Maryrose's Blog, All Year 'Round (now illustrated)

"Liebe ist unheilbar," indeed: check out the German POISON DIARIES cover.

I admit: there are times I lose patience with the whirling vortex of time-suck that is the Internet.

Yet there are many other times—like when I urgently need to look up, say, what sort of plants might grow on a windswept hilltop moor in northern England—that I say, way to go, Internet! Gosh, you know everything. With pictures, too.

And then there are the times when I just squee at the magic of it all, because if not for a bit of idle poking around on the Internet, I might never have gotten an early look at this: the German cover of The Poison Diaries.

That's Die Poison Diaries to you, pal.

p.s. — In case you're wondering, Liebe ist unheilbar means "Love is incurable."

How do I know? My Google translator, of course!

Incorrigibles Book II, The Hidden Gallery, revealed at last! Read on for tantalizing tidbits.

How I heart Jon Klassen, that Incorrigible illustrator! I am delighted to share with you the cover for the second book in the ongoing adventures of the three Incorrigible children and their plucky young governess, Miss Penelope Lumley: The Hidden Gallery.

As you might surmise from the picture, in The HIdden Gallery our brave heroes decamp to London. They have no choice, really, for in the wake of the disastrous holiday ball at Ashton Place (which was blood-curdlingly described in Book I, The Mysterious Howling), the repairs to the house are so extensive that everyone must move out temporarily—including Lady Constance and Lord Fredrick. 

And to London, of all places! Penelope is tremendously excited, as you might well imagine:

...Penelope had never been to London. However, she had read a great deal about it: a noisy, odorous, fogbound city where gaslight made the nighttime bright as day, yet the air was so thick with coal soot that the daytime was dim as dusk, and where poor orphans were likely to have terrifying encounters with escaped convicts, but were just as likely to inherit large fortunes willed to them by long-lost relatives they never knew they had. Surely such a paradoxical place would be well worth a visit.

Believe me, it is. Within these pages the children hear an alarming prophecy from a semi-toothless soothsayer, and Penelope makes the acquaintance of perfectly nice young man. Cultural excursions to palaces, museums and the theater do not go off precisely as planned. Penelope's guidebook to London (a gift from Miss Charlotte Mortimer, whom we will meet) proves to be full of surprises. There is an adventure on a velocipede, a crushing series of disappointments involving the London General Post Office, a poem by Mr. Robert Burns, and a dessert so indescribably delicious that it literally cannot be described.

Luckily for all of you, many of these episodes are depicted within the book in pictures by Mr. Klassen that are evocative, charming and hilarious by turn.

The Hidden Gallery will be in stores Feb 22, 2011. Click here to preorder from the bookseller of your choice.

And stay tuned for news of The Incorrigible Author Tour, Redux. Dates and details to come, but Los Angeles, San Franciso, Atlanta, Dallas, and Phoenix, you'd better start practicing your howling now.

Ahwoooooooo!

 

 

 

 

The Poison Diaries pub day news, contest news, sequel news! Free books and prizes, enter now.

Break out the absinthe! It's North American pub day for The Poison Diaries.

“Lyrical and lovely, a fast-paced literary gem.”— Ally Carter, New York Times bestselling author of Heist Society

“This intriguing fantasy has many tendrils to wrap around teen hearts...the haunting ending will leave readers wanting to talk about  themes of cruelty, honesty, and loyalty.” — ALA Booklist

“Wood fashions a narrative whose conventions of gothic romance intertwine with, then utterly succumb to, the brutal forces of human obsession....Absorbing.” — Kirkus

CONTEST NEWS: There are two blog contests currently going on; either one might win you a copy of The Poison Diaries.

For a chance to win a signed hardcover copy, leave a comment on my interview at Oasis for YA by midnight, July 23rd (that's Friday).

Leave a comment on my interview at Linda Gerber's blog to win an ARC. You have until midnight Wednesday, July 21st for that one.

And don't forget about the Inkpop contest, which offers some amazing prizes. All you have to do to enter is vote on your favorite stories. We're down to the top ten! Voting ends July 22nd, so please vote now.

SEQUEL NEWS: Last but not least: many of you are already asking about a sequel. The answer is yes! The Poison Diaries is the first book of a trilogy. Book II will be out next summer, and I will tell you the title as soon as I know what it is.

