Excited. I’m more proud of this book than anything I’ve done before, and I’ve never released anything I wasn’t 100% in love with. I can’t wait for readers to see how the story ends. Those who have read it have been extremely enthusiastic about it, which makes me even more excited. Sworn is already creeping up the Amazon charts, which is pretty damned cool.
And I feel drained. Yesterday’s release party was a total blast, but eight hours at the computer does take it out of you (thank heavens for guest authors who popped in for giveaways so I could eat!). And I probably don’t have to explain why I haven’t been sleeping well for a while, with everything I’ve had to do to get ready for the release.
And proud. This has been the biggest project I’ve ever taken on, and I’ve done it without a boss or a publisher breathing down my neck. This has been my baby from start to finish, from draft to editor selection to cover design to proofreading. And I did it. Hell yes, I’m proud of my easily-distracted and procrastination-prone and self-doubting self for pulling this off.
And sad. I’ve been working with these characters for five years now, and we’ve grown a lot together. I’m not ready for this to be over. I’m going to miss them and their world.
And thankful. I say this has been my baby, but I wouldn’t be here without my critique partners, my beta readers, my editors, my cover artist, the blog friends who have shared posts and supported me…
…and the readers. I’m so overwhelmed with thankfulness for the readers. The people who buy books, read books, recommend books, review books, share books, and above all LOVE books. The people who bring characters and worlds to life in their imaginations, who carry parts of their favourite characters with them even when they story is done.
My stories would just be words without them.
And okay, I’m a little scared. I feel like I’m standing at the edge of a cliff. I have to jump into a new story (already started and going swimmingly, due out in June… with an actual outside deadline this time). And that’s fine. It’s exciting. And it’s terrifying.
But I’ll get through it. And I’m glad you guys will be here with me to see this adventure through.
(PS- thanks to everyone who has helped spread the word about the sale! The full trilogy is now available for under $10 USD, at least on retailers that don’t adjust prices upward. Not too shabby!)
And I’m throwing a party to celebrate. How could I not? The Bound release party was small (as hardly anyone knew about the book), but a blast. The one for Torn was a little bigger, a little crazier, and STILL a blast.
This one’s going to be even better. We’ll have more giveaways (signed paperbacks, bookish goodies, and special little gifts to go with e-book giveaways), guest authors giving away THEIR books, a big (spoiler-free) Q&A if anyone has questions for me about the books, writing, what’s next, yadda yadda…
It’s going to be fun.
And the best part is that it’s happening on Facebook, so you don’t have to travel to Newfoundland to join us! I’ll be there from 3-10 PM my time (1:30 to 8:30 eastern), but some of the giveaways will stay open overnight for people on the other side of the world who can’t drop in during party hours.
Here’s the event link. Click to say you’re coming (and to get notifications of early-bird posts and/or giveaways), and drop in any time when the party’s on. Grab a fictional friend or date to bring with you (it might be worth a prize, you never know), find a comfy chair and some snacks, and we’ll see you on the 28th!
My prize bucket a few months ago. It’s overflowing now. We’ll see how much we have time to give away during this event…
Hey, guys! You all know how much I love doing cover reveals, right? Especially for people who are kind enough to help out with mine, as Mariella did recently for Sworn. This is actually the second reveal for this book, and I’m very excited to be able to share this gorgeous new cover with you!
Here’s all of the info you need. The book is available now, so if you’re interested, be sure to check out the purchase links.
-Kate
Fifteen-year-old singer Allie Grant lives crippled by her illness. Though kept in isolation, she’s never alone: A spirit named Song lurks in the silence of her bedroom.
When Song reveals its dark nature on the night of her recital, the show ends in tragedy. Verging on death, Allie’s taken in by an uncle she’s never met. Julian claims to be a Muse with power over music and answers that’ll heal her.
It isn’t long before Allie suspects her uncle has a secret that’ll change her very identity. But with days left to live, she might fade without learning the truth…like the finishing chord of a song.
