New Video: "Cat Winters Discusses the 1918 Pandemic"

Because of the research I conducted when I wrote In the Shadow of Blackbirds and The Uninvited, numerous people have been asking me about the 1918 influenza and how it ended.

I decided to answer several of those questions in a video.



Teachers and parents: Feel free to share my video with students.

For more information about the 1918 pandemic, I recommend exploring the CDC website 1918 Pandemic (H1N1 Virus).

I've also been hearing from many new and second-time readers of In the Shadow of Blackbirds. If you're looking for a copy of the novel, I encourage you to help independent bookstores by ordering through Bookshop.org.

My Upcoming Appearance at Portland's Wordstock

Wordstock, Portland's major literary festival, is relaunching this year at the beautiful Portland Art Museum on Saturday, November 7, and I'm happy to say I'll be one of the featured authors. In fact, I'll be making a few different appearances throughout the festival.

Here's more info about the event and where you'll be able to find me.

Saturday, November 7, 2015
Wordstock: Portland's Book Festival
Portland Art Museum
1219 SW Park Avenue, Portland, OR
(Tickets, $15; free for anyone 17 and younger and anyone with a valid high school student ID.)

My Wordstock Events:

11:00 am:
Pop-up reading of The Uninvited
Northwest Art (Main Building, 3rd Floor)

A short reading of my newest book. I'll be appearing in front of artwork painted during the novel's setting. 

12:00-12:50 pm
Toil and Trouble: Monsters, Witches, and Ghosts, Oh My!
Oregon Community Foundation Stage at the Miller Gallery

A discussion with a little something scary for everyone: haunted houses, murderous neighbors, and all-too-possible realism (no vampires here). Authors Virginia Boecker (The Witch Hunter), Paige McKenzie (The Haunting of Sunshine Girl), and three authors from the new anthology Slasher Girls and Monster Boys—Kendare Blake, McCormick Templeman, and April Genevieve Tucholke—talk about things that go bump in the night… and day. Moderated by Cat Winters (Slasher Girls and Monster Boys)

1:00-1:50 pm
An Hour of Oregon Art Beat
OPB Stage at the Fields Ballroom

An hour with OPB’s Oregon Art Beat, featuring a coming-of-age tale set on Mount Hood, Martin Marten, with author Brian Doyle; best-selling author of the Wildwood series and Decemberists frontman Colin Meloy talks about the difference between writing for songs and writing for books; Lauren Redniss will discuss her fascinating new work of visual literature, Thunder & Lightning; and award-winning author Cat Winters on her haunting new novel, The Uninvited. Hosted by Katrina Sarson.

2:15-3:00 pm
Book signing
Kridel Grand Ballroom, Portland Art Museum, Mark Building, Third Floor

If you live in the area or will be traveling to Portland for the event, I hope to see you there.

Next Stops for THE UNINVITED: San Diego and Wordstock

The Uninvited has now been out in the world for a month, and I'm so grateful to everyone who's already picked up a copy.

I'll be making two more 2015 appearances for the book, one at a bookstore in my former home of San Diego, a city near and dear to my heart, and one at Wordstock: Portland's Book Festival, a major literary celebration that will be happening right here in my current home of Oregon.

Here are the details for both events:

Saturday, October 10, 2015, 2:00 pm
Mysterious Galaxy Bookstore
5943 Balboa Avenue, Suite #100, San Diego, CA
Reading and signing with Laura Anne Gilman and me.
Facebook page for the event.

Saturday, November 7, 2015
Wordstock: Portland's Book Festival
Portland Art Museum, Portland, OR
(Tickets, $15; free for anyone 17 and younger and anyone with a valid high school student ID.)
Schedule to be announced in early October. I'll be promoting The Uninvited with a special appearance at the event.

Available from William Morrow/HarperCollins

ISBN 9780062347336

“. . . exquisite and magical. This story is a gem with so many facets that uphold the tenets of the Gothic genre, the sensibilities of a romance, and the illuminative window to the past of a historical piece.”

—USA Today’s Happy Ever After

“Dark and romantic . . . at once horrifying and tender.”
—Publishers Weekly

“. . . a haunting paranormal tale.”

(4 stars)

—Romantic Times

“Winters is a talented writer who takes her readers on an audacious ride with this book, her first novel written for an adult audience. The plotting is near perfect.”

