Haven’t posted in ages, so hey girl hey, I’m here to tell you about my MG horror, Penny Zoo. Editors, if you’re looking for a clown with a hard glint in his eye who slings pennies at preteens, sending them to a zoo of nightmares with no way out, then Penny Zoo is right up your alley! These are the general vibes:
This post is overdue, as I was offered rep right before Thanksgiving, but I’m still celebrating nearly two months later! I signed with a clever champion for my YA fantasy, Mabel the Ordinary, a Portland mystery with strong mental health aspects that I’ve been fine-tuning over the past couple of years (among other projects). Mabel is the book I was preparing to write in my last post. I’ve loved creating this world full of magic, witchy shops, fierce besties, mysterious boys with purple eyes, and a main character with anxiety.
After making it official with a contract, Gina and I dove into fine-tuning Mabel to make my book sparkle for publishing houses. Next up is going “on sub” to editors, a step that’s both nail-biting and thrilling.
Whatever happens from here on out, Mabel was written from the depths of my heart to those who want to be the main character – who try so hard to be “normal” – but are bogged down by the slam-slam of their heart and the pinching of their lungs. I’m proud of this gritty book. I’m proud of myself.
~Chelsea
It’s a wrap, loves! Check out my final novellas, Spelled Blood (Wendy and Boris’s story) and The Inevitable Sun (Hannah and Faine’s story), on Amazon. The Response Trilogy was officially complete as of last January.
Feeling sentimental. I began this endeavor in February of 2010, making it a nearly ten-year project that produced three novels, a best-selling novelette sprinkled with Easter egg words submitted by fans, and two novellas. Birthing and homeschooling my two rugrats taught me to make the most of my staggered blocks of time. My early books, little time capsules that they are, showcase an evolving understanding of what stories need. My later books reflect what I’ve learned and applied. Every work has my passion behind its words. Hours, days, and months of writing and rewriting scenes. Smoothing plots from my comfy green chair. Axe-ing my darlings (sob) and typing the strangest research questions into my search bar.
My gargoyle, his fairy, and the witches and vampires that colored their world will always hold a warm and squishy spot in my author heart. Fight gained me an audience. It gained me a place on library shelves and on Amazon. Perhaps most important of all, it gave me invaluable experience.
My latest project is still in the YA fantasy realm with a relatable mental health aspect that we don’t talk about, we don’t talk about, we feed the stigma unwittingly, and that needs to stop. My main girl can be snarky with her baggage, which translates to this book being an incredibly fun write.
I hope you, Dear Reader, will stick with me on this journey of authorhood.
I’m here for the long haul.
<3 Chelsea
This weekend I got slammed with a cold, putting my head in a fog. I stared at the blinking cursor on my laptop screen long enough to know that I wouldn’t get any quality writing in, and then realized, HEY! I haven’t posted on my website in ages!
So here is the update. I finally carved out substantial time to really get into the meat of Fade. As of last Sunday, I’ve finished 21 chapters. Its outline has expanded to include 33 chapters (+ the epilogue, of course); we still have a ways to go. These chapters I’ve written are “rough.” They mainly include the nitty gritty – what moves the scene along, important events, character development … the “meat.” Once I complete my first pass at the entire novel, I’ll then approach it with 3 additional edits, each of which has an important purpose. Think of these edits as the potatoes, the vegetables, and the glass of milk. After that, Fade will fall into the hands of my indispensable betas and my editor before returning to me for one final edit: the dessert.
Can you tell I’m hungry?
As you can see, it’s a process. The rough draft is chugging along at 64% complete. Large novels are a marathon. I have no estimate for when Fade will be published. It is simply too early. I’m really happy I can finally say with confidence that I am working fairly regularly on it – a tough feat with demanding family life, especially with homeschooling my eldest. Fade is a project that greatly excites me. I cannot believe I am working on the final installment in the Response trilogy. I think (and hope!) you special fans of mine will love it.
Yours truly,
Chelsea Scott
Hello, my pretties! I’m slowly coming off of maternity leave. Today I dipped back into the office to continue work on the third installment of my trilogy, Fade, and goshdarnit, you deserve a preview of its preface. If you haven’t yet read Fight & Flight, stop here or risk spoilers. Enjoy!
Fade Working Preface:
These days, great in grime and lacking in structure, are the most significant of them all. For in the days that my heart beats full and proper, there I am. And then I’m not. The ever-present ticking of the clock reminds me that my time isn’t my own; I’m living on borrowed moments. The rise and fall of my chest, the blink of my eyes as I absorb Conley’s words … these events are marked with an expiration date. My life is guaranteed to end whenever Garrett’s does.
It’s just a matter of when.
Stay tuned for more updates!
~Chelsea
It appears that a post or two over the last couple of months might have been eaten due to technical difficulties. Womp womp! A little refresher — Flight was released March 18th! Here is the serene cover in all its glory:
March has been quite busy for me in more ways than one. On the 11th, I gave birth to my son. I actually edited the final files for Flight while in active labor. Nothing like a deadline breathing down your neck to get you working! I’ll be taking a break as we adjust to our newest family member, but don’t worry — I won’t be away from the laptop for long. Fade, the final installment of the Response Trilogy, is fully outlined/partially rough-written. I’m excited to get to work wrapping up all characters and storylines. 🙂
If you need me in the meantime, please visit the contact section of my site or email me at [email protected]. I’m always nearby.
Your Resident Author,
Chelsea <3
P.S. Fight is free on Amazon until April 13th. If you have yet to read it, now’s the time!
Any day now I suspect I’ll have the cover preview for Flight in my hot little hands. While I don’t yet, I can assure you it looks fabulous! My graphic designer also formats my novels. She’s great; Lori Follett of Wicked Book Covers if you’re looking. Flight‘s formatting completion estimate is right around the corner.
Then the book moves along on its publication journey to my husband and mother-in-law for them to scour in search of elusive eleventh hour errors, and after that, the general public. We’re pretty much THERE. We’ve reached step 1003 in a 1005-step process.
So basically I want to take this time to breathe a sigh of relief, swallow my nerves, and eagerly await what’s to come. It’s done, y’all. I’ve found my calling and it feels increasingly more amazing each and every day.
Your resident author,
Chelsea
What’s an anniversary party without a new set of duds? Fight has been all dressed up to commemorate 1 year of sales. To further celebrate, my debut novel will be 99 cents on Amazon until Friday!
~Chelsea
It feels so very wrong to title a post ‘Winter Magic’ in this, my most precious month of Halloween activity-filled months, but guys — Flight will be released this winter! Been editing diligently over here and only have 30 more pages to go before proofreading and publication. We’re looking at a February/March time frame. Time to do a happy dance!
I’ll do it to spooky music. That’ll give me peace with the title. 😉