Kristin Halbrook's Blog

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COMING JUNE 4, 2019, the first in an exciting, new dragon series! Available now for pre-order from your favorite online and brick and mortar retailers. Barnes and Noble, Amazon
Silver’s dreams of becoming a legendary water dragon racer come true when she befriends a rare dragon that can swim and fly.
Thirteen-year-old Silver Batal calls the desert home, but her heart belongs to the waters. Although she’s expected to become a jeweler like her father, Silver harbors a secret and forbidden wish to race water dragons. Destiny comes calling when her friendship with a mysterious old woman leads her to Hiyyan, a baby dragon that can swim and fly.
Risking everything, Silver, Hiyyan, and her resourceful cousin Brajon set off across the desert to join the legendary races in the royal city. But the road to Calidia is filled with danger, and the trio must band together as they encounter ferocious cave beasts, clever desert foxes, and cutthroat competition.
Set in a vivid, Arab-inspired world filled with friendly and fearsome water dragons, K.D. Halbrook’s middle-grade fantasy adventure is perfect for fans of Tui T. Sutherland, Sayantani DasGupta, and Roshani Chokshi.
Watch the official book trailer!


Also available for Middle Grade Readers:
SMOKE AND MIRRORS

Available now! Click on your favorite link to purchase: Indiebound Barnes & Noble AmazonAlso available as an audiobook from Audible
ISBN 9781534405042
Praise for SMOKE AND MIRRORS:
“The novel’s wistful prose and a relatable search for the Light will be rewarding for readers who can see in the Smoke any number of metaphors for the things that haunt us.” —BCCB (starred review)
“A Wrinkle in Time-inspired adventure…Halbrook’s writing is artful.” —Kirkus Reviews
“In K.D. Halbrook’s gorgeous prose, readers will be drawn immediately into the Cirque, but more importantly, they’ll be drawn into Sasha’s heart. This is a story to savor.” —Kathi Appelt, National Book Award finalist and Newbery Honor–winning author of The Underneath and Keeper
“Adventure and magic unfold in this captivating story.” —School Library Connection
“A fairy-tale atmosphere wafts through Halbrook’s story of magic, love, belonging, and circus...Enchanting.” —Booklist
Circus Mirandus meets Cartwheeling in Thunderstorms in this beautifully written fantasy novel about a girl who must face her fears in order to right a terrible wrong, confront what it means to be different, and discover her own power.
Smoke has come to the Cirque Magnifique. And Sasha Brown is sure it is her fault. 
Sasha has always loved the Cirque, a place filled with sequined costumes, dazzling spotlights, and magnificent tents. But when she starts fifth grade with the Islanders—the ordinary folk from the other side of the Island—for the first time, she’s not so sure she wants to be a Cirque kid. She starts to question her home and her Cirque family. Is the magic real? Are the stories even true? As the bullying by the Island kids gets worse, swirling blue-gray Smoke appears.
One night in the big tent, Sasha’s dad performs, twisting his body through the air as the lights dance. Sasha is supposed to be helping, but instead she sits beneath the bleachers, seething. She has wished for the Smoke to come and make it all disappear: the Cirque, her family, the Island with its mean Island kids. And the Smoke does come. As Sasha watches her dad, he flips and raises his arms out for the bar that is supposed to meet him, his bright grin confident and sure. But there is only air…and Smoke.
Both of Sasha’s parents disappear that night, and it’s all Sasha’s fault. What can she do but try and find them?
For rights inquiries please contact Brent Taylor at TriadaUS Agency: Brent@TriadaUS.comAudio Rights to AudibleTurkish Rights to Kirmizi Kedi

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Purchase EVERY LAST PROMISE!

