#YA scifi

[hezzabeth]

By the year 3856 animals are a myth. Insects however are incredibly common. Due to the colonization of the solar system there are also many mutant off breeds. The Phoeben Scorpion is native to the terraformed moon known as Phoebe. Over the centuries it has invaded our moons and satellites. The Phoeben Scorpion has a colorful candy like appearance.They are considered to be a delicious and popular snack food.

"Don't you want to watch the next log and find out how it ends?" Brigadeiro asked.

"It probably ends the way all fairytales do, with the Duke taking one look at Dityaa and falling madly in love! Just like everyone else," Revati said, pressing the side of her bangle, causing it to turn off.

"Not everyone falls in love with your sister at first sight, I didn't," Brigadeiro said, shooting Revati a sly, knowing look.

It was the same knowing look that he had given her on a bridge at sunrise, in a tent during winter, and once under fireworks. A warm, dark-eyed look that would have made a weaker person tremble at the knees.

"That's because you imprinted on me the second I saved your life, like Phoeben scorpions," Revati shot back.

"Phoeben scorpions?" Brigadeiro had to ask.

"You know, the scorpions on the Phoebe satellite, the ones that imprint on their mates and then end up starving to death," Revati said.

"Are those the fried ones they sell in coffee shops with the cupcakes?" Brigadeiro asked with a small grimace.

"Yep, the more sick with love they are, the sweeter they taste," Revati said, shutting her eyes and savoring the taste of the scorpions.

Brigadeiro held up his hand for a moment and quickly licked it.

"Well, look at that, I taste just like sugar," Brigadeiro winked, and Revati rolled her eyes.

"You really are ridiculous," she replied, and he took her hand, holding it up to his lips.

"And I bet you taste like dark chocolate... not quite as sweet as me," he said before his lips grazed her knuckles. Revati felt herself glance upwards into those familiar eyes, and Revati blushed.

……

Nine minutes past midnight. Brigadeiro's room was filled with pale blue moonlight. Revati was twenty-one years old.

She had, of course, fooled around on the road before. A few times in her tent, sometimes in the middle of a forest. On one memorable occasion, one thousand feet above Mars' surface with the aid of hover boots.

Never in a bed, however. Never with a person who actually fell asleep next to her afterwards. Brigadeiro was a decent sleep companion; he didn't snore and he stayed on his side of the bed. Revati had to admit his back curved down in a way that she rather liked. Still, it was nine past midnight. Revati got off the bed and walked towards the window. The garden's shadows reminded her of her father's inky blue hair. The tables and chairs outside had long ago been abandoned. Someone was darting across the lawn, trying their best to stay in the darkest shadows. The person was heading towards the kitchen house. In Revati's experience, people with nothing to hide didn't even notice shadows. Revati tiptoed to her backpack and grabbed her trusty pants. Sliding into them, she felt the way she always did, like a warrior heading out to meet her destiny.

Everything was quiet and still. The front door of the kitchen house was flung wide open, something that would never happen in Olde Landon.

Pecan was actually asleep on the path next to the door, cuddling a giant inflatable apple. Revati crept lightly inside, her feet barely touching the floor, her weight being carried in her hips. Something was making a faint shifting sound in the rose room.

Revati reached into her left pants pocket, pulling out the tiny container of mushroom tent spores. Carefully and ever so gently, she crept into the rose room. Someone was stooping over Dityaa, and as far as Revati was concerned, that was all she needed to know. Revati undid the top of the container and blew the spores towards the figure.

Within seconds, the fungus blossomed and twisted, wrapping itself around the figure who was now gasping in horror. The rose room suddenly filled with light, and the figure fell to the ground like a caterpillar, half stuck in a cocoon. It was Paulette.

#comic #nanowrimo2023 #nanowrimo #science fiction #life on mars #speculative worldbuilding #speculative fiction #saying farewell to armageddon #ya scifi #scifi #ya dystopia #ya fiction

[charliejaneanders]

This is amazing news!

