Monday, December 12, 2016

Updates on My 2016, 2017, & 2019 Novels

I'm incredibly honored to announce that The Steep and Thorny Way was named a Kirkus Best Teen Book of 2016. Thank you so much to Kirkus for this much-appreciated recognition for the novel!

The Steep and Thorny Way was also honored in the Chicago Public Library's Best Teen Fiction of 2016, Barnes & Noble Teen Bloggers' Favorite Books of 2016, and Capitol Choices 2016 nominees. I couldn't be prouder.

Now that I've wrapped up all of my 2016 celebrations for the release of both The Steep and Thorny Way and Yesternight, I'll let you in on some behind-the-scenes news for my next two novels.

Odd & True, Coming Fall 2017

In case you haven't yet heard, I have a brand-new young adult novel in the works, Odd & True, and it's scheduled for publication in Fall 2017. I just wrapped up the line edits stage with my Amulet Books editor, Maggie Lehrman, and the novel is now in copyediting. I've seen an early sketch for the cover design, but I probably won't be able to reveal the cover or share the official synopsis until sometime in the first three to four months of 2017.

However, because I know that's a long time to wait, I'll share two of my favorite lines from the first chapter right now . . .  


Odd & True is an extremely personal novel for me, and yet it's also my most fantastical tale. I love it dearly and can't wait to share more about it in the new year.

The 2019 Novel

Yes, I also have a 2019 novel in the works! It's the second novel of my two-book YA deal for Odd & True, but it won't be a sequel. My editor recently approved my plans for another standalone historical novel, and I'm currently immersed in the research stage. I won't yet reveal the subject matter, but I will say it involves a real-life figure from the past. Once you hear who that person is, I think you'll agree it sounds like someone I'd write about.

I do have a yearning to write an Odd & True sequel, but I'm waiting for the ideas to further develop, plus I want to see how the first book does next year. I'll spread the word when options for preordering Odd & True become available.

You can add the novel to your Goodreads shelf here:



Happy holidays!

Warmest wishes,
Cat

Tuesday, October 25, 2016

My Final Two 2016 Appearances

I have two more 2016 appearances left, and then, aside from one library visit in January, I'm taking a long break from events to concentrate on writing deadlines and family until the release of Odd & True in Fall 2017. Here's where you can find me in November 2016:

Saturday, November 5, 2016
Portland, OR
Pop-up reading of THE STEEP AND THORNY WAY - 3:00-3:15 pm, Portland Art Museum.
Panel - Family Drama: Past/Present/Future YA - 4:30-5:30 pm, Oregon Historical Society.

Saturday, November 19, 2016
Hoffman Center for the Arts, Manzanita, OR
Workshop: Writing Scary - 1:00-3:30 pm. Registration required, $30.
Reading and signing for YESTERNIGHT - 7:00 pm. Admission, $7. 

I'm so grateful that I had the chance to appear at so many conferences, festivals, and other events in 2016. Thank you to my Abrams publicist, Caitlin Miller, and to all of the event coordinators who invited me to speak and helped to arrange for my travels!

If you're interested in booking me in 2017, please note that I'm taking my break from January through mid-June 2017. Not only will I be wrapping up my Odd & True edits and working on a new YA that's due next year, but my daughter is graduating from high school in 2017. I want to savor her last semester home before she takes off for college. I will be available for some summer events, and then I'll be back to diving into appearances in Fall 2017.

In other news, my latest release for adults, Yesternight, is currently being featured in the "Target Picks" section of Target stores!

Tuesday, October 4, 2016

YESTERNIGHT Release Day!

My second novel for adults, Yesternight, releases today, and I'll be celebrating with a reading and signing this evening at Powell's Books at Cedar Hills Crossing in Beaverton, Oregon.  The event starts at 7:00 pm. Cupcakes, of course, will be included.

I'm so excited that this book is finally heading out into the world. My team at HarperCollins, including my editor, Lucia Macro, has done such a wonderful job with the novel, and their enthusiasm for it makes me incredibly happy.

