Erica O'Rourke

BOUND in Germany!

The weather here is gray and rainy again, which makes it feel a bit like I am living in Shetland. This is okay by me, as I would very much like to go to Shetland, where there are beaches but no one forces you to swim, and snug cottages, and woolly sheep, and presumably many, many cups of tea with biscuits alongside. Really, is there a better place for a reader to go? I DO NOT THINK SO.

But since real life precludes that sort of travel right now, here is something else that is foreign and delightful: the German cover of BOUND!

I've talked before about how much I love these covers (see TORN and TANGLED here) and this one is no exception. According to Google's Translation Matrix, the title in German is THE CREATOR. Which is AWESOME in so many ways my head nearly exploded.

Deutschland, ich liebe dich.

Answers!

Happy Tax Day, everyone! I have spent much of the last week in a reciept-sorting, record-checking fog, only to discover that my phone line has been out for...I don't know how long. Which means my accountant has probably been trying to call me all weekend, unsuccessfully. I'm sure his schedule is WIDE-OPEN today. I'm sure I'm his favorite client EVER.

Anyway, the winner of the Second-Chance Contest Giveaway is...

Darith L!

Darith, I'll be contacting you to get your snail mail address, so you should be receiving your prize this week or early next week!

And here are the answers to the questions you asked in the comments. If you asked on Tumblr, I answered over there.

Colin, my favorite expat and fellow Doctor Who fan asked: How do you pick your character's names? Delancey Sullivan is an interesting name--I'm not sure I would have ever thought of that one.

I have a different process for each book I write. In the Torn Trilogy, Mo needed an Irish-sounding name that was pretty but could be nicknamed to something a little more plain, and Maureen/Mo was an obvious choice. Maura was a little more unexpected, so Maura/Mo it was. The women in Verity's family all had virtue names: Constance, Patience, Verity...Evangeline isn't quite a virtue name, but it seemed to fit. And Grey seemed a good last name, since Verity viewed the truth as much more nuanced than her first name suggested.

As for Delancey, she's named after a neighborhood in New York, where she was born. The  rest of her family has names relating to Chicago. There's more to it than that, but...spoilers!

 

Which brings us to Colin's second question: Have you been watching Doctor Who the past few weeks? Thoughts?

Of COURSE I've been watching! I...am suspending judgement for now. Matt Smith, as always, is fantastic. His monologue at the end of Rings of Akhenaten ("I have lost things you will never understand...") was so moving and perfect. And the Clara mystery is quite intriguing -- I think it all ties in to her mom, somehow. The most important leaf in the world, Mama Oswin's promise to always find Clara, even if she's on the moon...I don't know yet, but I think it all ties in together in some sinister way. I can't wait to find out.

That being said, I'm not 100% smitten with Clara yet. Partly because I loved Amy and Rory, and partly because she still seems very much a creation of the writers. They seem to be working very hard to prove that she is the most perfect possible companion: sassy and plucky and brave and smart and flirty and beautiful and...she's perfect. They really want us to notice how perfect she is. Because, you see, she is perfect. And while that might tie into The Mystery of Clara, it's also them working really hard to make us love her because she is... say it with me...perfect. The writers are also working hard, it feels like, to set up situations that could easily turn romantic. I'm not crazy about that notion (HI RIVER SONG, WIFE OF THE DOCTOR) but if they're going to go down that path, I'd prefer the chemistry between the characters shine through on its own, rather than be foisted on them by the script and the director, which is how it currently feels. I know it's a short season, people, but a slow burn always has a better payoff, and an obvious authorial hand is never good storytelling.

But even with all of these caveats, I love it best in all the world. Saturday nights are what get me through the rest of the week.

Bethzaida asked, "Is there is going to be a love triangle in DISSONANCE?"

This is a tricky question to answer without spoiling things. There won't be a love triangle like there was in TORN. But the story does take place in multiple universes, and in those universes are multiple versions of Simon, the boy Del likes. So...is it a love triangle if the two guys are the same guy? I will let you decide.

Anastasia asked, "Is Dissonance going to be the first book in a series? Because according to Goodreads it's a stand alone."

The plan right now is that Dissonance is a two-book series. That may change -- I certainly have ideas for more books --  but for now, DISSONANCE 2: Electric Boogaloo will conclude Del's story. (As an aside...I don't go on Goodreads. Ever. So I have no idea what information is there or if it's accurate.)

Darith L. asked, "What inspired you to write this novel?"

A couple of things: One was the steady diet of sci-fi and fantasy I consumed as a child -- in particular, Roger Zelazney's Nine Princes In Amber, which my dad read so many times the covers fell off our copies (always the mark of a good book).

