Monday, December 9, 2019

Happy holidays!


Happy holidays, dear readers! Thank you so much for your continued enthusiasm for my historical tales, and thank you for helping me celebrate the release of The Raven's Tale this year. If you're interested in purchasing a signed copy of The Raven's Tale this holiday season, please visit Fountain Bookstore in Poe's teenage home of Richmond, VA (or visit them online).

Behind-the-scenes, I'm hard at work on two different book projects as we wrap up 2019. I don't have any news to report about them at this point, but hopefully that will change in 2020. I've also been freelancing as a fact-checker of children's nonfiction books, which has opened up my eyes to the fascinating world of picture book publishing.

If you'd like to meet me in person, I have two events lined up for the beginning of the new year:

Saturday, January 25, 2020
Teen Bookfest by the Bay
Corpus Christi, TX

March 14-15, 2020
Tucson Festival of Books
Tucson, AZ

If you're interested in booking me to speak at a school, library, festival, etc., in 2020, I do have openings in my schedule. Please head to my Author Visits page for details.

I hope everyone has a safe and wonderful holiday season. Here's to new possibilities, peace, joy, and healing in the upcoming (roaring?) 20s!

Photo courtesy of Library of Congress.

Friday, November 1, 2019

Results of My Epic 2019 Halloween Giveaway

Me, Halloween night 2019.
On October 1, I announced my Epic 2019 Halloween Giveaway, in which one winner would receive a signed, personally annotated copy of one of my books. Because the prize is so rare and will take me a while to prepare, I made readers work to enter. People entering could post an original photograph of one my books with their favorite quote included, create fan art or original poetry or lyrics for one of my novels, or cosplay one of my characters.

The entries to this giveaway BLEW ME AWAY! 

I was hoping at least a few people would enter, but I received dozens of entries, and they all exceeded my expectations! Most people chose the photo and quote option and displayed an incredible amount of creativity. I also saw some excellent cosplaying and fan art posts that made my jaw drop. One reader devoted the entire week leading up to Halloween to daily Instagram posts about my books.

Every single entry made me smile. Some moved me to tears. The hard work and originality you all put into these posts and your passion for my books have rendered me speechless. Thank you to every single one of you who entered! 

I'm selecting a random winner for this one, so the more times you entered, the better your odds were for winning. I knew the quality of the posts would make it difficult for me to choose which post was the "best," so I selected this policy for picking a winner instead. I wish I could name multiple winners, but, unfortunately, I only have time to annotate one book, and I don't have the budget for shipping multiple copies.

So, without further ado, here's the winner for my Epic 2019 Halloween Giveaway:

ANGELICA J.

Congratulations to Angelica, who will be receiving a signed, annotated copy of In the Shadow of Blackbirds! By the way, 50% of you chose this same novel as the book you'd like to receive if you won.

Below is a gallery of some of the entries so you can see a sample of the variety and creativity involved. To see more posts, head to #catwintersgiveaway on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest. I also saw a touching entry for The Cure for Dreaming on a blog about hypnosis.

Mary Shelley Black from In the Shadow of Blackbirds.

La Llorona's appearance in Odd & True, by theacadianmouse.

A blackbird standing In the Shadow of Blackbirds.

Ivy Rowan from The Uninvited.

In the Shadow of Blackbirds fan art.

Odd & True fan art.

A post for The Steep and Thorny Way.

A post for Yesternight.

Thank you again to everyone who entered! I may do something similar next Halloween so definitely check back in October 2020. Thank you for reading my books!!!!!!

Tuesday, October 1, 2019

My Epic 2019 Halloween Giveaway!

It's here!!!!

First, I must give credit for this giveaway idea and format to Shannon Messenger. Several years ago, I met Shannon at an author dinner, and she gave the advice of running "superfan" giveaways for readers, as opposed to giveaways where anyone can enter by simply retweeting or liking a post.

Now that I have seven books out in the world, I feel the time is right to heed that advice.

THIS GIVEAWAY IS OPEN INTERNATIONALLY.

