How is marketing a sequel different from marketing the first book in a series? From what you can observe, has the release of My Epic Fairy Tale Fail brought new readers to the series, or are you mostly finding readers who've already read My Very UnFairy Tale Life and are looking for the next installment?
Marketing
a sequel is definitely a tricky business. For a debut, there tends to
be a lot of built-in excitement because of the newness of the book. For a
sequel, luckily there are readers who enjoyed the first book and are
looking forward to the second installment, but you also have to find new
ways to reach people who haven't read (or heard of) the first one. I've
found that interviews, events, and word-of-mouth go a long way in
helping to spread the word.
I've been pleasantly surprised, though, to hear from readers who started
with the second book and are now going back to read the first. I guess
that's proof that the second book works independently of the first,
which is exactly what I'd been hoping for!
I'd love to know more about The Dirt Diary. You've said that the
protagonist learns "dirt" about her classmates when she helps her mother
clean their houses, and I'm curious about the tone of the book and
series. Are we talking juicy gossip? More serious secrets? Bed-wetting?
All of the above?
The tone of the book is very light and funny, so the gossip that Rachel
discovers is pretty G-rated. I wanted the "dirt" to be mortifying in
that middle-school sort of way. The inspiration behind the story was a
piece I heard on NPR that mentioned a girl who cleaned houses with her
mom and wound up cleaning the homes of some of the most popular kids in
school. The idea really stuck with me, and I thought: What kinds of
secrets could she discover that would not only mortify the popular kids
but also make her feel utterly embarrassed?
A lot of authors seem to stick with just realism or just fantasy, but
you seem comfortable jumping between the two, and your fantasies are
very accessible to readers who don't necessarily dive into every fantasy
world out there. Do you feel more connected to one genre or the other?
What were your reading tendencies when you were in elementary school?
I've been drawn to fantasy since I can remember, but when I think about the books I loved when I was young--The Secret Garden, Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH, A Wrinkle in Time--it
wasn't so much the fantasy that drew me in but the appeal of a
different time or place. It's so fun to get lost in a different time
period or setting, but I think it's equally intriguing to contrast it
with your own life. I guess that's why even my fantastical stories tend
to be grounded in the regular world.
I
must say, though, that THE DIRT DIARY was a big change of pace for me.
Whenever I'd tried to write realistic fiction in the past, it always
morphed into fantasy. This story, however, seemed content to stay
realistic.
You also have a picture book, Dogosaurus Rex, coming out from Henry Holt. How has that publication process been different? Do you have an illustrator?
I'm so excited about my first picture book, though I don't have a lot of details to share yet. The process of publishing a novel is slooow, but the process of publishing a picture book is downright glacial. I've really just had to trust my publisher and remind myself that even if it feels like I'm twiddling my thumbs, there's a lot of work happening behind the scenes. Hopefully, I'll be able to reveal more info soon!
What's one question you wish more people would ask about your books or your writing life? And of course, what's your answer?
This is actually a question that I would love to hear other authors answers: How do you balance it all?
The
issue of balance is always on my mind these days, particularly as I
juggle two series. Writing on deadline and having multiple projects
going at once has been thrilling but also daunting at times. It feels
like I'm in the midst of an intricate dance, and I just keep flailing
around and hoping I'm getting the steps right. I keep wondering how
other authors balance different aspects of their lives. Maybe--like
me--they're just pretending to say on top of everything!
Born in Poland and raised in the United States, Anna Staniszewski grew up loving stories in both Polish and English. She was named the 2006-2007 Writer-in-Residence at the Boston Public Library and a winner of the 2009 PEN New England Susan P. Bloom Discovery Award. Currently, Anna lives outside of Boston, Mass. with her husband and their adopted black Labrador, Emma. When she's not writing, Anna spends her time teaching, reading, and challenging unicorns to games of hopscotch. You can visit her at www.annastan.com.
Here's the book trailer for My Epic Fairy Tale Fail:
Thanks so much for having me!
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