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On the Road: Tor/Forge Author Events for March

opens in a new windowRiders by Veronica Rossi opens in a new windowA Gathering of Shadows by V.E. Schwab opens in a new windowCharacter, Driven by David Lubar

opens in a new windowTor/Forge authors are on the road in March! Here is the info on all of our upcoming author events. See who is coming to a city near you!

Charlie Jane Anders, opens in a new windowAll the Birds in the Sky

Tuesday, March 1
Google
Mountain View, CA
2:30 PM

R.S. Belcher, opens in a new windowThe Brotherhood of the Wheel

Thursday, March 3
Fountain Bookstore
Richmond, VA
6:30 PM

Saturday, March 5
Barnes & Noble
Roanoke, VA
2:00 PM

Wednesday, March 9
Joseph-Beth Booksellers
Lexington, KY
7:00 PM

Saturday, March 26
Wondercon
Los Angeles, CA
2:00 PM

Susan Dennard, opens in a new windowTruthwitch

Tuesday, March 1
Half Price Books
Dallas, TX
7:00 PM
Also with Veronica Rossi.

Randy Henderson, opens in a new windowBigfootloose and Finn Fancy Free

Tuesday, March 1
Tattered Cover
Denver, CO
7:00 PM

Tuesday, March 15
Auntie’s Bookstore
Denver, CO
7:00 PM

Wednesday, March 16
Rediscovered Books
Boise, ID
7:00 PM

Glen Hirshberg, opens in a new windowGood Girls

Sunday, March 6
Mysterious Galaxy
San Diego, CA
3:30 PM

Saturday, March 26
Borderlands Books
San Francisco, CA
3:00 PM

David Lubar, opens in a new windowCharacter, Driven

Saturday, March 5
Emmaus Public Library
Emmaus, PA
5:00 PM
Books provided by Let’s Play Books.

Wednesday, March 9
Anderson’s Bookshop
Naperville, IL
5:00 PM

Thursday, March 10
Joseph Beth Booksellers
Crestview Hills, KY
7:00 PM

Saturday, March 12
Valley Ranch Library
Irving, TX
2:00 PM

Veronica Rossi, opens in a new windowRiders

Tuesday, March 1
Half Price Books
Dallas, TX
7:00 PM
Also with Susan Dennard.

Friday, March 11
Rakestraw Books
Danville, CA
7:00 PM

Wednesday, March 16
Kepler’s Books
Menlo Park, CA
7:00 PM
In conversation with Michael Grant.

Friday, March 18
Books Inc
San Francisco, CA
7:00 PM
Also with Caragh O’Brien and Stephanie Kuehn.

Tuesday, March 22
Mysterious Galaxy
San Diego, CA
7:00 PM
Also with Kiersten White and Mary E. Pearson.

Lawrence M. Schoen, opens in a new windowBarsk: The Elephants’ Graveyard

Thursday, March 24
University Bookstore
Seattle, WA
7:00 PM

Monday, March 28
Powell’s Books
Beaverton, OR
7:00 PM

V.E. Schwab, opens in a new windowA Gathering of Shadows

Tuesday, March 1
Third Place Books
Lake Forest Park, WA
7:00 PM

Wednesday, March 2
Old Firehouse Books
Fort Collins, CO
7:00 PM

Thursday, March 3
Poisoned Pen
Scottsdale, AZ
7:00 PM

Saturday, March 5
Malaprop’s
Asheville, NC
3:00 PM

Tuesday, March 8
Joseph Beth Booksellers
Lexington, KY
7:00 PM
Also with Gwenda Bond and Julie Kagawa.

