Final Countdown – an Interview with Agent Ammi-Joan Paquette.

What a fabulous week it has been celebrating the rockety roboty launch of Kate Silvensky’s fabulous debut THE COUNTDOWN CONSPIRACY. I got to interview Kate’s brilliant agent Ammi-Joan Paquette about the journey of bringing this great book to the world.

Q: What was it that first attracted you to THE COUNTDOWN CONSPIRACY?

A: This was one of those manuscripts that hooked me in right from the first page – talk about a heart-pounding opening! As I kept reading and flipping those pages, I stayed just as engrossed, and the premise felt so fresh and exciting. Basically this manuscript was your all-around winner. How could I possibly resist?  ☺

Q: Can you tell us anything about the process of working with Katie before it went out to sub? What did you and Kate have to do to get to a version that could go out to submission?

A: We didn’t really do much in the way of revisions – the story was terrifically strong, and any changes were just to streamline some plot and logic questions, and make sure all the character threads lined up in the strongest possible way. Katie is a terrific writer and reviser, so the process was as seamless as could be!

Q: Was there anything specific about the story that made you think it would be a good fit for Harper Collins?

A: I knew that Erica Sussman was a fan of high-concept, action-packed stories, so I hoped this terrific book would be right up her alley. I was never more thrilled than to hear that she was!!

Q: Is there a certain reader you envision for this book and or a niche you are hoping it will fill?

A: Oh my gosh, this is a book that will appeal to just about every reader! It’s ideal for girl and boy readers, those who love smart and strong characters as well as those who love complex plots and heart-pounding action. Best of all, Katie is a legitimate scientist, so every bit of the scientific backdrop is 100% sound and centered on the most up-to-date research. It’s an amazing way to show kids the thrilling side of science, and keep that STEM energy flowing – in the best way possible.

There you have it – if you don’t already have a copy of this book in your hands don’t waste another minute. Thank you to both Ammi-Joan and Kate for launching this fantastic read.

Darcey Rosenblatt’s debut novel will be published by Henry Holt/MacMillan in August 2017. LOST BOYS, an historic fiction, tells the story of a 12-year old Iranian boy sent to fight in the Iran Iraq war in 1982. With her critique group she runs the Better Books Workshop – an annual small deep craft conference held in Northern California.