Smart teens interested in clues and codes (and fiction, of course!) are my target market. It all made for a super afternoon.

Okay… so not me. But THE VANISHING GAME is, because foreign rights were just purchased by Editions Thierry Magnier of Paris. So now my book is going to be translated into both German and French, which seems sort of awesome.

My friend says they should fly me to Paris for promotion. Not like that will ever happen, but still… tres marveilleux!

-Rachel

By Rebecca at KindleFever:

“Oh. My. Gosh. That’s what kept circulating in my head, both while reading, but also after having finished it. The Vanishing Game is amazingly good and while it wasn’t quite what I’d expected, it proved to be even better than that. Thrilling, mysterious and not a little creepy, it never once left my mind and even now it continues to haunt me. In a nutshell; it blew my mind!

“The Vanishing Game has it all and I truly think there’s something in it for everyone! Thrilling, psychological, thought-provoking and even contains some romance and paranormal traits… Even this early in the year, I can safely say it will end up being my favorite book of 2012–if not ever.“

By Kate at Midnight Book Girl:

“Okay, I know it’s still early February, but I’m officially claiming The Vanishing Game as my favorite read of this month! It’s rare for a YA book to really shock me by it’s ending, but Myers pulled it off brilliantly. There are clues along the way, but I was on the wrong trail most of the book….

“I officially moved yesterday, and I managed to read The Vanishing Game amidst much personal drama in my life. It was a wonderful escape from the endless packing, stress, and sore muscles from moving. That’s a mark of a good book- one that’s able to completely capture your mind.”

By BookYurt:

“Wow. I mean, wow.

“Here’s the thing you need to know about The Vanishing Game – you absolutely cannot fully comprehend the awesomeness of this book until you have read it through to the very end. It took me until the very last pages to understand everything Myers had going on, and once I did, it was like a firework went off in my brain. This book is SMART – it has a whole other side that you won’t see coming – and it literally left me agog….

“In the end, The Vanishing Game well and truly knocked my socks off. This book is just…crazy. My hat goes off to Myers, because this type of story is so very, very hard to pull off – how to give enough information without giving too much away, how to keep us vested when the story doesn’t yet make sense – and I’ve seen its type fail time and time again, but wow does Myers ever pull it off with style. Seriously guys, READ THIS BOOK. It’s a bit of a slow burn, but in the end it will blow your mind.”

By Rebecca at Everything To Do With Books:

“The summaries all say that there is a twist at the end and me being me was like, yeah well I always guess these things. Ummm yeah, not in this case. Yeah, not going to lie, I was pretty thrown by the ending.

“Overall, I would definitely recommend The Vanishing Game by Kate Kae Myers for those fans of mysteries. Also, for anyone wanting to be knocked backwards by the twist ending. I’m still reeling over how things ended.“

By Amber at The Musings of ALMYBNENR:

“The premise of The Vanishing Game, written in the first person from Jocelyn’s point-of-view, was really clever, though I did not realize it until the end. And this is really one of those books that you have to withhold judgment on until the very end.”

By Charlotte of Bookworm Blogger:

“This is a book that will have you thinking and pondering different scenarios even while you’re reading it. So much that I, while pondering, just could not put it down. I had to keep going. I had to find out the truth…

“This book is creepy, horrifying, heartbreaking, but equally brilliant at the same time. I can’t even begin to think how the author came up with all the tiny details that made this book such an amazing read.”

What amazing reviews! With so many readers finding Kate’s book “mind-blowing” and “brilliant” make sure you don’t miss reading The Vanishing Game yourself!

-Rachel

Ironically, Valentine’s Day has never been my favorite holiday, probably because working in schools it’s sort of like seeing the world’s biggest sugar rush coupled with way too much red and Barbie pink. However, since it’s now the official birthday of my book, I’m definitely going to have to rethink that.

For YEARS my visualization of getting published has involved just one mental image: opening a box that arrived in the mail and seeing it full of my books. Somehow, that seemed much more the proof of it actually happening than me sitting at a book signing or reading a great review. Just a cardboard box filled to the top with hardcover copies in super-cool book jackets.

Which is why, when I walked in the door and saw this big box sitting on the table, and looked inside to find 25 books, I just sort of flipped. And giggled. And got slightly teary. It was one stellar moment.

I read the first chapter, and even though I’ve been over it a gazillion times in the manuscript form, this was different. It was real. Same words, and same scene, but between the lines it said: Lifelong dream, finally achieved.

Thanks, Caroline. And Bloomsbury. (P.S. I LOVE what lies beneath the paper cover: the shimmery green embossed title on the black book. Too, too awesome.)

-Rachel

I love my book and have faith in it, but… it’s a different book. It has twists. Not everyone likes the kind of twists I put in. It’s got complications. Maybe too many. So it was a relief to get the first blog reviews and see they’ve written some really positive stuff. A big thank-you to Ky from Can’t Find a Bookmark, Asheley from Into the Hall of Books, and Kindlemom from My Guilty Obsession for their reviews and also their skillful avoidance of spoilers. Here are a few quotes from their excellent reviews:

“I have to say, when I first started reading this, I was severely creeped out.  Fifty pages in and I couldn’t stay up too late reading this at night.  The author definitely plunges you right into the story….

“This was definitely a refreshing read.  Haven’t read something that got me this spooked in a while.  The clues were fantastic and clever and just really added to the mystery of the story.” -Ky from Can’t Find a Bookmark

————

“The Vanishing Game was one of those books that I had to sit on for a few days and ponder. In fact, I still think I’m pondering it. It is really well-written and smart. Fans of the mystery and suspense genre will undoubtedly eat it up…

“The twist at the end is astounding and left me wanting to talk to someone about the book like, right now. I recommend The Vanishing Game to readers looking for something truly fun to read. It was creepy and dark and psychological, and that is always fun.” -Asheley from Into the Hall of Books

————

“I wasn’t really sure what was going on throughout this book. I will admit that the author had me stumped….

“Truly, this read was brilliant. The author is brilliant.

“I think anyone that enjoys a good creepy mystery read will absolutely adore this book.” -Kindlemom from My Guilty Obsession

Additionally, Library Media Connection had a short synopsis of the plot and a positive statement: “This book has twists and turns galore. Part corporate espionage thriller, part paranormal horror story, there are also elements of mystery and romance.”

I hope that this is only the beginning. And that as others continue to review my writing, I can face every comment (good and bad) with a mixture of courage and grace. After all, it’s just one more part of the publishing process, and isn’t that the achievement I’ve been dreaming of for a long time?