The Thirteenth Circle

That Giddy First-Review Feeling

This post was originally sent through my author newsletter on June 9th, 2023. To subscribe to my newsletter and receive up-to-date news, musings, and more, click HERE.

The Thirteenth Circle recently got its very first review—and it was a five-star review! 

But let me back up. In May, the book went up on several industry websites for librarians, booksellers, and reviewers to request early digital copies. A lot of people request books and then put them in a queue for reading, so there's no telling how long it will take for these early reviews to actually trickle in. (And this is separate from reviews in major publications, like School Library Journal.) Regardless, the book being posted on these sites is a big moment, because it's full of potential: finally, people can read this thing we worked on for years and years. 

And recently, someone did read it!

Even better, he liked it, apparently quite a lot! 

If you're a Goodreads person, you can read the review on The Thirteenth Circle's page. But the gist of it is, this man reads and reviews a lot of kids' books, and he thought ours was great. Here's an excerpt: 

"The truth is that "The Thirteenth Circle" won my heart, won my mind, and entertained me. I enjoyed these characters immensely and enjoyed the storytelling.

Another winner from Feiwel and Friends, "The Thirteenth Circle" is the kind of book that leaves you appreciating the world it creates and is an ideal read for entry-level sci-fi/fantasy readers with the ability to embrace modestly complex concepts and who will identify with the family and friendship dynamics that feel honestly and richly developed here."

Amazing, right? 

I don't know this person. I don't know how much power his words hold in the book industry. What I do know is that when you've poured your heart and soul into something, the very first review to come in really hits you hard. When MarcyKate emailed me to let me know a review had been posted, she said up-front that it was five-stars...and my heart still skipped a couple beats when I clicked through to read it. 

To see that it was extremely positive was an absolute treat. 

More reviews will land in the months ahead. Hopefully, most of them will be similarly filled with praise. But I can't control that aspect of the publishing process, so I may decide at a certain point to stop reading them. Having that many voices in my head isn't helpful for promoting the book being reviewed or for writing what's next. 

That said, if you're a reviewer, bookseller, or librarian—or if you know one—here are the links to request digital review copies of The Thirteenth Circle: 

If you aren't someone who's eligible to read books early, don't fret! You can help out by doing things like adding the book to your "want to read" shelf on Goodreads, posting about it on social media (or sharing my posts), and of course preordering. (HERE is a link to preorder The Thirteenth Circle from my local indie!) 

Now, I'm going to bask in the feeling of that first glowing review for a little while longer... 

~Kathryn 

What I'm: 

Reading: I just started The Area 51 Files by Julie Buxbaum. This is another middle-grade sci-fi story, this time about a girl who is sent to live with her uncle...who works at the mysterious Area 51! I'm only a few chapters in, but it's fun so far. 

Watching: While my husband was away for a work trip, I watched "Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story" on Netflix. ;) 

Loving: Now that all three Class Critters books are out, it was time for some new promotional swag! Thanks to my husband for helping me design these awesome series bookmarks, which I am so excited to start handing out to young readers very soon. 

My Next Book Has a Cover!

This post was originally sent through my author newsletter on March 24th, 2023. To subscribe to my newsletter and receive up-to-date news, musings, and more, click HERE.

Did you catch the cover reveal this week for my next book, The Thirteenth Circle? Just in case you missed it, take a moment to bask in this image of utter amazing-ness: 

Seriously, how great is that?! It's fun but also a little spooky. Those glowing green orbs give off major "X-Files" vibes. And did you spot the shadowy figures in the background, lurking in the cornfields? Plus all the little details, like the green alien heads on Cat's black shirt and the Erlenmeyer flask Dani is clutching tightly as she runs. (There was even an "X-Files" episode called "The Erlenmeyer Flask" in season one...) I don't know if there's anything I'd do differently on here, to be honest. It's just perfect. 

Once a book has a cover, it definitely starts feeling more real. But that's not all that's happening in the world of The Thirteenth Circle right now. MarcyKate and I also got to see sample interior design pages, and we will receive a full set of designed pages for proofreading (this is called "first-pass pages" in publishing) within the next few weeks. 

