Karah Sutton's Blog

I’m thrilled to say that The Song of the Swan is now available in paperback! In the world of children’s books, having a paperback version is a major milestone. Hardcover books are more expensive, and can therefore be more inaccessible. Some families can’t afford hardcover books at all. Or, if a child is brought to a bookstore and allowed to choose their own books within a certain budget, they’ll want to stretch their budget as far as possible! Paperbacks present an important opportunity for your book to reach more readers.

So, thank you, Penguin Random House and Knopf Books for Young Readers, for this beautiful paperback edition!

Find this edition on Bookshop.org or at your local independent bookstore.

The post The Song of the Swan is now available in paperback! first appeared on KARAH SUTTON.

It’s been just over two months since the publication of The Song of the Swan, and I’ve been so delighted to hear from readers who have enjoyed it! This book is very near and dear to my heart, and (if I do say so myself) I think it’s full of thrills, mystery, and magic.

Nominations are now open for the Sir Julius Vogel Awards (New Zealand’s Sci Fi/Fantasy/Horror awards), and The Song of the Swan is eligible for best youth novel! Anyone from anywhere can submit a nomination, even non-New Zealanders, so if you enjoyed The Song of the Swan I’d be so grateful if you submitted a nomination.

Thank you for reading 💜

The post Nominations for the Sir Julius Vogel Awards first appeared on KARAH SUTTON.

I posted recently about an upcoming virtual event with Brazos Bookstore, a wonderful independent store in Houston, Texas. I am delighted to announce that this event will be in conversation with Anna Meriano, author of the delightful Love Sugar Magic series! I love Anna’s books and am so delighted for the chance to meet her and discuss writing and other bookish things!

Brazos Bookstore will virtually host Karah Sutton on Wednesday, November 1 at 6:30pm CT. Please register for the event HERE.

Anna Meriano grew up in Houston with an older brother and a younger brother and a large but close-knit network of aunts, uncles, and cousins spreading across the state of Texas. She graduated from Rice University with a degree in English, and earned her MFA in creative writing with an emphasis in writing for children from the New School in New York. There she was lucky to meet CAKE Literary founders Dhonielle Clayton and Sona Charaipotra, who started her on the Love Sugar Magic journey.​ She lives in Houston with her dog Cisco. She has taught creative writing and high school English and currently work as a tutor for students of all ages across Houston. In her free time she loves knitting, playing full-contact quidditch, and singing along to songs in English, Spanish, and American Sign Language. 

The post Join me for a virtual event with Anna Meriano! first appeared on KARAH SUTTON.

I’m delighted to welcome my new book, The Song of the Swan, into the world. Available in hardcover, ebook, and audio, you will find it at all major book retailers and indie bookstores (see here for a list of bookstores offering copies alongside signed bookplates!).

I’d like to share here the acknowledgements page from the book. This book had a long journey, and I am so grateful to the people who made it a reality:

I am grateful to those who helped this book throughout its long, pandemic-addled process. Ralph, thank you for everything. Your humor, your creative insight, your encouragement, your love. Katie Grimm, my agent, who I am very lucky to partner with on this publishing journey. Katherine Harrison, my editor, who saw the heart of this book and pushed it to be its best self. Pauliina Hannuniemi, Bob Bianchini and Jen Valero, for illustrations and design beyond my wildest dreams.

At Knopf Books for Young Readers and Random House Children’s Books, thank you to Gianna Lakenauth, Artie Bennett, Renée Cafiero, Lisa Leventer, Lili Feinberg, Kathy Dunn, Nathan Kinney, Jake Eldred, and so many more for your work on this book and A Wolf for a Spell.

