News
THE ONE TRUE ME AND YOU Preorder Campaign!
THIS CAMPAIGN IS NOW CLOSED. Thank you to everyone who preordered or put in a library purchase request! For those who submitted to my publisher, Wednesday Books, your gifts will be shipped directly from them. For those who used the International/Library Request form, I’ll be sending yours out personally by the end of March.
Wonderful people, I’m thrilled to share with you the preorder campaign for my YA contemporary debut, THE ONE TRUE ME AND YOU! This one is going to work a little differently from my previous campaigns, since my fantastic publisher is handling a good bit of it.
For preorders in the U.S. and Canada:
You’ll turn your receipts in to Wednesday Books using their submission form, and you will receive:
• TWO 1.5″ buttons: one of the cover and one of the pin Kay wears on the cover
• A signed bookplate
• A double-sided glossy bookmark
This campaign closes at 11:59pm on Monday, February 28th, and they have a limited quantity. If they run out or close before you get the chance to submit, then please submit using the form for International readers instead.
♥
For International readers and library purchase requests:
You’ll turn your receipts in to me! Please fill out this form, then send your proof of purchase to mkenglandbooks at gmail dot com. (This is also the form to use for US/CAN preorders if the Wednesday Books form is closed.)
I do not have the 1.5″ buttons, but I will be sending out bookmarks, signed bookplates, some leftover stickers from my Spellhacker campaign, and all my love. This form will close at 11:59pm on Monday, March 7th.
♥
Preorder Links
For signed copies: Click here to get hand signed copies from my local indies, Bluebird Bookstop (Crozet, VA) and Fountain Bookstore (Richmond, VA)
Other preorders:
Print Book: Bookshop ★ Indiebound ★ Amazon ★ Barnes & Noble ★ Book Depository ★ Indigo ★ Books-a-Million
♥
Thank you!
I deeply appreciate your support of THE ONE TRUE ME AND YOU and I can’t wait to share the book and these gifts with you.
THE DISASTERS in development for TV by The CW
Publishing news is weird. You often learn about things many months or even years before they’re publicly announced. For instance, I’m sitting on two big announcements right now, one of which required me to sign an NDA! But we’re waiting on contracts and timing and such to be able to say anything. The waiting is hard.
And honestly, no waiting has been harder than waiting for this news to finally be public: THE DISASTERS was optioned for television TWO WHOLE YEARS AGO, before the book even came out at the end of 2018.
Let me be clear: This does NOT mean the television show is definitely happening. It has, however, made it surprisingly far in the process, which is truly thrilling. A pilot will be filmed, but then that pilot has to get green lit by the network before they order episodes. My innate reflex to always manage expectations and keep hopes reasonable requires that I make this abundantly clear! I do hope, though, that the show will go forward, and that it’ll create opportunities for writers, actors, and crew of color, queer folks, and people of many faiths. The book is a melting pot of the people in my life and it would be an honor to see them represented on the screen and behind it.
Also, a caveat: I have almost no involvement in this whole process, and that includes casting, scripts, etc. While I would LOVE to see your casting ideas, I have zero power to make them actually happen. Bring ’em on, though!
I’m thrilled to have such a superstar team behind the project, and want to extend huge thanks to John Sacchi and Matt Groesch at 5 More Minutes Productions for being the initial champions, Greg Berlanti and the rest of the team at Berlanti Productions, Derek Simon, Lee Toland Krieger, Warner Bros for taking up the original option, and The CW for saying yes to the pitch. I’m sure there are so many more people involved that I have no idea about, and thanks to them, too! And always, to my film agent, Sean Berard, who made all this happen to start with.
If you’re interested in picking up a copy of THE DISASTERS, it’s available in hardcover, paperback, and ebook, and there’s an excellent audio edition! Stay tuned for more updates, and a happy end of 2020 to you all.
Spellhacker Preorder Gifts: Open Internationally!
THIS PREORDER CAMPAIGN HAS CLOSED AND ALL MAILINGS ARE COMPLETE. THANK YOU FOR SUPPORTING SPELLHACKER!
—
IT IS TIME. I’m so thrilled to finally share the preorder campaign for my sophomore novel, SPELLHACKER! To thank everyone who purchases or puts in a library request for SPELLHACKER (which releases on January 21st), I’m offering up the following thank you goodies!
ALL PREORDERS WILL RECEIVE:
★ A bookmark
★ TWO vinyl stickers!
★ A signed bookplate (If you preorder from Fountain Bookstore or Over the Moon Books, your book will also be hand-signed)
★ A postcard
★ An emailed PDF with a printable SPELLHACKER-themed card to give along with the preorder goodies as a gift to someone.