—Historical Novels Review

ORDER ONLINE: 

~ Signed Copies ~

Amazon • Barnes & Noble •  
Powell's • IndieBound • Amazon UK •  
Book Depository • BAM • Indigo

Where to Find Signed Copies of THE UNINVITED + Upcoming Signings

M.J. Rose, me, & Wendy Webb

I just spent the past weekend speaking with fellow authors Wendy Webb and M.J. Rose in indie bookstores in Seattle and Portland. We chatted about paranormal experiences, the challenges and joys of writing, and what we're cooking up next for readers. It was an absolute delight to appear with these two talented and entertaining bestselling authors.  

Because of my recent book stops, signed copies of The Uninvited are now easily available to purchase.

Here's a list of stores stocking autographed copies:

Powell's Books, Beaverton, OR
Elliott Bay Book Company, Seattle, WA
Barnes & Noble, Seattle, WA
Annie Bloom's Books, Portland, OR

And here's where you'll be able to find me next:

Saturday, October 10, 2015, 2:00 pm
Mysterious Galaxy Bookstore
5943 Balboa Avenue, Suite #100, San Diego, CA
Reading and signing with Laura Anne Gilman and me.

Saturday, November 7, 2015
Wordstock
Portland Art Museum, Portland, OR
Details to follow.

My Two August Releases Are Now Available

Back in 2013, I sold my adult novel The Uninvited to HarperCollins, and my short story "Emmeline" sold to Penguin as part of the YA horror anthology Slasher Girls & Monster Boys. Back then I learned that The Uninvited would be published in Summer 2015 and Slasher Girls & Monster Boys would release in Fall 2015. I imagined celebrating their publications about three months apart from each other.

Well, it turned out that Summer 2015 for HarperCollins and Fall 2015 for Penguin fell so close together that these two books ended up publishing only a week apart. They're both available as of today, and I'm so thankful that both publishers allowed them to head out into the world.

Here's more info about both books.

Available from William Morrow/HarperCollins

ISBN 9780062347336

“. . . exquisite and magical. This story is a gem with so many facets that uphold the tenets of the Gothic genre, the sensibilities of a romance, and the illuminative window to the past of a historical piece.”

—USA Today’s Happy Ever After

“Dark and romantic . . . at once horrifying and tender.”
—Publishers Weekly

“. . . a haunting paranormal tale.”

(4 stars)

—Romantic Times

“Winters is a talented writer who takes her readers on an audacious ride with this book, her first novel written for an adult audience. The plotting is near perfect.”

—Historical Novels Review

ORDER ONLINE: 

~ Signed Copies ~

HarperCollins • Amazon • Barnes & Noble •  
Powell's • IndieBound • Amazon UK •  
Book Depository • BAM • Indigo

Available from Dial/Penguin

ISBN 9780803741737

“Cat Winters’s ‘Emmeline’ is a haunting story of love and loss in wartime . . . This is satisfying, disturbing horror for the modern YA audience.”

—Publishers Weekly 

“Gross, creepy fun.”

—Kirkus Reviews

“These chilling tales are full of suspense and dread that will haunt readers long after the last page has been turned.”

—School Library Journal

ORDER ONLINE:

~ Signed Copies ~

Penguin • Amazon • Barnes & Noble •

Powell's • IndieBound • Amazon UK •
Book Depository • BAM • Indigo

Please visit my Events page to find out where I'll be appearing to promote both books.

USA TODAY's Review of THE UNINVITED

I woke up this morning to discover a rave review of The Uninvited on USA Today's Happy Ever After—an amazing way to start a Monday. Here's an excerpt of the review:

“Read this book. I refuse to give any spoilers or hints to spoilers. Trust me, you won't be disappointed with Cat Winters' The Uninvited . . . exquisite and magical . . . This story is a gem with so many facets that uphold the tenets of the Gothic genre, the sensibilities of a romance, and the illuminative window to the past of a historical piece.”

You can read the full review at USA Today.

ORDER ONLINE: 

~ Signed Copies from Powell's ~

HarperCollins • Amazon • Barnes & Noble •  
Powell's • IndieBound • Amazon UK •  
Book Depository • BAM • Indigo

Also available in ebook, audiobook, and library-bound editions.