Saturday, March 12
Southeastern Young Adult Book Festival
Murfreesboro, TN

Friday, March 18-Sunday, March 20
Virginia Festival of the Book
Charlottesville, VA

Friday, March 25-Sunday, March 27
WonderCon
Los Angeles, CA
Guest of Honor

Kristen Simmons, opens in a new windowThe Glass Arrow

Monday, March 21
University Bookstore
Naperville, IL
7:00 PM

Brian Staveley, opens in a new windowThe Last Mortal Bond

Tuesday, March 15
Phoenix Bookstore
Burlington, VT
6:30 PM

Friday, March 18
Brookline Booksmith
Saratoga Springs
7:00 PM

Thursday, March 24
Brookline Booksmith
Brookline, MA
7:00 PM

Andrea Thalasinos, opens in a new windowFly By Night

Friday, March 4
Mystery to Me Bookstore
Madison, WI
7:00 PM

Sunday, March 6
Arcadia Books
Spring Green, WI
2:00 PM

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Announcing Tor’s First EdiTOuR!

EdiTORs-1Follow along with our very first ediTOuR! Editors Melissa Frain, Whitney Ross, and Miriam Weinberg take a road trip to visit authors, bookstores, and roadside attractions on their way to joining V.E. Schwab, Susan Dennard, and Veronica Rossi on their respective Nashville and Asheville tour stops.

They will be hitting many great stores and locations along the way, including opens in a new windowJoseph-Beth Booksellers in Lexington, opens in a new windowParnassus Books in Nashville, opens in a new windowMalaprop’s Bookstore in Asheville, opens in a new windowFlyleaf Books in Chapel Hill, opens in a new windowOne More Page Books in Arlington, and opens in a new windowPolitics & Prose in D.C.

Keep up with the EdiTOuR on opens in a new windowTwitter, opens in a new windowInstagram, and opens in a new windowTumblr with #EdiTORsOnTour!

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New Releases: 2/16/16

Here’s what went on sale today!

opens in a new windowAlcatraz vs. the Evil Librarians by Brandon Sanderson

opens in a new windowAlcatraz vs. the Evil Librarians by Brandon Sanderson Alcatraz vs. the Evil Librarians is the first action-packed fantasy adventure in the Alcatraz vs. the Evil Librarians series for young readers by the #1 New York Times bestselling author Brandon Sanderson. These fast-paced and funny novels are now available in deluxe hardcover editions illustrated by Hayley Lazo.

On his thirteenth birthday, foster child Alcatraz Smedry gets a bag of sand in the mail-his only inheritance from his father and mother. He soon learns that this is no ordinary bag of sand. It is quickly stolen by the cult of evil Librarians who are taking over the world by spreading misinformation and suppressing truth. Alcatraz must stop them, using the only weapon he has: an incredible talent for breaking things.

opens in a new windowBigfootloose and Finn Fancy Free by Randy Henderson

opens in a new windowBigfootloose and Finn Fancy Free by Randy Henderson In Bigfootloose and Finn Fancy Free, the sequel to Randy Henderson’s acclaimed debut novel, Finn Fancy Necromancy, Finn Gramaraye is settling back into the real world after his twenty-five-year-long imprisonment in the otherworld of the Fey. He’s fallen in love with a woman from his past, though he worries she may love a version of him that no longer exists. He’s proved his innocence of the original crime of Dark Necromancy, and he’s finding a place in the family business–operating a mortuary for the Arcane, managing the magical energies left behind when an Arcane being dies to prevent it from harming the mundane world.

opens in a new windowRiders by Veronica Rossi

opens in a new windowRiders by Veronica Rossi For eighteen-year-old Gideon Blake, nothing but death can keep him from achieving his goal of becoming a U.S. Army Ranger. As it turns out, it does.

Recovering from the accident that most definitely killed him, Gideon finds himself with strange new powers and a bizarre cuff he can’t remove. His death has brought to life his real destiny. He has become War, one of the legendary four horsemen of the apocalypse.