Here's more info, reviews, and ordering options for Yesternight:

Adult Fiction
Available today, October 4, 2016!
William Morrow/HarperCollins
Paperback, ISBN 9780062440860

In 1925, Alice Lind steps off a train in the rain-soaked coastal hamlet of Gordon Bay, Oregon. There, she expects to do nothing more difficult than administer IQ tests to a group of rural schoolchildren. A trained psychologist, Alice believes mysteries of the mind can be unlocked scientifically, but now her views are about to be challenged by one curious child.

Seven-year-old Janie O’Daire is a mathematical genius, which is surprising. But what is disturbing are the stories she tells: that her name was once Violet, she grew up in Kansas decades earlier, and she drowned at age nineteen. Alice delves into these stories, at first believing they’re no more than the product of the girl’s vast imagination. But, slowly, Alice comes to the realization that Janie might indeed be telling a strange truth.

Alice knows the investigation may endanger her already shaky professional reputation, and as a woman in a field dominated by men she has no room for mistakes. But she is unprepared for the ways it will illuminate terrifying mysteries within her own past, and in the process, irrevocably change her life.

Praise for YESTERNIGHT:

Winters follows The Uninvited (2015) with another gripping historical novel, this one an exploration of the effects of suppressed trauma and desire . . . Winters unveils the unspoken complexities of humankind in this well-written tale that is suspenseful in all the right places, and will keep readers guessing at every page.
Booklist

“Atmospheric and spooky with real gothic flair, the latest from Winters (The Uninvited) introduces a realistically flawed heroine stifled by the conventions of her time.”
Library Journal

“Readers be warned; this is not a simple mystery with a paranormal twist. Winters, a YA author, moves into adult fiction with ease, crafting a chilling tale that takes a few unusual, disturbing turns that suck readers into her web of suspense. Here is a story of possible reincarnation and madness that grips readers from the opening dreary, cold moment to the bitter end and leaves one feeling unsettled, yet satisfied . . .”
RT Book Reviews (4-star review)

“Cat Winters's tale of doubt, belief, and mystery drew me in from the first page. As the heroine journeys through 1920s America, unraveling layers of secrets and deceptions, including her own, this book weaves a chilling spell. Full of twists and dark surprises, Yesternight is a haunting, unforgettable read.”
—Simone St. James, award-winning author of
The Haunting of Maddy Clare and Lost Among the Living

ORDER


Also available in ebook and audiobook editions.


Thursday, September 8, 2016

Fall Appearances and the Latest News on My Upcoming Books

I'm back from a short break, during which I spent much-needed time with family after a year of back-to-back deadlines and months of traveling for events. Here's my latest news:

MY UPCOMING BOOKS:

Yesternight, my next novel for adults, debuts October 4 from HarperCollins. Readers can now preorder signed copies from Powell's Books.

Advance praise for Yesternight:

Winters follows The Uninvited (2015) with another gripping historical novel, this one an exploration of the effects of suppressed trauma and desire . . . Winters unveils the unspoken complexities of humankind in this well-written tale that is suspenseful in all the right places, and will keep readers guessing at every page.
Booklist

“Cat Winters's tale of doubt, belief, and mystery drew me in from the first page. As the heroine journeys through 1920s America, unraveling layers of secrets and deceptions, including her own, this book weaves a chilling spell. Full of twists and dark surprises, Yesternight is a haunting, unforgettable read.”
—Simone St. James, award-winning author of
The Haunting of Maddy Clare and Lost Among the Living

PREORDER


In August I turned in my fourth young adult novel, Odd & True, and in the coming weeks I'll be hard at work on revisions for the book based on notes from my editor at Abrams, Maggie Lehrman.

Odd & True is scheduled for publication in Fall 2017, and I can't wait to share more about it in the spring!


MY FALL 2016 APPEARANCES:

Here's where I'll be speaking and signing in the coming months . . .

Saturday, October 1, 2016
Pullman Plaza Hotel, Huntington, WV
I'll be speaking from 2:15-3:30 pm.