Indiebound ~ Powell's Books ~ Barnes and Noble ~ Amazon

"Lyrically written and ebbing with suspense, the story of Kayla’s hometown implicates everyone involved for their silence and for the grotesque hero worship that guarantees it. Kayla’s no hero, either, and her journey to finding her truth is as authentically difficult as they come. Halbrook interleaves the stories of before and after chapter by chapter, leading characters and readers to the devastating conclusion. A devastating, important examination of the far-reaching, insidious nature of rape culture."
--Kirkus (starred review)

"EVERY LAST PROMISE is a powerful exploration of friendship and fear and what it means to stay silent in the face of injustice versus the high cost of speaking up. Kayla's search for redemption and homecoming after a night of horrific tragedy is deeply moving."    
 --Stephanie Kuehn, author of the Morris Award-winning Charm & Strange

Perfect for fans of Laurie Halse Anderson and Gayle Forman, Every Last Promise is a provocative and emotional novel about a girl who must decide between keeping quiet and speaking up after witnessing a classmate's sexual assault.
Kayla saw something at the party that she wasn't supposed to. But she hasn't told anyone. No one knows the real story about what happened that night—about why Kayla was driving the car that ran into a ditch after the party, about what she saw in the hours leading up to the accident, and about the promise she made to her friend Bean before she left for the summer.
Now Kayla's coming home for her senior year. If Kayla keeps quiet, she might be able to get her old life back. If she tells the truth, she risks losing everything—and everyone—she ever cared about.

Publisher: HarperTeen (April 21, 2015)
ISBN-10: 0062121294
ISBN-13: 9780062121295




Portuguese Rights to Plataforma21 at V&R Editoras. 



Purchase Nobody But Us!Indiebound ~ Powell's Books ~ Barnes and Noble ~ Amazon

Will

Maybe I'm too late. Maybe Zoe's dad stole all her fifteen years and taught her to be scared. I'll undo it. Help her learn to be strong again, and brave. Not that I'm any kind of example, but we can learn together. When the whole world is after you, sometimes it seems like you can't run fast enough. 

Zoe 

Maybe it'll take Will years to come to terms with being abandoned. Maybe it'll take forever. I'll stay with him no matter how long it takes to prove that people don't always leave, don't always give up on you. 

“Raw, immediate, and utterly unflinching. Halbrook’s debut features complex characters, and attempting to puzzle them out makes for a thought-provoking read.” (ALA Booklist )
“A dark, romantic wild ride reminiscent of Thelma and Louise.” (Publishers Weekly )
“How do we love and what are the consequences? Kristin Halbrook paints an edgy and vivid portrait of two troubled teens on the run. This is a gracefully written, thought-provoking and absorbing debut. . . . I haven’t read a love story quite like it before, honestly.” (Courtney Summers, author of Cracked Up to Be, Some Girls Are, and Fall for Anything )
“Beautiful, heartbreaking, and exhilarating—NOBODY BUT US will have you holding your breath until the very last page.” (Kody Keplinger, author of The DUFF and A Midsummer’s Nightmare )
“An achingly believable love story about two teens outrunning a society that has failed them, hoping the lights at the end of the highway aren’t just a mirage. Tense, lyrical and heartbreaking; the kind of book that lingers a long time.” (Kirsten Hubbard, author of Wanderlove and Like Mandarin )
Publisher: HarperTeen (January 29, 2013)ISBN-10: 006212126XISBN-13: 978-0062121264 


Complex Chinese Rights to Ecus Publishing HouseFrench Rights to Albin MichelGerman Rights to Heyne FliegtFilm Rights to Haven Entertainment

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When I was little, I wanted to be a writer, the President of the USA or the first female NFL quarterback. Despite being able to throw a wicked spiral, I didn't really grow to the size needed for the NFL. Then, as I got older and studied more, I came to realize there were better ways to effect positive change than becoming president. The first one, however, stuck. Even when I was pursuing other dreams, I always took time to write here and there.
I draw inspiration from all sorts of people, places, things, and events. These days, I'm particularly inspired by my heritage; most notably, my grandma's roots in the Kosice region of Slovakia and my grandfather's roots in the Koura Valley of Lebanon.

When I'm not writing or reading, I'm spending time with my three pixies, my Mad Scot soulmate, and one foofy mini goldendoodle; traveling to as many new places as possible; cooking and baking up a storm; crocheting; and watching waves crash and suns set on the beach. I currently live, love and explore in The Emerald City, though I occasionally make wispy, dream-like plans to move to Paris or a Scottish castle one day (if just temporarily).



