Ally Condie's Blog, page 5

My dad and me at Cannon Beach

Labor Day has come and gone, so I guess we can (mostly) say goodbye to summer–it is still hot hot hot here, which is great. Winter will be long enough. But I thought I’d post a few pictures of what I did this summer as we gear up for the fall…and REACHED. As if I’m going back to school too…although I’m actually the only person in this house who is not attending or teaching school at all.

At the beginning of the summer I went on a two-person writing retreat to the Oregon Coast with my dad. He is the world’s best trip planner/itinerary organizer, and he did not fail to deliver. We were there just before the influx of summer visitors, which was perfect. We did lots of hiking, lots of beachcombing, and lots of writing. This will be one of those trips I cherish forever–it was just what I needed. Plus, my dad made sure we always had a fresh supply of Jujy Fruits, something that I did not know what essential to writing but which proved quite helpful.

Our work station. Somehow, there are no Jujy Fruits in this picture, which means it is not as accurate as it should be…

I also proofed and read and REREAD all of the books in the MATCHED series, taking notes to make sure things lined up and worked out the way I’d planned. Oh, you guys, I hope you love REACHED. I can’t tell you how grateful I am to know that there are people out there who care about this story.

That big stack of paper on the bottom is REACHED.

I also signed a BUNCH of tip-in sheets for REACHED. This stack represents about 1/14th of the pages I signed. My carpal tunnel was screaming by the finish but as a former teacher I always want to sign legibly. Plus, in a series where so much emphasis is placed on handwriting, I can’t scribble (can I?).

 

Every day, I lived in FEAR and TERROR that my kids would discover these sheets and use them for drawing paper.

I ran a half marathon (13.1) miles with my brother, my sister, my husband, and my sister’s cute roommate.

After we finished. I look exhausted. Also short.

I also got to go to NYC (I already posted at length about BEA, so I won’t bore you again!), Anaheim, CA (for ALA), and Vernal, UT (to speak as part of the opening of their new library). My husband got to go to London for a work trip and snuck in a little Olympics on the side…lucky duck. The kids did a lot of soccer and swimming.

I read some great books: FOR DARKNESS SHOWS THE STARS, by Diana Peterfreund, which I cannot recommend highly enough. Adam Gidwitz’s IN A GLASS GRIMLY was gory and glorious fun for my son and me.

And what better way to celebrate the end of summer/beginning of fall…in ONLY SIX DAYS, the Smart Chicks Tour kicks off in Salt Lake City! Come see us in SLC on September 10th and on the other tour stops–I’ll also be at the Edmonton, Canada stop on September 13th! More details here.

I’ll post again soon–as we come closer and closer to the release of REACHED, there will be lots more blogging. I’m definitely back to the regular Tuesday posting schedule at the bare minimum, and there is  plenty more to come–just over two months now before the release!

Summer is over(ish)…school has started. I have two kids still home with me, but everyone else in my family (including my husband, who is a professor) is in that whirlwind of many new things. It’s kind of exciting and bittersweet in a myriad of ways. I’m not going back to school, but I’m gearing up for an autumn of traveling to support REACHED (less than three months now, guys!). I feel really lucky that my series has been releasing in November, because it feels like the perfect month–November is always the month when I feel like I could use something awesome happening. (Also: January.)

I found out my REACHED tour dates and locations, and I couldn’t be more excited. I will update the Events page as more info becomes known, but I wanted to let you know dates and locations as soon as I had them:


REACHED TOUR

Salt Lake City
Tuesday, November 13, 7 p.m. Launch Event with The King’s English.
Event will be held at Rowland Hall, Salt Lake City, so we have extra space…and guess what will be at the launch. The REACHED bubble! Just think of the excellent pictures you can take with all your friends! I also want to remind those coming to the launch to support your local indie and purchase through The King’s English Bookshop–you can preorder here or buy the books at The King’s English the night of the event. Also, for those of you whose cities I am not visiting, you can preorder before the night of the event and I will sign and personalize and The King’s English will ship the books to you! They are amazing.