Over the coming weeks, he and the other horsemen–Conquest, Famine, and Death–are brought together by a beautiful but frustratingly secretive girl to help save humanity from an ancient evil on the emergence.

opens in a new windowThe Scrivener’s Bones by Brandon Sanderson

opens in a new windowThe Scrivener’s Bones by Brandon Sanderson In his second skirmish against the Evil Librarians who rule the world, Alcatraz and his ragtag crew of freedom fighters track Grandpa Smedry to the ancient and mysterious Library of Alexandria. Hushlanders—people who live in the Librarian-controlled lands of Canada, Europe, and the Americas—believe the Library was destroyed long ago. Free Kingdomers know the truth: the Library of Alexandria is still around, and it’s one of the most dangerous places on the planet. For it is the home of the scariest Librarians of them all: a secret sect of soul-stealing Scriveners. Can Alcatraz and his friends rescue Grandpa Smedry and make it out of there alive?

NEW FROM TOR.COM:

opens in a new windowThe Ballad of Black Tom by Victor LaValle

opens in a new windowThe Ballad of Black Tom by Victor LaVallePeople move to New York looking for magic and nothing will convince them it isn’t there.

Charles Thomas Tester hustles to put food on the table, keep the roof over his father’s head, from Harlem to Flushing Meadows to Red Hook. He knows what magic a suit can cast, the invisibility a guitar case can provide, and the curse written on his skin that attracts the eye of wealthy white folks and their cops. But when he delivers an occult tome to a reclusive sorceress in the heart of Queens, Tom opens a door to a deeper realm of magic, and earns the attention of things best left sleeping.

A storm that might swallow the world is building in Brooklyn. Will Black Tom live to see it break?

NEW IN MANGA:

opens in a new windowDragonar Academy Vol. 9 by Skiki Mizuchi and Ran

opens in a new windowFranken Fran Omnibus 1-2 by Katsuhisa Kigitsu

opens in a new windowSee upcoming releases.

Join Susan Dennard and Veronica Rossi on Tour!

opens in a new windowTruthRider

opens in a new windowSusan Dennard and opens in a new windowVeronica Rossi will be on the road February and March for the official #TruthRider Tour to celebrate the publication of opens in a new windowTruthwitch and opens in a new windowRiders! See if they’re coming to a city near you.

Wednesday, February 17
opens in a new windowSchuler Books & Music
Also with EK Johnston
Lansing, MI
7:00 PM

Thursday, February 18
opens in a new windowBethesda Library
Books provided by opens in a new windowPolitics and Prose
Also with Kami Garcia
Bethesda, MD
7:00 PM

Wednesday, February 24
opens in a new windowBooks and Books
Coral Gables, FL
7:00 PM

Thursday, February 25
opens in a new windowMalaprop’s Bookstore
Asheville, NC
7:00 PM

Saturday, February 27
opens in a new windowMontgomery County Book Festival
The Woodlands, TX
All Day

Sunday, February 28
opens in a new windowMorton Ranch High School
Also with Sophie Jordan
Houston, TX
6:00 PM

Tuesday, March 1
opens in a new windowHalf Price Books
Also with Kathleen Baldwin
Dallas, TX
7:00 PM

Saturday, March 5
opens in a new windowAustin Book Fest
Austin, TX
All Day

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Riders Swag Sweepstakes

opens in a new windowRiders Sweepstakes Prize

Can’t wait for opens in a new windowVeronica Rossi’s opens in a new windowRiders? Want to receive all the swag from  opens in a new windowBookTuber Christine’s Riders unboxing video? Here’s your chance, Rossi fans!

One lucky winner will receive the same fiery set of prizes mailed to our BookTubers! This includes a Riders signed poster, cuffs of the Four Horsemen, a Riders pencil set, Riders bookmark, and, of course, a copy of Riders itself.

All you have to do is sign up for our Veronica Rossi mailing list, which will keep you up-to-date on Riders, Rossi’s upcoming books, and more—and you’ll be entered for a chance to win!

First Namepixel-gif

Last Namepixel-gif1

E-mail
Age Month
Age Year

Address 2Placeholder of  -90

CityPlace holder  of - 4

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OFFICIAL RULES

Riders Swag Sweepstakes

NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. A PURCHASE DOES NOT INCREASE YOUR CHANCE OF WINNING.