Saturday, October 15, 2016
Colorado Teen Book Con
Littleton High School, Littleton, CO
Panel - Scary, Creepy, & Weird . . . Oh My!

Tuesday, October 4, 2016, 7:00 PM
Powell's Books at Cedar Hills Crossing
3415 SW Cedar Hills Blvd., Beaverton, OR
Launch party for YESTERNIGHT.

Saturday, November 5, 2016
Oregon Historical Society, Portland, OR
Panel info TBA.

Saturday, November 19, 2016
Hoffman Center for the Arts, Manzanita, OR
Workshop: Writing Scary - 1:00-3:30 pm. Registration required.
Reading and signing for THE UNINVITED - 7:00 pm.  

Thursday, June 16, 2016

My Summer Schedule: Appearances, Book Updates, and a Social Media Break

Bathing beauties. Library of Congress.
Hello, dear readers. I hope you're doing well.

Here's my news for Summer 2016.

My newest YA novel, Odd & True, is due to my editor in August, and I'm hurriedly working to finish it so it can remain on schedule for its Fall 2017 release. In order to meet my deadline, I won't be posting any more updates on this site for a while.

Furthermore, I plan to take a social media break from July 11 to August 8. If you send me any messages during those weeks, I'll be hiding away in a writing cave and won't be able to respond. That's truly the only possible way I'll survive. 

In the coming weeks I'm also heading to both Florida and New York for literary events, most of them kindly arranged by my YA publisher, Abrams. Here are the finalized details about where and when I'll be appearing:

Sunday, June 26, 2016
Orange County Convention Center, Orlando, FL
9:00 am-10:00 am: YALSA's Coffee Klatch (ticketed event).
11:00 am-Noon: Book signing in ABRAMS Booth #1226.

Wednesday, July 6, 2016, 7:00 pm
McNally Jackson Books
52 Prince St., New York, NY
I'll be in conversation with my YA editor, author Maggie Lehrman. Q&A and signing to follow.

Saturday, July 9, 2016
Grand Hyatt, New York City, NY
Panel - Medieval, Renaissance, or WWII? Historical Thrillers (1:00 pm-1:50 pm).

Saturday, August 13, 2016
Sheraton Portland Airport Hotel, Portland, OR
Panel - How to Break Into (and Survive!) the World of Young Adult Fiction (3:30 pm-5:00 pm).

Many of my Fall 2016 signings are already listed on my Events page, including the launch party for Yesternight, my next novel for adults, which HarperCollins will release October 4, 2016.

There are a few other fall festival/conference appearances in the works, but I can't yet announce them. Please check back around September for the updated info.

I'm extremely grateful to be so busy as an author, but, unfortunately, the deadlines and traveling have forced me to decline my assistance to numerous people who have asked me to blurb their books or to help them out in some other way. I genuinely wish I could help everyone, but I'm also raising two kids in the middle of working on my books, and any spare moment that's left (which isn't much) must absolutely go to them.

Thank you for patience. Thank you for your enthusiasm for my work!

Warmest wishes,
Cat 

Friday, May 20, 2016

A Radio Interview, Typeset YESTERNIGHT Pages, and Upcoming Events

Here's a quick look at my latest news.

KBOO Interview:

KBOO 90.7 FM in Portland, OR, interviewed me in April as part of their "Between the Covers" program, and the podcast is now available online. Listen here.

Typeset Yesternight Pages:

I just received the typeset pages for Yesternight, my next novel for adults! William Morrow will be releasing the book on October 4, 2016. Yesternight is a psychological thriller about a school psychologist who, in 1925, investigates a seven-year-old girl who claims to have lived a past life as a woman who drowned in 1890.

Here's a little sneak peak of the interior pages:


PREORDER


May-August Events:

I've updated my Events page to include more details about upcoming appearances. Here's where I'll be from the end of May through August.

Sunday, May 22, 2016, 3:00 pm
102 East Jefferson Street, Spring Green, WI
Skype visit with the Spring Green Community Book Club, discussing THE STEEP AND THORNY WAY.