Chicago/Naperville
Wednesday, November 14, 7:00 p.m. Anderson’s Bookshop.  
Woo hoo! I LOVE Anderson’s and can’t wait to get back to their store, and to see any of you who can make it to the event!

Omaha, Nebraska
Friday, November 16, Time TBA, The Bookworm. 
I have been to Omaha before, but never for a signing, and I can’t wait!

Houston, Texas
Tuesday, November 27th, 7 p.m. Blue Willow Bookshop.
I’ve heard so many good things about this bookstore, but never had a chance to visit until now–also, this will be my first signing in Houston. Also, I loved the book The Blue Willow when I was a child–one of my all-time favorites.

Miami/Coral Gables, Florida
Wednesday, November 28th, 7 p.m., Books and Books.
My first trip to Miami (ever) and Books and Books!

Washington, D.C./Bethesda, Maryland
Thursday, November 29, 5 p.m., Bethesda Library.
It’s been a bit since I’ve been to DC…I’m very excited to get to visit it (and this library).

Raleigh, North Carolina
Friday, November 30, 7 p.m., Quail Ridge Bookstore.
This was such a fun stop on the Breathless Reads Tour…it will be lovely to be back.

I also thought I’d remind you guys of a very fun event coming up on Monday, September 10th, 2012 (just a few weeks from now!): the Smart Chicks Kick It Tour launches in Salt Lake City! The event is hosted by The King’s English Bookshop, but will be held at Rowland Hall’s Lincoln Street Campus at 7:00 p.m. that evening. For more info, and to preorder books, click here.  I’ll be signing, and so will a host of FANTASTIC authors who are in town for just that night–Melissa Marr, Kelley Armstrong, Carrie Ryan, Bethany Griffin, Richelle Mead, and Margaret Stohl. It’s going to be an awesome event.

I’m also going to be in Edmonton, Canada, on September 13th, as part of the Smart Chicks Tour (more details here). Any fans from Alberta out there? I am so excited to meet you!

And I’ll be in Austin, TX on September 29th as part of the Austin Teen Book Fest. More info here.

Whew! I feel the strangest urge to start packing RIGHT NOW…

Summer is over(ish)…school has started. I have two kids still home with me, but everyone else in my family (including my husband, who is a professor) is in that whirlwind of many new things. It’s kind of exciting and bittersweet in a myriad of ways. I’m not going back to school, but I’m gearing up for an autumn of traveling to support REACHED (less than three months now, guys!). I feel really lucky that my series has been releasing in November, because it feels like the perfect month–November is always the month when I feel like I could use something awesome happening. (Also: January.)

I found out my REACHED tour dates and locations, and I couldn’t be more excited. I will update the Events page as more info becomes known, but I wanted to let you know dates and locations as soon as I had them:

REACHED TOUR

Salt Lake City
Tuesday, November 13, 7 p.m. Launch Event with The King’s English.
Event will be held at Rowland Hall, Salt Lake City, so we have extra space…and guess what will be at the launch. The REACHED bubble! Just think of the excellent pictures you can take with all your friends! I also want to remind those coming to the launch to support your local indie and purchase through The King’s English Bookshop–you can preorder here or buy the books at The King’s English the night of the event. Also, for those of you whose cities I am not visiting, you can preorder before the night of the event and I will sign and personalize and The King’s English will ship the books to you! They are amazing.

Chicago/Naperville
Wednesday, November 14, 7:00 p.m. Anderson’s Bookshop.  
Woo hoo! I LOVE Anderson’s and can’t wait to get back to their store, and to see any of you who can make it to the event!

Omaha, Nebraska
Friday, November 16, Time TBA, The Bookworm. 
I have been to Omaha before, but never for a signing, and I can’t wait!

Houston, Texas
Tuesday, November 27th, 7 p.m. Blue Willow Bookshop.
I’ve heard so many good things about this bookstore, but never had a chance to visit until now–also, this will be my first signing in Houston. Also, I loved the book The Blue Willow when I was a child–one of my all-time favorites.