★ A Disasters short story
THREE GRAND PRIZE WINNERS WILL RECEIVE:
★ All of the above
★ A 30-minute Skype conversation to get writing/industry/librarian coaching or to discuss SPELLHACKER
★ A small piece of art by me
★ A handwritten letter
★ Annotations and secrets about SPELLHACKER
To get just the Disasters short story, submit a proof of purchase for the Disasters paperback edition, or a hardcover edition purchase dated 11/25/19 or later.
To submit:
Please email the following info:
★ Name
★ Valid mailing address where you can receive a package
★ Proof of purchase or library purchase request
…to mkenglandbooks [at] gmail [dot] com. Please double check your address before you hit send!
If you pre-order multiple copies and would like multiple sets of swag, please say so in your email and include proof of purchase for each. Proof of purchase can be an attachment, pasted in the email, or a forwarded email confirmation from the retailer, photo of the library request form, etc. Everyone should get an automatic confirmation email with a link to download the holiday card PDF and the short story. Please ask your library’s permission first if you choose to add the bookplate to a library book instead of keeping it for yourself.
Last day to submit is 1/27/2020 at 11:59pm EST, end of the first week of publication.
Open internationally except to countries currently sanctioned by the US, listed here, and countries in which this type of giveaway is illegal.
Preorder Links
For signed copies:
Preorder from the Fountain Bookstore in Richmond, VA or Over the Moon Books in Crozet, VA!
Other preorders:
Print Book: Indiebound ★ Amazon ★ Barnes & Noble ★ Book Depository ★ Indigo ★ Books-a-Million
Audiobook: Libro.fm ★ Audible ★ HarperCollins website
…and wherever else books are sold! Hardcover ISBN: 978-0062657701
FAQ: Yes, SPELLHACKER is a stand-alone!
Terms and Legal Stuff
Hardcovers, Australian paperbacks, ebooks, audiobooks, and crates that include SPELLHACKER as a selection all count. Must be of legal age in your country, or have parent or guardian permission to participate. Must be willing to provide a valid mailing address where you can receive a package. For minors who have permission to enter, I’m happy to send to a librarian or parent’s workplace on your behalf.
Winners of grand prize will be drawn randomly via random number generator. Each prize will be awarded “as is” and without warranty of any kind, express or implied. If you win a prize, you may not transfer, assign, or redeem the prize for cash. All information gathered for this preorder campaign will be used only for the purposes of selecting winners and sending gifts and will be deleted 30 days after mailing is complete. Void where prohibited. No purchase or payment of any kind necessary. To enter without preordering, send a postcard or letter to: M.K. England, P.O. Box 203, Scottsville, VA 24590.
Thank you!
I deeply appreciate your support of SPELLHACKER and I can’t wait to share the book and these gifts with you.
The DISASTERS Summer Challenge!
Welcome to Pride Month, to summer, and to the DISASTERS Summer Challenge! Hard to believe this book turns six months old this month, but an excuse to celebrate, right?
I’m giving away tons of prizes this month, and there’s lots of ways to enter! Details below.
The DISASTERS read-along:
Do a first read or re-read of THE DISASTERS and discuss it with four amazing bloggers, with prizes for participation:
JUNE 7: Chapters 1–5 with Utopia State of Mind
JUNE 14: Chapters 6–10 with BookCrushin’
JUNE 21: Chapters 11–15 with Fangirls Are We
JUNE 28: Chapters 16–22 with Confessions of a YA Reader
Run to your local library or to any bookstore to grab a copy and join us! Every comment is an entry into the prize drawing. Look for the rafflecopter link at the bottom of each discussion post.
Other contests you can enter RIGHT NOW:
Spot the Nerd References — THE DISASTERS is peppered with references to other science fiction TV shows, movies, and more. Think you can find them? ENTER HERE. Each correctly-spotted reference is one entry into the prize drawing. Winners will be drawn randomly from everyone who submits. I recommend submitting them as you find them throughout the read-along.
Photo Challenge — Post a photo of or inspired by THE DISASTERS on Twitter or Instagram any time during the month of June using #disasterspride. I’ll be boosting some of my favorites throughout the month!
Prizes for all contests:
1st winner in each contest – Your choice of a signed advance reader copy of my upcoming YA sci-fi/fantasy mashup, SPELLHACKER, or a signed hardcover of THE DISASTERS.
2nd and 3rd winners – Swag packs including both DISASTERS and SPELLHACKER goodies.
Other activities:
— Instagram Live Chat: Monday, June 17 at 8pm EST (spoiler-free until 8:45pm). Keep an eye on my instagram stories for the few days beforehand to submit questions!
