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  • A Gallagher Girls/ Not If I Save You First crossover scene!
  • Going back to the Gallagher Academy!
  • New York Times best-seller!
  • Tour!
  • Almost time to go to Alaska

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A Gallagher Girls/ Not If I Save You First crossover scene!

March 14, 2020 by Ally Carter 7 Comments

(What follows was first sent to newsletter subscribers in the spring of 2019.)

 

It’s hard to believe it’s been so long since Not If I Save You First was released and you all met Logan and Maddie! (I heart them so much.)

Well, needless to say, as soon as readers got their hands on a book about the president’s son I started getting questions about whether it was Logan’s dad who beat out Preston’s dad in the presidential race in Don’t Judge a Girl By Her Cover.

Sure, I thought! Absolutely. Yes.

Then I threw down a challenge on my Twitter and Instagram pages: if Not If I Save You First could get to X number of reviews on Amazon and Barnes & Noble (the number of reviews a book has really helps people find it) then l would write a crossover scene where the Gallagher Girls meet Maddie and Logan.


Then…life happened. Or, more specifically, my new book happened (more on that coming soon), and I’m just now getting around to writing it.

Why was it so hard? Well…

I don’t remember exactly what happened in Don’t Judge a Girl By Her Cover. Or, heck, even Not If I Save You First. And to fit everything into the same timeline and keep everything consistent I’d really need to re-read everything and do a lot of work, and I just didn’t have time.

And then I said to heck with that. I’m just going to write it for fun!

 

A DISCLAIMER: the following IS NOT CANNON.
It probably won’t make sense if you think about it too hard and long.
It’s probably full of typos.
But it will hopefully be fun for you anyway.

 

COVERT OPERATIONS REPORT

At the start of her Junior year at the Gallagher Academy for Exceptional Young Women, Operative McHenry was locked on a roof, tossed down an elevator shaft, and almost kidnapped. 
 
She was also super annoyed about all of the above things.
 
As a result, Operatives Sutton, Baxter, and Morgan vowed to never let Operative McHenry out of their sights and began a three-person rotating surveillance operation that, unfortunately, wasn’t exactly “Secret Service Sanctioned.”
 
The Operatives were informed that “the Secret Service and didn’t need their help.”
 
The Operatives were also fairly certain that the Secret Service was wrong.
 

 

“Peacock is moving.” 

I heard my aunt’s words and watched the way her eyes scanned the hallways and corridors. I felt the air change as we moved farther from the open doors and the crisp autumn air and deeper into the bowels of the student union of this midwestern college. I went to one of the most exclusive schools in the world, and—not to brag—subterranean tunnels and I were super well acquainted, but that place felt different.

Maybe it was the people flanking us in dark suits.

Maybe it was the political-consultant-approved blue dress that Macey was wearing under protest.

But more than likely it was the memory of the last time Macey had been in a place like this, surrounded by people like this. It had ended with a broken arm (her’s), a concussion (mine), and about a billion questions that even the best spies in the world didn’t quite know how to answer.

“You’re fine,” Aunt Abby whispered. “The good thing about this new ‘Two on Two’ debate is that there are four Secret Service details here tonight, Cam. No one’s trying anything here.” She gave a meaningful look at the back of Macey’s head as she walked ten feet ahead of us, too-stiff beside Mrs. McHenry. “If we can keep her from killing her mother, we’re golden.”

It was supposed to be a joke, but I didn’t much feel like laughing.

“Well, I suppose this is where I leave you,” Macey’s mother was saying when Abby and I caught up. Two agents were up ahead, ready to lead Mrs. McHenry to the audience and the cameras and the spotlight. “You stay here. They’ll bring you on stage afterward.”

“I know,” Macey muttered.

Her mother adjusted the scarf Macey was using as a sling for her broken arm. “Yes. Good. But…maybe we should have gone with the red. We want it to pop on camera. Intern!” her mother cried and a harried-looking young woman stumbled forward. “We need—”

“The scarf is fine, Mother. I don’t even need a sling anymore. Or a cast.”

But her mother gasped as if Macey’s healing arm was the most top-secret thing in a world that I knew for a fact was full of top-secret things.

“The cast polls, Macey McHenry. The cast stays. At least until after the debates.”

