the vault of dreamers
The Eye Behind the Cover
Elizabeth Clark, Caragh O’Brien, and Kate Jacobs in Beth’s office, July 8, 2014
Covers matter, obviously. A good one catches people’s attention, intrigues them enough to take a closer look, and then lures them inside. Getting it right takes knowing the novel, of course, but it also involves a bit of mind reading. Who are the likely readers for this book? Maybe they’re drawn to covers featuring a girl in a flowing dress, or a simple, iconic image. Maybe they want something familiar, or they’re ready for a change. Certainly… Continue reading
On the Tender Care of Early Ideas
How’s your writing coming?
Oh, just fine, more or less, in a savage kind of way.
I know it doesn’t make much sense to talk about writing the sequel to The Vault of Dreamers when the first book isn’t even published yet, but such is the timetable of publishing that I am now writing the first draft of Book 2, and it reminds me so much of the first draft of Book 1 that I’ll use that as my excuse for bringing it up.
First drafts for me are ridiculous.… Continue reading
BEA Recap: A Great Trip!
Signing at BEA 2014
I smile when I think about my trip to New York for BEA last week. All went well, and I met so many nice book people. When I was back in the green room before the signing, munching a peppermint candy and admitting I’d neglected to bring a pen, one of the Macmillan staff showed me a picture she’d just snapped of people lined up to get a signed copy of The Vault of Dreamers, and I was stunned. The line was long, as in,… Continue reading
Take a Peek at The Vault of Dreamers!
Starting today, readers can get an exclusive first look at The Vault of Dreamers! This is the first time any of my novel has been available publicly, and I’m psyched it’s reaching this exciting step. Macmillan is sending a peek directly to readers who sign up for email updates.
To read the peek, simply sign up here, and the excerpt will arrive in your email box!
Q. Did You Do a Lot of Research about Dreams for The Vault of Dreamers?
A. Like many other people, I’m pretty fascinated by dreams. I feel like we escape into private madness every night, and at the same time, our dream states are vital to our health and well-being once we’re awake again. I love the fleeting, tantalizing glimpse of a dream I have on waking, and I wish I could remember my dreams more.
Salvador Dali, Apparition of the Face of Aphrodite
So researching about dreams for The Vault of Dreamers was a real pleasure, and it led me to… Continue reading
Wrapping up The Vault of Dreamers
First Pass Pages of The Vault of Dreamers
I reached another milestone today when I finished going over the first pass pages for The Vault of Dreamers. First pass pages are printed on paper and show how the manuscript is laid out on the page, with full margins and the real font that will be used in the finished book. The pile of pages looks dauntingly fat, but that’s because it’s printed on only one side of the paper. The final book of 400+ double-sided pages… Continue reading