April 16, 2012

Ohio River Festival of Books: Friday, April 20

Oh, the mighty mighty Ohi’. It runs from the Alleghen’ to the Mississip’, skirting the edge of West Virginny and good ol’ Ketuck’ along the way. No, I’m not wanting for  vowels. This is how I speak when I speak of rivers. Conversely, when I speak of canals, such as my beloved hometown’s Erie Canal, I add vowels (the correct pronunciation is thus ee-rye-ee, my friends). Things have gotten folksy here and you’re just going to have to get used to it.

Where was I? Oh yes, the Ohio River. About halfway along it lies the city of Huntington, West Virginia. Huntington is a special place for me because it’s where my sister and her family have lived for more than a decade. And over that last decade, I have visited for summer idylls and autumn holidays and winter spelunking adventures. This spring, I return for a book festival. The delightful organizers of the Ohio River Festival of Books have been kind enough to invite me to speak at a couple of local middle schools, and to meet readers and sign books. Here are the details:

• What: Book selling and signing
• Where: Big Sandy Conference Center. Huntington, West Virginia
• When: Friday, April 20, 6:30-9:00 PM
• How: Any which way you can

So if you live in tri-state region of West Virginia, Kentucky and Ohio, please stop by and say hello!

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April 12, 2012

Another Smattering of Reviews for THE ONLY ONES

1. Easy Reading Damn Hard Writing (vaguely spoilerish): “Starmer’s really accomplished something here, and this book is definitely one of my favorites that I’ve read so far in 2012.” “Such a lovely book.” “A+”
2. The Allure of Books: “Seriously. The cleverness, originality and imagination of Aaron Starmer staggers me. The Only Ones might be odd. It might be hard to completely process it all. But it is an incredible story.”
3. Reed Reads Book Reviews: “A book for readers that love the unpredictable. A book for readers that constantly ask themselves questions and make predictions as the story turns and twists in a non-linear way. A book for readers that appreciate beautifully written and lyrical story telling.” “4.5/5″
4. Evanston Public Library Loft Blog: “Starmer bends convention to explore deeper questions about the nature of fate, time and belief.”
5. Read Listen Love (includes giveaway!): “It intrigued me from the first page, constantly surprised me and had fantastic characters.”
6. IMCPL Kids Blog: “This is a tense, gripping novel, in the tradition of other child-centered societies like Lord of the Flies and Ender’s Game, flavored by a Stephen King-like eeriness, but with original characters and twists.   Questions are answered by the end, but not in ways that readers will predict.”
7. Mabel’s Fables Bookstore Raves and Faves: “This book is like a sci-fi take on Lord of the Flies — so basically, awesome.”
8. Kiss the Book: “The story is unique and captivating and twists and turns in unexpected ways.” ”ESSENTIAL.”
9. Crunchings and Munchings (spoilers): “Aaron Starmer, I admire your guts.” N.B.This isn’t the most positive review, but it’s an interesting one just the same.
10. BPLD Teen Blog (spoilers): “And what happens next is simply amazing!”
11. Northshire Bookstore Reviews: “Truly a gripping story with mysterious elements which are beyond earthly explanation.”

I also stumbled upon a couple of discussions about the cover of The Only Ones, which was created by my longtime friend Lisa Ericson. I couldn’t be happier with the cover and dozens of people have told me how much it intrigues them. Similar feelings are shared here:

1. Uncovered Cover Art: “The best kinds of covers make you curious, and make you wonder what sort of story it’s trying to tell. Such is the case for The Only Ones’ cover art.”
2. The Windy Pages: “You know you want to know more about it. I don’t blame you.”

That’s it for now. If you’ve written or found a review of The Only Ones online, go ahead and send it my way. I’ll include it in the next roundup!

2 Comments | Posted by Aaron under Books, News and Events, The Only Ones | Bookmark or Share

January 19, 2012

Free Copies of THE ONLY ONES for One and All!

People often ask me a question that many authors dread.

“So how’s the book doing?”