Now go enter those contests, quick!

A fourth starahwoooo for the Incorrigible children in School Library Journal, May 1 issue!

I am so happy to share with you this lovely and thoughtful starred review from the May 1 issue of School Library Journal. Here's an excerpt:

"Jane Eyre meets Lemony Snicket in this smart, surprising satire of a 19th-century English governess story....Humorous antics and a climactic cliff-hanger ending will keep children turning pages and clamoring for the next volume, while more sophisticated readers will take away much more...." —School Library Journal (starred review)

The whole review is here; it's the last one in the fiction section.

Add this to the starry praise from Kirkus, Booklist and PW (blurbage below), and I think Agatha Swanburne must be smiling, wherever she is! I know I am.

“It’s the best beginning since the bad beginning [by Lemony Snicket] and will leave readers howling for the next episode.” —Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

“How hearty and delicious . . . Smartly written with a middle-grade audience in mind, this is both fun and funny and sprinkled with dollops of wisdom (thank you, Agatha Swanburne). How will it all turn out? Appetites whetted.” —ALA Booklist (starred review)

“With a Snicketesque affect, Wood’s narrative propels the drama . . . pervasive humor and unanswered questions should have readers begging for more.” —Publishers Weekly (starred review)

Isn't that wonderful? I'm so grateful and pleased. But, as Agatha Swanburne once said, "Studying astronomy is all very well, but sequels do not write themselves." It's back to work for this Incorrigible author...

xoxo
m

Three stars and a five city tour for the Incorrigibles! Ahwoooooooooo!

Happy new year, people!

It's time to begin the publication day countdown for THE INCORRIGIBLE CHILDREN OF ASHTON PLACE, Book I: The Mysterious Howling. In stores Feb 23rd. I could not be more excited, and here are a few reasons why:

*Publishers Weekly starred review! "With a Snicketesque affect, Wood's narrative propels the drama…the pervasive humor and unanswered questions should have readers begging for more.”—Publishers Weekly (starred review)

*ALA Booklist starred review! "How hearty and delicious...Smartly written with a middle-grade audience in mind, this is both fun and sprinkled with dollops of wisdom (thank you, Agatha Swanburne). How will it all turn out? Appetites whetted." —ALA Booklist (starred review)

*Kirkus starred review! "It's the best beginning since The Bad Beginning (1999) [by Lemony Snicket] and will leave readers howling for the next episode." —Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

Five city tour! I will be coming to see YOU in Chicago, Dayton, Austin, Houston and Cincinnati in the beginning of March. Details will be posted here and on BookTour.com as soon as I have 'em.

Can I hear a happy ahwooooooooooo? Well done, wolfchildren!

A grateful shout-out to Becky Anderson and her wonderful staff at Anderson's Bookshop in Naperville. My first Incorrigibles event with kids, parents, teachers and librarians was so much fun it didn't even matter that we were kind of stuck in a blizzard. Thanks and hugs to all who attended.

My new YA trilogy is announced! A real-life Duchess, an ancient castle...and a touch of poison......

Time to let a very exciting cat out of the bag — I’ve begun work on a new YA trilogy called The Poison Diaries. It will be published by Balzer & Bray (IMHO the coolest of all the many cool imprints at HarperCollins), and the first book will be released next summer.

Here’s the rather unbelievably awesome part: these books are based on a concept by the Duchess of Northumberland, and are inspired by the real-life Poison Garden on the grounds of Alnwick Castle, in northern England.

Duchess. Castle. Poisonous plants. Are you following how awesome this is?

Two months ago, while researching the first book, I had the opportunity to visit the exceedingly lovely Duchess (and her gracious husband, whom you may call, natch, the Duke). I roamed around the Poison Garden (look but don’t touch!), and was treated to a dungeon-to-parapet tour of Alnwick Castle. Here’s what we’re talking about:

 

If the castle looks at all familiar, that’s because Alnwick was used as Hogwarts in the first two Harry Potter films. Allow me to recap:

Duchess. Castle. Poisonous plants. HOGWARTS, PEOPLE!

I am very excited about these books, and I think you will be too. It’s so inspiring to be able to set a story in a place that is both totally astonishing and absolutely real. This project is also a chance for me to flex some of my favorite but lesser-known writing muscles: it’s creepy, gothic, and darkly—dare I say lethally—romantic.....

