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A Thousand Perfect Notes

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

How To Make The Cake From A Thousand Perfect Notes! (Ft. A Literary Tea Party by Alison Walsh) + Giveaway

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If there’s one thing you can expect from me, on my blog and in my books, it is cake.

Somehow I’ve managed to get half the internet to associate me with cake, and you know what??? I’m okay with that. That is the meaning of success. And, staying true to myself and my beliefs in life, I have a scene dedicated to cake in my upcoming debut, A Thousand Perfect Notes.

Now how would YOU like to make that cake?!!

My friend Alison from Wonderland Recipes has invented a recipe just for my book (!!) and I’m literally busting out of my skin with excitement for this collaboration, okay?! It is the best. All collabs pale in comparison to this because CAKE. (I’m so hAPPY, Alison, thank you!)

And this is actually a doubly special occasion because Alison’s cookbook is out today and it’s called A Literary Tea Party and it’s full of recipes from all your favourite books. It has recipes for Turkish Delight from Narnia, Queen of Hearts cupcakes from Alice in Wonderland, Eeyore’s birthday cake, Jo’s gingerbread from Little Women, and Tom Sawyer’s Jelly Doughnuts…just to name a few!!

Happy release day to A Literary Tea Party!!

Alison’s Blog  Goodreads  Barnes and Noble  Indie Bound  Amazon  Book Depository

Tea and books: the perfect pairing. There’s nothing quite like sitting down to a good book on a lovely afternoon with a steaming cup of tea beside you, as you fall down the rabbit hole into the imaginative worlds of Alice in Wonderland, The Hobbit, and Sherlock Holmes . . .
Fire up your literary fancies and nibble your way through delicate sweets and savories with A Literary Afternoon Tea, which brings food from classic books to life with a teatime twist. Featuring fifty-five perfectly portioned recipes for an afternoon getaway, including custom homemade tea blends and beverages, you will have everything you need to plan an elaborate tea party. Cook up and enjoy:
Turkish Delight while sipping on the White Witch’s Hot Chocolate from The Chronicles of Narnia
Drink Me Tea with the Queen of Hearts’s Painted Rose Cupcakes from Alice in Wonderland

  • recipe for a chocolate date fruitcake from A Thousand Perfect Notes, written by Alison Walsh
  • a giveaway of Alison’s cookbook, A Literary Tea Party
  • CAKE PHOTOS
  • MY HEART BEING SO HAPPY

Chocolate Almond Fruitcake from A Thousand Perfect Notes 

Guest post by Alison Walsh

I’ve been following Cait’s blog for years, so when I realised her first book and mine were coming out days apart, I shot her an email to see if she was interested in teaming up for a post. Since my book is a cookbook, I thought it would be fun to develop a recipe for one of the foods from her book and share it here on her blog. Not only did she say yes, but she had a food suggestion straight out of the gate: chocolate almond date fruitcake!

In A Thousand Perfect Notes, Beck and August indulge in rich slices of chocolatey, almondy date cake in a coffee shop on a weekday afternoon while playing hooky. It’s one of the few simple, joyful moments in the book (we all know Cait loves to make her darlings suffer! 😉). I wanted a chance to make that simple, sunny afternoon a reality in my own kitchen, so I knew I’d found the food I wanted to make!

I started by comparing LOTS of fruitcake recipes. I’d never made one before, so I wanted to get a good sense of what made a fruitcake a fruitcake…beyond, y’know, having fruit in it. After I was sure of the basics, I read the scene in the coffee shop again and thought about the best way to make this fruitcake a faithful recreation of the one in the book.

I went with chocolate chunks rather than chips so they’d stay a little melty in the middle for a good while after baking, and I kept the date chunks pretty big to be sure they kept their chewy texture. I ground the almonds up like you commonly would for a fruitcake, but I made sure to sprinkle chunks of whole almond on top for that satisfying crunch. I also added orange zest to lighten and brighten the flavors. Since the fillings are so rich, I made sure to stay away from too much sugar in the batter. I used less sugar than I normally would for a cake and made half of it brown sugar for extra depth.

The final product was a huge success at my house! The topping and fillings are just the right size, so you get distinct moments of chocolate, date, and almond without them getting lost in too much cake. The ground almond helps keep the cake itself moist, and there’s just enough orange zest for a bit of complexity. I’ve already made it four times—we can’t get enough of it!

