Sunday, December 18, 2011

My middle-grade novel has found a home!

So finally I have some good news to report here on Operation Awesome!

I sold my MG novel, DEADWOOD PARK, to Pugalicious Press, a new small publisher specializing in MG/YA fantasy and adventure. My book should be out September 2012! I'm so excited to have found the right home for DEADWOOD PARK, and I couldn't have done it without the women of Operation Awesome.

Truthfully, I don't think I would have finished the novel without them. I had written my first novel without any other readers except my husband until I got my agent. When that book didn't sell, I was devastated. Now I know how common that is, how many manuscripts many writers craft before finding one that hits all its marks to reach an agent, editor, and readers, but then, the last thing I felt like doing was finishing the draft of another book when the first one hadn't sold. But I knew I had to keep writing. While on submission, I had a lot of wonderful writer friends, but I was intimidated. I needed something new to find a way to push through.

Despite my reluctance to share work, I joined the talented women of Operation Awesome. I showed them my very raw first pages, and they encouraged me to keep going. It felt worthwhile and achievable, and at the very least, I had to write enough to have something to turn in when my time was up for critiques.

I'm very proud of DEADWOOD PARK, and I'm so happy to have found Pugalicious Press so I can share this story with readers.

So thank you to Operation Awesome and to all the awesome writers, agents, and readers who have supported us. Thanks to all my writer friends on the magical interwebs because now it all starts again as I try to write my next book.


Here's the story:

Twelve-year-old Army brat Martin Cruz hates his rotten new town. He counts the days until his mom returns from Afghanistan to rescue him from his controlling aunt, who barely feeds him and won’t let him play his favorite multiplayer online role-playing game. Then two things change everything. His aunt forces him to join Junior Junior Executives of Tomorrow. And he gets a text message from a tree telling him it’s cursed — and so is he.

It’s not just any tree. It’s the Spirit Tree, the ancient beech the high school football team carves each year to commemorate the home opener. Every year they lose. And Junior Junior Executives of Tomorrow isn’t just any club. If he can find the connection between the two, he can heal the cursed tree and reverse the town's crappy luck. But first the curse turns more sinister. If Martin can’t save the town he despises, he’ll be stuck in Deadwood Park at the mercy of the psycho who cursed it.

22 comments:

Shannon Duffy said...

Super congrats to you!! That's awesome, and your book sound really interesting and cool, too. Woot!

Unknown said...

That's wonderful news! Congrats!

Julie Hedlund said...

Congratulations!! Great news. Your book sounds wonderful! Enjoy the ride.

Tracey Joseph said...

Congratulations. That's awesome news. :)

Nicole Zoltack said...

Congrats!

Katrina L. Lantz said...

Yay! So happy for you, Kelly! It's a great book. I can imagine it being read in elementary schools the world over. Can't wait to see the finished product!!

Lenny Lee said...

hi miss kelly! hooray for you! its like you got a really neat christmas present. :) im a mger and that book sounds just way cool. for sure i got it on my wanna read list.
...smiles from lenny

Becky Mahoney said...

Yaaaaaaaaay! Congratulations! I can't wait to read it!

Kell Andrews said...

Thanks all! <3

Katie Ashley said...

Congrats!!!! I'm very, very excited and proud for you!!!

LinWash said...

Oh that's so wonderful!!! I'm thrilled for you! What a nice present this time of year!

Erin Shakespear said...

I've been reading your blog as a lurker....but I need to say YAY! Congratulations!! I'm thrilled for you! (BTW....Hey there...I'm Erin :) and I write MG fantasy, too)

SF said...

Congratulations!!!!

C.R. Evers said...

Congratulations!!! What awesome news!

YaY! *\0/*

Jaye Robin Brown said...

Woohoo Kelly! O''O

Amparo Ortiz said...

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Yep. That's how I feel about this piece of awesomesauce.

Congrats, Kelly!!! <3

Angelica R. Jackson said...

Congratulations! They look like an interesting publisher; I'll be following their and your progress!

Kell Andrews said...

Thank you again! Angelica, I hope to make them famous ;)

erica and christy said...

Congratulations, Kelly! I love to hear news like that!
erica

Laura Barnes said...

Way to go!! You totally deserve it :)

Magan said...

Congrats! Can't wait to hear more about it!

Kappa no He said...

I'm so happy for you. This is the first of many more. And I can't wait to pick it up.