Project and content management for Contemporary Authors volumes
WORK TITLE: Nothing But Sky
WORK NOTES:
PSEUDONYM(S):
BIRTHDATE:
WEBSITE: https://amytruebloodauthor.com/
CITY:
STATE: AZ
COUNTRY: United States
NATIONALITY: American
RESEARCHER NOTES:
LC control no.: n 2018000664
LCCN Permalink: https://lccn.loc.gov/n2018000664
HEADING: Trueblood, Amy
000 00296nz a2200109n 450
001 10641912
005 20180104163055.0
008 180104n| azannaabn |n aaa
010 __ |a n 2018000664
040 __ |a DLC |b eng |c DLC |e rda
100 1_ |a Trueblood, Amy
670 __ |a Nothing but sky, 2018: |b ECIP title page (Amy Trueblood)
PERSONAL
Female.
EDUCATION:University of Arizona, bachelor’s degree.
ADDRESS
CAREER
Writer. NBC, Los Angeles, CA, former page; Ingram Book Group, Nashville, TN, executive. Previously, worked in advertising in AZ.
AWARDS:Junior Library Guild selection, for Nothing but Sky.
WRITINGS
SIDELIGHTS
Amy Trueblood is a writer based in Arizona. She holds a degree from the University of Arizona. Previously, she worked as a page for NBC, at a publishing company based in Nashville, Tennessee, and at an advertising firm in Arizona.
In 2018, Trueblood released her first novel, Nothing but Sky. She discussed the plot in an interview with Beth Edwards on the YA Books Central website, stating: “Nothing But Sky tells the story of eighteen-year-old wing walker Grace Lafferty who is willing to take every risk to ensure her barnstorming team gets to the 1922 World Aviation Expo.” In an interview with Michelle I. Mason, which appeared on Mason’s self-titled website, Trueblood explained how she became inspired to write the book. She stated: “In the summer of 2013, I visited the Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago. Tethered to the ceiling of the museum was a biplane with a mannequin hanging off the wing. … A placard next to the plane detailed the life of a wing walker by the name of Ethel Dare. In that moment, I knew I needed to learn more about her. Later that evening, I started doing research and discovered that Ethel was one of a handful of brave women who soared through the skies and the idea for Nothing but Sky was born.” Trueblood told a writer on the Emily Colin website: “The inspiration took me by surprise. To be honest, the thought of writing historical fiction terrified me but there was this instinct inside me that said this book HAD to be written.” Regarding the book’s protagonist, Trueblood told a contributor to the Operation Awesome website: “What I adore about Grace is that she keeps making mistakes but doesn’t allow it to deter her. She gets knocked down a lot before she realizes there has to be a better way to accomplish her dream. Some may call her unlikeable, but I see a young woman on the verge of growing up who is struggling to find her way.”
A writer on the Tara Creel Books website suggested: “This story inspires readers to be brave and follow dreams and to get through life when plans aren’t what you thought they were. Such a gem of a story.” “Trueblood’s debut is an exhilarating historical novel with a strong feminist core that will appeal to … readers,” asserted Julia Smith in Booklist. A critic in Kirkus Reviews remarked: “Action scenes play out with a cinematically breathtaking intensity; however, by comparison, scenes on the ground are slow.” The critic concluded by praising the book, asserting: “It’s a gas.”
BIOCRIT
PERIODICALS
Booklist, February 1, 2018, Julia Smith, review of Nothing but Sky, p. 57.
Kirkus Reviews, January 15, 2018, review of Nothing but Sky.
ONLINE
Amy Trueblood website, https://amytruebloodauthor.com/ (June 5, 2018).
Emily Colin website, https://www.emilycolin.com/ (March 27, 2018), author interview.
Kid Lit 411, http://www.kidlit411.com/ (March 23, 2018), author interview.
Michelle I. Mason website, https://michelleimason.com/ (March 19, 2018), Michelle I. Mason, author interview.
Operation Awesome, https://operationawesome6.blogspot.com/ (February 7, 2018), author interview.
Tara Creel Books, https://taracreelbooks.com/ (May 2, 2018), review of Nothing But Sky.
YA Books Central, http://www.yabookscentral.com/ (March 27, 2018), Beth Edwards, author interview.
Amy Trueblood | Author HomepageAMY TRUEBLOOD | AUTHOR
ABOUT
Hello and Welcome!
I’m Amy Trueblood and I write Young Adult and Adult fiction. I grew up in Southern California and Arizona. After graduating from college with a degree in journalism, I lived in Los Angeles and worked as an NBC page before returning to Arizona to start a career in advertising.
My wild life has allowed me to live in many places including Nashville (for six years), and it’s true what they say, it’s very easy to pick up the accent. While living in Music City, I worked for Ingram Book Group and fell in love with the world of publishing and writing after reading an ARC (advanced reading copy) of Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban. Shortly thereafter, I started writing my first Young Adult novel and I haven’t stopped writing since!
Fun facts about me…
I’m the youngest of five. I spent a ton of time hidden in forts built in my closet, reading and listening to those small records that were included in Disney books. I’m certain this is where my love of storytelling began!
While working in advertising, one of my agency’s accounts was Paramount. I was fortunate enough to see many movies before they were officially released. One of them was Forrest Gump and I knew after the screening it was going to win a ton of awards.
The year Harry Potter and The Goblet of Fire was released I had to monitor bookstores and make sure they didn’t open the sealed boxes and sell the books before their official release date!