Event Photos and More Upcoming Events

I celebrated the launch of The Uninvited last night at Powell's Books in Beaverton, Oregon. Thanks so much to everyone who joined me there. The store is now stocking signed copies of all three of my novels.

Here's a list of all the other events where I'll be speaking and signing between now and November.

Thursday, August 20, 2015, 7:00 pm
Powell's Books at Cedar Hills Crossing
3415 SW Cedar Hills Blvd., Beaverton, OR
Launch party for the YA horror anthology SLASHER GIRLS & MONSTER BOYS, with April Genevieve Tucholke, McCormick Templeman, and me.

Friday, August 21, 2015, 7:00 pm
The Book Bin
2235 Lancaster Dr. NE, Salem, OR
Reading and signing for SLASHER GIRLS & MONSTER BOYS, with April Genevieve Tucholke, McCormick Templeman, and me.
 
Friday, August 28, 2015, 7:00 pm
Elliott Bay Book Company
1521 10th Ave., Seattle, WA
Reading and signing with Wendy Webb, M.J. Rose, and me.

Monday, August 31, 2015, 7:00 pm
Annie Bloom's Books
7834 SW Capitol Hwy, Portland, OR
Reading and signing with Wendy Webb, M.J. Rose, and me.

Saturday, October 10, 2015, 2:00 pm
Mysterious Galaxy Bookstore
5943 Balboa Avenue, Suite #100, San Diego, CA
Reading and signing with Laura Anne Gilman and me.

Saturday, November 7, 2015
Wordstock
Portland Art Museum, Portland, OR
Details to follow.

THE UNINVITED Release Day

It's here!  

I'm thrilled to announce that The Uninvited, published by William Morrow, is now officially out in the world! You can find the novel both online and in brick-and-mortar stores across the United States, including Powell's, Barnes & Noble, Hudson Booksellers (in airports), and Costco.

I'll be celebrating the release of the novel this evening at Powell's Books at Cedar Hills Crossing in Beaverton, Oregon. If you're in the area, please join me for a reading, signing, WWI-era jazz music, and desserts. If you can't make it, please see my Events page for a list of my other upcoming appearances. You can also order a signed copy from Powell's up until 7:00 this evening.

The Uninvited, ready for the launch party at Powell's

Here's what reviewers and early readers are saying about The Uninvited:

“Dark and romantic . . . at once horrifying and tender.”
—Publishers Weekly

“. . . a haunting paranormal tale . . . 

with a truly unexpected twist.”

(4 stars)

—Romantic Times

“Winters is a talented writer who takes her readers on an audacious ride with this book, her first novel written for an adult audience. The plotting is near perfect.”

—Historical Novels Review

“Devotees of romance and ghost stories will doubtless enjoy Winters’ latest.”

—Booklist

“A wonderfully atmospheric and intriguing novel. A novel that is sure to keep readers hooked to the end.”

—Hazel Gaynor

New York Times bestselling author

“Would that every chapter of history be presented in such captivating, lushly-written prose.”

—Sophie Littlefield

Bestselling author

“An affecting novel, dark in fiction and in fact . . . Cat Winters’s latest offers resonant characters, a stunning twist, and an emotional, satisfying conclusion.”

—Michelle Gable

International bestselling author of  

A Paris Apartment

“Evocative and lushly written.”

—April Henry

New York Times bestselling author

“Compulsively readable, beautifully written . . . I finished this story and wished very much I had written it.”

—Wendy Webb 

Bestselling author of  

The Fate of Mercy Alban and The Vanishing

“A mesmerizing story of life and death in one of 
America's darkest periods.” 

—Megan Shepherd

Author of The Madman's Daughter

“A fascinating historical fiction tale with a decidedly supernatural twist.”

—Fresh Fiction

ORDER ONLINE: 

HarperCollins • Amazon • Barnes & Noble •  
Powell's • IndieBound • Amazon UK •  
Book Depository • BAM • Indigo

Also available in ebook, audiobook, and library-bound editions.

Preview a Chapter at USA Today's Happy Ever After

Counting down to THE UNINVITED!

We're now less than two weeks away from the August 11 release of The Uninvited, which means that blog tours, giveaways, and West Coast appearances are either now available or coming soon! Here are the latest updates for the novel.