Lots of writers read iterations of this book, and I especially appreciate those who suffered through terrible early drafts and still gave words of encouragement. Adrianna Cuevas, Swati Teerdhala, Scott Rhoades, Adelle Yeung, Jennifer Lauren Brown, Diana DeBolt Johnson, and thanks to Graci Kim and Mel Harding-Shaw for the chats and support. Kathy, Claire, Lauren, Sarah: all the love and hugs. And love and thank you to my talented creative whānau in Aotearoa and Australia: Jeremy, Maddi, Joel, Mouce, Zola, Claire, Marcus, Saoirse, Fiona, Julian, Caspian, Nicola, and Polly. To my PikPok team, who asked me to sign their books and sent words of encouragement on my writing days. And to Amanda, Cheryl, Evan, and other former bookstore colleagues who have been such champions.

I wouldn’t be who I am without my family. To Mom, Maia, Sabrina, Matt, and Dad: I love you. And love and thanks to the Uptons, Norrisses, and Mendells: especially with this book to Philippa for reading and sharing thoughtful insights, to fellow writers Jeanette and Greg for their passionate support, and to Ravi, Charlie, Imogen, Harriet, Henry, Sebastian, and Zoe.

To anyone who read and shared A Wolf for a Spell, thank you. This book is for you.

The post The Song of the Swan is available now! first appeared on KARAH SUTTON.

I’m delighted to confirmed that I will be hosting the middle grade book club with Brazos Bookstore on Wednesday November 1 at 6:30pm CT. This event will be held virtually, so I will be calling in from Aotearoa New Zealand.

I met with this book club for A Wolf for a Spell, and the readers asked such thoughtful and creative questions. I loved hearing what things they picked up on, and also hearing things they noticed that totally surprised me! I can’t wait to chat with readers again and discuss The Song of the Swan with them.

Find out more about the event here at the Brazos website, and pre-order your copy of The Song of the Swan! See you there!

The post Event with Brazos Bookstore on Nov 1! first appeared on KARAH SUTTON.

I’m delighted to confirm that I’ve teamed up with more than FIFTY independent bookstores to offer signed bookplates and/or stickers with your purchase of The Song of the Swan! I am so grateful to supportive booksellers who championed A Wolf for a Spell, and I am delighted that they were eager to offer these gifts to their readers.

Please find the list of stores below! If they are in your neighborhood, I hope you’ll purchase from them directly. If you don’t live in any of these areas, you can still order direct from indie bookstores on IndieBound!

57th Street BooksChicago, ILA novel ideaPhiladelphia, PAA Seat at the TableElk Grove, CAAnderson Book ShopNaperville, IL Astoria BookshopAstoria, NY Birdie BooksWesterville, OH Blue Marble BooksFort Thomas, KY Book BeatOak Park, MI BookmarksWinston-Salem, NC Books of WonderNew York, NY Brookline BooksmithBrookline, MA Character DevelopmentNarberth, PACover to CoverColumbus, OHCurious IguanaFrederick, MD da Shop: books + curiositiesHonolulu, HI East City BookshopWashington, DC Front Street BooksAlpine, TXHigh Fives BooksFlorence, MA Hooray for Books!Alexandria, VA Interabang BooksDallas, TX Invitation BookshopGig Harbor, WA Itinerant Literate BookstopN Charleston, SCKew & Willow BooksKew Gardens, NY Let’s Play BooksEmmaus, PA Linden Tree BooksLos Altos, CA Madison Street BooksChicago, ILMaggie Mae’s BookshopGresham, OR Mitzi’s BooksRapid City, SD Mysterious GalaxySan Diego, CAOld Firehouse BooksFort Collins, CO Page 158 BooksWake Forest, NC Paper Boat BooksellersSeattle, WA Pearl’s BooksFayetteville, ARPecantown Books and BrewsSeguin, TXReading Bug BoxSan Carlos, CARediscovered BooksBoise, ID Schuler BooksGrand Rapids, MISecond Star to the Right BooksDenver, CO Sheridan StationerySheridan, WY Sunshine Book Co.Clermont, FL Talking Leaves… BooksBuffalo, NY The Book Dragon ShopStaunton, VA The Book StallWinnetka, IL The BookshelfThomasville, GA The BooksmithSan Francisco, CA The BooktendersYork, ME The BookwormOmaha, NEThe Frugal FrigateRedlands, CA The Galaxy BookshopHardwick, VTThe Novel NeighborWebster Groves, MO TreeHouse BooksAshland, ORWinnie & Mo’s BookshopIdaho Falls, ID Words Matter BookstorePitman, NJ

The post Signed bookplates and stickers first appeared on KARAH SUTTON.