  1. To Enter: Submit your entry by fully completing the sign-up form found at https://torforgeblog.wpengine.com/2016/02/01/riders-swag-sweepstakes/ (the “Site”). Sweepstakes begins online at 12:00 PM Eastern Time (ET) on Monday, February 1, 2016 and ends at 12:00 PM ET on Friday, February 05, 2016. Your entry will sign you up to receive emailed news related to Veronica Rossi Author Alert as well as enter you into the sweepstakes.

Limit one entry per person or household. The entry must be fully completed; mechanically reproduced; incomplete and/or illegible entries will not be accepted. In case of dispute with respect to online entries, entries will be declared made by the authorized account holder of the e-mail address submitted at the time of entry. “Authorized account holder” is defined as the natural person who is assigned to an e-mail address by an Internet Access Provider, on-line service provider, or other organization (e.g., business, educational institution, etc.) that is responsible for assigning e-mail addresses for the domain associated with the submitted e-mail address. Entries become property of Sponsor and will not be returned. Automated entries are prohibited, and any use of such automated devices will cause disqualification. Sponsor and its advertising and promotions agencies are not responsible for lost, late, illegible, misdirected or stolen entries or transmissions, or problems of any kind whether mechanical, human or electronic.

  1. Random Drawing: A random drawing will be held from all eligible, correctly completed entries received on a timely basis, on or about Monday, February 08, 2016, by Tor Teen, whose decisions concerning all matters related to this sweepstakes are final.
  2. Notice to Winners: Winner will be notified by e-mail. Winner may be required to sign and return an affidavit of eligibility and publicity/liability release within fifteen (15) days of notification attempt or prize may be awarded to alternate winner. Return of any prize notification as undeliverable will result in disqualification and alternate winner will be selected. If an entrant selected in the drawing is a resident of Canada, to be declared a winner he/she must correctly answer,
    without assistance of any kind, a time-limited mathematical skill-testing question to be administered by telephone
    or email. If a potential winner who is a resident of Canada cannot be contacted, and/or the skill-testing question cannot
    be administered, within seven (7) days he/she will be disqualified and the prize may be awarded to an alternate entrant.
    If a winner is a minor in his/her jurisdiction of residence, prize will be awarded to minor’s parent or legal guardian, who must follow all prize claim procedures specified herein and sign and return all required documents.
  3. Prize: One (1) Grand Prize winner(s) will receive One (1) copy of Riders, One (1) bookmark, Four (4) pencils of the apocalypse, Four (4) bracelets of the apocalypse, One (1) signed poster. Approximate Retail Value (“ARV”) of the Prize: $41.00.