I know most of the lyrics to every Depeche Mode song, and I make crazy playlists for every single book I write!
A few of my favorite things…
Arnold Palmers (Flavored ice tea + lemonade). I can’t write without it!
Alternative Music (Snow Patrol, Arctic Monkeys, Young The Giant, Arcade Fire, Halsey, Cage The Elephant)
Red Vines (Sorry, Twizzlers taste like cherry-coated plastic to me)
Cassandra Clare’s CITY OF BONES – I’ve read it 10+ times!
Two of my favorite pieces of writing advice:
DO NOT compare your journey to other writers. We all have our own path.
Surround yourself with writing friends. In good times, and bad, you’re going to need them!
My favorite writing craft books:
Outlining Your Novel by K.M. Weiland
Writing the Breakout Novel by Donald Maass
On Writing by Stephen King
Save The Cat by Blake Snyder
Bird by Bird by Anne Lamott
QUOTED: "What I adore about Grace is that she keeps making mistakes but doesn’t allow it to deter her. She gets knocked down a lot before she realizes there has to be a better way to accomplish her dream. Some may call her unlikeable, but I see a young woman on the verge of growing up who is struggling to find her way."
Wednesday, February 7, 2018
Meet Amy Trueblood in this Debut Author Spotlight
Debut Author Spotlight from @JLenniDorner on @OpAwesome6
Nothing But Sky
OA is excited to have an alumna in the spotlight. Welcome, Amy Trueblood!
1- What ignited your passion for writing?
I've always loved to read. As a kid, I would try to find hidden away, quiet places where I could curl up with a good book. Even as I grew older, my interest in storytelling never wavered. Ideas and characters would pop into my head and finally one day I decided it was time to put them on paper.
2- The Charlaine Harris series The Southern Vampire Mysteries, also known as The True Blood Novels and The Sookie Stackhouse Novels; given your surname, do you love or hate those books and subsequent TV show?
Full disclosure: I've never read the books or seen the show. It didn't really bother me until the show started to get popular on HBO and then all these weird mentions started to pop up in my Twitter feed. I was at a writing conference a few years ago with Charlaine Harris and I wanted to mention my name to her for a laugh but she was surrounded by too many fans to talk to her.
3- What are some of your short and long term writing goals?
My goal has always been to keep writing. There's a lot of self-doubt that pops up in this business. I hope I can keep that at bay and continue to craft stories I love and that publishers will continue to buy and share.
4- What is your favorite book (by someone else), and what do you love most about that book?
If you've read my blog you know I always mention one book that I've read over and over: Cassandra Clare's CITY OF BONES. I don't write fantasy (and really have no intention to) but Cassandra Clare is a master of all things writing. Her plotting, characters, worldbuilding, and dialogue are all brilliant. I feel like every time I read the book I learn something new about the craft of writing.
5- Does Bessie Coleman make an appearance in your book?
Yes, she does! I can't tell you when and where (as it's a spoiler) but she does make two appearances. I specifically did research on her so that I could make it plausible that she could show up in Grace's life. She also offers Grace a piece of advice that I think is very timely!
6- Who is currently your biggest fan? What does that person love most (or "ship") about your debut novel?
It may sound funny, but I think my biggest fan is my brother-in-law. He's a retired Navy pilot and he read every flying scene in the book (many times over) as my consultant/expert. Whenever I would send him a scene he would email me back VERY ENTHUSIASTIC comments. He even had a meeting with someone who was a friend of a friend of a friend in Hollywood and tried to pitch my book (LOL!)
7- What emotions do you hope your book will evoke for the reader, and is there a particular scene you hope will resonate with readers?
I tend to write very flawed characters. What I adore about Grace is that she keeps making mistakes but doesn’t allow it to deter her. She gets knocked down a lot before she realizes there has to be a better way to accomplish her dream. Some may call her unlikeable, but I see a young woman on the verge of growing up who is struggling to find her way. There is one scene in particular that illustrates this about her character and I think readers will recognize it right away.
Meet Amy Trueblood in this Debut Author Spotlight
My image of Grace!
(illustration created by Linnea Gear)
8- What is the most memorable trait or visual oddity of one of your characters?
Grace's Uncle Warren chews on several gross, old cigars throughout the entire book. At first I just wrote it as a character tic, but after a while I realized it was his way of dealing with his frustration/stress over Grace.
9- #WeNeedDiverseBooks What's your favorite book with a diverse main character?
In 2017 I read three diverse books I loved:
-When Dimple Met Rishi by Sandhya Menon
-Love, Hate and other Filters by Samira Ahmed
-Long Way Down by Jason Reynolds
10- As a reader, what most motivates you to buy a new book to read?
The storyline has to be unique. Whether it's the setting, characters, or the plot, I'm intrigued if an author shows me something way outside my own world and experience.
11- What's the best book marketing strategy you've come across?
Right now I'm really enjoying Instagram. I'm learning how to optimally share "stories" as well as how to post the most intriguing pictures. I am by no means a photographer, but I love trying to use lighting and design to put my book, and others, into a visually pleasing set-up.
12- What is one question (or discussion topic) which you would like the readers of this interview to answer or remark on in the comments?
I'd like to talk about the need for more historical fiction in Young Adult. Many times the stories that can be told about our past are just as relevant today as they were a hundred years ago.
13- Anything else you would care to share about your book and yourself?
