Book Week 2015

Hullo again :)

So Book Week 2015 is nearly upon us.  The theme for this year's Book Week is 'Books Light Up Our World', and there is a wheelbarrow-load of stuff happening over the next week (well, ten days or so - Book Week does tend to kind of ooze out over the edges of August).  Here are some of the things I'm going to, if you'd like to come along:

Saturday 22 August
RWA conference
Park Hyatt Melbourne

I'll be presenting at the Romance Writers of Australia conference this year, which is a privilege - I don't think they've had a workshop on YA fiction before - so if you're around from 12-1pm you can catch me at "Going All the Way: Romance (and Sex) in YA"

ARRA Signing Event
Park Hyatt Melbourne

There will be a Massive Mega-signing Event for the RWA conference, as organised by the Australian Romance Reader's Association - come along from 5-6pm and say hulloo :)

Sunday 23 August
MWF
Signal

I'm not speaking on this, but I'm attending WITH BELLS ON - it's a Fanfiction Panel with Danielle Binks, Melissa Keil and Justine Larbalestier, talking fanfic.  There will even be an open mic for fic readings!  Following on from that is the YA Book Swap Event, which will be fantastic...except I don't know if I really want to give any of my YA books away...

Monday 24 August
Billanook College

I will be visiting here, giving talks and workshops on how I do this writery business, and how to write crime

Tuesday 25 August
Kardinia College

...And then the next day I'll be driving all the way to Geelong to say hi to Kardinia students!

Thursday 27 August
Loreto College

After a day at home (probably talking to the builder, because we need to put a room on our house, with all the GIANT BOYS now living here), I'll be dropping by to say hullo to folks at Loreto in Ballarat.

Friday 28 August
Our Lady of Mercy College

...then another exciting school visit at Our Lady of Mercy in Heidelberg!

Saturday 29 August
Davitt Awards
Thornbury Theatre

Now this is the one I'm hanging out for: the night of nights, the big knees-up bash to see who will win the One Ring to Rule Them All...  I mean, which books will win the Sisters in Crime Davitt Awards for the best writing by Australian female crime novelists in 2015, yay! I'm excited because, well, Every Word has been shortlisted for the Best YA category, which is exciting.  Holy crap.  I have asked my partner to come with me and hold my sweaty hand, and barring hiccups with the junior football finals, he should be able to come.  MY FINGERS AND TOES ARE CROSSED.

Now sorry, but that's truly all I have time to write today, because I'm packing for the week I've just outlined to you - yes, it's mega-week.  Wish me luck, and good luck to you for Book Week - may the Book Fairies bring you something wonderful :)

xxEllie

InsideADog links and event catch-up

Hi all!  This is a quick catch-up post, to give you all the InsideADog residence posts!

So here they are, in order of appearance (my introductory first post was included in my last update): 

Hot Characters of YA - in which I talk about, yes, hot characters, and how, when a character makes you love them, you're obliged to follow wherever they lead...

How to Make a Book - which is the post I where get my sillies on, and give a brief bullet-point list explaining the process of bringing a book into being;

How To Lead A Life of Crime - a basic primer on crime fiction and the crime books I love, as well as the kinds of whacky research you have to do to make it all sound real;

Fannish Author Love - is the post where BOB MORLEY TWEETED ME, holy crap, and all the ways there are to express some fan love (legally);

I Open At the Close - and you see what I did there, huh?  Showing off my HP-nerd cred?  Well, I really hope that some of what JK Rowling has will rub off on me, because this is the post where I talk about writing endings and why it's so damn hard;

and the final post in the residency series -

Farewell my lovelies, and #LoveOzYA - which was my grand finale, where I answered all the thorny questions I forgot to answer previously, and talked about how #LoveOzYA is awesome.

And that was it!  I had a wonderful time on InsideADog, and I hope you get a chance to go check the site out sometime, especially in the lead up to the Inky Awards (where ACTUAL TEENAGERS get to vote for the best YA books in the country).

I haven't written a post telling you about all the cool things I got up to at Reading Matters 2015, because that will soon be covered in a post on the Centre for Youth Lit site (I'll let you know when it goes up).  BUT...something else really cool happened since then, and it was this:

IT'S SO SHINY!!
and actually  it's not shiny, more of a matte finish, but you'll understand that by this I mean IT'S BEAUTIFUL, cos it is beautiful.  And I can't believe Every Word will be out in North America so soon! September!  Eep!

I'll also be doing a few things this month of August...well, I'll be doing more than a few things, I'l be doing lots of things, but here's the ones coming up fast:

Wednesday 5 and Thursday 6 August - Scotch College Literary festival, I'll be giving crime fiction workshops here for students

Thursday 6 August - Green Valentine by Lili Wilkinson, launching at Readings, Lygon St Carlton at 6pm (I'll defs be there, cos I'm launching the book)

Saturday 8 August - Bendigo Writers Festival, I'll be appearing on a panel with Geraldine Wooller and Peter Timms, and hosted by John Charambalous, where we'll all be talking about plotting.

I'll post up a few more dates and events soon.  August is a busy time for writers in Victoria, because the Melbourne Writers Festival is on (I've already booked two panels!), as well as Book Week (hi schools!), the Davitt Awards (in which Every Word has been awesomely shortlisted), the Inky Awards (who will win??), the Romance Writers of Australia conference (I'm giving a workshop), a bunch of excellent book launches (yaass), and the Ned Kelly Awards shortlist announcement.  If I'm not on top of the blog updates, please forgive me!