Random Facts:

~ I'm the co-founder of the popular YA website, YAHighway. (Come visit us!)
~ My favorite color is purple.
~ I was born in Anaheim, CA. I have seen the Disneyland fireworks more times than I can count.
~ I graduated from the University of Washington, majoring in English Literature and Women's Studies as an undergrad and Secondary Education as a grad student.
~ My favorite cities are Paris, Krakow, and Seattle.
~ My favorite YA novels are How I Live Now by Meg Rosoff and Jellicoe Road by Melina Marchetta. But they're not the only ones I love. I read a lot.
~ Gail Shephard's The True History of Lyndie B. Hawkins and Rebecca Stead's When You Reach Me are two of my favorite MG books; Jon Klassen's This Is Not My Hat and Tara Lazar's 7 Ate 9 are my favorite picture books.
~ Catch me reading food non-fiction, Keats' poetry, a variety of feminist short stories, Gillian Flynn, Sarah Waters, and more, when I'm in the mood for adult projects.
~ If I didn't write, I'd want to own a bakery. Or a food truck. Or a food truck bakery. With a yarn store in the back.
~ I don't watch much NFL anymore, but I go to as many Seattle Sounders and LA Angels' games as I can. I also play sports: softball, volleyball, soccer, cycling, and running, mostly. I hope to do a triathlon, soon!
~ I've worked in restaurants, in retail, as a nutrition instructor for Title 1 schools, as a writing tutor and as a freelance writer.
~ My first published-in-print work was an essay about picking blueberries and the fate of the small American farm.

When I was little, I wanted to be a writer, the President of the USA or the first female NFL quarterback. Despite being able to throw a wicked spiral, I didn't really grow to the size needed for the NFL. Then, as I got older and studied more, I came to realize there were better ways to effect positive change than becoming president. The first one, however, stuck. Even when I was pursuing other dreams, I always took time to write here and there.

When I'm not writing or reading (which is what I do all day, in all of my work), I'm spending time with three pixies, my Mad Scot soulmate, and one grumpy cocker spaniel; traveling across oceans and time; cooking and baking up a storm; and watching waves crash and suns set on the beach. I currently live, love and explore in The Emerald City, though I occasionally make wispy, dream-like plans to move to Paris or a Scottish castle one day (if just temporarily).



Random Facts:

~ I'm the co-founder of the popular YA website, YAHighway. (Come visit us!)
~ My favorite color is purple.
~ I was born in Anaheim, CA. I have seen the Disneyland fireworks more times than I can count.
~ I graduated from the University of Washington, majoring in English Literature and Women's Studies as an undergrad and Secondary Education as a grad student.
~ My favorite cities are Paris, Krakow, Black Rock City and Seattle.
~ My favorite YA novels are How I Live Now by Meg Rosoff and Jellicoe Road by Melina Marchetta. But they're not the only ones I love. I read a lot.
~ Rebecca Stead's When You Reach Me is one of my favorite MG books; Jon Klassen's This Is Not My Hat and James Dean's Pete the Cat: I Love My White Shoes are my favorite picture books.
~ Catch me reading food non-fiction, Keats' poetry, a variety of feminist short stories, Gillian Flynn, Sarah Waters, and more, when I'm in the mood for adult projects.
~ If I didn't write, I'd want to own a bakery. Or a food truck. Or a food truck bakery.
~ I don't watch much NFL anymore, but I go to as many Seattle Sounders and LA Angels' games as I can. I also play sports: softball, volleyball and soccer, mostly.
~ I've worked in restaurants, in retail, as a nutrition instructor for Title 1 schools, as a writing tutor and as a freelance writer.
~ My first published-in-print work was an essay about picking blueberries and the fate of the small American farm.

Purchase EVERY LAST PROMISE!