My YA debut Victories Greater Than Death is part of a program where libraries bring together groups of teens to "study powerful works of young adult literature," and an amazing 29 libraries have signed up!

#books #ya scifi #ya fantasy #ya fiction #young adult science fiction #young adult fiction #young adult #writing #victories greater than death #dreams bigger than heartbreak #promises stronger than darkness

[wildcards1407]

Gratitude to Diane Duane

In the tradition of looking for something to be grateful for on this day in the USA, @dduane, I want to say thanks for your Young Wizard series. It was one of the works that helped form my worldview. I'm of an age that I grow up with the characters as you released the books. I found a battered copy of So You Want To Be A Wizard in --fittingly--the local library. And the universe you wrote in the series became a haven I ran to whenever the life I was living got me down or tried to take away my hope. I still turn to them for comfort and sanctuary in my thirties, by listening to the audiobooks. They always restore me. Thank you for writing this wonderful universe. Thank you for writing lonely kids who get invited into a universe of cousins and committed friends. Thank you for writing young people with the agency to help heal the world and stand up to evil. Thank you for writing magic that is a good and wholesome part of the world, walking hand in hand with science. Thank you for writing books that told a lonely kid there were friends out there, if I kept looking for them. All my gratitude.

#diane duane #young wizards #ya scifi #gratitide

[moontiara-action]

This was the most unexpected and most unintentionally funny chapter I've ever read.

#godslayers #eris shindanai #bellsona steelcrest #sona steelcrest #zoe hana mikuta #gearbreakers #gearbreakers duology #books #booksbooksbooks #booklover #diverse books #booklr #bookaholic #bookblr #dystopia #scifi #ya scifi #science fiction

[gracehosborn]

Thinking about the fact that I’m having to start an eighth round of revisions for my sci-fi-fantasy novel, Ink of Destruction has had me looking back at my old drafts over the last four years and it’s quite hilarious to consider that 15 year-old Grace who came up with both IOD and The American Icarus had so much ambition but no sense of scale.

You want to make a magical pen that can alter history itself right before your eyes with the writing of a sentence and thereby alter everyone’s memories? Great! Did you consider that this would create an alternate universe because time itself is having to course correct thanks to whatever you wrote down? No! Welcome to multidimensional theory, 15 year-old Me.

You want to frame your historical epic as having a historical figure sit down and write their voluminous memoirs 200 years after their death because they’re annoyed with how history has treated them and also with the events of your previous novel? Great! Did you consider for instance the fact that in their lifetime, after the death of their lover best friend they only wrote seven sentences about them because it probably hurt too much and/or due to the nature of 18th century society they wouldn’t be able to express their full feelings? And that by you forcing them to sit down and write pages and pages about their interactions with their lover best friend would be giving them a difficult task even after the lapse of two centuries because they couldn’t find the words in the first place? No! Welcome to the nuances of your story structure, 15 year-old Me!

Truly hilarious 😂😂😂

#grace’s random ramble #ink of destruction #IOD #the americsn icarus #TAI #magic system #ya scifi #ya fantasy #alexander hamilton #amrev #john laurens #writers on tumblr #amwriting #historical alexander hamilton #writing community #historical fiction #alternate history #ya writers

[cheese-named-kyle]

The ending of Hell Followed With Us was so unsatisfactory? It left so many loose ends and ended five pages after the climax.

However, it does leave the perfect open ending to be picked up by a sequel, which would be amazing. Benji and Nick’s relationship hasn’t even been touched yet, but the ending scene with Nick injured in bed feels like the perfect throw back to this quote:

“Maybe we would meet someone: a

handsome nonbeliever who would

fall for me when I soaked his hands

in warm water and bandaged his

wounds. He would be sweet and a

little brash and queer as hell, and he

wouldn't mess up my pronouns

when he saw my chest for the first

time.”

I’m just saying, Benji tending to Nick’s wounds would be the perfect opening for a sequel.