Tuesday, May 24, 2016
Manchester Township High School
Manchester Township, NJ
School visit.

Saturday, June 4, 2016, 11:00 am-2:00 pm
315 E. 2nd Street, The Dalles, OR
Author fair with 12 Oregon YA and middle-grade authors.

Saturday, June 25-Sunday, June 26, 2016
Orange County Convention Center, Orlando, FL
YALSA's YA Author Coffee Klatch (9:00 am-10:00 am); additional appearances TBA.

Wednesday, July 6, 2016, 7:00 pm
McNally Jackson Books
52 Prince St., New York, NY
My Abrams editor, Maggie Lehrman, will be joining me to discuss THE STEEP AND THORNY WAY.

Saturday, July 9, 2016
Grand Hyatt, New York City, NY
Panel - Medieval, Renaissance, or WWII? Historical Thrillers (1:00 pm-1:50 pm).

Saturday, August 13, 2016
Sheraton Portland Oregon Hotel, Portland, OR
Panel - How to Break Into (and Survive!) the World of Young Adult Fiction (3:30 pm-5:00 pm).

Thursday, April 21, 2016

Spring/Summer 2016 Appearances and Novels-In-Progress Updates

Me at Powell's Books, Beaverton, OR.
I've decided to share a few updates about my books and appearances before I disappear back into my mountain of deadlines. If I'm not working to meet a deadline, I'm either traveling for an event or making sure my kids are heading off to school in clean clothing and with packed lunches, so I apologize for any delays in responses to messages. I do greatly appreciate all letters and emails from readers.

Please also note that I'm closed to book blurbs through 2016.

Here's where I'll be appearing from May through August 2016:

Saturday, May 7, 2016
Oregon Writing Festival
Portland State University, Portland, OR
Keynote speaker; writing workshop.

Tuesday, May 24, 2016
Manchester Township High School
Manchester Township, NJ
School visit.

Saturday, June 4, 2016, 11:00 am-2:00 pm
Klindt's Booksellers Spring Author Festival
315 E. 2nd Street, The Dalles, OR
Author fair with 12 Oregon YA and middle-grade authors.

Saturday, June 25-Sunday, June 26, 2016
ALA 2016 Annual Conference and Exhibition
Orange County Convention Center, Orlando, FL
Appearance info TBA.

Saturday, July 9, 2016
ThrillerFest
Grand Hyatt, New York City, NY
Panel info TBA.

Saturday, August 13, 2016
Willamette Writers Conference
Sheraton Portland Oregon Hotel, Portland, OR
Panel - How to Break Into (and Survive!) the World of Young Adult Fiction (3:30 pm-5:00 pm). 

Here's the current status of my novels-in-progress:

Yesternight, my next adult novel, will release from HarperCollins on October 4, 2016. I'm about to go into copyedits for the book, and I've heard review copies should be available around June.

Odd & True, my next YA novel, is scheduled to release from Abrams in Fall 2017. I'm still writing the book, which is due to my editor in August of this year.

I also have an as-of-yet-untitled YA novel due to my editor in Summer 2017.

Meanwhile, The Steep and Thorny Way continues to be the book I'm actively promoting at events. Here are the latest reviews for the novel:

“With a twisting and revenge-driven plot, Winters creates a diverse cast of characters through which she explores the power of secrets and fear and the heartbreaking consequences of prejudice”
VOYA Magazine

“For To Kill A Mockingbird fans . . . This spellbinding mystery/ghost story is fast-paced, twisty, and unafraid to take on important issues in a way that's both thought-provoking and hopeful.”
Justine Magazine

“Haunting, beautifully written and immensely powerful, this is a story that resonates through time and history whilst delivering a clever and compelling thriller.”
The Lancashire Evening Post

ORDER ONLINE: 

 

Monday, March 28, 2016

April 2016 Events

I've been invited to speak at several different events between now and the end of 2016, which means I'll be traveling around the country quite a bit. Here's where you can find me in April:

Saturday, April 2, 2016,
Literary Orange
Irvine Marriott
18000 Von Karman Ave., Irvine, CA
Panel - Young Adult: Trending Teen Literature (1:50-2:30 pm).

