18 December 2015

My 2015 Top Ten List (of moments to remember every time my book doesn't make a top ten list)

'Tis the season for "top ten" and "best of" lists of books for 2015, and I'm sincerely happy for all of my debut YA author friends whose books are getting a well-deserved shout-out. The ones appearing on ALL the lists? The ARE all that. It's true. I've read them and loved them. But there are also some books I've hugged to my chest and ached over, or laughed out loud at and shared with every teen reader I know, or otherwise fangirled over... that are NOT on the lists.  

And my book, too... it has not made it onto the radar screen of the top ten list-makers, either. 

Every time a list comes out, the part of my brain that's eternally optimistic (and completely delusional) says, "OH, goodie! A list! Let's see if Between the Notes is on it!" And I hopefully scan the beautiful books, oohing and ahhing over ones I haven't read yet that look sooo good. But, nope. My book isn't there.

And that's OKAY. Seriously. Because have you noticed how many amazing books came out in 2015? It's a huge honor to even be sitting in the same room. I've been part of the most incredible class of debut authors imaginable, and no one will never convince me that there has ever been or will ever again be a more impressive year. (I may be biased, but I don't think so. It was an awesome freaking year for YA.)

That said, it is still just a *teensy* bit hard to read list after list that doesn't include my book without feeling just a tad dejected. So, I made my book's very own top ten list. Here it is:

A TOP TEN LIST OF MY MOST AWESOME BOOK MOMENTS OF 2015

1) A few weeks before my publication date, a box arrived from Harper Collins—full of MY BOOK! Real books! That I wrote! Published! There they were. In a box! My son and I stacked them into towers and pyramids. I took photos. I clapped and squealed. (My teenage son is way cooler than I am, so he did not squeal. But I could tell he was pretty happy and proud of his mom.) 

2) A reader/book blogger from the Philippines tweeted me that she had read and loved Between the Notes. My portrayal of Ivy's disabled little brother, Brady, reminded her of her own disabled brother and their relationship. We exchanged private messages. She wrote at first that she couldn't put it into words. "Just thank you." To hear from a reader who identified so strongly with the disability experience I had written meant so much to me. I wrote to her, "You're making me cry!" And she responded, "You made me cry first!" As we exchanged messages, she revealed how Brady was similar to her brother. "Being a creature of habit, having his own logic, the repetitive gestures, therapy..." She also related to Ivy's sometimes less-than-stellar behavior. "I knew how she felt. The constant worrying and doing everything not to upset him and the what-ifs and all that." What a special feeling to connect with a reader so far away, about this very special character.


Launch party at Hockessin Book Shelf
3) My local indie bookstore, Hockessin Book Shelf, threw a kickass launch party for me. I signed books for two hours straight. There was wine and cheese and cupcakes. Friends and family and people I hadn't seen in years came. The store sold out of their copies of Between the Notes and we had to crack open my personal supply of books. A woman who'd read about it in the paper was excited that I'd written about the teenage experience. She had no idea YA even existed, and my book was her introduction! It was all very exciting. I may have levitated.


Look, Mom! Your book!
4) My kids and I made a special trip to Barnes & Noble the week after my book came out, to see it on the shelf. I was so nervous it wouldn't be there. But it was! Two stacks facing out! I nervously went to the info desk and asked if they wanted me to sign them. THEY DID! 

5) A friend texted me from a restaurant in Pennsylvania. "A young girl is reading your book at the table next to us." A few minutes later a photo came through. It was the first moment I had concrete proof that complete strangers were reading my book. I love that girl. I love all girls who bring books with them to restaurants. 


Representing Delaware at the National Book Festival!
6) The Delaware Division of Libraries/Center for the Book chose Between the Notes to represent Delaware in the States Pavillion at the National Book Festival. I wasn't a featured speaker or anything, but I did get to listen to Libba Bray and Jenny Han speak, and briefly meet up with fellow Fifteener Sabaa Tahir. I got to bask in the awesome of a massive convention center filled with book lovers. It was SO. MUCH. FUN. My book was sold in the store there, and was featured on a map activity for kids, and I got to appear at the Delaware booth and sign bookmarks. I brought 500 bookmarks with me and ran out a few hours before the day ended. Kids who came to the booth to get their map stamped were excited to meet an author... me! They got these great, excited looks of surprise and delight on their face when they found out I was "the author." 
Jon Sciezcka is holding my book!