Blurb: Grace Lafferty, an eighteen-year-old wing walker, thrills crowds with barrel rolls and loop-the-loops in hopes of making enough money to get to the 1922 World Aviation Expo. When one of her maneuvers saves a pilot's life, a film studio offers Grace a chance at a coveted Hollywood contract. But after a stunt goes wrong, Grace must decide whether her life is worth risking for one final trick.
Bio:
A devotee of reading and writing from a very young age, Amy Trueblood grew up surrounded by books. As the youngest of five children, she spent most of her time trying to find a quiet place to curl up with her favorite stories. After stints working in entertainment and advertising, she began writing her first manuscript and never looked back.
Her debut novel, NOTHING BUT SKY is a Spring 2018 Junior Library Guild selection and will be published March 27, 2018 by Flux.
For more on Amy, check out her website, http://AmyTruebloodAuthor.com or follow her on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, or Tumblr.
QUOTED: "Nothing But Sky tells the story of eighteen-year-old wing walker Grace Lafferty who is willing to take every risk to ensure her barnstorming team gets to the 1922 World Aviation Expo."
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Author Chat with Amy Trueblood and Gwen C. Katz (Nothing But Sky & Among The Red Stars) Plus Giveaway!
Tuesday, 27 March 2018 Beth Edwards, Assistant Blog Manager News & Updates Giveaways Featured Giveaways 820 Hits 8 Comments
NothingButSky
Today we're excited to chat with Amy Trueblood and Gwen C Katz, authors of Nothing But Sky & Among The Red Stars.
Read on for more about Amy & Gwen and their book, plus a giveaway!
Meet Amy Trueblood !
Amy Trueblood grew up in California ten minutes from Disneyland which sparked an early interest in storytelling. As the youngest of five, she spent most of her time trying to find a quiet place to curl up with her favorite books. After graduating from the University of Arizona with a degree in journalism, she worked in entertainment in Los Angeles before returning to work in Arizona. Fueled by good coffee and an awesome Spotify playlist, you can often find Amy blogging and writing. Her first novel, Nothing But Sky releases today and is now available.
Website * Facebook * Twitter * Instagram
Meet Gwen C Katz!
Gwen C. Katz is a writer, artist, game designer, and retired mad scientist easily identified by her crew cut and ability to cause trouble. Originally from Seattle, she now lives in Altadena, CA with her husband and a revolving door of transient mammals. Her first novel, Among the Red Stars, was released in October 2017.
Website * Facebook * Twitter * Instagram
Badass Female Fliers: A Chat with YA Historical Fiction Authors
Amy Trueblood and Gwen C. Katz
In honor of March being Women’s History Month, we’ve brought together two talented YA historical fiction writers for a chat about badass women in aviation, writing YA historical fiction, and, more specifically, writing feminism in YA historical fiction.
Hi guys! Can you tell everyone a little bit about your book and your main characters?
AT: Nothing But Sky tells the story of eighteen-year-old wing walker Grace Lafferty who is willing to take every risk to ensure her barnstorming team gets to the 1922 World Aviation Expo.
GK: I wrote Among the Red Stars, a novel about Russia’s all-female WWII night bomber regiment, the Night Witches. The main character is Valka, a hotshot teen pilot from the Urals who gets her big break when she finds out her hero is forming an all-female aviation group.
Both main characters are fierce, determined, and total feminists; perfect role models for today's teens and pretty much all people in general. What was it like taking a historical time period and writing it from a feminist perspective?
AT: I didn’t start out writing Nothing But Sky from a feminist perspective actually. Grace just came to me as this fully-formed character who wouldn’t let anyone keep her from her two dreams: wing walking and keeping her team together. It wasn’t until I started to have her push back against societal norms that I realized her character had some very important things to say.
GK: I think of feminist history simply as true history. Since the default historical perspective has been one that ignores and erases women’s contributions, simply giving a factual account of historical events involving women is in and of itself a feminist act.
What made you want to explore aviation in your writing?
GK: I can take this one. I think the experience of underrepresented groups in a field like aviation lends itself to more interesting narratives than the majority experience. It immediately raises questions about why Valka was drawn to that field and how people will react to her, opening the door for all kinds of interesting conflicts that don’t arise if it’s the type of person who traditionally enters the field.
Where did your inspiration come for your book?
AT: When I was visiting family in Chicago I went to the Museum of Science and Industry. On the top floor of the museum they have a biplane tethered to the ceiling and a mannequin hanging off one wing. The sign below the display described the life of female wing walker Ethel Dare and I was hooked! I knew I had to learn more!
GK: I was playing the game Wings of War with my father-in-law and I asked if there had been any female pilots during the World Wars. He knew there had been female pilots in Russia, so naturally I had to look that up!
You both did a TON of research to get the details of each time period just right. Can you talk about how that started?
AT: Yes, I’d love to know what research materials Gwen used! [laughs] I read books, fell down quite a few 1920s-era rabbit holes (music, clothing, history), but one of my most valuable tools was actually YouTube. I studied the actual black and white films of Lillian Boyer and Gladys Ingle (real life wing walkers) to research and describe many of Grace’s stunts. [PSA: Readers - You NEED to see some of these videos. The stunts are insane and they will blow your mind!]
GK: Several of the women in the Soviet Union’s all-female Aviation Group 122 wrote memoirs, but most of them haven’t been translated, and some of them are out of print and very hard to find (only four copies of Hiuaz Dospanova’s Under the Command of Raskova still exist). Worth it, though—these accounts contain all kinds of intimate details that you don’t get from broader historical accounts.
