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:❧

Amazon • Barnes & Noble • Powell's

IndieBound • Book Depository • Indigo
BAM • Amazon UK • Kobo

THE RAVEN'S TALE Cover Reveal and Pre-order Links

Hardcover, ISBN 9781683354864

Bustle is generously hosting the exclusive cover reveal for The Raven's Tale, my upcoming novel about a year in the life of seventeen-year-old Edgar Allan Poe. To take a peek at the design—and to see my top three favorite Edgar Allan Poe stories—head to Bustle.com. The designer of the cover is Hana Anouk Nakamura, and the artist is Shane Rebenschied.

Pre-order options for the novel are also now available! If a link isn't working, it means the book hasn't yet appeared on the seller's site. I'll update this post as soon as the missing links go live.

☙PRE-ORDER:❧

Amazon • Barnes & Noble • Powell's

IndieBound • Book Depository • Indigo
BAM • Amazon UK • Kobo

About The Raven's Tale:

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 the 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 named Lenore appears to him. Muses are frightful creatures that lead artists down a path of ruin and disgrace, and no respectable person could possibly understand or accept them. But Lenore steps out of the shadows with one request: "Let them see me!"

The Raven's Tale will release from Abrams on April 16, 2019.

THE RAVEN'S TALE Updates

I just wrapped up the first round of revisions for my newest book, The Raven's Tale—my novel about Edgar Allan Poe's teen years—which Amulet Books/Abrams will publish in Spring 2019. This was the editorial letter stage of the process, in which my editor, Maggie Lehrman, sent me her comments and suggestions for the book, and I revised the novel accordingly. I spent over 2 1/2 months gutting and rewriting about 70% of the manuscript—an intense yet, ultimately, exciting process—and I'm ecstatic to now have a little break.

Next up will be line edits, which will involve Maggie going through the entire manuscript and marking suggestions ranging from grammar fixes to additional story changes.

Because the plot of the book might still get affected by future revisions, I'll only share a few more details about the novel at this point.

• The Raven's Tale opens shortly after Edgar Allan Poe's 17th birthday in January 1826 and ends in May 1827 when he's 18.
• Poe himself is a point-of-view character, which has been a challenging but ridiculously fun and entertaining viewpoint to write. 
• I'm calling this book my "literary rock opera." As I've hinted before in an Instagram post, there are certain scenes in the novel that unfold like musical numbers.   

I haven't yet seen any signs of early cover plans for the book, but if the novel stays on track for a Spring 2019 publication, I'll probably get to look at a design this summer, and, of course, I'll share the finished cover as soon as I can!

Pre-order links aren't yet available, but you can go ahead and add The Raven's Tale to your Goodreads shelves.

Me and "Eddy" at The Poe Museum in Richmond, VA.

THE RAVEN'S TALE, My New Novel about Edgar Allan Poe's Teen Years

Last week on Bustle.com I announced my newest book: The Raven’s Tale, a dark and dreamlike novel about Edgar Allan Poe’s life when he was a troubled but promising teenage poet.

The events of The Raven’s Tale are pulled straight from Poe’s letters, biographies, and firsthand accounts from the people who knew him as a teen, and the book is populated by his real-life friends, foes, and family members . . . as well as his muse.

Yes, the mythical kind of muse.

The novel blends poetry with prose, realism with Poe-esque Gothic horror, and it portrays the obstacles that hindered young Edgar "Eddy" Poe's writing career and happiness.

Me at the site of Poe's home from ages 16 to 18.

This past October, I traveled to Poe’s teenage home of Richmond, Virginia, where I explored the fabulous Poe Museum and other Poe-related sites, such as the graveyards he visited and the church he attended that doubled as a tomb for seventy-two victims of an infamous 1811 theater fire. I also made a trip to his dorm room at the University of Virginia in Charlottesville.

Poe shrine at the Poe Museum.

So much of Poe’s life has been tainted by character assassins who published false biographies of him, starting with lies printed in an obituary written by one of his literary rivals, the nineteenth-century editor and writer Rufus Wilmot Griswold.

My goal as an author is to introduce the world to the real Edgar Allan Poe as best I can. I think readers will be surprised to learn that he was an athletic young man filled with energy and a love of the outdoors, in addition to an angsty teen haunted by his homelife and the early deaths of two beautiful women who loved him in his youth.

Amulet Books/Abrams will release The Raven’s Tale in Spring 2019. I can’t wait to share more about the novel in the coming year!

For a little glimpse at what Poe was like as a teen, head to my article at Bustle, 10 Facts About Edgar Allan Poe That Will Completely Change How You Feel About The Mystery Writer.

To hear the music that inspired me during the writing of the initial draft, head to my Poe Spotify playlist. You can also take a peek at my Pinterest board for The Raven's Tale.

 

Shockoe Hill Cemetery, Richmond, VA

A Podcast in Which I Answer 10 Questions in 10 Minutes

I’m honored to have been interviewed for the very first Abrams Books “10 Under 10” podcast. I answer questions about my books (present and future), my inspirations, writing advice, character names, and even the 1960s TV series Bewitched . . . all within a 10-minute time frame. 

Huge thanks to Abrams Books, the publisher of my YA novels, for inviting me to be their first podcast author!

My ALA Midwinter Meeting Appearances

I'm heading up to the American Library Association Midwinter Meeting in Seattle this weekend!

If you'll be there, too, please stop by and see me at the ABRAMS Booth (#2320) I'll be signing advance reading copies of In the Shadow of Blackbirds during the following days and times:

Saturday, January 26

2:00-3:30 pm

Sunday, January 27

9:00-10:00 am

On Sunday, January 27, I'll be giving a short talk about the novel in the Book Buzz Theater during the ABRAMS hour (10:30-11:30 am). Also speaking: Tom Angleberger (the Origami Yoda series), one of my 2013 debut author buddies, Sarah Skilton (Bruised), my wonderful, talented editor, Maggie Lehrman, and other ABRAMS staff.

This is just one of several in-person events I'll be attending this year. Keep an eye on my events page for other upcoming appearances.

The Abrams Kids Spring 2013 Catalog!

The Abrams Kids Spring 2013 catalog is now available, and I'm happy to report that In the Shadow of Blackbirds is featured on page 41, right next to Bruised, a novel by one of my fellow debut author friends, Sarah Skilton. And sharing my April 2013 release date is pub-day buddy Elisabeth Dahl, author of the middle-grade novel Genie Wishes (p. 32).

Open publication - Free publishing - More amulet books

The catalog also features novels by two authors who have been showing us newbies the ropes, A.G. Howard's Splintered and Shelley Coriell's Welcome, Caller, This Is Chloe.

I'm incredibly thrilled and honored that In the Shadow of Blackbirds has been included with the works of ALL the talented ABRAMS writers and illustrators. It's been an amazing experience working with this publishing company, and I'm so grateful to be part of Spring 2013.