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Thursday, August 5, 2010

In Which I Make This Noise: Wooohoooooooo!!!

So, those of you that read this blog from time to time know that I write not only children's picture books, but that I have been trying my hand at middle grade novel writing as well.

Even though I had published nine books without an agent, I knew that times had changed, and that if I wanted to sell my middle grade, I needed the help of an agent. Last spring, I signed with the amazing Joanna Stampfel-Volpe (who is magic) and today, we get to tell you about this:*

Children's:
Middle grade

Picture book author Shelley Moore Thomas's debut THE SEVEN TALES OF TRINKET, about a young bard named Trinket, an old tattered map, Thomas the Pig Boy, and the quest to find Trinket's father, pitched as WHERE THE MOUNTAIN MEETS THE MOON meets Gail Carson Levine, to Beth Potter at Farrar, Straus Children's, at auction, by Joanna Volpe at Nancy Coffey Literary & Media Representation (NA).


Yay! Yay! Yay! Yay! Yay! er, um....oops, I said I would make this noise: Wooohoooooo!!!

I am soooo happy. If ever there was a book that was close, close, close to my heart, it is this one. (And to be compared to two Newberry medal winners in the description totally floored me!) And I can't wait to work with Beth (she laughed at my jokes on the phone.....or maybe that was nervous what-have-I-gotten-myself-into-laughter.......no matter, she's stuck with me now.)

And here's the thing, I never would have known about Joanna without my participation in the blogging community (having read her name bandied about from time to time, always in the most awesome circumstances).....so thank you, blog friends! For being there, for posting about writing stuff, for posting about stuff that has nothing to do with writing but makes me smile, for having a blog! (And JSV rocks....in case you were wondering....)

You are all awesome.

So...cake anyone?

I am thinking chocolate with chocolate buttercream icing......
or maybe a flourless chocolate cake....

(yay!)

hrh

*they left out a word in the announcement and it didn't make sense, so I added the word on my blog....just so you know.

58 comments:

Tricia J. O'Brien said...

OMG!!! I'm woo-hooing over here, for sure! I absolutely can't wait to buy this book and read it. I always loved its premise and it sounds like its going to get treated royally. Yay!

storyqueen said...

Tricia-Thank you! I have been dying to post something for a few weeks....but today I finally can!! More chocolate cake!!

Stephanie Perkins said...

WOOOOOO HOOOOOO!!!!!!!

I am so thrilled for you!! I've been eagerly waiting for this announcement! :) GIANT HUGE ENORMOUS CONGRATULATIONS, Shelley!!

(Word verification: "ackbut" Tee hee.)

Natalie said...

YAY SHELLEY! I'm so excited for you!

I actually saw that announcement on PM this morning and thought "Ooo, that sounds good!" but didn't make the connection that YOU were the author. Very cool.

We need more great MG fantasy (it was my favorite when I was that age).

Do you have any idea when it will come out?

Carrie Harris said...

YAY YAY YAY! I read your announcement this morning and was SOOOO excited. And thank you for clearing up Trinket's name. That was bugging me.

No really. It was.

*shaking pompons for you!!!*

Tess said...

I saw it on PW this morning and had to come over and say HOORAY!!! I am so, so thrilled for you :D such an amazing description and at auction, too? woot! woot!

And, you'll be a fellow FSG author, how cool is that? When will your release be???

Tess said...

oops..meant PM

storyqueen said...

Steph-Thank you! I am so excited...it is now finally starting to seem real. (Again, sorry I missed you when you were here!)

Natalie-I think Fall of 2012...as long as it is before the works is supposed to end in December, I'm good with it.

Carrie-It really bugged me, too! I had to read it like 5 times, then I finally got to the part where Jo wrote underneath that they must have left out a word....so I stuck it back it!

Tess-Yay! We'll be publisher buddies! (And yes, my favorite part is where they say "at auction"....I love reading that part.)

Myrna Foster said...

WOOO HOOOOOO!!!

That's an awesome description too. I loved Where the Mountain Meets the Moon and pretty much everything by Gail Carson Levine. I'm so excited for you (and to read your book)!

Sarah said...

Yay exciting! CONGRATULATIONS, and I hope you get your cake :)

Tahereh said...

OMG CONGRATS AGAIN AND AGAIN!!

THIS IS THE BEST NEWS!! :D

Matthew MacNish said...

OMG. I see your comments all the time and I CANNOT believe I have never been here before. That photo of you is amazing! If you make a living writing children's literature and then actually reading it to kids I'm jealous. What a wonderful thing to do for work.

Anyway I'm finally following so now I shall return!

Also, to your post, that's great news! Congratulations Shelley.

Anna Staniszewski said...

Hooray!!! Congratulations! It sounds like a fantastic book. You deserve all the chocolate cake you want. :-)

Anonymous said...

