Posts where I write tickets on myself. I know, I know. What can I say? My hubris know no bounds
It seems that the direct translation of Magic or Madness is less than euphonious in French, so my publishers there, Editions du Panama, have opted for a new title for both the series and the first book. The series title will be:
AU-DELA DE LA PORTE (BEYOND THE DOOR)
and Book 1 will be:
DANS LES GRIFFES DE LA SORCIERE (IN THE WITCH’S CLAWS)
Interesting, eh?
I just found out that Penguin Australia has made an offer for Magic Lessons! They’re planning to publish it in September exactly a year after Magic or Madness was released here. I’m thrilled! Penguin Au doesn’t buy many foreign books (yes, even though an Aussie wrote them, the MorM books are “foreign” because they’re being sold through Penguin USA), so it’s really exciting that they’ve now bought two of mine, and two of Scott‘s (So Yesterday and Peeps). Yay! It means a lot to me to be published in my own country.
I got up all ready to start turning my sketchy draft of MorM 3 into something a whole lot better. Before starting I thought I’d have a quick squiz at the email, just in case there was something important (you know like a foreign language sale, those always start the day off marvellously well). Of course, the fact that it was Saturday in the US of A and Sunday here made that vanishingly unlikely. Instead I found one of the most blush-worthy reviews so far, which is almost as good as a sale for starting the day off humming.
It’s written by an online friend of mine, Rachel Manija Brown. I very much enjoyed her memoir, All the Fishes Come Home to Roost. However, reading her other reviews I don’t think she’d’ve pulled her punches had she not liked my book.
Here’s a quote:
Right then, now I roll up sleeves and dive back into the world of MorM 3. I’ve got nine days to make it perfect. Wish me luck!
I know it’s not the New York Times, but I’m pretty stoked. Especially as Pat Reardon has written a smart and interesting article about author photos and I’m quoted alongside the likes of Jane Smiley. Woo hoo! Here are my pearls of wisdom:
“When you’re really sucked into a book, it’s an incredibly intimate experience,” says Justine Larbalestier, an Australian science fiction young adult writer and historian. “You’re really in that person’s brain.”
As an author, Larbalestier is ambivalent about dust-jacket photos. She’s even tried, unsuccessfully, to persuade her publishers to go without her photo. But, as a reader, there are times she finds herself gazing at the writer’s image for answers. She did so recently while reading The Music of the Primes: Searching to Solve the Greatest Mystery in Mathematics by Marcus du Sautoy.
“It’s about maths, but the writing is passionate and beautiful,” Larbalestier says, “and I kept trying to reconcile the smug picture of the author with the elegance of the text.”
Mate, I hope Mr du Sautoy doesn’t come across it. I didn’t really mean smug exactly, the photo’s more, sort of, pompous. No! That’s worse isn’t it? How about self-satisfied? Or, um, I know, English. The photo looks very English. And, Mr du Sautoy, I really, really love your book.
Don’t mind me, I’ll get back to finishing my own book now.
Woo hoo! Another year gone! A fridge full of champagne and yummy food! Who could ask for anything more? (Well, it would be nice if we didn’t both have books due 3 Jan . . . )
I see that many in blogland (and elsewhere) are summing up their year, taking stock, making resolutions for 2006 and etc. I’ve already skited enough about my achievements this year. It’s been a bloody brilliant year personally. I just want it all to keep on keeping on.
I’m aiming to write two books (both of which I’ve already started) in 2006 and sell one (two would be nice, but I don’t want to jinx myself). I also plan to spend the majority of the year in Sydney, cause now that I’m home I just want to stay. And I really, really, really want to get tickets for the Sydney Ashes test. Ideally for every day of play. If anyone has a cunning method of getting said tickets, or is a member of the SCG—I’m am so up for offering you huge bribes! Whatever you want you got it!
Best book I read this year: Walter Mosley’s The Man in My Basement. I just made my parents read it too and they were also blown away. It’s the most powerful, moving examination of evil, of race and gender, and what it is to be human I’ve ever read. But rest assured this ain’t just philosophy and ethics; it’s a scary arse story that’s completely unputtdownable.
Books I’m most looking forward to: The Night Watch by Sarah Waters and Elizabeth Knox’s Dreamquake the sequel to Dreamhunter, and frankly it just can’t get into my hands soon enough!
Hope you lot have a fabby new year, too. And achieve everything you want to achieve. I’m going to get started on the champers now. Happy new year!
And of all places it’s in Australian Family Circle (December 2005 issue). A lifestyle magazine filled with recipes and stuff on quilting etc. (or at least that’s what it looks like from the cover) with a circulation of more than 300,000. In a country of only 20 million that’s pretty good going. Here’s what they said:
Reason Cansino has spent all her life in the outback with her mother, trying to hide from her grandmother—a witch. But when her mother falls ill, Reason has live with her grandmother and discovers all is not as she thought. While this is technically a fantasy novel, the very real world that’s created will enchant anyone who reads it.
