Shhh. If you are very, very quiet, you might soon be able to see a rare Heidi in the wild. Check it out:
This Sunday I’ll be at A Children’s Place Bookstore in Portland with a panel of other 2014 debut kidlit authors. We’ll give you a sneak peek and a reading from our upcoming releases. This will be the first time I will publicly read from Hook’s Revenge. Who knows what might happen? Maybe I’ll forget how to read! Maybe I’ll throw up! Maybe I’ll sneezefart and have to move away and change my name! You really won’t want to miss this. Details here.
Next weekend I’ll be giving a SCBWI workshop on using Twitter in your writing career. Details here.
I’ll have Hook’s Revenge postcards and bookmarks at both these events. I’m happy to sign one for you.
I mean, if you want.
(Though I can’t quite imagine that anyone would care about my signature unless they are trying to forge loan documents or some such thing. Please don’t do that.)
P.S. There’s still time to win an advance copy of Hook’s Revenge over on The Midnight Garden YA. Go now or forever be sorry.
one Book news! Hook’s Revenge has a cover and you can see it!
Head over to The Midnight Garden—YA for Adults to see the full jacket (I love the back cover almost as much as the front), hear my thoughts about it (Spoiler: lots of these !!!!!), and enter to win an advance reader copy and some pirate treasure!
two Speaking of advance reader copies, I just got home from New York and these where waiting to welcome me home. This. Is. Happening.
three Speaking of New York, I had an absolutely lovely time. I went to the Bi-Annual International SCBWI Conference. I spent time with friends. I ate pie.
Here I am looking awful with people I quite like: my agent, Brooks Sherman, and 2015 debut author Adam Silvera.
If this wasn’t so blurry, you’d see me looking less awful with more people I like very much: both my editors, Mary Kate Castellani (Bloomsbury Kids) and Rotem Moscovich (Disney*Hyperion).
four I was only gone a few days but when I came home, bulbs were popping up through the ground. I think spring is on the way. Hallelujah! Our chickens should start laying again soon.
five I am sort of obsessed with the Coraline soundtrack at the moment. Especially this song:
Did you know pirate giraffes are a thing? I did not. But two dear friends did and have bestowed pirate giraffe goodies upon my head car and um… torso.
Thank you, Michelle!
Thank you, Summer!
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Last week my niece texted me that Hook’s Revenge was up for preorder on Amazon. I had no idea. It felt a lot like this:
Only happy.
two-point-six-two-five
There is no cover image up on that amazon page yet, but I have seen the artwork and it is GORGEOUS. I want to marry it. And make a real jacket from my book jacket so I can wear it always. That’s not weird right?
Anyway, I’m not sure when I can share it, but watch this space.
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Winter break has ended and with it, our commute-free days. A couple days a week Hannah attends a homeschool co-op nearly an hour’s drive away. We don’t want to waste time so we are sure to do educational things in the car. For example, listening to this song:
What? It’s history.
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I made dinner last night. Real food. We sat around the table together. That was the norm for quite some time, but over the last year or so, it has occurred less and less. I have a lot more to say about this, but I think I’ll save it for it’s own post. However, this is what is on my mind today: It felt good.
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THE FLOWERS IN THE ATTIC REMAKE IS ON LIFETIME TOMORROW NIGHT. Who else is going to watch it and relive being twelve? Who else is going to watch it and think “Holy crow, I watched/read this when I was twelve?”
First, Chicken House?!?!? Can you think of a better name? Sarah Jane and Hannah can’t.
I’m also beside myself with excitement that my UK editor, Barry Cunningham, has worked with some of my literary heroes HEROES.
I assure you, the capslock is absolutely necessary here. I mean, just check out his bio. When I read it for the first time, I burst into wet, noisy tears at my desk. Because, you guys, I just can’t believe it.
I’m tearing up again right now, thinking of it.
Hook’s Revenge isn’t even out in the world yet, but I am already very humbled and overwhelmed at this amazing experience. And, even more so, by the outpouring of support, excitement, and encouragement so many of you have given me.
I am truly grateful.
Pip pip! Cheerio!
P.S. A few people have asked for clarification on dates: Hook’s Revenge will be available in the US on 9/16/14 and shortly after in the UK and commonwealth. Yay!
We just returned home from a weeklong trip to Disneyland.
View of California Adventure Park from our hotel room
We have precious few pictures of the three of us together, but we were all there.