Mariella Hunt writes faery tales from her bedroom/library in Boise, Idaho. She enjoys reading the classics and hopes to one day write like Charles Dickens (hey, a girl can dream.)
Her first novel, Dissonance, was published independently in June of 2015.
Yes, the day has FINALLY arrived! I’ve had this cover (created, like the first two, by the incredibly talented Ravven) since early this past summer, but wanted to save the big reveal for a time closer to the release date.
And we now have a release date. *whee, party!*
And so much exciting stuff going on, including a SALE! Yep, to celebrate this cover reveal day, the Bound ebook is on sale for 99 cents on Amazon, Nook, Kobo, and iBooks! I don’t do this often, so if you know someone who’s been waiting for a sale to grab the book and start the series, today would be a great day to let them know about this little treat. 🙂
We’re here about a new book. An exciting book. A massive, twisting, thrilling, heart-pounding conclusion that some of you have been waiting rather impatiently for.
And it’s coming on Friday, January 29, 2016.
Are you ready?
Not every fairy tale ends with “happily ever after.”
The plan was simple: Find Ulric, the lost king of Tyrea, then return him to Luid to reclaim his throne from the tyrant who stole it. But though Aren, Rowan, and Nox accomplished the first part of their task, the rest is proving to be more complicated than any of them imagined.
Severn won’t give up his throne without a fight. Worse, it seems Ulric did not fare as well during his years in captivity as he’s led everyone to believe—and Rowan may not have escaped unscathed, either.
If Nox doesn’t find a cure for the king’s mysterious ailment, Aren will be forced to challenge Severn for the crown. It’s a battle Aren has little hope of winning. And if he does, it will cost him the love and the freedom he’s fought so hard to gain.
Please share this post anywhere you’d like–the more, the merrier!
For anyone who might be interested, Krista Walsh is hosting her Blightlore release party on Facebook today. She’s holding giveaways for swag and signed copies, and there should be loads of cool stuff going on.
And hey, I’ll be there! I’m giving away a signed copy of Bound, plus some ebooks and I don’t even know what else. I’ll be there from 3-4PM Eastern, so pop by!
The party runs from 10-6 Eastern time TODAY (November 21). It’s the kind of thing where you can just drop in to say hello, or keep coming back throughout the day to see what’s happening and what giveaways or discussions you might want to hop in on.
I’ve finished my first post-editor round of revisions on Sworn, which means I’ll soon have an official release date for you. And what better way to make the announcement than by revealing the gorgeous cover? Ravven has worked her magic again, and it is AMAZING.
Maybe we’ll even throw a sale on Bound in there. Because why not? This has been a hard road for me. I’m not at the end, but pausing to celebrate in a big way will make the rest of the journey even better.*
The cover reveal will be happening FRIDAY, DECEMBER 4, though newsletter subscribers will get a super-secret sneak peek the evening before. We’ll have the reveal here, and on my website…
And anywhere else people care to host it. HOORAY, PARTY!!!
If you’re interested in helping out by posting the cover, description, and details on your blog or site, I’d be ever so grateful (and you’ll be on the list for an advance review copy, if you feel so inclined and have time to read before release). Just e-mail me at kate.sparkes (at) live.ca, and we’ll get it done. I’ll have the post info ready to send out a few days ahead of time.
And if you’d like to do something fun around release time, just let me know and we’ll work something out.
If you don’t have a blog, or if cover reveals don’t fit your theme, no worries! I’d love to just have you drop by to say hello and get the information you need (and gawk/drool, of course). And if you feel like sharing via Twitter or Facebook, that’s a huge help, too.
It’s coming soon, guys… I can almost taste it.
–
*Meaning another editing pass for small changes and continuity checks, then several weeks with beta readers, then a polishing pass and proofreading. Just for anyone who’s keeping score at home. 😉
A quick book review today, and one that will be mostly of interest to writers.
Okay, almost strictly of interest to writers.