Hope you're well, I'll update again next week, and stay wordy!

xxEllie

Holiday Summer of Reading List Love at the Palais Du Chook

Well, here we are – I only started this blog two years ago, with a post about writing something over the summer holiday break, and we’ve suddenly arrived at the same point again.  Yesterday was the first official day of summer here in Victoria, and it’s promising to be a hot, dry one.  We’ve finished our Palais du Chook (see left), just in time to start keeping up the water to the new crop of baby chicks, and the garden is already starting to brown off.  It seems bizarre that I was whinging about how we couldn’t get the washing dry only a few short months ago – stick around a bit, and you’ll hear me complaining about the heat.

My year of buying only books by female writers is also coming to an end.  I made that first commitment, to buy only books written by women, after writing this post on women and the NYT Bestseller List.  I have to say, it was an easy task I set myself – so easy that I almost forgot I was doing it.  Books by female writers make up the bulk of my reading and buying anyway, so it was no hardship (should I have set myself a more difficult task?). I did a bit of an audit, and figured out I only cheated twice: once when I bought a James Dashner book for my sons that they desperately had to have, and once when I bought Jay Kristoff’s Stormdancer – but that was at the launch of the final Lotus Wars book, Endsinger, so I didn’t feel bad (Jay also writes kick-arse Japanese steampunk female protags, which alleviated any remaining guilt).  Every other book I’ve bought this year has been by a female author.

Which doesn’t mean to say I’ve stopped reading books by men.  No way – I’ve just been getting them all from the library.  And there are definitely a few books by guys that I’m rather keen to get my hands on, so I’m looking forward to being able to buy them.  The Rosie Effect by Graeme Simsion is pretty much the top of my list (although I’m hoping someone will give it to me for Christmas – HINT), and other male-authored books I’m lining up for are Blood of My Blood by Barry Lyga (god yes), Winger by Andrew Smith, The Last Shot by Michael Adams (and the third one comes out early next year! Double happiness!), Foxglove Summer by Ben Aaronovich, and The First Third by Will Kostakis.  I’m hoping to have a very large pile of TBR books to take on our annual camping trip over the New Year.

Now I thought I’d get in early and write up my favourite reads of 2014, because last time I did this it was, like, February already.  Not all of these are new – some were published ages ago and this was the year they called to me.  But anyway, here you go, my favourite reads of the year!

Outlander: Cross Stitch by Diana Gabaldon

Recced to me by loads of people, but most specifically Danielle Binks, and a hearty thank you from me.  I LOVED it.  An historical romance that gender-flips all the tropes? – I am so there.  And the teev series – wow! – reminded me of all the reasons I love Ron Moore.  And we won’t even mention Sam Hueghan…

Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs

Original, eerie, beautifully written and mysteriously plotted.  I loved the weird photos, which made me think of Carnivale and The Mysteries of Harris Burdick by Chris Van Allsburg, and overall an amazing ride

Wild Awake by Hilary T. Smith

Such a beautiful book.  At the end of it, I felt like my world had been tilted on its axis.

The Incredible Here and Now by Felicity Castagna

This book was up for the 2014 CBCA Book of the Year award, and I’m so glad I wasn’t judging, I would be the most horribly subjective judge, but THIS BOOK.  Just a tiny heartbreaking sliver of Western Sydney in an incredibly crafted package that doesn’t feel crafted, but rather just feels like the most beautiful real life.

The Piper’s Son by Melina Marchetta

GAH.  Just…GAH.  I love Thomas Mackee.  And I love Melina Marchetta.  I have no idea why I haven’t read it before this year but I guess this was just the year I was meant to read it, and this book went off like a lightbulb exploding inside my head.

Rivers of London by Ben Aaronovich

I haven’t laughed so much or been so absorbed while reading a paranormal urban fantasy for a long long time. Incredibly diverse cast, and I just loved the protag’s voice.  Bizarrely plotted, but it’s all part of the fun.

Through the Cracks by Honey Brown

Have I said often enough yet how I’m in love with Honey Brown and want to have her book babies?  No?  This is another searing psychological ride, not so much a thriller, but you have no idea what will happen to the characters, and you don’t want to put the book down until you find out.  Gorgeous writing – just gorgeous.  And dialogue – omg.  I always have a Honey Brown book on my desk, it’s compulsory.  And she has a new one coming out soon!  Woot!

The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater

I have picked up and put down various Maggie Stiefvater books for the last few years – I don’t know why I kept putting them down, maybe it wasn’t the right time to read them.  But this one – this one I could not put down.  The most awesome character descriptions ever.  I’m already desperate for the next book, The Dream Thieves, and if this is what all of Stiefvater’s work is like, sign me up.

There you go – ta da!  Finally, I’m gonna end the whole Reading List Love thing with a nod at The Book I Have Been Waiting For: I am so very very happy (I cannot even tell you: I am FULL OF SQUEE) that The Shadow Cabinet, the final book in the Shades of London series by Maureen Johnson, is about to be released.  How much am I longing for this book?  SO MUCH.  The only thing that would make me happier right now would be if Holly Black said she was releasing a fourth book in the Curseworkers series (please please say that could potentially happen!!  Holly, I love you and no pressure!!)

Okay, that’s it.  Just a few more parting words before I go about the Every series.

* Every Breath is going great guns in North America and the Philippines.  It was recently featured at The Midnight Garden here (wow!) and also on Jukebooks at theYALSA blog ( double wow!).  All you incredible readers and bloggers and book-buyers and librarians out there, YOU ARE ALL MADE OF AWESOME, and thank you so much!  I’m so very grateful for all your support, and especially huge thanks to Tundra Books for making it happen.  Also, so far as I’m aware, Every Breath will reach UK shores in Spring of 2015.

