MENU

Jacqueline West, Writer

Bestselling author of The Books of Elsewhere and Dreamers Often Lie

Cover Reveal (and much more): DREAMERS OFTEN LIE

September 4, 2015    Tags: , ,   

DreamersOftenLie_Comp_reveal

Here it is.

The Shakespearean YA novel that I’ve been mentioning (briefly, bashfully) for years has a name, a release date, and a cover–and holy cats, is it a gorgeous one. DREAMERS OFTEN LIE, coming from Dial Books for Young Readers on April 5, 2016.

You can read the opening pages and hear more about the book at EW.com: http://www.ew.com/article/2015/09/03/dreamers-often-lie-excerpt. (Thanks to Lindsay Boggs, my magic-making publicist at PYRG, for this incredible launchpad!)

This is a book I began almost eight years ago, while I was teaching Shakespeare to my high school English students and directing school plays. It was repeatedly nudged to the back burner while I finished THE BOOKS OF ELSEWHERE and moved and traveled and toured and had a baby, but each time I lifted the lid on that slowly simmering pot, something new was rising to the surface. I think it has finally boiled down to something pretty cool.

Please go and read the sample, pre-order if you like–or better yet, mention the book to your favorite local booksellers and librarians.

It’s very different from THE BOOKS OF ELSEWHERE…but I’m excited to see this book travel out into the world and into the hands of a whole new set of readers (and maybe to some old ones, who are ready for something else dark and odd and twisty).

Thanks for the love, everybody.

Spectacles

25 Comments (Leave a comment)

  1. YES, YES to something ” dark and odd and twisty” The excerpt and cover look wonderful!!

    Comment by Brenda on September 4, 2015 @ 2:38 pm


  2. Thank you so much, Brenda! Very excited for this one to try its wings…

    Comment by Jacqueline on September 9, 2015 @ 1:24 pm


  3. Oh. My. GOODNESS!!!!!!!!!! I LOVE IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I legit squealed. I really want it. NAOW.

    Anyhoo, I have a few questions:

    1) What are the ages you consider a young adult?

    2) Is there any way I could (possibly) get the book early?

    3) Is there some other way I could contact you (other than the blog and email) like Skype or through the phone?

    I look forward to reading Dreamers Often Lie. Please respond soon!

    XOXO, Nicole 🙂 😉 😀 😛

    Comment by Nicole on September 4, 2015 @ 3:49 pm


  4. Hi Nicole! Sorry I’m sometimes slow with these responses; baby/writing/house/dog/life are still keeping me pretty busy. Blog and email are probably your best bets for keeping in touch with me; I also use Facebook and Instagram (you can find links at my website), although I can be slow about keeping up with things there too.

    As for your other questions, YA tends to mean high school age, so 14 – 19ish — although of course there aren’t rules for this. I’m expecting readers both younger and older than that range to read the book (I’d be disappointed if they didn’t!). 🙂

    My publisher and I will likely both be hosting giveaways before the book’s release, probably on Goodreads, or maybe via Facebook or Twitter, so you might win an advance copy that way. I’ll be sure to post about that here and on FB when there’s news.

    Hope your back is feeling better!

    Comment by Jacqueline on September 9, 2015 @ 1:34 pm


  5. Also, my old email got taken down. My new one is: cutiepie19287@gmail.com. So yeah! If you tried to email me back, it probably didn’t work. And I can’t log in to my old email anymore.

    XOXO, Nicole 🙂 😉 😀 😛

    Comment by Nicole on September 4, 2015 @ 3:55 pm


  6. I just got done playing Just Dance 2015 on the Wii with my friend… Now it’s off to bed for me. I shall talk to you tomorrow! Goodnight!

    XOXO, Nicole 🙂 😉 😀 😛

    Comment by Nicole on September 4, 2015 @ 10:34 pm


  7. Hallo again Jacqueline! We just got back from a friend’s house. I was rough housing with Spencer (their son) and I think I might’ve messed up my neck. I was curled up on the ground, and Spencer was on top of me, and he pushed me and my shoulders rolled forward and my neck bent at a bit of an extreme angle. It hurts really bad… I might have to go get it checked out tomorrow. But I really have no idea. Anyhoo, peace out! See you later!

    XOXO, Nicole 🙂 😉 😀 😛

    Comment by Nicole on September 5, 2015 @ 9:37 pm


  8. EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! That was my reaction when I read your comment. And I had a dream last night where you had dedicated a whole blog post to me… That would be SO COOL if it happened in real life… *wink wink*

    Anyhoo, I’m going to a wedding in the Twin Cities this weekend. Yay!

    And ERMAHGERD I WANT TO SKYPE YOU SO BADLY BUT I DON’T HAVE YOUR SKYPE OR ANYTHING and it really sounds like I’m begging you… Meh. My Skype is Nicole Fritz, in case you were wondering. And in case you ever want to Skype me. Which would be wonderful. I do have a couple questions I would love to ask you in person or over Skype or something.

    Anyway, I think that’s it! Peace out!