A Giveaway

HarperCollins sent me proofs of the gorgeous finished cover, and I've signed one to give away. Head over to the official details on my Twitter account by August 5 for a chance to win.

Preorder Signed Copies

You can preorder signed copies of The Uninvited from Powell's Books at Cedar Hills Crossing in Oregon through Powells.com. I'll be signing the books when I'm at the store for my reading during the evening of August 11, at 7:00 pm. If you're attending the event, you do not need to preorder a copy.

Blog Tours

Two blog tours are in the works for the book!

TLC Book Tour: 8/4 - 8/20 (10 stops)
Bookslapped Book Tour: 8/11 – 8/24 (23 stops)

Appearances

I just added a San Diego stop to my West Coast tour! Here's a list of all of my scheduled 2015 events for The Uninvited.

Tuesday, August 11, 2015, 7:00 pm
Powell's Books at Cedar Hills Crossing
3415 SW Cedar Hills Blvd., Beaverton, OR
Launch party!

Friday, August 28, 2015, 7:00 pm
Elliott Bay Book Company
1521 10th Ave., Seattle, WA
Reading and signing with Wendy Webb, M.J. Rose, and me.

Monday, August 31, 2015, 7:00 pm
Annie Bloom's Books
7834 SW Capitol Hwy, Portland, OR
Reading and signing with Wendy Webb, M.J. Rose, and me.

Saturday, October 10, 2015, 2:00 pm
Mysterious Galaxy Bookstore
5943 Balboa Avenue, Suite #100, San Diego, CA
Reading and signing with Laura Anne Gilman and me.

Saturday, November 7, 2015
Wordstock
Portland Art Museum, Portland, OR
Details to follow.

Audiobook Excerpt 

Downpour is now offering a sample of the audiobook, beautifully read by Emily Woo Zeller. Listen here.

Reading Group Guide

A Reading Group Guide is being published at the back of The Uninvited, but I've also posted a printable online version (spoilers included). I've also created a Reading Group Music Sampler on Spotify.

Keep Up-to-Date

Keep an eye on my social media accounts for more updates!

Twitter • Facebook • Tumblr • Pinterest • Goodreads • Instagram 

“In Winters’s dark and romantic adult novel, an act of shocking violence encourages a young woman to flee her rural Illinois home amid the influenza outbreak of 1918 . . . The author effectively captures the dangers of the period, and yet Ivy finds bastions of human kindness and acceptance. Her compelling voice carries this gothic coming-of-age story, at once horrifying and tender, toward a revelatory yet hopeful conclusion.”
—Publishers Weekly

PRE-ORDER: 

Signed Edition from Powell's

HarperCollins • Amazon • Barnes & Noble •  
Powell's • IndieBound • Amazon UK •  
Book Depository • BAM • Indigo

Also coming in ebook, audiobook, and library-bound editions.

Preview the First Chapter

THE UNINVITED Audiobook

An audiobook edition of The Uninvited, narrated by Emily Woo Zeller, will be released by HarperAudio on the same day as the publication of the trade paperback edition, August 11, 2015. I haven't yet heard a clip of the audiobook, but I did get to submit my top choice of a narrator after listening to samples that HarperCollins sent me. I'm pleased to say that Emily Woo Zeller was my top pick, and I'm greatly looking forward to hearing her read the novel.

PRE-ORDER: 

HarperCollins • Amazon • Barnes & Noble • Blackstone •  

Amazon UK • BAM

Summer Events

The release dates of both The Uninvited and Slasher Girls & Monster Boys are now under two months away! In the works are blog tours, readings, and one highly creepy online promotion.

If you live in the Pacific Northwest, here's where you'll find me discussing and signing the books this summer:

Tuesday, August 11, 2015, 7:00 pm
Powell's Books at Cedar Hills Crossing
3415 SW Cedar Hills Blvd., Beaverton, OR
Launch party for my adult debut novel, THE UNINVITED.

Thursday, August 20, 2015, 7:00 pm
Powell's Books at Cedar Hills Crossing
3415 SW Cedar Hills Blvd., Beaverton, OR
Launch party for the YA horror anthology SLASHER GIRLS & MONSTER BOYS, with April Genevieve Tucholke, McCormick Templeman, and me.