* Every Word is being prepped for a 2015 release in North America and the Philippines.  Woot!  Right now I’m going through typeset pages to check for last minute things before printing.

If you are keen for an Advance Review Copy of Every Word (and just gaze adoringly at those beautiful ARCs there for a second – aren’t they gorgeous?) then please drop into Instagram and gimme a follow – we’re giving them away to new-follower folks, so sign on up!

* Every Move – omg, we’re nearly at the finish line!  I’m doing final passes this week, and my eds and I are working our butts off to bring this book to print on deadline, which will make an early March 2015 release possible.  Honestly, after the writing and the re-writing and the editing and the copyediting and the proofing and the final passes, I must have read through this book at least a hundred times, so I’m getting tired and my butt is sore from sitting in front of the computer, and I am now also filled with the fizzy, scary nervousness of ‘will people like it?’.  There’s also lots of last minute anxiety about whether it’s going to live up to people’s expectations.  But in my saner moments, I’m pretty confident that you will like it (fingers crossed).  Either way, it’s coming very soon!

So that’s the end.  And I hope you have a wonderful holiday season, wherever you are in the world, and may you get lots of lovely books for Christmas! (and give them in return!)

xxEllie

Every Word playlist, and I can’t believe we went camping!

In the rain and snow!  In July!  But hey, we did.  It’s school holidays, you’re supposed to do crazy stuff like that.  Well, maybe not that crazy.  But it was great!  I saw and played in and skied on solid snow for the first time in my life.  I fell down and lot and got a damp bum.  I had a good time, which is funny cos I was dreading it.

Much like book release periods – I dread being so busy that I can’t write, and I feel drained and exhausted afterwards, but I have a strangely fun time.  Now that Every Word is out there, fending for itself, I feel oddly unoccupied.  Wah!

Anyhoo, just for the feels, here’s something I promised I’d post up: the Every Word playlist.  These are the songs that inspired me during the writing of certain scenes, or just seemed to ear-worm me at different times while I was writing the book, and gave the writing a heartbeat.

Prytania – Mute Math: For the opening credits.  Something about this ‘shaka-shaka’ song really reminded me of Rachel and Mycroft’s whole journey for this book.

Rocksteady – The Bloody Beetroots: For the roller derby scene, obvs.

Gold on the Ceiling – The Black Keys: Mycroft’s current Black Keys fave – he always has a Black Keys song on the hop.

Lay Your Love on Me – Racey: For the hot make-out scene in Mycroft’s room.  I changed my mind a few times about this song, because I thought it was too daggy.  But you know, Mycroft is kind of daggy, in an off-beat way.  What finally convinced me in the end were the lyrics: ‘Every word you say/ every move you make now…’

Wide Load – Ainslie Wills:  This is a beautiful, mournful song of regret by a Ballarat singer-songwriter, and it set the mood perfectly for the scene where Rachel sees Mycroft through the window of his room, late at night.

London Calling – The Clash: Arriving in London.  What else could you use?  Plus, Mycroft mentions the Clash specifically during one of those hair-raising drives with Professor Walsh.

Royals – Lorde: In the Underground tunnel, before Alicia and Rachel visit the Sherlock Holmes museum. This song was soo big while I was in London, omg, it was played everywhere. 

Fine Shrine – Purity Ring : This is for Rachel, swimming back to consciousness after a (no spoilers!) traumatic event.  It sounds like a bubblegum pop song that’s been warped and turned inside out so you can see the entrails – which is a lot like I imagined Rachel would feel at that point.

Burning Down the House – Talking Heads: This song would not leave me alone during the writing of Every Word.  Honestly, it’s addictive – try it.

Stay – Rihanna: Out in the yard, before the final scene of the book.  Mentioned on p:327.

Straight Lines – Silverchair : Another song that ear-wormed me.  Consider it a final credits song – for me, it’s about trying to be good and find a balance in your life.

There you go!  Hope you like these tunes, and maybe they’ll give you a little perspective on where I was at while I was writing the book.  I’d like to say thank you too, to all the people who’ve written in, and posted reviews, and gotten in touch through Twitter and Facebook to say they’re loving Every Word.  That makes me incredibly happy.

The Goodreads giveaway has wound up – congratulations to the three winners, from the US, Canada, and Great Britain!  I’ll be sending your copies of Every Word through this week.  Thanks to everyone who participated in comps and giveaways on the blog tour, and again, special thanks to the book bloggers who supported the tour.  Hugs.

Over the next few weeks, I’m going to keep you updated about the progress of Every Move, which I know people are keen to hear about (it’s going to the printers in November – that’s the current timeline, at any rate), and I might even have time soon to put up a new Crime Report interview, which is something I’ve been rather slack about.  Until then, hope you’re doing okay – the weather here is truly miserable and cold (I can’t believe we went camping!), with drips all down the windows, and mud on the front step.  We’re keeping the house fire stoked high, and drying our socks that way.  Hope the weather is better for you, wherever you might find yourself, and have a good week!

Xx Ellie

A Most Especially Very Good Day

It is a most especially very good day when you finally see your book out on the shelves.

Every Word has been released into the wild, and it's an amazing thing.  I have to say it’s a very strange feeling, seeing your book looking all book-like on a shelf in a shop – it always spins me out a little, in a good way (a very good way!) to know that people are seeing and reading the book for the first time.  For some reason this second book process has produced a swirl of nerves, rather distinct and different from Every Breath.  I suppose it’s to do with anxiety about what people will think – will they enjoy it as much as the first book?  Does it meet people’s expectations and standards?  Maybe that’s something you feel particularly with a series, because you want to do the characters and the whole show justice, and you hope like hell that people will think you’ve matched the heights (or lows, or whatever) of the first book.

