My good friend and critique partner, Amy Trueblood, has a new anthology out. I read her story "Eminate" as she was preparing to send it in, and it grabbed my attention from the first. I am not surprised that she was chosen to be part of this anthology. I'd like to take a minute to celebrate with Amy and tell you a little about her exciting new anthology The Fall. Please welcome Amy Trueblood!
Katie: An anthology of stories about the Apocalypse and events after sounds very intriguing. Tell us about the premise of this anthology. What kinds of stories are included?
Amy: The premise behind the anthology is to get many different perspectives on how the world might end and how it affects life itself. The thirteen stories included in THE FALL are incredibly diverse. They range from a story about the destruction of government, to the hope of love after a brutal war, to a unique screenplay-version piece featuring judgment day, God and an iPhone.
Katie: Tell us about your own story. Where did the idea come from? What's the story about?
Amy: I’ve always had a soft spot for stories about siblings and I wanted to delve into the lengths a family would go to protect one another.
“Emanate” follows the journey of thirteen-year-old Austin and his sister, Sunny, as they navigate a post-apocalyptic United States ravaged by an alien species. What makes the story unique is the only way the species can survive is through stealing “energy” which only comes from young girls like Sunny. It’s a story not only about survival, but illustrates how strength can come from the most unexpected sources.
Katie: Tell us about the process for submitting your story for publication. How did it feel to find out you would be published?
Amy: The submission process was two-fold. I first sent in my original piece and it came back with an R&R (revise and resubmit). I worked for another few days to polish the story before re-submitting.
I wish I had a glamorous story for how I found out the piece was going to be included in the anthology, but I actually got an email when I was grocery shopping. Yes, I was in the produce aisle, but that didn’t take away from the excitement of knowing something I’d worked so hard on was finally going to be shared with the public. It was, and still is, an exhilarating feeling!
Katie: What else are you working on?
Amy: I am in the final edit stage of my third manuscript which is a YA Contemporary Thriller. I’m hoping to begin the query process with it in early 2013.
Katie: Any advice to writers considering submitting to anthologies like yours?
Amy: Do your research. Find a publisher who is not only committed to the project, but also surrounds themselves with great editors, who really want to make your story shine. Matt Sinclair, publisher of Elephant’s Bookshelf Press, and editor of The Fall, was very “hands on” with this process. I was really impressed by how he worked with each of the contributors to ensure each piece was a credit to this anthology. I must also give a “shout out” to my fellow authors, Cat Woods and Jean Oram, who encouraged me to edit and refine this piece until it was the best work I could do.
Thanks, Amy.
You can find The Fall here.
You can find Elephant Press here.
Katie: An anthology of stories about the Apocalypse and events after sounds very intriguing. Tell us about the premise of this anthology. What kinds of stories are included?
Amy: The premise behind the anthology is to get many different perspectives on how the world might end and how it affects life itself. The thirteen stories included in THE FALL are incredibly diverse. They range from a story about the destruction of government, to the hope of love after a brutal war, to a unique screenplay-version piece featuring judgment day, God and an iPhone.
Katie: Tell us about your own story. Where did the idea come from? What's the story about?
Amy: I’ve always had a soft spot for stories about siblings and I wanted to delve into the lengths a family would go to protect one another.
“Emanate” follows the journey of thirteen-year-old Austin and his sister, Sunny, as they navigate a post-apocalyptic United States ravaged by an alien species. What makes the story unique is the only way the species can survive is through stealing “energy” which only comes from young girls like Sunny. It’s a story not only about survival, but illustrates how strength can come from the most unexpected sources.
Katie: Tell us about the process for submitting your story for publication. How did it feel to find out you would be published?
Amy: The submission process was two-fold. I first sent in my original piece and it came back with an R&R (revise and resubmit). I worked for another few days to polish the story before re-submitting.
I wish I had a glamorous story for how I found out the piece was going to be included in the anthology, but I actually got an email when I was grocery shopping. Yes, I was in the produce aisle, but that didn’t take away from the excitement of knowing something I’d worked so hard on was finally going to be shared with the public. It was, and still is, an exhilarating feeling!
Katie: What else are you working on?
Amy: I am in the final edit stage of my third manuscript which is a YA Contemporary Thriller. I’m hoping to begin the query process with it in early 2013.
Katie: Any advice to writers considering submitting to anthologies like yours?
Amy: Do your research. Find a publisher who is not only committed to the project, but also surrounds themselves with great editors, who really want to make your story shine. Matt Sinclair, publisher of Elephant’s Bookshelf Press, and editor of The Fall, was very “hands on” with this process. I was really impressed by how he worked with each of the contributors to ensure each piece was a credit to this anthology. I must also give a “shout out” to my fellow authors, Cat Woods and Jean Oram, who encouraged me to edit and refine this piece until it was the best work I could do.
Thanks, Amy.
You can find The Fall here.
You can find Elephant Press here.
Amy Trueblood is a freelance writer who spends most of her time penning press releases for her favorite non-profit. When not “chasing the crazy” dream of being published, you can find her reading her favorite YA books, running, or slurping down her favorite mango iced tea. For interesting musings on writing, in-depth author interviews, and agents’ perspectives on those “first five pages” of a manuscript, check out her blog www.chasingthecrazies.wordpress.com or follow her on Twitter @atrueblood5.
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