Kirkus Review - KEYS TO THE CITY

The first professional review is in and while I can't share the whole thing yet (it will be online soon), I can share the last line, which is a nice one.

Release date: 5/30/17

"Lindy's journey comforts those in search of themselves. Sweet and familiar Lindy makes this story hard to resist." ~ Kirkus magazine

While I'm here, also want to let you know that THE GIRL IN THE TOWER will be out in paperback on March 28th. Though if you'd like a great deal on the hardcover price, Amazon currently has it for only $6.67. What a deal - not sure how long that will last!

Trade reviews for The Girl in the Tower

It's about that time...

We're a little more than two months away from the release of THE GIRL IN THE TOWER. I'm working on a book trailer now - hoping to have it ready in a couple of weeks. It's pretty wonderful, if I do say so myself. I know, I'm so humble. But really, I can say that because it's made up entirely of art by the fabulous illustrator, Nicoletta Ceccoli. All I've done is put the lovely images together in some kind of meaningful manner. Hopefully.

In the meantime, I'm going to tease you a bit with some of the best parts of the trade reviews we have thus far.

School Library Journal says - "Forced to decide between her true destiny and the luxurious life of a princess, Violet makes tough decisions based on character and courage... Recommended for fans of fairy tales and modern Disney princesses.

Publishers Weekly says - "Kids will find it easy to root for determined Violet as she sets out to secure her family's freedom...her courage and hope light up the pages of this sweetly quaint fairy tale."

You can pre-order at Powells, Barnes and Noble, Amazon or your local bookstore!

Reviews for THE BRIDGE FROM ME TO YOU

People who aren't authors probably don't understand the anxiety that comes along with waiting for the professional reviews to come in.

The thing is, we know that teens who read our books mostly don't care about reviews. But the gatekeepers - the librarians, the teachers, maybe even the parents - often do care. Some of my books haven't been liked by all of the professional review publications, but I still have teens who enjoy my books. A review is still just *one* person's opinion, and I totally understand that. I really try NOT to let a bad review get me down (easier said than done when you first read the biting words -- chocolate helps).

Still, when a library only has a limited budget every year to buy new books, they are going to have to be careful about how they spend that money. There are SO many YA novels published every year and a good review is going to help a book stand out from the crowd a little bit.

So we fret a little in the months leading up to the publication date, hoping the book gets at least one good review. Because it really can make a difference in getting noticed.

So far, Kirkus, Publisher's Weekly and School Library Journal have all reviewed THE BRIDGE FROM ME TO YOU and have some nice things to say. Thought I'd share a little bit of those reviews with you.

Release date: 7/29/14

Publisher's Weekly has this to say about Lauren and Colby - "two kind, generous teens -- one burdened by her past, the other burdened by his future."

School Library Journal says, "the alternating chapters of Lauren’s poetry and Colby’s conversational prose are well written and help reveal the characters refreshingly unique perspectives, as well as their growth in positive ways."

Kirkus says, "Lovely in its details."

If you'd like to enter a goodreads contest to win one of twenty Advanced Review Copies that Scholastic is giving away, you can go HERE TO ENTER.

Stay tuned for an exciting pre-order giveaway later in June coming from my friends at www.novelnovice.com.

Did I mention that it's highlighted in the fall online Scholastic preview? You can check out the video at http://www.scholastic.com/onlinepreview/ (scroll down the page to find the Young Adult portion, if you don't want to watch the whole thing.)

Have a great weekend!

Some fun stuff - THE BRIDGE FROM ME TO YOU

My next YA novel comes out in a little over two months. Eep!!

You can read some more about the book HERE.

A couple of fun things happened this week. The first professional review is in, from Kirkus, and it's a good one! The review itself is a teensy bit spoilerish, so if you don't like being spoiled about anything, don't click over. Some people don't mind, so if that's you, you can go HERE and check out the review. The reviewer seemed to really get the book, which isn't always the case, so I'm happy about that. The main pull line from the review is "lovely in its details."

I love the word lovely, so yay!

The other thing is it's featured in the Scholastic online fall preview, which is made with librarians and booksellers in mind. It is so fun to see editors sitting around books and a plate of cookies talking about my book. Pinch me!