Not bad, eh? And while some genre fans may objec, I like them pointing out that it will also appeal to non-fantasy fans. Bigger audience = good.
I think this might be the first t time I’ve been reviewed in a place not devoted to books, children’s fiction, or genre. Yay me!
Thanks to Ana Vivas of Hachette Children’s Books for for passing it along.
I mentioned a while ago that both Scott and me had made SLJ‘s best books of the year list. That issue is now available. I was very pleased by their description of Magic or Madness:
In this Australian page-turner, a resourceful teen tries to sort out her contentious family’s secrets and is astonishingly transported to New York City via a portal in her grandmother’s house. A potent mix of mystery and magic with a thoughtful exploration of personal-identity issues and familial relationships.
It also turns out that Scott has not one, but two books on the list: Peeps and Uglies. I’m dead proud. It’s one thing to be prolific, it’s another to be prolific and good. He’s had quite the amazing year, hasn’t he?
Sorry about the not blogging of late, especially with you lot being all interesting in the comments (I’ve finally gone through and responded, bless you all). I was kept from it by boring, boring non-internets stuff and the looming deadline. Or rather, panic about the looming deadline. Corey asked of my deadline how soon “scary soon” is: 2 January, which is 17 days away, and I’m about 15-20 thou words short of the end. Also, I’d like to, you know, revise and rewrite before I send it off.
Ordinarily I leave myself a month or more for that, and while I’m revising I send it out to my first readers for comments. There won’t be none of that this time, which worries me deeply. Maybe I can send to first readers at the same time as sending to my editors? Hmmm. Don’t mind my panicking out loud here. Any suggestions for creating time pockets or outsourcing some of the writing are very welcome.
Today we’re off to Byron Bay for almost a week courtesy of my hard-working and very talented sister, Niki Bern, who is so very cool that one of her shots is the current front cover of Cinefex magazine. How amazing is that? Here’s a better look at her shot:
For Niki making the front cover of Cinefex is even better than if I got the front cover and a rave review in The New York Times Book Review. It’s beyond cool! My sister is ubercool! And she’s just hired a house in Byron on the beach for us all to hang out and relax. I ask you: does anyone have a better sister than I do? I didn’t think so. Now, if only I didn’t have to work the whole time I’m there . . .
The lovely news is that Magic or Madness is a finalist for the Aurealis Award for Young Adult novel and so are two (!) of Scott’s books: Peeps and Uglies! Between us we make up three quarters [update: three fifths] of the short list. Most excellent, eh? The other quarter [update: one fifth] is Anthony Eaton for Nightpeople [update: and Isobel Carmody’s Alyzon Whitestar] both of which we’ll be grabbing copies of asap. To make the lovely news even lovelier many our friends are also nominated in other categories: Cat, Sean, Rjurik, and Garth, as well as Rob (stories he edited).
Oh, and one last thing: First Test against South Africa starts at the WACA today. Kill ’em, boys! Aussie! Aussie! Aussie! Oi! Oi! Oi!
A few things:
1) I got my intramanet back!! In my very own home. My excitement is beyond words: email! dictionaries! blogs! posts! The whole world at my fingertips!
2) Magic or Madness made its third best books of the year list, the Tayshas reading list put together by the Young Adult Round Table of the Texas Library Association. I’m particularly chuffed about this one on account of I got family in Texas—that’s where my in-laws hail from and my uncle-in-law is the principal of a high school in Houston. Also there are many very cool books on the list. Not just Scott’s Uglies, but the work of at least two other Aussies: Fiona McIntosh’s Myrren’s Gift and Marcus Zusak’s I Am the Messenger. Very pleasing.
3) In our new flat we can go out onto the balcony and watch the nightly exodus of flying foxes from the Tannie gardens. I love them.
4) The nothing changes convo continues (so fab to see the nattering continue without me—I love youse guys!) and is taken up by David Moles and a cast of thousands on his blog. All fascinating stuff. Oh, and Claire & Lauren? I’m so with you on Ghost World. I was double plus unthrilled by that movie. Especially cause the Bollywood music opening sequence was luverly.
Hung out with Agnes and Lili of the Centre for Youth Literature and talked books. Tried to remember all the cool, hot YA books of this year and failed, so raved about A Rabbit’s Eyes yet again. Agnes raved about Adam Rapp and his books 33 snowfish and Under the Wolf, Under the Dog. I want to read them right now.
I found out that Magic or Madness is a Magpies pick of 2005 for older readers. That’s the second best book of the year list for MorM. How bout that?
Afternoon spent at the Penguin Australia offices where we were champagned and cheesed and got to meet more of everybody. Yay all of them! And had our very first meeting with the sales people, which was fabulous. We got to sit and talk about us and our books, which is pretty much all we talk about anyways. Much fun.
