Shenanigans (Late Night Edition)

I’m standing in my kitchen covered in flour and cinnamon and sugar after deciding to bake some bread.

I got back from laser-tagging it up (as you do) and thought, “Hey! You know what my life is lacking? Cinnamon raisin bread!” And then I got halfway through making it, which turns out to be two hours later, and I decided to finish it up in the morning, so WIN for Future V and BOO for Present V who has to clean up the kitchen.

And blog.

I felt like blogging.

So hello!

A few things of note.

Thing #1, in case you missed it!

Ooooooh, shiny. You can find the synopsis for the above shiny on its dedicated little tab above under BOOKS.

Which brings me to thing #2!

A new blog design! I was in the mood for a change, and couldn’t fit in a tattoo or a haircut so I thought, “Blog redesign!” I think it’s pretty swanky. And it allows me to sport BOTH of my names

Which brings me in a roundabout way to thing #3!

The cover reveal for VICIOUS is nearly upon us! At first I thought it would be today but the powers-that-be wanted to do shiny things that take time so now it will probably be early next week! I see this as an opportunity to spread the awesome out a little

Which in some way brings me to thing #4!

Redesigning the blog was actually a rather surreal experience, because as I was creating the little tabs under the BOOKS label I realized OMG I HAVE BOOKS PLURAL. And then I had a moment about that. Sometimes moments just kind of sneak up on you (like I did on 30+ children tonight at laser tag right before I PWNED THEM WITH MY SKILLZ)* and the act of listing my books, both those on shelves and those on their way was a punch to the gut, if punches to the gut came with pleasant feelings, too. I just had to sit very still for a few minutes and catch my breath.

Which brings me rather directly to thing #5.

Thank you. For everything you’ve done. For buying the books, of course, but also for sending me notes/emails/DMs/messages telling me you believe in me, or that X or Y or Z made you feel A or B or C, or that you follow me because of blank, or for any and all the things you say and do that make me feel good on bad days and great on good ones. Every bit of success belongs to you as much as me and I will never, ever, ever stop being grateful.

/Late night ramblings.

The sequel to THE ARCHIVED has a title!!!! And it’s…

Lovelies!

After holding my tongue for months, I can finally tell you that the second book in the ARCHIVED series has a title! And believe it or not, it’s not THE ARCHIVED #2! Or ARCHIVED…AGAIN.

Are you ready?

It’s…

That’s right, book 2 is called THE UNBOUND. And there’s your little sneak peek at the color palette for the book

First off, let me just say that I’m so nerdily (totally a word) excited that we get to continue the book/library motif in the titles! AND on top of being bookish and awesome, this title fits the book so well. Many thanks to my editor, Lisa, for coming up with it!!

Now, I know you might be thinking, didn’t THE ARCHIVED just come out??? It’s so early to talk about sequels! Well, my publisher has a new 2 catalog/year schedule, and the catalog for September–March is being revealed now, and since I’m a January title, it means you get to see my pretty things alongside the fall list

Now, lovelies, the excitement is just beginning! Tomorrow, the COVER (!!!) and JACKET COPY (it’s spoiler-free!!) will be revealed on YABC–YA Books Central–so be sure to follow me on Twitter because you’ll know I’ll shout that joy from the rooftops when the post goes live.

In the meantime! A few quick myths I’d love to dispell, since they pop up like roaches in a Brooklyn flat.

Myth #1: THE ARCHIVED is a dystopian novel.

Truth: I have no idea where this idea is coming from. I don’t think it’s coming from me. And while I have nothing at all against dystopian novels, I haven’t written one yet! THE ARCHIVED is probably best described as a supernatural thriller. It’s not set in the future, or even an alternate world. It’s set in modern day USA. The idea is that the Archive exists in the here and now, most people just don’t know about it. So nope, not dystopian! If Mackenzie Bishop existed solely in the Archive, as compared to living in the real/mundane world from which she accesses the Archive, then you could begin to create an argument that the Archive is a flawed–if not failed–utopic system. But not as it is. Nope. Sorry kids. So if you see this myth creeping bug-like around the internets, squash it

Myth #2: THE ARCHIVED is the sequel to THE NEAR WITCH.