INGREDIENTS

1 cup flour
½ cup finely ground almonds
1 tsp baking powder
½ tsp salt
½ cup butter, softened
¼ cup white sugar
¼ cup brown sugar
2 eggs
½ tsp almond extract
¾ cup semisweet chocolate chunks
1 cup loosely packed chopped dates*
2 tsp orange jest
3 tbsp chopped almonds, for garnish

 

INSTRUCTIONS

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F/176° In a small bowl, stir together the flour, ground almonds, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
  2. In the bowl of a standing mixer, beat together the butter and sugars on medium speed until smooth. Beat in the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in the almond extract.
  3. Gradually fold in the flour mix until combined. Fold in the chocolate, dates, and orange zest. Transfer the mix to a greased 9×5 loaf pan and spread out until flat. Bake for 40-45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. At the 15-minute mark, sprinkle your chopped almonds on top of the batter and gently press them down a little (you want them to adhere to the batter but not submerge).
  4. When fully baked, allow the cake to rest in the pan for 5-10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool.

 

* You can buy pre-chopped dates, but I recommend buying whole pitted dates and chopping them yourself to achieve larger pieces. Cut each date in half lengthwise, then each half into 5 pieces.

Thanks so much for this recipe, Alison!

I literally haven’t stopped flailing about it (my family can attest) and I put my horrible baking skills to the test to make it too! Now mine…did not…turn out nearly as pretty as Alison’s. Which I blame a little bit on using mini chocolate chips instead of chocolate hunks so it was chocolate smoosh. Mine basically looks like the ugly rustic weird cousin.

I shall stick to writing tragic novels, not baking wow.

But, despite mine looking ugly, it was delicious. Everyone in my house RAVED about the flavours. Alison is a cake magician.

Seeing something from my bok come to life like this was just…ahh! It was so exciting! I shall geek out about it and never stop! Please definitely go check out Alison’s cookbook because she is a master.

Don’t forget A Thousand Perfect Notes is out in just TWO DAYS.

So excited!!!

Insert laugh/cry emoji here. SO UGLY, CAIT. STICK TO WRITING.

  • USA only!
  • 1 x copy of A Literary Tea Party cookbook

a Rafflecopter giveaway

 

is there a bookish-themed food you’ve always wished to try?! do you think you’ll try this cake?! (if you do, tag me on social media so i can see!!) and tell me if you’re a good cook (unlike meee ha)

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!

Books To Read While You’re Waiting For A Thousand Perfect Notes!

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As you may have heard (since I’ve mentioned it once or twice) my debut novel, A Thousand Perfect Notes, is nearly here!

Somehow it’s only 26 days to go?!?? WhEn dID thaT happEN. I swear this has taken forever and absolutely no time at all, which just proves I’m probably a magical writer wizard creature who manipulates time and you should all read my book.

“But, Cait,” you say patiently while building a house out of cake because reading my blog usually gives you that kinda feel, “it’s not here yet so we can’t read it.”

Which is a good point, I’ll give you that. So I’ve very cleverly decided to put together a list of books you can read while you wait! These are a bit like comparative titles too! And they were actually really hard to find because music-themed-books ARE RARE UNICORNS. Clearly I am filling a void here with my book. Someone award me.

 

Although obvious reminder…my book is still pretty different to these in style/presentation of topics. lol lol. Have you met me. I am always different.

 

Beck lives for one thing: music. But it’s not his choice. His mother, a once famous pianist, is determined to live out her shattered dreams through her son. The tyranny of her passion rains down on Beck in a torrent of violent words and blows. Isolated from the world, he is the ghost of a boy – until August comes along.
August, with her bare feet and her blue-doodled hands, her eyes as complicated as the ocean. August, fiercely protective of those in need.
As Beck’s own music swells inside him, can August help him unlock it and say all the things he’s never said?

Goodreads ||| Amazon UK ||| Amazon US ||| Amazon AUS ||| Waterstones ||| Book Depository ||| Angus And Robertson ||| Wordery ||| Booktopia |||

 

…FOR UNLIKELY FRIENDSHIPS + VIOLENCE

A List of Cages is one of my favourite books of last year! It totally smacked me in the feels which is, obviously, just what all good books are supposed to do. I mean, who is here for happiness?! HA. ADORABLE. Anyway, this one is about Adam (who has ADHD) and Julian (who has dyslexia) and their unlikely friendship coupled with Julian’s very dark secrets of the abuse he suffers at home.