Then Mrs. McHenry turned and left us alone. Or so I thought. I was wrong.

“Macey!” I turned at the sound of the familiar voice. “And Cammie! Hey!” Preston pulled me into a hug then awkwardly reached for Macey which was double-awkward because 1. Scarf Sling and 2. Pretty much everything Preston Winters did was awkward.

“Hi,” Macey said, pushing into the room full of couches and bad food and bottled water. A long row of televisions showed the empty stage and the various talking heads from the news channels covering the debates.

“How are you, Preston?” I asked. He looked at Macey’s arm.

“Better. Okay. Good.” He blushed a little. “Come in. Welcome to the daycare.”

“What do you—”

“He’s talking about us. Aren’t you, Preston? He’s funny,” a little voice said then I saw the girl attached to it. “You’re funny,” she told Preston then studied Macey and me. Her mouth fell open. She actually gasped. “You were on the girls on the roof!”

In all the coverage after the attack in Boston, there were only ever vague references to a roof and there were never any references to me.

“Mad Dog!” a man barked from the doorway. 

The little girl spun to look at the man who was tall and lean and had a Joe Solomon-esque presence about him. “Yeah, Dad?”

“Leave Miss McHenry alone. I’m sure she and her friend don’t want to talk about Boston.”

She saluted. “Copy that.” Which kind of sounded like Joe Solomon. Which was kind of hilarious considering she was wearing sequined Mary Janes and couldn’t have been over four and half feet tall.

“You good, Rascal?” the man called, and for the first time I realized there was a boy on the sofa behind us.

“Yes, sir,” Rascal said and the Secret Service agent slipped away.

The little girl, however, kept staring at me.

“Who are you?” She had big eyes and curly hair and she was looking at me like she didn’t know that I was the girl people were supposed to not notice. If anything, this little girl looked like she noticed everything.

“Hi. I’m Cammie. I go to school with Macey.”

“I’m Maddie Rose Manchester and you should put baby powder on your feet when you wear new shoes–keeps them from blistering.”

“How’d you know my feet are blistered?” I asked.

“I dunno. Just do. Have you met Logan?”

I knew who the little boy was—the other party’s Preston. One way or the other, one of them was going to be First Son when this thing was over, but they both slumped on the couch, awkward and alone, and I couldn’t shake the feeling that neither wanted the job.

“Hi, Logan,” Macey said to the boy, who stood and shook her hand like he was a boy-shaped man. It made me like him.

“Hello. I hope you’re feeling better.”

“I am,” Macey said.

“This is Cammie,” the little girl—Maddie—told him. “She’s Macey’s friend and she has new shoes and she’s related to one of Macey’s agent’s just like I’m related to one of yours.”

I spun on her. “How did you know that?”

She shrugged again. “I dunno. The lady with the dark hair, is she your mom?”

“My aunt,” I said.

“Cool. Ooh. Tiny cheese cubes,” Maddie said and then got distracted by the table of food.

Macey and I watched her go, amused and a little bit intrigued, so we followed.

“Hey, Maddie,” Macey asked, “do you know what room number this is?”

“Thirty-seven S, but the S stands for sublevel, not for South.”

“When you came in, do you remember what turns you took?” I asked.

She plopped a piece of cheese in her mouth. “Left. Right. Right. Down six steps. Immediate left.”

“Which member of Rascal’s detail is left handed?” Macey asked.

“Charlie,” Maddie said. “He used to be on your detail. Until Boston. But he’s okay now. Still left handed, though,” she finished with a laugh.

For a moment, Macey and I stood, a little breathless, wondering if someone had shrunk Joe Solomon and put him in a wig and shiny shoes.

“What’s your boyfriend’s name?” Maddie said, looking up at me.

“I don’t have a boyfriend,” I said. Maybe just a touch too quickly.

“You’re lying,” the girl said, grinning.

“No I’m not,” I blurted which, okay, wasn’t the most covert move in the world, but there was something about the way she looked at me. Like she wasn’t looking—she was seeing. It’s a difference every spy lives and dies by—something the Gallagher Academy spent years teaching and perfecting and honing to a high gloss by the time we turn eighteen.

But this little girl…

“How old are you?” Macey asked.

“Nine and three quarters.”

This little girl was a natural.

“Where do you go to school?” I asked. Might as well do a little recruiting while I was at it.