Let's start with the prize!


ONE winner will receive ONE signed, annotated copy of ONE of my novels. The winner will get to choose which novel they want to receive. By annotated I mean that I'll go through the entire book of the winner's choice and write little notes in the margins about the importance of certain lines, reasons behind character names, fun facts about the settings, and other behind-the-scenes details I don't typically share anywhere else. I have never done this for any of my books before, so this is an extremely rare, one-of-a-kind prize!

Because this giveaway item is so special and will likely take me several weeks to prepare, I will only select ONE random winner. And I will make you work a little bit to enter. If you've read at least one of my novels, entering should, hopefully, prove to be fun and easy.

How to enter!

You must complete BOTH Step One and Step Two!!!

STEP ONE. Choose one of the following options:

  • On a social media site of your choice, post your own original photo of one of my novels. In either the photo or your comment for the photo, you must include your favorite quote from the book. You can post a selfie of you and the book and/or take a photo of the book in a bookstore, a library, an eerie setting, or wherever you wish, but you absolutely must include your favorite quote somewhere in your post.
  • On a social media site of your choice, post your fan art for one of my novels. You may use any medium you wish to create your art. Videos are also welcome. Please include the name of the novel somewhere in your post.
  • On a social media site of your choice, post a photo of you cosplaying one of my characters. Please include the name of the character and the novel that character is from somewhere in your post.
  • On a social media site, post your own original poem or song inspired by one of my novels. You may post the written poem or lyrics, or you may post a video of you reading the poem or singing the lyrics. Please include the name of the novel that inspired your work somewhere in your post.

YOU MUST FILL OUT THE ENTRY FORM BELOW (STEP 2) TO HAVE YOUR ENTRY COUNTED!!!!

All entries must be posted online sometime between 12:00 am Pacific Daylight Time (PDT) October 1, 2019, and 11:59 pm PDT October 31, 2019. If you've already posted fan art, photos, etc., thank you so much, but you must create a new post or share your post on another social media site during the giveaway dates to be eligible to win.

STEP TWO. You must fill out the entry form below!

To have your entry counted, fill out the form below. You may post on more than one social media site, and you may choose to do more than one of the above-mentioned types of posts and/or create entries for more than one of my books, but please fill out the form every time you create a new post or post on another site. You'll receive an extra entry credit each time you fill out the form, which will increase your chance of winning!

You must be 13 or over to enter. If you're under 18, you must have permission from an adult to enter.

On the form you'll be asked to choose which of my books you'd like to have annotated if you're my winner. Please see the YA Books and Adult Books pages of this site for more information about each of my novels. Please make your selection carefully. Once I start working on the annotation, I cannot change which book I send you.

FILL OUT THE FOLLOWING FORM:

THE GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED. THANKS TO EVERYONE WHO ENTERED!

To link up with other people's posts, use the hashtag #catwintersgiveaway (optional). Feel free to also tag me (Twitter/Pinterest: @catwinters; Instagram/Facebook: @catwintersbooks), especially if you'd like me to potentially retweet or repost your entry (also optional). I cannot guarantee that I'll repost or retweet.

I will contact the winner via email by November 3, 2019. If you do not receive an email from me by that date, unfortunately, that means you did not win. Thank you in advance to everyone who enters! I appreciate you joining my online Halloween party!

I know I've included a lot of information. Feel free to ask questions in the comments section of this post here on CatWinters.com. 

Good luck! 
HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!!!!!!!!!

Tuesday, September 17, 2019

Where You Can Find Me in Fall 2019

My fall 2019 events have now been officially announced, so here's a list showing where you can find me during my favorite season of the year. All events are located in Oregon, including a special Halloween tea with me that has limited space and requires registration, so please sign up soon if you're interested. I'll be heading out-of-state for a couple events in early 2020.