    XOXO, Nicole 🙂 😉 😀 😛

    Comment by Nicole on September 9, 2015 @ 6:34 pm


  9. On October 30th, it will be one year since I first commented on your blog. So much has happened since then… I feel like I know you so well and yet so little. I think it would be kinda cool if you could do something (like a response or maybe, just MAYBE a blog post?) about everything you’ve learned about me/thought about me. So yeah!

    XOXO, Nicole 🙂 😉 😀 😛

    Comment by Nicole on September 10, 2015 @ 6:33 am


  10. OH MY GOSH I JUST REALIZED SOMETHING AND I’M FREAKING OUT SO MUCH RIGHT NOW. Okay. So I have a teacher (Mrs. Lokken) and her voice sounds almost EXACTLY like yours. It’s weird but true. Do you know her? Or is it a total coincidence? So yeah! And tomorrow is going to be exactly 3 months until my golden birthday! And on Friday I was walking back from the high school band room (that’s where us 8th graders are practicing for the moment) with my bestie Jessica, Max (my crush 😉 ), and Jared. And Jared and Jess had switched from Clarinet 2 to Clarinet 1. (There are different parts of the song. Typically the clarinets, trumpets, and trombones get split into the groups and yeah.) Anyhoo, so Jared was like “Now we have to play that hard part with the flutes. And that part is so stupid.” And I turned around so I was walking backwards and I’m like “Excuse you? That STUPID part with the flutes? I’m a floutist and I’m proud of it!” And Max was watching me the whole time and it was the first time I was talking to/at him and I wasn’t totally freaking out! I feel so happy!

    XOXO, Nicole 🙂 😉 😀 😛

    Comment by Nicole on September 13, 2015 @ 6:52 pm


  11. I just looked at your appearance schedule and I saw Mosinee Middle School wasn’t on there… are you visiting my school this year? Or not? I hope you do…

    XOXO, Nicole 🙂 ;0 😀 😛

    Comment by Nicole on September 16, 2015 @ 6:39 am


  12. Hallo Jacqueline! I’m reading Fallen by Lauren Kate. I would definently recommend reading it. SO READ IT!!!!!!!!! IT IS AWESOME. Anyhoo, I think I’m goingto send my books tonight or tomorrow! Yay!

    XOXO, Nicole 🙂 😉 😀 😛

    Comment by Nicole on September 21, 2015 @ 4:52 pm


  13. Hallo again Jacqueline! I’m at home, waiting to go to my orthodontist appointment. Meh. But I’m really happy because I get to stay after school today because the 8th grade band gets to march with the high school band in the homecoming parade! It starts at 5. Just wondering, did you have braces? Were you in band? If so, what instrument did you play? Well, I gotta go. Peace out!

    XOXO, Nicole 🙂 😉 😀 😛

    Comment by Nicole on September 25, 2015 @ 7:33 am


  14. I just got back from the homecoming parade and football game. I had fun for the most part. We played the school song SUPER fast whenever Mosinee scored a touchdown. We scored 3 touchdowns in the first half. I left during halftime.

    Now on to the reason I’m not so happy. So you know Max? The guy I had a huge crush on? Well… Apparently he sees me as kind of creepy and the most he’ll ever like me will be as a friend. The worst part is, he didn’t even say it straight to my face. He made one of my close friends say it to me.

    Well, on Monday. I’m going to start avoiding him. See if he likes it for a change. It’s not like we ever really talk anyway.

    First heartbreak. *sigh*… 🙁

    XOXO, Nicole 🙁

    Comment by Nicole on September 25, 2015 @ 8:54 pm


  15. Awwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww! I just saw Beren’s latest selfie with you on your Instagram page! He is SO ADORABLE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Oh! And I should be sending my books within the next week! Yay!

    XOXO, Nicole 🙂 😉 😀 😛

    Comment by Nicole on September 26, 2015 @ 1:06 pm


  16. Hallo Jacqueline! I was just on YouTube because I was really bored and I decided to talk to my mom to see if I can start a channel. Hey, then you can see me! Yay! And I just saw the video of you reading “The Naming of Cats” and I just have to say, I love your voice! I dunno why… I just do. Anyhoo, I gotta go! Peace out!

    XOXO, Nicole 🙂 😉 😀 😛

    Comment by Nicole on September 30, 2015 @ 5:22 pm


  17. Hello again Jacqueline! I was feeling kind of inspired today, and so I started a new book on Wattpad! It’s called Everlasting. Here’s the link: https://www.wattpad.com/172837522-everlasting-prologue I hope you read it! If you like it, maybe you can check out my other stories! And hey, maybe you can create a Wattpad account! My username is snicklefritz192, by the way.

    Anyhoo, I hope you read my new book! And hey-maybe you can give me some pointers on stuff! So… yeah! Peace out!