#hell followed with us #hfwu #andrew joseph white #ya #ya horror #ya scifi #ya science fiction #lgbt #lgbt books #lgbt ya #queer ya #queer books #lgbt horror #queer horror #hell followed with us spoilers #benji woodside #nick hfwu #benji hfwu

[emlinden]

Starsight by Brandon Sanderson 🌌

I loved Skyward, and I think that I loved this one even more. Spensa definitely has one of the most awesome personalities I've ever read.

And also...Poor M-Bot... 🛸

#books #reading #book lover #bookworm #scifi books #ya scifi #scifi #skyward #starsight #bookblr #readers of tumblr

[frosted-luckycharms]

🌙 reasons why you should join the lunar chronicles fandom!!! 🌙

we are going to steal the moon

we have tomatoes

the chaotic futuristic world with everything from royal balls to cyborgs to wolf mutants to a plague to a moon kingdom with magic moon people

four adorable canon ships

no ship wars!!! (at least, not that i know of. we're a really chill friendly fandom, probably because we are a small fandom)

wonderful cast of characters who u are guaranteed to fall in love with (featuring: tortured werewolf cinnamon roll, tiny hacker who dreams of being a ballerina, space princess with luna lovegood energy, badass cyborg mechanic based on cinderella, AND MORE!)

fun friend group vibes

the f a n a r t

SO MANY great headcanons and memes

the fanmade animatic "a pearl" by makoninah on youtube WHICH BTW EVERYONE NEEDS TO WATCH BECAUSE ITS AMAZING

female main characters who are all unique and diverse and three-dimensional and amazing

oh and the guys are really great too (kai my adorkable boy you have my heart and i mean that in the most platonic way)

lots of bonus canon content. after you've finished the four main books in the series, you still have the chance to experience the collection of short stories AND the novella about the villain AND the two graphic novels

we have hopes of a possible animated movie in the future???? its been optioned by an animation studio but i think that's all we know so far hfjdkshf

ANYWAY that's all for now. go read tlc if you haven't yet, ily bye<3

#lunar chronicles #tlc #the lunar chronicles #book series #ya books #ya fantasy #ya novels #fandoms #book fandoms #ya romance #ya scifi #fairytale retelling #young adult #books #marissa meyer #mine

[jessread-s]

✩🔟💛Legend Deluxe Set:

The “Legend” series completely changed my life. Before I stumbled upon the then trilogy, I was not much of a bookworm. I have Marie Lu and her writing to thank for transforming me from a nonreader to a reader.

Her books were some of the first that I read that were written from two different perspectives, which my middle school self was blown away by. “Legend” specifically also introduced me to the tropes I now gravitate towards today (mainly enemies-to-lovers) and solidified my love for the dystopian genre.

It is so surreal to think that this favorite series of mine turned TEN this year and is finally making its way to the big screen. I could not think of a better way to celebrate than to purchase Fairyloot’s gorgeous deluxe set. Brand new books for the next ten years of rereading June and Day’s story, swooning over paperclip rings, and ugly crying after stumbling through the final chapter of “Champion.”

From the bottom of my heart…thank you Marie Lu for writing this series that changed my life and for being involved in the adaptation process. Happy ten year anniversary 💛

Cross-posted to: Instagram | Amazon | Goodreads | StoryGraph

@marielubooks

#legend series #The Legend Trilogy #legend marie lu #prodigy #champion #rebel #June Iparis #day wing #daniel altan wing #iparwing #Marie Lu #marie lu always delivers #marielubooks #enemies to lovers #slow burn #dual pov #ya dystopia #ya fantasy #ya romance #ya scifi #YA Books #YA literature #booklr #book blog #book blogger #bookish #bibliophile #Book Lover #YA Reads

[ahb-writes]

"There is no such thing as karma [..] Or, if it does exist, it sure doesn't give a shit about people like me. Some of us were born to be used and discarded. We can't afford to simply go along with the flow of life, because nothing in this world has been created, built, or set up in our favor. If we want something, we have to push back against everything around us and take it by force."

