Grounded for All Eternity,  The Afterlife of the Party

New Year, New Book!

January 3, 2023 /

It seems crazy to announce that with the new year I have a new book coming out! THE AFTERLIFE OF THE PARTY is Malachi’s second book and will release on July 18th, 2023, shortly after GROUNDED FOR ALL ETERNITY comes out in paperback on June 13th. I hope you pre-order and continue on with Mal’s story!

Debuting is something that I don’t think you can ever really prepare for and 2022 was a crazy year for me because of that. Grounded released five months ago, and with it a rollercoaster of emotions I never expected. Grounded made lists and got great reviews, which was amazing! I got fanmail and fanart that sent me soaring. But then there’s the stress of sales, all wrapped up with working on the sequel, and other projects. Keep your eyes on your own page is a mantra all writers should have, and I’m sure all struggle with. It’s tough not to compare yourself to others.

I’ve wanted to be an author for a very long time, and years ago, when I was struggling to sign with an agent, knowing that I’d have two books out in two years with a big five publisher was something I could only dream about. I may not have made any best seller lists (yet!) but my debut resonated with people and I can only hope that I have more opportunities to send my stories out there in the world. (I’m VERY excited about my new project that will be looking for a home soon!)

I am so grateful for the support I’ve received over the year. My 2022 debut group was fantastic, joining up with Spooky MG for school visits has been amazing. I’ve received so much support from booksellers that I’m beyond grateful. As soon as my book came out I got lots of questions from people who wanted to publish their own books, and one of the biggest pieces of advice I gave, that I think was the least well received, was to join organizations and find your people. Publishing is a tough industry, and it’s not very transparent. You need other writers. You absolutely do.

Look, I’m the kid who hated group projects, and I love the fact that writing is a solitary experience, but you can’t get through this without other people. Writers are your colleagues, not your competition, and trust me when I say, you’re going to want that support, that commiseration, even just someone to compare notes with. If you’re a writer, join an organization, study your craft and find your people. You won’t regret it.

I hope everyone made it through 2022 happy and healthy, and here’s to a great 2023!

Darcy Marks is a lifelong reader who learned to walk quite well with a book in front of her face, thank you very much. She lives in Vermont with her husband, three genre-defying kids, a very needy cat and an extremely friendly former racehorse, where she writes rebellious fantasy books for kids. When she’s not reading or writing she explains math and science to lawyers as a forensic toxicologist and used her several black belts to help found The Safety Team, a non-profit changing the world and smashing the patriarchy one step at a time. She is the author of GROUNDED FOR ALL ETERNITY and other snarky books for kids.