’t like, #easy.

 

when you wrote ATPN, how much chocolate was murdered? And what kind?

You are NOT going to believe this but…literally zero chocolate was harmed in the making of this book. My family had just started doing this Paleo-version-diet for health reasons and we were on this stage where you basically eat pumpkin and boiled chicken and this is 50000% the reason there is so much frikkin’ food in ATPN. I was dying. I’m still damaged.

 

how did you decide to pursue traditional publishing rather than self-publishing?

Traditional was always my dream! I want to be in a bookstore. I want to have a contracts and career. I want to work with professionals who make my books 100 x better and kindly say “NO CAIT” when I make my characters kiss and then throw them off a cliff. (This has happened 2 x now. I sense a theme.) I’m not saying indie authors can’t do those things and I respect them! But it wasn’t the route for me at all.

 

what’s something you love about traditional publishing? what’s something that frustrated you?

I love the advice, the edits, the support, an entire professional house organising your book. I love having my editor say I made her cry. (SHOULD I ADMIT THIS.) Frustrations are definitely: waiting and waiting and…you know. wAITING! Because things move slowly. And if I have a cool piece of news to share I will be waiting 6 to 12 months to tell you.

 

tell us a secret about your book.

IT DOESN’T HAVE A DEDICATION BECAUSE I COULDN’T FIGURE OUT WHO TO DEDICATE IT TO.

 

 

what kind of cake will you celebrate your book release with?

ALL OF IT.

 

 

how much say did you get in picking the title/cover.

I am really bad at titling (insert tragic laughter) so my title is actually thanks to my agent! And I didn’t pick the cover, but Orchard said: “What do you think?” And after I finished petting my laptop screen, I said: “I LOVE IT.”

 

did you get a final say in what stays and what goes in the book itself? (I’ve hear authors don’t, so I’m wondering)

I hear people say this aaaall the time and at this point I’m like, “IS THIS A MYTH RIGHT AFTER THE KRAKEN???” My experience has been full collaboration with my agent/editor! Of course they want changes, they want to make the book better! And I want that too?! I don’t understand writers who refuse to change with advice…how else do we grow? (And I suspect if you end up with an editor that 100% wants to change the entire theme/message of your book, thennnn they’re not really suited to your vision, hmm?)

 

did you have to literally sign a contract?

YES. THIS MAKES ME LAUGH. It was not in written on gold paper tho and I did not sign with a majestic quill. #Disappointing

 

how long did you work on ATPN before you began query lettering?

I didn’t query ATPN! It’s actually my second book. My agent signed me for a fantasy and it went on submissions and got rejected. So I wrote ATPN and my agent and I went on submissions again. This time: 2-BOOK DEAL. I wrote the first draft of APTN in June 2015 and it sold in June 2016. The actual story is set in July. The perfectness of all this pleases me. (And it only went through 2 drafts before selling!)

what was it like when you first held a copy of it in your own hands?!

A LITTLE BIT OF HYPERVENTILATING BECAUSE THERE WERE SO MANY YEARS I NEVER THOUGHT I WOULD GET THIS.

 

which Hogwarts House do your main characters belong to?

Beck is a Hufflepuff. August (love interest) is Ravenclaw. Beck’s 5-year-old little sister is a Gryffindor! I think. (If you’ve read an ARC, give me your opinions!)

 

what has been the most difficult thing about the editing process?

The technical stuff has been so hard?! Like catching typos and inconsistencies! After you’ve changed so many little things over all the edits, you get to a point where you DON’T KNOW WHAT VERSION STAYED OR WENT. help.

 

could you talk us through the querying process please?

I queried back in 2013 which was like…so…long ago. I don’t know how things have changed, because they change constantly! But for me it was: write a query —> find agents who fit my criteria —> submit it to them (also following their submission guidelines) —> stare at inbox for 10 months —> get absolutely no rejections or acceptances —> UNTIL THAT ONE.

how do you write when you have Depression and Anxiety AT THE SAME TIME?

It’s actually what helps me the most! Escapism, too probably?! When I’m focused on a project and basically living 80% in my head…life is pretty good. Also the more anxious I get, the faster I work. I’m like a frenzied office worker after too much caffeine but without the caffeine and more typos.

 

As an Australian, how did you go about looking for agents for your book? Options in Australia seem limited compared with elsewhere in the world, but I assume there are challenges with having an agent from overseas.

So like I said, I was querying back in 2013 and I think I found 2 agencies in Australia to send to?!? Curtis Brown only took envelopes for goodness sakes I time-travelled back to 1984. Anyway. I queried in the USA and UK more extensively and ended up working with Greenhouse UK! (WHOM I LOVE.) I guess the only drawbacks are (A) I’ve never met my agent in person, (B) timezones often suck for emailing because office hours is when I sleep, and (C) it takes 89 working-years for mail to get here (THANKS AUSTRALIA POST).

 

HOW ARE YOU SO EPIC???

THIS IS HOW I WAS BORN.

 

 

the hardest part about writing a book that deals with the topics that your book deals with?

