Two Months Until MURRAY OUT OF WATER Releases
Save a debut author from debilitating anxiety: preorder my debut middle grade novel in verse!
Hey all, it’s been a WHILE since I have put out a newsletter. Maybe a year? Around that. It happens.
But now I have a ton to catch you all up on since the last time I blasted one of these little e-mails from my laptop. I hope you’ll forgive me, and while I can’t promise to EVER be a regular newsletter writer, if you subscribe now or stay subscribed, I will likely loop you into my writing and reading updates 2-6 times a year. That’s my best guess, at least.
Keep reading to get some updates on where you can find signed and personalized preorders of my debut middle grade novel in verse Murray Out of Water, out May 21st, 2024 from Quill Tree Books over at HarperCollins Children’s Publishing.
Updates
New Agent
This is a bit of an old update but last May, New Leaf Literary & Media laid off my agent in an abrupt, unprofessional manner and immediately severed their relationship with nearly her entire list of diverse kidlit creators, myself included. (Side note: honestly, this whole incident and the aftermath is a big reason this newsletter has laid dormant for this long as rehashing all of…that…was not an appealing thing at the time, when I was also on a tight deadline for the first round of edits on Murray).
They did all of this after closing hours on a Friday, which is when all of the shadiest of business decisions are made to avoid blowback, and while it was a harrowing experience, it ultimately brought me closer with many of my former agent siblings, several of whom gave Murray beautiful, heartfelt blurbs.
I am now represented by Maria Vicente at P.S. Literary, and am excited and hopeful for the projects I am working on in the young adult and adult spaces while I continue work on my currently contracted middle grade works.
Signed & Personalized Copies of Murray Out of Water
I have partnered with two incredible New Jersey independent book to sell signed and personalized preorders of Murray Out of Water. They are available to order for pick-up and delivery now.
For North Jersey folks, you can order your copy from an incredible friendly children’s bookstore, The Curious Reader in Glen Rock, NJ. For South Jersey folks, you can order your copy from the very cool, lovely Thunder Road Books in Spring Lake, NJ. If you’re not local, feel free to order from either bookstore (or both).
All preorders to these two stores will come with a Murray Out of Water bookmark and three stickers!
Preorder Campaign
If you’ve already preordered Murray from another retailer, want to preorder from a different bookstore, or want to request your local library to carry the book AND get a signed bookplate, a bookmark and some fun stickers, you can fill out this form.
Open to the first 50 entrants until May 28, 2024. Open internationally. Must provide proof preorder or library request.
Events
I will be doing a community book talk event through The Adult School, a local organization I interned with in college and have now volunteered with for the past six or so years to celebrate the release of Murray Out of Water on Thursday, May 23, 2024 at 7pm. It will be at The Kemmerer Library-Harding Township in New Vernon, NJ. I’ll be in conversation with my partner, Olivia Anne Gennaro, who is a local ELA educator. We have a super fun discussion about writing, queer middle grade and more for y’all. I hope you can make it!
The event is free but registration is required here (Note: online reservation requires a $10 administrative fee/donation to the school; let me know if you would like to attend but cannot afford the fee and I will help get you registered).
Also, mark your calendars! I will be at the 5th Annual Glen Rock Children’s Book Festival in Glen Rock, NJ on Saturday, October 5, 2024, 11am-3pm.
Media
I survived my first Kirkus review and they had mostly very nice things to say about Murray Out of Water!
“This lovely, moving novel in verse combines beautiful language with emotional honesty to create a resonant story of identity and growing up. A heartfelt examination of queer identity through the lens of one lovable kid.”
— Kirkus Reviews
Several lovely friends and colleagues have also shared some incredible early praise for Murray Out of Water. I’ll be sharing these on social media over the next few weeks in the lead up to pub day, but here’s a sneak peak at one from my dear friend and middle-grade-older-sibling, Nicole Melleby!
“Murray Out of Water is a stunning, lyrical story that showcases the grief of losing one home, and the magic in discovering ourselves in a new one. From one Jersey kid to another, Murray is a character I could have spent hours with at the shore.”
— Nicole Melleby, author of Hurricane Season
Press
Recently, my alma mater Drew University published a lovely little story about Murray Out of Water and how my liberal arts education has shaped my early writing career. You can read that here.
I also did a Q&A with Karis Rogerson here on Substack, which you can read here (and then subscribe to her brilliant newsletter, which does come regularly, and is a real joy to read). Thanks so much again for hosting me.
Recent Reads
One of the upsides of being such a delinquent newsletter writer is that I have been reading A TON this year! I set my 2024 reading goal at 200 books (up from my goal of 100 in 2023) and so far, I have read 54 titles. This month I am participating in Middle Grade March and have so far read over a dozen wonderful, imaginative stories for young people (that are also great for adults).
Here are some of my favorites across all ages and genres from the first quarter and change of 2024:
This is Not My Hat by Jon Klassen
How to Be a Good Creature: A Memoir in Thirteen Animals by Sy Montgomery
Hummingbird Season by Stephanie V.W. Lucianovic
The Wild Robot by Peter Brown
The Lumbering Giants of Windy Pines by Mo Netz
The First State of Being by Erin Entrada Kelly
Simon Sort of Says by Erin Bow
Not Quite a Ghost by Anne Ursu
All the Fighting Parts by Hannah V. Sawyerr
The Collectors: Stories edited by A.S. King
Interesting Facts About Space by Emily Austin
Now is Not the Time to Panic by Kevin Wilson
In the Dream House by Carmen Maria Machado
The Three Mothers: How the Mothers of Martin Luther King Jr., Malcolm X and James Baldwin Shaped a Nation by Anna Malaika Tubbs
Current Project?
I’m writing a YA again, but this time a contemporary project with no romance story arc. Lots of laughs, though. And a rescue bunny along for the ride. I’m not ready to share much yet, but have been having so much fun drafting again.