Was your character based on an actual person?
AT: While Grace is completely fictional, some of her traits such as strength & bravery, are based on real historical wing walkers like Lillian Boyer, Gladys Ingle, and Mabel Cody who were fearless in the sky.
GK: Valka herself is fictional, but you do meet a lot of real airwomen in the book. A lot of readers were surprised when they got to the author’s note and discovered that all these supporting characters they enjoyed so much were real people!
What was unique about being a woman in this place and time?
GK: I can speak to this. One of the interesting things about the Soviet Union was that gender equality was one of its founding tenets, so in many ways it was an incredibly progressive atmosphere for women. In the 1920s it became the first modern nation to legalize abortion and no-fault divorce. Under Stalin, much of this progress was rolled back, but officially women were allowed to enter any field that men could, including the military. This gave women all kinds of opportunities that weren’t available elsewhere.
What are some misconceptions people have about women’s history?
AT: I’m not sure it’s a misconception, but I do think there are many important women in history whose lives have been glossed over. When I first started to research female wing walkers I was disappointed to find very little info written about them. This seems incredibly ridiculous to me because without them many of the male pilots (who have plenty written about them) would just be a flash in the pan. Many people went to see the Flying Circuses specifically because they wanted to watch the females perform. It’s their fearless determination that drew many of those crowds to the empty fields across middle America and beyond.
GK: There’s a general misconception that women’s history is “niche” history, a sort of special-interest sideshow to mainstream history. What happened to half the population is not a niche.
--
About Amy Trueblood
Amy Trueblood grew up in California ten minutes from Disneyland which sparked an early interest in storytelling. As the youngest of five, she spent most of her time trying to find a quiet place to curl up with her favorite books. After graduating from the University of Arizona with a degree in journalism, she worked in entertainment in Los Angeles before returning to work in Arizona. Fueled by good coffee and an awesome Spotify playlist, you can often find Amy blogging and writing. Her first novel, Nothing But Sky releases today and is now available.
About Gwen C. Katz
Gwen C. Katz is a writer, artist, game designer, and retired mad scientist easily identified by her crew cut and ability to cause trouble. Originally from Seattle, she now lives in Altadena, CA with her husband and a revolving door of transient mammals. Her first novel, Among the Red Stars, was released in October 2017.
Nothing But Sky
By: Amy Trueblood
Publisher: Flux
Release Date: March 27th, 2018
*GIVEAWAY DETAILS*
Three winners will each recieve a copy of Nothing But Sky & Among The Red Stars (Amy Trueblood & Gwen C Katz) ~ US Only
*Click the Rafflecopter link below to enter the giveaway*
QUOTED: "The inspiration took me by surprise. To be honest, the thought of writing historical fiction terrified me but there was this instinct inside me that said this book HAD to be written."
AMY TRUEBLOOD: NOTHING BUT SKY
In Author Interviews by adminMarch 27, 2018Leave a Comment
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Before I read the blurb for Amy Trueblood’s debut, NOTHING BUT SKY, I’d never really thought about wing walkers . . . probably because the very notion terrifies me. As anyone who knows me can tell you, it’s a feat if I manage to make it through the day without bumping into something or tripping over my own feet. Performing stunts on the wings of a moving airplane? Um . . . no, thank you. But Grace Lafferty, the heroine of Amy’s new novel, is far braver than I am. Today, Amy joins me on the blog to chat about the inspiration behind Grace’s story, her fabulous annual contest, Sun vs. Snow, and what’s in her TBR pile.
Welcome to the blog, Amy…and congrats on the 3/27 release of your debut novel, NOTHING BUT SKY. It’s been getting fabulous reviews, and was selected as a 2018 Junior Library Guild Pick. Tell us what the book is all about…and what was your inspiration for writing it?
NOTHING BUT SKY tells the story of eighteen-year-old wing walker, Grace Lafferty. She along with her barnstorming team, The Soaring Eagles, are willing to perform the riskiest stunts to get to the 1922 World Aviation Expo in Chicago and compete for a chance to win a Hollywood contract.
The inspiration for NBS came from an exhibit I saw at the Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago. There was a biplane tethered from the ceiling and a mannequin hanging off one of the wings. Next to the exhibit was a sign talking about barnstorming, and a female wing walker named Ethel Dare. I was intrigued and knew I needed to learn more!
You and Michelle Hauck started an amazing annual contest together. What motivated you to launch Sun vs. Snow (where did you come up with the title, btw?) and what’s the skinny on the contest?
The title comes from where Michelle and I live. In the winter she lives where it’s cold (Indiana) and I live where it’s warm (Arizona), thus “Sun vs. Snow!” 🙂
Michelle is pretty much the queen of contests and she suggested about five years ago that we host something together. We’d been friends for a while and we both love to give back to the writing community so working with her was pretty much a no-brainer. The contest is a query plus first page set-up. We both pick sixteen entries to be on our individual team. A group of hand-selected mentors work with the writers to polish their entries for about a week. After that, we post the final entries on our blogs and agents come in and make requests! In years past we’ve had a combined 100+ requests, and quite a few of our writers have gone on to sign with agents and sell their books!
Have you always wanted to write historical fiction, or did the inspiration for NOTHING BUT SKY take you by surprise? Also, what are you working on now—and does it have a historical bent?