Truth: Nope. THE NEAR WITCH was my first novel, and a standalone. THE ARCHIVED is the first book in a series. There is no connection whatsoever between Near and the Coronado. Not that a meeting of Lexi and Mac, or Cole and Wes, wouldn’t be fun But let’s keep those two worlds apart.

Myth #3: VICIOUS is the sequel to THE ARCHIVED.

Truth: Wrong again. VICIOUS seems to be causing a swell of confusion, so allow me to set a few things straight. VICIOUS is my first adult novel. It comes out this September! September 24th, to be exact, with Tor Hardcover. I am over the moon about this book, but you probably haven’t heard me talking much about it. That’s mostly because adult publishing moves at a different pace than YA, so where I get my cover/pitch a full year before a YA book hits shelves, these things come together roughly 6 months before release in adult. Different schedules means different timing. But the time is now upon us, and you’ll hear my talking much more frequently about it! So no, it’s not a sequel to anything, it’s a new book.

The other reason you might be confused is that I’m not writing it as Victoria Schwab. I’m writing it as V.E. Schwab. V.E. Schwab is not a secret identity by any means. My blog is veschwab. My twitter is veschwab. Everywhere I’m on the internet I’m actually listed as veschwab aka V.E. Schwab. I’m not endeavoring to hide! It’s just that I have a number of younger readers (THE NEAR WITCH being lower YA) and I’d rather they not automatically reach for my gory supervillain book because they see my name. Also, to be very honest, I’m aiming for world domination here, and sometimes it pays to be shelf-stealthy, especially in a branch of the industry that is largely male. I’m having a blast proving that young ladies such as myself can write as sick and twisted as the rest of the writer race, but it serves me best if my initial impression is of my book, not my gender.

In cheery news, the cover for VICIOUS is going to be revealed SOON. As in, a matter of days! So, whee!

Myth 4: Victoria feeds on reader tears.

Fact: Oh, well, this one is actually true.

Myth 5: Victoria thinks Earl Grey tea is an abomination to the senses.

Fact: Also true. Seriously, kids. Don’t get me started.

That concludes this installment of myth-busting! And I hope you guys like the title as much as I do!! I’m so excited to tell you more about THE UNBOUND in the coming months!

A recap of mischief managed and more to come.

(Photo by Vania Stoyanova)

Oh my goodness, I’ve been such a delinquent blogger.

The last couple weeks have been a whirlwind. From the Nashville launch party on the 1st, where I got this AMAZING gift…

(My Little Ponies modified into Mackenzie and Wesley from THE ARCHIVED)

…to an amazing Malaprop’s event on the second, where I made this face, which apparently I make a lot…

(Photo by Vania Stoyanova)

…I was home for a mere two and a half days before heading to NYC.

NYC involved a school visit, a Teen Author Reading Night, and the scariest part…a SOLO EVENT.

A SOLO EVENT.

AT BOOKS OF WONDER.

I was terrified that no one would come (solo events are scary, because it’s all on you, and this was my very. first. one) and then the day before the northeast was hit with a MASSIVE WINTER STORM and I spent most of the hours leading up watching the weather and resigning myself to the fact I’d be making book forts with my housemates.

And then the feared hour came, and…people came.

Like, a lot of people came. Between publishing professionals–editors, agent friends, author friends–and bloggers, and friends of friends, enough people came that they had to sit on the floor and gather at the back, and little by little my fear dissolved (or at least, stopped showing), and from what I’ve been told (I have a REALLY hard time remembering what comes out of my mouth when I’m nervous), it was a wonderful event. Goodness knows, I had a BLAST, and spent the rest of the day giddy from relief and joy.

(Photo by Nova Ren Suma)

The next day, I said goodbye-for-nows to my housemates and city friends, and trained out to PA to hang out with one of my closests, Tiffany Schmidt, and prep for the epic shenanigans of the following day.

On Monday, Tiffany, K.M. Walton, April Lindner, Jonathan Maberry and I trekked to a middle school, a high school, a library, and then a bookstore!

One of my favorite moments was encountering an uber fan at the high school. She sat down in the audience and proceeded to say, “Oh my god, oh my god, I’m sitting across from Victoria Schwab. Hi Victoria Schwab, oh my god this is cool…” and it was kind of the most adorable thing ever.