Two, I always start a book with what-if questions, and the ones that triggered DISSONANCE went a little something like this: What if had the ability to move through infinite universes. If you could have anything, how would you choose between them? What if there was something you couldn't have? What's the cost of having infinite choices? And if you were constant, but everything around you changed...what kind of person would you be?

It turns out you'd be a lot like Delancey Sullivan.

 

Thanks for playing along, all! I am off to pay my taxes, but I'll be back later this week with more exciting news and pretty things to share.

Cover Love, Our Winner, and Another Contest

Today is a good day, people. I know it's Monday, but all three of my children are in school. It's rainy and gray, which means nobody is making me feel bad about not doing spring yardwork. Most importantly, I can show you the cover of DISSONANCE!

Now, if you participated in the YA Scavenger Hunt last weekend, you've already seen it. And I was BLOWN AWAY by your kind words and incredible response. (See the bottom of this post for the winner.) But when the hunt was over, the cover came down. The good news is, I have got your back. Behold:

 

This cover, guys. I fell in love with it the minute I opened the email. And then, when an envelope from the good people at Simon and Schuster arrived with actual cover flats -- printed copies, just like you'd wrap around a hardcover -- I gasped. Because in real life, this cover shimmers. I don't know how they do it. Fairy dust, maybe, or intricate laser something-or-other. But it shimmers, and the colors glow, and everything about it, every single aspect, perfectly captures the story.

I don't think I'm spoiling anything if I tell you that music and sound make up a huge part of Del's world, as does her ability to walk between alternate realities. And Lizzy Bromley, my genius cover designer, has done an incredible job of getting that musicality and movement across in a single image, whereas I needed a whole bunch of words. I love, love, LOVE it, and I hope you do, too.

There are a few descriptions of the book floating around right now, but I'm still revising, so take them with a large grain of salt. For now, here's what I can share about the story itself:

For Delancey Sullivan, alternate universes aren’t just a theory: they’re a way of life. Every time someone makes a choice – to eat breakfast or skip it, to sneak out or stay in bed – parallel realities are created, and echo versions of ourselves take the roads not traveled in the Key World. As a Walker, Del navigates between the Echoes, keeping the dimensions in harmony. But when her own choices go horribly wrong, she must decide between her heart and her duty – and live with the consequences.

 (Also, there are cute boys. And kissing. I don't think that's too spoilery.)

If you want more hints about the story, check out my tumblr -- there are plenty of pictures I've reblogged and tagged "Dissonance." They're not spoilers, but they've reminded me of the book in some way, so you can start to get a feel for Del's world (or worlds, really). And if you want to add the book to your Goodreads pile, I am told this is a good link for such things.

Now, on to the giveaway portion of this post. First, the winner of the YASH giveway is...

TESSA VAN DIEST!

So: if you are Tessa, I'll be emailing you to get your address for the prize pack. If you're NOT Tessa, you still have a chance to win a copy of TORN and a cover flat of Dissonance: all you need to do is ask a question (preferably about Dissonance, but I'm not super-picky) either here or in my Tumblr Ask Box. I'll answer the tumblr questions pretty quickly; the ones here will be answered...eventually. (The contest runs until 3:00pm central time on Friday, April 12.)

 

 

The Hunt Is Done!

Thank you all so much for participating in the Spring 2013 YA Scavenger Hunt -- I hope you had an amazing time finding all the bonus content, and that you won oodles of great prizes! I'll be back with the name of the winner later this week, along with other fun and exciting things: shiny cover(s), cool announcements, and more giveaways!

Also: thanks to you, my TBR pile is now taller than me! (I am short, but I'm not that short - you guys had amazing suggestions!)

Shiny Things On The YA Scavenger Hunt!

Three reasons I am over the moon right now:

1. Last week's phone call!
   
2. Today is the last day of Spring Break. Tomorrow, all three of my darling children will be back in school and I can GET. STUFF. DONE.
3. On April 4th, the Spring 2013 YA Scavenger Hunt begins! I've participated in the hunt several times, and this time out, I have something shiny to show you.

Literally shiny.

It's the cover reveal of DISSONANCE! And it is gorgeous! The incredibly talented Lizzy Bromley, who designed the covers for WITHER, LEVEL 2, and LINKED, worked her magic on my book. I gasped when I saw it, in the best possible way, and I can't wait to share it with you.

 

This year's hunt will begin at NOON PACIFIC TIME on APRIL 4th, 2013 and end at NOON PACIFIC TIME on APRIL 7th, 2013. We'll announce the winner on April 10th.

If you haven't participated in the hunt before, it's simple: start here, or at any of the participating authors' sites, or at the YASH Homepage. At each stop on the hunt, you'll find exclusive bonus content from participating authors and a clue, plus the chance to win a signed book from every author on that team! (I'm Blue Team, but you can also participate in the Red Team's hunt, too. Many authors will be hosting individual giveaways, too.)