Miami/Coral Gables, Florida
Wednesday, November 28th, 7 p.m., Books and Books.
My first trip to Miami (ever) and Books and Books!

Washington, D.C./Bethesda, Maryland
Thursday, November 29, 5 p.m., Bethesda Library.
It’s been a bit since I’ve been to DC…I’m very excited to get to visit it (and this library).

Raleigh, North Carolina
Friday, November 30, 7 p.m., Quail Ridge Bookstore.
This was such a fun stop on the Breathless Reads Tour…it will be lovely to be back.

I also thought I’d remind you guys of a very fun event coming up on Monday, September 10th, 2012 (just a few weeks from now!): the Smart Chicks Kick It Tour launches in Salt Lake City! The event is hosted by The King’s English Bookshop, but will be held at Rowland Hall’s Lincoln Street Campus at 7:00 p.m. that evening. For more info, and to preorder books, click here.  I’ll be signing, and so will a host of FANTASTIC authors who are in town for just that night–Melissa Marr, Kelley Armstrong, Carrie Ryan, Bethany Griffin, Richelle Mead, and Margaret Stohl. It’s going to be an awesome event.

I’m also going to be in Edmonton, Canada, on September 13th, as part of the Smart Chicks Tour (more details here). Any fans from Alberta out there? I am so excited to meet you!

And I’ll be in Austin, TX on September 29th as part of the Austin Teen Book Fest. More info here.

Whew! I feel the strangest urge to start packing RIGHT NOW…

No! Michael! Don’t go! But I completely respect your decision…

For the past 12 years I’ve been watching Michael Phelps (no secret to those of you who follow me on twitter or who were around on this blog back in 2008)! And I’ve had the most bittersweet feeling watching him finish his career. Obviously, it’s his choice and his time, and I’m so excited for him (did you hear he’s going to be on the Hank Haney Project, and now I have to get the Golf Channel)…but, as Rowdy Gaines said, “I am going to miss that man.”

And as a storyteller, man, he killed it in these games. First we saw him a little worn down, finishing off the podium for the first time since Sydney. Then we saw him bring it together for his relay team in the 4 x 100, only to see Lochte lose it at the end (no offense to Lochte fans but man, that was a bummer). Then he just got out-touched in the 200 fly by Chad LeClos (who was so adorable and excited to even be swimming with Michael that I loved Chad in spite of myself). Then he turned right around and rocked it in the 4 x 200 relay, getting a gold, becoming the most decorated Olympian of all time, and getting teary on the medal stand. Then he just came out and killed it in the 100 fly, winning gold and becoming the first male ever to defend a title in three consecutive Olympics…and then he did it AGAIN in the 200 IM. And then, one more gold with a rocking leg of the medley relay. And all along the way, those interviews, just taking accountability for his own swims, talking about the sport and the other swimmers…it was such a ride. You couldn’t write a better story. And he wrote it all, he and his coach and his family and friends. We just got to sit back and watch the result of years of hard work. And what hard work it was. I cannot even imagine.

Sometimes, I will not lie to you, writing feels like hard work to me. There are days when I feel flat, uninspired, a little worn down by life in general. So I have three or four things at any given time that will charge me up and make me feel inspired again. Here they are:

1. Watching Phelps and the men’s 4 x 100 freestyle relay in Beijing. It makes me want to just rock the paragraph I am writing, throw my arms up in the air, and roar like Phelps when I’m finished.

2. Listening to this song by the Piano Guys and Alex Boye. I love the song, and I also, as you all know, am pretty crazy about the landscape they use as a background.

3. Looking at this painting by John Singer Sargent. And yes, this might be a little tiny hint about something that will appear in REACHED…and that’s all I will say for now.

I think it’s exciting that we can derive so much inspiration from things that we personally cannot do (in my case, swim, sing, paint, etc.). I’d love to hear some of your inspirations in the comments below.

And Michael Phelps: thank you. It was such a pleasure to see someone do something so well.