They’re well intentioned, these askers. They’re taking an interest in my life and work and that’s beyond flattering. But there’s rarely an honest answer an author can give to such a query or, to be more specific, an honest answer that will evoke a wink and a thumbs-up. The book can always be doing better, at least in terms of sales, and that’s really what they’re asking about. For most of us, it would be hard for the book to be doing a heck of a lot worse.

So I usually respond by saying, “people are really enjoying it.” This is an effective, it’s beautiful on the inside deflection that knocks the conversation out-of-bounds and it causes the asker to respond, “well I really enjoyed it!” and we get on with life.

But for this one time, I’m not going to deflect. I’m going to keep the conversation going, in hopes that someday I might have a more satisfying answer to that question.

So why isn’t the book doing better? Is it a lousy book?

Maybe. Yet we all know that plenty of lousy things take the world by storm, while plenty of amazing things remain largely undiscovered. I honestly believe that my book The Only Ones is an undiscovered gem, which is endlessly frustrating. Sure, there’s something romantic about being a long-suffering writer who’s penned an undiscovered gem, but there’s a little more romance in penning a discovered gem. There’s also a royalty check or two.

The market is overcrowded with books and the sad fact is that only a fraction of them will get the attention required to earn back their advances. Don’t ask me to explain the economics behind why a publisher would dump buckets of gold on one book while barely tossing bus fare to another, because I’ll come off sounding bitter and uninformed. But I can tell you that if a few things don’t go your book’s way—at a marketing meeting, during a sales call, in a trade review—then it might mean a loss of the support needed for that book to get discovered. Then it’s all up to you, the author, the confused neophyte who stands to collect a sobering 10-15% (before the agent’s cut) of the sales.

A lot of authors aren’t very good at promoting themselves. No surprise there. Bookish and introverted is no way to go through life, son, and it’s certainly no way to make a splash at a MediaBistro mixer. I’m no P.T. Barnum. I don’t have the ego for it. I embarrass too easily. Perhaps sales of my book have suffered because of that, but rather than beat myself up, or try to change my personality, I’ve decided to play to strengths.

The strength of The Only Ones is The Only Ones. If people aren’t buying the book, then dagnammit, I should be giving them the book. It’s been on the market for only four months, but with shiny new titles released every week, that’s a lifetime in terms of visibility. If the book is not in people’s hands soon, it will soon find its way into the bargain bin. Or so my logic goes.

Here is what I propose. If you’re a blogger, or a newspaper reviewer, or a Today Show anchor, and you read The Only Ones and review it, then I will do the following:

1. I will sign a hardcover copy of the book.
2. I will send aforementioned book to a person of your choosing. That person could be a nephew, a stepsister, a parcheesi partner, a cellmate or a Unitarian. It doesn’t matter. Just as long as that person is in the United States and has an address that can receive United States Postal Service deliveries.

“Hey now, Charlie!” you’re probably saying. “You’re just buying reviews!”

True. I most certainly am. Hear me out, though. Let me explain what I’m asking of you:

1. I expect you to write an honest review. Not a rave. Not a puff piece. You could tear the book to shreds. Give it an F, or a seventeenth of a star, or two centaur hoofs down. Feel free to be snarky, but be honest, and I will reward your honesty by sending a copy of The Only Ones to someone who might like it as much as you do, or hate it as much as you do. Then you two can start a fan club or a petition to get me deported. Whatever floats your boat, cappy. No strings attached, no guilt involved.
2. Of course, I do expect you to post the review on your blog, or in a publication to which you are a contributor. In other words, posting a review exclusively on Amazon or Goodreads or Youtube won’t work because search engines will be blind to it and it will be lost in the mix. Certainly use those places as a secondary places to post, but this is about spreading the word, not burying it.
3. I also expect you to feature a picture of the book cover and a link to the book’s page. But you probably would do that anyway, wouldn’t you?
4. Steer clear of spoilers if you can. Sometimes you can’t, but remember there are plenty of Frank Costanzas out there who want to “go in fresh.”
5. Finally, I have no length restrictions, but “This book rocks!” or “Sucks donkey nards!” aren’t going to pass muster. Try this for an industry standard: Did it take you less than three minutes to write your review? Give it a few more minutes.

