EARTH TO DAD’s Cover Three Ways

EARTH TO DAD was my first book to sell in more than one territory, and what added to my delight was that each publisher developed their own unique cover. I thought it would be fun to take a look at these covers and and discuss what each one adds to EARTH TO DAD’s world.

The American cover was the first one to take shape, and I fell instantly in love with Jen Bricking’s interpretation of the two central characters and the overall world. Both Jameson and Astra look exactly as I pictured them, and their environment is harsh but, thanks to the rising sun, ultimately hopeful. (I realize this image could just as easily reflect a setting sun, but I’ve always envisioned it as a sunrise, not a sunset. Now I wonder which Ms. Bricking intended to represent...) I also love the star-swept sky, the saturated color palette, and the striking title treatment. They really make the book stand out.

I wasn’t sure what to expect when I first opened the file that contained the Chinese cover, as EARTH TO DAD was my first book to sell in another territory. Well, suffice it to say I was completely blown away. It was so completely different--and so completely unexpected--but I loved it just as much. The bright reds and oranges are exceptionally eye-catching and definitely create a sense of the red planet's importance. Jameson is super cute, but the focus on his dad also feels appropriate. Interesting side note: because the phrase "Earth to Dad" doesn't translate well into other languages, the Chinese publisher renamed the book MY DAD LIVES ON MARS.

The Korean rights sold on the heels of the simplified Chinese rights, but while the Chinese version was released last year, the South Korean version wasn't slated to come out until sometime this March. (Thanks to the coronavirus, I won't be at all surprised if it hasn't come out yet.) This is the long way of saying the South Korean cover was only finalized a few months ago, so I'm thrilled to share it here. While the American and Chinese covers relied on saturated colors, the South Korean version makes great use of pastels to convey a sense of the story's gentleness. Though the book is set in a post-apocalyptic world, the story is much more about Jameson and Astra's burgeoning friendship and how much they come to care for and look after each other. This cover also does a great job of portraying Base Ripley, where Jameson and Astra live, and you've got to love the South Korean title: HELLO, DAD! THIS IS EARTH.

Well, there you have it, EARTH TO DAD's cover three ways. Which one do you like best? And if you've read the book, which one do you think best represents the story?

An Interview + A Giveaway = A Must-read Post

Many thanks to Michelle Mason, critique partner extraordinaire, for interviewing me about EARTH TO DAD! Michelle always has great insights on the books she reviews, and the questions she asks are just as thought-provoking. Definitely check out the interview, and don't miss the signed hardcover giveaway at the bottom of the post!

EARTH TO DAD Blasts Off!

It's been almost three years to the day since I last had a book come out, so I'm over the moon--pun intended--to launch--pun intended again--EARTH TO DAD today. To celebrate this new release, I'm hosting a party at my home this Friday, August 3, from 7:00 to 8:30 p.m. If you'll be in northern Utah and we've met in real life, feel free to e-mail me for my address!

About EARTH TO DAD:

"The distance between Earth and Mars is more than just physical.

"No one knows that better than eleven-year-old Jameson O’Malley. When Dad left for Mars, Jameson thought technology would help shorten the millions of miles between them, but he’s starting to realize no transmission can replace his father.

"When a new family moves onto Base Ripley, Jameson makes an unlikely friend in Astra Primm, who’s missing a parent of her own. But as their friendship grows stronger, Jameson starts seeing the flaws in his own family. Mom is growing distant, and something is wrong with Dad. He’s not sending transmissions as frequently, and when he does there are bags under his eyes.

"Soon Jameson realizes there’s more to the story than he knows--and plenty people aren’t telling him. Determined to learn the truth, Jameson and Astra embark on a journey exploring life, loss, and friendship that will take them to the edge of their universe."

I got my author copies in the mail the other day, and with the metallic leaf on the dust jacket and the beautiful endpapers, the hardcovers are absolutely gorgeous, some of the prettiest books I've ever seen. It's too bad the trade reviewers couldn't review the book itself (but they still said some lovely things about the words on the inside):

"Well-paced and rich"

--Foreword

"Strong character development and plotting keep the pages turning
as the two friends risk all for each other"

--Booklist

"A solid choice for upper elementary and middle school students who want dystopia
but are not ready for the intensity and violence that defines the YA offerings in the genre"

--School Library Journal

"Van Dolzer uses her apocalyptic setting to highlight this story of grief,
creating believable, likable child characters"

--Kirkus

I'll be hosting several giveaways over the next couple of months, and the first one starts right NOW. If you buy EARTH TO DAD in any way, from anywhere, e-mail evidence (like a picture of your receipt with your card number scribbled out) to kvandolzer(at)gmail(dot)com, and you'll be entered to win a signed ARC of my next release, THE MULTIPLYING MYSTERIES OF MOUNT TEN! This contest is open to U.S. and Canadian residents and closes in two weeks, on Wednesday, August 15, at 11:59 p.m. EDT (or 8:59 p.m. PDT). I'll announce the winners the next day.