I can't embed the video here, you have to go to the page and watch it. If you click on the complete preview video, you can go to about the 28:00 mark to watch. Or, scroll down the page to the YA only video and click that.

http://www.scholastic.com/onlinepreview/

I believe there will be a giveaway soon on goodreads for an Advanced Review Copy or two, so stay tuned for that!

The Monday Five

I know, it's usually the Friday Five, but I'm a few days behind with *everything* lately. Like, so many people I know have already seen Catching Fire, but I won't get to see it until this weekend sometime. I'm SO excited - people are raving about it.

Anyway, I have a few things to share, so here we go, the Monday Five, which doesn't sound nearly as cool as the Friday Five, but that's okay since I've never been, and never will be, one of the cool kids.

1. This weekend I switched out my iMac that was about ten years old, so I'm writing this on my new and improved computer and I LOVE IT! I bought a used iMac on ebay from a company that specializes in cleaning up old ones and reselling them. This one (a 2009 model) came with a ton of software loaded on it and the latest operating system for much, much less than I would have paid new. I try to buy used as much as possible in life, because it just makes sense to me in so many ways.

As I was copying files over and getting everything set up on the new one, I noticed I've been using Office 2004. 2004, people! That is crazy!! The most frustrating thing was that Blogger wasn't playing nice with the old, old operating system I was using, so I couldn't read blogs anymore. I'm a strange beast of a writer. I have a laptop I use on the treadmill desk sometimes, but other times, I want a nice big screen and a comfy chair, so I really need both a desk computer and a laptop. I've dragged my feet for so long, but I'm glad I finally took the plunge and got something newer. The speed - OMG, the speed!!! Happy, happy, happy.

2. On Friday, I got news that School Library Journal will review Frosting and Friendship in its upcoming December/January issue, and it's an awesome review! Here's a snippet:

"Schroeder’s realistic dialogue and depiction of daily dramas show her strong grasp of middle-school life. The combination of baking and bands will initially attract many girls, but it’s the short chapters and simple diction that keep the plot cooking. Readers will be drawn to the well-delineated, quirky Lily. They’ll empathize with her, ponder her dilemmas, and cheer her on to make the right decisions."

3. I saw my baby nephew, Jacob, this weekend. He is almost three months old. He had a bit of a rough start but he's doing great now! Baby cuddles are the best!

4. The fourth and final CHARMED LIFE book is due one week from today. I have about three more chapters to write. I'm hoping to finish the draft by Wednesday, and then I will spend a good chunk of the long weekend editing before I send it off to my editor on December 2nd. Eep - I'm almost there! Fingers crossed things go according to plan!

5. Finally, I discovered over the weekend, thanks to Kim Baccellia who told me the news via twitter, that FALLING FOR YOU is a paperback pick in the December 16th issue of FIRST for Women magazine. Of course I had to go out and get a copy. And, I had to take pictures because, come on, Dr. Oz on the cover and Nicholas Sparks, Maria Semple, and Shirlee McCoy featured alongside my book? So. Weird.

click on the picture to enlarge

"When my book club chose this novel about a young relationship gone wrong, I was skeptical," says Melissa Sorrells, FIRST associate editor. "But its complexity drew me in and held held on tight." It goes on to say, "Rae's courage and journey to self-worth reminded me of roads I've traveled in my life -- and of just how strong I am."

The paperback comes out on December 3rd!! Next Sunday I'll have a list of ten things you should know about the book to celebrate the paperback release.

In the meantime, have a *wonderful* Thanksgiving holiday! Eat lots of pie, okay? I mean it. I really want a t-shirt that says, "Life is short. Eat pie."

Less than two months and a nice Kirkus review

It is almost August. Why does summer have to fly by so fast? Do you know what comes after August? Yes, that's right - September. Silly question, I know. But this year, September is an exciting month. Do you know why?

Because THIS happens in September:

I've updated the "Books for Kids" page to include a short summary. If you want to make sure and get it the first week it's out, here are the places you can pre-order. Just click on the link and it'll take you to the book's page. Pre-orders are a very good thing for an author, just FYI.

Powell's Bookstore

Barnes and Noble

Amazon

Your favorite independent bookstore

And, a bit of good news: I just received the first review, from Kirkus, and it's a good one. It'll be available on-line two weeks before the publication date, but I'll share this line I especially like: "Ultimately, Lily's choice to celebrate her unique abilities and interests affirms readers' rights to do the same."

