CATALYST Blurb from Emily Jenkins!

I'm excited and thrilled to share this lovely quote for my new book for kids, CATALYST, from the amazing and brilliant Emily Jenkins!!!

Excerpt from CATALYST

Three weeks until my giant cat book, CATALYST, comes out! I just posted the first chapter on my website. Click here to read! http://www.sarahbethdurst.com/Catalystexcerpt.htm

 

CATALYST Coming Soon!

So, the world is still on fire, but I have a new kids book coming out on June 9. By pure chance, CATALYST is all about learning to accept change, though I never imagined there'd be quite so much change for all of us to accept.

In that spirit of accepting change, and despite everything, I'll be introducing you to CATALYST over the next few weeks, ahead of its 6/9 publication day.  May this giant cat story bring a little joy to kids who need it now more than ever.

Tour of My Writing Space!

TODAY!!! Come visit me on the HarperCollins Library Love Fest Instagram today (Fri 5/8)! I'm taking over their Instagram account all day to show you pictures and videos of my writing space! Just posted the video tour! 

https://www.instagram.com/harperlibrary

 

Tour My Writing Space Tomorrow!

Tomorrow (Friday 5/8) I'll be taking over the HarperCollins Library Love Fest Instagram to show you my writing space, with a video tour at 11am EDT. Come visit my writing room, meet my cat, and see where I create my monsters and the women who ride them! https://www.instagram.com/harperlibrary

 

SPARK on the Florida Sunshine State Young Readers Award List!

Woohoo!!! SPARK made the Florida Sunshine State Young Readers Award 2020-21 list! Thanks so much, Florida librarians! You have absolutely made my day!

https://www.floridamediaed.org/ssyra.html 

 

RACE THE SANDS comes out today!!!

Today is the book birthday for my new epic fantasy novel for adults, RACE THE SANDS!!! My 20th book!!! It's about two kickass women vying to become monster racing champions. I loved writing this book, and I hope it will provide an escape to everyone who needs one. 

Tamra, the disgraced monster-racing trainer at the heart of RACE THE SANDS, is named after Tamora Pierce, author of the Tortall books and one of the most awesome and great-hearted people I know.  In writing this book, my goal was to write a character as kickass as she is.

I believe that fantasy is a literature of hope and empowerment. It can serve as a light in the darkness, a guide toward strength, and an escape from pain. I hope that someone will read about my monster-riding women in their sun-blasted land and find strength, escape, and hope.

If you're interested, there's more information on my website, including the first chapter: http://www.sarahbethdurst.com/RacetheSands.htm

Thank you to my awesome editor, David Pomerico; my incredible agent, Andrea Somberg; and all the wonderful people at Harper Voyager for bringing this book to life!

Happy book birthday, RACE THE SANDS!!!

RACE THE SANDS Book Necklace Countdown: Book 20

I'm counting down to the publication of my 20th book, RACE THE SANDS, out 4/21, by sharing pics of each #booknecklace my husband gave me to celebrate each of my prior books...

Book 20 (adult SFF): RACE THE SANDS. And this brings us to my newest book and newest #booknecklace! Tomorrow my 20th book comes out! It's a standalone epic fantasy about monster racing. The primary monster is a metal lion, and my husband found the most perfect necklace on Etsy!

My cat Gwen claims she's the inspiration for this book since she loves to run around the house at top speed. And it is true that I wrote most of the book with her sitting on me!

Funny thing is that my husband forgot he already gave me a #booknecklace for RACE THE SANDS -- a tiny hourglass with sand inside. But don't tell him, because I love both.

Thanks so much for joining me on my #booknecklace countdown to RACE THE SANDS pub day! It will be out in the world tomorrow!!! I hope all of you are safe, healthy, and happy. Sending so much love to everyone!

RACE THE SANDS Book Necklace Countdown: Book 19

I'm counting down to the publication of my 20th book, RACE THE SANDS, out 4/21, by sharing pics of each #booknecklace my husband gave me to celebrate each of my prior books...

Book 19 (MG): SPARK is my newest book for kids. It's about a girl and her lightning dragon (a storm beast), and how even the quietest voice can change the world. My #booknecklace is a lightning bolt, and I wore it so much that I broke the chain.

I wrote SPARK for all the quiet kids out there. But it's not about a quiet kid who learns to be loud. It's about a quiet kid who discovers that she's strong exactly as she is. She doesn't have to change herself to change the world.

I also wrote it because I not-so-secretly want my own lightning dragon.....

RACE THE SANDS Book Necklace Countdown: Book 18

I'm counting down to the publication of my 20th book, RACE THE SANDS, out 4/21, by sharing pics of each #booknecklace my husband gave me to celebrate each of my prior books...

Book 18 (adult SFF): THE DEEPEST BLUE is a standalone epic fantasy set in the same world as The Queens of Renthia (but you don't have to have read the trilogy first -- it's a true standalone). It features a LOT of sea monsters so my #booknecklace is a sea monster!

When I saw the cover for THE DEEPEST BLUE, I was thrilled to see that the artist (Larry Rostant) had depicted the sea monsters precisely as I'd imagined them. The sea dragon, the kraken, and the multi-headed snake -- those are my murder-babies!