There’s a reason I’ve been in my writing cave lately: I’ve been finishing final edits on a new book coming out this year! Alone in the Woods releases on October 6, 2020.
And the awesome website YAYOMG! helped me share its super-cool cover and an exclusive sneak peek into the book. Head over there to check them out and to enter to win:
For more details on the story and to preorder, check out this page.
And for some behind-the-scenes photos and related websites, visit its resources page on my site.
The Last Grand Adventure will be out in a month, and I can’t wait!
But did you know that you can buy a copy today? Pre-ordering books is a great way to support both authors and booksellers. Author Lisa Schroeder tells all the reasons why in this helpful post, but in short:
–Pre-orders can help a bookstore decide whether to stock a book
–Pre-orders can help the author get more marketing support from a publisher
–Pre-orders can help a publisher decide whether to sign up more books from an author
Basically, readers who pre-order books are helping out all the people who make and sell books! As a thank-you, everyone who pre-orders a copy will receive The Last Grand Adventure swag:
–a signed and personalized bookplate
–stickers featuring both the beautiful cover art and the adventure map
–a bookmark
–a super shiny postcard
–bonus pieces of When Audrey Met Alice and Summer of Lost and Found swag
How to pre-order and get your swag:
1. Order The Last Grand Adventure from the retailer of your choice. Here are links to major retailers:
If you’d like to purchase from your local indie, that is extra great! Just ask a friendly bookseller to order you a copy. In case you need it, the book’s ISBN is: 9781481496926.
2.Email me before March 20, 2018 with the following info: Name, mailing address, instructions on how to personalize your bookplate, and proof-of-purchase (e.g., screenshot of an order confirmation or receipt, or forward the order in your email). Feel free to delete or blur any personal info, but I promise I will not use or save any info you send me.
Also let me know if you’d like to be added to my mailing list. I send out a newsletter about 4 times a year, and I will never share your email.
3. That’s it! I will email you to confirm once I’ve put your pre-order swag in the mail.
I’m so excited to share the cover for my next middle-grade novel that I’m skipping an introduction. Here it is!
Robyn Ng illustrated it, and Laura Lyn DiSiena designed it–the same team that created the beautiful cover for Summer of Lost and Found. And again they perfectly capture the spirit and setting of my book. I love the vintage font (perfect for historical fiction) and the sunset color palette, and the way my characters, Bea and Pidge, are facing out toward the great wide world.
Before I tell you all about The Last Grand Adventure, here’s information on how you can win an ARC and find out (early!) for yourself:
Simply leave a comment on this post to enter–if you’d like an extra entry, you can sign up for my newsletter or tweet about the cover. Full instructions and links below.
About The Last Grand Adventure:
Twelve-year-old Bea finds herself on a unique road-trip with her grandmother as they search for her grandmother’s long-lost sister—the legendary Amelia Earhart—in this charming and poignant novel from the author of When Audrey Met Alice and Summer of Lost and Found.
It’s 1967 and twelve-year-old Bea is in need of some adventure. Her mother is off in San Francisco, while her father has just gotten remarried in Los Angeles. Bea has gained a younger stepsister, and she’s not thrilled about her blended family. So when her ailing grandmother, Pidge, moves to an Orange County retirement community and asks if Bea would spend a few weeks helping her get settled, Bea is happy for any excuse to get away.
But it turns out, her grandmother isn’t interested in settling in. What she really wants is to hop a train back to Atchison, Kansas—where she thinks she’ll be reunited with her long-missing sister: Amelia Earhart. And she wants Bea to be her sidekick on this secret trip.
At first, Bea thinks her grandmother’s plan is a little crazy. But Pidge has thirty years of letters written in “Meelie’s” unmistakable voice, all promising to reunite. This might be the adventure Bea needs . . .
With letters in hand, Bea and Pidge set off on their quest to find Amelia. But getting halfway across the country proves to be more of an adventure than either of them bargained for. And their search for Amelia leads to some surprising truths about their family—and each other.
Early Praise
“I loved traveling alongside Bea and her grandmother Pidge on their grand adventure. Bea learns to embrace courage and sisterly devotion as they draw ever closer to finding Pidge’s missing sister, Amelia Earhart. The mystery kept me thinking–and hoping–long after I finished reading!”