I can't wait for my cupcake loving readers to discover this story! A big, huge thank you to all of you who have been so supportive of this series that I've had so much fun writing!!

Nice reviews of FALLING FOR YOU

Waiting for professional reviews to come in is a bit nerve-wracking, to say the least.

Today I thought I'd share some of the nice things reviewers have said about my latest YA novel, Falling For You.

VOYA (Voice of Youth Advocates, a publication for librarians) says, "Schroeder has done a wonderful job creating teenage characters from a variety of backgrounds and using those backgrounds to influence their actions. This novel is ripe for use in a classroom or book club; discussion points include: healthy relationships, poetry as expression, relationship boundaries, and more. Readers looking for a realistic teen read saturated in emotion will love Falling For You."

Ripe for use in a classroom? That makes me as happy as this cute little guy!

School Library Journal says, "Rae is a well-drawn, strong-willed heroine, and her blossoming relationship with a homeschooled neighbor adds a sweetness and depth to the story."

Awesome! Sweetness, like a cupcake, right?

Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books says, "As things get worse and worse for her, she [Rae] seeks ways to help herself and others that are faithful to her character; she's no Pollyanna, but she is determined that the messes that surround her on all sides won't define her, and she manages to convince herself and others that being honest about one's pain can bring compassion. It's a heartening message for readers in difficult situations, and the poems scattered throughout the text enhance the cathartic note of hope in hard times." 

I love that she mentioned the hope that I believe is prevalent throughout in what is sometimes a pretty sad story. Hope like a rainbow in the sky...

Thanks for letting me share! 

I love this review from VOYA

VOYA is "Voice of Youth Advocates" and is the leading library journal dedicated to the needs of young adult librarians.

This review of FALLING FOR YOU is in the December issue of VOYA:

"Rae lives life around the edges; avoiding the spotlight, hiding the extents of her financial situation and family drama from her friends and teachers. She dreams, though--dreams of being able to move out, of being happy, of being loved unconditionally. When a new guy, Nathan, arrives at school and notices RAe, some of those dreams seem to be within reach, but elation quickly turns to fear as Rae realizes that Nathan has a dark side. Tragedy lands Rae in the ICU floating between life and death, and in that place, she must find the courage to fight for the life she deserves.
     Obsession, neglect, abuse, friendship and love abound in Schroeder's new novel. Each chapter starts with a poem from Rae's poetry journal and the structure of the book leads readers through six months leading up to the hospital. The poetry aspect of this novel gives readers a chance to peek into the depths of Rae's soul and adds dimension to her character. Schroeder has done a wonderful job creating teenage characters from a variety of backgrounds and using those backstories to influence their actions. This novel is ripe for use in a classroom or book club; discussion points include: healthy relationships, poetry as expression, relationship boundaries, and more. Readers looking for a realistic teen read saturated in emotion with love Falling For You." ~ Rebecca Denham

A note about Advanced Review Copies

Some reviewers have early copies (called Advanced Review Copies or ARCs) of FALLING FOR YOU (releasing 1/1/13) which is very exciting! A big thank you to those who read it with the intent of talking about it in the coming days or weeks.

If you'd like to try and win a copy, my publisher is giving away five of these early copies over on goodreads. You only have until December 10th to enter, so hurry!

I know, like every book, some will love this one, some will like this one, and some may not like it so much. And that's okay - whatever you end up thinking of the book, please know I'm thankful you took the time to read it.

I do want to mention one thing though. An ARC is NOT the final book. And it's not just typos that are an issue in ARCs, it's actual changes to the story. I made some content changes during the first and second-pass pages and those changes are NOT in the ARC.

If something didn't sit right with you, or you wanted more of an explanation about something, or... whatever, keep in mind you *might* get that in the final book.

Just something I wanted to mention, and something for reviewers to remember about ARCs. In order to get them out early enough for the professional reviewers, it's just not possible to get all changes in before they're printed up. It's not ideal, but it would be much worse, I think, to not have any early copies at all.

In the coming days, I have lots of fun things to share! In a couple of weeks, I have a fun countdown planned counting down the days for the release of FALLING FOR YOU. I have the book trailer I will share with you sometime in the next month. And there is a HUGE blog tour happening in January, that Gabrielle over at Mod Podge Bookshelf has coordinated for me.