Sunday, April 3, 2016, 1:00 pm
Barnes & Noble - Redlands
Citrus Plaza Shopping Center, Redlands, CA
Reading and signing for THE STEEP AND THORNY WAY.

Thursday, April 7, 2016, 6:30 pm
Salem Public Library, Loucks Auditorium
585 Liberty St SE, Salem, OR
Author talk for teens and signing.

Saturday, April 9, 2016
Los Angeles Times Festival of Books
University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA
Panel - Perspectives on the Past: Writing Young Adult History (1:30-2:30 pm).

Saturday, April 16, 2016, 10:00 am - 4:00 pm
Deschutes Public Library Teen Lit Fest
Bend High School, Bend, OR
Panels - Beyond Google: The Heart of Story Research (11:00 am-11:50 am); Slasher Girls and Monster Boys (1:00 pm-1:50 pm).

In addition to preparing for and embarking upon my speaking engagements, I'm busily wrapping up the final editing stages of my next adult novel, Yesternight, and hurrying to finish the first draft of my next YA novel, Odd & True. If you contact me via email or social media between now and the end of 2016, please definitely expect delays in my responses. Thank you for your patience!

Tuesday, March 8, 2016

THE STEEP AND THORNY WAY Publication Day!

The Steep and Thorny Way is here!

I'm so thrilled to announce that The Steep and Thorny Way is now available from Amulet Books in both hardcover and ebook formats.

I started writing this Hamlet-inspired 1920s tale of racism, murder, survival, and friendship in 2013. Work on The Uninvited forced me to put the book aside for almost a full year, but then I came back to the manuscript feeling more passionate than ever about finishing it. Thanks to my editor, Maggie Lehrman, and my agent, Barbara Poelle, for believing in my vision and allowing me to share this book with the world.

For a list of my upcoming speaking appearances, please visit my Events page.

Praise for 
THE STEEP AND THORNY WAY
A 2016 Junior Library Guild Selection

“A fast-paced read with multiple twists, the novel delivers a history lesson wrapped inside a murder mystery and ghost story.”
Kirkus, starred review

★ “A powerful, gripping, and exceptionally well-executed glimpse into a little-known corner of U.S. history.”
Booklist, starred review

★ “Unique and riveting historical fiction that feels anything but dated.”
School Library Journal, starred review

“Shakespeare’s Hamlet serves as the obvious framework for the plot, but the story soon shakes that off, evolving into its own unique and harrowing account of the ways in which people hurt each other out of ignorance and fear.”
The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books

“A rollercoaster ride of a novel.”
Bustle

“Cat Winters clearly and descriptively depicts a way of life in rural Oregon that most are not aware of . . . The historical accuracy provides a powerful sense of realism.”
ALAN Picks

“Winters is a genius at subverting expectations.”
Barnes & Noble Teen Blog

“Winters stands apart as a unique YA literature 
storyteller . . . The Steep and Thorny Way will provoke thought about how far we’ve come as a society and how far we have yet to go.”
BookPage

“Cat Winters proves herself the master of YA historical fiction in this richly woven, theatrical tale of haints, friendship, and a time period we don't dare forget.”
Megan Shepherd, author of The Madman's Daughter series

“Haunting, visceral, and atmospheric, Cat Winters's The Steep and Thorny Way is a fantastic read from one of the best in the genre.”
—Renée Ahdieh, author of The Wrath and the Dawn

A tale of secrets, murder, intolerance, friendship, and restless spirits, seen through the eyes of the vibrant, truth-seeking, pistol-slinging Hanalee. Marvelous.”
—April Genevieve Tucholke, author of Wink, Poppy, Midnight

ORDER ONLINE



Sunday, March 6, 2016

#BadassHistory Online Launch Party

Even if you can't make it to one of my readings and signings for The Steep and Thorny Way, you can watch me talk about the novel at the #BadassHistory Online Historical Fiction Launch Party, TODAY, March 6, 2016, at 8 pm EST. Meg Medina (Burn Baby Burn), Sharon Biggs Waller (The Forbidden Orchid), Jessica Spotswood (A Tyranny of Petticoats), and I are all releasing YA historical fiction books this week, so we decided to celebrate with readers at a Google Hangout.