The inspiration took me by surprise. To be honest, the thought of writing historical fiction terrified me but there was this instinct inside me that said this book HAD to be written. My new WIP is also YA Historical (I swore I wouldn’t write another one, but my muse was quite insistent! LOL!) This story takes place in 1930s San Francisco and that’s about all I can say right now!
You’re a member of the Class of 2K18, a group of MG and YA authors who all have debuts releasing this year. How did the Class come together . . . and how do authors benefit from being a part of this type of community?
The Class of 2k18 is amazing! It’s a small tight-knit group of 20 writers and it’s been incredible to share our pre-debut experience together. The class itself is part of a long-standing tradition I believe going back to 2011. The point of it is to work together as a promotional force to get the word out about our books to librarians and bookstores. It’s become much more than a promotional group though. I think we rely on each other not only for support, but also for guidance when something publishing-related comes up and we need to bounce things off each other.
Cassandra Clare’s CITY OF BONES is one of my favorite books, too . . . although I think I might love her CLOCKWORK PRINCESS and DARK ARTIFICES series even more. What are some of your other favorites . . . and what’s on your TBR pile?
My favorite in that series is CLOCKWORK ANGEL. Seriously, Cassandra Clare is a master of worldbuilding! Right now, I have three books in my TBR pile that I’m excited to get to:
THE BELLES by Dhonielle Clayton
THE ZANNA FUNCTION by Daniel Wheatley
MEMPHIS by Ginger Scott
What didn’t I ask that I should’ve? Whatever it is, please answer it here!
One of the things I’m most proud of is my blog. It has become an incredible way for me to connect with writers, and while it’s a ton of work I love it. For writers just starting out, I encourage them to check out my QUITE THE QUERY series which shares examples of successful queries (Adult all the way down to Picture Books). My FIRST FIVE FRENZY features literary agents offering insight on what grabs their attention in first pages. And a recent addition is my “20 in 2018” series that highlights Class of 2k18 books and offers readers a chance to score a copy of the book when it debuts!
BACK COVER COPY
Grace Lafferty only feels alive when she’s dangling 500 feet above ground. As a post-World War I wing walker, Grace is determined to get to the World Aviation Expo, proving her team’s worth against flashier competitors and earning a coveted Hollywood contract.
No one’s ever questioned Grace’s ambition until Henry Patton, a mechanic with plenty of scars from the battlefield, joins her barnstorming team. With each new death-defying trick, Henry pushes Grace to consider her reasons for being a daredevil. Annoyed with Henry’s constant interference, and her growing attraction to him, Grace continues to test the powers of the sky.
After one of her risky maneuvers saves a pilot’s life, a Hollywood studio offers Grace a chance to perform at the Expo. She jumps at the opportunity to secure her future. But when a stunt goes wrong, Grace must decide whether Henry, and her life, are worth risking for one final trick.
BIO
I’m Amy Trueblood and I write Young Adult and Adult fiction. I grew up in Southern California and Arizona. After graduating from college with a degree in journalism, I lived in Los Angeles and worked as an NBC page before returning to Arizona to start a career in advertising.
My wild life has allowed me to live in many places including Nashville (for six years), and it’s true what they say, it’s very easy to pick up the accent. While living in Music City, I worked for Ingram Book Group and fell in love with the world of publishing and writing after reading an ARC (advanced reading copy) of Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban. Shortly thereafter, I started writing my first Young Adult novel and I haven’t stopped writing since!
Twitter: @atrueblood5
IG: atruebloodwrites
Website: amytruebloodauthor.com
4 YA Author Spotlight: Amy Trueblood, Julia Rubin, Ingrid Palmer, Farrah Penn
Mar. 23, 2018
We're pleased to feature our March YA Author Spotlight on these debut authors:
AMY TRUEBLOOD, NOTHING BUT THE SKY (Flux, Mar. 27, 2018)
JULIA RUBIN, BURRO HILLS (Diversion Books, Mar. 20, 2018)
INGRID PALMER, ALL OUT OF PRETTY (Creston Books, April 2018)
FARRAH PENN, TWELVE STEPS TO NORMAL (Little Brown/Jimmy Patterson, Mar. 13, 2018)
Enter to win all four of these books!
AMY TRUEBLOOD
About your book & what inspired it: NOTHING BUT SKY tells the story of eighteen-year-old wing walker, Grace Lafferty who is desperate to get to the 1922 World Aviation Expo and compete in a contest to win a Hollywood contract. It was inspired by my research into early 1920s history and discovering a band of fearless women who took to the skies despite the protests of men.
Who you'd cast in your book's movie: Unfortunately I think they are both too old now, but when I first started writing NOTHING BUT SKY I saw actress SARAH HYLAND as Grace and DYLAN O'BRIEN as Henry.
Recent YA pick: I loved Joanna Ruth Meyer's BENEATH THE HAUNTING SEA and Jason Reynold's LONG WAY DOWN.
One thing most people don't know about you: Prior to my senior year in college, I worked as an intern in the story department at NBC in Burbank. I returned the following year after graduating and was an NBC page.
Where to find you online: My website address is AMYTRUEBLOODAUTHOR.COM. I'm on Twitter (@ATRUEBLOOD5) and Instagram (ATRUEBLOODWRITES).
A devotee of reading and writing from a very young age, Amy Trueblood grew up surrounded by books. As the youngest of five children, she spent most of her time trying to find a quiet place to curl up with her favorite stories. After stints working in entertainment and advertising, she began writing her first manuscript and never looked back.