    Approximate retail value of all prizes: $41.00

  1. Odds of winning depend upon the number of eligible entries received. If any prize is won by a minor, it will be awarded in the name of minor’s parent or legal guardian. Each entrant selected as a potential winner must comply with all terms and conditions set forth in these Official Rules, and winning is contingent upon fulfilling all such requirements. Sponsor makes no warranties with regard to the prize. Prize is not transferable. No substitutions of prize allowed by winner, but Sponsor reserves the right to substitute a prize of equal or greater value. Prize is not redeemable by winner for cash value. All taxes, fees and surcharges on prize are the sole responsibility of winner.
  2. Eligibility: Only open to residents of 50 United States, the District of Columbia, and Canada (excluding the province of Quebec), age 18 and older at the time of entry. Void in Puerto Rico and where otherwise prohibited by law. Employees, and members of their families, of Sponsor, its parent, subsidiaries, and affiliates are not eligible to enter. This promotion is intended for viewing in the United States or Canada only and shall only be construed and evaluated according to United States law. You are not authorized to participate in the sweepstakes if you are not located within the United States or Canada.
  3. General: Sponsor and its representatives are not responsible for technical, hardware, software or telephone malfunctions of any kind, lost or unavailable network connections, or failed, incorrect, incomplete, inaccurate, garbled or delayed electronic communications caused by the sender, or by any of the equipment or programming associated with or utilized in this sweepstakes which may limit the ability to play or participate, or by any human error which may occur in the processing of the entries in this sweepstakes. If for any reason, (including infection by computer virus, bugs, tampering, unauthorized intervention, fraud, technical failures, or any other cause beyond the control of Sponsor, which corrupts or affects the administration, security, fairness, integrity, or proper conduct of this sweepstakes), the Sweepstakes is not capable of being conducted as described in these rules, Sponsor shall have the right, at its sole discretion, to cancel, terminate, modify or suspend the sweepstakes. Limit one prize per person or household. By accepting prize, the winner grants to Sponsor the right to use his/her name, likeness, hometown, biographical information, in advertising and promotion, including on the Site, without further compensation or permission, except where prohibited by law. By participating in the sweepstakes, entrant and winner release Sponsor, its parent, subsidiaries, affiliates, subsidiaries, suppliers, and agents, from any and all liability for any loss, harm, damages, cost or expense, including without limitation property damages, personal injury and/or death, arising out of participation in this sweepstakes or the acceptance, use or misuse of the prize. Sponsor may prohibit an entrant from participating in the sweepstakes or winning a prize if, in its sole discretion, it determines that said entrant is attempting to undermine the legitimate operation of the Sweepstakes by cheating, hacking, deception, or other unfair playing practices (including the use of automated quick entry programs) or intending to annoy, abuse, threaten or harass any other entrants or Sponsor representatives. All legal responsibilities of a minor under these Official Rules will be assumed by the minor’s parent/legal guardian.

CAUTION: ANY ATTEMPT BY AN ENTRANT TO DELIBERATELY DAMAGE ANY WEB SITE OR UNDERMINE THE LEGITIMATE OPERATION OF THE SWEEPSTAKES MAY BE A VIOLATION OF CRIMINAL AND CIVIL LAWS AND SHOULD SUCH AN ATTEMPT BE MADE, SPONSOR RESERVES THE RIGHT TO SEEK DAMAGES FROM ANY SUCH PERSON TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW.

  1. Use of Data: Sponsor will be collecting personal data about entrants who enter online, in accordance with its privacy policy. Please review the Sponsor’s privacy policy at https://us.macmillan.com/splash/policy.html. By participating in the sweepstakes, entrants hereby agree to Sponsor’s collection and usage of their personal information and acknowledge that they have read and accepted Sponsor’s privacy policy.
  2. Winner List: For winner information, available after Friday, February 05, 2016, send by Monday, February 08, 2016 a stamped, self-addressed envelope to Winner Information, Riders Swag Sweepstakes, c/o Tor Teen, 175 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10010.
  3. Sponsor:
    Tor Teen, 175 Fifth Avenue, New York NY 10010.


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On the Road: Tor/Forge Author Events in February

opens in a new windowA Gathering of Shadows by V.E. Schwab opens in a new windowTruthwitch by Susan Dennard opens in a new windowRiders by Veronica Rossi

opens in a new windowTor/Forge authors are on the road in February! Here is the info on all of our upcoming author events. See who is coming to a city near you!