7) Oh, and at the National Book Festival, I also ran into Jon Sciezcka (the first ever Ambassador of Young People's Literature and author of The Stinky Cheese Man and Squids will be Squids and so many other books my kids and I have adored). When I say I "ran into" Jon Sciezcka, I really mean that I recognized him walking through the pavilion and catapulted myself across the aisle to introduce myself and thank him for his awesome books and remind him that we'd met in Delaware when he appeared there a few years ago and tell him I was now published. Instead of treating me like a weird stalker or crazy fangirl, he said, "Let me see your book!" and "Welcome to the club!" We took a photo together. HE HELD MY BOOK. And then he followed me on Twitter. I died. 

8) OMG, fan Letters! A 12-year-old from Indiana wrote, "I know I am but a young girl who knows nothing compared to the world, but I do know I want to experience a love like that someday; beautiful, confusing, frustrating, dizzying, refreshing, amazing, exhilarating." A 14-year-old girl from Canada sent me a photo of herself hugging a library copy of my book. She listed all her favorite moments in the story, and I gobbled it up. Fans are lovely.

9) A friend who lives down the road, who generally does not read YA, stopped by with her teenage daughter to tell me how much they'd both loved my book. They were downright giddy. The daughter had finished reading at 5 a.m. that morning, and had wanted to call me in the wee hours of the morning to squee over it. I was particularly pleased that she liked it, because this girl also happened to be in my driveway the day I got the first proof of my book cover art. I hadn't shown it to anyone yet, and was excited and worried and ALL THE FEELS. She said, "You should show it to some teens and see what they think." I dragged her out of the car and showed it to her. And she liked it. I'm so glad she liked what was inside, too!

10) I was Facebooking with author Stacey Lee (Under a Painted Sky) the other day, and she wrote, "BTW Sharon, my neighbor's daughter LOVED Between the Notes. I gave it to her for her birthday. She said it was her favorite book of the year. :-) You should feel very proud." And I was. Because Stacey Lee, who wrote one of my favorite books of 2015, gave MY book to a reader on the other side of the country, and she loved it. In that moment, I felt like I'd just made the most important "Top Ten" list of the year. I made Stacey Lee's neighbor's daughter's top ten list. Then Stacey added, "She can't wait for your next one."

And that's when I decided to make my own top ten list, because the year has been full of special moments like these. I wouldn't trade them for an appearance on any "best of" list in the world.

THANK YOU ALL for a wonderful year!

16 December 2015

My 2015 Reading Journal!

One of the highlights of my year as a debut author has been reading advance copies (or purchased ones) of books by other 2015 debut authors. Every few weeks (or several times in a single week), ARCs would arrive in the mail. Somehow, I found time to read them. And I didn't realize how MANY I had read until I made this list. FORTY-FIVE! 

I'm pretty sure this is the most books I've ever read in a single year. And they were ALL SO GOOD! Seriously. I'm not just saying that because I've become friends with so many of these authors, cheering each other on through this crazy year. There are so many amazing books on this list. I've pictured just a few of my faves.


