Friday, March 16, 2012

Gentlemen Send Phantoms -- the Foretold Anthology

Hey, did I tell you I wrote a story for an anthology that's coming out this year? It's my first anthology story, I'm super excited. If you've been reading my blog for a looong time, you might recognize the title, it's: "Gentlemen Send Phantoms," and it began life as a Sunday Scribbling several years ago, which is also how all the stories from Lips Touch started life, and some of the ideas that ended up eventually becoming Daughter of Smoke and Bone too. (I co-founded this writing prompt site along with blog friend Meg Genge, but at some point in Clementine's infancy, I became unable to manage the simple task of putting up a prompt every other week, and bowed out. Lame. I'm a huge believer in writing prompts. They have been sooo important to me, I love them, I love the way they are like a hand reaching into a mailbox and bringing out ... who knows what. Unexpected ideas. Exciting things from who-knows-where.)

But the story. It's a fanciful and sweet-natured story that takes place on St. Faith's Day, the evening when a girl might glimpse the phantom of the man she's going to marry and "know some of what life holds in its basket for her." The thing is, three friends are all hoping for a glimpse of the same phantom, the one belonging to Matty Blackgrace, and maybe one of them will get him, or none of them will, but sure there's one girl in particular we'll be rooting for. 

It was so lovely to take a little break from the novel last year and expand that scrap of a Sunday Scribbling into a full story. Like a little taste of sherbet. I'm already thinking I might write a short story after this book is finished (it's getting very close!) to kind of let my mind graze on some different grass for a bit. No idea what, just some little fanciful thing. 

But more on the anthology. I cannot WAIT to read the rest of the stories. It's called FORETOLD, and is edited by the lovely and talented Carrie Ryan, and features stories by all kinds of fabulous YA authors! Here is the gorgeous cover:




Cool freaking photo, no?


Here's Carrie holding it:




Shiny! YAY!

I believe it's out in September. I'll post more information by and by.



Also, GREAT NEWS! Daughter of Smoke and Bone won its first round in the School Library Journal Battle of the Books competition! YAY! It beat out this year's Newbery Medal winner, Dead End in Norvelt; the judge was brilliant YA author Sara Zarr, and she posted about her decision HERE. Thank you, Sara!




I totally love the graphic :-)

For the next round, Daughter goes up against Chime by Franny Billingsley, which you guys already know I loved. Sigh. Always so many good books to be in competition with :-)

Speaking of competition, if you haven't voted for Daughter for the Children's Choice Book Awards Teen Book of the Year, you still can! Please spread the word and VOTE HERE. Thank you so much!



HAPPY WEEKEND!


9 comments:

Ashleigh said...

Foretold is the anthology I've been waiting for. Everything from the subject (I love stories involving prophecies and such) to all the authors involved (so many of my favorite authors are involved, including you) makes it sound perfect for me, and with a cover that shiny, I must have a print copy. I must!

The Art of Kim Kincaid said...

While I not a fan of photo manip book covers, this one is awesome. Look forward to reading it.
Question: When you write a trilogy or series, does the publisher purchase the rights to all the books up front, or do they wait to see if the first one sells well before they agree to publishing the rest? Just wondering.

Emy Shin said...

FORETOLD sounds like the amazing-est anthology. I'm looking forward to reading it! :)

Laurence King said...

Can't wait for FORETOLD to come out. All these fabulous authors!! Who could resist? Great cover too! Happy weekend to you too, Laini! (I can never comment on any of your posts without using way too many exclamation points)

Diana Peterfreund said...

I am so looking forward to this antho. It's been torture hearing all of carrie's hints about the various an sundry stories but not being able to read them for myself yet. I've only read mine and hers. I hear yours is spectacular, Laini.

Kim, it depends on the book and the deal. Sometimes a publisher might buy the whole series straight off, or just the first book. or just the first X many books. It can backfire on a writer either way, though -- like being stuck writing books in a series without enthusiasm b/c of a contract, or not being able to complete a series because there's no contract for it.

Kate said...

Congrats and congrats! :) -Will definitely be picking up foretold when it releases! :)

Victoria said...

Yikes!!! I remember reading 'Gentlemen send phantoms' - hadn't realized I've been reading for such a looong time :/ Congrats!!!

Commander Kip said...

Ooh, I just finished Chime on the eight-hour plane ride to Italy - so haunting and gorgeous! Thanks, Miss Laini, for the suggestion!

Liana said...

"Gentlemen Send Phantoms" is one of my absolute FAVORITE Sunday Scribblings of yours!! (My other favorite is "The Sidereal") Once in a while I think of "Gentlemen" longingly and wish I could read a longer version of it in a book-I'm SO not kidding- and therefore, I'm so so SO excited about this news!!! Congrats and Huzzah!! (yes, I've used too many exclamation points, alas :)
P.S. I read "Chime" and loved it but I think if I was forced to choose one over the other, I'd prefer that "Daughter" would win ;)

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