The book will also soon be available as an eARC, or Advance Reader Copy. This is for reviewers and booksellers and librarians to get an early sneak peek—and to start spreading the word! Once those digital galleys start going out, and people are actually reading it...whew. The thing is happening! 

Some books have beta-readers, a.k.a. people the author trusts to read early drafts and offer feedback. With this book, having a coauthor kind of meant MarcyKate and I were each other's beta-readers. We didn't send it to anyone else to critique, because we were constantly going back and forth between the two of us. And then, once our agents got involved—and especially after we sold it to a publisher—we had professional feedback coming in. All of which to say, at this point, no one but the two of us, our agents (and their assistants), and our publishing team has read this book. 

So having it start to feed out to READERS feels scary and exciting, all at once! 

This is an interesting time in a book's life. We, the authors, have done just about all of the work we'll ever do on the manuscript. It's very nearly out of our hands. But the actual publication date is still over nine months away! In between comes a lot of waiting and crossing fingers and dropping little teasers and details and waiting some more. With every month that passes between now and release day, it becomes less and less ours. On January 30th, 2024, it's yours. 

And we hope you love it as much as we do. 

~Kathryn 

What I'm: 

Reading: I read Nona the Ninth, the third book in the Locked Tomb series, when the library hold appeared on my phone. It was amazing, just as mind-bendy (maybe even a little more so) than the previous two. But my eye wasn't quite ready for that much text, so I'm back to audiobooks! I am now listening to In the Woods by Tana French. This is technically the first book in the series of Irish murder mysteries I mentioned last newsletter, but it's from the point of view of a different detective, so I don't feel too spoiled by already having listened to book two. 

Watching: This is totally random, but...have you seen "Snack vs. Chef" on Netflix? It involves professional chefs attempting to recreate common snack foods, like Flamin' Hot Cheetos and Kit-Kats, without a recipe. The results are...mixed. Making snacks (especially without the help of, you know, an automated factory) is hard! 

Listening to: Somehow, I missed listening to Maggie Rogers when she released her first album in 2019. I suspect it's because I was neck-deep in Baby Shark and other toddler requests at the time. Suffice it to say, I really like her! Great singer-songwriter vibes. 

Loving: I know I share a lot of my daughter's art in this newsletter, but it really does bring me so much joy. Here is a quick sketch she did of me earlier this week, when she was home sick with a nasty cold and I was attempting to work while also entertaining her. I think it fully captures my working-mom-with-a-healing-eyeball essence...

What Am I Hoping to Cultivate in 2023?

This post was originally sent through my author newsletter on January 13th, 2023. To subscribe to my newsletter and receive up-to-date news, musings, and more, click HERE.

Last week, I shared that my word of the year for 2023 is Cultivate. This week, I wanted to talk a little about what, exactly, I hope to cultivate in my professional life! What seeds did I plant that I'm ready to nurture? What's on tap for me in 2023? 

I have one book release this year: the paperback of Madison Morris is NOT a Mouse! on April 11th. I learned a lot last year, as I released two books in a little over a four-month period. (Technically, I had four book releases in 2022: the paperback of Tally Tuttle, the hardcover and paperback of David Dixon, and the hardcover of Madison Morris!) I am hoping to make the most of this upcoming paperback release, so stay tuned for giveaways, readalouds, collaborations, and more in the next month or two. 

The Thirteenth Circle is moving steadily through the production process. MarcyKate and I are waiting on copyedits, as well as a final cover design and a release date. (As far as I know, this book is still slated for winter 2024.) Meanwhile, we've been working on sample chapters for a proposed Book Two in the Science & Strange series! The Thirteenth Circle is about a crop circle phenomenon. Who wants to guess what paranormal thing our intrepid seventh-grade researchers are going to investigate next? 

