Some Things I Think...: A Title

Wednesday, February 15, 2012

A Title

I've got exciting news regarding my second book. The one coming out Spring 2013 from Simon Pulse. The one about the overweight teenaged girl who gets bullied and abused and her life spirals out of control.

The one without a title.

It used to have a title, but the very smart people at Simon Pulse felt it didn't convey the heart of the story, and I agreed. So we all went back to the drawing board. It was during my first round of revisions that a single word continued to surface. A perfect word. A word that did get right to the heart of Dell's story. It described how she felt emotionally - especially after everyone in her life fails her - and how she never felt in regards to food.

I sent my revised manuscript back to my editor with that one word on the title page, along with a PS in my email saying: I titled it EMPTY—just so I could have something on there.

Well guess what? Simon Pulse loved EMPTY! So EMPTY it is. I am elated that my title stuck!!

I can't wait to see what they come up with for the cover.

PS If you click on the hyperlinked Simon Pulse up there, you'll see my studio interview, filmed during my epic December visit to the Simon & Schuster building.

17 comments:

Mônica said...: Great title, Kate! And what a powerful story!
Congrats!!; February 15, 2012 at 10:39 AM
Ray Veen said...: Outstanding title.; February 15, 2012 at 11:11 AM
K. M. Walton said...: Thank you, Monica and Ray!!

And to all of the other wonderful people who have commented - my Intense Debate plugin has failed. I've seen your comments via email, but they're not showing up here. I will do some investigating....; February 15, 2012 at 11:13 AM
meghanbp said...: LOVE the title. Can't wait to read it :); February 15, 2012 at 12:34 PM
Hayley Lovell said...: That is so exciting!!! Congratulations, I can't wait to see it on store shelves, and then next to CRACKED on my own bookshelf!! It is going to be a great read I can already tell.; February 15, 2012 at 12:38 PM
Anne Greenwood Brown said...: Perfect. And it goes well with CRACKED, even though they're stand alones.; February 15, 2012 at 12:47 PM
Tiffany Schmidt said...: I LOVE the title! What a great choice. <3; February 15, 2012 at 1:40 PM
Nikki said...: Perfect title -- Hooray!; February 15, 2012 at 1:59 PM
Christine Danek said...: It's perfect! Yeah!; February 15, 2012 at 4:26 PM
Ray Veen said...: I clicked all your links, but sadly, none of them took me to a studio interview. I want to hear a dang studio interview, Kate.; February 15, 2012 at 4:31 PM
K. M. Walton said...: Try this link, Ray:

http://authors.simonandschuster.com/K-M-Walton/81347146; February 15, 2012 at 5:00 PM
Rachele Alpine said...: Yay! Congrats on the title! And I like your picture...an empty glass. That would make a cool cover!; February 15, 2012 at 6:12 PM
cleemckenzie said...: I love those kinds of stories. Empty is an attention getting title!; February 16, 2012 at 11:19 AM
Jaimie said...: Nice! That's exciting. :); February 16, 2012 at 12:51 PM
Tracy Bilen said...: A great story behind a great title! Congrats!; February 16, 2012 at 9:58 PM
Patti Gill said...: Hi Kate,

Congratulations on your new book! I am so excited to read it! I don't know if you remember me from PLN classes at Springfield, but I am currently teaching a language arts class at West Chester University and I will be taking my class to see you this Thursday. I look forward to seeing you again and hearing all about your wonderful work!!!

Congratulations.....I am so happy for you!!!!
Patti Gill; February 17, 2012 at 10:58 AM
K. M. Walton said...: Thanks for the feedback and kind words, everyone.

Patti: OF COURSE I remember you!! I took multiple PLN classes with you. It will be fantastic to see you Thursday!; February 17, 2012 at 1:47 PM

MORE ON EMPTY

Find EMPTY on Indiebound

Find EMPTY on Amazon

Find EMPTY on Barnes & Noble

-------------------

SUMMARY

Dell is used to disappointment. Ever since her dad left, it’s been one let down after another. But no one—not even her best friend—gets all the pain she’s going through. So Dell hides behind self-deprecating jokes and forced smiles.

Then the one person she trusts betrays her. Dell is beyond devastated. Without anyone to turn to for comfort, her depression and self-loathing spin out of control. But just how far will she go to make all of the heartbreak and name-calling stop?

-------------------

REVIEWS

Like Walton’s debut novel, Cracked (2012), Empty wades fearlessly into the desperate inner lives of abused teens.Readers will feel Dell’s pain acutely in this emotionally wrenching novel. ~BOOKLIST

Dell is a well-drawn character, and her loneliness and hurt are palpable. Teens will be sucked into her downward spiral and will start to wonder if her situation is ever going to get better. Empty will hit home hard with teens who have been or are being tormented and should shed some light on how painful and destructive bullying is to its victims. ~SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL

A cautionary tale about merciless bullying . . . . Portrayals may let readers (bullied, bully or observer) slot themselves in where appropriate and heed this red flag. ~KIRKUS

Walton writes books that matter. She writes with the intent of saving lives. Words are weapons-- but as Walton has deftly illustrated in Empty-- they are also hope.

~ Kim Sabatini, author of Touching the Surface

K.M. Walton's Empty is riveting, compelling, and brutally honest. Walton has crafted a very brave novel that draws readers not only into the complexities of a discarded teen's troubled world, but also toward the inevitable questions we must ask ourselves -- the questions EMPTY dares to explore.
~Andrew Smith author of Stick, The Marbury Lens, Passenger

Empty is a brave book written by a brave writer—relentless, unblinking, harrowing.
~ Beth Kephart author of Small Damages & You Are My Only

More on CRACKED

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Order from Indiebound

Order on Amazon

Order on Barnes and Noble

-------------------------

Sometimes there's no easy way out.

Victor hates his life. He has no friends, gets beaten up at school, and his parents are always criticizing him. Tired of feeling miserable, Victor takes a bottle of his mother's sleeping pills—only to wake up in the hospital.

Bull is angry, and takes all of his rage out on Victor. That makes him feel better, at least a little. But it doesn't stop Bull's grandfather from getting drunk and hitting him. So Bull tries to defend himself with a loaded gun.

When Victor and Bull end up as roommates in the same psych ward, there's no way to escape each other or their problems. Which means things are going to get worse—much worse—before they get better….

--------------------------

"In this powerful debut novel, K.M. Walton takes an unrelenting look at the corrosive effects of bullying, sometimes coming from where one would least expect it. CRACKED crackles with emotional intensity from beginning to end."

-- James Howe, bestselling author of THE MISFITS

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Wednesday, February 15, 2012

A Title

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