Anne Riley's Blog

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First of all, let me say that it has been more than two years since my last blog post on this website. TWO YEARS. Isn’t that bananas? I used to blog all the time, back in the early days of my authorial pursuits. Not so much anymore.

I could go into a long diatribe right here about how busy, hard, uncertain, and tiring the last two years have been — both on the writing front and the regular life front — but 1) that’s not why I cracked this baby open again after all this time, and 2) it’s not like you aren’t all living the same busy, hard, uncertain, tiring situation I am, so how about we just move on to the fun stuff and assume we all understand that life happens and sometimes you don’t have time for blogging.

The Big Announcement: OFF WITH THEIR HEADS Releases September 1, 2020!

Before we go any further, let’s get right to the point. My fourth book, Off With Their Heads, will release this September from Wordsmith Books — my own publishing house!

In addition to publishing this book under my own company’s name, I’ll be using the name Annie McKay for this series (yes, it will be a series!) just to underline the fact that this is nothing like the books I’ve written as Anne Riley.

The story is a cozy murder mystery (think Agatha Christie and M.C. Beaton) with an Alice in Wonderland twist. Since everyone loves a good plot summary, here’s what the story is about:

*

Welcome to Wonderland, Alabama, where residents embrace their obvious connection to the Lewis Carroll classic with kitschy restaurants and tourist shops. Every year, on the last night of September, the town excitedly gathers at Wonderland Public Library for the Tumbledown Eve party. It’s a jovial night that officially kicks off the five-day Tumbledown Festival, a celebration of Alice in Wonderland that brings in Alice fans from all over the Southeast.  

At this year’s party, library director Emerson Bloom is pretty proud of her Caterpillar costume and her signature cocktail, a rum-spiked Mad Hatter’s Brew. She is confident it will be a celebratory festival year, as always. But when one of her party guests is found axed to death in the Impossibilities Room, Emerson realizes that someone in their tight-knit community is a killer and no one is above suspicion. Unfortunately, that includes Emerson’s beloved mentor and friend, Mrs. Larson, who bizarrely confesses to the crime and sends the whole town tumbling down a rabbit hole of suspicion and unease.

On the surface, Mrs. Larsen’s confession seems to hold water — until a white rabbit leads Emerson through the rose bushes to the Larsens’ property, where she encounters a much more likely suspect. As threatening notes arrive at the library and another citizen is attacked, Emerson feels certain that Mrs. Larsen can’t be guilty. But proving her friend’s innocence will require peering through the looking glass into the past, where secrets swirl thick and the impossible becomes reality. 

*

I’m thrilled for this story to come to life, and I hope you’ll love the town of Wonderland as much as I do!

What Happens Next

Over the course of the next few weeks and months, I’ll release more information about the book — like where you can add it (Goodreads, etc.), how you can preorder an e-book, and what the cover will look like (spoiler: it’s beautiful!).

You’ll also get to read some of my favorite quotes from the book, meet some of the characters, and get sneak peeks into the world of Wonderland, Alabama.

So keep your eyes peeled for more news about Emerson and the rest of the gang… exciting times lie ahead!

The post OFF WITH THEIR HEADS: Murder, Mystery, and Madness in a Small Southern Town appeared first on ANNE RILEY.

Often, people ask me for my opinion of the best YA books out there. After all, in my circle of people, I am “the writer,” so people assume that if I’m into writing, I’m also into reading.

And let me just tell you, that assumption is 100% CORRECT. YA books are my drug of choice, and the only thing I love more than reading them is recommending them!

Here are the four books I’ve recommended most over the past year or so. Some were published this year, others aren’t quite so new, but I think there’s something here for everyone. All of these books can be purchased through the Amazon links on this page.

#1: STRANGE THE DREAMER – Laini Taylor

“The dream chooses the dreamer, not the other way around–and Lazlo Strange, war orphan and junior librarian, has always feared that his dream chose poorly.” 

A mysterious lost city, alchemy, adorably nerdy librarians, and a cast of characters that are deeply flawed and profoundly lovable made me LOVE THIS BOOK. Also, the writing was so good, it inspired me to try a different style in my own work, and now I feel I can say that reading this book revolutionized my perspective of fiction writing altogether.