Indiebound ~ Powell's Books ~ Barnes and Noble ~ Amazon

"Lyrically written and ebbing with suspense, the story of Kayla’s hometown implicates everyone involved for their silence and for the grotesque hero worship that guarantees it. Kayla’s no hero, either, and her journey to finding her truth is as authentically difficult as they come. Halbrook interleaves the stories of before and after chapter by chapter, leading characters and readers to the devastating conclusion. A devastating, important examination of the far-reaching, insidious nature of rape culture."
--Kirkus (starred review)

"EVERY LAST PROMISE is a powerful exploration of friendship and fear and what it means to stay silent in the face of injustice versus the high cost of speaking up. Kayla's search for redemption and homecoming after a night of horrific tragedy is deeply moving."    
 --Stephanie Kuehn, author of the Morris Award-winning Charm & Strange

Perfect for fans of Laurie Halse Anderson and Gayle Forman, Every Last Promise is a provocative and emotional novel about a girl who must decide between keeping quiet and speaking up after witnessing a classmate's sexual assault.
Kayla saw something at the party that she wasn't supposed to. But she hasn't told anyone. No one knows the real story about what happened that night—about why Kayla was driving the car that ran into a ditch after the party, about what she saw in the hours leading up to the accident, and about the promise she made to her friend Bean before she left for the summer.
Now Kayla's coming home for her senior year. If Kayla keeps quiet, she might be able to get her old life back. If she tells the truth, she risks losing everything—and everyone—she ever cared about.

Publisher: HarperTeen (April 21, 2015)
ISBN-10: 0062121294
ISBN-13: 9780062121295




Portuguese Rights to Plataforma21 at V&R Editoras. 


Purchase Nobody But Us!Indiebound ~ Powell's Books ~ Barnes and Noble ~ Amazon

Will

Maybe I'm too late. Maybe Zoe's dad stole all her fifteen years and taught her to be scared. I'll undo it. Help her learn to be strong again, and brave. Not that I'm any kind of example, but we can learn together. When the whole world is after you, sometimes it seems like you can't run fast enough. 

Zoe 

Maybe it'll take Will years to come to terms with being abandoned. Maybe it'll take forever. I'll stay with him no matter how long it takes to prove that people don't always leave, don't always give up on you. 

“Raw, immediate, and utterly unflinching. Halbrook’s debut features complex characters, and attempting to puzzle them out makes for a thought-provoking read.” (ALA Booklist )
“A dark, romantic wild ride reminiscent of Thelma and Louise.” (Publishers Weekly )
“How do we love and what are the consequences? Kristin Halbrook paints an edgy and vivid portrait of two troubled teens on the run. This is a gracefully written, thought-provoking and absorbing debut. . . . I haven’t read a love story quite like it before, honestly.” (Courtney Summers, author of Cracked Up to Be, Some Girls Are, and Fall for Anything )
“Beautiful, heartbreaking, and exhilarating—NOBODY BUT US will have you holding your breath until the very last page.” (Kody Keplinger, author of The DUFF and A Midsummer’s Nightmare )
“An achingly believable love story about two teens outrunning a society that has failed them, hoping the lights at the end of the highway aren’t just a mirage. Tense, lyrical and heartbreaking; the kind of book that lingers a long time.” (Kirsten Hubbard, author of Wanderlove and Like Mandarin )
Publisher: HarperTeen (January 29, 2013)ISBN-10: 006212126XISBN-13: 978-0062121264 


Complex Chinese Rights to Ecus Publishing HouseFrench Rights to Albin MichelGerman Rights to Heyne FliegtFilm Rights to Haven Entertainment

Purchase EVERY LAST PROMISE!

