The Writer's Middle Finger

I'm gearing up to write "The Writer's Middle Finger: Part Six Eight" this month. I get asked about writing a lot, so I thought it might be a good idea to put parts 1-7 here on the blog so I can link it when I have to. So, in case you haven't seen the series, or if you've sent me a letter to ask me for writing advice, here are the links to the first five seven parts of the series.

Part One: http://www.as-king.info/2014/08/the-writers-middle-finger-how-to-grow.html

Part Two: http://www.as-king.info/2014/08/the-writers-middle-finger-part-two-on.html

Part Three: http://www.as-king.info/2014/08/the-writers-middle-finger-part-three.html

Part Four: http://www.as-king.info/2014/08/the-writers-middle-finger-part-four.html

Part Five: http://www.as-king.info/2014/08/the-writers-middle-finger-part-five.html

Update:

Part Six: http://www.as-king.info/2014/08/writers-middle-finger-part-six.html

Part Seven: http://www.as-king.info/2014/08/the-writer-middle-finger-part-seven.html

In which Daniel Kraus gives me a new name

Have you read ROTTERS, by Daniel Kraus? It's a favorite of mine. You'll understand why when you read it. I hadn't heard of it until last April, my superhero Random House rep, Nic, said, "You have to read this book."
So I read it.

And I loved it.

And when I met Daniel at ALA this June, I said, "Holy shit. You're Daniel Kraus." I know this because he tweeted it. And Twitter is here solely to serve my poor memory. (I'm sure it's great for other things, too.)

So, anyway, long after I fell in love with ROTTERS, I found Daniel's Hostile Questions column on the Booklist Online site. I read the column regularly. And then, my day came. He asked me the hostile questions.

And this is how I answered. And he finally explains what A.S. stands for. 

ASK THE PASSENGERS IS COMING SOON.

I wrote that in call caps because it's still kinda hard to believe. My trusty internet filter device (also known as Mr. King) found this lovely review of the book here on Bookalicious.

Thank you Bookalicious. You totally rock.

PAYA This Saturday.

Finally, I will make it to West Chester for the PAYA festival. I am so excited!
First, I'm TOTALLY STOKED to be talking to local librarians in the morning about community reading.
Then, I'm signing from 1-2 right alongside Beth Kephart, if I can swing it.

Still haven't finished the millionaire/mediocrity post I've been promising. I'll get to it. I'm gathering information as the weeks go on.

I'll be back. Right now I have to finish a horror story and go to the pool. Because summer is nearly over. HOW IS SUMMER NEARLY OVER?

SJL SummerTeen Answers, Tour Dates and...a Star.

Here we are, in the chute.

It always comes at me faster than I think it's going to. October and Ask the Passengers seems far away, but here we are, about to talk about its first review and the tour schedule. Hoo boy.

✮ It's a Star!

A huge thank you to Kirkus Reviews for a *starred* review of Ask the Passengers in their September 1, 2012 issue. 

"King has created an intense, fast-paced, complex and compelling novel about sexuality, politics and societal norms that will force readers outside their comfort zones. . . Quite possibly the best teen novel featuring a girl questioning her sexuality written in years."

RANDOM: Everybody Sees the Ants paperback is coming on September 18th, 2012. Love that cover, yo.


Ask the Passengers Fall Tour Dates


NAIBA Fall Conference
Hyatt Regency Crystal City
2799 Jefferson Davis Highway
Arlington, VA 22202
September 28-30th Details TBA

PA Library Association Conference
Gettysburg, PA
October 1, 2012

Collingswood Literary Festival
More info soon
October 6, 2012

Powell's Books
Cedar Hills Crossing Store
Portland, Oregon
October 22, 2012
7pm

Official Launch of ASK THE PASSENGERS
Exeter Community Library (w/ Aaron's Books)
4569 Prestwick Dr., Reading PA 19606October 25th, 2012
7-9pm


Wise Owl Bookstore
624 Penn Avenue  West Reading, PA 19611
Reading, signing & discussion about publishing & writing
Sunday, October 28th
1-3pm

YALSA Symposium
St. Louis, MO
November 2-4
Details TBA

Lititz Kid-Lit Festival (with Aaron's Books)
Lititz, PA
November 9-11
Details TBA

Clinton Book Shop
12 E. Main Street, Clinton, NJ 08809
Reading and signing

Saturday, December 1
7-9pm

So SLJ SummerTeen Rocked

We had a great web panel last Thursday, thanks to School Library Journal, called The Rockin' Women of YA, which you can read about here. Questions came in as the hour went along and we answered most of them, but two remained for me, so I figured I'd answer them here. 


A.S. King: What kind of software did he use? (Relating to my book trailers.): I have no idea. (Torrey? Are you out there? What software did you use for those fantastic trailers?)

A.S. King: What is your creative process? I write the book, starting with a few pages of character exploration. I get lost. I find the path again. I go back to writing the book. I get lost again. I find the path again. I go back to writing the book. Repeat until the first draft is done. Revise many, many times. Let it sit. Read it. Revise many, many times. Begin to hate it. Read it again. Probably hate it. Read it again for polishing. Read a lot of poetry. Polish it. Definitely hate it. Send it to my agent and editor. Begin entire revision process again. Then, we go into the chute and eventually find ourselves here.

Bonus Material if you got this far...

The audio versions of Everybody Sees the Ants (read by the awesome Kirby Heyborne, out Sept 12, 2011) and Ask the Passengers will be out this fall and Dan Mussleman, Director over at Random House Audio, sent me this COMPLETELY FANTASTIC video of Devon Sorvari reading the prologue to Ask the Passengers. This gave me great joy. Devon nailed this voice.

P.S. I have no idea what's with the wacky fonts in this post. But thank you for going with the flow.