JULIA RUBIN
Author of BURRO HILLS (Diversion Books, Mar. 20, 2018)
About your book & what inspired it: My book is a gritty LGBTQ+ contemporary about Jack, a 17-year-old boy living in the fictional, troubled town of Burro Hills, California. When a new boy enrolls at school, they begin to fall in love, their relationship setting into motion a series of events with lasting consequences. We pitched it as THE OUTSIDERS meets PERKS OF BEING A WALLFLOWER.
Who you'd cast in your book's movie: A complete cast of newcomers! If I'm ever lucky enough to see BURRO HILLS adapted on the big (or small) screen, I would love to see a group of up-and-comers starring in it.
Recent YA pick: I have so many to recommend, it's really, really hard to pick, but I have to go with Heather Ezell's NOTHING LEFT TO BURN, which comes out in March. Absolutely incredible writing and that book hit me like a punch to the gut in the best way.
Something most people don't know about you: I'm a dual citizen of the U.S. and Switzerland!
Where to find you online: You can find me on Twitter @julialynnrubin, on Instagram @SWISSBEAUTY.COM, and please visit my website HTTP://JULIALYNNRUBIN.COM to find out more about me and my work!
Julia Lynn Rubin lives the writer's life in Brooklyn, where she has recently finished an MFA in Writing for Children & Young Adults at The New School. She currently serves as a writing mentor for Girls Write Now, New York City's premiere writing program for high school girls.
INGRID PALMER
Author of ALL OUT OF PRETTY (Creston Books April 2018)
About your book and what inspired it: ALL OUT OF PRETTY is a gritty contemporary YA about a 16-year-old honors student who is whisked away to live in a backwoods Ohio cabin with her estranged drug-addicted mother and her mother's controlling dealer/boyfriend. It's a story about survival and the tenuous balance between right and wrong, strength and vulnerability. Andrea, my main character, was a side character in the first manuscript I ever wrote back when I was a teenager. She's been inside my head for a long time and a few years ago, her full story just sort of broke through. I had to write it.
Who you'd cast in your book's movie:
Oh man, this was so hard, but here's what I came up with...
Andrea (MC)-- CHLOE MORETZ, but with her hair dyed black
Ayla (her drug-addicted mother)-- ELIZA DUSHKU
Judd (the drug dealer)-- SKEET ULRICH
Brick (a friend who sees through Andrea's lies and pain)-- LOGAN LERMAN
Chloe (a friend who brings hope and laughter into Andrea's life)-- EMILY LIND
Recent YA pick: FAR FROM THE TREE by Robin Benway! I loved how the family dynamics and sibling relationships were portrayed in this novel and, because of its structure, Benway was able to pack a lot of different situations/issues into one book. It was a powerful and emotional read for me.
One thing most people don't know about you: I used to be an automotive journalist and even got to drive sports cars around a racetrack!
Where to find you online: website: INGRIDPALMER.COM twitter: @ingpalmer instagram: ingypal facebook: ingridpalmerauthor
blog: WEHEARTYA.COM
Ingrid Palmer is a young adult author who writes stories about family dynamics, the nuances of friendship, and all the emotions that accompany the brave act of growing up. She lives in a Colorado mountain town with her husband and two sons, surrounded by herds of elk, an occasional black bear, and endless evergreen trees. ALL OUT OF PRETTY is her debut novel.
FARRAH PENN
© Macy J. Foronda
Author of TWELVE STEPS TO NORMAL (Little Brown/ Jimmy Patterson, Mar. 13, 2018)
About your book & what inspired it: TWELVE STEPS TO NORMAL is a YA contemporary novel about a girl named Kira who returns home after he dad finishes a year long sober living program, and then finds her life has turned upside down. Her friends are distance, her ex has over on, and her father has invited some quirky friends from his rehab to stay with them for a while. So because Kira isn't happy about any of this, she decides to come up with her own 12-Steps list in order to get her life back to how it was before, and she's convinced this will make her happy.
Who you'd cast in your book's movie: This is tough! I love HAILEE STEINFELD and feel like she'd make a great Kira.
Recent YA pick: THE POET X by Elizabeth Acevedo is so wonderful and heartfelt! I also really loved THE DANGEROUS ART OF BLENDING INby Angelo Surmelis, which is another YA contemporary written in such a poignant and heartbreaking way.
One thing most people don't know about you: I'm a former emo kid! Which the style and hair and everything, hah! There is a special place in my heart for early '00s rock/pop-punk music.
Where to find you online: I'm at @FarrahPenn on Twitter and Instagram!
Farrah Penn was born and raised in a suburb in Texas that’s far from the big city, but close enough to Whataburger. She now resides in Los Angeles, CA with her gremlin dog and succulents. When she’s not writing books, she can be found writing things for BuzzFeed and sending texts that contain too many emojis. 12 STEPS TO NORMAL is her first novel.
QUOTED: "In the summer of 2013, I visited the Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago. Tethered to the ceiling of the museum was a biplane with a mannequin hanging off the wing. ... A placard next to the plane detailed the life of a wing walker by the name of Ethel Dare. In that moment, I knew I needed to learn more about her. Later that evening, I started doing research and discovered that Ethel was one of a handful of brave women who soared through the skies and the idea for Nothing but Sky was born."