Watch us here or at the  #BaddassHistory Google Page.

Friday, March 4, 2016

Cover reveal: YESTERNIGHT

I'm in the middle of preparing for next week's launch of The Steep and Thorny Way (details about launch activities listed here), but I just also learned that the gorgeous, atmospheric, vibrant cover for my second novel for adults showed up on Goodreads. My editor at HarperCollins gave me the go-ahead to reveal it over here, so, without further ado, I present to you Yesternight . . .

Yesternight, by Cat Winters
October 4, 2016
William Morrow/HarperCollins
A paperback original
ISBN 9780062440860

From the author of The Uninvited comes a haunting historical novel with a compelling mystery at its core. A young child psychologist steps off a train, her destination a foggy seaside town. There, she begins a journey causing her to question everything she believes about life, death, memories, and reincarnation.

In 1925, Alice Lind steps off a train in the rain-soaked coastal hamlet of Gordon Bay, Oregon. There, she expects to do nothing more difficult than administer IQ tests to a group of rural schoolchildren. A trained psychologist, Alice believes mysteries of the mind can be unlocked scientifically, but now her views are about to be challenged by one curious child.

Seven-year-old Janie O’Daire is a mathematical genius, which is surprising. But what is disturbing are the stories she tells: that her name was once Violet, she grew up in Kansas decades earlier, and she drowned at age nineteen. Alice delves into these stories, at first believing they’re no more than the product of the girl’s vast imagination. But, slowly, Alice comes to the realization that Janie might indeed be telling a strange truth.

Alice knows the investigation may endanger her already shaky professional reputation, and as a woman in a field dominated by men she has no room for mistakes. But she is unprepared for the ways it will illuminate terrifying mysteries within her own past, and in the process, irrevocably change her life.

PREORDER: 


Also coming in ebook and audiobook editions.

Tuesday, March 1, 2016

THE STEEP AND THORNY WAY Blog Tour & Launch Party . . . plus a Major Online Historical Fiction Launch Party!

One more week to go before The Steep and Thorny Way officially enters the world on March 8, 2016. Here are some of the ways I'm celebrating the book's publication . . . and the ways readers across the world can join me.

1. The Steep and Thorny Way Blog Tour

Hosted by Rockstar Book Tours, this daily presentation of guest posts and reviews is already underway, and it involves a chance to win one of five finished copies of the book (U.S. only).

Here are the stops:

2/29/2016- Adventures of a Book Junkie- Interview
3/1/2016- The Forest ofWords and Pages- Review
3/2/2016- Two Chicks on BooksGuest Post
3/3/2016- A Dream Within A Dream- Review
3/4/2016- Stories & SweetiesExcerpt

3/7/2016- Jessabella Reads- Review
3/8/2016- Bookish LifestyleGuest Post
3/9/2016- Katie's Book BlogReview
3/10/2016- The Fox's HideawayInterview
3/11/2016- MEREADALOTReview

2. #BadassHistory Party

Even if you can't make it to one of my in-person events, you can see me talk about The Steep and Thorny Way at the #BadassHistory Online Historical Fiction Launch Party, Sunday, March 6, 2016, 8 pm EST. Meg Medina (Burn Baby Burn), Sharon Biggs Waller (The Forbidden Orchid), Jessica Spotswood (A Tyranny of Petticoats), and I are all releasing YA historical fiction books next week, so we decided to celebrate with readers at a Google Hangout. You'll be able to watch us chatting live and submit your own questions.

To RSVP and receive reminders about the event, head to the #BaddassHistory Google Page. To submit questions in advance (and, if you're in the U.S., to enter a chance to win all four books), head to Twitter and use the #BaddassHistory hashtag.