Saturday, September 28, 2019
2019 Summer Reading Summit
Salem Public Library
585 Liberty St. SE, Salem, OR
Author Fair & Lunch.  
(Registration required)

Thursday, October 17, 2019, 6:30-7:30 pm
Tea with the Author
Hillsboro Public Library, Shute Park
775 SE 10th Ave, Hillsboro, OR
Celebrate the Halloween season by drinking tea and chatting with award-winning author Cat Winters. Free and open to teens and adults.
(Registration required)


Saturday, November 9, 2019
Portland Book Festival
Portland, OR
Pop-up reading of The Raven's Tale. Time and location TBA.
(Tickets required)

Sunday, September 1, 2019

A Special Giveaway Is Coming Soon

One month from today I'm launching an extremely special, one-of-a-kind giveaway in celebration of the Halloween season. Because the giveaway item is so unique and customized, I'm going to make you work a little to enter. Look for details October 1, 2019. Until then, make sure you've read at least one of my novels.

Young Adult Novels:


Adult Novels:

Wednesday, July 10, 2019

THE RAVEN'S TALE Teaching Guide


Amulet Books just released an incredible teaching guide for The Raven's Tale!

If you teach Poe and/or Gothic literature units during the Halloween season—or if at any point in the school year you'd like to teach a novel about Edgar Allan Poe's life at the age of 17—please download the free guide (available in PDF format). It's packed with entertaining activities and assignments that explore Poe's life, poetry, Gothic lit, history, and creativity.

Huge thanks to high school English teacher Sarah Mulhern Gross of The Reading Zone for creating this guide!

TEACHING GUIDE
Download The Raven's Tale Teaching Guide as a PDF.

AUTHOR VISITS
I'm now booking school visits for the 2019-20 school year. If you're interested in having me come in to your school or library for a talk or writing workshops, please see my Author Visits page.


⚜ABOUT THE RAVEN'S TALE

“This well-researched and darkly entertaining tale serves as an excellent introduction to Poe and his classic works.”
Publishers Weekly

“Brooding, macabre, romantic, and surprisingly whimsical . . . a must-read for Poe fans and Poe newcomers alike.”
Kendare Blake#1 New York Times bestselling author of the Three Dark Crowns series

“Several of Poe's most well-known works enhance the narrative, complemented by the author's own finely crafted writing that flows with gorgeous, Poe-inspired phrases . . .”
Kirkus Reviews

“Winters’s smart, silvery, slithering prose finds beauty in the grotesque—and what is art if not that?”
Daniel Kraus, co-author of the New York Times bestseller The Shape of Water

Seventeen-year-old Edgar Poe counts down the days until he can escape his foster family—the wealthy Allans of Richmond, Virginia. He hungers for his upcoming life as a student at a prestigious new university, almost as much as he longs to marry his beloved Elmira Royster. However, on the brink of his departure, all his plans go awry when a macabre muse steps out of the shadows with one request: "Let them see me!"

⚜ORDER THE RAVEN'S TALE ONLINE⚜
✎ = Signed Edition
A = Audiobook

✎ FOUNTAIN BOOKSTORE
AMAZON
BARNES & NOBLE
INDIEBOUND
POWELL'S
BOOK DEPOSITORY
INDIGO
BAM
AMAZON UK
KOBO
A - LIBRO.FM
A - AUDIBLE

(Raven animation: "Raven Sing," by luisbc)

Thursday, June 13, 2019

THE RAVEN'S TALE Is Now on Audiobook

The audiobook edition of The Raven's Tale is now available from Recorded Books, and the narration is so good! I love it!

Audie Award–winning actor Michael Crouch brilliantly reads the part of seventeen-year-old Edgar Allan Poe, and Nicole Wood is beautifully spooky and poetic as Poe's awakening muse of the macabre, Lenore. You can listen to samples and download your copy at Libro.fm (which supports indie bookstores!), Audible, and other online stores.

Hopefully, copies of the audiobook will also start appearing in libraries soon—hopefully, in plenty of time for Halloween.