GIVEAWAYS, INTERVIEWS, NETGALLEY, READING, RESEARCH, REVIEW, YOUNG ADULT
YA Interview & Giveaway: NOTHING BUT SKY by Amy Trueblood
March 19, 2018
Michelle I. Mason
I’m so thrilled to host Amy Trueblood here today. Sometimes you hear writers say that they’re just as happy when one of their friends gets a book deal as when they do. Well, I haven’t yet experienced the excitement of a book deal for myself, but I was over the moon when Flux acquired NOTHING BUT SKY. See, I was privileged to read an early draft of the manuscript (can I squee a bit because this is the first time my name appears in the acknowledgements??), so I’ve been cheering it on for a very long time. And now it’s a real, live book! Thank you to NetGalley for allowing me to read the finished version, which is so amazing I can’t even express how much I love it.
NOTHING BUT SKY comes out next week, and I’m giving away a copy to one lucky winner. But first, here’s the gorgeous cover and description, followed by Amy’s answers to five questions about what I love most.
Eighteen-year-old Grace Lafferty only feels alive when she’s dangling 500 feet above the ground. As a post-World War I wing walker, Grace is determined to get to the World Aviation Expo, proving her team’s worth against flashier competitors and earning a coveted Hollywood contract.
No one’s ever questioned Grace’s ambition until Henry Patton, a mechanic with plenty of scars from the battlefield, joins her barnstorming team. With each new death-defying trick, Henry pushes Grace to consider her reasons for being a daredevil. Annoyed with Henry’s constant interference, and her growing attraction to him, Grace continues to test the powers of the sky.
After one of her risky maneuvers saves a pilot’s life, a Hollywood studio offers Grace a chance to perform at the Expo. She jumps at the opportunity to secure her future. But when a stunt goes wrong, Grace must decide whether Henry, and her life, are worth risking for one final trick.
And here are the questions for Amy.
1. Until I read NOTHING BUT SKY, I had no idea crowds flocked to watch wing walkers in the 1920s, but I loved learning about it. What inspired you to write about a young female wing walker?
In the summer of 2013, I visited the Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago. Tethered to the ceiling of the museum was a biplane with a mannequin hanging off the wing. I was instantly intrigued and went in for a closer look. A placard next to the plane detailed the life of a wing walker by the name of Ethel Dare. In that moment, I knew I needed to learn more about her. Later that evening, I started doing research and discovered that Ethel was one of a handful of brave women who soared through the skies and the idea for NOTHING BUT SKY was born.
2. Following up on the first question, from the first page, I read about Grace’s stunts with my mouth half hanging open. By the time I reached her last stunt, I couldn’t even believe someone would attempt such a thing. Are these real stunts wing walkers performed? How did you research them?
In almost all editorial stages of this book someone questioned me about the stunts Grace performs. All of them came from research I did via historical photos or actual footage I watched on YouTube. From the car-to-plane transfer to the “Showstopper,” these were real stunts these women performed, many times without a parachute to keep them from falling to their death.
Wow. I watched the videos of wing walker Lillian Boyer with my family. We couldn’t believe it.
3. The historical setting is so rich, with tidbits about popular music and film, fashion, the economy, and daily life sprinkled into the narrative. Did you have a particular strategy for balancing the history with the story, or did that come fairly naturally?
Thank goodness for edits. The first draft of this book lacked a lot of important elements of setting and historical detail. At first, I just wanted to get the story down. In the following edits and revisions, I would layer in slang, real-life historical figures, music, as well as clothing. Including all these elements wasn’t easy. Many days writing this book felt like slowly putting together a thousand-piece puzzle.
4. I love how the romance develops in the story, with both Grace and Henry growing together. Were they an easy couple to write, or did they give you trouble the way they give each other trouble in the story?
I wish I could say Grace and Henry’s relationship came easy but writing romance is HARD! I learned that there is a delicate balance between building character arcs and allowing your characters to slowly open up to each other. In the first few drafts, Grace was really tough on Henry. It took a lot of comments from CPs to make me realize she could still be vulnerable even if she was a strong, brave woman.
5. I love it when I find a title in the text of a novel: “My only wish was to be back on the wing with the wind in my face and nothing but sky for company.” Was the title an easy choice, or did you struggle with choosing the perfect title?
That line was in the original draft. The minute I wrote it I knew it was going to be the title. Thankfully, my editor and publisher both agreed it was a perfect fit for the book.
Thank you, Amy!!
Now on to the giveaway. I’m giving away a copy to one lucky winner, North America only, please. You can enter by commenting below. Tell me what excites you about NOTHING BUT SKY :). And if you want the opportunity for extra entries, click on the Rafflecopter link below. Good luck!
QUOTED: "Action scenes play out with a cinematically breathtaking intensity; however, by comparison, scenes on the ground are slow."
"It's a gas."
Print Marked Items
Trueblood, Amy: NOTHING BUT SKY
Kirkus Reviews.
(Jan. 15, 2018):
COPYRIGHT 2018 Kirkus Media LLC
http://www.kirkusreviews.com/
Full Text:
Trueblood, Amy NOTHING BUT SKY Flux (Children's Fiction) $11.99 3, 27 ISBN: 978-1-63583-016-3
It's 1922--an exciting time in aviation.
During the previous decade, the world saw planes used in war for the first time. Many returning American
war pilots now fly decommissioned training planes in barnstorming teams. These flying circuses are
showing up across the country, and competition is fierce. The action takes off with white 18-year-old Grace
Lafferty, the only female member of the Soaring Eagles, climbing out of a roadster going 50 miles an hour
to grab hold of a ladder attached to a soaring plane. Money is tight, and Grace's team--her family--is in
danger of closing up shop and going their separate ways, so she's entered them in the World Aviation Expo.