3. The Steep and Thorny Way Launch Party at Powell's Books 

Thursday, March 10, 2016, 7:00 pm
Powell's Books at Cedar Hills Crossing
3415 SW Cedar Hills Blvd., Beaverton, OR

The evening will include a reading, signing, giveaways, and desserts! If you're unable to make it to the launch party but would still like to order a signed copy of The Steep and Thorny Way, click here.

Advance Praise for 
THE STEEP AND THORNY WAY
A May 2016 Junior Library Guild Selection 

“A fast-paced read with multiple twists, the novel delivers a history lesson wrapped inside a murder mystery and ghost story. Winters deftly captures the many injustices faced by marginalized people in the years following World War I as well as a glimmer of hope for the better America to come. A riveting story of survival, determination, love, and friendship.”
Kirkus, starred review

★ “A powerful, gripping, and exceptionally well-executed glimpse into a little-known corner of U.S. history.”
Booklist, starred review

★ “Hanalee is a fantastic lead, armed with a two-barreled pistol and led by the lost soul of her father . . . the backdrop of Prohibition-era Oregon, punched up with bootleggers, a hidden gay relationship, the public and private face of the Ku Klux Klan, and a dash of the supernatural makes for a delightfully unpredictable page-turner . . . Unique and riveting historical fiction that feels anything but dated.”
School Library Journal, starred review

“Shakespeare’s Hamlet serves as the obvious framework for the plot, but the story soon shakes that off, evolving into its own unique and harrowing account of the ways in which people hurt each other out of ignorance and fear. Hanalee’s narration is folksy and immediate, and readers are with her every step of the way as she pieces together the puzzle of her father’s death and wipes away her town’s veneer of acceptance.”
The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books

“Winters smartly wraps up this family mystery with racial injustices of the time period, and the result is completely compelling and a rollercoaster ride of a novel.”
Bustle

“Cat Winters clearly and descriptively depicts a way of life in rural Oregon that most are not aware of . . . The historical accuracy provides a powerful sense of realism.”
ALAN Picks

“Cat Winters proves herself the master of YA historical fiction in this richly woven, theatrical tale of haints, friendship, and a time period we don't dare forget.”
Megan Shepherd, author of The Madman's Daughter series

“Haunting, visceral, and atmospheric, Cat Winters's The Steep and Thorny Way is a fantastic read from one of the best in the genre.”
—Renée Ahdieh, author of The Wrath and the Dawn

A tale of secrets, murder, intolerance, friendship, and restless spirits, seen through the eyes of the vibrant, truth-seeking, pistol-slinging Hanalee. Marvelous.”
—April Genevieve Tucholke, author of Wink, Poppy, Midnight

PREORDER




Saturday, February 13, 2016

Signed Copies of THE STEEP AND THORNY WAY

You can now preorder signed copies of The Steep and Thorny Way online at Powell's Books. I'll be signing the books on Thursday, March 10, at 7 pm, at the Cedar Hills Crossing location of Powell's in Beaverton, Oregon. All pre-ordered copies will be shipped after that evening.


We're now just a little over three weeks away from publication, which means I'm busy making behind-the-scenes preparations (in addition to revising another book and writing the first draft of a completely new novel!).

I'll soon be posting more info about the blog tour, giveaways, and a fabulous online launch party celebrating four historical novels that are all releasing on March 8. I have a feeling that I'll also be revealing the cover of my next adult novel, Yesternight, in the middle of the festivities, so please keep an eye out for all of my news, both here and on my social media sites.

Tuesday, January 19, 2016

Sneak Peek of the First Chapter of THE STEEP AND THORNY WAY

I'm excited to share with you an exclusive sneak peek of the first chapter of The Steep and Thorny Way. To read the excerpt, head to Two Chicks on Books.

The Steep and Thorny Way will be available March 8, 2016.


PREORDER: 


Friday, January 8, 2016

Junior Library Guild Selection

I received more phenomenal news about The Steep and Thorny Way today: the book is a Junior Library Guild selection.