A WORK OF ART by Melody Maysonet
AN EMBER IN THE ASHES by Sabaa Tahir
BLACKBIRD FLY by Erin Entrada Kelly
BLOOD AND SALT by Kim Liggett
CITY OF SAVAGES by Lee Kelly
THE COST OF ALL THINGS by Maggie Lehman
DATING DOWN by Stefanie Lyons
DEAD TO ME by Mary McCoy
DENTON LITTLE’S DEATHDATE by Lance Rubin
THE DISTANCE BETWEEN LOST AND FOUND by Katherine Holmes
EVERYTHING THAT MAKES YOU by Moriah McStay
EVERYTHING, EVERYTHING by Nicola Yoon
THE FIX by Natasha Sinel
FOR THE RECORD by Charlotte Huang
HONOR GIRL by Maggie Thrash
I AM HER REVENGE by Meredith Moore
IN A WORLD JUST RIGHT by Jen Brooks
JILLIAN CADE: (FAKE) PARANORMAL INVESTIGATOR by Jen Klein
LARK RISING by Sandra Waugh
LOCK & MORI by Heather Petty
MADE YOU UP by Francesca Zappia
MONSTROUS by MarcyKate Connolly
MORE HAPPY THAN NOT by Adam Silvera
MY HEART AND OTHER BLACK HOLES by Jasmine Warga
THE NIGHT WE SAID YES by Lauren Gibaldi
NONE OF THE ABOVE by I.W. Gregorio
NOT AFTER EVERYTHING by Michelle Levy
THE ONE THING by Marci Lyn Curtis
PLAYLIST FOR THE DEAD by Michelle Falloff
THE SACRED LIES OF MINNOW BLY by Stephanie Oakes
SIMON VS. THE HOMO SAPIENS AGENDA by Becky Albertalli
SKYSCRAPING by Cordelia Jensen
TINY PRETTY THINGS by Sona Charaipotra and Dhonielle Clayton
TRUEST by Jackie Lea Sommers
TUNNEL VISION by Susan Adrian
UNDER A PAINTED SKY by Stacey Lee
UNDERNEATH EVERYTHING by Marcy Beller Paul
THE WEIGHT OF FEATHERS by Anna-Marie McLemore
WE ALL LOOKED UP by Tommy Wallach
THE WITCH HUNTER by Virginia Boecker
WHEN REASON BREAKS by Cindy Rodriguez

I also read (by non-2015-debut authors):

THE WALLS AROUND US by Nova Ren Suma
HYPERBOLE AND A HALF by Allie Brosh
EL DEAFO by Cece Bell
WILL GRAYSON, WILL GRAYSON by John Green & David Leviathan

Books that haven't yet made their way to my mailbox on Fearless Fifteener ARC tours (but will soon), that I can't wait to read, include:

CONVICTION by Kelly Loy Gilbert
THE GIRL AT MIDNIGHT by Melissa Grey
THE CONSPIRACY OF US by Maggie Hall
WRITTEN IN THE STARS by Aisha Saeed
FANS OF THE IMPOSSIBLE LIFE by Kate Scelsa
AN INFINITE NUMBER OF PARALLEL UNIVERSES by Randy Ribay
THIS MONSTROUS THING by Mackenzi Lee

And, finally, books currently in my possession that I hope to read over the holiday:

THE CROSSOVER by Kwame Alexander (I've been saving it to savor on a quiet, cold day... but I did flip through it and fail to resist reading the poem "Ode to my hair" because that title! So good.)
MOSQUITOLAND by David Arnold
ALL AMERICAN BOYS by Jason Reynolds and Brendan Kiely 
FROM WHERE I WATCH YOU by Sheila Grogan
ALICE IN WONDERLAND HIGH by Rachel Shane
RED QUEEN by Victoria Aveyard
5 TO 1 by Holly Bodger

Which of these books did you love in 2015, or which are you hoping to receive as a gift this holiday season? Share your favorites or wish list in the comments below! 


28 November 2015

My Last Book Event of the Year...

Hi friends. I'm thrilled to be joining up with some of the loveliest authors on the planet for my final book event of 2015. It's been an amazing year... my debut novel came out in June and I've had so much fun meeting readers and other writers at events from coast to coast. 

If you're in the Philadelphia area, please come see us at Doylestown Bookshop on December 12! 


22 November 2015

Nov. 28 is Small Business Saturday—The Book-Lover's Answer to Black Friday

Hey, booklovers! If you can't face the mall on Thanksgiving weekend but want to get started on your holiday shopping, there is no better way to find gifts for almost everyone on your list than a visit to your favorite local indie bookstore!

You might also bump into your favorite author... or ME! I'll be serving as guest bookseller at at Hockessin Book Shelf that day. Come say hi (and buy some books!)


Our next guest bookseller on Small Business Saturday, 11/28, will be Sharon Huss Roat, from 1:30pm-2:30pm. Sharon will...
Posted by Hockessin Book Shelf on Tuesday, November 17, 2015

05 November 2015

November 15: YA Lit Extravaganza!