As they say, the difference between curing and killing is in the dose, so that’s all for now. You can find out more at theBookseller.com, or at the News Post Leader.

xoxo
m

The new book about Morgan is done! Check out the cover (and put it on your holiday wish list, too)

At long last! I know some of you guys found this cover image on the internet already (see, sometimes authors are the last to know about these things), but still, I am very, very pleased to officially announce: the third book about Morgan Rawlinson (and her hunk o'Irish hottie, Colin, of course) is done!

It will be on sale on December 1st (can anyone say HOLIDAY SHOPPING?).

And it is called (drumrolllllllllllll):

WHAT I WORE TO SAVE THE WORLD

Here's the little teaser that will appear on the back cover of the book, just to whet your appetites. Do you love the new cover? Tell me what you think!

xoxo
m

It’s not just the end of high school…

Senior year’s coming up fast and I still have no clue about college, or a career — the whole rest-of-my-life thing is basically a blank. Maybe it’s because I spent junior year obsessing about Colin, the hunky Irish guy I fell for last summer (that was right around the same time I discovered I’m a half-goddess from the days of Irish lore — trust me, you had to be there). I even saved Colin from a nasty faery enchantment, but he doesn’t know that. Colin doesn’t believe in faeries, not one magical bit.
 
…it’s the end of the world.

The truth is my grades stink and all my best extracurricular activities happened in the faery realm. But a visit to this wacko college counselor turns things around: soon I’m on an all-expense paid trip to England to take a very special campus tour. A mysterious message reunites me with Colin, but it turns out he’s caught up in the biggest faery-made disaster ever. We’re talking the end of reality, people, and I don’t mean reality TV. To save the world, I’m going to have to tell Colin the truth about my half-goddess mojo. But if he doesn’t believe in magic, how will he ever believe in me?

MY LIFE: THE MUSICAL, now in stores

To best friends and devoted theater fans Emily and Philip, Aurora is no ordinary Broadway musical. Their love for the hit show (whose reclusive author has never been named) is nothing short of an obsession. Thanks to a secret loan from Emily's Grandma Rose, seeing the Saturday matinee has become a weekly ritual that makes real life seem dull and drab by comparison.

But when the theatre chat rooms start buzzing with crazy rumors that Aurora may close, Emily and Philip find themselves grappling with some truly showstopping questions: Why does Emily's English teacher, Mr. Henderson, have such a strong aversion to Aurora? What, exactly, is the "one sure thing" in show business? How will they pay back the money they owe Grandma Rose? And why hasn't Philip asked Emily out on a real date?

As they go to hilarious lengths to indulge their passion for Aurora, Emily and Philip must face the fact that all shows close sooner or later. But first they'll put their friendship to the ultimate test, solve Broadway's biggest mystery — and spend one unforgettable night at the theater.

In My Life: The Musical, Maryrose Wood delivers a rollicking, warmhearted novel about Broadway, friendship, and the universal experience of being a fan.

Here's what reviewers have to say:

“Wood’s jangling, crescendo-building prose captures all the harmony of a hit Broadway number.” —Kirkus Reviews

“…a love letter to the theater… Any ‘drama club geek from the suburbs’ (as the author describes herself) will be completely unable to resist, and will be likely to settle in for multiple readings.” —Jen Robinson’s Book Page

“…a book for every kid who has ever fallen in love with theater, whether they want to be the star, the  stage manager, or the devoted fan.” — Reading Fool

“...This tale is about how change is inevitable, the innocence and passion of youth, and the ultimate triumph of good over not so good. The novel is filled with Broadway lore, having been written by a Broadway veteran from both sides of the stage. It’s also filled with engaging humor, some satire of Broadway cynicism, warm humor and generous gifts of self. In the end, it will capture your interest and probably your heart." — Kliatt* (asterisk denotes "exceptional material")

“[Wood’s] knowledge of and affection for the musical theater world and its starstruck fans is a generous, palpable driving force behind this swift-moving valentine to musical theater lovers.” — ALA Booklist (online)

On sale March 11, wherever you like to buy books. Please use the Booksense store locator to find your local independent bookstore! Use the links below to order online from:

Powells
Amazon
Barnes and Noble

xoxo
m

HOW I FOUND THE PERFECT DRESS

Now that she’s back home in her dullsville Connecticut life, Morgan finds it hard to remember what being a half-goddess even felt like. Her parents are squabbling, her sister Tammy is trying to figure out the truth about Santa, and love-of-her-life Colin has stopped answering her e-mails. Ireland seems so long ago and far away it’s almost like it never happened — until Colin announces that he’s coming to the States!