⚜ABOUT THE RAVEN'S TALE

“Brooding, macabre, romantic, and surprisingly whimsical . . . a must-read for Poe fans and Poe newcomers alike.”
Kendare Blake#1 New York Times bestselling author of the Three Dark Crowns series

“Several of Poe's most well-known works enhance the narrative, complemented by the author's own finely crafted writing that flows with gorgeous, Poe-inspired phrases . . .”
Kirkus Reviews

“Winters’s smart, silvery, slithering prose finds beauty in the grotesque—and what is art if not that?”
Daniel Kraus, co-author of the New York Times bestseller The Shape of Water

Seventeen-year-old Edgar Poe counts down the days until he can escape his foster family—the wealthy Allans of Richmond, Virginia. He hungers for his upcoming life as a student at a prestigious new university, almost as much as he longs to marry his beloved Elmira Royster. However, on the brink of his departure, all his plans go awry when a macabre muse steps out of the shadows with one request: "Let them see me!"

Monday, May 6, 2019

Signed Copies of THE RAVEN'S TALE & a TV Appearance

If you're interested in purchasing a signed copy of The Raven's Tale—my new novel about teenage Edgar Allan Poe—the following bookstores have made ordering autographed editions easy.


If you're unable to purchase a copy, I'm happy to report that numerous libraries across the U.S. have already ordered the novel for their shelves! Visit the WorldCat page for TheRaven's Tale to see if your nearest library is stocking the book. If they aren't, most libraries have online forms for requesting the purchase of new titles.

⚜TV INTERVIEW⚜

At the tail end of my April cross-country tour for The Raven's TaleAM Northwest, a Portland TV show hosted by Helen Raptis, interviewed me about the book. You can watch what I had to say about writing a novel about the legendary Edgar Allan Poe.


⚜PRAISE FOR THE RAVEN'S TALE

“ . . . well-researched and darkly entertaining . . .”
Publishers Weekly

“Brooding, macabre, romantic, and surprisingly whimsical . . . a must-read for Poe fans and Poe newcomers alike.”
Kendare Blake
#1 New York Times bestselling author of the Three Dark Crowns series

“A darkly delicious tale. ”
Kerri Maniscalco
#1 New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of the Stalking Jack the Ripper series

“Winters’s smart, silvery, slithering prose finds beauty in the grotesque—and what is art if not that?”
Daniel Kraus
Co-author of the New York Times bestseller The Shape of Water

“A captivating and intensively researched tribute to the famous poet and his Gothic muse.”
A.G. Howard
Author of the international and New York Times bestselling Splintered series

“A labor of literary love that will appeal to fans of Gothic horror . . .”
Kirkus Reviews

“A rattling good tale that is worthy of the master poet himself.”
Dwight L. MacPherson
Author of The Imaginary Voyages of Edgar Allan Poe, co-host of The Raven Lunatics

“Eerie, macabre, and appropriately esoteric.”
Booklist

“Haunting and inventive.”
Leanna Renee Hieber
Award-winning author of Darker Still and Strangely Beautiful

The Raven’s Tale transports readers to the haunted streets of Antebellum Richmond, the city that shaped the teenaged Poe’s melancholy outlook and inspired his chilling poetry.”
Chris Semtner

Curator of the Edgar Allan Poe Museum, Richmond, Virginia

“A darkly seductive read, bringing a highly relatable Poe to life for the modern teenager.”
Dawn Kurtagich

Award-winning author of The Dead House

“Teen fans of Poe’s poetry will learn about his life, and the included verses will create new fans.”
School Library Journal

“Winters effectively infuses Poe’s macabre aesthetic into her fictional retelling of his life.”
The Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books


(Raven animation: "The Raven II," by luisbc)

Tuesday, April 16, 2019

THE RAVEN'S TALE - Release Day!

IT'S HERE!!!!

The Raven's Tale is officially out in the world in both hardcover and ebook formats! The novel explores how a troubled yet brilliant teenage boy transformed into the legendary Edgar Allan Poe.💀

I'm on the road all this week to promote the book (see my Events page).

Huge thanks to my team at Amulet Books/Abrams, including my highly talented editor, Maggie Lehrman, as well as my literary agent, Barbara Poelle!