“With Logan,” she said.

“I think maybe my aunt needs to talk to your dad about sending you to our school when you’re a little older,” I said.

“I can’t do that.” For the first time, she sounded flustered. “I go to school with Logan. He’s my friend.”

“You’d make so many new friends at our school,” Macey said, but Maddie looked up at her, big sad eyes that saw too much.

“Logan wouldn’t.”

Then we looked back at the boy on the sofa. His dark hair was still wet and the part was too straight—like someone had taken a scalpel to his hair but his hair was rebelling, trying to break free.

He and Preston had a deck of cards and when Logan tried to shuffle the cards flew loose and free and everywhere.

She looked at me like I was the one who hadn’t really understood. And I hadn’t. Not until she said, “I’m with Logan. Whatever school he goes to, I go to.”

“So you’re his one-woman Secret Service detail, is that it?”

“No. I’m his everything.” She gave a little shrug. “He just doesn’t know it yet.”

So we ate cheese and played cards and when the debate was over someone came and dragged Macey, Preston, and Logan on stage and Maddie and I watched from the wings. 

After the waving was over, her father came to lead Logan and Maddie away, but I couldn’t stop from calling out, “Hey, Mad?”

“Yeah, Cam?”

“The Gallagher Academy. Roseville, Virginia. There might come a day when you need me. If that happens, go there. Tell them you’re a walk in.”

And for the first time she looked at me like maybe she didn’t already see everything.

“Gallagher Academy. Roseville, Virginia. Walk in.”

And then she walked back down those dark, twisty tunnels and out into the cool night and I wondered if I’d ever see her again, but I didn’t wonder if she’d be okay.

Maddie Rose Manchester might never go to the Gallagher Academy for Exceptional Young Women, but she was one of us. And whatever life might throw at her, there wasn’t a doubt in my mind, she’d be ready.
 

Filed Under: Uncategorized

Going back to the Gallagher Academy!

June 13, 2018 by Ally Carter 33 Comments

Hi, everyone!

We’re going back to the Gallagher Academy for a new PREQUEL NOVELLA! Wanna see Cammie, Bex, and Liz come to spy school for the first time? Well, this is your chance!

This is a fun project that came about when an editor at Audible contacted my agent to see if I had any interest in doing an audio original story and, of course, I said yes! I couldn’t pass up the chance to tell the story of how Cammie, Liz, and Bex all met.

And that’s how The Spies that Bind came to be.

But it’s not exactly like the GG books you all know and love, so here are some things I’d like for you to keep in mind:

–It is exclusive to Audible for the first year. Which means it’s in audiobook form only. And it’s only available from Audible. (If you have Audible in your country, it might be there. If you don’t have Audible then I’m afraid I don’t know what to tell you. I’m sorry.)

–After the first year I will have the right to do an eBook–which I will likely do.

–It may never have a hard copy version (paperback or hardback) because it’s a novella and those aren’t really cost-effective in hard copy form. I know this really upsets a lot of you, and I’m sorry, but the economics of it make it really more of a digital thing. When there’s an eBook you can get that and read it on pretty much anything that has internet access and a screen.

–It’s a PREQUEL–so no Zach, no Macey, no Solomon, no CoveOps.

–The girls are seventh graders in this one, so the voice and tone might be a little different.

–If you have an Audible membership, cool.

–If you don’t have an Audible membership you can either 1. sign up for the free month trial or 2. just buy the book via their a la carte option.

–The best part is…IT’S OUT JUNE 25th. As in the June 25th that is in TWO WEEKS!

I hope you’ll be as excited as I am!

 

-ally

 

An original novella and prequel to Ally Carter’s New York Times best-selling Gallagher Girls series, exclusively on Audible. 

The first day at a new school is tough for any kid, but it’s especially scary when you’re going to a school for spies. Cammie Morgan has spent her whole life dreaming of becoming a Gallagher Girl, but she has no idea what she’ll face when she arrives at The Gallagher Academy for Exceptional Young Women. Secret passages? Check. Lab experiments that might make you lose your eyebrows (and other body parts)? Check. Classmates who are the smartest, strongest, most intimidating girls in the world? Double check. 

