COURT OF FIVES Audiobook Available

Posted on September 16, 2015 by Kate Elliott

Kate Elliott’s YA debut novel, COURT OF FIVES, is now available in audiobook format by Hachette Audio of Little, Brown Young Readers.

In this imaginative escape into an enthralling new world, World Fantasy Award finalist Kate Elliott begins a new trilogy with her debut young adult novel, weaving an epic story of a girl struggling to do what she loves in a society suffocated by rules of class and privilege.

Jessamy’s life is a balance between acting like an upper class Patron and dreaming of the freedom of the Commoners. But at night she can be whomever she wants when she sneaks out to train for The Fives, an intricate, multi-level athletic competition that offers a chance for glory to the kingdom’s best competitors. Then Jes meets Kalliarkos, and an unlikely friendship between a girl of mixed race and a Patron boy causes heads to turn. When a scheming lord tears Jes’s family apart, she’ll have to test Kal’s loyalty and risk the vengeance of a powerful clan to save her mother and sisters from certain death.

“Jes will remind readers of fearless Katniss with her skill and strategy for games. But it’s the fascinating descriptions of traditions, royal interactions, and, of course, the intensities of the Fives that will enthrall readers most of all. Let the games continue!”―Booklist, starred review

“This series opener, the auspicious teen debut of a seasoned author of adult fantasy and World Fantasy Award finalist, features a gripping, original plot; vivid, complicated characters; and layered, convincingly detailed worldbuilding. A compelling look at racial and social identity wrapped in a page-turning adventure.” -Kirkus Review

“An imaginative journey…Elliott creates an intricate and intriguing story, conjuring a world of mysticism and centuries-old customs. Jessamy’s boldness and impulsiveness make her a striking heroine in a male-dominated land.” -Publishers Weekly

Also available in hardcover and ebook formats at your local independent bookstore, Indiebound, Barnes & Noble, Amazon, and other online and bricks and mortar stores.

Court of Fives: Mapping it Out

Posted on September 14, 2015 by Kate Elliott

Let Kate Elliott guide you through five real-life visual inspirations for the world of COURT OF FIVES for Novl’s new feature, Mapping It Out.

Map of Saryenia from Novl.

I’m a visual writer, and when it came time to imagine Saryenia and what sights my heroine Jes would see as she walked the streets of the city she grew up in, I relied on images of places I have seen and places I’d like to visit.
[…] I often think of reading fantasy as being a form of travel, because you are journeying to a place you’ve never before visited. I hope you enjoy the trip!

Find out what real-life visuals inspired COURT OF FIVES at NOVL.

The Book Smugglers’ SFF Roundtable

Posted on September 8, 2015 by Kate Elliott

Kate Elliott is one of five fantasy authors, all of whom have new novels out, who participated in The Book Smugglers’ recent SFF in Conversation roundtable. Together with Zen Cho (Sorcerer to the Crown), Aliette de Bodard (The House of Shattered Wings), Cindy Pon (Serpentine), and Tade Thompson (Making Wolf), Elliott discusses how culture and history inform their respective writing, expectations of SFF Western audiences, and diversity within the genre.

We have curiosity, imagination, and empathy for a reason: To build gates and windows into places that aren’t us. Story creates connection.

Court of Fives is set in a fantasy world inspired by Greco-Roman Egypt, the history of Hawaii’s annexation and cultural renaissance, the sports/obstacle course game show Sasuke/American Ninja Warrior, and the 19th century novel Little Women. Across time and regions, cultures have met and mingled and influenced each other, and as the child of an immigrant I think that mindset of how things connect and how they change each other is what I often bring to my writing. I’m always exploring the crossroads.

Read more at The Book Smugglers.
SFF in Conversation is a new monthly feature on The Book Smugglers where guests talk about a variety of topics important to speculative fiction fans, authors, and readers. “Our vision is to create a safe (moderated) space for thoughtful conversation about the genre, with a special focus on inclusivity and diversity in SFF.”

Kate Elliott Guest Post: Ptolemaic Egypt & COURT OF FIVES

Posted on September 4, 2015 by Kate Elliott

A big thank-you to Gail Carriger, New York Times bestselling author of the Parasol Protectorate and the Finishing School series, for hosting Kate Elliott’s most recent guest post in her Intellectual Salon blog series. Elliott gives an in-depth look at the many historical aspects of the Egyptian dynasty, culture, and Greco-Roman influence in her Young Adult debut novel, COURT OF FIVES:

[W]hen my spouse and his co-director received the concession (permit) from the Egyptian Supreme Council of Antiquities to work at the site of Tell Timai, I was both excited and a tiny bit disappointed.

Tell Timai has no pyramids or massive, monumental statues.

In fact, Timai became important long after the Old and New Kingdom Egypt famous for its monumental architecture and elaborate tombs. […] However, the more I learned about Ptolemaic Egypt, the more I began to see the cultural interaction of that time as fertile ground for a fantasy setting.

Deadly Destinations w/ Kate Elliott at Dark Faerie Tales

Posted on September 3, 2015 by Kate Elliott

Take a visit to the royal city of Saryenia with Kate Elliott as your personal tour guide to offer tourist tips, local observations, and even a detailed map of the districts! (You can also enter to win a free copy of COURT OF FIVES at the link!)

Enter the royal city of Saryenia. You will see such wonders here as you never knew existed in your tour of the many countries bordering the Three Seas.

It’s true this magnificent city began as a humble Efean fishing village built between Mist Lake and the Fire Sea. The narrow, twisting lanes of the oldest part of the city, the Warrens, are all that remain of the village, and of course only Commoners–that’s what we call people of Efean ancestry–live there now. Because the streets have no names, the only way to figure out where you are is by your proximity to the fountains at each intersection of three or four or five alleys (we can’t really call such narrow passageways “streets”). Each fountain bears the statue of an animal atop it, so the Commoners who live in the Warrens will give you directions according to how close they live to the “cat fountain” or the “scorpion fountain.” We won’t go there today, nor do we recommend you attempt to navigate that maze alone or, in truth, at all.