My heart turned into an emotionally damp piece of bread reading this because my book was under contract in early 2017 but still a secret (!!) so it was hard to explain why this book meant a lot to me!! But I definitely think ATPN would get on well with this book.

…FOR ANXIETY AND EMOTIONAL ABUSE

Starfish is such an incredible book! I don’t even know if I’ve yelled about this one on the blog yet?! Which is a true dire shame, but it is heartwrenching. It’s got such a good representation of social anxiety too (although my book doesn’t, just to clarify!) and it’s also an #ownvoices story about being biracial! Also Kiko is an ARTIST! And my protagonist, Beck, is a PIANIST. So ya know. It works.

This one features a poisonous mother/daughter relationship, while ATPN features a mother/son relationship…both are BAD NEWS. So like read this if you just want to bawl and plot to kidnap characters from their mean authors. *

* um wait…that’s me…

my characters @ trying to have a good life

 

…FOR BEING A PIANIST + SIBLINGS.

Tell Me Something Real is probably one of the only (!??!) pianist books I’ve read!?? What is this world. I mean apart from Jace from Shadowhunters but I don’t think I could get away with comparing that ahhhh ahha. Ahem. Now this one is actually about a girl who wants to go to the Conservatorium for classical piano, buuut her mum has leukaemia so her attentions are elsewhere. It’s also lots of sibling/sister rep in it! And the romance is so soft™.

ATPN stars two siblings, Beck and his 5yo firecracker of a sister Joey who would probably eat you. So that’s lovely. *

* Also fun fact, I have FIVE siblings and exactly ZERO of them have read my book lol lol sob. They are all for sale.

…FOR MUSICAL PASSION TURNING TO OBSESSION

Someday Somewhere is a newbie debut I just read this year and FUN FACT: this author and I have the same literary agency. Like, isn’t that just super cool!? I didn’t know until I was reading the acknowledgements, and then I geeked out. Like the professional I am. I swear nobody gave me a How To Be An Author handbook so I’m going to continue functioning * as a blogging fangirl. tRY AND STOP ME.

Anyway!! Like my book, this is about that line between being passionate vs obsessed with music. This one deals really heavily (and I thought really well!) with mental illness too. It also has a girl who loves to dance! I do not have that! But I have a girl who loves dogs, so that’s like very very important.

* Looooool. Dubious use of that word

…FOR AWFUL MOTHERS 

The Dangerous Art of Blending In was soooo good and soooo heartbreaking ASDKFLADSJ I DIDN’T ASK FOR EMOTIONS. Ahem. I only read it earlier this year and was immediately like: “This book should be friends with my book.” Which is weird. But hello. I am a writer.

Anyway, the boy in this book has a most horrible mother + he uses art to escape! In my book, Beck also has a horrible mother, but uses composing music to escape. Although this one also has #ownvoices Greek and queer rep and it’s just so so gooddddd. The cover is covered in sprinkles too, so basically it is a cake! I’m such a fan!

 

…FOR ADAM PARRISH SLIGHTLY????

The Raven Cycle is my #1 favourite series of ever AND YOU KNEW I’D SQUEEZE IT ON THIS POST. YOU KNEW IT. Any excuse to remind you to read it, OK?!?! Now my book does not have dead Welsh Kings, magic, cars, friendship squad goals, or even obsessive amounts of yogurt. I know. My book is a complete failure. However Adam Parrish, who has a crappy home life with an awful father and PTSD, is definitely the kind of person my protagonist Beck could relate to.

Minus the magic. I’m sORRY, Beck, I could’ve given you magic and I messed up.

Anyway this is like 78% wishful thinking but I’m putting it on here because no one can STOP ME.

…FOR THIS BEING A SLIGHT CINDERELLA RETELLING!

This is the kind of retelling that you might not be able to pick! But my very very first smidges of inspiration did come from making A Thousand Perfect Notes —> a genderbent Cinderella retelling. It did change in rewrites of course, and mutate like the X-Man it should’ve been but wasn’t because no one’s let me write a Wolverine retelling yet (SOMEDAY???) but the thought is there!!

It’s also a little smudge of a retelling of a famous classical composer BUT I SAY NO MORE BECAUSE OF POTENTIAL SPOILERS.

 

righto, what do you think?! have you read any of these comparative titles? and if YOU are an author/writer (!!) tell me what books/movies you’d compare to your current project? i’m super curious! and have you read many pianist books??