“Soaring with the thrill of possibility, The Last Grand Adventure delivers an intimate tale of navigating rough pockets in life’s airspace, chasing dreams, and discovering that the greatest journeys are filled with mystery, risk, setbacks, laughter, and a whole lot of heart.” —Jessica Lawson, author of Waiting for Augusta
“Hooray for The Last Grand Adventure, an irresistible blend of historical fact and adventure-filled fiction! Behrens sweeps the reader up with this charming mystery about Amelia Earhart’s whereabouts and the unbreakable bond between sisters. Traveling with Twelve-year-old Bea and her rule-breaking, free spirited grandmother Pidge across America in 1967 was the perfect way to explore timeless lessons about following dreams, taking risks, persevering, and the unshakable strength of family ties.” —Nikki Loftin, author of Wish Girl
And you can add The Last Grand Adventure to your shelves on Goodreads.
ARC Giveaway Instructions (the long version):
To enter to win an ARC, simply leave a comment on this post. Don’t worry if it doesn’t appear right away–my site requires approval for all comments. If you’d like an extra entry, you can sign up for my newsletter or tweet about this cover reveal. Make sure to let me know in your comment if you did one or both of those! This giveaway is open to readers in the US and Canada, and will end on Wednesday, June 28. I’ll announce the winner, chosen randomly, on Thursday, June 29. Good luck, and thanks for entering!
Update: Congrats to Kaitlin Hundscheid, who won the ARC–I’ll send you an email shortly. And thanks, all, for the cover love!
It might be a little chilly and gloomy this week, but Summer is finally here–at least in paperback.
It was a real treat to come home from a great day at #nErDcampNJ last Saturday and find a package with some early copies inside. It’s the same gorgeous art by Robyn Ng and lovely design by Laura Lyn DiSiena, but there is a surprise inside . . .
A teaser for my next middle-grade novel, The Last Grand Adventure (which is coming in March 2018 from Simon & Schuster).
I was a huge paperback reader as a kid–and still as an adult. Hardcover editions are beautiful, but they are not so easy to put in a bike basket or a beach bag, or to lug on the subway. I’m excited to think of Nell and Ambrose heading off to camps and swim clubs and cabins in the next few months.
And finally, I have winners to announce for the Educator Giveaway! Jennifer Pickrell and Kristy Guerriero won the reading-group sets. You should have received an email from me, and I’ll get those books and guides to you ASAP. Thanks to all who entered!
I wouldn’t be the reader–or the writer–I am today without the influence of many wonderful educators. My childhood teachers and librarians in Madison, WI–at Thoreau Elementary, the Sequoya Library, Cherokee Middle School, and West High–were always putting books in my hands and providing me with a welcoming space to read, learn, and dream.
So to celebrate the paperback release of Summer of Lost and Found on May 23, I’m doing a special giveaway for educators (including teachers, librarians, support staff, and administrators*). Two winners will receive:
A reading-group set (10 copies) of Summer of Lost and Found paperbacks
Copies of the educator guide and book-club discussion guide (found here)
Assorted Summer of Lost and Found and When Audrey Met Alice bookmarks and stickers (great for reading incentives!)
The giveaway starts today and ends at 11:59 p.m. EST on May 22. I’ll announce the winners on Tuesday, May 23.
Note: If you have trouble entering through the Rafflecopter widget above, feel free to leave a comment on this post, and I will manually input your entry. Thanks!
*Not an educator? Feel free to enter on behalf of a school or classroom!
Summer of Lost and Found will be out in six weeks, and I can’t wait!
But did you know that you can buy a copy today? Pre-ordering books is a great way to support both authors and booksellers. Author Lisa Schroeder tells all the reasons why in this helpful post, but in short:
–Pre-orders can help a bookstore decide whether to stock a book
–Pre-orders can help the author get more marketing support from a publisher
–Pre-orders can help a publisher decide whether to sign up more books from an author
Basically, readers who pre-order books are helping out all the people who make and sell books! As a thank-you to those who pre-order Summer of Lost and Found, I’m doing a giveaway.
Everyone who pre-orders a copy will receive Summer of Lost and Found swag:
–a signed and personalized bookplate
–stickers featuring both the beautiful cover art and the Roanoke map
–a bookmark
–a super shiny postcard
–a bonus piece of When Audrey Met Alice swag
But I know that some readers will get Summer of Lost and Found from the library (I love libraries!) or a friend (sharing books is the best!). I want to thank them, too, so one randomly selected reader* will receive a special prize:
-A beautiful bookish tote bag designed by Jen at Pop Goes the Reader, filled with books from the authors who blurbedSummer of Lost and Found, including: Blue Birds and May B. by Caroline Starr Rose and My Diary from the Edge of the World by Jodi Lynn Anderson.
-A free Skype author visit with the school or library of your choice, along with five signed hardcover copies of Summer sent to that school/library.
*Just to be super clear: This raffle is not limited to those who pre-order. No purchase is necessary, and anyone in the US or Canada can enter. Ifyou are pre-ordering, I will enter your name when I send your swag. If you’re not pre-ordering, use the contact form at the end of this post to enter the raffle.