AWESOME news! Thanks for sharing.

Both cakes look good. Can I have a sliver of each? : )

storyqueen said...

Myrna-It was kind of cool that I got to meet GCL recently at a booksigning I stumbled upon in Disneyland. I took that as a good omen!


Sarah-Thanks...my cake will probably have to be cupcake sized...

Tahereh-Thank you! I am so excited, I think I've used the exclamation point about a hundred times in my writing today. (yup, that's gonna need some editing.)

Matthew-I am glad you came by! I have been enjoying your blog all summer. (Isn't the picture a crack-up....I kind of look like the Church Lady....)

Anna-Thank you. I don't want a huge piece of cake, mind you, just bowl licking privileges.

Susanne-Welcome to the party! Have as much cake as you want!

Jackee said...

WHOOOOOHOOOO! Yay, Shelley and Joanna!

I'm so happy for you and I can't wait to have my very own copy of Trinket. At auction! Two Newberrys!

I just can't stop smiling my friend, just. Can't. Stop. Smiling.
Congrats!

:o)

Stasia said...

Woohoo right back at you! And a million congratulations. Brownie sundae with chocolate ice cream, chocolate sauce and chocolate sprinkles to you (and a few more exclamation points)!!!

Renee Collins said...

WOO HOO!! Amazing news!!! I am so happy for you. :)

storyqueen said...

Jackee-Three Words: Basket Of Luck.
(seriously.....that's when it all started.)

SWK-Thank you! (And just so you know, I cannot wait for Audition!)

Renee-Oh, thank you! Miss your posts.

Monica said...

Squee for you!! Congrats! Soooo exciting!!

Tess said...

oh I'm glad we'll be different years...you're too much competition for me! :D :D :D.

Casey McCormick said...

CONGRATULATIONS, Shelley!!!!! I'm sooo happy for you. What an AWESOME description. Yay!!

Natalie Whipple said...

Oh cool! I'm so glad I didn't miss this! I almost did. Congrats!

Unknown said...

HOORAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I am sososos happy for you! CONGRATULATIONS!!!!!

Paul Greci said...

Congrats!! I'm very happy for you!
Sounds like a wonderful story:-)

Davin Malasarn said...

Shelley! Congratulations! I am so happy for you. You are one of my favorite people around here. You always say such brilliant things. Yay!

Christina Lee said...

*jumping up and down for you* At AUCTION? you go girl--congrats!

Kelly Polark said...

Shelley! That is amazing news! Congrats! I already think you are amazing for selling nine books (which some my children have very much enjoyed) already (and without an agent), but to already accomplish your next goal in a different genre is incredible!

Laura Pauling said...

Congrats, Shelley! Sounds awesome!

Michelle D. Argyle said...

I am cheering for you! This is so absolutely wonderful!!!!!

Kristin said...

Oh yay! Yay! Yay! It sounds positively magical! I can't wait to read. Major congrats to you and super agent!

Kimberley Griffiths Little said...

Shelley - AMAZING, STUPENDOUS, THRILLING, EXCITING, JUMPING UP AND DOWN NEWS!!!!!

SOLD AT AUCTION, GIRL?!?!?!

Congratulations!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Robin Mellom said...

Woohoooooo is right!!!! Congratulations Shelley! Amazing news!!! ;-)

lisa and laura said...

OH. MY. GOD!!!!!!!!!! HOW did we miss this! CONGRATULATIONS! I can't say I'm even remotely surprised! Can't wait to read this, Shelley! I'm so so so so happy and excited for you!

Unknown said...

Whoo-HOO!! So happy to hear your exciting news!! All the best -- and thanks for the cake!!!!

Elana Johnson said...

AAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHH!!!! Congrats Shelley! This is just too awesome for words! You are so amazing -- can't wait to read it.

storyqueen said...

Monica-Thank you! It feels like a celebration here all over again!

Tess-Har dee har har. I am sure they put mine in 2012 because YOUR book would be too much competition!)

Casey-No, Casey, thank YOU for having your wonderful site that lets people like me research agents to find the right fit. When I read about Joanna on LiLa's site, I immediately went to yours and checked out what you had to say about her.

Natalie-Thank you! Enjoy your time in Ninja City!

Beth-Thank you! And you enjoy your August AND September (without the craziness of school and all.)

Paul-Thank you! I am so very excited...I still kind of can't believe it.

Davin-Thank you, my friend. You are one of my favorite people in blogland, too. (Although the stuff you say is WAY more brilliant than anything I say!)

Brenda Drake said...

Congratulations! It's sounds like a wonderful book. I'll snatch it up for my girls when it comes out. I'm so excited to read it!

storyqueen said...

Christina-Shhhh...don't tell anyone but I love those two words...at auction. (yay!)