I'll be giving away a copy of TORN and a custom necklace, so stock up on snacks and meet me back here on Thursday at noon PST!

 

 

 

From the Department of Exciting News: RITA Nomination!

I am too excited to type properly and have promised my children a celebratory breakfast, but wanted to share the exciting news here!

BOUND is a Romance Writers of America RITA Finalist!

The RITA is, no lie, the Oscar of RWA. And I am so blown away by the honor I can't even think straight. But to refresh your memory about what the Golden Heart/RITA ceremony is like, click here to take a trip down memory lane.

And now, to celebrate with my ever-patient children.

Places I Will Be This Week:

1. My desk, revising DISSONANCE, drinking lots of coffee.
2. Parent-Child Night at Big Marshmallow's school. I have been informed that I will "cry tears of joy" during the big finale. This is probably true.
3. This Wednesday, I'll be at Anderson's Bookshop for the THREERIFFIC AUTHOR NIGHT!  Jenn Rush is coming into town to celebrate the release of the amazing ALTERED, Julie Cross will be celebrating the release of VORTEX, the second book in her time-travel TEMPEST series, and I will be signing the TORN trilogy and (maybe) answering some questions about DISSONANCE. Jenn and Julie are both fabulous, funny women and I think it's really going to be a great time, so feel free to come by. If you can't make it, you can still get a signed copy by ordering from Andersons using the link above. I am fairly certain there will be lots of swag, too.
   
   
4. Saturday, I'll be at Anderson's Children's Literature Breakfast. This is kind of mind-blowing, guys. The lineup of speakers includes Amy Krause Rosenthal, who wrote our beloved LITTLE PEA, and BLUE FREAKING BALLIETT, who wrote CHASING VERMEER and its companions, THE WRIGHT THREE and THE CALDER GAME, and who has a new release (HOLD FAST) coming out. Every time I feel a little grumpy about writing in my laundry room, I remind myself that if it is good enough for BLUE BALLIETT, it is good enough for me. Anyway, I will be there, signing books and chatting and drinking coffee, but mostly I will be stalking BLUE BALLIETT. You do need a ticket to get in, and please note that the breakfast is being held off-site, not at Anderson's Naperville location.
   
   (Let us take a moment to talk about the delight that is Anderson's Bookshop. It's a beautiful store, the people who work there genuniely love books and readers and authors, and every signing, whether as an author or a squeeing fangirl has been thougtfully and efficiently handled. The quality and variety of authors who hold events there is staggering. There are no indie bookstores near my house, which breaks my heart, but Anderson's is well worth the drive. It's one of those places where you walk in and immediately think, "These are my people." If you can get there, you should, even if it's just on a random Sunday to browse. You won't regret it.)
5. In the kitchen, brewing another pot of coffee to drink while I do more revisions on DISSONANCE. (This is my way of saying that things here on Ye Olde Blogge will be pretty quiet for the rest of the month, though I will probably pop in and ask you to help me choose a new author photo soon. I promise to be much more entertaining in March.) If you're curious about where I've been, the best thing to do is head over to my friend Doug Mack's blog, Five Bad Ideas, where he will tell you all about the cruise we taught on last December. He's funnier and posting more regularly than I am, too.   While you're at it, read his book -- EUROPE ON FIVE WRONG TURNS A DAY, which made me laugh so hard I kept waking up my husband. 

I'll be back eventually with author pics and other shenanigans.

 

 

 

Five Fast Things

I have a ton of things to do today, and so have instituted an Ann-and-Kay style lightning-round policy of blogging --  fifteen minutes and then I'm off like a prom dress. Ready, steady, go.

 

1. Not only will I be at Story Studio on February 5th, I'll also be signing at Anderson's Bookshop in Naperville on February 13th with my beloved Jenn Rush and Julie Cross, to celebrate the releases of their respective -- and awesome -- new books, ALTERED and VORTEX. Come see us! We will probably be inappropriate. (More info to come.)
2. We are taking the kids to Disney next week, which means I will be gone. It also means one of my kids will miss an academic competition and the other will miss a lip syncing contest and judging from their reactions, this makes me the worst mother in the world. Because I am taking them to Disney. I don't even, people. I DON'T EVEN.
3. More and more, I am convinced that reading the comments section of my local online newspaper is a terrible idea, and yet I cannot seem to stop, as it is the only way I can get community news when I am on deadline and locked in my basement. My entire social media philosophy pretty much boils down to, "Don't be a jackass," so this is really baffling to me. Why so much jackassery, hometown?
4. I am on deadline, which means meals around here are pretty much apples + peanut butter or frozen pizza for the kids, and hummus on pita for me. Except that we are out of pita. It also means my house is a disaster. When I turn in this round of DISSONANCE, though, I have every intention of applying Apartment Therapy's 30-day January Cure, even if it isn't January. I've been saving their daily emails in a folder, so that the day after I send off the book, I can hire a backhoe and restore some order around here.
5. Both of my children have recently purchased a game called Minecraft for their electronic devices. I've heard people raving about it, but I have not a clue what one is supposed to do? Mine things? Craft things? Craft mines? Mine the crafting closet? Most of its supporters are either smart or have smart kids or both, so I'm not too worried, but is there anything I should know?