"Wu Zetian" (Iron Widow by Xiran Jay Zhao)

#iron widow #quote #writeblr #xiran jay zhao #ya fiction #ya scifi #asian scifi #asian fantasy #karma #no such thing #the flow of life #push back against everything

[hezzabeth]

Revati knew, as she walked back to Baker Street, that once again she was on the edge of things.

Revati could barely remember the first edge she encountered, four years old and holding a balloon while drones flew above.

The second edge, seeing her father’s twitching hand under the rubble.

And now, Amma standing in the doorway with Dusk.

Her arms were folded, and she glared when she realized Camilo was with them.

"Hello, Camilo," Amma remarked.

"Sugafanna! I haven’t seen you since…" he began.

"Jay’s last birthday; you drank too much of your honeymede and threw up on the walls," Amma pointed out.

"Ah, yes," Camilo blushed with embarrassment.

"And I suppose you’re here to help Revati with this insanity?" Sugafana asked coldly.

"Is saving the ones we love really that insane?" Camilo asked Sugafana, who sighed, rolling her eyes.

"I’m going to the station now, Amma; where’s Nanni?" Revati asked.

"I’m right here, Dimpy," Nanni said from behind mother.

"Don’t die while I’m gone; you’ve lasted eighty years. You can last a little longer," Revati said firmly.

Nanni pulled her down, kissing her forehead, and then draped something around Revati’s neck.

It was her precious Kasithaali, a gold chain dotted with gold and coral beads.

In the center of the chain, there was a tiny golden idol, its features finely carved.

The Kasithaali was ancient, trailing far back to the first Sheik born on Mars.

The coral beads had been picked from a long-ago dead and abandoned Earth.

"Nanni, you know I can’t take this! Raiders will try to steal it," Revati pointed out.

"Hide it down the front of your clothes! You will need Lakshmi’s protection," Nanni said firmly.

"You will also need this," Amma replied, sliding off one of her bangles.

"Why are you both giving me wedding jewelry? I’m going on a rescue mission; I’m not getting married," Revati asked as Amma slid the bangle onto Revati’s wrist.

Amma tapped the bracelet four times, and it suddenly glowed a faint purple.

"DNA approved user confirmed, current balance nine thousand six hundred and eighty-three credits," the bracelet chimed.

"It’s not a bracelet; it’s my portable bank account! You’re not going to go out into the world with no funds," Amma said as Revati stared at the glowing numbers.

"Is this a lot of money?" She asked curiously.

"It’s enough. Now here’s everything else you asked for... including your sister's hairbrush," Amma asked, handing Revati a bag, and Revati nodded.

"Good, well, I best be off then," Revati said, and Amma nodded.

Revati realized it was probably time to say something else.

"I love you both," she added before reaching forward to embrace Amma.

Revati firmly believed in only hugging on her terms.

Still, Amma deserved it.

It took a moment to realize that Brigadeiro Bun was politely following her and Camilo.

"Why are you trailing behind me?" Revati had to ask.

"He's following you as well, as well as what I suspect is the android wearing a cloak," Brigadeiro pointed out.

"I need Camilo to help me at the train station," Revati replied as they reached the maze's entrance.

"I’m pretty sure I can turn the train on for one ride; I salvaged a power cell from the dragon," Camilo explained.

"Well, I’m following you because you’ll need my tent if you want to survive the elements," Brigadeiro replied.

"You got your tent back, then?" Revati asked as they entered the maze.

In the distance, Revati could hear someone giggle among the leaves.

"Yes, Isabeau found it in the lost property pile," Brigadeiro replied.

"And you’re going to give me your tent?" Revati asked.

"I’m going to share it with you; it’s a two-person tent! My ex and I were supposed to travel together, but we broke up," Brigadeiro said with a small shrug.

"You don’t seem that upset about it," Revati pointed out as they turned a corner.

The giggling was coming from two small children in medical dress fighting with sticks.

"I was; then I went out to find diamond roses for her, and everything else happened," Brigadeiro admitted.