If you're unfamiliar with the Junior Library Guild, here's some information about this incredible honor from their website, juniorlibraryguild.com:

“The JLG editorial team reviews more than 3,000 new titles each year, in manuscript or prepublication stage. We’ve developed a keen sense for finding the best of the best. Over 95 percent of our selections go on to receive awards and/or favorable reviews.”

Thank you, Junior Library Guild! You made my day! 

PREORDER THE STEEP 
AND THORNY WAY


Thursday, January 7, 2016

Third Starred Review for THE STEEP AND THORNY WAY

I'm ecstatic to share the third starred review for The Steep and Thorny Way, this one from School Library Journal, published in their January 2016 issue.

http://www.slj.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/star.jpgWinters, Cat. The Steep and Thorny Way. 352p. Abrams/Amulet. Mar. 2016. Tr $17.95. ISBN 9781419719158. 

Gr 8 Up–There’s something rotten in 1920s Oregon in this Hamlet-inspired tale of a biracial girl seeking the truth about her African American father’s death. When the drunk driver who killed her father is released, Hanalee starts to look more closely at her small town and the folks who live there. She uncovers prejudice, injustice, and serious crimes from some very unexpected sources. This is not humdrum historical fiction as usual. Hanalee is a fantastic lead, armed with a two-barreled pistol and led by the lost soul of her father. Her gumption is inspiring—nothing she is faced with is too scary to make her back down, but her stubbornness doesn’t prevent her from evolving her point of view. Setting Hanalee in the backdrop of Prohibition-era Oregon, punched up with bootleggers, a hidden gay relationship, the public and private face of the Ku Klux Klan, and a dash of the supernatural makes for a delightfully unpredictable page-turner. VERDICT Unique and riveting historical fiction that feels anything but dated.

The Steep and Thorny Way is coming March 8 from Amulet Books/Abrams. You'll be able to read an excerpt from the first chapter at YA Books Central next Friday, January 15.

More Advance Praise

“A fast-paced read with multiple twists, the novel delivers a history lesson wrapped inside a murder mystery and ghost story. Winters deftly captures the many injustices faced by marginalized people in the years following World War I as well as a glimmer of hope for the better America to come. A riveting story of survival, determination, love, and friendship.”
Kirkus, starred review

★ “A powerful, gripping, and exceptionally well-executed glimpse into a little-known corner of U.S. history.”
Booklist, starred review

“Cat Winters proves herself the master of YA historical fiction in this richly woven, theatrical tale of haints, friendship, and a time period we don't dare forget.”
Megan Shepherd, author of The Madman's Daughter series

“Haunting, visceral, and atmospheric, Cat Winters's The Steep and Thorny Way is a fantastic read from one of the best in the genre.”
—Renée Ahdieh, author of The Wrath and the Dawn

A tale of secrets, murder, intolerance, friendship, and restless spirits, seen through the eyes of the vibrant, truth-seeking, pistol-slinging Hanalee. Marvelous.”
—April Genevieve Tucholke, author of Wink, Poppy, Midnight

“Cat Winters clearly and descriptively depicts a way of life in rural Oregon that most are not aware of . . . The historical accuracy provides a powerful sense of realism.”
ALAN Picks

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Wednesday, January 6, 2016

Starred Review from Booklist

Booklist just published a beautiful starred review of The Steep and Thorny Way in their January 1, 2016, issue, and I couldn't be happier. Here's a snippet:

★  “Hanalee’s investigation of her father’s murder and her growing friendship with Joe are engrossing enough, but Winters amplifies the story by weaving Oregon’s troubling true history—state-sanctioned discrimination, eugenics, forced sterilization—throughout the tale, adding weighty, unsettling context to the slow-burning mystery. A powerful, gripping, and exceptionally well-executed glimpse into a little-known corner of U.S. history. —Sarah Hunter, Booklist

The full review is posted at booklistonline.com. Thanks so much to Booklist for bestowing this honor upon the novel.

If you'd like to read a sneak peek of the first chapter of The Steep and Thorny Way, head to YA Books Central on Friday, January 15, 2016.

Amulet Books will publish the book on March 8, 2016.

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