Okay, my timer just went off, which means it is time to start MacFreedom. xoxo

I am blushing just thinking about it.

Popping in quickly to let you know that I will be participating in Story Studio's "Scandal, Seduction, and Romance" reading on February 5th with several other Chicago-area authors. Not only will you get to see how red I turn while reading the kissy bits of my books OUT LOUD, but you'll get to hear about some of the classes StoryStudio offers -- and check out their North Shore Studio, which you can rent as space for a writer's retreat. (So pretty!)

I'll be reading from the Torn trilogy, but if you ask nicely, I might tell you a bit more about Dissonance, too.

Also, there will be chocolate. Just sayin'.

Here are the details -- but please note that the event is intended for ages 18 and up.

What: StoryStudio's Scandal, Seduction and Romance Reading

When: February 5th, 7pm

Where: StoryStudio North, 723 Elm Street, Suite 26, Winnekta, IL

Why: Because the kissy bits are always the best parts.

Updated to add: It's FREE!

Click here for more information.

See you there!

Dear Enrichment Voyagers,

Note: This letter is, as you might have guessed, intended for the people who attended my workshops on the Winter 2012 Enrichment Voyage. But you're welcome to read on even if you weren't there and want to know about some of my favorite books/websites/resources for writing.)

Welcome home! By now you’ve probably unpacked and done a few million loads of laundry, and made some resolutions for 2013. (Remember: it is good to do something that scares you.)

Just in case your goals for the new year are writing related, here are links to some of the books and authors I mentioned during my workshops. Many of them were mentioned more than once, so the links are arranged by topic:

Craft and Structure:

• Debra Dixon’s Goal Motivation Conflict (www.debradixon.com)
  Remember, don’t buy this on Amazon – the price is hyperinflated. Go here instead.

• Many writing books will talk to you about three-act structure, but I tend to rely more on the articles at Michael Hague’s Story Mastery, especially this one.

• Blake Snyder’s Save the Cat: This is the book my husband constantly steals from me; I’ve also loaned it out to fellow writers countless times. It’s great for plotters.There's also a ton of information at www.blakesnyder.com.
• Here’s a popular blog post from Rachel Aaron on how to use plotting techniques to up your daily wordcount.
• Jennifer Crusie is a brilliant author with all sorts of advice and techniques on her blog. It’s a great resource for pantsers. www.arghink.com
  
  
• Donald Maass’s Writing the Breakout Novel comes in two formats: regular book and fill-in-the-blank workbook. I have both, because it’s just that good.
• Cheryl Klein’s Second Sight: An Editor's Talks on Writing, Revising, and Publishing for Children and Young Adults is a great read when you’re made it through your first draft and you’re getting ready to revise. Tons of examples! You should also check out her blog, which is useful for writers of all genres and age levels.
• Susan Dennard’s website has a ridiculous number of helpful articles about the craft and business of writing. She’s also an incredible author and delightful person.

Tools of the Trade:

• Microsoft Word is the industry standard, but I’m guessing you can find it on your own.
• Scrivener (for Mac and PC) is what I compose all of my projects in. It's flexible and allows me to keep all of my notes/outlines/research/deleted scenes/etc in one place. I cannot recommend it highly enough. It's a very powerful program, so you should also check out Gwen Hernandez's Scrivener for Dummies.
• MacFreedom (for Mac and PC) As we discussed, I would get nothing done without this program, which turns off the internet for pre-specified periods of time.
• Write or Die (Mac, PC, iPad, Web-based) I am too terrified to use this software, but many writers I know and respect absolutely swear by it. (It's the one that erases your words if you don't keep typing.)

Querying/Looking for Agents

• Publishers Marketplace
• Querytracker.net
• Absolutewrite.com
• Preditors and Editors
• Queryshark and Janet Reid's blog are both excellent sources of advice for querying and the agent search

—  Remember: Always double-check an agency’s website for their specific submission guidelines – and FOLLOW THEM.

 

There you go, guys – all the resources I mentioned in class, plus a few more I remembered while I was sitting in the Guayaquil airport. If you’ve got more questions, the best place to get them answered is over at my tumblr. (You don't even have to join -- just ask anonymously!)

Thanks for making my big adventure so much fun – I couldn’t have asked for better people to cross the equator with. Now: Butt in chair, hands on keyboard, and keep me posted.

xoxoxo

Erica