Friday, August 21, 2015, 7:00 pm
The Book Bin
450 Court St. NE, Salem, OR
Reading and signing for SLASHER GIRLS & MONSTER BOYS, with April Genevieve Tucholke, McCormick Templeman, and me.
 
Friday, August 28, 2015, 7:00 pm
Elliott Bay Book Company
1521 10th Ave., Seattle, WA
Reading and signing with Wendy Webb, M.J. Rose, and me.

Monday, August 31, 2015, 7:00 pm
Annie Bloom's Books
7834 SW Capitol Hwy, Portland, OR
Reading and signing with Wendy Webb, M.J. Rose, and me.

Sample a Chapter of THE UNINVITED

I'm pleased to announce that William Morrow has posted the entire first chapter of my upcoming adult novel, The Uninvited, at Scribd. Feel free to take a sneak peek and let me know what you think.

The Uninvited will be available August 11, 2015, and I'm sure I'll have much more news about it in the coming months.

The launch party has already been scheduled for Powell's Books at Cedar Hills Crossing at 7:00 on the evening of the publication date.

PRE-ORDER: 

HarperCollins • Amazon • Barnes & Noble •  
Powell's • IndieBound • Amazon UK •  
Book Depository • BAM • Indigo

Early-Spring Updates

Thank you so much to everyone who entered my Halloween-in-March giveaway! I'm coming up for a short breather between deadlines, so I thought I'd take a moment to give some more updates on all three of my upcoming projects.

Also, I realized I haven't yet officially announced over here that I had the honor of being selected as a judge in School Library Journal's 2015 Battle of the Books. On March 23, you'll be able to see the bracket I got to judge and learn which book I chose to send on to the next round. It's been an incredibly fun experience.

Here's the latest info on all of my forthcoming books.

THE UNINVITED

Adult Fiction
Coming August 11, 2015 
William Morrow / HarperCollins
ISBN 9780062347336

I've finished all of my work on this book, aside from promoting it, and now I'm just waiting for its summer release date to arrive. Here's the book's launch party info:

Tuesday, August 11, 2015, 7:00 pm
Powell's Books at Cedar Hills Crossing
Beaverton, Oregon

If you're interested in reviewing the novel, head to Edelweiss, and then click "Request Digital RC" in the box in the upper-right-hand side of the page. Print review copy requests should be directed to Lauren Jackson at HarperCollins.

Advance praise for the novel is listed here.

SLASHER GIRLS & MONSTER BOYS

YA Anthology
Coming August 18, 2015 
Dial / Penguin
ISBN 9780803741737

The anthology now has a website!

I still haven't received the go-ahead to reveal the name of my individual story, so I'll stay mum for now. I will say this, though: my story is a companion to one of my novels.

All of us contributing authors just received promotional posters for the book, and I'll likely send some out via a giveaway in the coming months. I'll also be taking posters with me to all of my upcoming events.

THE STEEP AND THORNY WAY

YA Fiction
Coming March 2016
Amulet Books / Abrams

Earlier this month I turned in revisions for this book, my third YA novel, which I'm happy to say is scheduled to release next March. I have a few more editing and proofreading stages to go for this one, and I'm still probably four to five months away from seeing what the Amulet Books designer will be creating for the cover. I should be able to reveal many more details about the novel in the fall. I can't wait!

My Halloween-in-March Ghostly Giveaway!

The Halloween season doesn't arrive for seven more months, but that doesn't mean we can't start celebrating. I have advance copies of TWO upcoming ghostly reads sitting here beside me, so it seems to me that a Halloween-in-March giveaway is in order.

Here's what I have waiting for early trick-or-treaters:

One signed advance copy of my upcoming WWI-era ghost tale, The Uninvited.
Age range: Adult Fiction
What it's about: Twenty-five-year-old Ivy Rowan sees the ghosts of loved ones right before someone is about to die. When she enters into a relationship with a German immigrant—the brother of a man her family members killed in retaliation for her brother's death in the Great War—she grows fearful of the increasing number of spirits she witnesses.
What to expect: Jazz. Gin. Ghosts. Sex. Love. Mystery. Psychological horror.

 ~ Coming August 11, 2015, from HarperCollins ~

AND. . .