My only word of warning is that this story is really, really strange (pun not intended, but appreciated nonetheless), so be ready to have your mind blown if you pick up this first book in a two-book series.

#2: THE RAVEN BOYS – Maggie Steifvater

“Every year, Blue Sargent stands next to her clairvoyant mother as the soon-to-be dead walk past. Blue never sees them–until this year, when a boy emerges from the dark and speaks to her.”

If there is any book that I have bashed people over the head with (figuratively speaking, of course), it’s this one. The characters feel so real, you expect them to walk through the door any minute–and again, even though they are deeply flawed, you just LOVE THEM.

Also: the ending of this first book in a four-book series literally made me yell “WHAT?!” in a public place. Buckle up.

#3: THE QUEEN OF THE TEARLING – Erika Johansen

“Magic, adventure, mystery, and romance combine in this epic debut in which a young princess must reclaim her dead mother’s throne, learn to be a ruler–and defeat the Red Queen, a powerful and malevolent sorceress determined to destroy her.”

I absolutely LOVED the medieval feel of this book, and I was fascinated by the fact that it didn’t actually take place in medieval times. Society has returned to a feudalistic system after a dramatic event known as “the Crossing,” and as the history of the Tearling unfolds, the reader discovers more about the country’s tragic beginnings and how William Tear’s utopia turned into the flawed civilization it is now.

This book reminded me a bit of PILLARS OF THE EARTH, especially in the graphic details it included, so if you’re sensitive to that kind of thing, proceed cautiously–but I very much enjoyed this trilogy!

#4: PULL BY ANNE RILEY

I know what you’re thinking. And the answer is, yes, I am recommending my own book, because I LOVE THIS BOOK, DARN IT, AND I THINK YOU WILL TOO.

Crime fighting and time manipulation in London. An old man’s mysterious death and the resulting fallout his granddaughter must deal with. And of course, all the witty dialogue you could ever want.

PULL was a labor of love for me, so I’m including it here because I do recommend it to you, especially if you like all of the above. One reviewer described it as The Mortal Instruments combined with Doctor Who, so there you go.

Happy reading, everyone!

The post The 4 Best YA Books I’ve Read appeared first on ANNE RILEY.

Almost without fail, whenever I see an acquaintance at the grocery store, a friend at a party, or a relative at a holiday gathering, I am asked the same question: “So, are you still writing?”

Now, this question comes in different forms, but whether it’s “Are you working on any books right now?” or “I heard you wrote a book or something; how’s that going?” the point is the same: So, are you still writing?

My answer: yes, and then again, no.

It has been over a year since PULL made its grand debut, and the year anniversary passed, more or less, without myself or anyone else noticing.

I remember experiencing a vague awareness that my book was a year old, and thinking I should do something special for the anniversary of the release; but then that begged the question, when was the release date, exactly? 

Because those of you who were around for “release day” probably remember that my book released in various formats on various days from February 2nd – 16th. It’s very hard to celebrate properly when your book release is the slow-drip variety and none of your friends are sure when, exactly, they are supposed to congratulate you, and so they don’t, and then by the time they are sure, the moment has passed and everyone is on to the next week’s releases.

(Agent Emma, predictably, was amazing and sent me flowers on my original release day, February 2nd.)

(Because she is the actual best.)

Anyway, I suppose it was hard for me to get excited about an anniversary that didn’t have a definitive date. February 2nd and 9th and 16th of this year passed without incident, and here we are.

So. Am I still writing?

The answer is: I am fighting for the chance to be still writing.

Because I can’t give it up. 

Because there are too many stories that haven’t been told yet.

Because I want to see another announcement in Publisher’s Marketplace with my name on it. 

My brain constantly manufactures storylines and characters and dialogues. Every morning, during my fancy new downtown commute, I talk myself through whatever plotline currently has its claws in my mind. Literally, if you pull up next to me on the highway, you will see me asking myself questions and then talking through the answers.

This time in the car is one of the only times I have to be creative.