Unfortunately, I can’t offer this once-in-a-lifetime deal to people who’ve posted reviews of the book before September 19, 2011. Generating new reviews and new readers is the name of the game. If such an injustice enrages you, then email me and I’ll see if I can’t make it up to you in some way.

I currently have 25 copies of the book to give away. I may have more in the future. But for now, the spoils go to the first 25 people who post a review and email me a link to it (don’t forget a name and address for the person to whom I’ll be sending the spanking new copy).

What do I foresee resulting from this enticement? Frankly, nothing. I’d be surprised if this inspires even one new review. This web site ain’t exactly burning up the dance floors.

But let’s just say the idea takes off a little bit. And let’s just say that a few of the people who receive gift copies of The Only Ones decide to pull a Haley Joel Osment and buy copies for some other people, and then those people…well, you get the point.

If you’ve read the book already, you probably understand why I’m using this tactic to find more readers. If you haven’t read the book, well then…

1. Start here.
2. Then go here.
3. Or here.
4. Then write a review.

Tell me about it, and I’ll take it from there. While you take a nap. You deserve it.

3 Comments | Posted by Aaron under Books, News and Events, The Only Ones | Bookmark or Share

December 23, 2011

The Blogosphere Vs. The Only Ones

I was going to try to write this post without using the word blogosphere. But see, I can’t make it even 15 words without resorting to such vocabulary. Oh, the blogosphere is a powerful sphere these days, right up there with the Southern Hemisphere, the troposphere, and Sphere by Michael Cricthon. And I have to acknowledge that power, or else they’ll hunt me down and take me out like this was a Dan Brown book and they were renegade nuns and I was a dashing Sanskrit expert (that’s the sort of thing that happens in Dan Brown books, right?).

What I’m getting at is this: in a market flooded with books, not every author can expect a Charlie Rose interview, a Today Show spot and a New Yorker feature to help get the word out about his/her hardback baby. Thankfully there is a passionate community of fans and critics who are doing the heavy lifting for free. There’s nothing like coming across a review online and knowing that someone out there not only read and thought about your story, but is now expanding on it. Because that’s what good criticism is: a continuation of the story, even when it’s negative criticism. I tend to read criticism after I read a book, or watch a movie, or listen to an album. I want to see if others shared in my experience or had a wildly different point of view. It helps me see more of the story. It gives it a fuller shape. Sure, it sometimes leads to me shaking my fist and screaming “Moron!” or “Philistine!” but most things in life do.

So blogosophere, I salute you.  Amazon is okay (with its “best book eva!” and “this book is the root of all evil!” reviews) and Goodreads can be endlessly fascinating and frustrating (I’m fine with one star, just tell me why!). But give me a blog review any day of the week. I’m serious. If you have a blog…give me a review! Even on a Tuesday! Follow the lead of these 10 trailblazers who–despite a dabbling in SPOILERS!–have not only shared my book with the world, but have given me new insights into what I wrote. They have made my story even longer:

1. Mother Reader: “One, I’m calling this as a movie waiting to be made. Two, this book would make a perfect gift…”
2. Charlotte’s Library (spoiler at end): “It’s the best sort of upper middle grade book–ie, great for an eleven year old child, and for the mg reading grown-up.”
3. Parenthetical (mild spoilers): “This is a weird, amazing, amazingly weird book.”
4. Librarian in the Middle: “Part science fiction, part mystery, this well-crafted story was moving in ways I didn’t see coming.  This is one that will stick with me for a long time.”
5. Snarky and Sweet: “I can only talk in the vaguest terms about the plot because one of the absolute strengths of the book for me was its unpredictability. The reader really is taken for a ride and cannot know what happens next.”
6. MSBPL Books (spoilers aplenty): “Starmer’s characters and story premise were engaging and thoughtful and I recommend this book to readers who are interested in human nature and science fantasy.”
7. West Virginia Red Reads: “The end of the world doesn’t make children into monsters but it does make them into adults with both good and bad sides.”
8. Karissa’s Reading Reviews: “Fans of well written mysteries with a little magic and sci-fi should look here. Fans of post-apocalyptic fiction with a more subtle touch to it and a lot of mystery should also give this book a read.”
9. Alamosa Books: “A brilliant fairy tale for the modern age.”
10. Bettina’s Book Club (some spoilers): “The premise was fascinating, the characters were unique, funny, believable and relatable, and by the time I was done reading it I was thinking, ‘Whoa, this is some deep stuff…’”

There are of course some reviews from newspapers, magazines and journals over here. And there are other blog reviews out there that I know I missed and others that are on the horizon (or so I hope). If you have one, just let me know. I’ll spread the word.

