About Amalie
Photo Credit: Kristoff Lutchman
THE SHORT OF IT: AMALIE HOWARD is the award-winning author of several young adult novels critically acclaimed by Kirkus, Publishers Weekly, VOYA, School Library Journal, and Booklist, including Waterfell, The Almost Girl, and Alpha Goddess, a Spring 2014 Kid’s INDIE NEXT title. Her debut novel, Bloodspell, was a #1 Amazon bestseller, and the sequel, Bloodcraft, was a national IPPY silver medalist and Children’s Moonbeam Award winner. She is also the co-author of My Rogue, My Ruin in the historical romance series, the Lords of Essex. She currently resides in Colorado with her husband and three children.
THE LONG OF IT: AMALIE HOWARD grew up in Trinidad & Tobago where she spent most of her childhood with her nose buried in a book or running around barefoot, shimmying up mango trees, and dreaming of adventure. 25 countries, surfing with sharks, and several tattoos later, she has traded in bungee jumping in China for writing the adventures she imagines instead. She isn’t entirely convinced which takes more guts.
An aspiring writer from a young age, Amalie’s poem “The Candle,” written at age twelve, was published by the University of Warwick press. At fifteen, she was a recipient of a Royal Commonwealth Society Essay Award. A Colby College graduate, she completed dual Honors Theses in both French and International Studies, and graduated Summa Cum Laude and Phi Beta Kappa. At Colby, she was cited for her research contribution to Raffael Scheck’s article, “German Conservatism and Female Political Activism in the Early Weimar Republic,” and his subsequent book, Mothers of the Nation. She also received distinctions in English Literature, French, and General Paper (University of Cambridge A-levels) as well as a postgraduate certificate in French Literature from the Ecole Normale Supérieure in Paris, France. Traveling the globe, she has worked as a research assistant, account executive, branch manager, and global channel sales director for Fortune 500 companies.
She is the award-winning author of several young adult novels critically acclaimed by Kirkus, Publishers Weekly, School Library Journal, VOYA, and Booklist, including Waterfell, The Almost Girl, and Alpha Goddess, a Spring 2014 Kid’s INDIE NEXT title. Her debut novel, Bloodspell, was a #1 Amazon bestseller, and the sequel, Bloodcraft, was a national silver IPPY medalist and a silver Moonbeam award winner. She is also the co-author of the adult historical romance series, THE LORDS OF ESSEX. As an author of color and a proud supporter of diversity in fiction, her articles on multicultural fiction have appeared in The Portland Book Review and on the popular Diversity in YA blog. She currently resides in Colorado with her husband and three children.
1. She has traveled to 179 cities in 25 countries.
2. She did ballet, piano, soccer, cricket, swimming, netball, field hockey, choir, and the steel pan orchestra in high school all while maintaining an A average.
3. She bungee-jumped 765 feet off of the Macau Tower in China.
Amalie Mid-Bungee Jump Macau Tower
4. She’s a Padi-certified deep-water scuba diver.
5. She entered and won a beauty pageant when she was 16.
Amalie Divali Queen at 16
6. She attended a Halloween Party at the Playboy Mansion.
7. She jumped out of a plane at 12,500 feet.
Amalie Sky Diving 2016
8. She once surfed near Phillip Island, Australia, and a 20-foot great white shark was spotted in the exact same area the next day.
9. She fenced competitively in college.
10. She rides a Harley Davidson “Nightster” motorcycle.
Amalie and her Harley Sportster
ABOUT THE BOOKS
YOUNG ADULT TITLES
BLOODSPELL (The Cruentus Curse series), Langdon Street Press, June 2011
WATERFELL (The Aquarathi), Harlequin TEEN, October, 2013
THE ALMOST GIRL, originally published by Strange Chemistry, January, 2014
ALPHA GODDESS, Sky Pony Press, March, 2014
OCEANBORN (The Aquarathi), Harlequin TEEN, August 2014
SEAMONSTER: an Aquarathi novella (The Aquarathi), RAH Media Press, June 2014
BLOODCRAFT (The Cruentus Curse series, Book 2), RAH Media Press, December 2015
THE ALMOST GIRL (The Riven Chronicles), 2nd edition, Sky Pony Press, March, 2016
THE FALLEN PRINCE (The Riven Chronicles, Book 2), Sky Pony Press, April 2016
DARK GODDESS (Alpha Goddess, Book 2), Sky Pony Press, Spring 2017
ADULT HISTORICAL ROMANCE TITLES
MY ROGUE, MY RUIN, Entangled Publishing, October 2016
MY DARLING, MY DISASTER, Entangled Publishing, Spring 2017
MY HELLION, MY HEART, Entangled Publishing, Fall 2017
Readers can expect multi-layered stories that will introduce them to completely different worlds, whether that’s across an ocean or beneath it, or in a different universe, or in a different lifetime. In my novels, my characters face a range of conflicts like fitting in and being true to who you are, like love, loss, and fighting for what you believe in. My books have a number of relevant themes that most readers will identify with–whether it’s changing your stars or loving someone from a different class or not giving up when life breaks you down. Most of all, I hope that my stories make my readers feel something or make them look at things in a different way. Sometimes a minute shift in perspective can make all the difference.
Like my children, I love them all equally. Truth.
ABOUT ME
I grew up in Trinidad – an area of the world full of folklore and mysticism … talk about a great foundation for dreaming, reading and writing fantasy! My background is Indian, Middle Eastern, Chinese, and French. On a side note, I married an Australian man who is three quarters Scot and one quarter English so our kids are French, Middle Eastern, Indian, Chinese, Scottish, English, Trinidadian, Australian Americans! Holy salad dish, Batman.
