Category: Kate

Brooklyn girl, baby!

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I opened the door expecting to have a package from UPS with stuff from work or something I’d ordered online. Instead, a nice guy asked for Jess Ashley and handed me a vase of flowers.

Kate and Ross got me flowers for my two year anniversary in New York. According to the card, I’m now a “true New Yorker.”

Wow.

Sometimes, it feels like I’ve been here for ten years. Sometimes, a week. I still get lost on new trains, still go the wrong way when trying to find strange buildings and still Google Map any new place I go and hand draw a map. But I’m not afraid of going to new places.

I used to be.

When I first moved here, the only place I felt that I knew how to get back and forth from without having to worry was to S&S. I would get on the train at 7th Avenue, put on my headphones and ride the 45-ish minutes into the city. And that’s not to mention how long it took me to feel comfortable to play my iPod because I was sure the conductor would change the route with a message that the train was going to the Bronx or somewhere far away. I was convinced I’d get lost and never find my way back to Park Slope again. (Not being a drama queen–I was serious!)

But now, it’s almost as if I instinctively know how to get home. And home for me is the best place to be in the entire city. I’m happiest when I’m in cozy socks, yoga pants, a PINK t-shirt and doing anything–or nothing at all–with my bestie.

If you passed me on the streets, you’d probably think I was a tourist. I’ve always got my BlackBerry out and am taking pictures of everything. I wear Brooklyn hoodies, a “Gaga for Brooklyn” (she’s performing on May 27 for GMA, btw . . . )T-shirt and it’ll soon be warm enough for me to wear my “I love New York” shirt. I know that it’s not “cool” to do that when you live here, but I don’t care. I haven’t gotten past the giddy stage of living in the city that never sleeps.

I’m a Brooklyn girl and proud of it!

Much love to all of my Brooklyn family and friends who have supported me here. I love you all.

Some celebratory shopping

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I got some exciting news yesterday! It led to the purchase of the suuuperfun hoodie and the tank below from the place where, um, most of my paycheck goes–VS’s PINK line.

The news? Take the Reins earned out its advance! Yay! It wouldn’t have happened without *you,* the readers, and my ridiculously talented editor, Kate Angelella.

We decided some celebratory online shopping was in order, so I snagged that doodle zip hoodie and the pretty tank. I love that mix of blue and gray! Plus, I’m always cold, so I can’t get enough hoodies.

Again, I’m so grateful that Take the Reins is doing so well and in it’s . . . 6th (?–I should check that . . .) printing. I’ll be working as I start to feel better on Initiation this weekend and I’m counting down the days until Chosen releases in May. I’ve got a lot of fun giveaways during release week! 🙂

Anyone else a PINK fanatic? What’s your go-to store when you want to celebrate with clothes, accessories–whatever?

Couple of cool things

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Aladdin MIX’s 5th anniversary is coming up. They’re giving authors FlipCams to film some fun Q&As and a few other things. The idea made the Wall Street Journal. Cool! Check out “Writers Get Close in Video Interview.”

Kate and I also have an account on Smashwords. (Thanks, Bri!) We’ll likely be selling our e-books there in addition to other outlets. Here’s our profile. 🙂

I’m finally back on Publishers Marketplace. I added (first time ever) a project that’s available. Since I’ve been unagented for almost 2 years, I thought it was time to get an account for my projects in progress. If you’re looking for a YA verse proposal, e-mail me for more details. Plus, there are details about the packager work Kate and I are doing with Violet & Ruby.

Cross post from Violet & Ruby

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Kate wrote this post and I wanted to share it with all of you! Find the original post here. 🙂

VIOLET AND RUBY, BFFS 4-EVER!

So, this website is the first visible evidence of me and my best friend going into business together. It’s like a childhood dream, owning a company with your BFF. But as you grow up, it seems like a really, really bad idea. You think about the fights you might get in—over money, who gets to make all the decisions, who is better at doing whatever and who is jealous and why. You worry someone might get hurt and, ultimately, you worry that you’ll ruin your friendship.

