A.S. King
About A.S. King
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A.S. King has been called “One of the best Y.A. writers working today” by The New York Times Book Review and is one of YA fiction's most decorated. She is the only two-time winner of the American Library Association's Michael L. Printz Award (2020 for Dig and 2024 for The Collectors) and has won the LA Times Book Prize for Ask the Passengers. In 2022, King received the ALA's Margaret A. Edwards Award for her lifetime achievement to YA literature and 2023, she accepted the ALAN Award for "artistry, courage and outstanding contributions to YA literature." In 2024, she released highly-anticipated Pick the Lock--described as "a punk opera, a primal scream, and a portrait of a family buried in lies."
She also writes middle grade fiction as Amy Sarig King, including bestselling Attack of the Black Rectangles, which Kirkus Reviews called "a searingly relevant opus to intellectual freedom," The Year We Fell from Space, and Me and Marvin Gardens.
She’s taught for a decade in MFA programs, is the founder of Gracie's House, a charity that funds safe spaces for LGBTQ+ youth in rural areas, and spends many months of the year traveling the world speaking to high school and university students, educators, and humans who care about literacy
and the mental health of young people.
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FAQ
Author Facts for Your Book Report
WHERE AND WHEN WERE YOU BORN?
I was born in Reading, Berks County, PA on March 10th. I am a Pisces. And yes, I believe in that stuff.
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I grew up in a house in the middle of a cornfield. It was nice. Then the cornfield turned into a housing development and that wasn't very nice. I wrote about that experience for the middle grade audience in Me and Marvin Gardens (2017). Every book I've written is set (at least partially) in Pennsylvania because I love Pennsylvania. I lived in Ireland for a long time and restored a farm there and I thought I'd never leave that farm. But here I am in Pennsylvania again.
WHAT DOES THE A.S. STAND FOR?
A is for Amy. S is for Sarig. Those are my first and middle names. If you see me walking along a street, please call me Amy. But I'd prefer if you called me A.S. King if you're writing about me and my books, because it's easier for a bunch of reasons. (Biggest reason: there are other Amy Kings. And a few of them write. See? It can get confusing.)
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If ever you've heard that I chose to write under the name A.S. King because it spells "asking" then you heard right.
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Your books are kinda weird. Where do you get your ideas?
My ideas come to me in many ways--real life, history, news articles, things I hear when I'm on the bus, books I've read that make me think, non-fiction books about weird stuff. You name it, I'm inspired by it. Oftentimes, I just hear a character in my head and I start to write and then, a few months/years/decades pass and I have a book.
I have a hard time answering questions about why specific characters do specific things in my books because I'm a literary surrealist and once I start writing, it's really the characters who tell me what happens in the story. This sounds cosmic. It is cosmic. But it's how I've written books for 30 years, so I stick with what works for me.
WHAT AGE GROUP ARE YOUR BOOKS FOR?
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My Young Adult books are for age 14/15 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.
The NYT Book Review calls my books crossover which means they straddle the line between young adulthood and adulthood. About half my fans are adults. If you are an adult and discover that you enjoy my books, you can feel entirely okay about it. I write them so that they will be interesting to everyone.
My Middle Grade novels, Attack of the Black Rectangles, Me and Marvin Gardens and The Year We Fell From Space are for grades 4-8.
WHY CAN'T I FIND SOME OF YOUR BOOKS IN MY LOCAL BOOKSTORE?
Bookstores are filled with whatever their buyers decide to put there. And these days, the big box stores are no longer carrying new books. (Can you believe that? Sounds like a great reason not to shop there.) As authors, we have no control over what stores carry us or don't carry us. But as READERS you have all the control when you can't find a book on display. You can order it. From the chain where you shop, or, if you were me, you'd order it from a local Independent bookstore. (Want signed A.S. King books? CLICK HERE!)
A BUNCH OF RANDOM QUESTIONS:
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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. Also: volunteer for something you care about. It will help you as a writer a lot more than you think.
How do I write a book?
You sit down and write a book. It's a puzzle and you are both the solver of that puzzle and the maker of it. Be definitely creative.
What's your favorite book?
God Bless You, Mr. Rosewater. You can hear me rave about it with Ariel Bissett, one of my favorite people ever here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/33-reviewing-as-kings-favourite-book-with-as-king/id1484378635?i=1000475444964
Can you read my manuscript/query and tell me what you think?
As much as I'd love to help all aspiring writers, I can't. Allow me to steer you to your favorite writers forum for feedback and business information.
Can you come to my town or school or library to talk?
I especially love talking to middle and high schools and in libraries. Interested in having A.S. King speak at your next event? Contact Christie Hinrichs at Authors Unbound here: christie@authorsunbound.com
Will there ever be a movie of your books?
I hope so. That sure would be cool.
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CAN I GET YOUR BOOK IN MY LANGUAGE / COUNTRY?
English versions of Amy's books are available for sale worldwide. See also, these translations.​
THE DUST OF 100 DOGS (Flux, Feb 2009) (Translation: Italian)
PLEASE IGNORE VERA DIETZ (Knopf, Fall 2010) (Translation: German, Spanish language Mex/LA, Turkish, Korean, Portuguese/Brazil, Slovakian) 2018 Aus/NZ release
EVERYBODY SEES THE ANTS (Little, Brown, Fall 2011) (Translation: German educational in English, Portuguese, Brazil/world, Chinese)
ASK THE PASSENGERS (Little, Brown, Fall 2012) (Translation: Portuguese, Brazil/world)
REALITY BOY (Little, Brown 2013) (Translation: Spanish, Korean, Portuguese, Brazil/world)
GLORY O'BRIEN'S HISTORY OF THE FUTURE (Little, Brown, Fall 2014) (Translation: Portuguese, Brazil/world, Spanish world, Turkish)
STILL LIFE WITH TORNADO (Dutton, Fall 2016) 2017 Aus/NZ release (Translation: Turkish, Russian)
ME AND MARVIN GARDENS (AAL, Spring 2017) (Translation: Turkish, Chinese, Korean, Japanese)
DIG. (Dutton, Spring 2019) AUS/NZ release 2019. (Translation: German, Slovakian)
THE YEAR WE FELL FROM SPACE (AAL/Scholastic 2019) AUS/NZ, (Translation: Chinese.)
SWITCH (Dutton, Spring 2021) AUS/NZ release 2021. (Translation: TK)
ATTACK OF THE BLACK RECTANGLES (Scholastic, 2022)
Large print, library binding, audio, and many other formats available.
Write With Me!
Developmental Editing Service
From Yellow Bird Editors
Amy has been helping fellow writers polish their manuscripts since 2007. If you think you might want to work with her, CLICK HERE to find out more information from Yellow Bird Editing.