Let the MIND GAMES Begin

19 Feb Let the MIND GAMES Begin

So first, I want to say that MIND GAMES by the brilliant and talented Kiersten White is out today. Congratulations, Kiersten!!!

Some of you may be familiar with Kiersten’s Paranormalcy trilogy. If not, I don’t even know what to say to you (oh wait, I do: what the bleep are you waiting for?? go buy a copy asap). But I think it’s fair to say that Kiersten and Evie burst into the publishing world in a giant pink bubbly fashion, with just enough sass and action, delivered with the help of a sparkly taser and some hot guys.

So coming off of the Paranormalcy trilogy, I think it’s also pretty fair to say that MIND GAMES is going to Blow. Your. Mind.

In fact, MIND GAMES blew my mind when I first read it, and I believe I talked about my initial response a little bit when I first posted the cover last June. Ok, maybe only a very little, but suffice it to say, there was a lot of talk about it being “crazy!!” But awesome.

But the craziest part, that sometimes even I forget, is that I knew Kiersten had this in her! Because Paranormalcy was not the book that had me offering to represent Kiersten. That book was a much darker (um, darker than Paranormalcy, not darker than Mind Games, just to clarify) thriller called Flash, that didn’t sell.

Wait, why am I telling you I couldn’t sell that book? I mean, I totally could have. It’s just that I knew, I mean I really knew--like as if I had Fia’s prefect instincts, or Annie’s visions of the future–that pieces of Flash were destined for bigger things. And so I was like, “You know, Kiersten, let’s just put this on the back burner for that time in the summer of 2011 when you’re going to need it, and in the meantime, what else you got?” And that’s the story of how Paranormalcy sold.

Oh wait, this post is supposed to be about MIND GAMES, not Paranormalcy. How did that happen??

(Quick aside: this is why you should always start writing your next manuscript when you start querying your current one. Writer tip provided for free.)

Sooo, that may not be exaaaactly how our conversation went, but who really cares.

The point is, Flash didn’t sell. Paranormalcy did. And in a crazy awesome 9-day fit of productivity, Kiersten ripped apart two old manuscripts, drew on 10 years of thinking about ideas that had been floating in her head, and wrote the first draft of MIND GAMES. You can read her slightly manic post 9-day drafting post up there, linked (sorry, Kiersten but I couldn’t resist) to the word crazy, and her longer explanation of the other books that she drew upon (including Flash) and that whole process, even though it’s a little buried in the post about the book deal that involves MIND GAMES here.

That post is also a particularly interesting read, because Kiersten talks about how although MIND GAMES was drafted in 9 days (but don’t forget this larger point about the years of thinking and other manuscripts), the deal also included Isadora (working title), or Flood and Stone (deal title), also known as THE CHAOS OF STARS (actual title) which will be released in September 2013. And Kiersten talks about how Isadora was her most difficult book to write, to date. And took the longest. That post is way out of date, but I would say it probably holds true and maybe Kiersten will chime in in the comments on the final stats for how long it took to write/revise Isadora aka THE CHAOS OF STARS.

But back to MIND GAMES. I just thought it would be neat to get a little peek behind the scenes. A little reminder that 9 days is deceiving. Impressive, but deceiving. Deceptive? Whatever. But by working with a team of amazing people at HarperTeen ever since those 9 days, Kiersten has produced something awesome.

Wait, did I say awesome? I meant crazy awesome. And when I say it’s crazy awesome, I really mean it’s CRAZY AWESOME.

If you don’t believe me (and wtf?? why don’t you believe me???) then check out the Publishers Weekly starred review which says, “…White’s paranormal thriller is a tour de force of perspective and unreliability.”

So I don’t know what you’re waiting for, but go get your copy NOW!!

And if you live in California (yes, anywhere at all!), Kiersten is having a book launch party TONIGHT!! and Kasie West, author of PIVOT POINT (I’ve heard this is pretty awesome too) will be there and will be signing books too. 7pm at the Carlsbad City Library 

And if you are in Utah, Washington, Oregon, California (more dates and locations!), or Texas, or close to those states and willing to travel (it’s Kiersten, guys. Travel for her!!), then you should check out the Appearances tab on her website.

And just so I don’t feel left out, tell me how excited you are to read MIND GAMES in the comments. Or if you’ve read it, tell me-wasn’t it crazy awesome???