⚜PRAISE FOR THE RAVEN'S TALE

“ . . . well-researched and darkly entertaining . . .”
Publishers Weekly

“Brooding, macabre, romantic, and surprisingly whimsical . . . a must-read for Poe fans and Poe newcomers alike.”
Kendare Blake
#1 New York Times bestselling author of the Three Dark Crowns series

“A darkly delicious tale. ”
Kerri Maniscalco
#1 New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of the Stalking Jack the Ripper series

“Winters’s smart, silvery, slithering prose finds beauty in the grotesque—and what is art if not that?”
Daniel Kraus
Co-author of the New York Times bestseller The Shape of Water

“A captivating and intensively researched tribute to the famous poet and his Gothic muse.”
A.G. Howard
Author of the international and New York Times bestselling Splintered series

“A labor of literary love that will appeal to fans of Gothic horror . . .”
Kirkus Reviews

“A rattling good tale that is worthy of the master poet himself.”
Dwight L. MacPherson
Author of The Imaginary Voyages of Edgar Allan Poe, co-host of The Raven Lunatics

“Eerie, macabre, and appropriately esoteric.”
Booklist

“Haunting and inventive.”
Leanna Renee Hieber
Award-winning author of Darker Still and Strangely Beautiful

The Raven’s Tale transports readers to the haunted streets of Antebellum Richmond, the city that shaped the teenaged Poe’s melancholy outlook and inspired his chilling poetry.”
Chris Semtner

Curator of the Edgar Allan Poe Museum, Richmond, Virginia

“A darkly seductive read, bringing a highly relatable Poe to life for the modern teenager.”
Dawn Kurtagich

Award-winning author of The Dead House

“Teen fans of Poe’s poetry will learn about his life, and the included verses will create new fans.”
School Library Journal

“Winters effectively infuses Poe’s macabre aesthetic into her fictional retelling of his life.”
The Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books

_________________________
Watch Cat Winters talk about The Raven's Tale on the Edgar Allan Poe web show The Raven Lunatics:



(Raven animations: "The Raven II" and "Raven Sing," by luisbc)

Friday, March 22, 2019

Special Pre-Order Offer for THE RAVEN'S TALE

Fountain Bookstore in Richmond, VA, has arranged for readers to pre-order signed, PERSONALIZED, first-edition hardcovers of The Raven's Tale, my new novel about teenage Edgar Allan Poe! You'll also receive a quill gel pen if you pre-order by April 15, 2019. Fountain Bookstore ships worldwide!


If you live in the Richmond area, please come see me at The Poe Museum on Tuesday, April 16, 2019, at 6:30 pm. Fountain Bookstore will sell copies of The Raven's Tale at the event, and a portion of the evening's sales will go to support the museum.

I can't think of a better way to celebrate the release of this book than at a museum devoted to Edgar Allan Poe in the city where the iconic author spent his teenage years! Huge thanks to my publisher, Amulet Books/Abrams, for arranging the event and the pre-order offer.

☙ADVANCE PRAISE❧

“ . . . well-researched and darkly entertaining . . .” 
Publishers Weekly

“Brooding, macabre, romantic, and surprisingly whimsical . . . a must-read for Poe fans and Poe newcomers alike.” 
Kendare Blake
#1 New York Times bestselling author of the Three Dark Crowns series

“A darkly delicious tale.”
Kerri Maniscalco
#1 New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of the Stalking Jack the Ripper series

“A labor of literary love that will appeal to fans of Gothic horror.”
Kirkus Reviews

“Winters’s smart, silvery, slithering prose finds beauty in the grotesque—and what is art if not that?”
Daniel Kraus
Co-author of the New York Times bestseller The Shape of Water

“A captivating and intensively researched tribute to the famous poet and his Gothic muse.”
A.G. Howard
Author of the international and New York Times bestselling Splintered series

The Raven’s Tale transports readers to the haunted streets of Antebellum Richmond, the city that shaped the teenaged Poe’s melancholy outlook and inspired his chilling poetry.”
Chris Semtner