How to pre-order and get your thank-you swag:
1.Before 11:59 p.m. EST on May 23, order Summer of Lost and Found from the retailer of your choice. Here are links to major retailers:
If you’d like to purchase from your local indie, that is extra great! Just ask a friendly bookseller to order you a copy. In case you need it, the book’s ISBN is: 9781481458962.
2.Email me with the following info: Name, mailing address, instructions on how to personalize your bookplate, and proof-of-purchase (e.g., screenshot of an order confirmation or receipt, or forward the order in your email). Feel free to delete or blur any personal info, but I promise I will not use or save any info you send me.
Also let me know if you’d like to be added to my mailing list. I don’t currently have a newsletter, but I might start one!
3. That’s it! I will email you to confirm once I’ve put your pre-order swag in the mail.
March is Reading Month, and I am really excited to share in The Hiding Spot‘s Growing a Reader series to celebrate it. I wrote about three of my formative reading experiences–which made me the reader and writer that I am today. You check out my post here, and find out more about this wonderful and thoughtful series here!
For Word Spelunking’s March MG Madness, I shared my top ten MG titles about real people and real places. (Did I miss some of your favorites? Let me know!) There’s also a giveaway for a pre-order of Summer of Lost and Found, along with personalized swag. It runs until 4/3, so hurry over to the post and entry form!
And finally, I’m so excited that The Rumpus is sending out my Letter for Kids this month. I wrote about one of my favorite things when I was a middle-grader–manatees–and how the things I loved as a kid are still part of my life today, as a grown-up. Letters for Kids is such a cool program; information about subscribing is at the link!
How is it almost May? Somehow this winter seemed both endless (thanks, snowstorms) and super short. Anyway, I’m enjoying the tulips popping up on NYC sidewalks and planning trips to WI this summer. What else is new?
Bookplates! The lovely Kristin Rae (whose YA debut, Wish You Were Italian, is incredibly charming, and is the perfect read for spring and summer wanderlust) designed some bookplates for me. If you have a copy of When Audrey Met Alice and you’d like a signed bookplate for it, let me know! I’m happy to send one your way.
Speaking of signing books, I’ll be in Arlington, VA, at One More Page bookstore on May 27, with MG author friends Tara Dairman and Jen Malone. So if you live in the DC area, stop by and I can sign your book in person!
I’ll also be at Kids Author Carnival in NYC on Saturday, May 30, at the very cool Jefferson Market Branch of the NYPL.
And I’m excited to share that When Audrey Met Alice was selected for the 2015-2016 Southwest Iowa Battle of the Books. I’m honored to be included among the fantastic titles on the list!
Finally, there’s still time to enter my educator giveaway before the paperback of When Audrey Met Alice releases on May 1: Class Set Giveaway
I wouldn’t be the reader–or the writer–I am today without the influence of many wonderful educators. As Alice Roosevelt would put it, I was “let loose in libraries” from an early age. My childhood teachers and librarians in Madison, WI–at Thoreau Elementary, the Sequoya Library, Cherokee Middle School, and West High–were always putting books in my hands and providing me with a welcoming space to read, learn, and dream.
So to celebrate the paperback release of When Audrey Met Alice, I’m doing a special giveaway for educators (including teachers, librarians, support staff, and administrators). Enter below to win:
a class set (25 copies) of When Audrey Met Alice paperbacks
copies of the CCSS-aligned educator guide, Women’s History Month lesson plan, and annotated diary (found here)
assorted WAMA bookmarks, stickers, and WWAD? rubber bracelets (great for reading incentives!)
The giveaway starts today, April 6, and ends at 11:59 p.m. EST on April 30. I’ll announce the winner on Friday, May 1.
Good luck!
Note: If you have trouble entering through the form below (via the email or Facebook options), feel free to leave a comment and I will manually put in your entry. Thanks!
It’s the last Wednesday of March, so it’s time for one more Women’s History post!
[One of my favorite things about writing historical fiction is getting to explore the lives of real, and sometimes famous, women—like Alice Roosevelt. When Audrey Met Alice allowed me to spend a lot of time researching the women who have made 1600 Pennsylvania a home in addition to a historic site. (Check out the Resources page of my website for more information on my research, along with a Women’s History Month lesson plan!) But this month, I wanted to devote some words to other female historical figures I find inspiring. Each Wednesday this March, I’m sharing a short post about a fascinating woman in honor of Women’s History Month. I’d love to hear which women interest and inspire you–please tell me in the comments! I’ll (randomly) choose one commenter on each post to win a preorder of the new When Audrey Met Alice paperback. Tweet about the women who inspire you with the hashtag #WomensHistWednesday for an extra entry.]