But his arrival is far from the romantic reunion Morgan was expecting. Poor Colin is under a strangely yawn-inducing enchantment that has him dancing with the faeries all night and staggering through the day in a sleep-deprived stupor.

Curing Colin of his enchantment while trying to evade the wrath of a ticked-off faery queen and get ready for the junior prom means Morgan has to keep her half-goddess wits about her at all times — even while shopping at the mall with her BFF!

All Morgan wants is to dance the night away in a perfect dress with the guy she loves, but before that can happen she'll have an adventure with a guy in a chicken suit, discover something shocking in the garage in the middle of the night, end up with not one, but two extremely unusual prom dresses, play the world's weirdest round of mini-golf, ruin a perfectly good hairdo and do a special favor for a very short and very magical new friend. And why are there no female leprechauns? Morgan is going to have to find out!

"I literally could not stop reading this book. It had me in its clutches from the moment I opened it and started reading the first page! I was thrilled to see the return of one of my favorite heroines...hilariously entertaining...a seriously fantastic book...." — Jocelyn Pearce, Teen Book Review

“How I Found the Perfect Dress is a nicely paced, fun, and magical read that tops its predecessor, Why I Let My Hair Grow Out. It's full of sarcastic, witty humor, more hysterical magical beings, and meddling faeries. What makes it memorable are the Fair Folk--they're just as described in those old tales, but rocking a 21st century style. There's a plot twist that's building up suspense around every corner, and Morgan handles it all with flair. Wood has created an absolutely wonderful, sparkling read.” — The Compulsive Reader

"It's not that often you find great books that have original plots and great dialogue, so when you find one you just have to get it and read. Enter: How I Found the Perfect Dress. A great read, not too complicated, plus this book is highly realistic. I can easily relate to the characters and have nothing but praise for Maryrose Wood for this excellent book. A must for summer reading, you will find yourself submersed into this book just like I was. Good luck stopping until you finish it. I know I couldn't." — Flamingnet, Top Choice Award (reviewer: age 13, Casa Grande, AZ)

xoxo
m

Order from:

Amazon

Barnes & Noble

or wherever you like to buy books.

 

WHY I LET MY HAIR GROW OUT

News!!! The sequel to WHY I LET MY HAIR GROW OUT will be in stores on May 6th, 2008. It's called HOW I FOUND THE PERFECT DRESS, and the cover illustration is just as cool as this one. More details to come soon!

******

WHY I LET MY HAIR GROW OUT tells the story of Morgan, a heartbroken Connecticut girl who chops off all her hair in a fit of angst after her boyfriend dumps her on the last day of school. Her frantic parents spring into rescue mode and send her on a "let's-help-Morgan-get- over-it" vacation.

Before you can say ow, my butt hurts, Morgan is biking her way across Ireland, where a most unusual accident sends her tumbling back through time to a magic, long-ago word full of faeries and enchantments. She even meets a hunky warrior-dude named Fergus who really knows how to treat a girl who's part goddess — guess who that turns out to be?

I had a great time writing WHY I LET MY HAIR GROW OUT. So great, in fact, that there will be a sequel. Are there any leprechauns in Connecticut, you ask? Believe me, Morgan is going to find out!

WHY I LET MY  HAIR GROW OUT was nominated for the ALA’s 2008 Popular Paperbacks list. Here's what some readers and reviewers have said about it:

"[This] is a rockin' book! It includes a dude who is madly in love with a toad and speaks romantic soliloquies to it that are very funny; a talking horse; several extremely hot guys; magical mysteries; a character called Mrs. Boob, and much more that makes me recommend it very extremely highly. – E. Lockhart, author of The Boyfriend List, The Boy Book, Fly On The Wall and the upcoming Dramarama

“This romantic and magical adventure had me cheering and laughing out loud. I can’t wait for the sequel!” – Sarah Mlynowski, author of Bras & Broomsticks, Frogs & French Kisses and Spells & Sleeping Bags

"...the perfect mix of real life, romance, and magic." - Wendy Mass, author of the award-winning A Mango-Shaped Space.