One advance copy of Lauren DeStefano's upcoming middle-grade ghost tale, A Curious Tale of the In-Between.
Age range: 8 to 12
What it's about: Pram Bellamy's lifelong best friend is a ghost named Felix. When a living boy who's also interested in the spirit world enters her life, Pram finds herself embarking upon an otherworldly journey involving a lady spirit medium who may or may not be a phony.
What to expect: Lovely prose. Peril. Spirits. Heartbreak. Hope. Friendship. A fictional world reminiscent of those of Roald Dahl and Neil Gaiman. I absolutely loved this book.

~ Coming September 1, 2015, from Bloomsbury ~

Little peeks inside the advance copies:

The first page of The Uninvited.

The title page of A Curious Tale of the In-Between.

The target audiences for these two books are vastly different: one's an adult novel; one's a middle-grade read. However, I'm combining these two 2015 ghost tales into one Halloween-in-March prize package that will likely appeal to my fans and Lauren's. I'll also throw in some of my brand-new swag. 

You must be 13 years or older to enter. Open internationally.

Enter here:
a Rafflecopter giveaway

HAPPY HALLOWEEN IN MARCH!

Updates on All Three of My Upcoming Releases

I just wrapped up two intense months of meeting multiple deadlines, including judging a round for School Library Journal's 2015 Battle of the Books, which was quite an honor. Now that I have time to come up for a little breather, I thought I'd talk a little about the current status of my upcoming books. I'm in the amazing position of having three(!) new releases debuting between August of this year and Spring 2016, and even my husband and kids have some trouble keeping all of the books straight.

Here's the latest info for all three of those releases, as well as some details to help keep track of which book is which. (Click on the titles for more info and pre-ordering options.)

THE UNINVITED

Coming August 11, 2015 
William Morrow / HarperCollins
ISBN 9780062347336

Jazz. Gin. Ghosts. 

The Uninvited is my adult debut novel, set in the same 1918 time period as In the Shadow of Blackbirds. What makes it an adult novel versus a YA one? The main difference is that my main character is a 25-year-old woman instead of a teen. The book entails more cussing and sex than my already-published YA novels, although my upcoming YA short story (see the next book listed) does involve a sex scene.

The bottom line: This is still very much a Cat Winters novel, despite the protagonist's age and her occasional nakedness. You'll find a blend of the paranormal and history, and the book is also being called a psychological thriller. Advance praise for the novel is listed here.

SLASHER GIRLS & MONSTER BOYS

Coming August 18, 2015 
Dial / Penguin
ISBN 9780803741737

My second August release is a YA horror anthology involving short stories written by fourteen different authors, including me!

We've all finished writing and editing our stories, and the book is now beautifully typeset. I've heard that advance review copies are in the works, as well as a website for the book. I'll reveal the title of my individual story as soon as I receive the go-ahead to do so. (Update: There's now an official Slasher Girls & Monster Boys website).

The bottom line: This one's going to be scary, kids. All fourteen of us authors were asked to write stories inspired by classic horror movies and books. The book is for teens (and adult readers, too, of course), but some bravery and a lack of squeamishness will be required. Horror fans should be pleased.

THE STEEP AND THORNY WAY

Coming Spring 2016
Amulet Books / Abrams

This is my Hamlet-inspired YA novel involving a biracial girl in 1920s Oregon. I just handed my editor my revisions for the book this morning, and the novel will undergo two more stages of edits before the book is typeset, proofread, and turned into a finished product.

I won't say too much more about this one before the official synopsis gets released with the cover this fall (probably around September or October), but I will mention that, like In the Shadow of Blackbirds, it does involve a murder, a mystery, and a ghost.

The bottom line: My agent and early readers have called The Steep and Thorny Way my strongest book yet, and I'm incredibly proud of the novel. I'd personally say the book is appropriate for ages 14 and up.

Digital Review Copies of THE UNINVITED

I've just learned that reviewers can now request a digital review copy of my August 2015 HarperCollins novel, The Uninvited, at Edelweiss. Printed review copies of the book should also become available this month. Here's how to request a copy.

Digital Review Copies:

Click here, and then click "Request Digital RC" in the box in the upper-right-hand side of the page.    

Printed Review Copies:

Email your request to Lauren Jackson at HarperCollins.