I'll be hanging out with these fabulous people on Sunday, November 15, at Main Point Books in Bryn Mawr, Pa.  Come see us! Buy a book or five for the YA readers on your holiday gift list! It will be a very casual affair. No formal presentation or panel. Just chatting and book signing. If you're an aspiring author and want to talk writing and publishing, we're happy to talk!


29 October 2015

'Tis the Season... for Book Signings!

I am loathe to start thinking about the holidays before Halloween (or Thanksgiving for that matter). Ugh. But if you have book-lovers on your list this year, then it's a great time to start checking for author events in your area. Because...

Signed-by-the-author first editions make great gifts!

Can't make the actual event? Most bookstores ask authors to sign whatever stock is not sold at the event for customers to purchase later. If you want the author to personalize it to a particular recipient, call ahead to pre-order and leave a note for whom it should be signed.

If you live in the Philadelphia area, here are two upcoming events where I will be signing with several other debut YA authors. Something for everyone here!

Sunday, Nov. 15, 2015
11 a.m.–1 p.m.
1041 W. Lancaster Ave., Bryn Mawr PA 19096
Young Adult Extravaganza featuring: Cordelia Jensen, Skyscraping; I.W. Gregorio, None of the Above; Marcy Beller Paul, Underneath Everything; Randy Ribay, An Infinite Number of Parallel Universes; and Sharon Huss Roat, Between the Notes.

Saturday, Dec. 12, 2015
THE DOYLESTOWN BOOKSHOP
1:30 p.m.
16 S. Main St., Doylestown PA 18901
YA Author Panel featuring: Cordelia Jensen, Skyscraping; I.W. Gregorio, None of the Above; Marcy Beller Paul, Underneath Everything; Randy Ribay, An Infinite Number of Parallel Universes; and Sharon Huss Roat, Between the Notes!

06 October 2015

The Not-So-Fearless Fifteeners—coming soon to a bookstore near you (DC, VA)!

On Saturday, October 24, I'm joining four other Fearless Fifteeners (2015 Debut Authors) for a little pre-Halloween Fun at HOORAY FOR BOOKS! in Alexandra, VA, from 5-7 p.m. 


We'll be talking about writing fear in all its forms, from the dead-floating-body-and-creepy-cornfield variety to the fear of losing someone, the fear of being found out, the fear of facing our fears! (We'll probably touch on the scary world of publishing, too!)

Come see us! Hooray for Books is located at 1555 King ST., Alexandria, VA 22314.

Featured authors include: Marci Lyn Curtis, The One Thing; Lauren Gibaldi, The Night We Said Yes; Cordelia Jensen, Skyscraping; Kim Liggitt, Blood and Salt; and Sharon Huss Roat, Between the Notes.

01 October 2015

YA Scavenger Hunt! (And bonus giveaway)

UPDATED Oct. 4th, 3 pm EST: The YA Scavenger Hunt is officially over, but my bonus giveaway continues until midnight! Scroll down to enter to win a signed copy of Between the Notes plus a set of temporary tattoos inspired by the book!

Welcome to YA Scavenger Hunt! This bi-annual event was first organized by New York Times bestselling author Colleen Houck as a way to give readers access to exclusive material from their favorite authors and a chance to win some awesome prizes! Each participating author offers a clue (a favorite number) along the way. Add them up and you can enter to win our prize—one signed book from each author in my team! But play fast: this contest (and all the exclusive bonus material) will only be online for 72 hours!

Go to the YA Scavenger Hunt page to learn about the hunt. There are EIGHT contests going on simultaneously, and you can enter one or all. I am a part of the BLUE TEAM, but there are also red, gold, green, orange, teal, purple, and pink teams, each with 20 authors and a chance to win a whole different set of signed books.



SCAVENGER HUNT PUZZLE

Directions: Below, you'll notice that I've listed my favorite number. Collect the favorite numbers of all the authors on the blue team, and then add them up (don't worry, you can use a calculator!). 

Entry Form: Once you've added up all the numbers, make sure you fill out the form here to officially qualify for the grand prize. Only entries that have the correct number will qualify.

Rules: Open internationally, anyone below the age of 18 should have a parent or guardian's permission to enter. To be eligible for the grand prize, you must submit the completed entry form by Sunday, October 4, at noon Pacific Time. Entries sent without the correct number or without contact information will not be considered.