AMAZON | B&N | BAM | INDIEBOUND | !NDIGO | POWELL’S | GOODREADS

Thanks so much for sharing another book birthday with me!

My First Foreign Rights Deal EVER

Super excited to announce that EARTH TO DAD is going to be published in mainland China!

As the title of the post implies, this is my first foreign rights deal EVER, so I'm still geeking out about it. I honestly can't wait to hold the Chinese version in my hands.

A huge shout-out to Brent--who, you may not know, is also his agency's subsidiary and foreign rights director--whose hard work and dedication totally brought this about. And a huge shout-out to Uwe, whose top-notch mentoring put Brent on this path. I feel so fortunate to have landed at Triada.

EARTH TO DAD's Cover Revealed

Over on the Kidliterati blog, so definitely go and check it out!

Ms. Podos Picks Her Winners

Without any ado, here are Ms. Podos's winners (with her thoughts in orange):

#9 UNDISCOVERED COUNTRY: "The query did a good job of capturing a fantastical plot with multiple surreal elements, which can be so hard to summarize, and the opening page drew me in with its voice, detail, and delicate sorrow."

#10 THE LIBRARY OF UNSPOKEN THINGS: "The query was polished and told me what I needed to know about the character, her arc, and the stakes. Charlotte’s voice shone in the opening scene--she’s a character I want to follow. And I do love an f/f element. :)"

Both UNDISCOVERED COUNTRY and THE LIBRARY OF UNSPOKEN THINGS win requests for the first 3 chapters!

Congratulations, winners! Please e-mail me at kvandolzer(at)gmail(dot)com for details on how to submit your materials.

Lastly but never leastly, thank you to Ms. Podos for taking the time to read and critique these entries, and thank you to YOU for taking the time to do the same. Best of luck with your other queries, and if you have a few spare minutes, do come back tomorrow for the cover reveal of EARTH TO DAD!

What I've Been Up To Lately

Alternate title: "Has It Really Been Three Months Since I Blogged?"

The first thing you need to know is that I've scheduled another round of "An Agent's Inbox" for the last week in March (the week of March 26). I don't know which genres The Agent will be looking for yet, but I strongly suspect he or she will want to see various shades of YA and MG fiction, so if you've got a finished manuscript within one of those categories, get those queries and first pages polished up!

March's round of "An Agent's Inbox" will be the last round before the fall, as I'm going to be having a baby in April. Did you see that coming? I sure didn't. It's been a years-long process to get this baby here, and maybe I'll feel inclined to share the story of those years someday. For now, suffice it to say that we're extremely excited and a little overwhelmed. In some ways, it feels like we're first-time parents again, so we hope those instincts don't take that long to come back...

In book-related news, I've been revising, revising, revising for what feels like the last eight years (but was probably just the last eight months). EARTH TO DAD has a great cover that I can't wait to share, and DON'T SOLVE THE PUZZLE will be getting a new title soon, so definitely stay tuned!

I Sold Another Book!

I'm thrilled to announce that I sold another book!

From Publishers Weekly: Alison Deering at Capstone has acquired Krista Van Dolzer’s middle grade novel Earth to Dad. The story follows an 11-year-old boy who spends his days waiting for transmissions from his Mars-colonizing dad until the daughter of a dead astronaut moves in across the street and he risks missing a transmission for a shot at real friendship, embarking on a journey exploring life, death, and wonder. Publication is planned for fall 2018; Brent Taylor at the TriadaUS Literary Agency sold world English rights.

I can tell I've been delinquent in my blogging of late because I don't think I've even mentioned this manuscript. Suffice it to say that the idea came to me during the excitement of NASA's Pluto flyby. Like the rest of the world, I was mesmerized by the images and the general thrill of space; this book was the result.

This was the first book I've ever tried to sell on proposal, which is to say we pitched roughly the first sixty pages and a detailed synopsis. But literary-minded science fiction isn't the easiest to sell, so when a couple of editors expressed interest in the full, I was more than happy to oblige. After jouncing over a few more bumps and divots, I learned that Ali loved the manuscript as much as Brent and I did, and I couldn't have been happier. Now I get to work with the brilliant team at Capstone, and the book's release is only a little more than a year away!

A huge thank-you to Brent for believing in this project as much as he believed in Clyde the Second, and a huge thank-you to YOU for sharing this journey with me. Once I've got revisions for these two under control, I plan to get more rounds of "An Agent's Inbox" scheduled!