Indiebound ~ Powell's Books ~ Barnes and Noble ~ Amazon

"Lyrically written and ebbing with suspense, the story of Kayla’s hometown implicates everyone involved for their silence and for the grotesque hero worship that guarantees it. Kayla’s no hero, either, and her journey to finding her truth is as authentically difficult as they come. Halbrook interleaves the stories of before and after chapter by chapter, leading characters and readers to the devastating conclusion. A devastating, important examination of the far-reaching, insidious nature of rape culture."
--Kirkus (starred review)

"EVERY LAST PROMISE is a powerful exploration of friendship and fear and what it means to stay silent in the face of injustice versus the high cost of speaking up. Kayla's search for redemption and homecoming after a night of horrific tragedy is deeply moving."    
 --Stephanie Kuehn, author of the Morris Award-winning Charm & Strange

Perfect for fans of Laurie Halse Anderson and Gayle Forman, Every Last Promise is a provocative and emotional novel about a girl who must decide between keeping quiet and speaking up after witnessing a classmate's sexual assault.
Kayla saw something at the party that she wasn't supposed to. But she hasn't told anyone. No one knows the real story about what happened that night—about why Kayla was driving the car that ran into a ditch after the party, about what she saw in the hours leading up to the accident, and about the promise she made to her friend Bean before she left for the summer.
Now Kayla's coming home for her senior year. If Kayla keeps quiet, she might be able to get her old life back. If she tells the truth, she risks losing everything—and everyone—she ever cared about.

Publisher: HarperTeen (April 21, 2015)
ISBN-10: 0062121294
ISBN-13: 9780062121295



Portuguese Rights to Plataforma21 at V&R Editoras. 

ISBN 9781534405042
Praise for SMOKE AND MIRRORS:
“The novel’s wistful prose and a relatable search for the Light will be rewarding for readers who can see in the Smoke any number of metaphors for the things that haunt us.” —BCCB (starred review)
“A Wrinkle in Time-inspired adventure…Halbrook’s writing is artful.” —Kirkus Reviews
“In K.D. Halbrook’s gorgeous prose, readers will be drawn immediately into the Cirque, but more importantly, they’ll be drawn into Sasha’s heart. This is a story to savor.” —Kathi Appelt, National Book Award finalist and Newbery Honor–winning author of The Underneath and Keeper
“Adventure and magic unfold in this captivating story.” —School Library Connection
“A fairy-tale atmosphere wafts through Halbrook’s story of magic, love, belonging, and circus...Enchanting.” —Booklist
Circus Mirandus meets Cartwheeling in Thunderstorms in this beautifully written fantasy novel about a girl who must face her fears in order to right a terrible wrong, confront what it means to be different, and discover her own power.
Smoke has come to the Cirque Magnifique. And Sasha Brown is sure it is her fault. 
Sasha has always loved the Cirque, a place filled with sequined costumes, dazzling spotlights, and magnificent tents. But when she starts fifth grade with the Islanders—the ordinary folk from the other side of the Island—for the first time, she’s not so sure she wants to be a Cirque kid. She starts to question her home and her Cirque family. Is the magic real? Are the stories even true? As the bullying by the Island kids gets worse, swirling blue-gray Smoke appears.
One night in the big tent, Sasha’s dad performs, twisting his body through the air as the lights dance. Sasha is supposed to be helping, but instead she sits beneath the bleachers, seething. She has wished for the Smoke to come and make it all disappear: the Cirque, her family, the Island with its mean Island kids. And the Smoke does come. As Sasha watches her dad, he flips and raises his arms out for the bar that is supposed to meet him, his bright grin confident and sure. But there is only air…and Smoke.
Both of Sasha’s parents disappear that night, and it’s all Sasha’s fault. What can she do but try and find them?
Available now! Click on your favorite link to purchase: Indiebound Barnes & Noble Amazon
For rights inquiries please contact Brent Taylor at TriadaUS Agency: Brent@TriadaUS.comAudio Rights to AudibleTurkish Rights to Kirmizi Kedi

Purchase Nobody But Us!
Indiebound ~ Powell's Books ~ Barnes and Noble ~ Amazon

Will

Maybe I'm too late. Maybe Zoe's dad stole all her fifteen years and taught her to be scared. I'll undo it. Help her learn to be strong again, and brave. Not that I'm any kind of example, but we can learn together. When the whole world is after you, sometimes it seems like you can't run fast enough. 