"So you’re going to travel with me for an indefinite amount of time? Finding my sister plus take weeks or months," Revati said as they turned right.

"Or years; when appliances want to hide things, they stay hidden," Camilo pointed out.

"Well, I’ll stay with you until we reach a public teleportation station; then you can keep the tent," Brigadeiro said, and Revati shrugged.

"Fine, that’s a fair exchange for saving your life twice," she admitted.

The maze suddenly opened up onto the grand entrance of Olde Landon.

The ticket booths, in the shape of castle turrets, had long ago been abandoned.

The giant Elizabeth Twin statue was covered in gently glowing fungus.

Revati stared at them briefly.

One of the queens was in a grand solid carved ballgown.

The other in a neat suit and hat.

Both of them had lizard faces.

"We have the exact same statue on the South West Sydney Space station; apparently, the lizard faces allowed the queens to live for centuries," Brigadeiro remarked.

"That was just a myth; come on this way," Camilo replied.

The park bullet train ran from the park to Leeryasoar, the country's capital. Years ago, the station teemed with tourists. Feet would pound over the shiny tiles, the exact same gold and purple as the domed train. Creatrix vending machines were constantly humming next to the benches. Revati remembered Amma punching in several numbers to get Dityaa a bottle of mango lassi. There had been a stand in the center of the platform selling park maps and plastic magic wands. Pink and red roses grew in orderly bushes. Holographic signs floated on the walls, stating that all data cloud technology would stop working inside the park. Revati had dim memories of her father checking the news on his communications bracelet before they went inside. The signs had long ago been smashed to pieces and were now nothing more than broken screens. The Creatrix vending machines had been looted and were now filled with spiders. The roses all grew in wild tangles flowing over the garden beds.

"Wow; these roses have gone feral! They're singing about how much they wish they could prick people with their thorns," Brigadeiro remarked as Camilo approached the abandoned purple shuttle train with his tool belt.

"Are we far enough away from the wall?" Revati asked.

"We should be! All the vending machines were, so they led the attack during the invasion! The only thing that stopped them was the station's power supply getting cut off," Camilo said, gesturing about. Camilo was right; the station was dim and depressing under the grey Martian sunlight. Revati nodded and whisked the cloak off the figure. The maternity droid stared back at her. Camilo had taken the time to repaint its face. Its lips were a deep scarlet, its eyes bright cheerful green. Camilo had also replaced its broken legs with bulky steel ones he had spray-painted blue with cheerful flowers painted down the side. The belly door had been reattached and was now filled with a healthy white light.

"Hello, I am your custom-built Materno 4000 Deluxe prenatal droid! Would you like to grow a new baby or link to your pre-existing infant?" The android chirped in a flat metallic voice.

"Pre-existing infant," Revati said, and the Android's eyes fluttered.

"Your pre-existing infant is 218 months old, is this correct?" The android asked.

"Correct," Revati said, and the android blinked again.

"Your pre-existing infant is currently out of detection range; would you like to create a new infant?" The android asked.

"No! I want to talk to the lady who was using you as a microphone before," Revati said.

"You have to tell it to open maternal communication! I turned the channel off," Camilo said from where he had managed to open the front panel of the train.

"Open maternal communication!" Brigadeiro said eagerly.

The android's eyes fluttered shut once again. There was nothing.

"I don't think we're far enough away from the wall," Revati sighed.

But then the humming began. A faint, child-like humming came from behind the Android's lips.

"Whispers in the motherboard, a haunting tune,

A phantom dancing in the light of a digital moon," Brigadeiro sang along, and Revati shot him a confused look.

"It's humming Circuit whispers! From the hit musical 'The Android of Music,'" Brigadeiro explained.

"I've never heard of it," Revati confessed.

"You've never heard of 'The Android of Music'? Praise group! Once you've rescued your sister, I'll have to take you! Everyone needs to hear 'The Android of Music,'" Brigadeiro said firmly. Before Revati had a chance to reply, the android's eyes snapped open again.