I’m going to put my worries aside for the moment though, because Every Word seems to be making people happy – early reviews are starting to come in, and they’ve been very complimentary (relief!), and if you'd like to read some of the nice things folks are saying, have a look:

Birdee Mag

Novels on the Run

The Bookish Manicurist

AlphaReader

Written Word Worlds

And I did a guest post here at Speculating on Spec Fic, in which I talk a bit about the process of writing the series, and here at Cereal Readers, answering some questions about the book.  There are giveaways on at most of these websites too, if you're keen to have a go at winning a copy.

I've got some lovely things of my own to give away - check this out!

Yes, these little beauties are library bags, and they will be on hand at the Every Word launch in Melbourne (Readings Carlton, Thursday 12 June, 6.30pm - come along!) and at the Castlemaine Bash at the library on Friday 20 June 6pm - I'll be giving them away as door prizes, and it will be fun to see people walking around town with their EW library bags!

I'll also have them with me when I go wandering...yes, I'm going to Sydney!  I'm quite excited about that.  I'll be visiting Sydney from Friday 27 June until Sunday 29 June, to see my publisher (they all want cake! so demanding!) and to drop in at some bookshops and sign copies of the book.  I'm hoping to set up a time and place where I can meet up with people who are keen to come and have a chat, so if you let me know your favourite bookshop, I might be able to accommodate you there.

What else has been happening...well, I've been spending a lot of time online and my husband is about ready to throw my phone in the dam again (please don't! I just got a new one that doesn't over-heat...) and I've been working my other job (yes, you have to have one of those), and spending a bit of quality time with my boys.  I've also been editing Every Move, which is quite exciting - and heart-breaking sometimes, but I try not to angst too much about that - and I've started watching Hannibal, a rather creepy show adapted from Thomas Harris's magnificent book, The Silence of the Lambs (tip: don't watch Hannibal while you're eating dinner).

If you're a student of Castlemaine Secondary College - hey, I'm coming to see you!  I'll be at CSC Literature Festival on 18 June, running a workshop on plotting the perfect crime.  I'm also going to be speaking at the Wheeler Centre on Monday 23 June, and popping in at Wendouree library on Wednesday 25 June before the exciting trip to Sydney, and the equally exciting Death in July Festival of women's crime writing in Ballarat in (you guessed in) July.  See you there!

I'd like to do a new post soon on the songlist for Every Word - it definitely has a songlist - and a bit about my all-time favourite books, but until then, hope you're all travelling well, and if you're round and about for the Every Word launch/es, please do come along :)

xx Ellie

EVERY WORD Blog Tour

Hi folks!  Just a quickie update to let you know about the Every Word blog tour, which has started right now - as in today!  There'll be giveaways, interviews, guest posts and more, so if you're keen to follow Every Word's progress through the blogosphere, go check it out:

EVERY WORD NATIONAL BLOG TOUR – MAY 28 TO JUNE 27
http://speconspecfic.com/, guest post and giveaway, 28-05-2014 
www.writtenwordworlds.wordpress.com, review and giveaway, 28-05-2014
www.alphareader.blogspot.com, interview and giveaway competition, 02-06-2014
www.asupersunnyspot.blogspot.com, review and giveaway competition, 02-06-2014
http://www.cerealreaders.blogspot.com.au/, interview, 03-06-2014
www.novelsontherun.blogspot.com, review and giveaway competition, 05-06-2014
http://aussieownedandread.com, interview and review, 11-06-2014
http://www.thetalescompendium.com, review, 11-06-2014
http://theyabooklover.blogspot.com.au/, review and giveaway competition, 16-05-2014
http://rachybee-the-rest-is-still-unwritten.blogspot.com.au/, review and giveaway competition, 17-06-2014
http://www.fictionalthoughts.com, interview, 20-06-2014
http://yamadness.blogspot.com.au/, review, 30-06-2014

And in related news, we've confirmed that yes, there will be a nice little party here in Castlemaine to celebrate Every Word's release, and to thank all the friends who've given me a leg up over the past year :) The party will be at Castlemaine Library on Friday 20 June, and it'll kick off at 5pm with a reading and Q&A, plus a giveaway draw, and then we'll all move out to the Library foyer to rage on after 6pm... Champagne may well be involved, and definitely cake!  And I have some sweet magnets and library bags to hand out as door prizes...  If you're in town that night, please feel free to come along :)

(and yeah, that's me and my two youngest boys - no champagne for them, but they're excited about the cake!)

xx Ellie

EVERY WORD UPCOMING LAUNCH AND GIVEAWAY

Salutations!  The sky is overcast with rain, and the sun is nowhere to be seen.  All the leaves in our yard need sweeping up, and we’re going through firewood faster than we can cut it, with the wood fire stove blazing to keep out the cold.  But I’m still in a good mood!

That’s because I’ve got a giveaway happening for Every Word :)  Here’s the gorgeous prize pack – I’ve got a lovely brand spanking new copy of Every Word, hot off the press, as well as a copy of the Australian edition of Every Breath, and a snazzy magnifying glass, so you can conduct your own investigations.  Very shiny!

As you know, I’m kind of an old-fashioned chick, so I’m doing it the usual old-fashioned way – if you’d like to enter the giveaway, you can do one of three things:

1. tweet me @elliemarney on Twitter, saying you’d like to enter - if you mention Every Word and give me an RT, I’ll enter you twice

2. go across to my Facebook page and comment to let me know you’re keen to enter, and I’ll put you in the hat – if you share the link to the giveaway post, you get two entries

3. leave a comment here on the blog, and into the hat you go!