Saryenia has much more interesting and splendid things to see.

Thank you to Dark Faerie Tales for continuing this leg of the blog tour. Deadly Destinations at Dark Faerie Tales takes readers on intimate journeys into their favorite paranormal/supernatural and SFF Young Adult novels.

P.S. Kate Elliott’s live Worldcon Ditch Diggers podcast, along with Fonda Lee, Linda Nagata, Aliette de Bodard, and Lee Harris is now available for your listening pleasure.

The Secret Genesis of COURT OF FIVES In Title IX at YA Bibliophile

Posted on August 27, 2015 by Kate Elliott

Kate Elliott reveals Novel Secrets on COURT OF FIVES at YA Bibliophile, (where you can also enter a giveaway to win a free copy of COURT OF FIVES!).

When I was a girl the books written “for girls” almost never included the girls themselves being involved in thrilling sword fights, arduous overland treks, riots, and revolutions even though that was exactly the story I most wanted to read. Boys got those stories, not girls.

[…]When I was a young teen the girls often did not even have official leagues. Girls played “club” sports while boys played official high school sports, with leagues, playoffs, and state titles. All that changed with Title IX. Girls had to get the same opportunities as boys.

The Novel Secrets Blog Tour lets readers discover fascinating behind-the-scenes information connected to brand-new YA novels! Thank you to Heidi at YA Bibliophile for participating!

COURT OF FIVES Behind-the-Scenes at Read, Breathe, Relax

Posted on August 26, 2015 by Kate Elliott

Can’t get enough COURT OF FIVES? Head over to Read, Breathe, Relax for Kate Elliott’s guest post, “From Idea to Publication: The Journey of COURT OF FIVES,” to learn more about the writing process and inspiration for Efea.

Meanwhile, my spouse became co-director of an archaeological dig in the Delta region of Egypt, a site called Tell Timai that flourished during the Greco-Roman era (about 300 B.C.E to 600 C.E.). Naturally I got interested in the history because of his work, and over the next few years I began reading research books and articles on the period and jotting down ideas. Other inspirations also came together at this time, merging into a larger plot.[…]

Eventually I sat down to write…

An Interview with Supernatural Snark

Posted on August 25, 2015 by Kate Elliott

Check out more insight into COURT OF FIVES at Supernatural Snark, including more about Kal, Jes, and, of course, Kate Elliott. (There’s even a five-word sneak peek at the second book in the trilogy!):

If Jes was helping you train to compete in The Fives, what would the first words out of her mouth be on day one when she evaluated your fitness and strategy?

“I have so much respect that you have come to train, Honored Lady, but at your age I have to suggest that you might think twice about setting your sights on the highest levels of competition.”

More Interviews w/ Flying Through Fiction & Book Rambles

Posted on August 24, 2015 by Kate Elliott

Kate Elliott’s COURT OF FIVES blog tour continues with a two-part interview with Brittany of Brittany’s Book Rambles and Mariam of Flying Through Fiction, in which she discusses setting boundaries as a writer, obscure research facts, and her dream cast for COURT OF FIVES :

Do you have a dream cast or soundtrack for your book?

I haven’t had time to figure out a dream cast, and I honestly prefer to see who readers come up with because readers’ takes on how they think people look is much more interesting to me than my own. However I do think model Hideo Muraoka (although he’s too old) looks something like I imagine Kal looking. You can see how Kal looks HERE

Stuntwoman Jessie Graff doesn’t look at all like Jes (and she’s about 13 years too old for the part anyway) but she’s built the way I imagine Jes is built: tall, lean, strong, and an acrobat (in fact, Graff is former competitive gymnast AND pole vaulter: what a combination!). Watch Graff’s fantastic performance at the Venice Finals of the 2015 season of American Ninja Warrior to see how I imagine Jes might look on a Fives court, and especially watch how intently Graff plots each obstacle in her head before she tackles it.

Read the first part of the interviews at Book Rambles, and the second part at Flying Through Fiction. Thank you to Mariam and Brittany for hosting these interviews!

Want to learn more about the behind-the-scenes of COURT OF FIVES? Keep up with the COURT OF FIVES blog tour with Kate Elliott:

8/11 The Book Wars
8/16 Artsy Reader Girl
8/18 Two Chicks on Books
8/19 Once Upon a Twilight
8/21 Eater of Books
8/22 Adventures in YA Publishing
8/24 Brittany’s Book Rambles & Flying Through Fiction
8/25 Supernatural Snark
8/26 Read. Breathe. Relax.
8/28 A Reader of Fictions

Kate Elliott Interview – Adventures in YA Publishing

Posted on August 22, 2015 by Kate Elliott

Thanks to Adventures in YA Publishing for the recent interview on Kate Elliott’s YA debut, COURT OF FIVES!

What scene was really hard for you to write and why, and is that the one of which you are most proud? Or is there another scene you particularly love?

The hardest scenes to write were those in which Jes is running the Fives. It’s difficult to combine describing a sport that doesn’t exist with the physical effort and emotion of a person playing it, and I worked over and over again on the Fives scenes to make them feel immediate and emotional, and to give the reader a visceral sense of Jes on the court. I wanted readers who love playing and/or watching sports to be excited by what’s happening on the obstacles, while also giving an emotional hook to draw in people who might otherwise skim over that kind of action scene.

I’m most proud of the final scene in the book, but if I told you why it would be a spoiler!

I Make Up Worlds

science fiction & fantasy writer Kate Elliott

Author Archives: Kate Elliott