My book features a lot of abuse and low-self-worth which are pretty hard-hitting topics, right?! I think one of the hardest things was writing that a way that wouldn’t make the reader close the book and say, “Everything is depressing.” Because it is, but that’s not the point of the story. The point is believing you are worth something and I hope readers get to the end and bawl their hearts out and get that.

 

what is your favourite part of book publishing?

Holding my ARC! Reading editorial notes where my editors !! love !! my work !! (This is ridiculously surreal and awesome I can’t even explain.) SEEING MY BOOK IN THE WILD. Having a reader told me I made them cry! Realising I am an author now….and I just???? I’ve wanted this for so long.

 

does it have a swoon worthy romance???

More an awkward gangly romance that starts off as friendship!

 

how do you get over writing block?

Actually I’ve had very bad writers’ block this year…more like an epic slump. (I blame it on reading negative reviews oops + the general nervousness of my book coming out + general panicking about the future etc. etc.) I work through it with devouring as much art as I can, so music, TV shows, reading and reading and reading. Refill the creative take! PS. I also force myself to work anyway.

 

how do you get through your insecurities about your writing? I’m afraid my writing isn’t good enough, that everyone will hate it or tear it apart!

I think I’ll always be somewhat insecure?! That’s a bit of the writer’s life and it sucks, but it can also help keep you grounded. But seriously, also tell yourself YOU’RE GOOD. Write and write and write. Write a million words. Write several books. Edit. Work hard and it pays off, so when the niggling voice comes telling you that you suck: slam your paperwork on the desk. YOU HAVE DONE THE WORK. YOU DO NOT SUCK.

 

 

how did you start writing?

I was 12 and my little sister started and got way too much attention for her little stapled-together stories so, obviously, I started. I got serious about it at 15. I was agented at 19. I sold my book at 22.

 

do you have a favourite genre to write? I feel like its not contemporary cause you love epic battles and magic etc.

I actually love writing contemporary. I used to be solely into fantasy, but I do enjoy characters who can use toasters and WiFi. It’s very helpful. But magical realism and epic fantasy are also VERY high on my love list. I will write them too someday!! Watch me!!

 

how do you stay motivated to write?

It’s amazing how motivating a publishing deal is. SO motivating. Also this is my job, this is what I want to live of (someday!!). And I’m also really competitive with myself. So ohhh I wrote a book in 4 days? *SLAMS FIST ON THE TABLE* HOW ABOUT IN THREE.

 

are you planning to translate the book?

It’s not up to me! That happens if foreign publishers buy rights, so cross your fingers!

 

 

As a writer, is it just me or after a while you start hating the novels your currently writing? Does that feeling change when you get published and have editors to help you out, or get positive feedback?

I think we all end up hating our books a little at some point (laughs until cries and dies). But underneath it all, I always passionately adore my book. If I didn’t, I don’t think it would be a good story?! You go through so much rejection and setbacks and it’s such a slow process, that you do need to be your #1 fan.

 

And will we see more books from you in the near future?

YES. 2019.

 

how to go from drafts to querying? At what point do you stop drafting and send queries? Maybe just what exactly querying looks like?

It’s definitely hard to know when your book is DONE. But I do think you’ll know instinctively? You have to have rewritten and edited that little beast within an inch of its life and have it polished as shiny as you can make it. (Get help with this! Critique partners and betas are invaluable to tell you where the problems are because often we writers are too close to a project to see them all.) Querying just looks like: writing a hooky letter, use your characters voice, show the highest stakes and what there is to lose, and make it 2-3 paragraphs. Know your genre. Know your audience. KNOW THE AGENT YOUR QUERYING. Don’t self-depreciate, but don’t be arrogant either.

 

something that has surprised you so far about the publishing process?

All the waiting you have to do! IT IS A LOT. Waiting turns me into an egg.

 

how did you come up with your characters’ names?

They are ALL special names with multiple meanings! Most of them are spoilers though so I have to smother myself (I’M SORRY). Except I will say August’s name came from the movie, August Rush, and Beck’s full name is his embarrassing secret.

 

what is your advice for an aspiring author? I’ve always loved to write, but within a few chapters I feel like my writing is terrible and I never finish.

Keep going KEEP GOING KEEP KEEP KEEP GOING. You have to finish and learn to edit and rewrite and write another book and then another. I seriously can’t stress this enough. It took me about 16 books to find my voice and feel confident about my writing…hopefully it won’t be that long for you (!!!) but practise. It is the secret.

 

 

how do you sit and write SO much in a day?

I can hyper-focus! I think this is a huge perk of being on the autism spectrum, but writing is my obsession so just leave me alone in my invented world in my head and I will write for 8+ hours a day. Occasionally I take a break and look for a spoon in the fridge but YA KNOW. WHAT IS REALITY.

 

what books were your inspiration for your own book?

Actually my inspiration more came from historical classical composers’ lives + genderbent Cinderella! Although if you want to know some comparative titles to read while you wait, try these: