The next novel
A bunch of questions are being asked about the next novel both here and in emails. Here are some answers:
When is it due?
August
When will it be published?
September 2009
Who is publishing it?
Bloomsbury USA
What is it about?
Lies
What’s it called?
As mentioned the working (and I hope permanent) title is the same as a song from the 1990s by an all-girl band. Feel free to guess. No one has gotten close so far.
Is it a sequel to How To Ditch Your Fairy?
No
Why isn’t it a sequel to HTDYF?
Because
Will there be a sequel to HTDYF?
Maybe
How long do you think it will be?
75,00-85,000
How long is it now?
54,013
Wow, you have quite a few words to go and August isn’t very far away—are you panicking?
Aaargh!! Damn you!! Leave me alone!! STOP asking questions!!
You seem a bit tightly wound—have you thought of maybe getting a massage or something?
I kill you. I kill you with my bare hands.
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Posted by Justine at 0:03, 10 July 2008 under How To Ditch Your Fairy, Liar, Ranting, Whingeing, Writing goals & milestones | 22 Comments »

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brina Says:
“I kill you. I kill you with my bare hands.”
Wow. Umm. So, you don’t live anywhere near me, right? Just because, like, I think I’ll do my best to avoid seeing you until August, you know? No offense. I just don’t want you to have to go to jail or something.
Also, you can totally reach 80,000 by August. Wait, you mean the end of August, right?
July 10th, 2008 at 12:19 AM
Lizabelle Says:
Probably really obvious guesses but I’m going with “What I Want” or “Never Ever”.
*creeps away to avoid tightly-wound author*
July 10th, 2008 at 1:34 AM
Lindsay N Says:
case of the fake people?
July 10th, 2008 at 3:07 AM
chrisbarnes Says:
My guess would have been ‘Eternal Flame’ by The Bangles – it has an Elvis connection, after all – but I think it’s from the eighties, not nineties.
Godspeed with the novel!
July 10th, 2008 at 3:09 AM
Penni Says:
Why WOULDN’T you all it Spice Up Your Life?
Well, I personally think that your word count sounds very manageable. You’ll rock it in and have time for dancin’. Everyone knows the first 54000 words are the hardest.
July 10th, 2008 at 4:01 AM
Patrick Says:
We could all help. If each commentor contributed just a few words, you could reach your goal of 75,000.
I contribute these words.
“The fat man exploded.”
There. Now you are at 54,017!!!
July 10th, 2008 at 6:32 AM
Amber Says:
I guess: Nothing On But the Radio by The Alice Band.
My authorial contribution:
“So the last thing I said to him, I said, ‘well, they weren’t _my_ sherry glasses anyway!!!’ And I just keep thinking, if only he hadn’t exploded just then, we could have really got along.”
54,052. We’ll have this one knocked off in no time.
July 10th, 2008 at 8:11 AM
capt. cockatiel Says:
With all this killing going on, I’m glad I’m back home from New York. Ah, the safety of the West Coast. XP
July 10th, 2008 at 12:57 PM
Julia Rios Says:
“Daughters of the Kaos” by Luscious Jackson. (A good title, anway)
“Waterfalls” by TLC. (In which your DNA to stay near the Hudson after an ill-fated trip to Niagra Falls…)
“Cookie Day” by Shonen Knife. (In which your characters visit a cookie shop, and it is truly a beautiful cookie day!)
July 10th, 2008 at 1:01 PM
Julia Rios Says:
*In which your DNA profilers… oops.
July 10th, 2008 at 1:02 PM
joe Says:
You know, decaf tastes every bit as good as the real thing these days…
July 10th, 2008 at 1:18 PM
Julia Rios Says:
**In which your DNA prolifers decide to… Double oops. I think maybe I should go back to bed.
July 10th, 2008 at 1:30 PM
benni Says:
Has anyone guessed PRETEND THAT WE’RE DEAD yet?
July 10th, 2008 at 1:37 PM
Mahek Says:
Is it Viva Forever by Spice Girls???
July 10th, 2008 at 2:46 PM
15. Justine Says:
No one has guessed the song. And some of you are confused about when the 1990s were.
July 10th, 2008 at 3:44 PM
Carrie R. Says:
just change the margins and font on your manuscript. Editor will never know the difference…..
July 10th, 2008 at 5:01 PM
caitlin Says:
The Gits (though started in 1986), Ani DiFranco or perhaps PJ Harvey? Because I know I’ll be thonking myself in the head when I find out what band/song has escaped my brain.
July 10th, 2008 at 8:43 PM
18. Justine Says:
Carrie R.: Do you want me to kill you?
caitlin: Ani DiFranco & PJ Harvey are not all-girl groups, they are just girls.
Plus you’re all guessing the name of a song—not the name of the band.
July 10th, 2008 at 8:52 PM
Mahek Says:
Is the song by En Vogue??
July 11th, 2008 at 7:40 AM
20. Justine Says:
Mahek: I am only going to say if someone guesses the right song. A band name is not enough.
I will say though that the group I’m talking about was not put together by a production company.
July 11th, 2008 at 8:16 AM
caitlin Says:
Just a guess …”Removal” by Spitboy
July 11th, 2008 at 3:07 PM
22. Justine Says:
caitlin: Excellently non-obvious guess! I wish I was cool enough to have heard of Spitboy . . . I am ashamed.
July 11th, 2008 at 3:15 PM