Kelly-Thank you. And when I read over my post, the nine book thing sounds kind of braggy...(oops) but the thing is that it was different then. Today, it is harder and harder to get an editor to read a non-agented submission. (But believe me, I tried!)

Laura-Thank you!

Michelle-And I am cheering for you, too! Congrats on Cinders. I read your interview and the story sounds very complex and layered.

Kristin-Thank you. Joanna truly is the best.

Kimberly-I KNOW, RIGHT? Shocked the heck out of me, too!

Katie Anderson said...

Woo hoo!!!!!!! So so proud of you and can't WAIT to read this one :)

So so happy :)

SQUEEE!

storyqueen said...

Robin-Yes! Amazing! (I hope your edits on Ditched are coming along amazingly, too!)

L and L-You guys are part of the reason why, you know. It was your blog where I first heard of JSV!

Nicole-Thanks for stopping by. And we decided on the one with the buttercream icing. So good.

Elana-(I think I made that noise, too!)

Brenda-Thank you! and yes, of course, buy the book!! hehehe

storyqueen said...

Katie-Maybe you get to read it early...cuz you're the sub-buddy, after all!

Nikki said...

Oh, your book sounds wonderful! Congrats on the sale - Jo is an amazing agent. I didn't realize she had the author of one of my MOST favorite books EVER on her client list. My boys go nuts over Good Night, Good Knight - and so do Daddy and Mom.
I can't wait to read your MG! Congrats, again.

Corey Schwartz said...

OMG, Shelley. That is AMAZING!!! So, so happy for you. Dying to hear more details. And DYING to read the book. It sounds fabulous!!!

Hardygirl said...

Awesomest news EVER!!!!!!!

I'm going to have some cake for you here (any excuse, yes?).

WOOOOOOOOOOOOHOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!

sf

Sherrie Petersen said...

OMG Shelley, at auction no less!!! How cool is that! Congratulations, I'm SO thrilled for you!!

Ruth Donnelly said...

Hooray for you, Shelley! What fantastic news!

Julie Dao said...

CONGRATULATIONS!!! I am so excited for you! I hope you eat the entire cake because you deserve it. Can't wait to tell people I "know" a famous author :)

storyqueen said...

Nikki-Thanks for showing the Good Knight some love....It truly is one of my favorite books that I have written. So glad your kids like it!

Corey-What details do you want to know? Ask and I'll tell you! Or you can e-mail me and I'll give more details. (I just don't want to bore everyone and go on and on, you know)

SF-So, what kind of cake did you have? Any kind of cake is good, really. The chocolate one Noel made for me was to die for. (She made it from scratch. Did I raise her right or what?)

Sherrie-I KnOW! I barely slept during the whole thing.

Ruth-Thank you! It definitely was worth working hard for.

Julie-My butt says you have no right to tell my mouth to eat a whole cake, since it is the one who has to deal with the consequences. (So I just had a piece. Didn't want to tick my butt off.)

Lenny Lee said...

WOWEE miss shelly! you got a right to wooooohooooo for sure. i hope i could get your book to read when it gets out at the book store. right now im gonna take a big chunk of that cake cause it looks soooo good.
...smiles from lenny

Jessie Oliveros said...

I'm so happy for you, Shelley! This is JUST the kind of encouraging news I need to hear right now. Congratulations! And that publishing house? Wow, big stuff.

Shelby Bach said...

Yaaaaaaay! Congrats!!! I'm so excited to read it. :-)

Jackee said...

Hi, Shelley! I just wanted to come back and a) say congratulations again, b) tell you how much I love your new picture, and c) thank you for your wonderful question! The answers are now up. :o)

Unknown said...

I'm a little late to the party, but here's my heart-felt Congratulations! So exciting!

Kim said...

Oh crap! I am SOOOO late to the party! What fabulous, exciting news! I'm so, so excited for you. *high five* *woot woot* *fist bump* *starfish jump*

Oh, and if there's any cake left. I'd love a piece. I never met a cake I didn't like.

CoNgRaTulAtIoNs, Shelley!!!

storyqueen said...

Lenny-thank you! Have as much cake as you want. (I ate a little too much myself.....)

Jessie-Yay! I'm glad it's encouraging. (I know I was encouraged! hehehehe)

Shelby-Well, you have to wait Two years to read it. Bummer.

Jackee-Great answers. I'm glad C and P are out there!

Elle-You are welcome here anytime!

Kim-Fist bump back at ya! (My first fist bump about the book!)

Stina said...

Congrats on the HUGE news!!!!!

I can't decide on the cake. Can I have some of both? :D

Dawn Simon said...

SHELLEY! YAAAAY! I am sooo thrilled for you! I've been traveling and less in touch with bloggy friends, so I didn't find out until a couple minutes ago! I read about it over at Solvang Sherrie's!

Oh, Shelley, I'm so happy for you! Congratulations! :)