Curator of the Edgar Allan Poe Museum, Richmond, Virginia

“Eerie, macabre, and appropriately esoteric.”
Booklist

“A rattling good tale that is worthy of the master poet himself.”
Dwight L. MacPherson
Author of The Imaginary Voyages of Edgar Allan Poe, co-host of The Raven Lunatics

“Haunting and inventive.”
Leanna Renee Hieber
Award-winning author of Darker Still and Strangely Beautiful

“Winters effectively infuses Poe’s macabre aesthetic into her fictional retelling of his life.”
The Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books

MORE INFO

Monday, March 18, 2019

THE RAVEN'S TALE Tour

I'm going on tour for The Raven's Tale in April! Here are all the details.

☙❧
Saturday, April 13, 2019, 10:30 am
University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA
Panel - "Glow Up: Refreshed Favorites for Young Adults."

☙❧
Monday, April 15, 2019, 7:30 pm
126 Franklin St., Brooklyn, NY
A celebration of the release of THE RAVEN'S TALE on the eve of publication day. Cat Winters will be in conversation with Andrea Janes, owner and founder of Boroughs of the Dead.

☙❧
Tuesday, April 16, 2019, 6:00 pm
1914 East Main St., Richmond, VA
Launch day event for THE RAVEN'S TALE! Book sales by Fountain Bookstore. A portion of the evening's sales will go to The Poe Museum.

☙❧
Wednesday, April 17, to Thursday, April 18, 2019
Austin Convention Center, Austin, TX
Signing (April 17, 2:00-3:00 pm); panel - "Scream Out Loud: Caution, Contains Horror!" (April 18, 10:30 am).
☙❧
Friday, April 19, 2019, 7:00 pm
3415 SW Cedar Hills Blvd., Beaverton, OR
Hometown launch event for THE RAVEN'S TALE!


If you'd like to pre-order The Raven's Tale, I encourage you to support the indie bookstores that are graciously hosting me during the tour. Please note that the stores will not ship books until after the release of The Raven's Tale on April 16, 2019.


Friday, March 8, 2019

March Updates for THE RAVEN'S TALE

I have news for attendees of the Emerald City Comic Con (ECCC) in Seattle! My publisher, Abrams, has made special arrangements to sell The Raven's Tale exclusively to ECCC attendees one month prior to publication! Publishers don't often do early sales like this, so this is huge news! If you're attending ECCC, you'll be able to purchase the novel from University Book Store on Level 6 of the convention center.

Here's my ECCC schedule for Saturday, March 16, 2019:

2:45-3:45 pm: "The Thrill of the Chase" panel with April Henry, Deb Caletti, Parker Peevyhouse, and Paula Stokes
WA State Convention Center 603

4:00-5:00 pm: The Raven's Tale signing
Writers Block Author Autographing, WA State Convention Center, Level 6

Abrams is also currently working on a pre-order campaign with an independent bookstore, so please keep an eye out for that opportunity.

In the meantime, if you'd like to pre-order The Raven's Tale, I urge you to support the indie stores that will be graciously hosting me at events in March and April (links to the stores below). Please note that the stores will not ship books until after the release of The Raven's Tale in April. The special early sale listed above is exclusively for Emerald City Comic Con attendees.

☙PRE-ORDER❧



☙ADVANCE PRAISE❧

“Brooding, macabre, romantic, and surprisingly whimsical . . . a must-read for Poe fans and Poe newcomers alike.”
Kendare Blake#1 New York Times bestselling author of the Three Dark Crowns series

“A darkly delicious tale that’s sure to haunt readers forevermore . . . Like lightning stretching its fingers across a stormy sky, Winters’s voice is electrifying.”
Kerri Maniscalco, #1 New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of the Stalking Jack the Ripper series

“Winters’s smart, silvery, slithering prose finds beauty in the grotesque—and what is art if not that?”
Daniel Krausco-author of the New York Times bestseller The Shape of Water