I don’t say that to be self-pitying; my life is an absolute dream. I have a home, a husband, and a job that I love. I have three beautiful (and ACTIVE) daughters who make me belly-laugh every single day. We have cars that work, food in our kitchen, beds to sleep in. I wouldn’t trade anything in my life for more writing time.

But my very full life leaves little room for writing. And even less room for events, which I also used to do a lot of.

I know — I still haven’t answered the question. 

Yes, I am still writing. In small snatches of time, I’m working on the stories that captivate me. Some of them are children’s books. Some of them are novels. Some of them are just ideas, and that’s probably all they’ll ever be.

No, I’m not writing the way I used to — for hours on end, with few to no interruptions. Even nights like tonight, when the kids are all asleep by 6:15 (yes, you can borrow my magic wand sometime), I find myself so exhausted that my creativity shuts off and all I can do is consume other people’s creativity. I read, I watch TV, I look at Instagram posts.

But I am too tired to put a book together.

Will this ever change? Will I ever be able to finish another book? Will I ever sign another contract with a publisher?

I certainly hope so. (And yes, I do have a great idea for a YA novel that I want to start working on next month, after I’ve thought through the plot.)

I’m going to do everything I can to make writing a priority, come hell or high water or housework or full-time jobs or children. Because I’ll tell you one thing: books don’t get written without someone writing them. So if I want to write books, then I have to, you know, write books. 

I think my new answer to the question, “So, are you still writing?” will be: Yes, I suppose I am, because I haven’t given up yet. 

Better get back to plotting that new YA novel… see y’all next time.

 

My two YA novels, plus my keys. Get it?

 

Have you always wanted to write a book?

Do you ever think about a story, or a voice, or a character, and wish you could put it all on paper?

Have you been mulling over the same plot for months, years, decades?

Do you sometimes try to start writing, but one the following happens:

You don’t know how to start a book, so you feel overwhelmed, and you walk away.
You get the beginning down, but then you don’t know where to go from there.
You write the first few chapters, but then you hit a roadblock of some kind, and you don’t know how to get past it.
You have a great idea, but you need a little guidance to actually make it happen.

Friends, I get it. 

And if any of these situations describes you, then Fiction Ignition might be just the push from the nest you need to write your book and become a published author.

 

What Is Fiction Ignition?

Fiction Ignition is a two-week writing workshop for anyone who wants to write a book.

At the end of the two weeks, if you have put in the appropriate amount of effort and kept (more or less) to the schedule, you will have:

The first chapter of your book, written and edited at least once (with critique/guidance by me)
The second chapter of your book, written and edited at least once (with critique/guidance by me)
Three characters fully fleshed out and ready to shine (with critique/guidance by me)
An outline of your entire story from start to finish (with critique/guidance by me)
A future referral to my literary agent if I feel that your work is even remotely something she would be interested in (Emma Patterson at Brandt & Hochman) (yes, she knows about this)

If you are interested in writing a children’s book instead of a novel, just let me know when you email me — I can give you more details via email.

 

Why would you want TO DO THIS?

Well, not to toot my own horn — because I am not nearly as big of a deal as some people — BUT:

I have been writing for publication since 2008.
I have traditionally published two YA novels (one of which is now self-published, so I know about that, too).
I have published a children’s picture book.
I have worked with two different literary agents (which means I have successfully queried twice).
I have run my own freelance editing business for a few years now and worked with twelve different authors.
I have worked, and learned from, three professional editors in the publishing industry.

I guess what I’m saying is, I kinda know what I’m doing at this point, and I can help you figure out what you’re doing.

 

THE DETAILS

Each session lasts two weeks, and there are two sessions per month. In September, these are your choices:

Session 1: September 1-14
Session 2: September 15-30

The September sessions cost $50; October prices may be a tiny bit higher.

Payment is due in full the day before the session begins, and once the first day of the session hits, your money cannot be refunded for any reason.

EVERYTHING is done via email. I will explain more once I have my final list of participants and can give full details, but you do not have to leave your house, nor do you have to work on your book at any particular time.

You will have deadlines — but there is flexibility within those deadlines. (I have a job and three small kids, y’all. Flexibility is my drug of choice right now.)