I was so delighted to be reunited with Pauliina Hannuniemi for The Song of the Swan. Her illustrations for A Wolf for a Spell were breathtaking, and I think her work on this book is every bit as beautiful. With more than 30 illustrations, The Song of the Swan is sure to be a book that is a joy to hold and own.

The post New illustrations from The Song of the Swan first appeared on KARAH SUTTON.

This is one of the most nerve-wracking moments of being an author. You put a book out into the world, and you wait for reviews to come back and communicate whether people are connecting with your work or not. But it’s also thrilling. This is why we write! We hope that a book will mean something to people.

If you’re a teacher, librarian, or reviewer, I invite you to request The Song of the Swan. I hope you love Olga and Pavel as much as I do.

The post The Song of the Swan is now on Netgalley first appeared on KARAH SUTTON.

I am so pleased to introduce The Song of the Swan, my latest middle grade fantasy novel for readers age 8-12. Like A Wolf for a Spell, this book will feature gorgeous illustrations by Pauliina Hannuniemi and will be published by Knopf Books for Young Readers (Penguin Random House). You can pre-order now from all major book retailers and purchase in stores October 24.

A magical retelling of Swan Lake, featuring a clever orphan, a castle filled with enchanted swans, and a quest to unearth the secrets of the past.

Olga is an orphan and a thief, relying on trickery and sleight of hand to make her way in the world. But it’s magic, not thievery, that could get her into trouble.

When Olga and her partner-in-crime Pavel learn of a valuable jewel kept in a secluded castle, Olga sees an opportunity to change their lives: a prize so big, they’d never have to steal again. But the castle is not as it seems, ruled by an enchanter who hosts grand balls every night, only for the guests to disappear each morning, replaced by swans. Guided by cryptic clues from the palace spiders, Olga soon realizes she’s in over her head—torn between a bargain with the enchanter, loyalty to Pavel, and determination to understand how the enchanted swans are linked to her own fate.

One thing is certain: there is dark magic behind the castle’s mysteries, and Olga will stop at nothing to unmask it.

Pre-order now

The post Introducing my newest book: The Song of the Swan first appeared on KARAH SUTTON.

I’m thrilled to present the cover and description for the new Spanish edition of A Wolf for a Spell: Una Loba para un Hechizo, coming February 13 from errata naturae and translated by Susana Rodríguez Álvarez.

Sinopsis

Desde que era cachorra, A Zima le han enseñado que debe temer a los humanos y, por encima de todo, a las brujas. Pero cuando su familia se ve en peligro, no tiene más remedio que pedir ayuda a Baba Yaga, la terrible bruja del bosque. Aunque la vieja, casi retirada, evita en lo posible la magia, en esta ocasión necesita el olfato y la agilidad de un lobo para proteger el bosque y los seres que lo habitan, de modo que le propone un extraño intercambio. Así, desde una cabaña repleta de misteriosos cachivaches que se alza sobre unas patas de gallina, tras aceptar el hechizo, Zima contempla atónita a su cuerpo de loba gris desaparecer entre la espesura. Y ella se ha quedado atrapada en la choza… ¡y en la forma de la anciana Baba Yaga! Entonces, alguien llama a su puerta. Es Nadya, una niña huérfana que la busca para truncar los planes del zar Aleksander, un ser despiadado que pretende acabar con el bosque para siempre. Tal vez la misión de Zima no sea únicamente proteger a su manada, sino unirlos a todos: lobos, humanos y brujas, para luchar contra la amenaza que se cierne sobre ellos. Al fin y al cabo, solo necesitan comprender que, en el fondo, no son tan distintos. Y que aman las mismas cosas.

Purchase from Bookshop.org

The post A Wolf for a Spell is heading to Spain! first appeared on KARAH SUTTON.