“Winters (Odd & True) delves into the life of young Edgar Allan Poe in this elegantly scripted, detailed exploration of a world in which muses take corporeal form . . . This well-researched and darkly entertaining tale serves as an excellent introduction to Poe and his classic works.”
Publishers Weekly

“A captivating and intensively researched tribute to the famous poet and his Gothic muse. Against the tapestry of young Poe’s real-world struggles and tortured relationships, Winters weaves a macabre thread of surrealism through meter and rhyme—at times so dreamy in its rhythms and imagery, it teeters between hypnotic and horrifying.”
A.G. Howardauthor of the international and New York Times bestselling Splintered series

“Several of Poe's most well-known works enhance the narrative, complemented by the author's own finely crafted writing that flows with gorgeous, Poe-inspired phrases . . . A labor of literary love that will appeal to fans of Gothic horror and anyone who has ever had to assuage a determined muse.”
Kirkus Reviews

“Spellbinding, imaginative, whimsical, and unforgettable. A rattling good tale that is worthy of the master poet himself.”
Dwight L. MacPhersonauthor of The Imaginary Voyages of Edgar Allan Poe, co-host of The Raven Lunatics

“Haunting and inventive, The Raven's Tale is a heady mix of history and imagination, offering an eerie, original, fantastical window into the man who would become a beloved muse for so many of us.”
Leanna Renee Hieberaward-winning author of Darker Still and Strangely Beautiful

The Raven’s Tale transports readers to the haunted streets of Antebellum Richmond, the city that shaped the teenaged Poe’s melancholy outlook and inspired his chilling poetry.”
Chris Semtner
curator of the Edgar Allan Poe Museum, Richmond, Virginia

“Winters effectively infuses Poe’s macabre aesthetic into her fictional retelling of his life. Fans of classic literature will delight in the many references to mythology and other poets; fans of Poe himself are bound to enjoy passages written in a similar voice to 'The Raven,' as well as the many allusions to his early works.”
The Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books

(Raven animation: "Raven Sing," by luisbc)

Friday, March 1, 2019

Advance Praise, Upcoming Events, and Poe-Related Links

The Raven's Tale releases next month! Here's everything you need to know about the book so far:

Coming April 16, 2019, Abrams
Hardcover, ISBN 9781419733628
Ebook, ISBN 9781683354864
Audiobook, TBA

Seventeen-year-old Edgar Poe counts down the days until he can escape his foster family—the wealthy Allans of Richmond, Virginia. He hungers for his upcoming life as a student at a prestigious new university, almost as much as he longs to marry his beloved Elmira Royster. However, on the brink of his departure, all his plans go awry when a macabre muse steps out of the shadows with one request: "Let them see me!"

☙ADVANCE PRAISE

“Brooding, macabre, romantic, and surprisingly whimsical . . . a must-read for Poe fans and Poe newcomers alike.”
Kendare Blake#1 New York Times bestselling author of the Three Dark Crowns series

“A darkly delicious tale that’s sure to haunt readers forevermore . . . Like lightning stretching its fingers across a stormy sky, Winters’s voice is electrifying.”
Kerri Maniscalco, #1 New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of the Stalking Jack the Ripper series

“Winters’s smart, silvery, slithering prose finds beauty in the grotesque—and what is art if not that?”
Daniel Krausco-author of the New York Times bestseller The Shape of Water

“Winters (Odd & True) delves into the life of young Edgar Allan Poe in this elegantly scripted, detailed exploration of a world in which muses take corporeal form . . . This well-researched and darkly entertaining tale serves as an excellent introduction to Poe and his classic works.”
Publishers Weekly

“A captivating and intensively researched tribute to the famous poet and his Gothic muse. Against the tapestry of young Poe’s real-world struggles and tortured relationships, Winters weaves a macabre thread of surrealism through meter and rhyme—at times so dreamy in its rhythms and imagery, it teeters between hypnotic and horrifying.”
A.G. Howardauthor of the international and New York Times bestselling Splintered series