We must have walked 100 miles over the course of the week. In one day I wore holes in a brand new, never-worn pair of socks. We passed out early every night and took Advil every morning.
To combat this invasion, I created a Pinterest board depicting things that I see being ruined by giraffes. If you would like to contribute, please email your original photos (ones that you have taken yourself) to heidi@franticallysimple.com with the heading: Giraffes Ruin Pinterest.
Giraffes Ruin Shrubbery
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I love this little girl. You will too.
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If you are not busy on September 16th, you could use that day to maybe buy Hook’s Revenge. I mean, if you want. (It releases just in time for International Talk Like A Pirate Day–9/19!)
I’ve had a few people ask if it is available for pre-order. Not just yet, but I will let you know as soon as it is.
four-point-two-five
Speaking of Hook’s Revenge, I saw some early sketches of cover art last week and I loved them so much. I can’t wait to see and share the final.
They did not look at all like this, but I felt like I should put something here, so:
Some of you may have seen my announcement on Twitter or Facebook over the weekend, but if you missed it, I have some book news coming out in this week’s print edition of Publisher’s Weekly. Here’s a sneak peek:
I am thrilled, humbled, and overwhelmed–all in the best possible ways. This is truly a dream come true. Not only that I will be able to fulfill my lifelong goal of seeing my words in print, but also that I can share this particular story with readers.
Sidenote: I am hyperventilating with delight–I am going to have readers! (I hope. You’ll read my book, won’t you?)
Peter Pan and its many adaptions, retellings, and spin-offs have always had a special place in my heart. I can hardly believe that my words will be a part of this amazing group.
The original J.M. Barrie classic was the first longer-than-one-sitting book I read to my daughter. I can still picture her as a pink pajamaed two-year-old laying in her toddler bed and quietly playing with her toys while I read aloud to her. Though at first I wasn’t sure any of my words were sinking in, she soon began acting out scenes that she had seemed to ignore when I read them. Peter Pan became both her imaginary friend and alter-ego for the next few years and we spent many hours pretending to “fight those nasty pirates” together.
One day, when Newt was about five, I came down with the flu. I made myself a little nest on the couch, put out some Goldfish crackers and juice boxes, and set up a couple DVDs: Hook and the live action 2003 Peter Pan. While she watched, I slept, the sounds of the movies filtering through my virus haze. When the movies ended I woke up with a question in my head: What if Captain Hook had had a daughter?
Hook’s Revenge grew from that day, though it would be several years before I would get serious about completing it. Last fall, I signed with my agent, Brooks Sherman of FinePrint Lit, and with his help, set about polishing the manuscript and preparing it to go on submission.
During the first week of December, Brooks sent my manuscript to several editors–I was officially on sub. I tried not to think about it too much, choosing instead to focus on enjoying the holidays with my family. At the end of January, I was thrilled when Brooks called to inform me that we had received an offer. Two days later we got another one. We were going to auction!
Several editors wanted to speak to me, and once again I was sick, this time with a terrible hacking cough. Over the next week, I took phone calls from five different editors–all from my bed. I asked and answered questions, took notes, and tried not to cough too loudly in their ears. I was very impressed with each one and remember telling Brooks that I would have been more than happy to work with any of them. However, for this story, neither of us could think of a better fit than with Rotem at Disney•Hyperion.
On the day of the auction, the original two publishers put their offers in early. As the clock started to run down, it looked as though no other offers would arrive. It was a little anti-climactic, but I still felt incredibly lucky. I was about to feel even more so: With only minutes left until closing, the remaining three houses sent offers. All five editors I had spoken to wanted to work with me!
The next day, on February 5th–the 60th anniversary of Disney’s Peter Pan–I accepted Disney•Hyperion’s offer. Hook’s Revenge would be a real book!
Confidential aside to Walt and Newt: I could not have done this without you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.
Now please excuse me a moment while I hyperventilate some more.
You may be wondering why it has taken a little while for me to make this announcement. Each publishing house has its own policies. Disney•Hyperion prefers to have a signed contract in hand before their authors announce and sometimes contracts can take well, some time. Brooks, Rotem, and I have all been sitting on this secret for months, but you know what? I think it has been well worth the wait.
I am both incredibly happy and incredibly grateful that Hook’s Revenge has found such a wonderful home. I can’t wait until next fall when I can share it with you. (You know, if you want.)
Lies to children for fun and profit. NYT Bestselling author of Hook's Revenge, Hook's Revenge: The Pirate Code, and Giraffes Ruin Everything.
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