Over all, it was an exhausting, delightful day, and the greatest highlight probably came at the final event, at Children’s Book World, when a nun came up to me, clutching THE ARCHIVED, and said she’d heard about me because of Neil Gaiman on Twitter. That might have been the coolest collision of elements ever.

And the next morning it was back to the airport, and home, where I promptly got sick (this ALWAYS HAPPENS ARGH).

I also came home with a cover for the ARCHIVED sequel (I cannot wait to show you), a new book idea (I cannot wait to write it), a notion of what VICIOUS’s cover will look like (I cannot wait to see it),

One of the things that made the NYC/PA trip so delightful was that it was the first time in nearly six months I didn’t have multiple books on multiple looming deadlines. What a joy to be able to breathe and savor the experiences rather than fretting about how to steal an hour to work.

So, what’s next? Well, this weekend I will be in St. Louis for what might be the coolest event yet. You guys, I’m at the St. Louis County Library on Saturday night…with Ally Carter.

ALLY FREAKING CARTER, KIDS.

I can’t even.

Like.

What.

In the meantime I’m loading up on vitamins and minerals and chicken soup. And hopefully the next time I post, I’ll have some insightful things to say, but at the moment, I’m still a little flaily from NYC and a little sick from this stupid cold, so forgive the recap of mischief.

OH OH. Before I forget. The YA2U campaign ends TOMORROW, so if you haven’t entered your city yet, do it!!! The pie chart on the site has shifted A LOT this past week!

LASTLY, I just want to say thank you. I know I’ve been saying it a lot lately, but it doesn’t diminish its propriety. THE ARCHIVED has been out three weeks now, and the continued influx of reviews, ratings, pictures, and messages has brought so much light to my life.

Carry on, lovelies.

The only things I’ll say on the issue of publishing fan fiction.

I had a reader come up to me at an event this past weekend and ask me how I’d feel about someone taking THE ARCHIVED and continuing the story once I’m done.

“Like fan fiction?” I asked.

She shook her head. “No,” she said, “I mean, like, write more books with Mac and Wes. To sell.”

“Well,” I tried to explain, “I hope the story will feel done. And in the end, those are *my* characters. I’m happy for people to write fan fiction, but I wouldn’t want to see it on shelves.”

“But if other people want the story to continue,” she said, “and you don’t want to write more, why not give the world to someone else?”

This question is indicative of a mental state being developed not only by writers, but readers in the current book climate.

It’s no secret that the hottest books selling right now started out as fan fiction. It’s no secret because it’s plastered all over the internet, and in the stores. Some books own it, and some books would rather not. The latter claim that while they might have had the seeds of their story in another (and really, aren’t most books inspired by elements of one sort or another) their stories no longer resemble their inspiration.

But if the fan fiction truly no longer bears resemblance to the original work, then why call it fan fiction? The answer insofar as I can tell is to capitalize on the fan fiction’s *audience*. But then, if you want the audience, you must also take the stigma. You can’t capitalize on the audience without being attached to it.

By glorifying a story’s origins in fan fiction, we are encouraging a creative world without clear delineation, where an author’s characters no longer belong to them.

And I think it’s being complicated by other endeavors–such as the Cassie Clare, Sarah Rees Brennan, Maureen Johnson collaboration–that encourage the communal nature of a story. It’s so hard because we as writers WANT people to feel they are a part of our worlds, that those worlds belong as much to them as us, but at the end of the day, we are the creators of them, and the intellectual property owners (I’m actually fascinated by that collaboration, but the primary difference at the end of the day is that Clare is collaborating WITH the other two, and has given them permission).

Back to the topic of fan fiction being pulled to print…

I don’t take issue with the stories themselves. I take issue with the glorification of their ORIGIN stories.

If the stories themselves are well-written and appeal to the masses, then let them do those things on their own merit. But the continuing emphasis on how those stories got started blurs what I still consider to be a very important line.

Fan fiction is fan fiction.

The transcript from the ARCHIVED chat.

Hello, lovelies!

We made it through release week! Now this doesn’t mean all the work is done and TA will just drift off on an infinite current, but right now it feels like something to be grateful for.

So before I say anything else, I just want to say thank you. To everyone who’s tweeted, bought, gifted, shared, whispered, or shouted, thanks. It doesn’t just make a dent. It makes a book. There’s a certain amount of fear (And a certain amount of letting go) that comes with hitting that first week on shelves mark. You have to trust, if not in an infinite current, at least in a one that lasts awhile, so every time someone reviews the book, or spreads the word in any way and adds to that current, it gives me hope.