It's going to be an exciting month!!

Thanks and Happy December! ho ho ho

THE DAY BEFORE is out in paperback!!

I tried to think of what I could do today to announce the paperback release of THE DAY BEFORE, besides telling you that it's summertime and this is the PERFECT SUMMER READ!!

That would be a very short blog post, however. So, here's what I've decided to do. There have been so many amazing reviews of this book over the past year, and I have collected a few of my favorite lines from some of them, (along with a link to the full review, of course) and hope that maybe if you've been on the fence about picking up this book, some of these lines might change your mind. I'm also going to write a reply to each of the lines I've chosen, to make it a bit more... fun! Okay, here we go:

"I'm always surprised by how Schroeder continues to dazzle me with heartfelt story after story." ~Tina at Fantastic Book Review (Read the full review HERE)

My response: Man, how much do I love the word dazzle? It is like one of my FAVORITE words. Say it three times fast: dazzle, dazzle, dazzle. Isn't it just so fun? Doesn't it make you want to get up and dance? No? Okay, well, personally, I love it. Thanks, Tina, for using that word in your review. 

"From an emotional perspective, I fell in love with Cade and Amber at the beach. I felt electrified along with the jellyfish, I mourned the loss of the damp sand, I wished for the smell of the ocean and the wind on my face and I cried when Cade wrapped himself up in the feel of the sea and distanced himself from Amber's worry." ~The Book Memoirs (Read the full review HERE)

My response: There is nothing more an author wants than for a reader to fall in love with the characters she writes about. The fact that the setting affected you so much is an added bonus. I want you to know, Amber and Cade love you too. Really! I talked to them yesterday, and they said to pass that along to you.

"I refuse to give any spoilers away to this story, because part of the magic of this book is the discovery of what tomorrow will bring for both characters. But I will say that what Amber faces is worth the stress she's feeling and it is something that has refused to leave my mind in the two months since I read this book." ~Ashley, Books from Bleh to Basically Amazing (Read the full review HERE)

My response: Ashley, you have been such a huge supporter of this book, I can't even tell you how huge. I'm pretty sure half the copies I've sold up to this point have been because of you. I've said it before, but please know how much I appreciate you sharing the love you have for this book with others.

"I absolutely loved this book. It's such a compelling and beautiful story, and it ended up being completely different than what I was expecting. This is not a book about a great love story, or even a tragic one. It is about two people that find something unexpected in each other and give each other the courage to face whatever happens tomorrow." ~Rachel's Reading Timbits (Read the full review HERE) 

My response: Rachel, I really like how you nail what's at the heart and soul of this novel. I also think it's kind of amazing that you have a day job where you buy books for a Canadian wholesaler, because that means you read a LOT of books. I'm honored you used the precious "L" word in your blog post about my book.

"What does make me run for the hills, pull the covers over my head, and scream one of those high pitched 'girlie' screams though? Books written in verse. They terrify me! But all that was before I met Lisa Schroeder. I highly recommend this wonder of a story of how one day and one meeting can change everything." ~Laura at GalleySmith (Read the full review HERE)

My response: I wish verse novels didn't scare people, but they do. If you are someone, reading this post right now who has been scared to try one, well, here is living, breathing proof that you can read a verse novel and live to tell about it! Who knew, right? I'm glad I could help ease your fears, Laura!


And if you need one more reason to pick up the paperback of THE DAY BEFORE, then I have it! At the back of the book you'll find the FIRST TEN PAGES of my next YA novel, FALLING FOR YOU, to be released January, 2013.

You can order the book from any of these retailers:

Amazon
Barnes and Noble
Powell's
BooksAMillion
The Book Depository (free shipping worldwide)
Find an independent bookstore near you

I wish you all a happy summer full of good books and great memories!

Authors and Reviews

True story:

My very first full-time job after college was working for this woman who yelled a lot. She would be in her office, sitting at her desk, and instead of coming to get me, she would yell.

"Lisa, what is wrong with this? Please come in here, I don't understand it."

"Lisa, did you do that PAF I asked you to do? I can't find it."

"Lisa, where is that posting listed? Is it in the spot it's supposed to be in?"