    XOXO, Nicole 🙂 😉 😀 😛

    Comment by Nicole on October 4, 2015 @ 9:06 pm


  18. Hello again Jacqueline! I had a VERY weird dream last night. So it started out where I was at this school for something, but I don’t remember what it was. Anyway, I was sitting on a seat and people kept on walking into the school. I said, “It would be cool if Jacqueline West came…” And then you walked in, straight towards me, and said, “Hi Nicole!” And I started crying. I asked, “How do you know me? W

    Comment by Nicole on October 7, 2015 @ 6:23 am


  19. Hi Nicole! I’ve been extra-awful about keeping up with mail and comments in the last few weeks — events season is kicking off again, and writing is humming along, and Beren keeps me as busy as he possibly can — but I love getting all these snapshots of your life. Glad it sounds like things are busy and exciting with you, too!

    Yes, I was in band in middle school and for the first year-and-a-half of high school. I played the French horn, and I remember field shows and pep band and parade marching, all while wearing a fuzzy blue hat and a giant polyester uniform. VERY stylish. And yes, I had braces. TWICE. My teeth are so stubborn, they started going back to their old, crooked spots after the bands were removed the first time. So I had braces in late elementary school and again at the beginning of high school. I still remember how good it felt when they were finally removed (and ESPECIALLY how much better it felt when I played the French horn! No more giant gouges on the inside of my lip! Hooray!).

    I don’t know yet whether I’ll be visiting Mosinee within this school year. It will depend on if and when they invite me, and whether my spring schedule is open enough. If I’m coming back, I’ll certainly let you know. I sound so mysterious and powerful in your dream! “I have my ways…” I wish I got to say things like that more often in real life. 🙂

    And I’m delighted to hear that you’re working on a new writing project. Keep it up!

    Comment by Jacqueline on October 13, 2015 @ 11:20 am


  20. Hello again Jacqueline! I had a VERY weird dream last night. So it started out where I was at this school for something, but I don’t remember what it was. Anyway, I was sitting on a seat and people kept on walking into the school. I said, “It would be cool if Jacqueline West came…” And then you walked in, straight towards me, and said, “Hi Nicole!” And I started crying. I asked, “How do you know me? Why are you here?” And you just said, “I have my ways.” And you gave me a big hug. And we had a whole conversation (But I don’t remember what it was.) Then the scene changed and I was outside on a road for some reason, and there was a railroad track next to us. The creepy thing about it was that there were a ton of bloody, mangled corpses next to the railroad tracks. And there was a crossroad up a little ways. For some odd reason I was in this big group of people. There was a purple and green van trundling down the road towards us, and apparently the driver was dead, and somehow someone got the van to stop. Then someone took a little bunk bed out of the back and made it into something, but I can’t remember what it was, and then we all got into a huge fight, but I can’t remember what that was either. I don’t remember anything else. So what do you think about this crazy dream? I’m kind of creeped out, but I woke up to find I was crying from when you said hi and we had that conversation. Well, peace out!

    XOXO, Nicole 🙂 😉 😀 😛

    Comment by Nicole on October 7, 2015 @ 6:32 am


  21. Whoops! I just realized I posted half of my comment and then posted the whole thing. Whoops! Sorry!

    XOXO, Nicole 🙂 😉 😀 😛

    Comment by Nicole on October 7, 2015 @ 4:34 pm


  22. Okay. When I saw your response, I literally was like “OMG YASSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS SHE FINALLY RESPONDED OMG YAY YAY YAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!” and I did a little dance. I was so gosh darn happy!!!!!!!!! And braces suck. Owwwwww. I have to wear rubber bands with mine. And wow. Your teeth were so stubborn, you had to get braces a second time? Wow… I have to get a permanent retainer when I get my braces off. And we get to march next year and do pep band! And omg you should see the uniforms. They’re purple and silver. The pants are purple with a silver stripe down each side. They look like prince charmings pants. And the jackets are lovely too. We didn’t have to wear them this year, although we did play with the pep band. We didn’t go out and play with them on the field though, obviously.

    Oh, and did you read my book(s) on Wattpad?!?! I hope you did!!! I hope you like it! And I look forward to when you will respond next. As always, peace out! Don’t forget to be nice, be original, and above all, be yourself. Nobody has any say in how you act or what you do.

    You are truly amazing, Jacqueline. Nsver forget that. I hope I get to see you soon.

    XOXO, Nicole 🙂 😉 😀 😛

    Comment by Nicole on October 13, 2015 @ 6:20 pm


  23. Ha! Prince Charming’s pants! That’s perfect.

    Comment by Jacqueline on October 20, 2015 @ 11:06 am


  24. I meant never. Way to totally ruin the mysterious/nice/kinda weird and magical vibe I was going for. Darn it.

    XOXO, Nicole 🙂 😉 😀 😛

    Comment by Nicole on October 13, 2015 @ 6:23 pm


  25. But it’s so true! AmIright? Seriously though. And have you had any accidental gardening mishaps this year? We haven’t… Yet.

    XOXO, Nicole 🙂 😉 😀 😛

    Comment by Nicole on October 20, 2015 @ 6:05 pm


RSS feed for comments on this post. TrackBack URL

Leave a comment

Subscribe to Jacqueline's Journal with RSS


Jacqueline West on Facebook
Jacqueline West on Instagram  


Contact Jacqueline:   Email   •      •      •   Mail



© Jacqueline West