Cammie might be a Gallagher legacy, but she’s about to learn that the most intimidating part about the Gallagher Academy are the Gallagher Girls themselves. Soon Cammie and her clumsy-but-genius roommate Liz, and the glamorous Bex have to learn the most important lesson of the seventh grade: getting into spy school is hard. Surviving spy school is harder. 

Ally Carter is the author of many beloved series, including Heist Society and the Embassy Row novels, and Not If I Save You First.

Pre-order it now!

Filed Under: Uncategorized

New York Times best-seller!

April 7, 2018 by Ally Carter 8 Comments

Yay! I have BIG NEWS today! 

Thanks to all of you, NOT IF I SAVE YOU FIRST is a New York Times Best-seller! Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!

Please come celebrate with me this week at one of the following tour stops:

Monday, April 9, 2018
The Bookworm
Omaha, NE
6:00 p.m.

Wednesday, April 11, 2018
St. Louis Co Library, Daniel Boone Branch
w booksales by Novel Neighbor
Ellisville, MO
7:00 p.m.

Friday, April 13, 2018
Anderson’s Bookshop
Naperville, IL
7:00 p.m.

 

-Ally

Filed Under: Uncategorized

Tour!

April 2, 2018 by Ally Carter 7 Comments

Hi, everyone!

In case you’ve missed the news, I’m going on tour!

See me at one of the following events:

If you’re unable to make it to a tour stop but would like a signed book, then feel free to contact any of the participating bookstores. They’re all great, and they’ll be glad to take an order over the phone, get the book signed, and ship it right to you!

I hope to see you soon!

Ally

 

 

Filed Under: Uncategorized

Almost time to go to Alaska

March 6, 2018 by Ally Carter 8 Comments

Hey, everyone!

We are down to THREE WEEKS until NOT IF I SAVE YOU FIRST hits shelves here in the US! I’m so excited!

If you haven’t already heard, I’ll be going on tour for the book, so if you live in one of the following areas I really hope I’ll get to see you:

-Juneau, AK (yes–I’m going to Alaska for the Alaska book!)
-San Francisco, CA (Area. I’m not sure which city yet.)
-Wichita, KS
-Omaha, NE
-St. Louis, MO
-Chicago, IL
-Irving, TX (At the North Texas Teen Book Festival)
-Santa Monica, CA (At Yallwest)

As soon as I have specific dates and locations I’ll let everyone know!

But if I’m not coming near you on tour and you still want an autographed book, never fear! You can pre-order SIGNED and PERSONALIZED copies at watermarkbooks.com/ally! Just make sure you order by March 16th so they’ll have time to get all the books signed and shipped to you!

 

Take care!

Ally

 

 

Filed Under: Uncategorized

UK covers and contests!

October 25, 2017 by Ally Carter 1 Comment

Hey, United Kingdom!

BIG news! The UK cover of NOT IF I SAVE YOU FIRST is finally here!  

You can see it at Maximum Pop! 

And…they’re doing a HUGE contest! You could win a bunch of autographed books and an Advanced Reading Copy (ARC) of NOT IF I SAVE YOU FIRST!

You could be the first non-publishing-person to read it, so GO ENTER!!!!! 

(I think it might but exclusive to UK readers. Maybe. Go check to be sure! And if you’re a US reader, stay tuned, we’ll be doing some ARC giveaways of our own!

-Ally

 

 

 

Filed Under: Uncategorized

We have a cover!

October 10, 2017 by Ally Carter 18 Comments

Hi everyone!

I am sooooooo happy to finally share the gorrrrrgeous cover to my next book, NOT IF I SAVE YOU FIRST!

(Isn’t it dreamy?)

 

The book will be out March 28th in the US and Canada, and I am SO excited for everyone to read it!

I know you’re not supposed to have favorites and all, but this might be mine. I just adore Logan and Maddie…but don’t take my word for it! You can actually go READ THE FIRST CHAPTER right now!

In the coming weeks and months we’ll probably be doing some giveaways of Advanced Reading Copies (ARCs) and other fun things, so stay tuned!

In the meantime, what’s going on with all of you? How do you like the cover? What did you think of the chapter?

Tell me in the comments!

Ally

 

PS: and, in case you’re wondering, the book is already up on eTailers!

 

Pre-Order the Book

Amazon
Barnes & Noble
IndieBound
Books-A-Million

Pre-Order the eBook

Kindle
Nook
iBook

 

 

Filed Under: Uncategorized

So many super secret projects!