Advance Praise:

“An affecting novel, dark in fiction and in fact. Set in 1918 against the parallel epidemics of the Spanish influenza and an equally terrifying strain of ‘superpatriotism,’ Cat Winters’s latest offers resonant characters, a stunning twist, and an emotional, satisfying conclusion.”

—Michelle Gable

International bestselling author of  

A Paris Apartment

“A wonderfully atmospheric and intriguing novel. Cat Winters portrays a fascinating period in American history with clever writing and a delicious plot twist. A novel that is sure to keep readers hooked to the end.”

—Hazel Gaynor

New York Times bestselling author

“Part ghost story, part love story, part historical fiction, this tale set in a small Midwestern town during the Great War is compulsively readable, beautifully written, and populated with characters that will hover in the air around you, long after you've set the book on your nightstand. I finished this story and wished very much I had written it.”

—Wendy Webb 

Bestselling author of  

The Fate of Mercy Alban and The Vanishing

PRE-ORDER: 

HarperCollins • Amazon • Barnes & Noble •
Amazon UK • Book Depository

Looking Ahead to 2015 . . . Two Book Releases, Writing Workshops, Secret Projects, and More

In recent posts I've talked quite a bit about my novel that's coming up in 2015, but I actually have two works of fiction releasing from two different publishers next year . . . and they're publishing only one week apart from each other.

Here's a rundown of the books you'll be seeing from me next year, as well as a peek at the books I'll be working on behind-the-scenes and some of my scheduled 2015 events.

2015 RELEASES:

THE UNINVITED
Coming August 11, 2015 
William Morrow / HarperCollins
ISBN 9780062347336

My adult fiction debut returns to the 1918 setting of In the Shadow of Blackbirds, although instead of California, this one takes place in Illinois, the site of the real-life lynching of a German-American named Robert Prager—a murder that made national headlines during the volatile final months of the World War I era. In The Uninvited, a young woman finds herself drawn to the brother of a German immigrant whom her father and brother killed in a violent act of vengeance for a war-related death. The novel is a ghost story, a love story, and a psychological thriller . . . and I can't wait to share it.

SLASHER GIRLS & MONSTER BOYS 
Coming August 18, 2015
Dial / Penguin

This YA horror anthology will feature original new tales by thirteen authors, including myself. From what I've heard, we won't be revealing the titles and synopses of our stories until the weeks leading up to the release of the book, plus there are a few other surprises about the anthology's theme that are yet to be announced. A cover is currently in the works, and hopefully we'll be able to reveal it soon. I've previewed some of the other authors' stories, and I can say with certainty that readers are in for a creepy and gripping treat just in time for the Halloween season.

BEHIND-THE-SCENES BOOKS

THE STEEP AND THORNY WAY
Coming Spring 2016
Amulet Books / Abrams
 
My third YA novel won't release until 2016, but 2015 will be the year when all of the fun stuff occurs—the major edits to get the book in shape, the cover design, the cover reveal, the preparation of advance reading copies. I cannot wait to share more info about this one, but I will say that it's a Hamlet-inspired tale involving a murder, Prohibition, and the KKK in 1920s Oregon. My Hamlet character is a biracial girl named Hanalee who's struggling to survive in a state gone terribly rotten.

THE TOP-SECRET BOOK

I've started writing a new work of adult fiction, so when I'm not in the midst of working on my other projects, I'll be busily typing away on and conducting research for this yet-to-be-announced new novel.

2015 APPEARANCES:

Saturday, January 17, 2015, 2:30-4:00 pm
The Next Level Professional Series
TaborSpace, The Annex
5441 SE Belmont, Portland, Oregon
Success Panel: How a Writer and Writer/Illustrator Got Their Starts, with Cat Winters and Nicole Rubel.

Thursday, March 12, to Sunday, March 15
Left Coast Crime 2015
Doubletree by Hilton Portland
1000 Northeast Multnomah Street, Portland, Oregon
Attending, potentially speaking. More info TBA.

Saturday, May 30, to Sunday, May 31, 2015
SCBWI Oregon's 2015 Annual Spring Conference
Holiday Inn Portland South
25425 SW 95th Ave., Wilsonville, Oregon
Faculty member. Subjects and times of workshops TBA.