— FrenzyPride Twitter Chat with @HCCfrenzy (HarperCollins Canada) and tons of other LGBTQ+ authors: Thursday, June 27 at 7pm EST
— Interviews and articles at Ace of Bens (aceofbens.com, June 21) and Harper Stacks (harperstacks.harpercollins.com), and more!
I hope you’ll join me for an amazing month of disastrous fun! You can follow along with updates on twitter and instagram. I hope you have a fabulous Pride month!
Pre-order campaign updates!
Hi friends. Wow. 2019 is off to a rough start in my world, but I’m slowly clamoring to the surface and catching up. Bronchitis, house woes, trips to the emergency vet—I’m bracing for the next thing and scrambling to get things done before it strikes!
To those who have purchased THE DISASTERS or checked it out from the library: Thank you, thank you, thank you. I hope you’ve enjoyed it, and please know that I appreciate your support so much. It means everything to get my publishing career off to a solid start! If you’re able to write a brief review on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, or Goodreads, it would be a huge help. ♥
If you pre-ordered and submitted your receipt: The vast majority of pre-order gifts were mailed out in mid-to-late January. Those whose number did not come up for a pin went out in the first batch, and those who received pins went out in the next batch. Just today I sent out a few that required special handling/different postage because of multiple copies, address problems, etc. There are only a small handful left to be sent, and with one exception they should all be members of my launch crew who are getting extra thank you goodies. 🙂 I truly, TRULY hope to have those all mailed out early next week.
I have learned A LOT from the execution of this pre-order campaign and will definitely be doing things a little differently with my next book to hopefully speed up fulfillment. For those who asked why I didn’t send things out as pre-orders came in: It’s because only 75 people got pins, and I had to wait for all the pre-orders to come in so I could randomly pick those and the grand prize winner. Then it was my debut tour, and then it was the holidays, ahhh! The whole thing has been a MUCH bigger challenge (and more expensive) than I anticipated. I apologize for the delays.
I hope you all enjoy your pre-order gifts, and please do let me know if you have any feedback! What did you like? What did you not like? That will inform what I do for my next book… which I get to announce very soon. 🙂
All my best to you! Have a lovely rest of the week. ★
First Chapter of THE DISASTERS!
🌟 Hey folks, the first chapter of THE DISASTERS is now available
to read over on YA Interrobang! 🌟
Like what you read? Remember, I have an awesome international preorder campaign going on right now where you can get an enamel pin, stickers, bookmarks, and more! And if you want to give THE DISASTERS as a gift, but your gift exchange or holiday is before the 18th, never fear; as soon as you submit your receipt or proof of library request, you get a reply email with a PDF of a printable DISASTERS-themed card.
All versions count, including hardcovers, ebooks, audiobooks, and the Australian paperback edition. If you purchase through a vendor like Cushy Crate, that counts, too!
If you want to be extra awesome, you can preorder signed copies from my local indie,
Over the Moon Bookstore.
Hope y’all are having a wonderful holiday season. Only three weeks to do until the DISASTERS book birthday! 🌟
Preorder Gifts — Open Internationally!
★ The pre-order campaign is now closed! Thank you to everyone who submitted. Gifts will be sent out in early January. ★
I’ve been internally screaming for months with the need to announce this preorder campaign and I’m thrilled to finally share it with you today! To thank everyone who preorders THE DISASTERS (which releases on December 18th), I’m offering up the following:
ALL PREORDERS WILL RECEIVE:
★ A bookmark
★ A rainbow rocketship sticker
★ A signed bookplate (If you preorder from Over the Moon, your book will also be hand-signed)
★ A postcard (while supplies last)
★ An emailed PDF with a printable DISASTERS-themed card to give if the book will not arrive in time for you to give it as a gift. Or, you know, just for fun.
75 RANDOM PREORDERS WILL ALSO RECEIVE:
★ All of the above
★ A limited edition “Fly!” rocketship enamel pin
ONE GRAND PRIZE WINNER WILL RECEIVE:
★ All of the above including the enamel pin
★ A 30-minute Skype conversation to get writing/industry coaching or discuss the book
★ A 4″x4″ spacey painting by me
★ A handwritten letter
★ Annotations and secrets about THE DISASTERS
To submit:
Please email the following info:
★ Name
★ Valid mailing address where you can receive a package
…to mkenglandbooks [at] gmail [dot] com. If you preorder multiple copies and would like multiple sets of swag, please say so in your email and include proof of purchase for each. Proof of purchase can be an attachment, pasted in the email, or a forwarded email confirmation from the retailer. Everyone should get an automatic confirmation email with a link to download the holiday card PDF.