You might be familiar with Susan Kaye Quinn from her book The Indie Author Survival Guide. If you haven’t read it, you’ve probably heard me mention it (assuming you’ve been around long enough. Hi, new guys!). It’s a fantastic resource for any indie writer, whether you’re new to this* or an experienced author looking to brush up on how to approach book production and marketing.
That book is the kind of how-to guide that feels like an older sister (a nice one, not the kind who puts gum in your hair) holding your hand and guiding you through the scary stuff.
For Love or Money is a different beast altogether. It’s not about how to write, or how to publish. It’s about crafting the rest of your career after those first few books, about figuring out what your goals are, why you’re writing and publishing, and how best to reach the top of your chosen mountain.
It’s about writing for love: Telling the stories that move you, the ones you’d write even if no one ever read them.
It’s about writing for money: Figuring out the market and discovering your own voice within a tight genre framework.
And it’s about doing both. Ms Quinn writes “mercenary” fiction (strictly for money) under a pen name, and she talks about finding joy in the work she does there. She talks about taking ideas that you love and shaping them so that they fit the market, thus allowing the books you write for love to become money-makers. And she talks about how it’s just fine to have both kinds of books out there.
I enjoyed this book enough that I read it in a day (during a long reading slump, no less). I’ll share a few of the lessons I took away from it, but it’s definitely worth grabbing a copy and reading it for yourself (though you should definitely read IASG first, as this one refers back to it).
My take-aways:
Not every book has to be a bestseller. When one book (say, a first book) has some measure of success, there can be a lot of pressure to repeat that with every new project or series. It’s comforting to know that if I decide to work on a project I love that might resonate with fewer readers, that’s okay. Writing for love is healthy, and sales will vary over the course of a career.
Writing for the market, aiming to please a larger number of people by writing books that cater to the genre tropes people love, is not selling out. It’s a unique form of creative challenge, and one that can net huge rewards (even outside of the money). There’s nothing wrong with actually wanting to make money off of our hard work, and predicting what will sell isn’t impossible.
I have my whole career ahead of me. If I decide to genre-hop instead of staying with a successful world and premise, that’s okay. It may put the brakes on things, but not burning out is just as important as maintaining sales numbers. Playing in another sandbox might keep me happier, and therefore help me do better and more meaningful work when I do return to the genre and world that kicked things off for me.
That’s not all, but those were the things I most needed to hear.
This book helped be choose the mountain I want to climb: writing stories I want to read, shaped to enthrall a large audience… most of the time. I don’t think I’ll ever be a mercenary writer, churning out dragon porn to make a quick buck (though I could totally kick ass at that, guys). Stories that are purely “for love”, i.e. too non-genre-specific to find much of an audience, will go on the back burner until I’m at a place financially where I can afford for them to flop and not have to stress out about it.
Reading this book helped me step back, look at my career goals, and decide where I want to go.
*New to this as I was the first time I read it, that is. In fact, the IASG, Be the Monkey (Konrath and Eisler), and Let’s Get Digital (Gaughran) were the three books that convinced me that indie publishing was the path I wanted to take, and I’m mind-explodingly grateful to the authors of all of them. If not for these books, Bound could still be making the rounds of slush piles, or badly published and nearly unread. *shudder*
I know, I know. It’s not Monday, and that’s usually when I do promo stuff for other authors. But when a WIPpeteer requests aid, I like to help. And today is the big day for Gloria’s short story, a “contemporary romance with fantasy elements.”
Read on for details!
Blurb:
Leon has decided it is better to remain silent and accused of Alicia’s murder than admit the truth. The truth… well that’s so unbelievable it’s crazy. Not that Detective Dorndorf believes a word that comes out of Leon’s mouth. Dorndorf just wants a confession and figures dragging Leon to the last spot Alicia was seen might just pry it out of him. Will the detective’s plan work or will the truth come out?