SCAVENGER HUNT POST


Woo hoo! Let the hunt begin!

Today, I am delighted to host Megan Crewe. Like many authors, Megan finds writing about herself much more difficult than making things up. A few definite facts: she lives with her husband, son, and three cats in Toronto, Canada (and does on occasion say "eh"), she tutors children and teens with special needs, and she can't look at the night sky without speculating about who else might be out there.

You can visit her website to learn more, and buy A SKY UNBROKEN here

Her book:


The rebels have been disbanded, their plans in ruins. Captured by the Enforcers, Skylar and a small group of Earthlings find themselves herded into the Kemyates' living museum: basically, a human zoo. Skylar's companions are bewildered, terrified, and ignorant of their true situation, and Skylar is afraid to tell them more. Their lives hang on the Kemyates' whim. Those Skylar trusted most have betrayed her. Any move she makes could result in the extinction of her people... but giving in means giving up any hope of regaining their freedom.

Returned home, Win has kept his life only by playing along with the story his former leader has spun to protect the rebels from sanction, but he can't stand knowing Skylar is imprisoned or watching his fellow Kemyates swallow the Council's lies about Earth. Win resolves to bring the truth to the Kemyate public and see the Earthlings finally freed... though to do so he'll have to set aside caution and openly challenge those who rule his world.

But neither Skylar nor Win are prepared when they uncover an even deeper conspiracy of betrayals and deceit--one that could push the uncertain future they're fighting for completely out of reach.


EXCLUSIVE CONTENT


Megan has offered the following excerpt from A SKY UNBROKEN, which comes out October 13. In this scene, Skylar has been imprisoned without any knowledge of what's happening in the outside world. When a stealthily conveyed message tells her to expect a visit, she has no idea who will meet her.

Excerpt:
I walk to the clothes rack and back again. And then the shutter drops on the window. An electric light gleams on overhead as a low hum sounds from behind the counter. I spin around.
For a second I can only stare at the figure ducking through the space that’s opened in the wall, my heart thumping. Win draws himself upright, brushing his jagged black hair from his deep blue eyes, which soften in relief when they meet mine. His mouth curves into that wondrously familiar crooked smile.
“You got our message,” he says with his usual British lilt, and my vision goes watery. Hes alive and unharmed and here.
I don't think about moving, it just happens. I'm standing there staring, and then as he skirts the edge of the counter I’m rushing to meet him. His arms pull me in as I wrap mine around him. I press my head against his shoulder, absorbing the warm realness of his body against mine. My throats choked up. I didnt realize how alone I felt even with my parents and Angela, until this moment when I don't anymore.
Id wonder if I should be embarrassed by the way Im clinging to him, but he’s holding on to me just as tightly. He swallows audibly. “I'm sorry it took me so long,” he says, and I almost laugh. It’s a miracle he’s here at all. 

So intriguing! Don't forget to enter the contest for a chance to win a ton of signed books by me, Megan Crewe, and more! To enter, you need to know that my favorite number is 22


CONTINUE THE HUNT

To keep going on your quest for the hunt, you need to check out the next author: 


BUT WAIT! Enter my BONUS GIVEAWAY before you go! 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

As part of my giveaway, I've asked readers to name their favorite bookstore. What's yours?

23 September 2015

Goodreads Giveaway!

I'm offering a signed hardcover copy of Between the Notes on Goodreads right now. Contest ends Oct. 22! Open internationally!


Goodreads Book Giveaway

Between the Notes by Sharon Huss Roat

Between the Notes

by Sharon Huss Roat

Giveaway ends October 22, 2015.
See the giveaway details at Goodreads.
Enter Giveaway

22 September 2015

YA Scavenger Hunt, October 1-4. Go Blue Team!

The YA Scavenger Hunt (YASH) is coming soon! This biannual online event promotes collaboration between YA authors from different publishing houses, offering fans an opportunity to see the latest and greatest in young adult literature. The hunt showcases exclusive bonus material, gives readers access to top secret insider information, and offers fabulous prizes and giveaways for zealous YA fans. 