Oh? Oh What Is This? My Debut Novel Will Be Published in 2018!

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I have simply extraordinarily delicious news for you today because, HI, my debut novel is BEING PUBLISHED.

You have no no idea how long I’ve waited to tell you this. And also how long I spent trying to title this post. I swear, titles are the actual death of me and take 5 years off my life every time. But we can’t get distracted today. We must talk books.

Specifically: mine.

(It’s a really good topic.)

 

I’m so freaking proud to announce my first novel, A Thousand Perfect Notes, is coming June 2018 with Orchard / Hachette Children’s Books!

I have worked so so long for this and I’M SO HAPPY TO FINALLY SHARE THE NEWS WITH YOU.

If you’ve been reading my blog for a while, you probably know that I’ve been pursuing publishing for 4 years. I’ve been dreaming of it for nearly 8 years. And in 7 months??? Holy heck, peoples, you will get to hold my small novel in paperback. I will be in a bookstore. I will write more books. I will hopefully make this my career. I will try not to eat the moon.

LIKE CAN I TAKE A MOMENT.

Usually people wait till they’re asked questions before answering them, but I’m very clever and have decided to answer some questions YOU NEVER ASKED and also probably never will ask. You’re welcome.

Q: What’s the title?
A: A Thousand Perfect Notes!

Q: Is that like…notebook notes?
A: No it is like musical notes because this is a story of pianos and darkness and I really can’t say anything more than is in the pitch so GO READ ABOVE.

Q: Ok ok, so who the heck is CG Drews?
A: Me, you dense nutmeg. Now you know all my secrets.

Q: I do admit I’m kind of disappointed to see you have a human head.
A: I actually am disappointed too.

Q: I saw it’s on Goodreads.
A: It is! The blurb will be changed in the future though, so keep your eyes peeled. The pitch in my press release does say “salvation through love” but it’s not really. Ha…trust me pls.

Q: So…two book deal?
A: TWO BOOK DEAL. My second novel comes out in 2019 and you know nothing about it mwahah haha.

Q: Will there be ARCs?
A: Yes. Possibly only in the UK though, since I’m being published in the UK. (I will give more info on that when I know it, but it probably won’t be for a while.)

Q: Are there dragons?
A: no

Q: Is there cake?
A: absolutely

Q: On a scale of 1 to Mt. Doom when Gollum fell in with the ring — how freakishly excited and prone to combustion are you?
A: yes

Q: So all the times I’ve asked this year “when are you getting published?” and you said “I don’t know!” you were lying?
A: yes

Q: wow
A: Look I said I was from the dark side. These things happen.

Q: What does this mean for PaperFury.com?
A: Honestly I’m NOT sure. I love blogging and will have tons to say if I don’t do book reviews…but I’m just not sure if it’d be appropriate for me to review books now. But the chances of me stopping blogging? HAHAHA 0% MATE YOU’RE GOING TO HAVE TO SUFFER THROUGH THIS BLOG FOR A WHILE LONGER.

Q: When will we see the cover?
A: IDK MATE, BE PATIENT.

Q: I’ve already congratulated you on facebook / instagram / twitter, must I comment again?
A: No it’s okayyyyy. You don’t have to keep shouting “congrats” haha. I feel bad for repeating myself EVERYWHERE but (a) I’m excited and (b) I’m freaking excited, and (c) I’m making sure everyone knows! Also I’m excited. A little bit.

Q: Tell me something cool.
A: Ok ok here is something: every single time someone says “congrats!” or “I love this” or “I would give you my castle in Scotland with 94 libraries within” or “I’m so proud of you” — I HONESTLY CAN’T WITH THE EMOTIONS THAT GIVES ME. You are all incredible. You’ve championed my blog and my writing and given limitless encouragements over my art and I just…I’m super thankful. I’M BEING MUSHY AND THE BOOK ISN’T EVEN OUT YET. But this is the truth —> I appreciate your support so much it’s absolutely impossible to summarise it.

JUNE 2018, OKAY NOW.

MARK YOUR CALENDARS OR CEILINGS OR WHATEVER.

I NEED TO GO CALM DOWN.

i love turning discussions back to you but this is such a flail post…so JUST BEAR WITH ME. if you’re a writer tell me what your sparkly author dreams look like! (my #1 is to walk into a bookstore and see my book) and if you have any advice for authoring + blogging, DO let me know!!