New website, galleys in the wild, book recs!
Hi friends! In this newsletter we’ve got a new website powered by the energy of a thousand glitter cannons, the feeling of when your book actually makes its way into the world, and some recommended reads for your spooky-loving tweens. Let’s dive in!
aliterese.com is alive! I’m thrilled to share with you my all-new author website at https://aliterese.com/! I am so thankful to Websy Daisy (https://websydaisy.com/) for doing such an incredible job with the design. It feels like I’m sitting with my characters as they plan to change the world, eat some stinky cheese, and glitterfy everything in sight. I hope it is a welcoming space for you to experience the world of FREE PERIOD (Scholastic Spring 2024) and my books to come. The landing page has lots of ways to pre-order FREE PERIOD with more to follow on local indie options. Check out the Resources page for everything from discussion guides to recipes for Gracie’s delightfully disgusting desserts (there are already a few uploaded for advanced copy readers!). Answers to frequently asked questions including the all-important Are you a Gracie or a Helen? are on the About page. More on Events and News to follow. And if there is anything you want to see, please feel free to reach out using the contact form. Thank you so much for checking it out! (And here is one of those pre-ordering options ;) Pre-order FREE PERIOD on Bookshop.org)
ARCs are in the world: In other news, FREE PERIOD is now being read by people I’m not related to. ALERT! ALERT! I just learned that an exclusive edition of the bound galley with a ridiculously-fun composition notebook style cover designed by Maeve Norton (https://www.maevenorton.com/) was available at Children’s Institute 2023 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. This is a gathering hosted by the American Booksellers Association, dedicated to making sure indie bookstores are thriving and that communities benefit from their work. While I was home cheering on authors whose work I just love like Rhonda Roumani and Thushanthi Ponweera as they were making presentations, physical copies of my book were there for indie sellers to pick up. I am so excited and also slightly terrified to hear what they think. After nearly a decade of work this is really happening. Kermit-flail!
Boo! book recs: Finally, a few book recommendations. These are spooky middle grade reads to add to your summer / fall TBR that I was lucky enough to read early copies of. All are available for pre-order now and are highly recommended by me!
OTHERWOODS by Justine Pucella Winans (9/12/23) Please be seated as you reach the third act of this thrilling middle grade story so you don’t fall off the earth from the twists! Tether yourself to this realm I beg you! River is trying to avoid the monsters in their life, be it the dead-naming history teacher or the terrifying mish-mash creatures only River can see, when their new friend is captured by the Otherwoods. River, or maybe their cat?!?!, just may be the hero the world has been waiting for. Every horror-loving MG reader needs this one! https://bookshop.org/p/books/the-otherwoods-justine-pucella-winans/20075929?ean=9781547612543
PERIL AT PRICE MANOR by Laura Parnum (8/8/23) This book is hilarious and harrowing! I imagined Vincent Price narrating and want to read everything Laura Parnum writes. Halle practices her Scream Queen scream as she dreams of going from horror movie fan to star. A chance to make a delivery to the imposing mansion of horror movie director? Of course she goes! And of course a horrifying blob creature has taken over the place. Can Halle work with the director’s children who think it is all a birthday prank to Save the World? https://bookshop.org/p/books/peril-at-price-manor-laura-parnum/19775110?ean=9780063249530
BEE BAKSHI AND THE GINGERBREAD SISTERS by Emi Pinto (9/12/23) This middle grade retelling had me guessing at every turn until the very end! Like the best of fairy tales it is not only a great story in its own right, but makes you question how you see yourself in the world, and in Bee's case, asks what you're will to do to fit in with friends versus deserving to be celebrated for exactly who you are. I think young readers are going to devour it in one sitting! https://bookshop.org/p/books/bee-bakshi-and-the-gingerbread-sisters-emi-pinto/19520257?ean=9780063275720
FIELD OF SCREAMS by Wendy Parris (8/1/23) First of all, the cover makes my blood run cold. Ahh! Just imagine you’re in middle school and instead of a fun summer camp with friends, you’re sent to a relative’s haunted house in the middle of nowhere to babysit! Rebecca wants to find ghosts, all the more so after losing her own father, and Wendy Parris's writing makes you feel like spirits are everywhere around you. Amazing! https://bookshop.org/p/books/field-of-screams-wendy-parris/19026829?ean=9780593570005
That’s all for now! Hope you have such a fun summer with lots of great books, family, and friends.
Thank you for reading!
Ali