  1. Thursday, February 4
    Skylight Books
    Los Angeles, CA
    7:30 PM
  2. Tuesday, February 23
    Green Apple Books
    San Francisco, CA
    7:30 PM
  1. Tuesday, February 16
    Powell’s Books at Cedar Hills Crossing
    Beaverton, OR
    7:00 PM
  2. Saturday, February 20
    opens in a new windowBorderlands Books
    San Francisco, CA
    3:00 PM
  1. Saturday, February 13
    Barnes & Noble
    Bensalem, PA
    In conversation with Sarah J. Maas
    7:00 PM
  2. Wednesday, February 17
    Schuler Books & Music
    Lansing, MI
    Also with Veronica Rossi
    7:00 PM
  3. Thursday, February 18
    Bethesda Library
    Bethesda, MD
    Also with Veronica Rossi
    7:00 PM
  4. Friday, February 19
    Mysterious Galaxy
    San Diego, CA
    7:00 PM
  5. Wednesday, February 24
    Books & Books
    Coral Gables, FL
    Also with Veronica Rossi
    7:00 PM
  6. Thursday, February 25
    Malaprops
    Asheville, NC
    Also with Veronica Rossi
    7:00 PM
  7. Saturday, February 27
    opens in a new windowMontgomery County Book Festival
    The Woodlands, TX
    Also with Veronica Rossi
    All Day
  8. Sunday, February 28
    Morton Ranch High School Commons
    Katy, TX
    Also with Veronica Rossi and Sophie Jordan
    6:00 PM
  9. Sunday, February 28
    Morton Ranch High School Commons
    Katy, TX
    Also with Veronica Rossi and Sophie Jordan
    6:00 PM
  10. Tuesday, March 1
    opens in a new windowHalf Price Books
    Dallas, TX
    Also with Veronica Rossi and Kathleen Baldwin
    7:00 PM
  1. Monday, February 1
    Warwick’s Books
    Bensalem, PA
    7:30 PM
  2. Tuesday, February 2
    Book Carnival
    Orange, CA
    7:00 PM
  3. Friday, February 5
    Mysterious Galaxy
    San Diego, CA
    7:30 PM
  4. Tuesday, February 16
    Murder by the Book
    Houston, TX
    6:30 PM
  5. Wednesday, February 17
    Poisoned Pen
    Scottsdale, AZ
    Also with Mark Greaney
    7:00 PM
  1. Tuesday, February 16
    University Bookstore
    Seattle, WA
    7:00 PM
  2. Wednesday, February 17
    Powell’s Books
    Beaverton, OR
    7:00 PM
  3. Thursday, February 18
    Grass Roots Book & Music
    Corvallis, OR
    6:30 PM
  4. Friday, February 19
    Copperfield’s Books
    Petaluma, CA
    7:00 PM
  5. Saturday, February 20
    opens in a new windowBorderlands Books
    San Francisco, CA
    7:00 PM
  6. Sunday, February 21
    Mysterious Galaxy
    San Diego, CA
    2:00 PM
  7. Wednesday, February 24
    Third Place Books
    Lake Forest Park, WA
    7:00 PM
  8. Friday, February 26
    Barnes & Noble
    Silverdale, WA
    6:30 PM
  9. Saturday, February 27
    Village Books
    Bellingham, WA
    7:00 PM
  1. Friday, February 26
    The Last Bookstore
    Los Angeles, CA
    7:00 PM
  1. Monday, February 1
    Madame X
    New York, NY
    7:00 PM
  1. Wednesday, February 17
    Schuler Books & Music
    Lansing, MI
    Also with Susan Dennard
    7:00 PM
  2. Thursday, February 18
    Bethesda Library
    Bethesda, MD
    Also with Susan Dennard
    7:00 PM
  3. Wednesday, February 24
    Books & Books
    Coral Gables, FL
    Also with Susan Dennard
    7:00 PM
  4. Thursday, February 25
    Malaprops
    Asheville, NC
    Also with Susan Dennard
    7:00 PM
  5. Saturday, February 27
    opens in a new windowMontgomery County Book Festival
    The Woodlands, TX
    Also with Susan Dennard
    All Day
  6. Sunday, February 28
    Morton Ranch High School Commons
    Katy, TX
    Also with Susan Dennard and Sophie Jordan
    6:00 PM
  7. Tuesday, March 1
    opens in a new windowHalf Price Books
    Dallas, TX
    Also with Susan Dennard and Kathleen Baldwin
    7:00 PM
  8. Saturday, March 5
    opens in a new windowAustin Book Fest
    Austin, TX
    All Day
  1. Wednesday, February 3
    Park Road Books
    Charlotte, NC
    7:00 PM
  2. Thursday, February 4
    Flyleaf Books
    Chapel Hill, NC
    7:00 PM
  3. Friday, February 5
    Quail Ridge Books & Music
    Raleigh, NC
    7:00 PM
  1. Tuesday, February 23
    Parnassus Books
    Nashville, TN
    6:30 PM
  2. Wednesday, February 24
    Blue Willow Bookshop
    Houston, TX
    7:00 PM
  3. Thursday, February 25
    opens in a new windowOne More Page Books
    Arlighton, VA
    7:00 PM
  4. Friday, February 26
    Rediscovered Books
    Boise, ID
    7:00 PM
  5. Saturday, February 27
    Borderlands Books
    San Francisco, CA
    3:00 PM
  6. Sunday, February 28
    Barnes & Noble
    Huntington Beach, CA
    2:00 PM
  7. Monday, February 29
    Mysterious Galaxy
    San Diego, CA
    7:00 PM

