Category: Kissing Max Holden
SEVEN…
Let the countdown to Kissing Max Holden‘s August 1st release begin!
Also! You can currently preorder Kissing Max Holden from Barnes & Noble at a pretty excellent discount — less than $11 for the hardcover!
KISSING MAX HOLDEN has a cover!
Guys, Kissing Max Holden has a finalized cover, and I could not love it more!
Let’s talk about the pretty, shall we?
The colors: I liked the grayscale of the winning cover direction, but I LOVE how this new image looks: sharp and crisp, with plenty of contrast. And then there’s the gradient pink of the title; pink is my favorite, and I’m so happy to see it featured on Kissing Max Holden‘s cover. It feels fresh and fun and romantic.
The cover models: I mean, I couldn’t have handpicked a more perfect Jilly and Max. She’s beautiful but approachable, and he’s got dark, wild hair and a jaw that won’t quit. Together? They’re adorable.
The composition: The way he’s coming over the fence for her? Yes. They way she’s touching his face? There’s a history there. The way he’s holding her wrist? Clearly, he wants her. The almost-kiss? Perfect, perfect, perfect.
Also, bonus: My name! At the top! My name — on a book!
Good news! Kissing Max Holden is available for preorder at Amazon! Also, you can mark it To Read on Goodreads.
Head over to Swoon Reads to learn more about the process of designing and executing Kissing Max Holden‘s cover — so much fun!
And the winning cover direction is…
I’m so excited to share the winning cover direction for Kissing Max Holden!
This fence concept stood out to me from the very beginning. There’s something about its tones, its symbolism, and its couple—their position and their clear affection for one another other—that, for me, truly captures the feeling of Kissing Max Holden. I’m so glad it’s the cover direction that scored the most votes!
To read more about my thoughts on the cover direction selection process, head over to Swoon Reads to check out my most recent post.
Thanks so much to all who voted! ❤
Cover voting is live!
One of my favorite things about the Swoon Reads experience is the amount of involvement members of the site get to have. From rating and commenting on submitted stories to voting on cover directions for selected manuscripts, Swoon Readers get a big say in many aspects of the books published by Swoon Reads.
Now’s one of those times when Swoon Reads needs your help — let’s select the cover direction for my debut, Kissing Max Holden!
Guys, I can’t tell you how long I’ve anticipated seeing my name on an actual book cover, and now it’s on FOUR. Four lovely covers that all capture different aspects of Jill and Max’s story in really beautiful ways…
Above, you’ll find a piece of each of the four options. Remember — these are cover directions, not necessarily final products. The winner will likely undergo adjustments and fine-tunings, but it’ll be the cover you help select!
Head over to the Swoon Blog to see the full cover concept images and vote for your very favorite(s). Can’t wait to see which you choose…
The winner will be announced soon!
IT’S AUGUST 1ST!
Guys, you know what this means, right?
Kissing Max Holden debuts in exactly one year!
Let’s celebrate with a giveaway, shall we?
One lucky winner will receive FOUR of my favorite YA novels — each signed by its author!
That’s right: Amy & Roger’s Epic Detour by Morgan Matson, The Winner’s Curse by Marie Rutkoski, Catching Jordan by Miranda Kenneally, and The Wrath & the Dawn by Renee Ahdieh will go to one randomly chosen winner!
⬇️ Enter the giveaway using the Rafflecopter link below. ⬇️
**** A Rafflecopter Giveaway ****
Fine print: This giveaway is for US residents only (why is shipping so expensive?!) but please look for international giveaways in the future. If you are under 18, please secure parental permission before entering. All entries will be verified. Giveaway begins August 1st and continues through August 9th at 12 a.m. The winner will be announced and contacted shortly thereafter.
Any help in spreading the word will be much appreciated. ❤
Currently…
(I plan to do a “Currently…” post every other Tuesday. You should join me! Find the origins of the idea HERE.)
