Re-Announcing...GIRL, SERPENT, THORN

I should probably mention that the book formerly known as She Was and She Was Not has a lot of updates:

• A new title - GIRL, SERPENT, THORN (which I’m quite fond of)

• A release date - May 12, 2020 (which is perfect, since the book takes place in the spring)

• A new plot summary:

There was and there was not, as all stories begin, a princess cursed to be poisonous to the touch. But for Soraya, who has lived her life hidden away, apart from her family, safe only in her gardens, it’s not just a story.

As the day of her twin brother’s wedding approaches, Soraya must decide if she’s willing to step outside of the shadows for the first time. Below in the dungeon is a demon who holds knowledge that she craves, the answer to her freedom. And above is a young man who isn’t afraid of her, whose eyes linger not with fear, but with an understanding of who she is beneath the poison.

Soraya thought she knew her place in the world, but when her choices lead to consequences she never imagined, she begins to question who she is and what she is becoming…human or demon. Princess or monster.

• And for preorder links, navigate on over to the book’s page!

Announcing...SHE WAS AND SHE WAS NOT

At long last, I have some info about my next book, including a title and a new release date:

SHE WAS AND SHE WAS NOT: A FAIRY TALE will be coming out in spring 2020 from Flatiron Books. The title takes inspiration from a traditional opening to Persian fairy tales: yeki bood, yeki nabood. This directly translates to “there was one, there wasn’t one,” but has been translated in different ways, including my particular favorite version, “there was and there was not.”

I’ve updated all the banners on my site as well, so if you click around and take a look, you’ll get some hints on some of the imagery and motifs you’ll find in the book!

Paperback cover!

I’m going to get a head start on my New Year’s resolution to actually update this blog, because I have something exciting to share! The paperback of Girls Made of Snow and Glass will be released on December 31 with a brand new shiny cover!

(Drumroll)

Isn’t it beautiful??? And I can tell you from experience that it is even more stunning in person—that pearlescent paper stock is AMAZING.

So if you’re more of a paperback person than a hardcover person, or if you’ve got holiday gift cards to burn through and are in the mood for a winter book, get yourself (or someone else!) a paperback copy of Girls Made of Snow and Glass on December 31.

Happy holidays!

Girls Made of Snow and Glass Roundup Post #2: A Pile of Good Things

So any time I find out something good about my book, I'm torn between two fairly equal thought processes:

1) If you share this good thing with people, they will think you're obnoxious and braggy and self-absorbed!

2) If you don't share this good thing with people, you are SABOTAGING your book's success and it will be ALL YOUR FAULT.

My brain is a fun place! 

Okay, so logically I know that neither one of these things is completely true, but as a sort of compromise, I've decided to hoard up these good things in a little pile and share them all together now. So here you go! My pile of good things:

• Girls Made of Snow and Glass is a Junior Library Guild Selection!

• Here is a really wonderful (starred!) Kirkus review that I like to read whenever I need a pick-me-up.

• And a Publisher's Weekly review as well!

• Here's a guest post I wrote for Live Love Read about creating character flaws (and Star Wars).

• And here's a playlist plus giveaway for YA Books Central's scavenger hunt.

• There are more Good Things (including a pre-order surprise) on the way, so stay tuned!

I am so, so grateful and amazed for all the attention surrounding GMOSAG in these months before its release, and I just want to thank everyone for reading and reviewing and tweeting and Instagramming and blogging and all the other ways you share your enthusiasm. It means more to me than I can even say.

Trigger/Content Warnings for Girls Made of Snow and Glass

Since the first ARCs for Girls Made of Snow and Glass are beginning to circulate, I wanted to mention a couple of possible trigger/content warnings for the book so that readers know what they're getting into and can make informed choices. This list is incomplete, of course, because it would be impossible to list out every potential warning for every potential reader, but here are some prominent ones that I thought worth noting:

• Parental abuse--mostly verbal/emotional abuse and some physical intimidation, but including instances of physical abuse.

• Mentions of suicide, suicidal ideation, and self-harm.

• Violence/assault (but no sexual violence/assault).

• Death and grief.

I know we sometimes use the term 'fairy tale' to mean perfect or ideal or light-hearted, which is why I want to make it especially clear that Girls Made of Snow and Glass concerns itself with some of the grimmer (pun intended) themes at the core of fairy tales. But even so, my hope is that you'll find the book to be ultimately uplifting and empowering.

Stay safe and happy reading!

Girls Made of Snow and Glass Roundup Post

Hello internet! Hello world! If you're reading this in the first place, you probably know that I have a book coming out this fall (September 5, to be precise). That's still several months ahead, though, so in the meantime, here are some things you can do if you're interested in my debut YA novel, Girls Made of Snow and Glass:

• You can preorder it from Amazon, Barnes and Noble, IndieBound, etc.!

• You can read this interview I did where I talk a little about my inspiration for writing a Snow White retelling!

• You can add it to your to-read list on Goodreads!

• You can take a peek at a chapter opening!

• (And you should definitely stay tuned for a big reveal next week!)

Thanks for reading!