I am also embarking on a new writing project this year. I mentioned several months ago that I was auditioning for a write-for-hire gig...and I got it! This week, I submitted a 10-page outline/synopsis as well as character briefs for all of the main players. Once I get approval from my editor and the client, it's time to start drafting in earnest. I will tell you more about this project once I know what I am allowed to disclose (remember, sometimes ghostwriters are allowed to take credit, whereas other times they stay fully behind the scenes). Suffice it to say, I am so excited that I took the chance on this audition last fall and am embarking on this new adventure! I think it will be a lot of fun. 

I did my first few in-person Class Critters school visits in 2022. I not only refined my presentation each time, making it more engaging and more effective (and becoming more comfortable in front of a crowd of kids), but also learned some tricks about reaching out to schools to pitch myself and my books. I am currently in talks with a couple different schools about in-person visits in the spring, which I am so excited about! But also, I am really pushing forward with booking virtual visits. I already have 10 virtual school visits scheduled on and around World Read Aloud Day (February 1st), plus another few virtual visits coming up in March. Speaking of which, if you want me to read/speak to your elementary school students, either virtually or in person, please don't hesitate to reach out! I would love to make something happen. Learn more about my school visits HERE. 

In other professional news, this week I led my first professional writing seminar for the Society of Children's Book Writers & Illustrators, and it went really well! (You may recall me writing about imposter syndrome as I was crafting the presentation...) The facilitators and the attendees seemed very pleased with the information that I and my Class Critters editor, Erica Finkel, shared. And there were approximately 85 registrants, which blew away my expectations for how many people would attend! While this workshop technically happened in 2023, I'm counting it as a seed planted last year, because that's when I laid all the groundwork. Now, I know that I can lead a successful seminar. I do have valuable insight to pass along to other writers. I am not an imposter! So what else can I pursue in this realm? What other opportunities can I seek out? More workshops and seminars? More podcasts? Guest blog posts? 

All of the above is...a lot. I am going to be busy, busy, busy. But I hope to be busy doing what I love—or else doing things that are necessary to support projects I love—and that takes the some of the existential stress out of it. Writing is my job, and I work hard at it, but it's also my passion. I hope that above all, I can continue cultivating enjoyment in my work. 

What word is guiding you this year? 

~Kathryn 

What I'm: 

Reading: I've got a long library hold list at the moment, including several holiday-themed romances that didn't hit my account before the holidays, but I've also just started a new middle-grade fantasy novel! (Remember how I said I was going to read more middle-grade this year, in preparation for my own middle-grade debut in 2024?) Theo Tan and the Fox Spirit by Jesse Q. Sutanto is about a boy who must team up with his brother's fox spirit after his brother passes away. Together, the two—who have never gotten along—must uncover why the brother died. I'm only a few chapters in, but I'm enjoying it so far! 

Watching: "Willow" just finished its first (only?) season, and it definitely got better as it went along. "Abbott Elementary" is back from winter break, and as fun as ever. Oh, and my husband and I watched "Matilda: the Musical" on Netflix a few days ago, and it was absolutely wonderful! 

Eating: Have you ever made a Mississippi Roast? I cooked a version of this in the crock pot a few days ago, and it was divine. (Spoiler alert: there's a lot of butter...)  

Loving: I checked my PO Box this week to find a packet of letters and artwork from a group of 1st and 2nd graders I Zoomed with in December! Here are a few of my favorite pictures. Getting fan art from kids is the absolute best.  

How Much Say Do Authors Have in Cover Design?

This post was originally sent through my author newsletter on November 4th, 2022. To subscribe to my newsletter and receive up-to-date news, musings, and more, click HERE.

Earlier this week, MarcyKate's and my editor for The Thirteenth Circle sent us an email with cover art updates. This was a surprise to us—but also to our editor. Apparently, she hadn't expected to discuss the design for our book yet, but someone brought it up, and so the discussion happened right then and there. Two artists were selected (a first choice and a backup). Our editor sent us links to their portfolios, explaining all the rationales behind why they were the team's top picks.

Why is this noteworthy?

Well, maybe to some authors, it isn't! But for me, it is absolutely the most communication I've ever had about cover design—and it's been both fun and enlightening.