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Building a Solid Writing Practice One Goal at a Time

opens in a new windowRiders by Veronica Rossi
Written by opens in a new windowVeronica Rossi

I’m a big believer in setting goals. Personal. Professional. Spiritual. You name it. I firmly believe you stand a much better chance of getting somewhere if you know where you’re trying to go.

Goals have been a huge part of my writing life. I wrote my first published novel, Under the Never Sky, by sitting down exactly seven years ago and planning twelve-months’ worth of targets. Without an editor to establish deadlines, I took on that role myself. I bought a calendar and projected drafting and revision goals that were specific and realistic. I had a good idea by then of my average productivity so I created milestones I felt pretty confident I could meet. And I did. It wasn’t always perfect. Some months I fell behind. Others I surged ahead. But having those targets—and hitting them—was tremendously encouraging. Big things are accomplished in small steps.

My second YA series begins with Riders. It’s a modern-day fantasy about four teens who unwittingly become incarnations of the four horsemen. These poor guys—War, Death, Famine, and Conquest—do not want to be what they’ve become but the only way to change their situation is to complete a mission. With the help of a visionary girl, they must protect a sacred object from some truly bad baddies.

Riders, which releases on February 16th, was written in a similar process as Under the Never Sky. Take out the scope. Focus on the summit. Project distance and elevation. Plan the route. Prep the materials. And go.

If you stick to a plan, you can write a solid draft of a book in a year. Really.

Having written several novels now, my focus as a writer has shifted. I know I can create books so my 2016 writing goals are about digging deeper. And though they’re writing-oriented I think a few might be helpful to anyone pursuing a creative endeavor. Without further ado, here they are:

