Friday, June 29, 2012

Second Book News!

Most of you know that I sold two books to HarperTeen last year, but the second was an option book instead of a sequel. Well, I'll get to the point and say that HOUSE OF IVY AND SORROW has officially been chosen for the option! Woohoo!

I really love this book, and I haven't talked too much about it online since finishing the first draft last year. It was a book I actually put away for a long time while editing TRANSPARENT. I couldn't get back to until a few month ago, but I love it and I really hope you guys will love it, too.

I've never written a query for it, but here is the small summary I wrote when attempting to pitch it to Editor Erica:

Josephine Hemlock lives with the mythic town witch, who just happens to be her grandmother. But when a mysterious man shows up at her gate, best friends, a new relationship, and her own budding magical powers will be thrown in the path of the evil blackness that murdered her mother. If she doesn't uncover her mother's killer soon, it'll be the end for the Hemlock witches and their magical house of ivy.

That's the bare bones summary, which I don't think captures how...magical HOUSE OF IVY AND SORROW is. That might sound a little cheesy—of course a book with witches would be magical—but the novel itself was that way for me. It reignited my love of paranormal/fantasy writing. It helped me regain confidence in myself as a writer. It made writing itself magical again for me. And considering the deep depression I was crawling out of at the time, that was a miracle.

So yay! HOUSE OF IVY AND SORROW! Coming Winter 2014 (as far as I know)!

44 comments:

  1. YAY! I can't wait to read it.

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  2. Congrats!!! This sounds really good. And I LOVE the title.

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  3. I have to say it's definitely magical and I'm in love with it!

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  4. I LOVE THIS BOOK!!!! I'm so happy they chose it. It is amazing!

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  5. It sounds fascinating, congratulations! Just the sort of thing I like to write, but probably for a slightly older audience.

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  6. Yay, congrats! :)

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  7. YIPPEE!!! I've loved all the little snippets you've posted here, and I can't wait to read it in full. Congratulations, Natalie. Well-earned. :)

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  8. YAY! So happy for you. Congratulations.

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  9. WOOHOO!!! That sounds so good -- SO happy for you! Cant way to grabby-hands it off a shelf :)

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  10. I remember when you posted a snippet of this book...it really stuck with me.

    Gonna be great!

    Congrats!

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  11. I love this book SO SO SO SO SO SO SO SO much!!

    I love ALL of Natalie's books, but this one was special from the first page. HOORAY FOR JO!

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  12. Woot! Woot!

    *tosses ivy-shaped confetti*

    *passes around root beer floats so we can all celebrate in the heat*

    Congrats, Natalie

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  13. YAY! It's awhile away but all good things are worth waiting for :)

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  14. Sounds delightful! Can't wait to read it!!

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  15. Wow that is so exciting! Congrats! :-)

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  16. Wahoo, great news! Can't wait to hear more about it!

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  17. woo-hoo! more happiness to add to my TBR pile :)

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  18. Hooray! So excited for this book! :)

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  19. HOORAY! I'm thrilled. Can't wait to see it!

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  20. Huge congrats, Natalie! I remember when you posted the first paragraph a while ago and loving the mood and setup. I'm so happy for you!

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  21. Yay! Congratulations!! I remember you talking about it and it sounds fascinating. Can't wait to read it. :)

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  22. Congrafulashuns on another book! It sounds very interesting. (:

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  23. WOOT! I love this book so much. SO excited to slide it on the shelf next to Transparent. :)

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  24. Congrats! So excited for you. Can't wait to read both your books.

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  25. Yay! That's amazing, Natalie! Sounds really good, can't wait to read it!:)

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  26. Congratulations! I still remember you posting the first couple of paragraphs on your blog when you first wrote it - I was hooked then! I'm so glad I will be able to read this story, all be it in 2 years!

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  27. Yay! Congratulations! I can't wait to read your magical book.

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  28. Ooh, sounds like a book I'd definitely buy and love. Huge congrats!

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  29. Congratulations! So happy for you!

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  30. Congratulations! HoI&S sounds great :)

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  31. Congratulations! I really like the pinboard for the book and look forward to hearing more about it.

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  32. Holy awesome! I've really liked everything you've shared about this book. It always seemed like something special, and I'm glad the world gets to see it, too!

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  33. Congratulations! That's such great news!!

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  34. That's terrific news and the book sounds great! Congratulations!

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