We have a new site! The design is by Brandon at  A + B Works, and the web developer is Brittny from TechieChic. I think they did a fantastic job and I love the new look. Also, Brandon designed some bookmarks and other fun things that I’ll be able to bring to signings. No longer will I be empty-handed! I really appreciate both of these talented people lending their expertise.

I feel like this is the perfect time to revamp the site because I’m also in the process of revamping some of my life, both personal and professional. The big things stay the same–family, my work as a writer–but I’m trying to think about different ways to simplify while still making the most of everything.

My first book was published in 2006, six years ago, and I’ve been writing daily since 2003. That’s a long time, almost ten years, and you’d think I would have it together by now. But no, we’re coming up on published book #8 (or #10, if you count anthologies), and I’m still learning. I have always written with little ones still at home, but now I have little ones and school-age ones, which creates kind of a perfect storm. When school is in session, the little ones need me during the day, and the big ones need me at night, and that can be tricky to work around with writing. And, my life has changed very much in the past two years in ways I could have never foreseen, and I’m still figuring out what those changes mean and how I can work through them with grace.

One constant is that I will keep writing. I wrote when I was a little girl and could barely form the words on the page. I wrote when I was in elementary school and could never finish a story but loved to start them. I wrote when I was a teenager and then I burned what I had written. I wrote all those months in upstate New York with a new baby and a house full of sorority girls. I write because it is who I am, and guess what.

I am writing something new.

It feels wonderful.

I apologize for the lack of blog time and comment/email responses–as is often the case when I’m writing a lot, my carpal tunnel issues really flare up. I’m trying to figure out what to do so this doesn’t become a chronic, debilitating thing (Sara Zarr and Justine Larbalestier have both posted about the importance of taking care of this and it’s got me thinking about how to facilitate long-term healthiness for my poor wrist, not just power through it). Anyway…on to something more fun…

I’ve had something rather unprecedented of late–a few consecutive days in a row without lots of work!–and so I’ve been using the time to make good on some of my summer promises to the kids. These things include:

*making peach cobbler

*running through the new sprinklers

*taking my son on a date to Barnes and Noble to turn in his finished summer reading list and get his new book, then out for a treat afterwards

*going to the local water park

*hikes in the canyon

*seeing BRAVE

We still have a lot of list left:

*day trip to the closest amusement park

*room cleaning (okay, so maybe this is more my list than theirs)

*trip to my parents’ little cabin in southern Utah

*MORE hikes in the canyon

*finding new parks (driving around the valley and going to random parks we’ve never visited before–usually just elementary school playgrounds, but they love it)

*snow cones

*miniature golfing

*movie

*walking along the river trail

*building a fort

*making an art gallery

*overnight trip to somewhere in the state for a mini-vacation

I have some things on my own list:

*more running

*lunch with friends

*read a new book, start to finish, in just a day or two

*date with husband

*pictures of kids

*spending time working on a new writing idea

I don’t know if we’ll make it through everything on all the lists before the end of the summer, but it sure is fun to try. And I do like writing down happy things.

What’s left on your summer list?

I’ve had a few people ask about if/when I’ll be signing this summer. Right now I just have two on the schedule, and one is in two days! This Thursday, July 12, I’ll be signing at the BYU Bookstore from 7:30-9:00 p.m. as part of the BYU Symposium on Books for Young Readers. Lots of other authors who are also speaking at the symposium will be there signing (Amy Krouse Rosenthal! Jack Gantos! Nick Bishop!). For more info, click on the Events tab or the official symposium website.

On Thursday, August 16th, I’m going to Vernal! I’m very honored to be speaking at the reopening of the Uintah County Library. I’ll be speaking at 7:00 p.m. and then signing. Again, more info can be found on the Events page.

Other than that, I am just busy busy busy writing writing writing. I hope you are all having a lovely summer, and I do promise to be back with more regular Tuesday posts (and also, a brand-new website!) very soon!

Just a quick post with my ALA events and times–can’t wait to get to Anaheim THIS WEEK and hang out with all the librarians, other authors, etc.! Such a great conference.