Loving
Everything about the photo below: dark chocolate espresso beans and iced chai lattes and pink roses and blush peonies, all of which I splurged on after my very first school visit. My daughter’s teacher invited me to speak with the 3rd graders about writing and publishing and while I totally wanted to do it, I was SO nervous. I mean, I know a lot of the kids and I’ve learned a thing or two about writing over the years, but an actual school visit? Luckily, it went really well. The kids were great listeners and participators, and they asked some really thoughtful questions. I’m super thankful, and already eager to do it again! 
Reading
I’ve been doing lots of reading lately. I recently finished Wonder by R.J Palacio (holy crap — amazing) and The Raven King by Maggie Stiefvater (predictably mesmerizing). Also, how fun is the #FlipThatBook tag on Instagram?!
I’m currently reading The Last Boy & Girl in the World by one of my favorite authors, Siobhan Vivian, and it’s fantastic. It’s a romance with a compelling hook (its setting is a town that’s about to be sunk by a dammed river), and it’s full of interesting girl friendships and swoon and surprises. I’m loving it!
Watching
Parenthood. I’m only, like, nine episodes in, but yeah. It’s fantastic. I love Peter Krause (Six Feet Under — best show ever) and of course I adore Lauren Graham. The writing is perfection and dialogue is amazingly authentic and the relationships all feel so genuine and complicated and lovely. Thanks, Riley Edgewood, for insisting I watch this one; you were right — I love it!
Listening To
Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda by Becky Albertalli. It’s very clear why this debut won the William C. Morris Award last year — it’s smart and funny and awesomely voice-y. Protagonist Simon is immediately likable, and the audiobook narrator is extraordinary. Recommend!
Thinking About
Our recent vacation to Smith Mountain Lake, which is gorgeous. We shared a condo with friends (our next door neighbors from our time in Monterey) and had so much fun swimming, kayaking, inner tubing, sunning, and eating. I’m already ready to go back!
Anticipating
Copyedits! Kissing Max Holden has finally reached this important step (YAY!), and I’m weirdly excited to see all the ways I’ve misused commas and semicolons and em dashes. 🙂
Wishing
You’ll check out the recently revealed Swanky 17 covers! They’re all so gorgeous — my fellow Swanks are winning the cover lottery all over the place! Find the YA covers HERE and the MG covers HERE.
Making Me Happy
My girlie played Somewhere Over the Rainbow on her guitar during her school’s Talent Showcase and it was pretty much the most adorable thing ever. I’m so proud of her courage and her dedication. She did so well!
Did you post a “Currently…” this week?
Let me know in the comments, and I’ll be sure to visit!
Currently…
(I plan to do a “Currently…” post every other Tuesday. You should join me! Find the origins of the idea HERE.)
Loving
Last weekend we went kayaking at the coolest place — Mallows Bay on the Maryland side of the Potomac River, where tons of “ghost ships” have been sunk, creating a mini ecosystem for plants and birds and fish. Those trees in the photo below? They’re growing out of a war ship that’s just barely hidden under river water.
The photo below is not mine (I found it HERE), but it shows the outlines of many of the ships. Our kayaks floated right over them, and a lot of the time we were navigating huge, rusty nails that stuck up out of the water. The ship at the top of the photo sits mostly above water, and there are enormous hawks’ nests on its deck. Big recommend if you’re a DC local looking for an off-the-beaten-path outdoor activity.
Reading
I recently finished Chelsea Sedoti’s The Hundred Lies of Lizzie Lovett (great title, great cover!) and and I thought it was fantastic. A perfect example of awesome YA voice, and it’s full of heart. It’s out January, 2017 and you should most definitely put it on your TBR list. Now I’m reading and loving Christina June’s It Started With Goodbye, out May, 2017. Pretty sure her MC, Tatum, could be BFFs with Kissing Max Holden‘s Jilly. So far, June’s all about Swanky books!
Watching
Roots, and whoa. I never read the book or saw the original series, so the story’s all new to me and it is so visceral and so sad and so powerful. Must watch.