More 2015 events are in the works, including possible appearances outside of Oregon. Please keep an eye on my Events Page for updates.

ARC Requests for THE UNINVITED

I've already received a few requests for info about how to be put on the list for advance reading copies of my 2015 novel, The Uninvited. This morning I talked with my HarperCollins publicist, and she said that all such requests should be emailed to her.

So, if you're a bookseller, librarian, reviewer, etc.—someone who typically receives ARCs—please send your request to Lauren Jackson at HarperCollins.

ARCs are not yet available, but the list of recipients is in the works.

The Uninvited is my adult novel releasing from the William Morrow imprint of HarperCollins on August 11, 2015. Please note that if you've requested ARCs for my two YA novels in the past, this particular book is being released by a different publisher.

Thank you to everyone interested in receiving an advance copy.

Advance Praise:

“An affecting novel, dark in fiction and in fact. Set in 1918 against the parallel epidemics of the Spanish influenza and an equally terrifying strain of ‘superpatriotism,’ Cat Winters’s latest offers resonant characters, a stunning twist, and an emotional, satisfying conclusion.”

—Michelle Gable

International bestselling author of  

A Paris Apartment

“Part ghost story, part love story, part historical fiction, this tale set in a small Midwestern town during the Great War is compulsively readable, beautifully written, and populated with characters that will hover in the air around you, long after you've set the book on your nightstand. I finished this story and wished very much I had written it.”

—Wendy Webb 

Bestselling author of  

The Fate of Mercy Alban and The Vanishing

PRE-ORDER: 

HarperCollins • Amazon •  
Amazon UK • Book Depository

Deadlines, Advance Copies, a TV Spotlight, and a Puppy: My Super-Busy Summer of 2014

June and the first half of July have rushed by in a blur. I've been astoundingly busy working on multiple books at once, as well as promoting both In the Shadow of Blackbirds and The Cure for Dreaming. I'm coming up for a quick breather to share my latest news.

The ALA Annual Conference in Las Vegas. At the end of June I got to attend this amazing gathering of librarians and authors and saw the advance reading copies of The Cure for Dreaming for the first time. Thanks so much to my publisher Amulet Books/Abrams for sending me!

Here are two more photos of the advance copies:

The Uninvited. During the month of June and up to this past week, I worked diligently on edits for my William Morrow/HarperCollins adult novel, which is tentatively scheduled for publication on May 5, 2015. My HarperCollins editor, Lucia Macro, visited Portland in June, and I received the opportunity to have lunch with her and discuss her suggestions for the book. A cover should be in the works soon, and I'll also likely be able to share an official synopsis sometime in the coming months. For now, it's shrouded in a bit of mystery . . .

Filming! Last Thursday and Friday, a film crew came to my house and followed me around Portland for an upcoming episode of Oregon Art Beat, Oregon Public Broadcasting's Emmy Award-winning local arts series. My feature is tentatively scheduled to air in the fall, probably right around the time of the release date and launch party for The Cure for Dreaming. The segment will appear online as well as on TV. Below are some pictures from the filming, including one of me with my weekly Thursday-morning writing and coffee group, which will be included in the feature. 

(Left to right) Me, Teri Brown, Kelly Garrett, videographer Todd, and Miriam Forster.

 Producer Katrina Sarson, setting up an interview with me at Portland's White House.

The Secret Project! When I'm not working on my adult novel or running off somewhere to promote my books, I'm hard at work on a secret new project that I need to turn in to one of my editors by mid November. Hopefully, I'll get to talk more about it soon.

Me at the Tillamook County Library

Tillamook Library Talk! The wonderful Tillamook County Library in Tillamook, Oregon, spotlighted In the Shadow of Blackbirds for their 2014 Teen Summer Reading Program. Earlier this month, teens got to create their own spirit photographs, and last night I visited the library and chatted about the novel. Thanks to the library for hosting me and to all of the sharp and insightful teenagers who showed up and asked me questions.

Little Wilbur.

Wilbur! My family has a new puppy. His name is Wilbur, and he's a four-month-old American Eskimo. He's keeping us quite busy and entertained, and, luckily, my husband, a high school teacher, is home for the summer to help out with the training.

All right, back to work for me. I hope everyone is doing well and enjoying the summer (or winter, if you're down in the Southern Hemisphere).