Good luck to everyone who enters!  I’ll be pulling a name out of the hat (yes, it’s an actual hat, that’s the way I always do it) in two week’s time.  So check back then, and see if you got lucky!

I also wanted to let you know that Every Word is going to be launched into the world on Thursday 12 June, at 6.30pm, at Readings Carlton in Melbourne.  Woot, we’re having a party!  The fantastic Australian crime author, my Sister in Crime mate, Angela Savage, will be there to host the send-off.  There’ll be cake (there has to be cake) and balloons and champagne and door prizes on the night (not a meat tray!)  Copies of the book will be on sale, and there’ll be speeches (not too long) and signing, as well as me blushing, and a lot of general silliness.  If you’d like to join in, you’re very welcome – come and help me celebrate!  You can RSVP at Readings on 9347 6633 or just rock up on the night.

Until then, I’ll be keeping busy with visits to schools, and the Every Word blog tour is coming up very soon, which I’m totally looking forward to.  So far, there’ll be visits to blogs like Speculating on Spec Fic, The Rest is Still Unwritten, Tales of the Inner Book Fanatic, Cereal Readers, the Loony TeenWriter, Tales Compendium, BookProbe Reviews, and many others – stay tuned, and I’ll let you know when and where it’s all happening.

It’s all a bit thrilling!  I’ve been turning my beautiful copy of Every Word over in my hands and looking through it – I’m still pretty amazed that it’s a real book, and by the end of the month it’ll be up on a real shelf.  I can’t wait to share it!

All rightie then, better get back to the rest of the day.  Since the cold weather came back, we’ve started cooking roasts again – roasts!  My fingers smell like garlic and rosemary from preparing today’s.  Have a good week, and I’ll be in touch again soon :)

Xx Ellie 

Beginnings and Endings and Everything In Between

It’s been a crazy month.  While I’ve been gearing up for the June 1 release of Every Word, which I’m very excited about sharing with people, I’ve also been in the process of writing the third (and to my understanding, final) book in the Every series, Every Move.  My editor has already given me a month’s extension, when the copyediting process for Every Word ran over a little, so I’ve been busting my buns trying to get the book finished.  I know, I know, my editor would probably be okay to give me another few days, or even another week, but I like to be vaguely professional and get my manuscripts in on time.

I’ve been so busy with the writing of this book, that it didn’t occur to me until I reached this point, the nearly-end-point, that I’m about to write the ending of the series.  About to write – yes, that’s correct.  I haven’t written the final two chapters yet.  I have to admit I’ve been kind of stuck on it (don’t worry, Eva, I’m definitely going to get it finished!).  I know basically how it will end, and some of the outcomes, but I have to work out the choreography of it – how the action will all play out.

There’s a few reasons, that I can figure out, why I might be struggling with this ending bit, even though I’ve been mentally preparing myself for writing this book since halfway through the writing of Every Word.  I know exactly what the reasons are, because I had to get up in front of Simmone Howell’s RMIT YA creative writing class and talk about them (and hi to everyone from the course, this is your shout-out.  Also to Simmone, who is awesome).

The first reasons is that I’m a pantser – ie, I write by the seat of my pants, with no pre-organised plan for what’s happening or who’s going where or who’s doing what (except for the plan in my head).  I do scribble down a lot of notes, and I often go so far as to write a rough outline.  But I think I figured out some time in high school that me writing outlines is actually a kind of giant procrastination technique – see, look at my beautiful colour-coded outline!!  I wrote it on big sheets of cardboard and stuck it up on my wall to follow, and it took 3 WEEKS to write it all out, which is time I could probably have better spent WRITING THE ACTUAL BOOK, yes, I know, but see the pretty pretty??!  I actually almost never follow outlines that I write for myself, so I’m better off just ditching the outline, and writing what’s begging to be let out of my head.

But, coming back to the reason being a pantser makes it hard to finish things is…this means that I don’t know what’s going to happen next.  I swear to you right now, I do not know what will happen in the final two chapters of Every Move.  And I’m submitting next Wednesday.  I know - freaky, right?  Also – scary, because I have no idea how I will get it together between now and then (particularly scary for my editors, I imagine).  Also – holy crap, now I’m on deadline and I HAVE to think of something.  I don’t have time to mull, or muse, or wait for that bolt of inspiration from the blue, la lalalala.  I HAVE to think it up RIGHT NOW.  That is kind of stressful.  On the positive side, I'm hoping that If I can't see the way this is all going to end, then maybe when readers get it in their hot little hands, they will be kept on tenterhooks in the same way.

One of the other reasons I’m finding Every Move hard to finish is, there are lots of threads.  You know, in a book, there are plots, and subplots, and subsubplots, and characters with issues, and background happenings, and side characters that would very much like their story arc resolved now thank you.  Well, it turns out that by the end of a series you have a LOT of that stuff floating around. And you need to tie all the loose threads up (mostly).  That has taken me a while to get my head around, and also to figure out what all the threads are that actually need tying up, and then how to work them all in.

Phew.

Another reason why I’m finding it hard is – I’m tired!  I’ve been writing the Every series for the better part of five years now.  It’s become my main (not my most lucrative, but my main) job, and I’ve been working a pretty punishing schedule of inside-12 months release dates for a while now.  Producing what I hope is good quality work at that rate is tiring.  Some days I do get word strain.  My brain gets overfried.

I want to make good words!  But it’s harder do that – avoid those adverbs, reject that cliché – when you’re tired.  Still, that’s what you’ve gotta do.  Especially in a series: you owe it to your readers, your characters and yourself to keep your language and ideas fresh, keep the characters interesting, and make sure the plots are fun and twisty and as original as you can make ‘em.