3 Comments | Posted by Aaron under Internet, News and Events, The Only Ones | Bookmark or Share

September 13, 2011

Giving Thanks: Acknowledgements for The Only Ones

Today The Only Ones is released. I’ll be running around reminding everyone of this fact because I want you to read the darn thing. Forgive me if I even show up at your house with a sandwich board and a blow horn. A man must do what a man must do. Now there’s plenty of information about The Only Ones on this web site, and I encourage you to read and watch and listen to it all. But today, the blog will be dedicated to the people who made this book happen and continue to make it “happenin’!”

Most authors include acknowledgements, and it’s always nice to read about the people who helped turn one person’s words into something lovely and tangible and available at your local bookstore. But as an author, choosing acknowledgements can be a bit of a nerve-racking experience. Part of you wants to thank everyone, from the friendly UPS guy who delivered all the marked-up manuscripts to the friendly obstetrician who delivered you into this world. Another part of you wants to cast a light upon the select handful of people who spent hours with the book, giving their best to make it better. It’s the big vs. small wedding debate. Neither is right. The guest list is always hard.

In my book, I went with the “small wedding,” but that doesn’t mean these were the only people who had a hand in the creation of The Only Ones. I’d like to expand the list here:

In July 2009, a painting called The Mainland by Jamie Wyeth sparked my first ideas for the book. In the year and a half of writing and editing that followed, there were countless other inspirations, 99 of which I’ve cataloged on Twitter via a #99inspirations hashtag. You can see them all here.

Cate Starmer, my astoundingly wonderful wife and greatest friend, is also my #1 fan and she’s always the first to read my work. In September 2009, I showed her the opening chapters to what was then called The Lonely Ones and she offered ideas and encouragement and the assurance that she believed in this book, and in me, and in us. She is, as I like to say, a wonder.

Stephanie Sun, then an assistant at Weed Literary and now an agent to be reckoned with, was the next person to read the beginnings of the book. She astounded me when she called it “beautiful” and confirmed that perhaps we had something here.

Elisabeth Weed, the super agent who so valiantly plucked me from obscurity, added to Stephanie’s praise and provided some invaluable suggestions regarding pacing and characterization. Then she boldly took the book to the streets.

Michelle Poploff, a legendary editor who has worked on bestsellers and Newbery winners (and who has written her own books), took a chance on the manuscript, seeing something in this strange story of loneliness and ramshackle adolescent creativity.

Rebecca Short, assistant editor extraordinaire, added excitement, depth and clarity to the tale with her thoughtful and essential edits. And she was the one who suggested the title switch. Because of her, The Lonely Ones now carries the more intriguing and fitting title The Only Ones.

Beverly Horowitz runs the show over there at Delacorte Press, a division that has published the likes of Lois Lowry, Judy Blume and Gary Paulson. I am extremely honored that she has welcomed me into the club.

Lisa Ericson, who I’ve known for over 20 years, came through in a pinch and created the sort of cover authors dream of. It’s an image that will be forever linked to the tale, and I couldn’t be happier about that.

Vikki Sheatsley designed the beautiful pages you find inside, the remarkable look and feel of the thing. There were so many signs, and notes, and journal entries, and bric-a-brac to layout, and she handled it all perfectly.

Jennifer Black is one of the finest copy editors and proofreaders I have come across. She made sense of my nonsense and gave the book a good scrubbing.

James Dashner of Maze Runner fame read an advance copy and gave me the invaluable gift of an endorsement. He’s a generous and jovial guy, and a grand master of the teen adventure novel. I was humbled by his words.