All events are held here unless otherwise noted:

The Anaheim Convention Center

800 West Katella Avenue | Anaheim, CA 92802

Friday, June 22nd

12:30 p.m. – 4:30 p.m. YALSA Preconference: “Books We’ll Still Talk About 45 Years

From Now”

Featuring Ally Condie, Jacqueline Woodson, and Neal Shusterman

Anaheim Convention Center | Room 204A

[NOTE] The author presentations are from 1:00 p.m. to 1:45 p.m.

Saturday, June 23rd

10:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m. Signing in the Penguin Young Readers Booth, #2616-2617

2:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. Signing with Scholastic Book Fairs, Booth #2634

Sunday, June 24th

9:00-10:00 a.m. YALSA YA Coffee Klatch

The Hyatt Regency Hotel | Royal Ballroom

I’m laughing so hard at this photo that I’m not entirely sure where to begin. This picture is of me, my editor/publisher Julie Strauss-Gabel, and my agent, Jodi Reamer, inside the massive REACHED bubble at BEA. Penguin had this great idea to replicate the cover of REACHED and set it up as a photo op for attendees, etc. The minute Julie told me about this bubble I was so excited. I think Jodi wins points for enthusiasm but I have to say that Julie swooping her hair across her face and posing exactly like Cassia takes the cake. I adore this picture.

This was my third year at BEA, thanks to my amazing publisher, but it was the first year that my husband and I decided we should try to find someone to watch the kids so he could come along and see what BEA entails. My awesome mom came to take care of our four little ones for three days and Scott got to experience BEA, the highlight of which, for him, was probably this:

Meeting John Green.

Scott and I have been fans since LOOKING FOR ALASKA, and we’ve watched John and his brother Hank for years. John was very gracious (especially considering how much he had to do–speeches, signings, etc.). It’s very fun to meet someone you admire yourself, but to see your spouse meet someone he finds awesome–well. Even more fun.

I’m sure the second highlight for Scott was this:

His wife making him pose inside the REACHED bubble. But he was an unfailingly good sport, as always.

While I was signing and doing interviews, Scott decided to go stand in the signing lines for more fave authors,Tonya Hurley and Dan and Robison Wells, all of whom he has friend crushes on (and also a friend crush on Tonya’s very fun sister Tracy). Meanwhile, I was signing away in the Penguin booth and grinning from ear to ear. I was SO grateful to all of you who waited in line for the signing. And to everyone who came to the panel at McNally Jackson (which was a gorgeous bookstore)! The other authors on the panel–Andrea Cremer, Marie Lu, Tonya Hurley, Michelle Hodkin, and Adele Griffin–were all a lot of fun, and our moderator (Sarah from the blog Forever Young Adult)asked very excellent and spicy questions.

Now I’m back home, though, downing Junior Mints and working like crazy, so this post has to end. But BEA was wonderful. I wonder if Penguin could send home the bubble so I could live and work inside of it…

Hey all!

So I’ve been having a lot of people ask if I’m going to BEA this year, what I’m signing, etc. Here’s the scoop. Yes, I am going to BEA. Here’s where you can find me:

Monday, June 6

6:00 p.m.

McNally/Jackson Booksellers

52 Prince Street

New York, New York

I’ll be speaking on a YA panel with fellow authors Marie Lu, Andrea Cremer, Michelle Hopkins, and Adele Griffin. This event is open to the public. Please come!

Tuesday, June 7

2:00-3:00 p.m.

Signing at the Penguin Booth, #3922

I’m signing REACHED posters and paperback copies of MATCHED (woo hoo!). You have to be resgistered for BEA to attend this event.

Also, there are no ARCS of REACHED. I’ve mentioned this before, but I keep getting asked so I just want to make sure you know. I’m afraid that any and all reviews out there right now are not by people who have actually read the book. It’s under very tight wraps right now. But it WILL be out in November. Thanks for your patience and for caring. It means the world to me.

Okay! Time to do some laundry so I actually have something to wear for the trip to NY!