This fall there are eight teams of 20 authors each. I'm excited to be a member of the blue team, with all these amazing YA authors:
JESSICA KHOURY
DOROTHY DREYER
EVE SILVER
JOSHUA DAVID BELLIN
COLLEEN HOUCK
AUSTIN ASLAN
LEAH BOBET
LISH MCBRIDE
LIVIA BLACKBURNE
MATTHEW PHILLION
MELINDA SALISBURY
MEGAN CREWE
MICHELLE PAINCHAUD
JENNY MARTIN
ROBISON WELLS
SARA B. LARSON
ANNA SCHUMACHER
SHARON HUSS ROAT
SHONNA SLAYTON
VICTORIA SCOTT
More details to come! 


01 September 2015

September 5 in Washington DC: BETWEEN THE NOTES (and me!) at the National Book Festival! Woo Hoo!

I'm so excited that BETWEEN THE NOTES will be featured in the Pavilion of States as part of the "Discover Great Places Through Reading" program at the National Book Festival this year! There's a fun map activity for kids which features a book representing each of the 50 states plus DC and the U.S. territories. (Visit all 52 and you win a prize.) And I'll be making two appearances at the Delaware booth. So come see me... at the Convention Center in Washington DC!


16 July 2015

Celebrating One Month of BETWEEN THE NOTES with a Goodreads Giveaway!

Today, my debut novel has been out in the world (at Barnes & Noble! In your favorite local bookstore! On Amazon!) for one whole month. And what a fun month it's been. To celebrate, I'm hosting a giveaway on Goodreads. Five copies of Between the Notes are available (U.S. only). The contest ends on August 16. Good luck!



Goodreads Book Giveaway

Between the Notes by Sharon Huss Roat

Between the Notes

by Sharon Huss Roat

Giveaway ends August 16, 2015.
See the giveaway details at Goodreads.
Enter Giveaway

10 July 2015

Coming soon to Oregon and Washington!

I'm joining up with two amazing YA authors, Hilary T. Smith and Stephanie Oakes, for a five-day, five-city book tour in Oregon and Washington! Come see us. We'll be talking about writing and publishing, answering questions, reading excerpts and signing our books. Plus surprises! 

We've created this eventbrite page with full details, so check it out and let us know if you'll be there! 

Click on graphic for larger view.

18 June 2015

I was too busy celebrating my book launch and stalking Barnes & Noble to post this earlier


My debut novel, a YA contemporary published by HarperTeen, made its way into the world on Tuesday. There was so much celebrating, Tweeting, Facebooking and Instagramming, I forgot to mention it here on my blog. So, a quick recap:

There were articles in newspapers about the pending arrival of my book! They appeared here and here and here. People I never met before or hadn't seen in years came out to my book launch party at The Hockessin Book Shelf on June 16, along with lots of friends and family. I signed books for two hours straight, stopping for about five minutes to say a few words (which were largely incoherent, I fear). 

Here are some photos of the festivities:

My daughter got a manicure to match my book!

I signed books! There were balloons!
And cake!

Lots of people showed up!

My husband and kids.

My daughter's friends.

My son's friends.

Teen readers who heard about my book and came by!

Old friends. 
New friends. 
My parents. 

It was tons of fun. Huge thanks to Rebecca Dowling of Hockessin Book Shelf for hosting the event. She was a lovely, calm presence and made everything run smoothly (even when I was running around flailing about cupcake placement). 

Best bookseller ever.

I had hoped to get straight back to writing the next day, as I am working on my second novel with HarperCollins and a deadline looms. But, first, I had to go see if BETWEEN THE NOTES had made it onto the shelves of the nearest Barnes & Noble. The kids and I headed out. I was nervous. What if they hadn't stocked it? My fears were put to rest, though, when I made my way up the Teen "New Release" section and saw not one, but TWO facing-out stacks of my book. Wheee!

My book! And, look at that empty space to the left.
Was there a third stack that sold already? 

I introduced myself to a store manager and she asked if I'd sign their stock. Which I did, of course:
Signing books at Barnes & Noble on Concord Pike in Wilmington

And that is my book launch story. I felt very full and happy yesterday, coming home from the Barnes & Noble. The publishing journey is full of ups and downs, of rejection and waiting and gnashing of teeth. But this week made it all worthwhile. 

Thanks to everyone for the friendship and support!