It’s super easy to post photos from my phone. Prepare yourselves for an endless stream of cat and food pictures!

Last week’s adventure up in Berkeley was tremendous fun. I finally met Anne Nesbet, author of The Cabinet of Earths, and got to spend more time with Jenny Lundquist, author of Seeing Cinderella. I have now read both of their books and loved them without reservation. This Words of Wonder Tour is a great gig.

This week, Los Angeles is the place to be. We’ve got two events scheduled:

Friday April 27, 7pm
Once Upon a Time (Montrose)

Saturday April 28, 3pm
Children’s Book World (Los Angeles)

At both these events, I’ll be joined by Anne Nesbet (The Cabinet of Earths) and Laurisa White Reyes (The Rock of Ivanore). Both of their books are inventive fantasy adventures — the former set in Paris and the latter in the faraway kingdom of Quendel. (Laurisa’s book isn’t officially out for a few more weeks. Here’s your chance to be the first on your block to own it!)

These are my last events for a few months since I need to buckle down and write book 3. Hope to see some of you at one of these great independent bookstores this weekend!

I’ll be roadtripping up to Berkeley this weekend for two fun events. (And I get to spend time with Tim and Heather — score!)

Friday, April 20, 7pm – Mrs. Dalloway’s

First, a Words of Wonder Tour stop with authors Anne Nesbet and Jenny Lundquist at Mrs. Dalloway’s. I believe there may even be prizes. More information.

Saturday, April 21, 10am-2pm – UC Berkeley

On Saturday I’ll be the “Celebration of Children’s Literature and Literacy” held on the UC Berkeley campus. Admission is free and there will be tons of authors there, including tour-mate Anne Nesbet. More information.

Check out my Events page for more upcoming appearances, including two in the Los Angeles area.

I’ve been designing a lot of fun ebook covers recently. The most recent batch hasn’t been released yet, so here are a few that I did in previous months. I’m especially pleased that I’ve been getting more romance and young adult covers, which are a nice change of pace from the adult fantasy and science fiction covers that comprise most of my business. [Click cover for larger image.]

First, the romances:

Someone Else’s Fairytale by E.M. Tippetts
Paint Me True by E.M. Tippetts
The Princess and the Horse by Mette Ivie Harrison

And two story collections:

February Thaw & Other Stories of Contemporary Fantasy by Tanya Huff
Changelings & Other Stories by Leah Cypess

These amazing writers are also amazing clients; it was a true pleasure working with them. If you’re intrigued by the covers, please click on the links and check out the books themselves. Most are available in a variety of formats.

I was fortunate enough to team up with five other debut middle-grade authors on the West Coast, and we’ve put together the “Words of Wonder” book tour. For a complete list of our events, check Words of Wonder on Facebook. These might be my last events for a while, as I have to dig in and write book 3 (Yay!).

Here’s where I’ll be:

April 6, 5-8:00 pm, Curious Cup Bookstore
929 Linden Ave, Carpinteria, CA 93013 [Map]
Participating Authors: Jenny Lundquist (SEEING CINDERELLA), Jenn Reese (ABOVE WORLD)
This is part of Carpinteria’s monthly “First Friday” celebration in town.

April 20, 7:00 pm, Mrs. Dalloway’s Bookstore
2904 College Avenue Berkeley, CA 94705 [Map]
Participating Authors: Jenny Lundquist (SEEING CINDERELLA), Anne Nesbet (THE CABINET OF EARTHS), Jenn Reese (ABOVE WORLD)

April 21, time TBA, U.C. Berkeley, Graduate School of Education
“Celebration of Children’s LIterature and LIteracy”
Participating Authors: Anne Nesbet (THE CABINET OF EARTHS), Jenn Reese (ABOVE WORLD)

April 27, 7:00 pm, Once Upon A Time
2207 Honolulu Ave, Montrose Shopping Park, Montrose, CA 91020 [Map]
Participating Authors: Anne Nesbet (THE CABINET OF EARTHS), Laurisa Reyes (THE ROCK OF IVANORE), Jenn Reese (ABOVE WORLD)

April 28, 3:00 pm, Children’s Book World
10580 1/2 W. Pico Blvd. Los Angeles, CA 90064 [Map]
Participating Authors: Anne Nesbet (THE CABINET OF EARTHS), Laurisa Reyes (THE ROCK OF IVANORE), Jenn Reese (ABOVE WORLD)

I am thrilled to announce that Candlewick has bought book 3 of my new Above World series! I originally pitched the concept as a trilogy, but my initial book deal was for two books. From Publishers Marketplace:

Children’s: Middle grade
Jenn Reese’s ABOVE WORLD #3, the third title in the science fiction adventure series that began with ABOVE WORLD, to Sarah Ketchersid at Candlewick, for publication in Spring 2014, by Joe Monti at Barry Goldblatt Literary (World English).