I’m also doing other jobs that are related to publication and promotion of the books, like communicating with my lovely new publisher in Canada, Tundra, about the release of Every Breath in September over in North America, and also editing one book intensively while writing another, and attending speaking engagements (hi, Tintern College students, I will see you again soon!), and doing interviews, and updating my blog (oh yes, that would be this!), and a bunch of other business-y type stuff that I had no idea was part of the professional life of being a writer.  At the time I signed on with my publisher, I thought I would hand over my manuscript (oh blessed holy manuscript!) and lo and behold, that was it.  Wrong wrong wrong.  There’s a lot of housekeeping involved in being a writer, I’m discovering.

Finally, there’s one last reason why writing this ending has been a hard slog.  And it’s very simple and obvious.  Halfway through the class, after I’d waxed lyrical to Simmone’s lovely students about most of the stuff I’ve just talked about, Simmone actually turned to me and said, ‘Wow, so this is gonna be it, yeah?  You’ll have to say goodbye to the characters.’

And it really hit me.  OH MY GOD, I’M SAYING GOODBYE TO MY CHARACTERS.  These people I’ve lived with, had adventures with, talked with in my head for five years…  My invisible playmates.  My imaginary friends, who I know almost as well as I know myself.  I mean, I can tell you how James Mycroft likes to drink his tea (strong, lots of condensed milk) and his favourite band (The Black Keys), and what Rachel has in her drawers (lots of denim, flannelette shirts, t-shirts, cut-offs, only two pairs of shoes – runners or boots, a windbreaker, tank tops, thermal shirts and leggings, various undies in white cotton and four bras – two are sports bras) and how Mike always has trouble getting his hair to stay down, and what their family house looks like, and…

Maybe that’s why I’m having so much trouble writing these last few chapters.  Because I love my characters.  And even though I will have a great sense of accomplishment after writing the end of the series, and will celebrate it with champagne, and throw up my arms and yell, because I’ll be able to y’know, have a holiday, and then start on something new which I’ve had on the mental back burner for ages (it’s begging me to let it out), I will still be sad.  I will be incredibly sad when I send off the final pages to the printers on this last book, because – oh, my babies!  I love Rachel and James, and I will miss them like crazy.  I will probably do strange things like obsessively re-read all the books in a row, just like a mother who goes back over all the old baby photos…  Oh boy.  Maybe I won’t do that.

Anyway, it all comes down to this.  There’s beginnings and endings, and one book – Every Word – is about to have its beginning out there in the world, and I give it all the love and luck that’s in me. I can’t wait for people to read it, and I hope you all like it.   Another book – the final book, the last book - is about to come to an end.  Wish me luck with the writing, and I hope I do everybody justice.

xxEllie

PS: Before I start bawling into my beer, I should say that there'll be more frequent updates over the next few months, and I'm currently looking for more YA Crime-related guests to interview.  I've got a few people possibly-maybe lined up, but if you think of anyone you'd like to see quizzed here about the process of writing YA Crime - authors, experts, police, anybody - please give me a holler (ie, write me a comment, or tweet me @elliemarney)

And I'll be doing a residency at Tintern College all next month, plus I'm dropping in at Carey Grammar, but I'm also planning on popping into some bookstores to do signings and say hello, closer to Every Word's release, so keep your ears open for news.

And, the blog tour for Every Word will start at the end of May, so oh my goodness, it's all happening!  I really can't wait to share this book :) 

xE

COVER REVEAL AND RELEASE DATE: Every Word

Okay – cue me, with the flailing hands again.

I swore black and blue that I’d get this up last week, but of course, I was distracted by the actual process of getting the book to the printers (yup, kinda necessary, that).  But now I get to share the shiny cover of Every Word with you.  Yes.

And here it is!

So lovely, right?  Lisa White has done an amazing job.  I can tell you at this point that the covers were designed by her well in advance – back when Every Breath was being designed, before I even had a full manuscript for Every Word ready to go – and the only detail she knew about Every Word was ‘London’.  So she has really been quite psychic about this cover, because it’s a great reflection of what’s inside (see how Mycroft’s looking all angsty?  Well, there’s a reason for that…)

I can also tell you now that Every Word will be officially released on 1 June 2014.  You can pre-order copies through the Allenand Unwin website, if you like, and feel free to drop over to Goodreads and add it to your list, if you have one.

What else has been happening?  SO MANY THINGS.  Oh my god, you know those weeks you have when you feel like the whirlwind has come to you, and everything seems to want to happen all at once?  That has been me, for the past few weeks.  I’ve been working other jobs, and writing grant proposals, and talking to folks in Canada about getting Every Breath released overseas in September, and writing Every Move, and doing copyedits for Every Word, and rewrites for Every Word, and, and…

Oh yes, my house!  It is so messy! (oh, my messy  messy house… *sob*)And my family!  We’ve had a birthday, and a school camp, and parent-teacher nights…all the usual exciting stuff. My head has been just a little full lately.  Last night, I had a dream about a haunted supermarket (say what?), so clearly I have a few too many plates spinning.  Or maybe I’ll use it for a story, at some later point, who knows.

I’ve also got some events coming up.  Lovely folks of Tintern College, I am coming your way on Monday 17 March, and then later again, in May.  I’ll be at Carey Grammar in May too, for the literature festival there, and the Melbourne Writers Festival Schools Program is in August, and I’ll be there!  I even bought some proper lady-clothes for all these things, yes indeed, so you won’t have to deal with the sight of me in my clean-out-the-chookhouse clobber.