"Thank Krishna! Finally, a decent signal; it's been eighteen years," the android exclaimed in an incredibly annoyed upper-class woman's voice. The Android reached clumsily toward Revati, snatching her bag. Then it reached inside, pulling out Dityaa's hairbrush. The belly door swung open, and the Android shoved the hairbrush inside.

"Did it just do what I think it just did?" Brigadeiro grimaced.

"How else do you expect me to trace my daughter's DNA?" The Android asked, and then her belly glowed green.

"Right, the last recording of her DNA imprint was in New Singapore six hours ago! Let's go find my baby," the android said firmly and cheered as the train burst back into life.

#nanowrimo2023 #nanowrimo #science fiction #fantasy #speculative worldbuilding #ya #scifiseries #scifi story #scifi comedy #speculative fiction #life on mars #ya dystopia #ya scifi

[charliejaneanders]

This ebook sale is still going on for a little while longer. An ENTIRE GALAXY for just $2.99!

#books #writing #trans #fantasy #bookworm #transgender #young adult fiction #young adult fantasy #young adult science fiction #ya space opera #ya fandom #ya scifi #ya fantasy #ya fiction #victories greater than death #dreams bigger than heartbreak #promises stronger than darkness

[sweet-selune]

What is this book called???

I read a YA science fiction book some time in the late 90's or early 00's that I remember vague details about, but have never been able to find the title of. Here follows my (likely inaccurate) recollection. If anyone knows what this book is, please tell me!

- It is post-apocalyptic. A girl lives with her father in a small house surrounded by nature. They are the only two people left, as far as she knows.

- Every day they must wind the many clocks they keep in the house. This is very important for some reason.

- She has a pair of artificial wings she can use to fly places. Her father doesn't like her flying too far out being gone too long or something like that, because of danger.

- Elsewhere, there is a community of people who live deep underground (or in caves?). They moved there to escape the apocalyptic scenario, which I think may have been disease-related? The people never see the sun, so are all pasty white and have vitamin D deficiencies. They believe they are the only ones left.

- A boy leaves the community. Is he running away, ejected and exiled, or does he leave to go get help? I don't remember.

- The boy exits the cave, blinking into the sun.

- The girl happens to be nearby, and they see each other, to their shock.

- The girl licks a finger and holds it up to test the wind direction. He is disgusted thinking about all the germs flying from her saliva towards him on the breeze.

- She takes him home to her father.

So that's all I've got, folks. If anyone remembers any parts of this from a book they know, let me know. Over the years my memory has almost certainly been distorted. Maybe parts of this are things I dreamt, who knows?

#tomt #tip of my tongue #ya fiction #ya scifi #ya science fiction #ya fantasy #90s books #00s books

[booksformks]

Book Reviews: Roswell High #9-10

The Dark One (Roswell High, #9)by Melinda Metz (Goodreads Author) 3 of 5 stars In this book, Isabel starts to go through an alien time of change, and she worries that she will end up like Max did when he went through his alien change. She turns to Michael to help her, and they have to avoid Max. Alex is undergoing a change of his own, in his social status at school. Suddenly he is popular and…

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#book #book review #books #read #reading #review #roswell #sci fi #sci-fi #science fiction #scifi books #teen book #ya scifi

[therealharbingerofdevastation]

Hot take: Divergent isn’t a dystopian novel

Okay, that may sound weird. Let me explain. The dystopian genre is typically accepted to mean a specific type of futuristic sci-fi dealing with a corrupt or decaying society. It’s almost always some form of social commentary, exaggerating trends in the current world to a hypothetical future. People always say Divergent is a copy of The Hunger Games, that it’s just hopping on the YA dystopian trend without an understanding of the genre.

I disagree. I don’t think Divergent is a dystopian novel at all. I think it’s a futuristic sci-fi action novel. Because in Divergent, unlike in typical dystopias, society isn’t the problem. The faction system isn’t portrayed as bad or oppressive, it’s actually quite efficient and works well, and people become like family with their faction members. Society itself in the world of Divergent isn’t bad.