  1. Answer the “Why” — My husband recently read Start With the Why by Simon Sinek, based on his TED Talk of the same title. Though I’ve only seen the latter, we’ve been having many discussions about the central tenet of Sinek’s argument. Though it’s primarily geared toward business-minded folks, Sinek poses a question that he believes everyone should consider: What’s your Why? Why do you do what you do? In my case: why do I write?I honestly thought it would be an easier question to answer. After all, I’ve been writing seriously for a dozen years now and I love writing. However to truly answer that question requires some honest soul-searching. Do I write to understand myself? To understand the world? To inspire others? What, specifically, is the desire that pulls me forward, book after book?Most writers are familiar with the story premise or logline. Usually a formula that goes something like: Character does X despite facing Y obstacles in order to achieve Z goal. But what’s my logline? Why does Veronica write in the face of deadlines, writer’s block, etc. to achieve novels? I want to understand the true nature of the force that propels me to tell stories. Sinek explains that we attract people who have similar Whys. That is, whatever it is that motivates me is the very thing that aligns my readers with me. So. By having a firm grasp on my Why, I think I’ll be able to write even better stories and more fully enjoy my work. As I said above, when you know where you want to go, you have a much greater chance of actually getting there.
  2. Step Away From the Computer — I took a month away from the Internet last summer and it was glorious. Seriously. It had an undeniable impact on my mood and my creativity. I was more relaxed. My focus improved. Even my imagination. I plan to do another month-long break this year.In addition to that, I’m going to spend more time working in notebooks. Not just journaling, which I already do, but writing. I started this recently and was shocked to find that my hand grew tired after only a page or two! Scary. But I’ve also found that I take greater care in crafting sentences when I put pen to paper. It causes me to slow down, to think. That’s a great benefit. I make my trade by creating good ideas and sentences—so anything I can do to improve on them is absolutely a priority.
  3. Learn! — A dear writing friend of mine and I have been scheming for the past few months about the classes we plan to take this year. Poetry. Screenwriting. Short stories, maybe? Gasp! Perhaps. If we’re bold enough. We both always want to improve as writers so we’ll be taking online classes that push us out of our comfort zones, right into the growth zone!
  4. Expand Horizons — Before I became a novelist, I was an oil painter. I spent a few years painting commissioned works as my profession. While I’m not sure I’ll go back to painting, I do want to bring another outlet into my life—and it doesn’t necessarily need to be creative. I started running last year and that had a strong positive impact on me. Like painting, running provided me with “non-thinking” time with no no room for email, Twitter, daily chores, or anything else.This goal ties in with the social media break I mentioned above. Too much external input can actually bring me to a point where I don’t even hear my own thoughts anymore. Through these “non-thinking” activities, my subconscious mind gets to stand up, stretch, and step into the spotlight for a while. With every passing year I see the importance of this increase. Making a practice of mental “quiet time” is critical for my creative health.
  5. Be Patient — I’ve been writing on deadline for the past five years. Hustling. For five years. Even before that, when I was trying to get published, I felt this tremendous impatience to hurry things along. I wanted the agent so I could get the book deal so I could publish a book so I could be published so I could…?Write! Write more, of course! It’s what I love to do. It’s a circular deal. I didn’t realize that for a long time, but writing is the work and the reward—so why rush? A good friend of mine has a great way of describing it. He says: Writing to get published is a pie-eating contest where the prize is more pie. So, my goal is to take my time. Make a great pie. The best one possible. The writing is the reward.

So, in addition to revising the sequel to Riders, those are some of the things I’ll be working on this coming year. I think they all fall under the umbrella of being more thoughtful and connected to one of the great passions in my life. What are some of your goals, writing or otherwise? What’s your Why?

Preorder Riders today:
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Follow Veronica Rossi on Twitter at opens in a new window@rossibooks, on opens in a new windowFacebook, and on opens in a new windowher website.

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Sneak Peek: Riders

opens in a new windowRidersFor eighteen-year-old Gideon Blake, nothing but death can keep him from achieving his goal of becoming a U.S. Army Ranger. As it turns out, it does. Recovering from the accident that most definitely killed him, Gideon finds himself with strange new powers and a bizarre cuff he can’t remove. His death has brought to life his real destiny. He has become War, one of the legendary four horsemen of the apocalypse.

We hope you enjoy this excerpt from opens in a new windowRiders by Veronica Rossi!

Chapter 1

When I open my eyes, all I see is darkness.

Can’t think through this jaw-grinding headache. I hold still, waiting for some clarity on where I am or how long I’ve been out, but nothing comes. What I know for sure: I’m tied to a chair, gagged, and my head is covered with a hood that reeks of sweat and vomit.

Not what I expected from a rescue. Read More »

YA Fantasy Sweepstakes

Truthwitch and Riders

We’ve got some exciting YA titles coming out this winter, and we want to give you a chance to read them first! Sign up for the Tor Newsletter for a chance to win advance reading copies of opens in a new windowTruthwitch and opens in a new windowRiders. We’ll be giving away three prize packs, and each winner will also get a set of the buttons you see above. Sign up now!
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