A.S. King has recently returned from Ireland, where she spent a decade dividing herself between self-sufficiency, teaching adult literacy, and writing novels. She has also been a rare poultry breeder, photographer, master printer, contractor, summer camp counselor, pizza delivery driver and, for a week or two, a complete loser who did nothing at all.

Amy's newest YA novel, Everybody Sees the Ants (Little, Brown October 2011) is a Junior Library Guild selection, has received several starred reviews, and has been called "a subtly written, profoundly honest novel" by Booklist. Her 2010 YA novel, Please Ignore Vera Dietz was a Michael L. Printz Honor Book, an Edgar Award Nominee, a Kirkus Reviews Best Book for Teens 2010, a Junior Library Guild selection and a YALSA Best Fiction for Young Adults pick. Her first YA novel, The Dust of 100 Dogs, was an ALA Best Book for Young Adults, an Indie Next pick and a Cybil award finalist. Her short fiction for adults has been widely published and was nominated for Best New American Voices 2010. Amy now lives in Pennsylvania with her husband and children and is a huge fan of Kurt Vonnegut, corn on the cob, nice weather, libraries, her community swimming pool, and fleece socks.

Next up: Ask the Passengers due in Fall 2012. See the Tour page for more details.

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Author Facts for your Book Report
(Thanks to Erin, who asked nicely.)

• Where and when were you born? I was born in Reading, Berks County, PA in 1970 on March 10th. I am a Pisces. And yes, I believe in that stuff.
• What does the A.S. stand for? A is for Amy. S is for Sarig. Those are my first and middle names.
• Do you have siblings? Are your parents like any of the parents in your books? I have two older sisters. And no, my parents are nothing like the parents in my books. You can see a little about them in the Printz Honor speech I made at ALA NOLA 2011. It is here.
• What influenced you to become a writer? I always wanted to be a writer, but what got me to sit in front of a typewriter and actually write was a half year of reading one book a day--the book that physically moved me into the writing chair was Salman Rushdie's The Satanic Verses.
• Did another author inspire you? Yes. Kurt Vonnegut Jr. among hundreds of others. But Kurt Vonnegut the most. God Bless You Mr. Rosewater is my favorite book of all time, though in close second are Breakfast of Champions and Slaughterhouse-Five.
• What influenced your book ideas? A mix of everything--real life, history, news articles, things I hear when I'm on the bus. You name it, I'm inspired by it.
• Is there a specific genre you like to write and why? I like literary fiction (short stories, especially) and I love literary young adult.
• Did you enjoy reading and writing when you were young? Yes. I was a crazy avid reader. Used to read in my closet until the wee hours of the night. Writing--always.
• How long have you been a writer? I wrote my first novel in 1994.
• Was it hard to start your writing career? It took me 7 novels and 15 years to get published. So, I'd say, yes. :)

FAQs and Other Random Information

Will there be a sequel to The Dust of 100 Dogs, Please Ignore Vera Dietz, or Everybody Sees the Ants?
Not that I can see, though I'd love to see Vera at age 27. So you can't count that out.

Do you have any other books?
Check the books link here on that page. I have several books and am part of several anthologies.

What age group are your books for?
Most of my books are for age 14 and up. EVERYBODY SEES THE ANTS is recommended for age 15 and up. While many readers read at higher levels at younger ages, I stand by my publishers and the age recommendations they give my books because much of the content in the books is meant for people ages 14 and older.

Why can't I find some of your books in my local chain bookstore? It makes me mad!
Chain bookstores are filled with whatever their buyers decide to put there. What you see at any bookstore is certainly not the full range of published books. In fact, it's way under half. As authors, we have no control over what stores carry us or don't carry us. But as READERS you have all the control in the world over what you can buy because you can do many things if you can't find a book on a bookshelf. You can order it. From the chain where you shop, or, if you were me, you'd order it from a local Independent bookstore.

Can I have a free copy or Advance Copy of your book? What about for review?
I don't have free copies to give away outside of my random writing contests on my blog. Look for those. I also don't have a plethora of advance copies. If you want to review, contact publicity@lbchildrens.com for a copy, but we can't promise you anything!

Can I have some swag for my blog or a guest blog?
Sadly, I have no swag outside of a few special items that I purchase for my own blog contests.

What's your advice for aspiring authors?
Read and write. A lot. Don't settle and don't rush. And then write more. And more.

How do I write a book?
You sit down and write a book. Outside of that, I have no idea. But magical writing pants help.

How long will it take?
Ditto, above. (Magical writing pants help.)

Can you read my manuscript/query and tell me what you think?
This is something I cannot do. Not only am I short on time, but it's against my agency contract. As much as I'd love to help all aspiring writers, I can't. Allow me to steer you to Backspace or Absolute Write for feedback and business information.

Will you come to my city to talk?
I would love to. The best way to get me to your city is to find a local school or library that is willing to fund my visit.

Can you come to my school or libray to talk?
I especially love talking to high schools and in libraries. Contact Lisa McLatchy at lbvisits@aol.com about prices and make sure to check out my visits page.

Will there ever be a movie of your books?
I hope so. That would be cool.

Why don't you ever send newsletters?
Because I'm not a lover of newsletters. So I send one once a year around the time my books come out.

Can I send you someting via smail mail?
Sure, as long as it's not something nasty like a toe or an ear or anything.
PO Box 130
Robesonia, PA 19551

Can I get your book in my country?
English versions of my books are available for sale worldwide. But translations are hit or miss.
THE DUST OF 100 DOGS (Flux, Feb 2009) (Translation: Italian)
PLEASE IGNORE VERA DIETZ (Knopf, Fall 2010) (Translation: German, Spanish language Mex/LA, Turkish)

Why do you dislike when people download your books for free?
While I'm sure people who steal my books can give my ten good excuses about why they're doing it, I need them to understand that they are stealing my childrens' college tuition. Or, more realistically, they are stealing my childrens' food. I think this is because those downloaders think all writers are rich. I assure you--we are not even close. To those who think pirating is great, I can offer nothing but a shrug. I know this, though. If someone was stealing your paychecks, you'd be really pissed off about it. If this is a matter of money please rediscover your local library. The place is packed with free and legal books and it needs your support--trust me.