Zoe 

Maybe it'll take Will years to come to terms with being abandoned. Maybe it'll take forever. I'll stay with him no matter how long it takes to prove that people don't always leave, don't always give up on you. 

“Raw, immediate, and utterly unflinching. Halbrook’s debut features complex characters, and attempting to puzzle them out makes for a thought-provoking read.” (ALA Booklist )

“A dark, romantic wild ride reminiscent of Thelma and Louise.” (Publishers Weekly )

“How do we love and what are the consequences? Kristin Halbrook paints an edgy and vivid portrait of two troubled teens on the run. This is a gracefully written, thought-provoking and absorbing debut. . . . I haven’t read a love story quite like it before, honestly.” (Courtney Summers, author of Cracked Up to Be, Some Girls Are, and Fall for Anything )

“Beautiful, heartbreaking, and exhilarating—NOBODY BUT US will have you holding your breath until the very last page.” (Kody Keplinger, author of The DUFF and A Midsummer’s Nightmare )

“An achingly believable love story about two teens outrunning a society that has failed them, hoping the lights at the end of the highway aren’t just a mirage. Tense, lyrical and heartbreaking; the kind of book that lingers a long time.” (Kirsten Hubbard, author of Wanderlove and Like Mandarin )

Publisher: HarperTeen (January 29, 2013)
ISBN-10: 006212126X
ISBN-13: 978-0062121264 




Complex Chinese Rights to Ecus Publishing House
French Rights to Albin Michel
German Rights to Heyne Fliegt
Film Rights to Haven Entertainment

6/21/2015: EVERY LAST PROMISE is a "Sublime" summer read, according to The Seattle Times!

6/01/15: Author Stephanie Kuehnert interviews me and Courtney Summers about our books and the rape culture at large for Jezebel.

3/27/15: Brazil! EVERY LAST PROMISE is coming for you!

International rights: Children's Brazilian rights to Kristin Halbrook's EVERY LAST PROMISE, to Flavia Lago at Vergara & Riba, by Camila Marandino and Joao Paulo Riff at Riff Agency in association with Jacqueline Murphy at Fineprint Literary Management on behalf of Suzie Townsend at New Leaf Literary & Media. 

3/12/15: Bookish presents a preview of Spring's Best Young Adult Novels, including EVERY LAST PROMISE!

1/2/15: EVERY LAST PROMISE received a starred review from Kirkus!

11/06/14: Rookie Magazine recommends NOBODY BUT US

10/14/14: EVERY LAST PROMISE cover reveal on YA Highway

10/12/13: Chatting tough issues and This or That with Wholly Books

10/07/2013: Nobody But Us included on a list of books to read for Domestic Violence Awareness at YALSA's Hub

9/4/13: Check out my dream cast for Nobody But Us on Story Crush

8/12/13: HUGE NOBODY BUT US FILM NEWS WOOHOO!

7/24/13: I chat with Honestly YA about research, playlists and my publishing journey

7/23/13: On writing, on publishing (and a little bit about food truck bakeries and James McAvoy) with Writers Like Us

5/31/13: Author and Child Psychologist Sarah Fine interviews me about researching traumatized characters

4/26/13: Interview on Zoe's Book Reviews

4/11/13: About Exclusive Content + New Leaf Literary Exclusive Author Content Booklet giveaway (ends 4/17/13).

4/11/13: Interview on Kathy Coe's A Glass of Wine Blog + NOBODY BUT US giveaway (ends 4/24/13).

4/10/13: Guest post on Hypable.com: Modern Literary Love and Tragedy + New Leaf Literary Exclusive Author Content Booklet giveaway (ends 4/17/13).

3/13/13: Interview with young adult magazine WovenMyst 

3/13/13: Epic Reads' compilation of blogger reviews of NOBODY BUT US.

3/11/13: Lots of fun at this interview with I Am A Reader, Not A Writer

~ Rights inquiries go to my agent, Brent Taylor at TriadaUS at Brent@Triadaus.com 
~ Want to get in touch with me online? Here's where you can find me:
 



~ Or you can send me a message using the form below.

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