 

READY TO SIGN UP OR GET MORE INFORMATION?

If you want to sign up or if you have questions for me, email me: annerileybooks@gmail.com

I look forward to hearing from you and watching your story unfold! Don’t put this off any longer. Writing a book is an incredible experience. Let’s get those engines cranked.

So! Pull comes out tomorrow in e-book!

(You’ll be able to get it in paperback on the 16th. Is there an explanation for the double release date? Yes. Is it worth detailing here? Not really.)

Now that we are QUITE LITERALLY on the cusp of being thrown headlong into Rosie and Albert’s crime-fighting, underground-superhero version of London, I thought we’d have a little fun with this question:

If Pull ever got made into a movie, who would I want to cast as Albert and Rosie?

(With the understanding that it probably won’t, and even if it ever did, I’d have ZERO control over the casting process.)

I thought about this for a long time–well, at least as long as it took for my taco meat to finish simmering–and here is what I decided.

If I could pick anyone to play Rosie Clayton, it would be .

Now, I really have no idea who Rita Volk is, but I stumbled across her in my search for the perfect Rosie, and she really seemed to fit the character who pranced around in my head as I wrote Pull. She’s pretty, but she also looks really down to earth, and maybe even a little sassy.

And if you know anything about Pull, you know our Rosie is a sass-a-frass.

And as for the best person to play Albert Shaw, I would choose .

Again, I don’t really know who this guy is (something about Pretty Little Liars?). But I stumbled across him in the same way I stumbled across Rita, and he seemed like the perfect fit. He looks like he’d listen to anything you wanted to say, but he would also be ready to punch you in the face at any given moment.

And, yep… that’s Albert.

(Did I mention he’s also a little sassy?)

If you want to pre-order Pull tonight, or you want to wait and order it tomorrow, be my guest–I’d be honored for you to read it! You can find it on Amazon here. I’m so excited for you guys to meet Rosie and Albert, and to fall into the rabbit hole of London’s secret life that I created for you!

Courtesy of Will Giuliani at AniMedia Creative. Enjoy!

Hi everyone! I just wanted to show you this INCREDIBLE book trailer for Pull that was made by the fantastically talented Will Giuliani at AniMedia Creative.

(Yeah, he’s my friend.) (Or, as Buddy the Elf would say, I KNOW HIM.)

Ready to see what PULL is all about? Take a look!

Don’t forget–you can still preorder it on Amazon and add it on Goodreads!

Today, I realized something about children’s books: they don’t have an acknowledgments page.

While I understand the probable reasoning behind this (simpler format, less clutter, etc. etc.), I also feel that, as an author, writing the acknowledgments for a book is a really important part of the process. It forces me outside of myself–and if you are a writer, you know how easy it can be to live like hermits inside our own heads.

Voyage was such a labor of love and, in many ways, such an emotionally heavy project, that I’m only now remembering to stop and recognize all the things that other people did to get this book out there. And those things–those people–are HUGELY important to this book. Without many of them, the story simply would not exist in its current form.

Yes, I wrote the story out in its entirety, so yes, I’m the author. But there were so many other people who contributed to this project! So let’s get to it, shall we?

Frazer and Dana Gieselmann. If these amazing people hadn’t been brave enough to let us tell their story in allegory form, none of this would have happened. Their willingness to put themselves out there astounds me. And while I know it’s hard for them to read their own story (but hopeful… but hard, and then hopeful again, over and over), they have always expressed their desire to see God’s truth spread throughout the darkness. All of this starts with them. It starts with their “yes” to the question, Can I write your story? (If you haven’t yet read their story, you can find it here.)

Amy Grimes. You know her as the brilliant illustrator of the story’s vivid images, but did you know that most of the ideas for the story came out of her head? Without her (divinely-given, I believe) inspiration for the images and ideas in this book, it would have turned out very differently. Also, did you know she has written another book of stories and mixed media paintings? If you love the illustrations in Voyage, you’ll flip over this book! Check it out on her website here.

Amy’s first book–click for details!