And so it would go.

And the way she asked the questions made me feel like I was on the defensive *all* the time.

In case you've never worked for someone like that, let me tell you, it isn't very fun.

Now, some people probably have no problem with this style. They simply accept that's how she is, and it doesn't bother them.

Remember, this was my first "real" job. I was a 22-year-old college graduate, and I hadn't been around long enough to not take it personally.

It felt personal.

The more time that went by, the more it got to me. I didn't like being yelled at all the time. Even when I walked into her office, she'd fire questions at me. "Did you... " Why did you..." "How come..." And her voice was harsh as she asked. I constantly felt like a child who had done something wrong and needed to figure out how to get myself out of trouble.

I finally called the Employee Assistance Program and made an appointment with a counselor to try and get some help with how to deal with it. You can guess what happened. "You have to tell her how you feel."

Are you kidding me?

"You have to tell her how you feel. There's no way anything will change unless you two talk it out."

I'm pretty sure it was one of the scariest moments of my life, walking into that lady's office, asking if I could talk to her for a few minutes, shutting the door, and telling her how her yelling made me feel.

Do you know what she told me? She had no idea she'd been doing that. She had no idea I felt like she didn't like my work all the time. She had no idea she made me feel that way.

I can't say things got better, really. I think maybe she tried, for a little while, but she was the way she was and I was the way I was - more sensitive than most, probably

And so it is with authors. Some authors are more sensitive than others. Some authors are able to let things roll off their backs while others take it all in and it becomes a part of them. And so, here is where problems can happen between reviewers and authors.

I think everyone can agree - reviews are not for authors. But I don't know that it's realistic to simply tell authors, stay away from reviews, because everyone is different. Some really want to read them and to learn from them.

What's important, I think, is for you to know yourself. And then, come up with a policy that is going to make sense for you. In developing that policy, you need to ask yourself questions. Are you sensitive? Is it going to do more harm than good for you to read reviews? What are you looking for when you go looking for reviews? Be HONEST with yourself.

I think many of us, deep down, whether we want to admit it or not, are sensitive creatures who long for love and approval. Maybe we didn't get enough of it growing up. Maybe we didn't get it when we were 22 years old and worked our first job. Maybe we don't get it now from our life partners the way we wish we would.

But whatever it is that we're missing? Here's what we need to understand - we're not going to find it in reviews. All the wonderful, glowing praise about a book I wrote will feel good for a minute. Maybe even five minutes. But it eventually goes away. Because that's not really what I'm looking for. Is it? No. It's not.

And responding to reviews, getting worked up about them, trying to change them? None of that is going to help. It really isn't. Those reviewers aren't like a boss, who I have to work with day in and day out. Those reviewers have nothing to do with me and my life. And no matter how upset I get in regards to a review, it is NOT appropriate to talk it out the way I tried to talk things out with that boss.

I think sometimes we get confused and think, well, if this were someone I had to work with, I'd say something. So maybe I should say something. Do we not remember what we've already agreed on? Okay, so we forget from time to time. But let's all try to remember - reviews are not for authors.

I worked that job for a year and a half, and I finally had enough and decided it was time to move on. That lady and I were not a very good match. I needed different things from a boss than she could give me.

It's not always easy figuring out what we need. What's missing. Or if we do figure it out, how to get it. I have a hole in my life right now because of some things outside of my control. I'm trying to figure out how to fill that hole. How to find the joy I'm longing for in that particular area of my life.

But I want to assure you, readers and reviewers - I know you are not the answer. I appreciate you reading my books, I appreciate your kind notes to me, and I appreciate that because of you, I'm still doing a job that fulfills me in a way other things don't.

Appreciation is one thing. Expecting you to satisfy my soul and to fill me up with peace and love is quite another. And I promise I'm not going to put that on you.

What Kirkus has to say about SPRINKLES AND SECRETS

"Twelve-year-old Sophie faces a difficult dilemma; deciding between loyalty to her best friend and seizing the opportunity of a life time.