Cover design is one of those areas where, in general, authors get little input. (Unless you're a Very Big Name, i.e. a celebrity or a New York Times Bestseller.)

For my two YA novels, I saw and heard nothing until there was a close-to-finished cover layout. The emails landed in my inbox with language like, "Here's what we've decided on. Hope you like it as much as we do!" I was able to offer tiny suggestions. For instance, I had a few comments about the model in the photograph chosen for the How It Feels to Fly cover: I asked that her nail polish be removed and her makeup be toned down, because she looked much older than the character's 16 years. But overall, I was given the impression that this was what was happening, and I'd best get on board.

(One story I do like to tell about the HIFTF cover is that I was completely caught off guard by those balloons! The image had been chosen because the floating balloons made the designer think of flight. But...there were no balloons *anywhere* in the book. So, rather than argue about the cover not really tying into the story, I added a scene with balloons into the manuscript.)

For Class Critters, I was brought into the process a bit earlier. I learned that they'd be using two different artists: one for the books' covers and one for the interior illustrations. I was told that the sales and marketing team wanted a more photorealistic animal on the cover, with a few quirky illustrated details. I was sent links to portfolios as well as sketches by the artists who had been chosen, and I was able to offer comments on the proposed artwork. (For instance, both the interior and cover artists for Tally Tuttle Turns into a Turtle initially drew tortoises, so I had to send back descriptions and sample images showing the differences between turtles and tortoises!)

But even though I was looped in earlier, I didn't have much say in the actual direction the cover designers chose. I love my Class Critters covers! I'm super lucky! But this was definitely still a situation where things were happening outside of my purview as the author.

Which is why the process with The Thirteenth Circle has been so interesting! Back in September, our editor emailed with some requests. MarcyKate and I were asked for scenes from the book that we thought might be good to feature on the cover, as well as for major symbols and elements that could be included. We were asked to describe the main characters' appearances and general styles. (This is the step that would have saved the Tally Tuttle artists from first drawing tortoises!) We were also asked to share some covers from recent books that we were drawn to, to give the design team some jumping-off points in their brainstorming discussions.

Obviously, I don't know if the finished cover will end up showing the book scene we suggested, but the characters should look the way they are described in the text. Plus, the artists that were chosen for consideration are absolutely fantastic; either one will do an amazing job. And sure, maybe those artists would have been selected even without the authors' suggestions. Maybe they were already on the designers' radars. But it felt amazing to be included in the conversation!

There is so much in this business that is outside of the author's control. Really, the only thing that is ours is the words on the page (and even then, we have an editor and a copyeditor and a proofreader making suggestions). Everyone involved in publishing books wants the best—and most marketable—finished product. There are definitely times when I, as the author, have to let go of something that isn't being done the way I would do it. I have to hope and trust that the people who made the decision did it for good reason. Cover design falls under that umbrella, because cover trends ebb and flow. My job is the words.

But wow, I can't wait to see this Thirteenth Circle cover. I am so excited by the possibilities we've discussed and by the portfolios we've been shown. And of course, I'll share it with you as soon as I'm able!

Fingers crossed we love, love, love it. :)

~Kathryn

What I'm:

Reading: I am currently reading a YA manuscript for blurb consideration! It's been a long time since I was asked to blurb—a.k.a. write up a nice promo statement for marketing and/or the book cover—but this author reached out to me after being moved by How It Feels to Fly. I'll let you know if I decide to blurb her book, so you can check it out when it releases!

Cleaning: I've been on a bit of a home improvement streak lately, working on updates to my office area and my kiddo's room. Do you go in and out of phases where you absolutely must do something to freshen up your living space?

Watching: The kiddo has been home sick for a couple days, so our TV has been set to her current faves: "Doc McStuffins," "Mickey Mouse Club House," and "How It's Made."

Loving: Luckily, she wasn't sick on Halloween! (The germs really hit her on Tuesday...) As promised, here's the two of us: a spooky princess and her skeleton sidekick.