ANYWAY. There I go feelings feels again. Let’s move on.

Yesterday, to celebrate the fact THE ARCHIVED was finally available in ALL formats (the digital one was delayed a week due to technical difficulty), Disney*Hyperion and I did a little Twitter chat, and I thought I would post some of the transcript here, for those who missed it and might be interested.

D*H: How does it feel to have ARCHIVED out in the world??

V: SURREAL. This book has been in the works for 4 yrs. Every time I see a pic of it w/ a reader or in the wild, my heart flutters.

V: Like, EVERY. SINGLE. TIME. I get fluttery. And people have made release week SUCH a shiny thing, cheering with me.

Reader: What was your inspiration for the library?

V: A morgue. W/ those little nametags. I thought, wow, there would be a lot of bodies. And then I thought there would be a lot of MEMORIES in those bodies.

D*H: Mackenzie “Mac” Bishop is a complicated main character – broken, sad, courageous – tell us a little about how you created her?

V: I wanted an MC who was very strong but far from perfect. Mac’s no saint. She’s flawed, full of cracks. Not an ideal. She’s real.

V: She’s a product of this strange environment and trying to exist in a normal world and struggling to keep her selves separate.

Reader: How much of the book did you have plotted out before writing? How much uncovered as you began to write?

V: I’m a connect-the-dotser. I need to know 5-6 specific plot points, and discover the lines between.

Reader: How did you come up with the concept of people lying on shelves like books where you can flip through their histories?

V: It was strangely intuitive, the concept. I mean, this is what lives ARE. Stories. And to me, the scariest part…of death is the idea that we spend a life gathering knowledge/memories, and lose them. The Archive was my solution.

Reader: How much do you know before you start writing?

V: When I start planning, I have a setting. And conflict. When I start WRITING, I have the rest.

Reader: What are some of your favorite books that are in any way similar to The Archived?

V: I love Neil Gaiman. It’s no secret I love the idea of strange worlds overlapping normal ones.

Reader: Why does Mac call her grandad Da? What was the influence?
‏
V: In retrospect, the name Da was HIGHLY problematic bc some confused with Dad. But that was always his nickname. He didn’t FEEL like “granddad” or “Papa”.

Reader: Have you ever considered doing a novella featuring Da in his early days?

V: I have considered SEVERAL shorter pieces, including one for Da and one for Roland

D*H: The #Archived is YA, right? But in some ways it’s not. Do you consider the tropes/conventions of the genre when you’re writing?

V: It is, but its themes aren’t classic YA. It asks strange/complicated/metaphysical Qs, ones that don’t always have a RIGHT answer.

V: I like gray worlds (not black and white, good and evil). This is a world that makes the reader think, and question.

V: I would say I’m aware of the tropes/conventions, but I don’t gravitate toward them. In fact, I tend to turn and go the other way.

V: EX. there are two boys in TA. Neither is a love interest. There’s a like interest, and a lust interest, but this isn’t a triangle.

V: And Mackenzie Bishop is not a hero. She’s not an ANTI-hero, either. She has light gray moments, and dark gray moments.

Reader: Do u make a point to write everyday or just when inspiration strikes?

V: I try to write every day (these days with deadlines I have to).

Reader: Did you know who the “villan” was at the beginning or did you discover it?

V: I always knew who the villain was.

Reader: How many books are planned for the #Archived series?

V: There are at least two books in the Archived series…but Let’s be real, kids. I want enough books that one day we can call it the “Collected Works of Mackenzie Bishop”

Reader: Were the nods to Tennant (the converses, the hair) deliberate, or am I just a fangirl?

V: There are THREE nods to Doctor Who in THE ARCHIVED. Two of them–crack in wall, Roland–are intentional…one of them–the library–was accidental!

Reader: Is there a backstory for Roland? I feel like he had a lot of heartbreak in the past (much like Ten).

V: Yes, Roland has a backstory. You get glimpses throughout the series.

D*H: What’s your best advice for aspiring writers?

V: My BEST advice for writers is to BE BRAVE. Make sure your want always outweighs your fear.