In the meantime, I’m gonna keep working on Every Move.  I’m really looking forward to April, when things will be quieter, and I’ll be able to really get into it.  The weather here is cooling now, which is very conducive for working – it’s dark and quiet in the mornings, and not yet freeze-your-fingers-off temperatures, so I’ll be able to get up and make my thermos and sneak out to write into the cool, dim, quiet time before everyone yawns and wakens…

See you in the haunted supermarket J

Xx Ellie

Fanning flames, and the Blog Hop

Summer is kind of a stressful time around here.  It’s not that’s it’s not lovely to have a change from the long and freezing months of winter – it is, totally – but seasonal weather in this part of the country always seem to swerve from one extreme to the other.  Winter is about snow on your car, frozen pipes, sleet in your face and whether you’ve got enough firewood to last until October.  Summer involves heat so intense it could kill you if you sat in your car with the windows up, keeping water supplies up to the animals, monitoring the dam level, and bushfires.

The past month we’ve had three evacuation scares near where we live – one was literally down the road, when a 20 acre grassfire looked like it might threaten us depending on the wind change.  Check out the pic of smoke haze near our washing line – nice, huh?  (I’m being ironic, it’s nerve-wracking)

We’ve high-tailed it to Melbourne twice, when the heat got too crazy for the kids – it’s hard to sleep when your bed feels like it’s baking you.  Most nights have involved a quick moonlight skinny-dip in the dam (watch out for the leeches!) to cool us all down enough to sleep.    We don’t have air-con, so we just swelter, and turn the fans up high, and spray ourselves down with water bottles when it gets too sweaty.

Working in the heat has been difficult, you might say, but I’ve had my head down a lot over the past month, putting the final touches on Every Word.  I’m happy to say that it went to typesetting last week. Phew and yay! The timeline for this second book has been rather tight, but I’ve been in a unique position to release this book quickly, as I wrote Every Word soon after finishing Every Breath.  It was a very pleasant feeling, to be able to hand my editor a complete manuscript for book 2 while the ink was still drying on the pages of book 1.  Of course, I wasn’t doing as much other work then as I am now.  I hope I can stay ahead of deadline for every book I write – it’s a much more comfortable place to be than writing under pressure – but I guess we’ll wait and see…

Lots of you have written to me, asking about the publication date for Every Word.  I’m going to give you an update on that in my next post, which will happen within a few days (a ‘double event’ this week, to coin Jack the Ripper terminology).

In the meantime, I’ve been asked to join in this Writing Process Blog Hop, answering a few questions about process below.  My lovely mate, Kathryn Ledson (Rough Diamond, Monkey Business) is a writer of adult romantic crime fiction, and she tapped me on the shoulder to jump aboard.  Kathryn's up on FB and on Twitter @kathrynledson.  You can read Kathryn’s responses to the same questions here, and before her, the hop started with Jennifer Scoullar here.

So here we go…

1     What am I working on?

Currently multi-tasking – doing final touches for proofread/typeset of the second book in the Every series, Every Word. Also writing the first draft of Every Move, the third book. Also, getting lots of ideas for a new book (working title: The Circle Game) which I’m jotting down when they come - longing to get into that.

2    How does my work differ from others in its genre?

Well, there’s not loads of YA crime out there, although I have a sense it’s picking up.  I guess, in comparison to other local (Australian) YA crime, my work is kind of gritty – I don’t really pull too many punches with descriptions of blood and the processes of autopsy and death. The characters focus on forensic detail during the investigation of the mystery, which I hadn’t really seen done before – forensic procedurals for YA, with a lot of humour and action and romance to balance out the grit!

3    Why do I write what I do?

Um, why do birds fly? The characters start developing personalities and talking, and I just write it down.

I guess…I did make a conscious decision to write YA crime.  I had been looking for it in libraries and bookstores, and I realised it was in short supply.  So I knew there was a niche there. But I already had the characters in my head by then, I think I still would have written it regardless.  I’ve written in other genres, and the process is the same – these weird people start talking in your head, and you begin jotting it down just to shut them up!  They could be part of a crime novel, or a lit fiction piece, or a space opera…the genre and plot and setting begin to take shape as the dialogue emerges.

4    How does my writing process work?

I get up and make a big cup (or thermos) of tea, take it into the study at about 5.30am, and then I just sit there and read through what happened yesterday – or the day before, or whatever – and then I put my fingers on the keyboard and kind of force myself to start typing.  After a little while, I lose the feeling that it’s an effort.  And on good days, I have to force myself to stop, so I can go get everyone ready for school.

But it’s not all dreamy-muse stuff.  Sometimes I HAVE to finish a scene or I’m struggling with something. Then you need to have a stock of the old writer’s remedy that Stephen King heartily recommends – bum glue. Screw your bum to the sticking place and just keep typing until you’ve got something down, and worry about whether it works later.  You can craft it later – the grammar, the poetry of it – but you have to get the material out of your head first.

I keep a series of notebooks, little school exercise books, where I jot down scraps of dialogue, or phrases, or beautiful words – things I try to incorporate during the writing, or later when I edit and pretty things up.  I’m a big fan of rewriting.  Some of my best work comes in the rewriting!

And that's the end of the Blog Hop!  I’m passing the Blog Hop baton to Nansi Kunze, another YA writer and all-round cool chick – check out her responses to the questions on her blog very soon.

Can I say a big thanks, at this point, to everyone who’s encouraged me to keep going with the Every series – all of you who’ve emailed/texted/tweeted/FB’ed me to say how you loved Every Breath, and can’t wait for Every Word.  It’s made working in this heat much more bearable!

Now that the weather is starting to change, things are looking up - keep tuned for Every Word release date info very soon!  Stay cool, and stay safe this summer.

Xx Ellie

Rachel and Mycroft go gangbusters…a post-Christmas post

I know!  I said I would post before Christmas!  And that didn’t happen!