Library requests:
If you request that your local library order a copy of THE DISASTERS, email a screenshot of your request (or a photo if it’s a paper form) to the above address and I’ll send you a bookmark, sticker, and signed bookplate! Please ask your library’s permission first if you choose to add the bookplate to a library book instead of keeping it for yourself.
Preorder Links
For signed copies:
Preorder from Over the Moon Bookstore!
Other preorders:
Indiebound ★ Amazon ★ Barnes & Noble ★ Book Depository ★ Indigo ★ Australian Edition
…and wherever else books are sold! Hardcover ISBN: 978-0062657671
Audio version:
Libro.fm ★ Audible ★ HarperCollins website
FAQ: Yes, THE DISASTERS is a stand-alone!
Terms and Legal Stuff
Last day to submit is 12/17/2018 at 11:59pm EST. Hardcovers, Australian paperbacks, ebooks, and audiobooks all count. Must be of legal age in your country, or have parent or guardian permission to participate. Must be willing to provide a valid mailing address where you can receive a package. For minors who have permission to enter, I’m happy to send to a librarian or parent’s workplace on your behalf. Open internationally except to countries currently sanctioned by the US, listed here, and countries in which this type of giveaway is illegal. Prizes will be sent out in January 2019, as I’ll be on tour or out of town for the holidays after the book release.
Winners of enamel pins and grand prize will be drawn randomly via random number generator. Each prize will be awarded “as is” and without warranty of any kind, express or implied. If you win a prize, you may not transfer, assign, or redeem the prize for cash. All information gathered for this preorder campaign will be used only for the purposes of selecting winners and sending gifts and will be deleted 30 days after mailing is complete. No purchase or payment of any kind necessary. To enter without preordering, send a postcard or letter to: M.K. England, P.O. Box 1162, Crozet, VA 22932.
Thank you!
I deeply appreciate your support of THE DISASTERS and I can’t wait to share the book and these gifts with you.
2018 Pitch Wars Wishlist: M.K. England and Jamie Pacton (YA)
We are YA co-mentors M.K. England and Jamie Pacton! We were part of the Pitch Wars class of 2015 and have been mentoring together since 2016. What’s Pitch Wars, you ask? Check out the Pitch Wars website and learn all about it. The submission window is open August 27–29.
We met in the Pitch Wars 2015 mentee facebook group, took a shine to each other, and now we’re awesome friends who support each other through the ups and downs of publishing. We both got so much out of being part of PW that we want to give back to the community and help future generations of mentees. This is our third year mentoring together, and we want YOU to send us your YA manuscript. Jamegan: two mentors for the price of one!
WHY you should submit to us:
Our basic credentials:
Megan writes queer SFF and contemporary under the name M.K. England and is represented by Barbara Poelle. She has two books coming out from HarperTeen. The first one is out on December 18th, 2018, a wild YA sci-fi adventure called THE DISASTERS. She’s also a YA librarian and has a good feel for the market and teen readers.
Jamie is represented by Kate Testerman and writes funny contemporary YA; dark, feminist YA fantasy; and middle grade adventure fantasy, all at the same time. She’s also a college English teacher and one of the kindest, most supportive people on Earth. (Jamie blushes here and says thanks for saying this MK!) Make sure you check out Jamie’s website, too!
Our strengths as a team:
The benefit of submitting to a co-mentor team is that you get two different perspectives on your work from two people with complementary areas of expertise! Jamie is awesome at character development, relationships, spotting logical errors, and finding opportunities for more detail and worldbuilding. M.K.’s biggest strengths are pacing, tension, dialogue, and the more mechanical stuff: flow, sentence structure, information handling, etc.
Yay teamwork!
HOW we work:
We start by asking some questions: What’s the unchangeable heart of your novel? Where are you coming from and what are you trying to say? What are your goals and influences? Your ultimate vision for this novel and your career as a whole?
Based on your answers, we craft a detailed edit letter, which we prefer to deliver via phone or google hangout/skype if you feel comfortable with that. It lets us have more of a discussion and shape our feedback to your vision. After that, we show you a variety of techniques for developing a revision plan. We’re happy to kick outlines and plans back and forth with you until you feel like you have a direction you’re happy with. Then we set some deadlines. As you revise, you’re welcome to send it back to us in chunks or send it all at once if you prefer. We’ll read again and provide feedback for another round of revision if necessary, or move on to in-line comments and style issues if ready.
We’ll do several passes through your query, pitch, and synopsis before the agent round to make sure you’re in the best possible shape to utterly rock it. Frequent communication via whatever method you prefer is on offer, or we can sit back and let you work in peace, as you like.
