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If her injury means the end
of what she loves most,
then what’s left?
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COMING SEPTEMBER 10th!
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Archive for Shaken
GREAT NEWS: Four Books Coming in 2024!
Four new books? Well, ish.
I’ll explain.
COMING APRIL 23rd . . .
BLOOD MOUNTAIN
Not quite new, but . . . a new cover and new in paperback. Surely that counts for something. Grace and Carter and their dog, Sitka, struggle to survive in a mountain wilderness. Ages 9-up.
A Junior Library Guild Selection!
COMING JUNE 25th . . .
SCARY TALES: 3 SPOOKY STORIES IN 1
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I’m thrilled about this 300-page collection, which brings together Nightmareland, One Eyed Doll and Swamp Monster in one heart-stopping, fast-paced collection. All for only $8.99. It is literally the deal of the century. Featuring the incredible art of Iacopo Bruno. Ages 8-up.
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COMING SEPT. 10th . . .
SHAKEN (Hardcover)
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For 7th-grader Kristy Barrett, soccer is life. It has always been at the center of Kristy’s world. Her friendships and self-worth, her dreams and daily activities, all revolve around the sport. Until she suffers from a serious concussion and has to set soccer aside. Kristy begins to experience stress, anxiety, and panic attacks which ultimately bring her to some questionable decisions . . . and the care of a therapist. Ages 10-up.
AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST . . .
COMING IN SEPTEMBER 24th . . .
TWO BIRDS . . . AND A MOOSE!
A Level 1 easy-reader featuring an aspirational moose! I’m so happy to have a new book out for the youngest readers. My first at this age level since Wake Me In Spring and Hiccups for Elephant. Ages 3-6.
So that’s that. My year in books.
I’m proud of the range here. A well-reviewed wilderness survival thriller . . . three popular “horror” tales for readers who can’t get enough of heart-pumping, scary stories . . . an ambitious hardcover about a 7th-grade athlete whose life spirals after suffering from post-concussion syndrome . . . and an irrepressible moose who only wants to go up, up, up!
It’s not too early to think about school visits in 2024-25!
New Book, SHAKEN, Is Coming Along (Fall, 2024)
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I’ve been slowly, methodically going through the final edits for SHAKEN, my upcoming middle-grade novel (Macmillan, Fall 2024). The book involves a soccer-obsessed 7th grader, Kristy, who suffers from post-concussion syndrome. It’s a story about identity, anxiety, panic attacks, art therapy, new friendships, making mistakes and, finally, coming true to one’s ever-evolving self. Anyway, it’s a great relief to read through all these words once again, months later, and still feel like, yeah, I like this — I’m proud of it — this is what I hoped to say.
I’m grateful to my editor Liz Szabla and, always, Jean Feiwel, for the opportunity and the steadfast support. True story: I published my first book 38 years ago . . . and Jean was there for that one, too. She’ll never learn. Grades 5-8.
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COMING SOON: Two Birds and a Moose!
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SNEAK PEEK: It’s nice to have something coming out for the youngest readers that promotes violence. Ha-ha. I mean, a Looney Tunes-inspired brand of violence. And not much of that, actually. But, yes, here comes a new book.
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Thirty years ago I wrote two very successful easy-to-read titles, Wake Me In Spring and Hiccups for Elephant. I still meet people who remember those books fondly. Both sold about 1.5 
million copies. Long out of print. Try as I might, I couldn’t get a third one published and eventually gave up, moved in a different direction.
million copies. Long out of print. Try as I might, I couldn’t get a third one published and eventually gave up, moved in a different direction. –
So, yeah, it’s time.
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I’m very much looking forward to the arrival this fall of Two Birds and a Moose (Simon & Schuster). It’s part of S & S’s “Ready-to-Read” line, level 1.
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Rough sketch by the talented Abigail Burch.
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By the way, I also have a new middle-grade novel coming out at around the same time, Shaken (Macmillan, Fall, 2024). It centers around a 7th-grade girl, Kristy Barrett, who is a soccer player with Division 1 dreams. Early in the book, Kristy suffers a severe concussion with lasting effects. Forced to give up the game she loves, Kristy experiences stress, anxiety, self-doubt, panic attacks — and eventually goes on to spend time in the care of a therapist. Two therapists, actually. And a couple of new friends. The book is about how Kristy navigates this challenging time in her life. More on that, another day.
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Thanks for stopping by.
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Megan Rapinoe & My Work In Progress
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I imagined this iconic image on a poster in the bedroom of a 13-year-old character, Kristy, who I’ve been writing about for a couple of years. A middle-grade novel that is 98% done. Working title: Shaken.
Briefly: A soccer-obsessed athlete suffers from a concussion and post-concussion-syndrome. The book includes multiple scenes in a therapist’s office. And chickens, friendship, shoplifting, panic attacks, conflict, sneaking out at night, other stuff.
I think it will be a great book. What can I say?
This is, of course, Megan Rapinoe during the 2019 World Cup. She announced the timing of her retirement today. So much more than just a soccer player.
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Category: Shaken, the writing process / Tags: Megan Rapinoe, Megan Rapinoe middle grade novel, Shaken by James Preller