Last week, I wrote about Nellie Bly. Giora won a WAMA preorder with a comment about Eleanore Marx.
Inspiring me today is: Jackie Mitchell
Jackie with Lou Gehrig and Babe Ruth (Source: LOC)
Do you know who struck out both Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig during one exhibition game in 1931? A seventeen-year-old girl named Jackie Mitchell. She was playing for the Chattanooga Lookouts, a minor-league team that offered her a contract after seeing her pitch for a local women’s team. There is plenty of controversy about her striking out two of the greatest players in history—some think it may have been a publicity stunt. Regardless, it’s amazing to think of a teen girl pitcher leading to Babe Ruth being pulled off the field in a hissy fit. The baseball commissioner canceled her contract shortly after, saying that the sport was “too strenuous” for women, but Jackie continued playing ball until 1937. Women were officially banned from signing baseball contracts in 1952.
I loved Jackie’s story so much that I wrote about it for two Scholastic classroom magazines: “Thatagirl!” in the November 2014 issue of Storyworks and “Girls Can’t Play” in the January 2015 issue of Scope.
It’s Wednesday, so it’s time for more Women’s History!
[One of my favorite things about writing historical fiction is getting to explore the lives of real, and sometimes famous, women—like Alice Roosevelt. When Audrey Met Alice allowed me to spend a lot of time researching the women who have made 1600 Pennsylvania a home in addition to a historic site. (Check out the Resources page of my website for more information on my research, along with a Women’s History Month lesson plan!) But this month, I wanted to devote some words to other female historical figures I find inspiring. Each Wednesday this March, I’m sharing a short post about a fascinating woman in honor of Women’s History Month. I’d love to hear which women interest and inspire you–please tell me in the comments! I’ll (randomly) choose one commenter on each post to win a preorder of the new When Audrey Met Alice paperback. Tweet about the women who inspire you with the hashtag #WomensHistWednesday for an extra entry.]
Last week, I wrote about Jane Goodall. Jennifer Pickrell won a WAMA preorder with a comment about Miep Gies. Thanks to everyone who shared about the women who inspire them!
Nellie Bly in a promotional photo before her round-the-world trip (Source: Wikimedia Commons)
Inspiring me today is: Nellie Bly
Nellie was the 19th-century journalist who famously traveled around the entire world in 72 days—at a time when most women wouldn’t do solo travel anywhere. She’s less famous for some of her investigative journalism, but it’s just as impressive. In 1887 she took on an undercover assignment, for Joseph Pulitzer’s New York World, in which she faked a mental breakdown to get admitted to the Women’s Lunatic Asylum on Blackwell’s Island in New York. She spent ten days in the hospital, successfully convincing all the clinicians that she was mad—and once she got out, she wrote a scathing expose of the abusive and negligent care women were receiving there. Her reporting was turned into the sensational book Ten Days in a Mad-House. Nellie not only wanted to see the world, but make it a better place. Her writing both helped readers vicariously travel the world and gain an awareness of problems at home.
It’s Wednesday, so it’s time for more Women’s History!
[One of my favorite things about writing historical fiction is getting to explore the lives of real, and sometimes famous, women—like Alice Roosevelt. When Audrey Met Alice allowed me to spend a lot of time researching the women who have made 1600 Pennsylvania a home in addition to a historic site. (Check out the Resources page of my website for more information on my research, along with a Women’s History Month lesson plan!) But this month, I wanted to devote some words to other female historical figures I find inspiring. Each Wednesday this March, I’m sharing a short post about a fascinating woman in honor of Women’s History Month. I’d love to hear which women interest and inspire you–please tell me in the comments! I’ll (randomly) choose one commenter on each post to win a preorder of the new When Audrey Met Alice paperback. Tweet about the women who inspire you with the hashtag #WomensHistWednesday for an extra entry.]
Last week, I wrote about Bessie Coleman. Rachel Sullivan won a WAMA preorder with her comment about nurses like Clara Barton and Florence Nightingale, and strong single working mothers everywhere. Thanks to everyone who shared about the women who inspire them!
As a child, Jane’s father gave her a toy chimpanzee, Jubilee. It sparked her interest in and love of animals. Jane went on to become an expert primatologist, and now knows more than probably anyone else on earth about chimpanzees. She completed a famous 45-year study on chimpanzee social and family life at Gombe Stream National Park in Tanzania, sharing with the world that other primates can show the personality, emotions, and rational thought that humans do. Today she advocates for animal rights and the environment through the Jane Gooddall Institute. And she still keeps her toy chimpanzee, Jubilee, on her dresser.