Jeff Kay, author of Crossroads Road and the man behind the inimitable West Virginia Surf Report, has been an advocate of my writing since we were paired up many moons ago to work on an ill-fated book for National Lampoon. A great guy to read and know, with fantastic taste in music.

Noreen Herits enthusiastically kicked off the publicity for the book before she answered the call of motherhood.

Deb Shapiro jumped in where Noreen left off, and has been a huge advocate for everything The Only Ones ever since.

Andrew Mittman has been campaigning for the success of the book from the moment he read it. If other readers have even a tenth of his enthusiasm, then this thing will do just fine. A perceptive and ambitious guy. I’m so glad to have met him.

Josh Berk went to college with me, but we didn’t know each other then. We met in the wild world of kidlit (he wrote The Dark Days of Hamburger Halpin and the upcoming Guy Langman, Crime Scene Procrastinator) and he has been a humorous and encouraging colleague ever since.

Kurtis Scaletta wrote The Tanglewood Terror, which shares a publisher and publication date with The Only Ones. We traded interviews (here and here) and deep thoughts on each others books. Kurtis is an engaging, intelligent and passionate writer and spokesman for artistic endeavors. Follow and read him and trust his recommendations.

Matthew Cody, author of Powerless and the upcoming The Dead Gentleman, is someone I met way back in the DWEEB days (err…2009), and one day we’ll figure out a grand scheme that will combine our superpowers and conquer a bestseller list or two. A gentleman (and very much alive).

The Random House Sales Team can be found at their Random Acts of Reading blog when they’re not out on the road singing the praises of The Only Ones. Their love of books is infectious.

Twitter is simply lousy with brilliant writers, readers and tastemakers.  Check out the #kidlitchat, #yalitchat, and #mglitchat hashtags. Or just follow who I’m following. They’re good folk.

Patricia Schultz, who kept me busy during my downtime by putting me to work on 1,000 Places to See Before You Die. I haven’t seen all 1,000 yet…but I also haven’t died. Still a chance.

Daniel Kaizer and Darrel Schoeling of Longitude Books. They provided me with my ale and mutton by employing me for nearly 8 years, and now they’re graciously opening their doors for our release party.

Micato Safaris will take to Africa if you’d like to go. They are the best of the best. Give them a call. Tell them I sent you.

Fans of DWEEB. Including the kids of Washington Township, the Fresh Air Fund, the Manhattan Charter School and many others. It’s a weird little book, but a few of you call it your favorite, and that’s more than an author could ever ask for.

My friends (and their young’ns) here in Hoboken and beyond, including Greg, Amy, Caitlin, Andrew, Mary Kate, Ben, Joss, Jon, Chelsea, Amelie, Trish, John, Dave, Liz, Tom, Meg, Christian, Bridget, Joe, Grace, Caroline, Rick, Hui, Matt, Kim, Terence, Nick, Heather, Bill, Karen, Szabi, Erica, Sean, Jenna, Scott and many, many more…

The Evans, Totani, and Valocchi families, who always welcome me into their homes and give me food and drink and great times. They also spread the word about my books far and wide. Taylor Evans lives upstairs, steals from our fridge and keeps social media aware that I’m out there, punching the keyboard. Thanks T.

Jim, Gwenn and Peter Wells. According to the sitcoms, I’m supposed to fight with my in-laws. Sorry, but that ain’t the case. They are an amazingly supportive, caring and fun bunch. I am lucky to call them family.

All the Amundsens, Finneys, Glitmans and Van Scotters out there. There are a ton of them and they’re fiercely clever and talented people. Many of them, like me, have Viking blood. So watch out.

The Starmers and Lavenders: My Mom, Dad, brother Tim, sister Toril, brother-in-law Dave, and nephews Jacob and Will. You couldn’t ask for a better, more understanding and more proud and loving family. I’m going to cry now…

And finally, Mort, Phoebe, Webster, Haakon and the other beasts out there. If we all disappear some day, the world is all yours.

1 Comment | Posted by Aaron under Books, News and Events, The Only Ones | Bookmark or Share