Hello, Scuttlebutt readers,
I’m writing to you from my backyard on a truly autumnal day. The leaves are pleasantly crunchy, it’s cool enough for a sweater but not quite time for a jacket, and my kids are getting very excited about Halloween. They love trick-or-treating, ghosts, vampires, witches—anything, really, that’s got a little bit of wickedness or mischief mixed in with all the fun.
I like autumn and Halloween, too, but an especially nice thing about this particular autumn is that I can share more news about my next book, Wicked Marigold, with you!
Are you finally going to show us the cover?
Yes. You’ve been so patient. Thanks for that.
Here is the glorious front cover of Wicked Marigold, illustrated by Jennifer M. Potter and designed by Candlewick Senior Art Director Maria T. Middleton:
I really love the whole jacket. I think it gives readers an excellent idea of the kind of story they’ll find between the covers, and it raises lots of interesting questions: Why is the princess holding a biplane? How does the imp’s suit accommodate his wings? Why does the blob of glob look so skeptical? What flavor is that delicious-looking pie in the kitchen boy’s hands? What is that creature that’s mostly tentacles, except for the part that’s teeth? (It is a Thing, dear readers. That’s what it is.)
Most importantly… will the blob of glop end up flying in the biplane?
Remind me what this book is about again?
Here’s a nice little summary from my publisher, Candlewick Press:
In a funny and charming fantastical romp, overlooked Princess Marigold is nothing like her perfect, just-returned sister—so she runs away to an evil wizard’s tower to prove her wickedness.
Princess Marigold—who hadn’t yet been born when the remarkable Princess Rosalind was kidnapped—is eleven when the unthinkable happens: her older sister escapes her captivity and comes home. Marigold has always known she’s not as good, sweet, or kind as the sister everyone adores, but amid the celebration of Rosalind’s return, Marigold realizes something new: if Princess Rosalind is good, then Princess Marigold must be wicked. And there’s no place for wickedness in the kingdom. When Marigold tries to find a new place for herself in an evil wizard’s fortress, though, the results are disastrous. Before she’s even learned to cackle or scowl properly, she gets tangled up in a magical plot to ruin all the Cacophonous Kingdoms. Is Marigold too wicked to make things right? Or can she—with the help of a kitchen boy, a well-dressed imp, and a grumpy blob of glop—find her own way to restore peace? This endearing fantasy will have princess and anti-princess fans alike chuckling and cheering.
When do I get to read it?
Wicked Marigold will be published on July 16, 2024, which I know is still a long time to wait. The better news is that next summer and fall, I will be sure to have some thrilling parties and events to celebrate. You can also invite me to your school, library, bookstore, or book club—I would love to see you, either virtually or in person.
The best news is that Wicked Marigold is already available for preorder! You can preorder your copy through Barnes & Noble, Amazon, a local indie, or your favorite literary purveyor. (It’s not up on Bookshop.org yet, but I’m sure it will be there soon.)
If I liked your pirate books, will I like this one, too?
I think you will. There are no pirates in this one, but there are wizards—so many wizards! A couple of princesses! And one iguana!
Are you going to be reminding me about this book for the next 9 months?
You better believe it.
I have a question you didn’t include in this newsletter.
Drop me a line through the “Leave a comment” button below, or email me through my website, and I’ll do my best to answer!
Caroline
Ooh I love it! Congrats, Caroline!
Ooooh this is so great!! Absolutely delightful artwork.