If you’re ready to bust your butt, we’re ready to guide you and cheer you on. Revising is a collaboration, and we’re excited to work with you to bring your vision for your book to life!
WHAT you should submit to us:
These are some general guidelines, but if in doubt, just send it to us!
Genres: Fantasy, sci-fi (all kinds), light historical, LGBTQIA contemporary/romance
Yes Please: Humor, adventure, shenanigans, heists, fast pace, characters that feel real (likeable OR “unlikeable”), big mood, clever magic or technology, rich and unique worldbuilding, #goals-level friendships, feminism, well-handled mental health rep that isn’t The Point Of The Book, a broad view of gender and/or subversion of gender roles, grabby hands for ALL things LGBTQIA, diversity of all kinds! If you make us laugh, you’ve won our hearts.
No Thanks: Intense horror, literary, alpha male love interests, sicklit, time travel, anything that would be shelved in the “inspirational fiction” section of a bookstore, paranormal (but ghosts and witches are cool!), heavy issue books, anything super slow-paced and quiet or depressing. We’re not the best people to help shape works like these. For fae books, think more The Cruel Prince than A Court of Thorns and Roses. We’re not wild about getting dystopian unless it has a fresh concept, an unheard voice, or strong Sci-fi/Fantasy elements. We also have to pass on books set at fan conventions—Megan has seen a hundred of them on her librarian desk lately and has written one herself, so she’s a bit burned out on them. M.K. struggles with books that deal heavily with suicide or suicidal ideation, so we respectfully request that you not send them.
We tell you this not because these things are bad, but because we don’t want you to waste a mentor slot sending us something we definitely won’t select. Give yourself your best shot!
Big Nopes: On-screen incest, rape, abuse—if this is part of backstory and handled sensitively, then no problem, but we aren’t the best mentors for books that dig deeply into these traumas. Bigoted or misogynistic narratives are never okay with us. Gratuitous violence toward animals is a pass.
WHO we are and what we like:
Some favorite books: Gentleman’s Guide to Vice and Virtue, Six of Crows, Children of Blood and Bone, The Raven Cycle, Warcross, Ship It, Strange the Dreamer, Illuminae, The City of Brass, Saga, Rat Queens, The Cruel Prince, Honor Among Thieves, Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda, The Last Namsara, Salt to the Sea, Saga, The Backstagers, Witch Boy
Some favorite TV shows: Avatar: The Last Airbender, The Bold Type, Voltron: Legendary Defender, Stargate SG-1, Parks & Rec, Firefly, The Good Place, The Magicians, Queer Eye, Grand Design, Babylon 5, Battlestar Galactica
Megan’s other loves: Gaming in all its many forms (including tabletop RPGs and board games), fandom and fanfic, vegetable gardening, conventions and conferences, hiking, dogs, audiobooks, podcasts, crafting, rainbows, science literacy, SPACE.
Jamie’s other loves: Traveling, all kinds of art, old bookstores, museums of any kind, cities by the sea, boats, botanical gardens, dogs, Hawaiian plate lunches, coffee, libraries, her children, history (especially on the fun-fact side of things), board games, Battlestar Galactica, and weird old things that can be found at flea markets and estate sales.
More questions? We can’t respond to specific book pitches on twitter, but feel free to reach out with more general questions about anything you read here: @JamiePacton and @Geektasticlib.
We hope to see your manuscript in our inbox this year!
M.K. England is an author and YA librarian who grew up on the Space Coast of Florida and now calls the mountains of Virginia home. When she’s not writing or librarianing, MK can be found drowning in fandom, going to conventions, rolling dice at the gaming table, climbing on things in the woods, or feeding her video game addiction. She loves Star Wars with a desperate, heedless passion. It’s best if you never speak of Sherlock Holmes in her presence. You’ll regret it. THE DISASTERS is her debut novel. Follow her at www.mkengland.com. (Megan is queer and uses either she/her or they/them pronouns.)
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Jamie Pacton is an author, college English teacher, and mom to two neurodiverse boys. Now a Wisconsin resident, she grew up in the mountains of East Tennessee, just a few miles from the National Storytelling Center. The oldest of ten kids and granddaughter of a librarian (who was a tireless storyteller), Jamie spent her childhood cataloguing all the books in her house (and making her siblings check them out, much to their chagrin); and, writing plays and stories for her siblings to act out. She loves reading, studying history, visiting new cities, and talking to people about their creative projects. Her most abiding dreams include writing many more books, living by the ocean, and someday volunteering at a whale research center. Follow her at www.jamiepacton.com
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