V: This is an industry with A LOT of rejection. Dozens of doors to get through. If you want in, be brave enough to keep knocking.

Reader: Did you base any other characters (besides Roland) on people? Like Da or Mac? their relationship seemed so real.

V: Roland is the only one who is a direct nod to another FICTIONAL character (the Doctor).

V: I borrow personality traits from people–defense mechanisms, body language, quirks–but not whole people.

V: If I insert real people into my books, I start to feel an obligation to the fact, not the fiction.

D*H: Sum up THE ARCHIVED in ONE tweet!

V: Girl works for library where dead are shelved like books, returning those that wake/escape, until one fugitive changes everything.

A small book with big dreams, and a heartfelt request.

Hi, lovelies.

I wanted to blog yesterday, when THE ARCHIVED hit shelves, but when I opened up the blank post template, I couldn’t do it. I felt so many things–those scattered, shimmering snow globe glitter kind of feelings–and for someone who is supposedly good at putting them in words, I had none.

This has been such a journey, one with its fair share of highs and lows and highs again, and when I think about how far my little book has come, and all the people who’ve come with it, and all the people who will now be able to, it leaves me without air, let alone words.

This book has been my book for so long, and now it’s yours.

Ours.

I’ve done everything I can to help it succeed.

And now it’s up to you.

If you can, buy a copy.

If you love it, spread the word.

Sing it.

Shout it.

Because that’s how books find their way. By love and voice. Mine can only reach so far. But together, we can give The Archived its chance.

Believe it or not, The Archived started out as a small book with big dreams. It’s already come so far because of your excitement, your support, your belief. And mine. I believe in this book with all my heart. If you can help it, please, please do.

Happy birthday, little book.

~V

Release week orders of business!!!

Hey, lovelies!

Soooo…THE ARCHIVED hits shelves tomorrow.

TOMORROW.

As in, it’s only a day away I might be freaking out we can count in hours instead of days TOMORROW.

Hold me.

But before the book officially hits shelves (it’s showing up a few places already!), I have a few things I want to mention.

THE DIGITAL DELAY:

I spoke about this online on Friday, but I know it will be impossible to reach everyone through one medium, so I’m posting here, too. The digital version of THE ARCHIVED got pushed back from the 22nd to the 29th because it wasn’t registering properly.

I’m really upset–I know a lot of people preordered TA for their devices looking forward to a midnight release–BUT you must trust me when I say it’s better to wait a week for a lovely, readable copy of the book than get a broken version on time.

THE ARCHIVED’S FIRST WEEK:

A book’s first week on shelves is really, really important, not just to the author, but to the publisher. Everyone is looking very closely at numbers, and even though the patterns have shifted slightly, spreading out so that a book doesn’t have to spike right out the gate, or even be its strongest in the first week, that’s still what everyone WANTS to see. Myself included. Because, you know, I’d like to keep writing books (well, right now I’d like to sleep, but in the big picture, more books happy V).

Things you can do to support a book on release week:

–Buy the book in-store or online
This is the most straightforward way to help a book’s sales. Plus, you guys, it’s a really pretty book. I mean, I know I’m biased, but did you SEE the vlog? Soft matte finish, black and silver end papers, I could go on. BUT I know not everyone can afford to run out and buy a copy, so here are a few other things you can do that REALLY help.

–Call a bookstore and make sure they’re stocking the book.

–Order/put a hold on it at your local library (these holds often translate to more copies being ordered!)

–If you’ve read the book and reviewed it on a site like GR, upload those reviews to Amazon/BN
You guys, please, please, please do this.

–Spread the word online
Run! Shout! Wave your hands! Tweet! Pin it! Every little bit counts when it comes to buzz, and these days, the biggest generators of buzz are YOU.

SHADES OF EARTH WINNER:

The winner of the signed copy of SOE is…jovialvampyre!

ETC:

I think that’s all I have for today. I’ll be back tomorrow with RELEASE DAY FLAIL!!!

Happy Book Birthday, Beth Revis!!!!!!!

You guys! Today is a very special day!

Today, the final book in Beth Revis’s amazing ACROSS THE UNIVERSE series, SHADES OF EARTH, is finally on shelves!!!

This book. This series. My feelings. Beth’s epicness.

It’s a widely known fact that I love Beth, and I love these books, and I’m so thrilled for her, and so honored that I get to spend release day celebrating with her IN PERSON!