Last of all dinner with the mighty Tessa and wild-eyed Rjurik. Very very very silly. They are excellent.
I just found out that both Scott and me made School Library Journal‘s best books of 2005 list. Scott for Peeps and me (obviously) for Magic or Madness. We is most happy. For me it’s more icing on an already well-iced cake.
I’d like to take a moment to (incoherently and jetlaggedly) say how amazed I am by how Morm has been doing. It’s my first novel. I’ve seen lots of first novels published, so I knew what to expect. The reviews have been amazing, the placement in bookshops, and the response from readers. After we hooked up with our foreign rights agent, Whitney Lee, I had hopes of selling into countries other than the US and Australia (where the book is set), but I wasn’t really expecting it to happen. But it’s now sold in Thailand, Taiwan, France and Germany. I keep having to pinch myself.
As long as I can remember I’ve wanted to be a writer, to make a living writing stories. And now I am.
Well, not me so much as my essay “Too Young to Publish”. Awhile back Didi Chanoch asked if I minded if it were translated? I did not!
So now Itay Shlamkovitch has translated “Too Young to Publish” and Bli Panik has published it. If you read Hebrew check it out. (Is your Hebrew coming back, Da?) Hell, even if you don’t. It’s pretty.
This is the first of my writings that’s been translated. I’ve sold translations rights to Magic or Madness and Magic Lessons but the actual publishing of those translations hasn’t happened yet. Oh, the glory of online publication. So very fast!
Oh, and I think this is my name in Hebrew: ×’’סטין לרבליסטר
Cool, eh?
German publisher, Bertelsmann Jugendbuch Verlag, has just made an offer on Magic or Madness and Magic Lessons and I’ve said, “yes, please!” That’s the sixth sale for MorM (after the USA, Australia, Taiwan, Thailand & France) and the first for Magic Lessons. I am the happiest of happy little vegemites!
I just found out that Australia’s today, 29 August 2005, is the official publication date for Magic or Madness in Australia.
Woo hoo! I’ve finally had a book published in my homeland!
Go forth and buy it! Or, you know, have a peek in a bookshop and tell me if it’s there . . .
Two copies of the Australian edition of Magic or Madness just arrived. They’re beautiful. All tradepaperbacky and shiny and lovely and Australian, complete with the unique-to-the-Australian-edition afterword. It’ll be available in book stores there next month. My birthday month. Yay! Only sad thing is I won’t be there to see ’em till November. Sob. Why am I never in the country in which my books are coming out when they come out?
Here’s what it looks like being read by Marlowe, one of our Aussie house guests:
Marlowe thought the book was okay, but a bit lacking in train engines and explosions. I shall attempt to correct that in the sequel.
Yup. Magic or Madness just notched up its fifth sale, this time to Amarin Printing and Publishing in Thailand. My foreign rights agent, Whitney Lee, is amazing, having now sold my book in Taiwan, France and Thailand (the other two sales were to the US and Australia).
I’m particularly exited because this is the first non-English language sale where I’ve actually been to the country. I adore Thailand. I love the sound and look of the language (Thai script is just gorgeous), the food (tamarind, mangosteens, steamed salty duck eggs, miang gung, snake beans, fish cakes, green mango salad, banana blossoms, massaman curry, kaffir limes, chilli jam, I could go on and on and on), the incredible art, both ancient and contemporary. It’s one of the most amazing countries I’ve ever visited and, what’s more, like Taiwan, it’s in my part of the world. Not nearly so remote as France. Thailand is a country I grew up knowing about. A neighbour. Some of the kids at school were from Thailand or had parents or grandparents from there. And now my book’s going to be available in Thai in Thailand. Yay!
The sale also made me wonder how Thailand is doing in the wake of the tsunami. It’s been two six months now, yet I rarely see any articles about the situation in all those countries where thousands died and millions lost their homes. Funny how quickly catastrophic events disappear from the headlines.
Daphne Lee of The Star (Malaysia) gave me a wonderful review a few weeks back. Today her interview with me is online. I’m introduced as the “most exciting fantasy writer to emerge from Australia since Garth Nix.” It’s not true—Margo Lanagan, anyone?—but it’s still pretty bloody cool.
Editions du Panama, a brand new, well-funded, French house run by some of the biggest names in French publishing is going to publish Magic or Madness on the same list as Scott’s So Yesterday! It’s going to be translated into French! Woo hoo! This means Magic and So Yesterday are now on the same list in the US (Penguin/Razorbill), Australia (Penguin) and now France. Pretty fab, eh? It’s also now been bought by four countires (Taiwan is the fourth).
A friend (hi, Karen H.) who has slightly more French than me (I have none) thinks the title might be something like Magique ou Démence. That sounds good to me. Keep your fingers crossed that a Spanish-language publisher will pick it up too, I have a shot at reading it in Spanish . . .