“I felt the need to snicker non-stop.”— teen reviewer for Fredericksburg.com

"...an engaging voice and attitude to spare." — BookLoons

"...a perfect book to read while you're waiting for your hair to grow out...I highly recommend it." TOP CHOICE AWARD — Flamingnet

"...a humorous romp that intertwines modern American teen-hood with the rich tradition of Irish mythology, in a refreshing and totally original way." — Mango-Firefly Book Blog

"Of other notable recent reads, I'd like to send a shout-out to Maryrose Wood, whose latest, Why I Let My Hair Grow Out, is a blast. I'd be very surprised if I didn't see this book decorating the totes and towels of many a teenage beachgoer this summer and beyond." — Dawn Emerman, Avenging Sybil blog

"Both the fantasy parts of the story and the real, modern-day parts of Morgan's life are amazing!...I absolutely loved the characters; all of them are very interesting and three-dimensional. This is a funny, smart book that readers are sure to love!" —Jocelyn Pearce, Teens Read Too - GOLD STAR Award and 2007 Hall of Fame selection

“…a fun-filled tale complete with humor, romance, fantasy, and rebellious teenage adventure. Readers are sure to be captivated by Morgan's honest, refreshing spirit”—Readingjunky Book Blog

To find an independent bookstore near you, use the Book Sense locator

Also available from

Powells

Barnes and Noble

Amazon

and wherever you like to buy books.

SEX KITTENS AND HORN DAWGS FALL IN LOVE

In Felicia's own words....

SEX KITTENS AND HORN DAWGS FALL IN LOVE is about me and my friends, our crazy school and our crazy beautiful city. It’s New York but not exactly like you’ve heard about it before. Our New York City is a real, truly-live place, a Big Apple at the turn of the 21st, but NYC the way we see it: realer than real, like the difference between Fujicolor film and a half-ripe Polaroid.

SEX KITTENS AND HORN DAWGS FALL IN LOVE is about me and Matthew (heartthrob!) Dwyer, and how, together, we figured out the meaning of X. (X is the thing that makes love work out. Most Kitten/Dawg situations lack X, seriously).

It's also about my amazing Kittenpals: Jess, whose main extracurricular activity is saving the world, Kat, the most awesome violinist ever, and Deej, who provides a boobalicious clue that leads to one of our most significant x-periments!

In the book, many astonishing and educational things happen to me. Some of these include:

I convince Matthew Dwyer to enter the science fair with me by using MY CRUSH ON HIM as the basis for our research!

I make a major life discovery as a result of changing my footwear.

I get kicked in the face by the boy who may secretly love me.

AND (insert drumroll and reverberverbeverberating gong, here)

I discover the Secret of Love.

Here’s a rousing, rollicking round-up (note use of alliteration!) of what reviewers have been saying about KITTENS:

“...irresistible...It’s the literary equivalent of singer Cyndi Lauper’s 1980s pop megahit ‘Girls Just Wanna Have Fun’....” — Cleveland Plain Dealer

“...an effervescent delight...Felicia’s voice is one of the most original and hilarious in years...”  — Common Sense Media

“An uproariously funny debut novel...giddy humor, intrigues, and captivating characters... strong, pitch-perfect narration will easily win readers...” — ALA Booklist

“...will provide hours of laughter and empathetic nods from readers...squeaky clean and lots of good fun...” — School Library Journal

“...boundless energy and witty—albeit hyperactive—musings are infectious...for younger teens who enjoy Meg Cabot’s (Princess Diaries) and Sue Limb’s (Girl, 15, Charming But Insane) books and are looking for pure entertainment.” — Kirkus Reviews

“...sweet and upbeat...Wood’s effervescent, often idiosyncratic style rather suggests P.G. Wodehouse as a Greenwich Village girl...will quickly snare admiring readers...” RECOMMENDED — The Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books

Now available in hardcover. SEX KITTENS AND HORN DAWGS FALL IN LOVE will be released in paperback in July '07.

To order from your local independent bookstore, use the Book Sense Locator

Also available at

Powells

Barnes and Noble

Amazon

or wherever you like to buy books.