Behind the Scenes: Signing the Contract

This post was originally sent through my author newsletter on September 23, 2022. To subscribe to my newsletter and receive up-to-date news, musings, and more, click HERE.

Remember when I promised to give you all the behind-the-scenes details about producing The Thirteenth Circle, which will be my sixth published book when it comes out in 2024?

Well, this week, I signed the contract!

Wait, you might be saying. Didn't you announce The Thirteenth Circle weeks ago? And sell it back in April? And already do a full revision with your editor?

Yes, yes, and yes.

Here is something you may not know about the publishing industry: everything moves at its own pace. (And that pace is, generally, SLOW.) It is not at all uncommon to sign a contract having already done the bulk of the work.

After the publisher makes an offer and the author accepts it, the contract has to be drafted and submitted to the author's representative for approval. The literary agent generally asks for tweaks to the language to make it more favorable for their client. Those revisions must then be approved by the publisher's legal team...and so the contract goes back and forth and back and forth until everyone is, well, if not completely happy, then at least satisfied. In the meantime, if the book is going to be published within 1.5-2 years (the average time from offer to publication), the author and the editor have to get to work doing their part!

So, if MarcyKate and I are already hard at work with our editor, why is officially signing the contract actually a big deal?

Because now we can get paid.

Hooray!!

Here's a little bit more you might not know about book contracts: one of the things they specify is when payments will be disbursed. In traditional publishing, you are generally offered what is called an "advance." This is money you are paid before the book releases, i.e. in advance of publication. The advance is divided into multiple payments. For The Thirteenth Circle, we are being paid 1/3 of the advance upon contract signing, 1/3 upon delivery and acceptance of the final manuscript (a.k.a. when our edits are done), and 1/3 on or around publication day.

For my first book, which published in 2015, the advance was split in half, with payments on signing and delivery/acceptance; a 50/50 split is now rare. Some publishers are even dividing advances into fourths, with the final payment occurring months after publication! Which makes it no longer an advance...but I digress.

Getting paid is one big, exciting reason to be happy about signing the contract.

But there's also an emotional component, at least for me. Signing the contract means this thing is officially happening. This book that I love will, barring an unforeseen disaster, hit shelves. Everyone is committed. Contract-signing is a moment that feels full of potential. Where will this book take us? How will we reach and connect with readers?

Last week, I talked about celebrating the small things. Signing a contract isn't so small—but given that we've already announced the book and begun revisions with our editor and even started talking with our team about possible cover illustrations, it can feel like just another step in the journey. So, I wanted to take a moment to commemorate the milestone! My fourth book contract; my sixth published book. What an amazing feeling.

~Kathryn

Pictured below:

Top: contracts for The Distance Between Lost and Found (left) and How It Feels to Fly (right)—back when they were mailed on paper! Bottom: Digital contract signing for Class Critters (left) and The Thirteenth Circle (right).

What I'm:

Reading: Salt to the Sea by Ruta Sepetys. Sepetys is a YA author who primarily writes historical fiction. She often tackles historical events that are lesser-known. This book is about the evacuation of East Prussia at the tail end of World War II, and the sinking of the Wilhelm Gustloff—one of the worst naval disasters in history. Sepetys tells the story through multiple narrators, including Lithuanian, Polish, and German points of view. Her prose is beautiful and her research is impeccable. What's your favorite work of historical fiction?

Watching: "Andor," the prequel series to Rogue One featuring rebel Cassian Andor's backstory. It dropped this week on Disney+, and it surprised me: first, that it was already releasing, and second, that it was good! Episodes one and two are a slow burn, but episode three was amazing. I initially questioned whether this show was even necessary, and now I am all in.

Craving: Red velvet cake. This is a favorite of mine. It made an appearance on the newest season of "The Great British Baking Show" last week, and now I desperately want some. My birthday is coming up...

Loving: Getting as much sunshine as possible before the days get short and cold and dark. I love fall, and it's nice to be cozy indoors in winter, but oh, how I miss the sun...