Listening To
Me Before You by JoJo Moyes. I own a hard copy of this book but when I saw that it was available on audio from my library, I knew I wanted to listen rather than read. Guys, I really enjoyed this story. It’s heartbreaking and intense, but there’s humor, too, and I happen to think its message is inspiring. I’ve seen a lot of backlash about the #LiveBoldly tagline; it seems some people assume it means that those with physical challenges can’t live boldly, but Me Before You is Lou’s story, and she learns to live boldly through Will, even while he’s made an incredibly polarizing decision (one he’s entitled to because he’s an adult with autonomy; I’m pro Death with Dignity, for what it’s worth). Anyway, if you’re curious about this one and have yet to give it a read, know that its portrayal of disability isn’t faultless, but the overall story’s got my stamp of approval.
Thinking About
What I’m going to work on next because… round two of Kissing Max Holden edits have been turned in! YAY! What a relief, and the best part is that I’m SO PROUD of how the story’s coming along.
Anticipating
The vacation we’re taking this weekend… We’re meeting friends at a beautiful Virginia lake, where we’ll spend four days swimming and sunning and catching up, and maybe having a cold beer or two. 🍻
Wishing
You’ll check out the recently revealed Swanky 17 covers! They’re all so gorgeous — my fellow Swanks are winning the cover lottery all over the place! Find the YA covers HERE and the MG covers HERE.
Making Me Happy
I created an original brownie recipe, which makes me all sorts of excited. They’re rich and decadent and dark-chocolate-y, and they’re inspired by this scene in Kissing Max Holden during which Max eats (and raves about) Jill’s homemade brownies. In fact, they’re called Max’s Favorite Dark Chocolate Chunk Brownies. 🙂 Good news — eventually I’m going to share the recipe with you, then we can all bake them and have a virtual brownie party!
Did you post a “Currently…” this week?
Let me know in the comments, and I’ll be sure to visit!
Currently…
(I plan to do a “Currently…” post every other Tuesday. You should join me! Find the origins of the idea HERE.)
Loving
I met Morgan Matson! She’s been one of my favorite authors for a long time now (Amy & Roger’s Epic Detour is among my top five favorite contemporary YAs) and in person, she’s an absolute delight. Listening to her talk about writing and characters and travel-as-research and the inception of her novels’ ideas… I’m feeling so inspired. Plus, she could not have been more personable and genuine. I picked up her latest release, The Unexpected Everything, and had a copy of Amy & Roger signed for a future giveaway. Keep an eye out!
Reading
I finished reading Summer Skin by Kristy Eagar and it was freaking amazing. Look for it on The Book Depository if you want to order — well worth your money, I think! I also read my very first Swanky 17 ARC: You Don’t Know My Name by Kristen Orlando, a spy story with dashes romance and family angst — really fantastic. Now, I’m reading Renne Ahdieh’s The Rose & the Dagger, sequel to The Wrath & the Dawn, one of my very favorite novels of last year. Guys, how gorgeous is this book? 
Watching
Still obsessing over Game of Thrones and Outlander, but that’s pretty much it. I have very little patience when it comes to TV. That said, once I turn in this round of Kissing Max Holden edits, I’m going to give Parenthood a shot. Thoughts?
Listening To
I finished listening to Judy Blume’s In the Unlikely Event and I enjoyed it so much. The cast is huge, but the character who’s given the most focus is a fifteen-year-old named Miri, and she’s adorable. Now, I’m waiting for Me Before You by JoJo Moyes to become available because the movie trailer! 😍
Thinking About
Knocking out what’s left of my second round of Kissing Max Holden edits. This round has been easier than the first, but isn’t it funny how when it comes to revising, a tiny change at the beginning of the story ends up snowballing into adjustments made throughout the entire manuscript? Still, I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: I love revising, and I’m thrilled to work on KMH during the early morning and late into the night if that means I’m making the story stronger.
Anticipating
Our summer travels… We’re meeting friends at a lake house in a few weeks, and at the end of August we’ll be spending five days with my husband’s parents in Washington, then five days with my parents in Arizona. My daughter is super excited about quality time with her grandparents!
