It's
a Wonderful Death
Release
Date: 10/2015
Sky
Pony Press
320
pages
Summary
from Goodreads:
Seventeen-year-old
RJ always gets what she wants. So when her soul is accidentally
collected by a distracted Grim Reaper, somebody in the afterlife
better figure out a way to send her back from the dead or heads will
roll. But in her quest for mortality, she becomes a pawn in a power
struggle between an overzealous archangel and Death Himself. The
tribunal presents her with two options: she can remain in the lobby,
where souls wait to be processed, until her original lifeline
expires, or she can replay three moments in her life in an effort to
make choices that will result in a future deemed worthy of being
saved. It sounds like a no-brainer. She’ll take a walk down memory
lane. How hard can changing her future be?
But with each changing moment, RJ’s life begins to unravel, until this self-proclaimed queen bee is a social pariah. She begins to wonder if walking among the living is worth it if she has to spend the next sixty years as an outcast. Too quickly, RJ finds herself back in limbo, her time on Earth once again up for debate.
RJ is a snarky, unapologetic, almost unredeemable, very real girl. Her story is funny and moving, and teens will easily connect with her plight. Prepare to meet the Grim Reaper, who’s cuter than you’d expect; Hawaiian shirt–wearing Death Himself; Saint Peter (who likes to play Cornhole); and Al, the handler for the three-headed hound that guards the gates of Hell. This cast of characters accompanies RJ through her time in the afterlife and will do their best to gently shove her in the right direction.
But with each changing moment, RJ’s life begins to unravel, until this self-proclaimed queen bee is a social pariah. She begins to wonder if walking among the living is worth it if she has to spend the next sixty years as an outcast. Too quickly, RJ finds herself back in limbo, her time on Earth once again up for debate.
RJ is a snarky, unapologetic, almost unredeemable, very real girl. Her story is funny and moving, and teens will easily connect with her plight. Prepare to meet the Grim Reaper, who’s cuter than you’d expect; Hawaiian shirt–wearing Death Himself; Saint Peter (who likes to play Cornhole); and Al, the handler for the three-headed hound that guards the gates of Hell. This cast of characters accompanies RJ through her time in the afterlife and will do their best to gently shove her in the right direction.
Buy
Links:
Early
Praise for It's A Wonderful Death
"Fun,
Funny and Full of Life" - Kirkus Review
"A
snarky joyride of a book with a deep moral core; long after you've
finished laughing, you'll still be thinking about RJ's journey and
perhaps asking yourself: What defines a life well lived?" - Mike
Mullin, author of Ashfall
"It's
a Wonderful Death is
a wonderful gem. Both snarky and uplifting, it sneaks inside
you and makes you smile and cry at the same time."
-Sarah Beth Durst, award-winning author of Vessel and Drink, Slay, Love
-Sarah Beth Durst, award-winning author of Vessel and Drink, Slay, Love
"It's
A Wonderful Death is
a great mix of mirth, myth and metaphysics; I enjoyed it greatly and
I'm certain that YA readers will as well."
- Daniel Waters, author of Generation Dead
"Mean Girls meets A Christmas Carol! Smart, sassy, and humorously original with clever world-building and a host of interesting characters, It's a Wonderful Death will have you laughing out loud and rooting for RJ from the first page!"
- Amalie Howard, best-selling author of Bloodspell
- Daniel Waters, author of Generation Dead
"Mean Girls meets A Christmas Carol! Smart, sassy, and humorously original with clever world-building and a host of interesting characters, It's a Wonderful Death will have you laughing out loud and rooting for RJ from the first page!"
- Amalie Howard, best-selling author of Bloodspell
"Just
the kind of story I love -- full of snark, heart, and contemplation
about the meaning of life! It's
a Wonderful Death will
get you thinking about what you want to leave behind and how you want
to live until then."
-
Kristen Lippert-Martin, author of Tabula
Rasa
"RJ's
witty narrative had me both laughing out loud and weeping into the
pages. It's a Wonderful Death is a delightful read that questions the
butterfly effect of choices made...and unmade."
-
Danielle L. Jensen, author of Stolen
Songbird
“You
know a story’s going to be good when Death shows up as a surfer! I
loved every bit of this funny and heartwarming tale of second
chances.”
-Lisa
Maxwell, author of Sweet
Unrest
About
the Author
Sarah
J. Schmitt is a K-8 school librarian and Youth Service Professional
for Teens at a public library who, in addition to planning a variety
of events, enjoys opening up the world of books to reluctant readers.
She runs a teen writing program that combines Skype visits from
well-known authors and screenwriters and critique group style
feedback.
Prior to immersing herself in the world of the written word, Sarah earned her Masters of Science in Higher Education Administration and Student Affairs from Indiana University where she worked with first year college students as they acclimated to college life. Sarah lives outside of Indianapolis with her husband, two kidlets and a cat who might actually be a secret agent. She is an active member of SCBWI, ALA and the Indiana Library Federation and is a regular participant at the Midwest Writer's Workshop. Her debut novel, IT'S A WONDERFUL DEATH, comes out Fall 2015 from Sky Pony Press.
Prior to immersing herself in the world of the written word, Sarah earned her Masters of Science in Higher Education Administration and Student Affairs from Indiana University where she worked with first year college students as they acclimated to college life. Sarah lives outside of Indianapolis with her husband, two kidlets and a cat who might actually be a secret agent. She is an active member of SCBWI, ALA and the Indiana Library Federation and is a regular participant at the Midwest Writer's Workshop. Her debut novel, IT'S A WONDERFUL DEATH, comes out Fall 2015 from Sky Pony Press.
Author
Links:
RJ's
Playlist
Track
1: Surrender - Angels and Airways
Track
2: Either Way - Guster
Track
3: Your Mistake - Sister Hazel
Track
4: You're Worth It - Cimorelli
Track
5: Best Day of My Life - American Authors
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Sarah J. Schmitt sounds like a person I would greatly admire if I knew her personally. We have a similiar backgrounds as I too as a professional try to get children to read. Many of them are quite reluctant!
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