Apologies in advance for Excessive Exclamation Mark Usage, but I’m very excited. I’ve had this secret for weeks, you see, and I haven’t been able to tell.  But now the ink is nearly dry on the paperwork, and my agent Catherine Drayton has given me permission to spill the beans.

So I’m extremely happy to let you all know that Every Breath will be published in Canada and North America by Tundra, an imprint of Random House Canada, in Fall 2014.

Woot!

I can’t tell you how happy this makes me. Rachel and Mycroft are going travelling! I’m thrilled for them, and very proud. They’ll have a new family, and a new bunch of readers to love them. Yes, it makes me all teary just thinking about it! (my babies! *sniff*)

People from Canada have been in touch with me, and it’s all very exciting. Tundra is also the home of one of the sweetest books of all time, in my opinion – Anne of Green Gables, by LM Montgomery.

So it feels like kismet!

Anne, meet Rachel and James.

Rachel and James, meet Anne. (James, put that cigarette out and stop slouching.)

So that is my biggest and most delicious news of late. I’m sorry I didn’t get to put up a final 2013 post – after the interview with Barry Lyga, things got very busy. We went camping over Christmas (camping – we love camping. But some people take camping very seriously. There was a guy near our campsite who raked outside his tent. I kid you not. IT’S A NATIONAL PARK, FRIEND. If you’re bringing the rake, you may as well bring the leaf blower) and we had a lovely time with new friends (hi, Liz and Paul!)

Then two days after we arrived back home, Melbourne sweated through its most severe heatwave in a couple of hundred years – five days over 41 degrees Celsius (that’s ** Fahrenheit, for those of you from other climes). After a few scares with grassfires nearby – as in, down the road from our house – we decided that the bravest course was pragmatic cowardice and escaped to Melbourne with our dog, cockatiel and budgies.

We just returned on Saturday night, and that was when I heard from Catherine that I could tell you all the awesome news about the Canadian/US deal. Now we’re settling back into our last weeks of summer holidays - cleaning the house, washing mounds of laundry, watering all the dead plants… Alas, the garden was decimated in the heat, but our chooks were well-provided for and are still clucking around with their new babies, completely oblivious.

But here’s an abbreviated round-up of all the stuff I wanted to post before Christmas – a post-Christmas post, if you will. For instance, I wanted to tell you about my fave books of 2013. Here they are!

The Curseworker series – Holly Black

The third and final book, Black Heart, was only released here last year, so I reread everything.  Magic and the mob, with a distinct Grifters feel.  Taut, sensual, hypnotic, not to mention smart and political.

The Madness Underneath (Shades of London #2) – Maureen Johnson

A supernatural mystery series of the highest calibre.  Johnson never does the expected thing, and her writing of dialogue and character interaction is so succinct and tight it does my head in.  The ending of this book nearly killed me.

Clockwork Princess – Cassandra Clare

Pretty much a case study in how to end a series, second only to Harry Potter.  I totally blubbered my way through the finale.

The Fault in Our Stars – John Green

The Perks of Being A Wallflower – Stephen Chbosky

I put off reading both these books, intimidated by the subject matter and the reputation of the authors – I should never have waited.

The Rosie Project – Graeme Simsion

Outright entertaining and sweet-hearted.  No schmaltz, just fantastic characters and gorgeous writing.  And Graeme is a lovely guy!

Dark Horse – Honey Brown

A new discovery for me – she has four books out, this is her newest. Adult psychological thrillers and crime, this woman is the queen, for my money. Edgy, sensual, suspenseful – and Australian. Big tick.

Life in Outer Space – Melissa Keil

Geek love. 80’s movies. Boy-nerds and girl-nerds and swoon. World of Warcraft. What, you need more? (Just quietly, I liked this more than Fangirl, by Rainbow Rowell)

Hate List - Jennifer Brown

An older release, and it knocked my socks off.  Uncompromising, shocking, poignant. The ending left me in tears.

The Keepers – Lian Tanner

Middle-grade fantasy adventure AWESOME. Beautiful writing and nuanced characters – my younger boys and I fell in love with these books.

I also wanted to tell you which books I’m most looking forward to reading in 2014 – here they are!

The Boy in the Smoke –Maureen Johnson

(I'm super keen for this)

The Naturals – Jennifer Lyn Barnes

Game – Barry Lyga

The Last Shot – Michael Adams

The Murder Complex – Lindsay Cummings

Dr Sleep – Stephen King

Dead Silent – Sharon Jones

Anything new by Peter Temple

Through The Cracks - Honey Brown

The One - Kiera Cass

Cinnamon Girl - Melissa Keil

Winger - Andrew Smith

Lair of Dreams - Libba Bray

Razorhurst - Justine Larbalestier

The Coldest Girl in Cold Town - Holly Black

‘And here’s what I read over my summer holidays, just for the heck of it!:

Fangirl – Rainbow Rowell

Looking for Alaska – John Green

Paper Towns – John Green

The Left Hand of God – Paul Hoffman

The Good Daughter – Honey Brown

After the Darkness – Honey Brown

Fall for Anything – Courtney Summers

You Don’t Even Know – Sue Lawson

The Waking Dark – Robin Wasserman

White Dog – Peter Temple

Secret - Brigid Kemmerer

That’s it, I’m all book-listed out. Finally, before I go, a quick Every Word update:

Every Word is being copyedited and polished up, and will be going to the printers in March. It will be released in June. I’ll let you know more details as they come to light, but that’s all I can give you right now, except I’m seriously buzzed about showing you this book. I like it a lot. I think you will too.

Fingers crossed.

Xx Ellie