Russ Grimes. A book without a graphic designer to make it beautiful would be a sad thing indeed. Russ did so much for this project, I truly wish we had put his name on the cover, too! (We did put it on the title page, which is something…but I’m not sure it’s enough.) Russ took on the design and formatting for this book in addition to his regular work at Arrowhead Creative, and he ended up finalizing the cover and interior files during an incredibly busy week at work. I don’t even want to know how late he stayed up to get everything done.

Emma Patterson. Did you know that my wonderful agent helped A TON with this book? She gave input on an appropriate target age group for the story, she helped me whittle the word count down to an acceptable size (because guess what? When you’re used to writing 90,000 word novels, writing a 3,000 word story is NIGH IMPOSSIBLE without some very good help), and she took the book on submission for several months. Emma doesn’t usually represent children’s books, but she took this one willingly and gave it the very best shot at traditional publishing that she could. (If you’re looking to query her, you can find her info here.)

Sophie Hudson. Even though it didn’t work out, Sophie was so kind to mention our project to her people at Tyndale. In a business where personal connections can go a long way, this was a huge offering of valuable help on her end! Oh, and did you know Sophie has a super popular blog and two published books (here’s one… and here’s the other) plus a third coming out in June? Well, she does. And you would do well to read all of them!

Sophie’s newest book–click for details!

Okay, and now we’ve reached the point where I’m terrified I’m going to leave someone out. There were so many people who read this story at one point or another. A few of them stand out in my memory (like Rob Riley, who read probably the earliest version of the story; Ben Burgess, who threw out the idea of angels surrounding us even when we feel alone, which led to the scene with the host of Angelfish around the girls’ boat; also Margaret Pless, Riley Kross, Tim Wortman, Cally Burgess, Lauren Beck, and Kendra Knowles, who read the story in its infancy and gave great feedback; my sister Laura Balzer and my parents Bruce and Barbara Capitell, who I know read it at some point and told me how it made them feel, and Jeff and Dawn Cwynar, who read the story early on and made sure I had all the details about the girls correct), but as I was looking through my old emails to find all the people who gave so selflessly of their time, I found that most of those records are gone, and I was sooooo sad.

If you read this story for me at any point, please know you played an invaluable part in this process, and please don’t hold my Baby Brain against me. I cannot remember what I’m wearing unless I look down. Your input was important and valued; my memory is faulty and my email doesn’t save things forever, apparently.

So, as far as I can tell, that’s that.

Thanks to all of you, and thanks to everyone who has bought a copy of Voyage since we released it Monday night (all 1,216 of you!). Your support is a huge, massive, ENORMOUS part of all this. We are so grateful for you!

Hi guys! This is a super quick note to let you know, if you haven’t already seen or heard, that Voyage to the Star Kingdom is available now on Amazon! Go HERE to order it!

I wanted to take a minute to share with you something that I found out several weeks ago, but wasn’t sure I could share publicly until today.

Pull got a blurb! A real blurb! From a real, award-winning author!

Jeri Smith-Ready has been writing fiction since the night she had her first double espresso. A steady stream of caffeine has resulted in twelve published novels for teens and adults, including RT Reviewers Choice-winning fantasy Eyes of Crow; as well as the PRISM award-winning Wicked Game and Shade. Her latest is the YA contemporary novel This Side of Salvation (April 2014), which Booklist called a “smart, unpredictable, and well-rounded tale” in its starred review.

Ready (or should I say, Smith-Ready?) to see what Jeri had to say about Pull?

“Pull yanked me in from Page One. I adored this gripping tale of heartbreak, new love, family drama, and heroic sacrifice. Riley is a master at creating powerful yet believable bonds among characters. If only I could turn back time and meet Rosie and Albert all over again!” —Jeri Smith-Ready, author of the Shade paranormal YA series

Oooooh yes. Anything that includes the phrase “Riley is a master” is EXACTLY my cup of tea, thank you very much.

So BIG THANKS to Jeri Smith-Ready for being kind enough to read my little book and give it her official seal of endorsement. It means more to me than she’ll probably ever know!

(Don’t forget–Pull is available for preorder on Amazon! It releases February 2, which is LESS THAN ONE MONTH FROM NOW!)