Price: $0.99
Expected To Be Sold At: Amazon (for kindle) and Solstice Publishing’s website (http://solsticepublishing.com/)
Author Bio:
Gloria Weber lives in Ohio with her husband, son, daughter, and many pets. She has been writing for publication since March 2006 with over a dozen titles published. Her favorite letter is L.
It’s been quiet around here, hasn’t it? On the blog, I mean. Around HERE here, in my real life? Not so much.
But we’ll have time for news and project updates another day. Today we’re here to celebrate the fact that one year ago today, Bound became A Thing People Could Read.
First book of a trilogy.
First book for me.
First time in a long time that I had stepped so far out of my comfort zone that the stress made me physically ill, and the first time I’d ever chased a dream that hard.
It was also the first time I’d ever taken a risk that big and invested so much in what I suspected would amount to a whole lot of “well, at least a few people read it” and “I wouldn’t have known if I didn’t try, right?” and “It was a great learning experience.”
All of those things are true, but this year has gone SO much better than I ever expected.
Why?
Because of you guys.
Because of people who read my blog and commented on snippets that I posted on WIPpet Wednesdays, kind folks who commented on the first chapter when I posted it, and bloggers who helped out with the cover reveal and release-week posts. Because of writer friends who got me through tough moments, who let me vent about frustrations, and who were there to celebrate the victories and setbacks I didn’t want to talk about in public.
Most of all, it’s because of the people who read the book. Those who bought it when it was new and untested, or when they decided to take a chance on an unfamiliar author. Those who loved it, who recommended it to friends and family, who suggested Bound to their wine-drinking book clubs, who wrote reviews,who shared the book on their blogs and requested it at their local libraries, those who tweeted about it, who mentioned it on “what are you reading” and “who are your book crush” facebook posts…
I wish I could give every one of you a medal and a hug.
See, I wrote a book that I loved and I thought a few other people might enjoy, and I did what I could to make it the best it could be.
That’s about it. The rest of it, the rankings and the reviews and the recommendations? That was all you guys.
Pretty amazing.
It’s my job to make words work for me, to get them to express what I’m thinking, imagining, or feeling, but I continue to be at a complete loss when it comes to trying to thank you guys. It’s too much.
Thanks for making this author’s maiden voyage such an incredible adventure.
*sniffle*
Okay, enough sappy stuff. Who wants free crap?
I mean… a book? WHO WANTS A BOOK?
This is a celebration, so let’s make the prize a good one. Let’s see what we’ve got here… How about a signed copy of the book of your choice (Bound or Torn), or a CD copy of the Bound audiobook? And let’s throw in some extra goodies. Some sea glass and a mermaid charm (my apologies for the fact that she has a fish tail… mammalian merfolk merchandise is hard to come by, and also a bit of a tongue twister). A couple of cover cards that you can use as bookmarks, or as posters for your Barbie Dream House (not judging), or whatever else floats your boat. Also, the last postcard I’ve got here. YAY!
To claim your blog post entry, comment below and tell me who your favourite character in the Bound trilogy is (so far) and why. If you’re just joining us and haven’t read the books, no problem! Tell me your favourite species of Fantasy creature, and don’t forget to claim your rafflecopter entry!
And please share! I’d love to see everyone who might be interested get a chance to enter this giveaway. You can tweet for an entry, or share this post on other social media platforms by clicking the wee buttons below.
Hey, guys! Today we welcome Joanne Guidoccio, who some of you may remember as the author of “Between Land and Sea” and a great supporter of my work, helping out with pre-release promos when Bound was nothing to anybody. Well, what goes around comes around in the indie community, and it’s my pleasure today to be a part of the pre-release festivities for her new book, A Season for Killing Blondes. We’ve got the blurb, the trailer, and anything else you might want, including a rafflecopter giveaway for an Amazon gift card.
Take it away, Joanne!
-K
10 More Days!!
Kate, thanks for participating in the Countdown to A Season for Killing Blondes.