This opportunity will be more than a performance; their future depends on winning the grand prize: a
Hollywood contract with a steady paycheck. Bessie Coleman, the first black woman to receive a
professional pilot's license, is Grace's hero and the book's only character of color. Coleman gives Grace
advice about being a woman in a field dominated by men. Action scenes play out with a cinematically
breathtaking intensity; however, by comparison, scenes on the ground are slow, though intriguing.
Accented with such details as jazz, speak-easies, and period slang, it's a gas. (author's note) (Historical
fiction. 14-18)
Source Citation (MLA 8th
Edition)
"Trueblood, Amy: NOTHING BUT SKY." Kirkus Reviews, 15 Jan. 2018. General OneFile,
http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A522642934/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=4fc90d3f.
Accessed 20 May 2018.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A522642934
QUOTED: "Trueblood's debut is an exhilarating historical novel with a strong feminist core that will appeal to ... readers."
Nothing but Sky
Julia Smith
Booklist.
114.11 (Feb. 1, 2018): p57.
COPYRIGHT 2018 American Library Association
http://www.ala.org/aboutala/offices/publishing/booklist/
Full Text:
Nothing but Sky. By Amy Trueblood. Mar. 2018. 284p. Flux, paper, $11.99 (9781635830163); e-book,
$9.99 (9781635830170). Gr. 7-10.
For 18-year-old Grace, there's nothing better than walking an airplane's wings while it soars through the sky.
As part of her uncle Warren's barnstorming team, the Soaring Eagles, she spends her time devising risky
new tricks to do in the air, because while her life may be thrilling, it's far from glamorous. With increasing
competition, she and her team work hard to draw a crowd, and often they don't take in enough money to get
a hotel when they're on the road. Still, Grace has her sights set on competing in the 1922 World Aviation
Expo in Chicago, where a win would mean a Hollywood contract and financial stability. Independent and
headstrong, Grace is thrown for a loop when Henry Patton, a handsome war vet, becomes the Soaring
Eagles' new mechanic and sets her heart aflutter. Romance, however, takes a backseat to the competition and
sabotage attempts by a rival team. Trueblood's debut is an exhilarating historical novel with a strong
feminist core that will appeal to a broad range of readers.--Julia Smith
Source Citation (MLA 8th
Edition)
Smith, Julia. "Nothing but Sky." Booklist, 1 Feb. 2018, p. 57. General OneFile,
http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A527771943/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=5303a844.
Accessed 20 May 2018.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A527771943
QUOTED: "This story inspires readers to be brave and follow dreams and to get through life when plans aren’t what you thought they were. Such a gem of a story."
WONDERFUL YA WEDNESDAY: NOTHING BUT SKY BY AMY TRUEBLOOD
May 2, 2018
nothingbutsky
Title: NOTHING BUT SKY
Author: Amy Trueblood
Publisher: Flux
Publication Date: March 27th, 2018
Publisher’s Description:
A 2018 Junior Library Guild selection.
“Trueblood’s action-packed first novel explores the post-World War I époque with visceral period detail, and Grace’s ambition carries the story about fighting for one’s dreams, seeking stability in some form, and a team becoming a family.” —Publishers Weekly
Grace Lafferty only feels alive when she’s dangling 500 feet above ground. As a post-World War I wing walker, Grace is determined to get to the World Aviation Expo, proving her team’s worth against flashier competitors and earning a coveted Hollywood contract.
No one’s ever questioned Grace’s ambition until Henry Patton, a mechanic with plenty of scars from the battlefield, joins her barnstorming team. With each new death-defying trick, Henry pushes Grace to consider her reasons for being a daredevil. Annoyed with Henry’s constant interference, and her growing attraction to him, Grace continues to test the powers of the sky.
After one of her risky maneuvers saves a pilot’s life, a Hollywood studio offers Grace a chance to perform at the Expo. She jumps at the opportunity to secure her future. But when a stunt goes wrong, Grace must decide whether Henry, and her life, are worth risking for one final trick.
I’ve been saving this post for today because I’ve been following Amy Trueblood on social media and her BLOG for years. She is a light in the publishing community and gives so much to those around her. I’ve been waiting for this book to come out for what feels like forever.
She had an event near me last weekend and I was planning to go and talk about how wonderful it (and she) was in this post along with my review. And then something came up last minute and I wasn’t able to go and I was so let down.
I hope to be able to get to another event of hers in the future, but I still want to review and highly recommend this book.
I am a big fan of YA historical fiction and an even bigger fan of YA historical fiction that feels different from others. NOTHING BUT SKY is full of history, action, character depth, inspiration, and Trueblood’s talented way with words.
I don’t know much about this era, so I loved the immersion into the time-period and was swept away. Everything from the clothing to the way of speech was so fun to read. All of the character’s lives were formed by what was going on at that time and it felt so genuine. And I know some people see the word history and think boring, but oh my goodness, this story was so the opposite.
It was riveting through each page but also had those tender lines that made you feel and grow as a person.
I loved Grace. I could never do what she did, I am not a dare-devil. But she did it so well and it really played in to her character arc to spread her wings and be daring in other areas that maybe aren’t so easy for her.
And the way Henry fits into her storyline only makes her stronger and brings a smile to my face.
This story inspires readers to be brave and follow dreams and to get through life when plans aren’t what you thought they were.
Such a gem of a story and I couldn’t be happier to recommend.