End of the Year Wrap Up 2020

With a year like 2020, our annual End of the Year Wrap Up feels especially important. I hope you’ve been looking forward to this post as much as I have. I’ve desperately needed a reminder of all of the good things that have happened over the past twelve months. Looking to my closest writing friends certainly helps me see that despite everything, we’re still here, our voices matter, and our words remain.

Before I shout the praises of the WBP CP Group, I want to emphasize this. Whether you’ve written/revised 100 words or 100,000 words this year, your words are on a page, in a notebook, on a laptop, in a CP/agent/editor’s inbox, on a bookshelf and they remain. They exist.

If you’ve written 0 words this year, you’re still a writer and may the words greet you in the new year. You, like me, have survived 2020 and that accomplishment is enough. If you’re interested in a retrospective to encourage you as you prepare yourself for new words on the page in the new year, we’re here for you. Let’s begin.

Janella Angeles

Janella’s debut YA fantasy novel, WHERE DREAMS DESCEND (Add it to Goodreads) was pushed from a June 2, 2020 release to an August 25, 2020 release and became an Indie Bestseller as well as a Top 10 Pick on the Fall 2020 Kids’ Indie Next List! Congrats, Janella!

Alexis Castellanos

Alexis launched her graphic and web design business, Spellcaster Designs. Her art was featured in preorder campaigns for WHERE DREAMS DESCEND, AS THE SHADOW RISES, and A VOW SO BOLD AND DEADLY.

Kat Cho

Kat released a sequel, VICIOUS SPIRITS (Order it now) on August 18, 2020 and sold her YA contemporary romance, ONCE UPON A K-PROM (Add it to Goodreads) to Disney-Hyperion, set to release in 2022! She also co-wrote a webcomic about a K-pop star freed from a mysterious portal by a high school band called FREE HEXEL (available to read on webtoons with music videos on YouTube!) Congrats, Kat!

Mara Fitzgerald

Mara released her debut YA fantasy, BEYOND THE RUBY VEIL (Add it to Goodreads) on October 13, 2020. Congrats, Mara!

Amanda Foody

Amanda released the final novel in her YA fantasy trilogy, QUEEN OF VOLTS (Add it to Goodreads) and revealed the cover for her MG fantasy debut, THE ACCIDENTAL APPRENTICE (Add it to Goodreads), which releases from Margaret K. McElderry Books on March 30, 2021.

She and Christine also sold a YA fantasy, ALL OF US VILLAINS (Add it to Goodreads) to Tor Teen set for fall 2021 release. Congrats!

Christine Lynn Herman

Christine released a sequel, THE DECK OF OMENS (Add it to Goodreads) on April 21, 2020.

Katherine McNamara (Arrow), Gregg Sulkin (Marvel’s Runaways) and Cameron Fuller (The Last Ship) are developing THE DEVOURING GRAY for the screen! Watch the announcement video here. Congrats, Christine!!!

Erin Rose Kim

Erin accepted literary representation from Kristina Pérez at Zeno Literary Agency. Congrats, Erin!

Meg Kohlmann

Meg had a terrific year as a Story Lead at her day job in publishing and she also got engaged! Congratulations, Meg!

Axie Oh

Axie sold a feminist retelling of the Korean folktale, The Tale of Shim Cheong, THE GIRL WHO FELL BENEATH THE SEA (Add it to Goodreads) coming in 2022 from Feiwel and Friends and a YA contemporary romance, XOXO (Add it to Goodreads) to Harper Teen, set to release in July 13, 2021! Check out the cover for XOXO above! Congrats, Axie!

Claribel Ortega

Claribel released their debut middle grade novel, GHOST SQUAD (Add it to Goodreads) on April 7, 2020! It was also announced that Brenda Chapman (Come Away) is set to write and direct the film adaptation!

They also have short stories in two anthologies that sold this year, THIS IS OUR RAINBOW: 16 STORIES OF HER, HIM, THEM, AND US (Add it to Goodreads) coming from Knopf Children’s in 2021 and RECLAIM THE STARS (Add it to Goodreads) coming from Wednesday Books in 2022.

They were also named a Spring 2020 Flying Start by Publishers Weekly and appeared on Good Morning America (multiple times)!

They launched the first season of Celebrity Book Club Podcast with YA author, Ryan La Sala and launched the third season of Write or Die Podcast which they co-host with our very own, Kat!

Katy Rose Pool

Katy released her highly anticipated YA fantasy sequel, AS THE SHADOW RISES (Add it to Goodreads)!

Akshaya Raman

Askshaya sold her debut YA fantasy novel, THE IVORY KEY (Add it to Goodreads) to HMH Teen.

She also has a short story in the upcoming paranormal romance anthology, ETERNALLY YOURS (Add it to Goodreads) which sold to Viking Children’s and is coming in 2022. You can see a short story from Kat in this anthology as well!

Tara Sim

Tara released her latest YA fantasy, SCAVENGE THE STARS (Add it to Goodreads) on January 7, 2020 and revealed the cover for its sequel, RAVAGE THE DARK (Add it to Goodreads) which releases March 9, 2021.