“Several of Poe's most well-known works enhance the narrative, complemented by the author's own finely crafted writing that flows with gorgeous, Poe-inspired phrases . . . A labor of literary love that will appeal to fans of Gothic horror and anyone who has ever had to assuage a determined muse.”
Kirkus Reviews

“Spellbinding, imaginative, whimsical, and unforgettable. A rattling good tale that is worthy of the master poet himself.”
Dwight L. MacPhersonauthor of The Imaginary Voyages of Edgar Allan Poe, co-host of The Raven Lunatics

“Haunting and inventive, The Raven's Tale is a heady mix of history and imagination, offering an eerie, original, fantastical window into the man who would become a beloved muse for so many of us.”
Leanna Renee Hieberaward-winning author of Darker Still and Strangely Beautiful

The Raven’s Tale transports readers to the haunted streets of Antebellum Richmond, the city that shaped the teenaged Poe’s melancholy outlook and inspired his chilling poetry.”
Chris Semtner
curator of the Edgar Allan Poe Museum, Richmond, Virginia

“Winters effectively infuses Poe’s macabre aesthetic into her fictional retelling of his life. Fans of classic literature will delight in the many references to mythology and other poets; fans of Poe himself are bound to enjoy passages written in a similar voice to 'The Raven,' as well as the many allusions to his early works.”
The Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books

THE RAVEN'S TALE EVENTS:❧

Saturday, March 16, 2019
Emerald City Comic Con
Washington State Convention Center, Seattle, WA
Panel - "The Thrill of the Chase (2:45 pm); signing (4:00-5:00 pm). (Tickets required)

Saturday, April 13, 2019
Los Angeles Times Festival of Books
University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA
Panel - "Glow Up: Refreshed Favorites for Young Adults"(10:30 am); signing (11:30 am).

Monday, April 15, 2019, 7:30 pm
WORD Brooklyn
126 Franklin St., Brooklyn, NY
A celebration of the release of  The Raven's Tale on the eve of publication day. Cat Winters will be in conversation with Andrea Janes, owner and founder of Boroughs of the Dead.

Tuesday, April 16, 2019, 6:30 pm
The Poe Museum
1914 East Main St., Richmond, VA
Launch day event for The Raven's Tale! Book sales by Fountain Bookstore. A portion of the evening's sales will go to The Poe Museum.

Wednesday, April 17, to Thursday, April 18, 2019
Texas Library Association Annual Conference
Austin Convention Center, Austin, TX
Signing (April 17, 2:00-3:00 pm); panel - "Scream Out Loud: Caution, Contains Horror!" (April 18, 10:30 am).
(Registration required)

Friday, April 19, 2019, 7:00 pm
Powell's Books at Cedar Hills Crossing
3415 SW Cedar Hills Blvd., Beaverton, OR
Hometown launch event for The Raven's Tale!

Friday, May 31, to Sunday, June 2, 2019
Denver Pop Culture Con
Colorado Convention Center, Denver, CO
Details TBA.
(Tickets required)

☙PRE-ORDER:❧




FURTHER READING:

Watch Cat Winters talk about The Raven's Tale on the Edgar Allan Poe web show The Raven Lunatics:



(Raven animation: "Raven Sing," by luisbc)

(Updated March, 7, 2019)

Saturday, January 19, 2019

Chapter Reveal: THE RAVEN'S TALE

In honor of Edgar Allan Poe's 210th birthday, my publisher, Abrams, has revealed the first chapter of The Raven's Tale, my upcoming novel about Poe's teenage years.

A little about the book:

Award-winning historical novelist Cat Winters pulls back the curtains on the early years of one of the world’s most iconic authors. Blending realism with gothic horror, poetry with prose, The Raven’s Tale travels through the Southern mansions, cemeteries, and dark psychological corridors that transformed a troubled yet brilliant teenage boy into the legendary Edgar Allan Poe.

To read the first chapter, head to PiqueBeyond.com.

For a limited time, Abrams is also giving away 25 galleys of the novel at Goodreads.

☙PRE-ORDER:❧