NCTE 2024

Very excited to be speaking at NCTE this year! I'll be there on Saturday Nov 23 on the Uncovering Untold Stories panel at 8:15am in room 160A. Hope to see you there! 

SPY RING Book Launch Event

I had such a fantastic time at the book launch event for my newest book for kids, SPY RING!!! Thanks so much to everyone who came! And thanks so much to the Three Village Historical Society for hosting! 

http://www.sarahbethdurst.com/SpyRing.htm

SPY RING comes out today!!!

Today is the book birthday for my new book for kids, SPY RING! I'm so excited!! SPY RING is about two modern-day kids on a treasure hunt left by real-life American Revolutionary War-era spy Anna Smith Strong (America's first female spy!). It combines a contemporary fictional adventure with historical fact about George Washington's Culper Spy Ring. And it's out today from HarperCollins/Clarion Books!

 

I live in Stony Brook, NY, two miles from where Anna Smith Strong lived, spied, and died. There are historical markers everywhere, as well as signs for the Washington Spy Trail along the nearby roads. Seeing them, I knew there was a story around me, and I knew I had to write it. I had so much fun both researching and writing this book, and I'm so happy it's out in the world!

If you would like to learn more about the book, read the first chapter, and/or view a photo tour of the real-world locations in SPY RING, please visit my website: http://www.sarahbethdurst.com/SpyRing.htm

Happy reading! And happy spying!

(Cover art by Brandon Dorman; Photo by Kimberly Phyfe)

Book Launch Event for SPY RING Tonight!

TONIGHT!!! At 7pm at the Setauket Neighborhood House (95 Main St, Setauket, NY), I'll be talking about my new book for kids, SPY RING, and America's first female spy! Hope to see you there! https://www.threevillagehistoricalsociety.org/lecture-series

Book Launch Event on 5/20!

Long Island friends: Please join me on Monday (5/20) at 7pm for the launch of my new book for kids, SPY RING! I'll be talking about the Culper Spy Ring, how I wrote SPY RING, and how history is all around us. Also, there will be cookies!

The event is hosted by the Three Village Historical Society and will be held at the historic Setauket Neighborhood House (95 Main Street, Setauket, NY), right in the heart of Culper Country!

https://www.threevillagehistoricalsociety.org/lecture-series

SPY RING in Times Beacon Record!

I made my local newspaper! Posing with my new kids book SPY RING in front of the school that's in the book! Their lovely review is here (page 20): https://tbrnewsmedia.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/al_051624w.pdf

Book Launch Event for SPY RING on 5/20!

You're invited!!!

The Three Village Historical Society is hosting the book launch event for my new book for kids, SPY RING, on Monday, May 20th, at 7pm at the Setauket Neighborhood House.

Published by HarperCollins / Clarion Books, SPY RING is about two-modern day kids on a treasure-hunt adventure inspired by real-life Resolutionary War hero Anna Smith Strong, America's first female spy! It features a ton of local history and real locations around Three Village. At the launch, I'll be talking about George Washington's Culper Spy Ring, how I wrote SPY RING, and how history is all around us!

The event is open to the public and free of charge. All are welcome! I hope you can come!

https://www.threevillagehistoricalsociety.org/lecture-series

SPY RING at Setauket Elementary School!

Look what arrived in the mail! A lovely finished copy of my new kids book, SPY RING!!! I just had to take its picture with the school that's in the book, Setauket Elementary! So excited to share with readers! Out 5/21/24 from HarperCollins!

Kirkus Starred Review for SPY RING!

So excited to share that my forthcoming book for kids, SPY RING, got a STARRED REVIEW in Kirkus!!!!! Eeeeep! Thanks so much, Kirkus Reviews!

https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/sarah-beth-durst/spy-ring/

Happy 2024!

Wishing you all a wonderful new year! I am full of hope and excitement for 2024. Three new books coming out -- two for adults, THE SPELLSHOP and THE LIES AMONG US, and one for kids, SPY RING. I'm so ready for this year! Let's do this!

Cover Reveal for SPY RING

Cover reveal! I'm so excited to share the cover for my upcoming book for kids, SPY RING (coming 5/21/24 from HarperCollins / Clarion Books)! It's about two modern-day kids on a treasure-hunt adventure inspired by real-life Revolutionary War hero Anna Smith Strong, America's first female spy! Huge thanks to the incredible artist Brandon Dorman for the beautiful cover art and to the whole team at Clarion Books!
 

www.sarahbethdurst.com/SpyRing.htm

Announcing SPY RING!!!

I'm super excited to announce that I sold a new book, SPY RING, my first ever contemporary middle-grade novel, to my wonderful editor Anne Hoppe at Clarion Books, via my amazing agent Andrea Somberg! It's about two modern-day kids on a treasure-hunt adventure inspired by real-life Revolutionary War hero Anna Smith Strong, America's first female spy!