Wishing
You’ll check out the recently revealed Swanky 17 covers! They’re all so gorgeous — my fellow Swanks are winning the cover lottery all over the place! Find the YA covers HERE and the MG covers HERE.
Making Me Happy
Today’s our thirteenth wedding anniversary! My husband’s out of town (of course — he’s only been present for half of our anniversaries) but we celebrated on Saturday night with dinner at The Melting Pot, which was delicious. And… he got me (us) a new mattress! We’ve had the same crappy mattress for the duration of our marriage and I’ve been (not-so-subtly) hinting that we need a new one for a few years now. And he surprised me with a really nice one. It’s like sleeping on a cloud… 🙂
Did you post a “Currently…” this week?
Let me know in the comments, and I’ll be sure to visit!
Currently…
(I plan to do a “Currently…” post every other Tuesday. You should join me! Find the origins of the idea HERE.)
Loving
My friend Riley Edgewood got me started on Bullet Journaling, a notebook organizational system that helps with structuring your days/weeks/months. I like it because it’s super flexible and easy to change up day-to-day or week-to-week. I’ve been using my Bullet Journal to track habits, make to-do lists, catalogue IG challenges, scribble down book ideas and revisions notes, and all sorts of other things. Here’s a comprehensive video, if you’re curious.
Reading
I recently finished The Year We Fell Apart, a contemporary YA romance. I enjoyed it very much, particularly the way Emily Martin gender-flipped the bad boy/good girl trope. Declan was totally swoonworthy! Now, I’m reading Summer Skin by Kristy Eagar, because Aussie authors are the freaking best.
Watching
Still obsessing over Game of Thrones and Outlander. I recently watched Laggies, which was entertaining and, in my opinion, under-hyped. My family and I saw The Jungle Book last weekend, which was InCrEdIbLe — such perfect casting. And my husband and I started watching Mercy Street, a PBS drama about two nurses who support opposing sides during the Civil War. It’s set close to where I live in Northern Virginia, so that’s fun.
Listening To
I recently finished Renee Ahdieh’s The Wrath & the Dawn in preparation for its follow-up, The Rose & the Dagger. This rich, romantic fantasy’s just as incredible upon second read, and I can’t wait to dive into the sequel. Now, I’m listening to Judy Blume’s In the Unlikely Event. Guys, remember when I met Judy Blume? *happy sigh*
Thinking About
Our recent trip to President Lincoln’s Cottage, a beautiful house three miles from the White House where Lincoln and his family moved shortly after their son died of Typhoid fever (thanks to drinking water pumped right out of the Potomac). I had no idea this “cottage” even existed, but I’m so glad we left the beaten path to visit. The tour’s fantastic, and it was really cool to see a more humanized side of President Lincoln. Did you know he used to ditch his security detail so he could ride his horse into the city alone, and sometimes he’d pass by Walt Whitman and they’d give each other these respectful little bows? So cool. Highly recommend this spot if you’re ever visiting our nations’ capital.
Anticipating
I’m typing this post yesterday (Monday, May 9th) and I’m HIGHLY anticipating the Fierce Reads event I’m going to tonight at the Bethesda Library. Marie Rutkoski‘s going to be there, and my inner fan girl is going cRaZy.
Wishing
You’ll check out the following Goodreads lists: YA Novels of 2017, YA Debuts 2017, 2017 Debut YA/MG Novels, and Books Published by Swoon Reads. Kissing Max Holden has found its way onto all of them, which is so exciting! Maybe you’d like to vote for my debut, or add it as “To Read”.
Making Me Happy
I won Camp NaNoWriMo!
I’m chipping away at my second round of Kissing Max Holden edits.
I’m having tons of fun with a couple of Instagram challenges.
I’m reading two amazing books.
Summer’s right around the corner.
Did you post a “Currently…” this week?
Let me know in the comments, and I’ll be sure to visit!
Katy Upperman ~ Author 