That’s right, we’ll be in Morganton, NC this afternoon (4-7pm) to help launch the final installment in the series*, along with epic authors Megan Miranda, Jessica Khoury, and Alexandra Duncan (and there will be copies of THE ARCHIVED there! My first event for it!)

You should all come, but if you can’t, be sure to wish Beth a very happy book birthday on Twitter (@bethrevis).

AND to celebrate SHADES OF EARTH’s release, I’m going to give away a signed copy from today’s event!!! Pretty cool, right?

Want to win, right?

To enter, simply leave a comment below, and make sure I have some way of contacting you! The contest will run till 9PM EST on Friday!

Lastly, if spending release day with Beth and giving away a signed book wasn’t cool enough, Beth was awesome enough to make a MAKING HISTORY video for you all!

Watch, enter to win, and don’t forget to shower Beth in release day sparkles!

Announcing the first Keepers of the Archive.

There were more than 90 applications for 10 spots.

You guys, I spent HOURS trying to whittle down the list. I enlisted help. I angsted. I cut names. I added them back. The fact is, all 90 would have made WONDERFUL Keepers. In the end, I had to consider several factors, from experience to the answers given to geographic location. I needed a spectrum of Keepers with a variety of strengths.

In the end, I narrowed the list to 16. That’s as close to 10 as I could get it.

Without further delay, here are the first Keepers of the Archive:

Megan – Charlotte, NC
Kate – Buford, GA
Kenzie – Albany, NY
Rachel – Lake Tapps, WA
Cade – West Covina, CA
Rachel – Athens, OH
Nicole – NYC, NY
Becky – Omaha, NE
Lane – Portland/Tucson
Jill – Reading, MA
Crystal – Denton, TX
Dulcy – Lake Mary, FL
Bethany – West Warwick, RI
MaryAnn/Gabby – Winnipeg
Michelle – Toronto
Jessica R. – Ottawa

To the 16 chosen, you will be receiving an email from me with further instructions. You’ve been given the chance to be Keepers, but now you’ll have to earn your book and your key.

To the 74 who weren’t chosen, you’ll also be receiving an email from me. I’ll be asking for your mailing addresses, so I can send you a set of 10 signed bookmarks. You all had so many great ideas for spreading the word, and I hope you’ll still support the book, even though I wasn’t able to add you to the street team *right now*.

The reason I keep emphasizing the *right now* is because I am really hoping the Keepers will grow as the series goes on! While I’ll only be starting with these 16, you’ll have another chance to join the Archive before the sequel is released *and* if one of these 16 is unable to perform their duties, I’ll enlist new Keepers from those who didn’t make the list, but stuck by me.

Until the emails go out to both sets, I just want to say thank you. You are ALL wonderful, and I feel totally honored and humbled that so many people wanted to support the book, and me.

Onward, lovelies.

/

Do YOU want to work for the Archive?

Mackenzie Bishop is a Keeper. Now you can be one, too. You may not be able to hunt down Histories, but you can still work for the Archive.

If you think you have what it takes, fill out the form below.

The Archive will only be taking applications for ONE WEEK. Applications close Thursday, at 10PM CST.

On Friday, at 9AM CST, TEN potential Keepers will be selected. Yes, only ten. Those ten initiates will be given be given a list of FIVE tasks. They will need to perform THREE of the five in order to be inducted into the Archive.

If they fail, a new Keeper will be selected and given the chance to take their place. Only the strongest, most dedicated will succeed.

As each Keeper succeeds, they will be given…
1. A signed first-edition copy of THE ARCHIVED
2. A personal letter of acknowledgment
3. A Keeper’s Key necklace. There are only 10.

A KEEPER’S DUTIES

These days, word of mouth is more important than ever, and the Archive needs your help. I need your help. I need people to get the word out, to whisper in ears, and sometimes shout.

So I’m employing the Keepers.

Sometimes the ways you can help will be clear–like RTing an announcement, or passing out bookmarks–but other times it will be up to you to show your Archive spirit.

I’m looking for passionate, creative thinkers.

And rest assured, my Keepers will be rewarded. First looks at new covers, new material, indefinite swag, and a dozen smaller ways I’ll show my thanks. My Keepers will truly be my team.

Think you’re ready?