The problem in Divergent isn’t systemic, it’s individual. The main villain isn’t a government or a corporation or some other form of The Powers That Be, it’s one evil woman conducting unethical research on her own, secretly. Four’s issue with Abnegation isn’t an issue with the faction system, it’s an issue with his own abusive father. And the problems with Dauntless aren’t inherent or systemic, they’re the result of (one might argue) individuals with toxic masculinity.

Of course, I’m just talking about the first book in the series, because the second and third one are kind of bleh. But I think that Divergent is constantly mislabeled as “dystopian” when it’s actually plain old futuristic sci-fi and it bugs me. Anyway, bye.

#bookblr #books #divergent #veronica roth #divergent series #ya dystopia #ya scifi #ya dystopian #analysis #divergent spoilers

[mjgauthor]

How I Got a Book Deal

How I Got a Book Deal

“If you are going through hell, keep going.” ― Winston S. Churchill.

Twenty years. That’s how long I’ve been writing. I started writing my first real book when I was in high school, and for nine years, I refused to give up on it. I spent hours devising the world, creating maps, and drawing characters. All good practice, but I didn’t spend nearly enough time writing it. And though I didn’t want to admit it, I knew something was wrong with my writing. Like, imagine recording yourself playing a musical instrument. Even if you’ve practiced for a few years, you’d know it didn’t compare to a professional. I remember being in awe of how easily Rowling, or Card, or Rothfuss navigated telling a compelling story while simultaneously building powerful characters and creating vivid descriptions. My writing was a stick-figure drawing compared to their Sistine Chapel.

Still, I’m a stubborn Gregson. We’re all stubborn. And I wanted a go at landing a literary agent. So, I agonizingly prepared querying materials for this book. But the week before I planned on sending it to anyone, I got a feeling after lots of pondering and prayer. And the feeling told me to let it go.

So, I did. 

The book went into the figurative drawer, and I doubt I’ll ever go back to it. Honestly, letting it go was the best thing to happen to my writing. That book was like taking care of someone very ill for so long that you forgot to care for yourself.

After I let it go, my writing skill exploded. I got quicker, too. I wrote multiple books over the next several years until finally, after my sixth book, I landed my agent, Heather Cashman. And that day, telling people that I was an agented author was my proudest writing accomplishment.

Until now.

My agent and I went through revisions. Our plan was to take the book from good to great and so she gave me detailed editorial notes. After a few months of digesting these, I realized the book required an even larger revision. So, I rewrote the first hundred pages, then the last hundred. And I heavily revised the middle. I shifted the tense. Adjusted character motivation. Killed an important character who survived the original version. The climax completely changed—the ending, too. In the next five months, the book that used to be DOWNFALL became SKY’S END.

Something about this book felt right. So, when I sent it to my agent, I felt confident. Well, a little nervous, too.

Not long after I sent it to her, Heather came to Salt Lake City for a wedding. We met over lunch to discuss my career while eating chicken souvlaki and pita bread at a local restaurant. And she was absolutely dripping with enthusiasm for SKY’S END. She loved all the changes. We just had a few more minor revisions to do, and then in August 2021, we went on submission to find a publisher.

My agent warned me that it would be difficult—but she would do all she could to sell it.

The first editor responses came back within days. One of them came from a great editor and it was filled with compliments, calling my writing “remarkably vivid” and that my world was “lush” and that I crafted “a wonderfully immersive narrative.” The editor passed, as it wasn’t a perfect fit for her list, but her enthusiasm got me excited enough to think maybe SKY’S END was the one. 

Then, I sat back, and waited, hoping we’d hear some great news in the coming months. Except, that’s not what happened. I heard nothing for the rest of 2021.

I pushed the book from my mind and occupied myself with other projects in the meantime, including completing my eighth book and revising my seventh. Then, on January 18th, Heather announced a book deal on Twitter for another client. I sent a congratulatory email to Heather, but I got an email back that made me sit down. It wasn’t just a thank you note. Heather also mentioned that an editor just reached back to her and asked if SKY’S END was still available.