Blurb
Hours before the opening of her career counseling practice, Gilda Greco discovers the dead body of golden girl Carrie Ann Godfrey, neatly arranged in the dumpster outside her office. Gilda’s life and budding career are stalled as Detective Carlo Fantin, her former high school crush, conducts the investigation.
When three more dead blondes turn up all brutally strangled and deposited near Gilda’s favorite haunts, she is pegged as a prime suspect for the murders. Frustrated by Carlo’s chilly detective persona and the mean girl antics of Carrie Ann’s meddling relatives, Gilda decides to launch her own investigation. She discovers a gaggle of suspects, among them a yoga instructor in need of anger management training, a lecherous photographer, and fourteen ex-boyfriends.
As the puzzle pieces fall into place, shocking revelations emerge, forcing Gilda to confront the envy and deceit she has long overlooked.
Trailer
Excerpt
Carlo had removed his suit jacket and rolled up the sleeves of his light blue dress shirt. His tie lay on the desk. The rumpled look suited him to a tee. And his large black-rimmed glasses accentuated those unforgettable blue eyes. Bluer than blue. Sky blue. Cornflower blue. Robin’s egg blue. Years ago, Adele Martino and I had come up with thirty-seven descriptions of Carlo Fantin’s eyes when Mrs. Gillespie assigned one of her Monday morning English composition exercises. As I tried to recall the other thirty-three, I realized that Carlo was speaking to me.
“…he’ll be taking notes as well.”
Darn! Another officer in the room, and I had missed his name and more importantly, his title. Was he a detective or a constable? I’m sure Sofia would know. In the meantime, I better stop daydreaming and start listening. I nodded in the direction of the beefy officer. Dark hair. Dark eyes. Expertly trimmed moustache. A big bear of a man who reminded me of Magnum P.I.
Carlo cleared his throat. He was ready to get down to business. Police business. “It appears that Carrie Ann was your first client. You haven’t opened this office for business yet. How did that happen?”
My heart raced as I spoke. “After Sofia and my mother left…I’m not certain about the time…um…I…I heard a knock at the front window. I looked up and saw Carrie Ann. Hadn’t seen her in ages.” I paused and then added, “Still wearing the same pageboy hair style and
that blonde color—”
Carlo waved his hand. “Stick to the facts, please.”
I felt myself reddening as those piercing blue eyes bored right through me. “Oh, sorry. Um, I let Carrie Ann in.”
“And?” Carlo said when I hesitated.
I shrugged. “We just talked for a while, then, uh…” I closed my eyes and tried to recall the
conversation. But nothing concrete came to mind, only Carrie Ann’s infectious laugh and bubbly compliments about the decorating scheme. When I opened my eyes, the other officer offered me a water bottle. I thanked him and gulped down half the contents.
“You scheduled her for a session tomorrow morning,” Carlo said as he held up my appointment
book. “Carrie Ann is…was considered one of the best interior designers in town. Why would she need counseling from you?” His dark brows drew together in a suspicious frown. “Were you planning to tell her to give it up?”
In high school, Joanne dabbled in poetry, but it would be over three decades before she entertained the idea of writing as a career. She listened to her practical Italian side and earned degrees in mathematics and education. She experienced many fulfilling moments as she watched her students develop an appreciation (and sometimes, love) of mathematics. Later, she obtained a post-graduate diploma as a career development practitioner and put that skill set to use in the co-operative education classroom. She welcomed this opportunity to help her students experience personal growth and acquire career direction through their placements.
In 2008, she took advantage of early retirement and decided to launch a second career that would tap into her creative side and utilize her well-honed organizational skills. Slowly, a writing practice emerged. Her articles and book reviews were published in newspapers, magazines, and online. When she tried her hand at fiction, she made reinvention a recurring theme in her novels and short stories. A member of Sisters in Crime, Crime Writers of Canada, and Romance Writers of America, Joanne writes paranormal romance, cozy mysteries, and inspirational literature from her home base of Guelph, Ontario.
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disregard the prologue 