September 21, 2017 by Ally Carter 17 Comments

Hi, everyone!

You’re all probably back in school by now. I hope it’s going okay. I always love the start of the school year–even though I haven’t been in school in years. There’s just something fresh about it. Maybe even more than New Year’s, I think of it as a time for new beginnings.

So maybe it’s appropriate that I’m beginning ANOTHER Super Secret Project! 

This one is already sold, so you WILL hear about it eventually. And, when you do, I kind of think you’re going to flip out. I mean, I’ve known about it for a while now and I’m still flipping out. 

In the meantime, study hard, play hard, and be kind to each other. The world kinda sucks right now. So go forth and spread some awesome!

-Ally

 

Filed Under: Uncategorized

I have a new book coming!!!!

August 29, 2017 by Ally Carter 24 Comments

Hey, everybody!

I’m soooooo excited, because I can finally share the details of the Super Secret Project that I’ve been working on for ages!

NOT IF I SAVE YOU FIRST is the tale of Logan and Maddie, who used to be best friends–back when she was the daughter of a Secret Service Agent, and he was the son of the president. But then Maddie’s dad moves her to middle-of-nowhere Alaska and Logan stops replying to her letters.

For six years.

Then, all of a sudden, Logan’s back in Maddie’s life and, needless to say, she really wants to kill him. But a kidnapper snatches Logan, and, instead, Maddie has to save him.

It’s such a fun, funny, romantic book, and I think you guys are going to looooooove it.

And Logan. And Maddie. And Alaska. Because, let’s face it, Alaska is awesome!

So…the facts:

 

PUBLICATION DATE: March 27, 2018 (I’ve been saying the 28th, but I’ve been wrong. It’s the 27th.)

SERIES?: Nope! This one stands alone!

ADVANCED READING COPIES: There will definitely be some, but I’m not exactly sure how/when they’ll be distributed. Stay tuned!

TOUR: Maybe! Hopefully!

INTERNATIONAL PUB DATES: I’m not exactly sure yet. As always, all books are published by a local publisher, so they pick their own covers and dates and everything. (Except Canada. Most US publishing deals are for North American rights, so, most of the time, Canada and the US publish simultaneously.) 

But, that being said, I know the UK is hard at work on their cover and marketing plans and everything, and I think they’re planning on publishing next spring as well–hopefully sometime around when the book drops here in the US.

COVER: Stay tuned! We’re working on it, and it’s going to be awesome. In the meantime, this will have to hold you over.

 

 

I hope you guys are as excited as I am. I truly think you’re going to love it.

And now I’ve got to go get to work on my NEXT Super Secret Project!

 

Ally

Filed Under: Books

Florida! I’m coming to see you.

July 14, 2017 by Ally Carter 4 Comments

Hey, everybody!

I hope you’re all having a great summer! Mine is hot and busy, but I’m having so much fun answering everybody’s “Dear Ally” writing questions! They’re so good, and ya’ll are so smart!

In fact, I hope to be wrapping up the first draft of that really soon, because I’m getting ready to hit the road.

First, I’M GOING TO FLORIDA!

If you’re in the Orlando area, then I highly recommend you check out the Romance Writers of America “Readers for Life” Literacy Autographing. It will be SATURDAY, JULY 29th from 3:00-5:00 p.m at the Walt Disney World Dolphin Resort.

Unfortunately, you’re not allowed to bring books from home, but admission is free, and 100% of the proceeds from book sales will go to charity. It’s a great program, and I am proud to be one of SEVERAL HUNDRED authors who will be taking part!

If you’re a librarian, then you may want to come a little early and check out LIBRARIAN’S DAY! 

It’s always a great program, and I’m thrilled to be taking part alongside Simone Elkeles and Jennifer Armentrout.

 

I’m so excited! And I hope y’all will come check it out. If you do, come say hi! Even if you don’t want to buy my books again (I TOTALLY understand!) you can still get a picture and say hi.

Then, when I leave Orlando I’ll be heading north for a family vacation. We’re going to Mount Rushmore and Yellowstone and all that awesome stuff. I can’t wait!

Again, hope everyone is having a great summer!

-Ally

 

Filed Under: Uncategorized

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