Welcome to the world, new website. And welcome to the world, The Truth Commission!
I hope everyone enjoys both.
True confession time. A few years ago I thought I might be done with writing. I just felt like it wasn’t happening. Like I wasn’t happening. And I definitely didn’t think I’d write any more YA novels. Then, when I was tinkering away on another project, the characters and the story for The Truth Commission came to me. Like a gift.
When it was done my agent, Hilary McMahon, was excited. She took the book to my long-time Canadian editor, Lynne Missen, who was running Razorbill in Canada. Then it was sold to my new U.S. editor, Sharyn November at Viking. Those three people have reinvigorated me to an almost unbelievable extent. They made the book much better than it was and let me retain the little peculiarities and the oddnesses that are at the heart of all my books. I am beyond happy that it’s found a great home with cbj in Germany, where it is also publishing today.
It might be assumed that once a writer has published ten books, as I have as of this date, they know how to bring a book into the world. Alas, it’s not true. Most writers have to walk though the shadowland of uncertainty, weaving around large boulders of doubt and scaling cliffs of foreboding for every single book. None of us could do it without all the amazing people who edit, sell, design, promote, market and blog about our books. Thank you to Ken Wright, Nicole Winstanley, Vikki Vansickle, Liza Smith Morrison, Kim Ryan, Denise Cronin, Kate Renner, Janet Pascal, Abigail Powers, Susan Jeffers Cassel, Cara Petrus, Marisa R. Russell and Rachel Lodi and all the people I am forgetting or have not met.
We also couldn’t do it without our writer friends who encourage us when things are good and when they’re not so good (I’m talking about you, Susin Nielsen, Andrew Grey) and our test readers (Bill Juby, Stephanie Dubinsky). When a talented group of people get behind a book, it feels like getting picked up by a team of Navy Seals when you’re about to expire on the path.
So thank you to all the Navy Seals who have brought The Truth Commission to this place.
This is also my first book that includes illustrations. Those were done by former student and current superstar, Trevor Cooper. Trevor will be making an appearance on this blog soon. I can’t wait for everyone to see his images. He’s also a terrific writer and his work made the book much cooler.
As for the beautiful new site, a million thanks to designer, Crystal Stranaghan, logo-creator, Diane McIntosh, dog and author photographer, Dave Nunez-Delgado, motorcycle lender and fine neighbor, Mike Robinson, Jenny Gibb for lending me a leather jacket, and Rodeo for being a complete ham.
Okay. Enough, Juby. Go write the next book. Because that is my part of this job.
P.S. I’m thrilled to share a book birthday with Courtney Summers. All the Rage is out today too and Courtney has started a twitter campaign called #tothegirls that is trending worldwide. Not only is la Summers a phenomenal young writer, she’s a warrior for the girls. I respect that immensely.