But you know what? I’ve never had that worry about Violet & Ruby. And there are two reasons why.
One: I never knew the true meaning of “best friend” until I met mine a few years ago. Sure, I’d had friends I’d worn friendship bracelets with, or made BFF friendship notebooks with—notebooks that declared “best friends forever!” But this girl, she means so much more to me than a bracelet or a notebook. When we hang out, I never get bored or annoyed with her and wonder when she’ll leave or when I can go home. I can spend all day and night with her and call her when she gets home and still have a marathon phone call with her. We finish each others’ sentences, love the same things, own many of the same items of clothing, and get asked almost everywhere we go if we’re sisters.
Two: I met my bestie DOING business. We were in business together first, and became best friends later. We were partnered together, long distance, as author and editor on a series called CANTERWOOD CREST. We started talking on the phone once in a while about things non-Canterwood-related. But then something life-changing happened. I learned I was going to have to get a spinal fusion surgery. Even though I’m an adult, the idea of surgery on my back terrified me! I told my friend over the phone, who also happened to have had that same surgery—and she was amazing. Even though she was nervous for me, she talked to me all about her experience and made me feel so much better and like everything was going to be all right.
During the time I was out of work to recover from surgery (two months!), and even though one of us lived in Brooklyn and one in Florida, we talked every day for at least a couple hours a day. We planned the time in advance, both made tea before our calls, and spent hours talking and laughing and telling each other things about ourselves that we’d never told anyone else. Eventually, we visited each other and decided we couldn’t live so far apart. Just three months later, we were both living in the same exact neighborhood in Brooklyn!
We decided to start Violet & Ruby one night when we were painting our nails. We have a ton of beauty rituals that we do together all the time—facemasks, mani/pedis, online lip-gloss shopping, and slew of shared accessories. We started talking about how cool it would be if we made a blog where we posted about all of our favorite things: fave glosses, makeup, nail polish, TV shows, books, etc.
We agreed on the blog . . . and then Violet & Ruby became Violet & Ruby Productions. The latter still included the sparkly website, but it also included something just as cool: a packaging company partnership that consisted of just the two of us. We’d brainstorm the way we always did for Canterwood—but we’d brainstorm ideas for other books and novellas and then we’d write them together! A few months later, here we are. Our first real project, with an e-novella close to being published! And you know what? Every day has been so much fun. We don’t fight, we haven’t stopped finishing each others’ sentences, and we’ve already come up with a ton of ideas we’re both super proud of—ideas we can’t wait to execute together.
Cheers to that old middle school saying that we’ve both discovered is as true when you’re an adult as when you’re in middle school or high school: BFFs 4ever!
xx,
Violet & Ruby

Editor K is now Author/Writer K!

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Hi, guys!

I am beyond excited to share some news! My best friend has come over to the dark side 😉 and is now a full-time writer/freelance-editor. She is no longer with Simon & Schuster after a wonderful four years of editing award winning books, many series and some fab stand-a-lones, she is now pursuing her dream as a writer. I could not be happier or more proud. (Um, plus, that means we get to write together every day in our pajamas. Woot!)

We have teamed up to form Violet & Ruby and soon we’ll be bringing you the hottest, most fun e-book novellas for you to download via Amazon.com and Barnes & Noble.com. (They will not be available in physical book stores–only online.) They’ll be published under Jessica Ashley & Kate Angelella.

Want a teaser of an e-book novella coming to you soon in forty page installments? How about this?

Wellington Prep: home to the notorious Jasmine King. And if you think Jasmine’s a mean girl . . . meet the one who taught her everything she knows.

A title reveal, cover and more will be coming VERY soon, so stay tuned! 🙂

Team Canterwood, don’t worry! Kate is staying with us! She would never leave the series and will continue to edit Canterwood Crest, have input on our beautiful covers and make sure we give you what you deserve–awesome books.

Writers–if anyone is looking for a freelance-editor, Kate’s your girl. Her rates are reasonable and she’s incredibly talented. Contact her through her Website if you want more info.

Later in the week, look for pics and video from my B&N signing. There were a lot of surprises and secrets revealed that you’ll get here.

Finally, we’re working on a project and we need YOUR input. If you’d like the possible opportunity to see your first name and age (or make up a name if you like) in one of our e-books, post any questions you have here about friendships, keeping friends, losing friends, mean girls, etc. Ask away and you might find your question answered in a novella coming soon from us! 🙂

xoxo

Congratulations, Kate and Ross!

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I’m suuuperlate in posting this but a zillion things are going on, including moving (K and R), writing CHOSEN, doctor appointments, etc.

BUT

Kate and Ross sold their 2 book series to Sourcebooks this week!

I was lucky enough to witness the entire process from first word to sending it off to their agent. I couldn’t be more proud and thrilled to see their book on shelves in spring 2012.

Want to keep track of them?

Kate’s Website is so fun

Ross‘ (some adult content, FYI, tween readers) links you to some of his best work

Kate’s Twitter accounts for Editor K and Kate are must-follows as is Ross’.

They just started a joint Twitter for their book and a Website will be coming soon.

Yay to both! Sooo excited! ❤

Happy birthday, Kate!

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Happy birthday, Kate!

Thank you sooo much, Team Canterwood, for your birthday emails! I gave Kate her present this morning in a Zac Efron folder (just like how Sasha described Jacob for the first time) and she looooved it. She even took it to work to show all of her co-workers what you’d written. You guys are the best and it’s making her birthday more sparkly with each letter she reads.

And since we’re on the topic of her awesome books, I’m reading K’s copy of Kekla Magoon’s CAMO GIRL next (out Jan ’11) and from everything she’s told me, it’s going to be fantastic. It even got a mention in Publishers Weekly!

10 days until SCANDALS! :)

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10 more days till SCANDALS comes out! Yaaay! Superbusy plotting CHOSEN and doing personal stuff, but I’m going to be stalking bookstores when SCANDALS comes out. 🙂 Some of your stores may already have it since a lot of stores release it early. It’s craaaazy to think about CC #11 being out there soon. I Tweeted a pic of my copies and you can see the front and back. Very exciting!

A million hugs to all who have been helping me with my special super secret project. I’m overwhelmed with gratitude and touched by your kindness and support. You’re all amazing and generous. Many hearts! I’ll update you all about how it goes when I present Editor K with her present from Team Canterwood.
I hope you all have a great weekend.
xoxo