WEST by Edith Pattou | Pub. Date: October 23, 2018 | Publisher: HMH Books for Young Readers | Pages: 528 In the sequel to the beloved high fantasy East, Rose sets off on a perilous journey to find her true love when he goes missing in a thrilling tale of danger, magic, adventure, and revenge. When Rose first met Charles, he was trapped in the form of a white bear. To rescue him, Rose traveled to the land that lay east of the sun and west of the moon to defeat the evil Troll Queen. Now Rose has found her happily-ever-after with Charles—until a sudden storm destroys his ship and he is presumed dead. But Rose doesn’t believe the shipwreck was an act of nature, nor does she believe Charles is truly dead. Something much more sinister is at work. With mysterious and unstoppable forces threatening the lives of the people she loves, Rose must once again set off on a perilous journey. And this time, the fate of the entire world is at stake. Find it: Goodreads, Amazon, Audible, B&N, iBooks, TBD

A Little Bit of Q&A

OHB: Is it true that authors write word-perfect first drafts?
Heck no! I think I have heard of only one author who does that and she has had writer’s block for 20 years! Every author I know, including me, writes multiple drafts.
OHB: Yikes, 20 years? Woah.

OHB: Did any of your books get rejected by publishers?
I have to confess that my very first book was picked up by the first publisher I sent it to, which is unusual. But since then there have been plenty of No’s! In fact, I have a large drawer full of rejected manuscripts.
OHB: impressive.

OHB: How does it feel when you don’t get the recognition you deserve?
Of course I do have the occasional glass-half-empty day but for the most part I feel very lucky. Even all these years after it was published, I still get the most extraordinary letters from EAST fans who tell me their stories and I am humbled and awed. Somehow, knowing I’ve touched even one reader, given them hope or resilience, is the recognition that matters most.
OHB: this is so sweet! I definitely cannot wait to read East and West.

OHB: Do you enjoy book signings?
I do. Being a writer can be lonely and I love meeting new people and connecting with readers, even if only briefly.
OHB: Oh, this would be fun for me too!

OHB: Do you reply back to your fans and admirers personally?
I mostly do. Occasionally I get overwhelmed by life and fall short. But if someone has made the effort to write me a heartfelt note, I will respond.
OHB: I can imagine you get flooded with email and fanmail all the time.

OHB: Have any of your books been adapted into a feature film?
Not so far. EAST has been optioned a few times and came very close. There was a script, the white bear had been cast (the only tame polar bear in the world!) and all systems were go, but then it fell by the wayside.
OHB: wow! A tamed polar bear?

OHB: They say books die every time they are turned into a movie; what do you think?
I do agree that it is rare that the movie of a well-loved book lives up to its source. But occasionally the movie is as great as the book, like The Princess Bride. And The English Patient.
OHB: and Harry Potter!! <3

OHB: Which of your books took you the most time to write?
Probably EAST because of all the research I did. Even though it was a fantasy I really wanted to get the world it was set in right, which was the 16th century, mostly in Norway, but also France and the Arctic. Plus I did all sorts of research into mapmaking, weaving, Inuit culture, polar bears, etc. Fortunately I’m pretty much of a nerd and love research.
OHB: that sounds both exciting and stressful.

OHB: Do you believe attractive book covers help in its sales?
I do think a great cover can make a difference. I loved the original cover of EAST and think readers were drawn in by that image of Rose and her white bear. But I also adore the new cover, which was done to go with WEST. Both covers are gorgeous, painted by the talented artist Charlies Bowater, and I think they will be appealing to fans of fantasy.
OHB: sadly, I do judge a book by its cover. Sorry. However your covers are beautiful.

OHB: Have you ever marketed your own books yourself?
I haven’t ever self-published, if that’s what you mean, but I do a fair amount of marketing of my books on social media, as well as appearing at conferences and book festivals. It is a fun part of my job!
OHB: book festivals sound so amazing!

EAST by Edith Pattou | Pub. Date: May 1, 2005 | Publisher: HMH Books for Young Readers | Pages: 507  Rose has always been different.  Since the day she was born, it was clear she had a special fate. Her superstitious mother keeps the unusual circumstances of Rose's birth a secret, hoping to prevent her adventurous daughter from leaving home... but she can't suppress Rose's true nature forever.  So when an enormous white bear shows up one cold autumn evening and asks teenage Rose to come away with it--in exchange for health and prosperity for her ailing family--she readily agrees.  Rose travels on the bear's broad back to a distant and empty castle, where she is nightly joined by a mysterious stranger. In discovering his identity, she loses her heart-- and finds her purpose--and realizes her journey has only just begun. Find it: Goodreads, Amazon, Audible, B&N, iBooks, TBD

Edith Pattou is the author of Ghosting, a contemporary novel for young adults, told in free verse. She also wrote three award-winning fantasy novels for young adults – East, a retelling of the Norwegian folk tale "East of the Sun and West of the Moon," and the two Songs of Eirren, Hero’s Song and Fire Arrow. She is also the author of the New York Times bestselling picture book, Mrs. Spitzer’s Garden. She was born in Evanston, Illinois, grew up in Winnetka, and was a teenager in the city of Chicago where she attended Francis W. Parker School. She completed her B.A. at Scripps College in Claremont, California where she won the Crombie Allen Award for creative writing. She later completed a Masters degree in English Literature at Claremont Graduate School, followed by a Masters of Library and Information Science at UCLA. She has worked for a medical association, a clothing boutique, a recording studio, the Playboy Foundation, a public television station, a school library, two public libraries, two advertising agencies, and two bookstores. She has lived in Chicago, Los Angeles, Denver, Durham, NC, Cambridge, England, Stockholm, Sweden, and currently resides with her husband, Charles, in Columbus, Ohio.  Website | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | Goodreads