My agent is Ginger Clark from Curtis Brown.
My external publicity firm is InkSlinger PR.
I have also used Sami Lien from Roger Charlie, JKS Communications, Damaris Cardinali from Good Choice Reading, and Deborah Sloan’s KidsBuzz for various publicity efforts.
For publicity/appearance requests, you can contact the appropriate publicity departments at Harlequin TEEN or Sky Pony Press.
Yes, you can find me on both! Click on the “Connect With Me” icons on the right side of this page. I love to meet new people via social media.
I wanted to travel, which I did. And I wanted to write, which I’m doing.
I read, and I indulge my love for good food. I also enjoy ocean surfing or any outdoor sports, and I’m addicted to movies. I also like spending time with my family.
Ghosts and clowns. They freak me out. If a ghost-clown haunted me, I would probably pee my pants.
ABOUT YOU
Check out my Events page and see if I’ll be visiting a town near you! I’m also happy to mail signed bookplates to anyone who owns a hardcopy of any of my books. Click here to send me a message with your name, personalization details, and mailing address.
I’m happy to do interviews as long as I am not on a deadline! Thank you for thinking of me. Check the Press Page for details on how to contact me with requests.
The best way to query my agent is to submit a well-written query letter, following all applicable agency guidelines, which are posted on most agency websites. If you are a debut author, having a completed, polished manuscript is a must. Best of luck!
Of course, I love to hear feedback from readers! You can reach me at mail@amaliehoward.com or here to send me a message via this site. I’ll try to respond when I can, but I may not be able to respond to every message I receive.
I wish I could but can’t for legal reasons. However, I do wish you all the success in the world with your writing! Here are some helpful links that got me going in the right direction:
So your WIP is done, what’s next?
Editing your manuscript – suggested reading
Write a killer query letter: Part 1 Part 2 Part 3
Query submission to literary agents
Querying literary agents – do not give up
What a Literary Agent Does and Why It Matters
The truth about writer’s conferences
ABOUT WRITING
I loved being able to create other worlds with interesting characters and being able to redefine myself in those characters. It was and still is a form of escapism for me.
I am capable of writing with a house full of screaming children.
Music, hands down. I create playlists as I’m writing each novel, which really helps to get the energy flowing.
A well-wrought combination of voice, plot, world building, pacing, relatable characters, and a killer hook.
Letting go of my characters at the end of the book. It’s like a relationship, really.
I cried like a baby. I threw some cushions. I ate some cupcakes. I felt better. And then I submitted five more queries (after, of course, incorporating any constructive feedback). Never give up, never surrender. Galaxy Quest, if you’re wondering.
Believe in yourself and your work, and never give up. Don’t take no for an answer, and when all else fails, carve your own path. Someone else doesn’t get to decide whether you’re good enough … you do.
A Few Do’s and Don’ts:
Do polish your manuscript until you can’t polish anymore. Then do it again.
Do read Self-Editing for Fiction Writers by Renni Browne and Dave King.
Do join a critique group (your local SCBWI chapter is a great place to find one).
Do research and understand the nitty-gritty of submissions in your genre (word count, format, query letters, proposals, cover letters, etiquette, etc.)
Do get a good agent with a track record in your genre.
Do create a social media platform and build your brand (website, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram, Tsu, Google+).
Don’t get discouraged by rejections—they’re a part of the process. Keep your head up, use constructive feedback and submit again.
Don’t give up. If this is what you love to do, stay your course. IT WILL HAPPEN.
FAVORITES
Everything you can imagine is real, Pablo Picasso. Fear is the mind-killer, Frank Herbert, Dune. Never give up. Never surrender, Commander Taggart, Galaxy Quest
Lord of the Rings, Star Wars, Avatar, The Fifth Element, Aliens, Harry Potter, Fight Club, Spaceballs, Dogma, Dracula, Gladiator
Grimm’s Fairy Tales, Anne of Green Gables, Chronicles of Narnia, Lord of the Rings, The Sword of Shannara, Go Ask Alice, Tuesdays with Morrie, Queen of the Damned, Wide Sargasso Sea, The Count of Monte Cristo, Pride and Prejudice, Girl Interrupted, Harry Potter, Fire, Hunger Games
Anne Rice, J.K. Rowling, Kristin Cashore, C.S. Lewis, J.R.R. Tolkien, Terry Brooks, Lee Child, Judith McNaught (don’t judge), Suzanne Collins
Where the Sidewalk Ends by Shel Silverstein, Self Pity by D.H. Lawrence
THIS OR THAT QUESTIONS
HP.
Cake! Nom, nom, nom.
Red.
Chocolate.
Sandals.
I’m only a runner in my head.
Vampire.
What kind of sacrilege is this? Both!
Vader.
Comedy. Laughter keeps me sane.
Funnily enough, silence, if I had the choice.
Batman. He’s so dark and sexy but still a good guy.
Er, both. Together. Shirtless.
Light. I actually sleep with the light on especially when I’m alone. No kidding.
Both, I’m a certified scuba-diver and I love bungee-jumping (check out the fun facts on the About Amalie Page).
Rockstar all the way, although I do love me some Katy Perry.
MOST EPIC MOMENT EVER AS AN AUTHOR?
Meeting some of my authorly inspirations and pop culture idols!
Amalie Howard and Anne Rice
Terry Brooks and Amalie Howard
Tamora Pierce and Amalie Howard
Ian Somerhalder and Amalie Howard
AND THE MOST EPIC EVER……………
Stan Lee and Amalie Howard