This was, she noted, a very good sign, and that my book might make it to acquisitions at the publisher.

I remember staring at the email, perplexed. Like, I only expected her to respond with “Thanks!” Instead, I got the biggest news I’d had since my agent offered me. So, I went a little wild because this had been a dream of mine since I was sixteen. Even twenty years later, I still vividly remember working on my first book on the dining room table, labeling maps of fantasy lands and drawing illustrations of the characters I wanted to bring to life.

After this email, my wife and I speculated about all the possible scenarios with this publisher and editor.

What could happen? 

1. Editor fell out of love – REJECTED.

2. Editor fell in love but couldn’t get editorial team to fall in love too – REJECTED

3. Editor and editorial team loved it, but publisher didn’t – REJECTED

My wife and I were careful when discussing the possibility that this could be anything other than a rejection. Either way, we hunkered down and expected it to be a long wait. A month or two, maybe. But that’s not what happened. Apparently, twenty years had been long enough. A week after my agent told me of the editor’s interest, I got another email from Heather on January 25th.

I was teaching my 7th period ELA class. One thing about me as a teacher is I’ve always been very transparent with my students about the number of rejections I’ve received during my journey. I don’t share rejection specifics with my students, but I do tell them about how hard I’ve worked and the value of perseverance. It’s a good lesson. My classes have chanted “I can do hard things!” Sometimes, I chant that louder than anyone in the room because I need to convince myself that I really can do hard things. When you’ve received hundreds of rejections while querying several books, some doubt creeps in.

Anyway, I got an email while I was in the middle of 7th period. I’m not in the habit of checking my phone while I’m teaching, but I couldn’t help myself because I was hoping to hear back from Heather. Sure enough, the email was from her.

Subject: The shortest wait you’ve ever seen…

Message: Hi Marc,

We’ve received an offer today for SKY’S END.

CONGRATULATIONS!!!

I stared at the message for a few seconds—almost like I couldn’t comprehend it. Was my agent writing in some ancient, dead language? Was it English? It didn’t make sense. Then, suddenly, I let out a little groan. One of my students glanced back at me and gave me a funny look.

And then I shouted, “OH MY GOSH!”

The whole class stopped working with their partners and stared at me. I was in a daze. Nothing felt real. Was my heart still beating? Honestly, I’m not exactly sure what happened next as this moment is a little hazy. I think I moved to the front of the classroom—panting, and my students were worrying that I was having a heart attack or something. I lowered into a chair, I think, and leaned on my knees. One of my students later told me my face had turned bright purple, and a vein was bulging on my forehead.  

They probably thought I was dying. Oh no, Mr. Gregson’s gonna fall over dead in front of his whole class. Who knows CPR? Get the admin in here! Does this mean we don’t have to do the book report?

Finally, I took a breath, and told my students.

And I remember this because the class erupted with cheers and claps. It was the great roar on the third floor. The loudest my room has ever been. My students were all so incredibly happy for me.

Suffice to say, we didn’t get much work done for the remainder of the class period.

This moment was, without a doubt, one of the best feelings of my life. And I’m so happy I got to share it with my students because they’ll never forget it. I know I won’t. Honestly, it felt like I just drained a three pointer to win the NBA championship.

Getting cheered for a book deal…man, kids are the absolute best.

I’m so thrilled to say I’ll be working with Jonah Heller at Peachtree Teen. He just gets my work and has a great vision for it in the marketplace. And I’m so grateful for my agent, Heather, who pushed me to make my book better and who found the absolute perfect landing place for SKY’S END. 

I can’t wait for you to read my book, and to meet Conrad. This book is the culmination of twenty years of frustration. It has energy, power, and lots and lots of adrenaline. I’m hoping you read it, and I hope you fall in love with it as much as I have. I just can’t wait to hear your reactions.

SKY’S END is but a piece of me. A piece that will be published, and no one can ever take that away.

Spring 2024 cannot come soon enough.

-Marc

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