Dear Scuttlebutt readers,
It’s been wonderful to hear from you over the past month as my new book, The Tinkerers, has gone out into the world! I have loved seeing your photos of the book in the wild, reading your reviews, and especially getting to spend time with some of you at bookstores and schools! Thank you for embracing this book and for sharing it with other readers. I’m so glad it’s been finding its way into your hearts.
If you’ve spotted The Tinkerers around town, if you have a review to share, or if you’ve found a great alternate household use for your copy of the book (stepstool, tofu press, dumbbell), please let me know—I’m excited to hear from you!
I would love to help you make a little holiday magic for your favorite reader! If you’d like to give someone you love a signed and personalized copy of one of my books, now is the best time to place your order so you’ll get your book in plenty of time for the holidays. Please order through Riverstone Books and, in the comment section of your order, be sure to say how you’d like your copy signed and personalized. While print editions of all of my books (with the exception of The World’s Greatest Detective) are technically available to purchase, I’d encourage you to spring for The Tinkerers or Wicked Marigold if you have a time-sensitive order, since those will be easiest to ship quickly.
Later this month, I’ll be joining two other wonderful authors of new middle grade books, Ally Russell and Karuna Riazi, to talk about writing with readers of all ages! If you’re in the Pittsburgh area, we’d love to see you and your young readers at Riverstone Books Squirrel Hill on Saturday, November 22nd at 2 pm. You can find more info and RSVP for a free ticket here. If you can’t make it to the event, I’d still encourage you to check out Ally and Karuna’s books, which are wonderfully full of magic and adventure. Ally’s latest is the truly spooky Mystery James Digs Her Own Grave, and Karuna’s is the One Thousand and One Nights-inspired fantasy Sabrena Swept Away.
I know that a lot of you were first introduced to my books when you listened to the audiobook of Magic Marks the Spot, so I’m especially delighted to share that The Tinkerers is now available in audiobook format from Listening Library, read by award-winning narrator Michael Crouch! (The producer on this project actually worked on my Very Nearly Honorable League of Pirates audiobooks many years ago—how cool is that?) I have to admit I haven’t listened to all of The Tinkerers yet—listening to my own books makes me deeply uncomfortable—but a well-regarded audiobook expert1 has listened to the whole thing and says it’s excellent. If you’re an audiobook lover, please check it out for yourself and let me know what you think! You can order it from Libro.fm, which supports indie bookstores, or anywhere else you like to buy audiobooks. You can also ask your local library to acquire a digital version.
I’ve written a bunch of articles about The Tinkerers over the past few weeks, which I’ll link below in case you’d like to read an overwhelming amount of information about my writing process and how this story came to be:
The Stressed-Out Hero’s Journey: Writing About Anxiety in Middle Grade Fantasy at School Library Journal’s Teen Librarian Toolbox
Process Talk: Caroline Carlson on The Tinkerers at Writing with a Broken Tusk
Interview with Jen Kraar at From the Mixed-Up Files of Middle Grade Authors
And one that’s not written by me—The Tinkerers was included in the November book corner at L.A. Parent!
That’s it from me for today. I’ll probably pop into your inbox once more before the end of the year, but for now, I’m wishing you peace and good health and lots of time to get cozy with a favorite story.
Happy reading,
Caroline
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