An aspiring actress, Sophie's upcoming audition for a commercial may be the big break she has been waiting for. When she discovers the commercial is for the rival of her best friend's faltering family business, Sophie experiences a crisis of conscience. In this sequel to It's Raining Cupcakes (2010), Schroeder delves into the complexity of middle-school friendships. Sophie struggles with a confusing kaleidoscope of feelings, including her jealousy over Isabel's chance to compete in a bake-off and her elation/guilt over the audition. Sophie and Isabel's friendship is jeopardized when Sophie's impulsive decision to lie is revealed. With the help of her new friend Dennis, Sophie may be able to achieve her dreams and salvage her friendship with Isabel. While there are the many references to A Bridge to Terabithia in a potentially intriguing subplot, its story line is not fully developed, and the connection may be too ambiguous for readers unfamiliar with the classic tale.

Schroeder skillfully evokes the turbulence of pre-adolescence as she explores the delicate balance of being a true friend while remaining true to yourself. (Fiction. 8-12)"

Only about 40 more days until its release - I'm so excited for fans of the first book to read this one!!

My first Booklist review

When the e-mail from my editor landed in my inbox yesterday, I couldn't open it for a minute. Even though I'd heard Booklist doesn't give bad reviews, they only review books they like, I was scared.

Maybe I'm alone in this, but my writerly confidence goes up and down like a roller coaster. Some days it's fine and I feel okay, and some days, not so much. I've been in a lower place these past couple of weeks for some reason. Mostly I try really hard to just keep my head down, ignore it, and put that anxious energy into my work. After all, this is my job now. I need to write whether I am feeling good about my writing and my career or not. Yes, easier said than done some days.

Anyway, I eventually opened the e-mail. And it made me smile. Booklist has never reviewed me before, so it was especially sweet for that reason. Here it is:

Issue: June 1, 2011
The Day Before

Schroeder is the author of several teen books, including I HEART YOU, YOU HAUNT ME (2009), an ALA Quick Pick for Reluctant Young Readers. Reluctant or not, readers will find plenty of appeal factors in this outing. The basic frame is a sort of noir Ferris Bueller's Day Off, in which two teens decide to spend a perfect day together before their respective fates claim them." (Spoilers omitted) "Cade, meanwhile, is handsome and brooding -- and his particular crisis delivers a punch at the novel's end. Schroeder has Amber narrate through free verse, the kind of jottings that might appeal to teens used to texting. This device gives Amber's revelations an immediacy and economy that add up to a surprising amount of tension. Fans of Lisa McMann's Wake series should gobble this up." -- Connie Fletcher

FAR FROM YOU news!

Good News Piece #1 -

Last week I did a list of Wondering Wednesday questions. One of the things I was wondering about was whether FAR FROM YOU would ever be reviewed by "School Library Journal." I don't have to wonder anymore! It has been reviewed, along with a bunch of other on-line friends, so hooray! Here's the link if you want to check the April reviews out! Here's a snippet of the review for my book:

Gr 8 Up—"Schroeder weaves Alice in Wonderland (both Alice's namesake and her mother's favorite book) references throughout the book to echo the topsy-turvy nature of her protagonist's life. It is this roller coaster of emotions to which many teen readers will relate. A quick, yet satisfying, novel in verse."—Jill Heritage Maza, Greenwich High School, CT

Good News Piece #2 -

A wonderful librarian made a book trailer for the book. Isn't that amazing? You can see the trailer here.

Good News Piece #3 -

Another wonderful librarian is giving away FOUR copies of FAR FROM YOU, thanks to my generous publisher. So far, she only has four entries, so your chances are pretty good if you want to enter to win.

Good News Piece #4 -

This week I've been contacted by a middle school teacher and a media specialist, saying very nice things about me and my books. One of them asked about doing a Skype visit with me! I've been dragging my feet in trying to figure Skype out, but I guess it's time. Kate, I may take you up on that offer to test it out with you and some of your students!

Good New Piece #5 -

My editor sent me this beautiful multi-page, colorful brochure S&S is putting out promoting poetry. In the section on verse novels, my books and I are in there along with Sonya Sones and Ellen Hopkins. Me! With them!! I can't believe it.

Good News Piece #6 -

I am sending bookmarks to the teacher and media specialist to hand out. They were THRILLED when I offered them. I still have tons of I HEART YOU bookmarks that need a home, so if you are a middle school or high school teacher or librarian or know of any, please contact me and I'll be happy to send you a bunch of bookmarks for your kids!