W00t! Hooray! Yippee! I absolutely love working with my editor and the whole Candlewick team, and couldn’t be happier that I get to do it for another book. Here I am signing the contract (wearing a Bruce Lee t-shirt):

From Above World

Thanks to Joe, Sarah, Candlewick, and all my friends who’ve crossed their fingers for me. I grew up reading trilogies and series, and my inner child is basically running around yelling “I get to write a trilogy!” over and over again. I’m going to let her keep going as long as she wants.

Deborah Coates, one of my favorite people in the world, has a book out today. Her first book, in fact, although she’s been writing and publishing incredible short stories for years. So if you like fantasy, contemporary stories, or romance, do yourself a favor and read Wide Open. Here’s my review from GoodReads:

I love this book. Hallie is one of the most interesting characters I’ve ever read and her voice sings from the first page on. I also love the setting — no urban for this fantasy! The wide open prairie, the ranches, the country bars… everything feels authentic and visceral, even when magic enters the picture. This book stands alone and has a very satisfying ending, but readers will be thrilled to know there are two more books planned in the series.

You should also follow Deb’s blog, as she’s posting deleted scenes, linking to contests, and will be posting details about her ginormous blog tour. Deb’s book is aimed at the adult market and does contain swearing, but mature teens will love it, too.

I truly believe Hallie will become one of fantasy and science fiction’s most beloved and iconic heroes.

I have incredibly talented friends. In fact, they are so talented that four of them have book releases today. (I am talented, too, since I already have copies of all of them.) Feast your eyes on this cornucopia of awesome:

And Blue Skies From Pain by Stina Leicht

This is the second book in her “A Book of the Fey and the Fallen” series, after the critically acclaimed Of Blood and Honey. (Book 1 pictured in hardcopy, book 2 pictured on my Nook.) Here’s an overview of book 1, since I don’t want to accidentally spoil book 2 for those who haven’t read it yet:

Liam never knew who his father was. The town of Derry had always assumed that he was the bastard of a protestant – his mother never spoke of him, and Liam assumed he was dead. But when the war between the fallen and the fey began to heat up, Liam and his family are pulled into a conflict that they didn’t know existed. A centuries old conflict between supernatural forces seems to mirror the political divisions in 1970′s era Ireland, and Liam is thrown headlong into both conflicts! Only the direct intervention of Liam’s real father, and a secret catholic order dedicated to fighting “The Fallen” can save Liam… from the mundane and supernatural forces around him, and from the darkness that lurks within him.

About Stina: We met at my agency’s annual retreat, and I fell in love with Stina’s huge heart and passion for… well, pretty much everything. She’s the kind of person brave enough to wear her heart on her sleeve, and I admire her for it. She’s also an amazing friend, and one of the first people I’d call if I needed to hide a body.

Fair Coin by E.C. Myers

E.C.’s first book (yay!) is a fast-paced YA adventure with a fantabulous mystery at its core:

Sixteen-year-old Ephraim Scott is horrified when he comes home from school and finds his mother unconscious at the kitchen table, clutching a bottle of pills. The reason for her suicide attempt is even more disturbing: she thought she’d identified Ephraim’s body at the hospital that day. Among his dead double’s belongings, Ephraim finds a strange coin–a coin that grants wishes when he flips it. With a flick of his thumb, he can turn his alcoholic mother into a model parent and catch the eye of the girl he’s liked since second grade. But the coin doesn’t always change things for the better. And a bad flip can destroy other people’s lives as easily as it rebuilds his own. The coin could give Ephraim everything he’s ever wanted–if he learns to control its power before his luck runs out.

About E.C.: Eugene and I have known each other for years. When I was first starting to query agents for my own book, Eugene helped in a million ways, generously sharing his agent list, query advice, and brilliant synopsis. I couldn’t be happier that his own book found such a great publisher, got such a perfect cover, and is finally out in the world, ready to be enjoyed by the hordes.

Goblin Secrets by William Alexander

Another debut book and another agency-mate! Goblin Secrets is for middle-grade readers, and has the same cover artist — Alexander Jansson — as Above World. It’s also gotten a starred review from Kirkus!

In the town of Zombay, there is a witch named Graba who has clockwork chicken legs and moves her house around—much like the fairy tale figure of Baba Yaga. Graba takes in stray children, and Rownie is the youngest boy in her household. Rownie’s only real relative is his older brother Rowan, who is an actor. But acting is outlawed in Zombay, and Rowan has disappeared. Desperate to find him, Rownie joins up with a troupe of goblins who skirt the law to put on plays. But their plays are not only for entertainment, and the masks they use are for more than make-believe. The goblins also want to find Rowan—because Rowan might be the only person who can save the town from being flooded by a mighty river. This accessible, atmospheric fantasy takes a gentle look at love, loss, and family while delivering a fast-paced adventure that is sure to satisfy.

About Will: We met at our agency retreat and I was immediately impressed with Will’s facility with words and his theatrical presence. Who better to write a book about a magical theater troupe? If you ever get a chance to see Will read in person, take it. You be so glad you did.

Venom in Her Veins by Tim Pratt

Tim has written many, many novels, but this one makes my D&D-obsessed self squee like a skewered kobold. Look at that cover! How awesome is that? And even better, Tim wrote a big chunk of this book while staying at my Bed & Breakfast (aka “my spare room”). Check this out:

Zaltys is a girl like any other to grow up ranging thejungles of the Southern Lluirwood. She’s a crack shot with a bow and no stranger to the dangers that lurk beneath the deep forest canopy. On expedition with her family to harvest the forbidden terazul flower, a powerful drug that has gathered many a dreamer into its narcotic embrace, Zaltys is about to unearth a truth long buried by the feculent loam of deception. As the veil is lifted on the world Zaltys thought she knew, a pathway to the Underdark promises the answers her family never gave. Venturing forth in search of truth, Zaltys finds betrayal to be a much easier quarry. But it will take more than a lode of lies to quell the venom in her veins.

About Tim: Jeez, where to start? Tim and I met at the Clarion Writing Workshop back in 1999, when both our lives were completely different. He’s been one of my best friends and favorite people ever since. I was even a groomsman at his wedding. He’s an amazing person and an incredibly skilled writer. I can’t wait to see what twisted surprises he put into his new book.

Last week is a blur. On Monday, people started posting that Above World had already been shipped to them and was starting to appear in bookstores. The photos amazed me. I woke up Tuesday to find dozens and dozens of Twitter messages, emails, and Facebook comments all congratulating me on the book’s release. I was instantly overwhelmed in the best way possible. Throughout the day, the support and love from friends and family continued to pour in — my family even sent Above World-themed M&Ms! The day was pure magic.

I should note here that among the emails I received that day was some excellent news: my revisions of Above World Book 2 have been accepted and the book is moving on to copyediting. Delicious icing on the book release cake!

I rode the high through Wednesday and Thursday, and could barely stop grinning. The stress started to seep in at that point — were people buying the book? Was it going to tank? Would my career be over before I’d even come down from the release high? My inbox bulged with unanswered interview questions, attempts to arrange signings, tasks I needed to accomplish to keep the rest of my life functioning. None of it got done. And then I started to stress about my event at Mysterious Galaxy, my first signing. Would any of my friends be able to make it? Would I say something to embarrass or ruin the event for my co-signer, Sara Wilson Etienne?

My emotional state was unpredictable, swinging erratically between euphoria and worry and despair, and back up to euphoria again. By the time the signing rolled around, I was either stressing quietly or babbling nonstop. It took two hours to get to the bookstore in horrible Los Angeles traffic, and I became even more convinced that none of my friends would be able to make it.

Which was stupid, really, because I have incredible friends.

Mysterious Galaxy in Redondo Beach was wonderful. They had the signing area set up, had our books on display, had an intro prepared — I couldn’t have asked for better hosts. All I had to do was my part and they took care of everything else. They really put my mind at ease. Sara and I did our thing, the crowd was awesome, and I absolutely loved every second of signing books. Every last second.

Nutschell Windsor has a great summary of the event (with lots of pictures!), or you can follow the album link below to see the pictures that Chris took:

From Above World

So there you go. My first week with book out was mind-boggling and fun and hard and all sorts of things I hadn’t anticipated. Week two is looking to be much of the same.

Somehow I completely missed announcing the audiobook deal for Above World. Well, since my author copies arrived today, I think it’s time!

That’s me and the audiobooks (from Brilliance Audio), which are expertly performed by Kate Rudd. Kate has done more books than I can mention, including Fault in Our Stars, How to Say Goodbye in Robot, and Tithe, just to name a few. I was incredibly lucky to get such an amazing talent for Above World.