E is available in print!

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As promised, E is now available in print!  I received my proof a couple of days early, and everything looks good.  I’ve gone ahead and approved it for sale.  So… if you have been waiting for the print version of E, you can now get it.

E is available in the Createspace eStore for $8.99 (plus shipping) as of now.  Within 3-5 days, the print version will also be on Amazon.  International pricing is comparable.

I’ve tried to keep the print pricing down as much as possible.  In order to do this, I have forgone placing E in some expanded distribution channels that would allow me to market to libraries, bookstores, and so on (because doing so raises the print costs).  This is for the time being, and I will be adding E to those sales channels eventually, which will increase the price by a few dollars, FYI.

Meanwhile, I have started my first edit of TMT, and I have also done some more writing of the rough draft of the prequel, which may be my favorite book yet!

 

Here’s a preview of the first 2 1/2 chapters:

I’m this month’s talent on Light Knocks!

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Light Knocks is an awesome website for creative people, run by Jerome and Tiffany, who describe their site as “a collective community of creative minds that are pursuing a common goal, living a purposeful life, collaborating our talents, showcasing our passions, and bringing awareness to our generation.”  At Light Knocks, you will find all kinds of awesome talent across the board of the creative industries.  There’s music, film, writing, and more.

In addition to artist spotlights, you will find inspirational quotes, advice, and a lot of thoughtful articles to help keep your creative juices flowing.  There’s something at Light Knocks for everyone.

I’m absolutely thrilled to be featured on Light Knocks this month!  A big thanks to Jerome and Tiffany for having me!

OK, so head on over to Light Knocks and check it out!

Reviews and Reviewers

posted in: reviews | 0

A couple of things:

First, I wanted to share these two new reviews that just came in on Amazon.

4 star review

5 star review

Every single time I read a review from one of my readers, I am filled with gratitude that someone took the time to let me know what they thought of my book.  A big thank you to all of you who have taken the time to review, or drop me an email, or both.  You are the ones who remind me that I am not just shouting into the void.  That I’m not just writing for myself.  That people are out there, connecting with what I do, and that E has become more than just my story.  It belongs to all of us.

So far, every single piece of feedback I have received about E has been positive. If there are people out there who have read and not liked E, they have not bothered to let me know.  Now, I know that I can’t expect everyone to love my book.  That’s not realistic.  Eventually, someone will just hate it, for whatever reason.  (I suspect it will have something to do with rats or discount sausage.)  But right now, my track record is looking pretty good.  The only thing is… as a new author… as a new Indie author, especially… not many people know about my book.

So the thing, of course, is to work on getting it out there.  I am considering doing a little paid advertising, for the first time.  I hear from other Indie authors that this can yield mixed results.  Everything I put into this comes out of my own pocket, and let’s just say I have bills to pay and mouths to feed, like the rest of you.  Before I invest in advertising, I would like to have as many reviews up as possible.  So this is where I ask:  If you have read E, and you haven’t yet reviewed it, would you please take the time to do so?  It would be greatly appreciated.

And if you would like to do more beyond that, check out this page:  Help Kate Out!  I’m just going to go ahead and say thank you now.  Thank you, all of you, who have done so much to help E find its place in the world.  🙂

 

And if you haven’t read it yet, you can read a preview below.


 

How cool is this: A reader poem inspired by E!

posted in: random | 1

I just had to share this, because I thought it was so super-cool.  No one has ever written a poem inspired by my work before, so this must be a milestone or something, right?

Fellow author and screenwriter Samuel Patrick Jones said:  “I believe you are a very talented writer and have a unique vision. When I read something that sparks my interest, I always write a poem.”

(Which is just cool, anyway!)

Here’s the poem:

STRUCTURE
The blind man’s mark, the fool’s self chosen snare.
Found Fancy’s scum and drums of scattered thought.
Band of all evils and cradle of causeless care.
The webs of will, whose end is never wrought.
Desire, desire I have too dearly bought.
Who should my mind, to higher things prepare.
Yet in vanity, has my ruins sought.
In the maddest, to all things aspire.
In the kindest, all the smoky fire.
For virtue, has this a better lesson taught.
Within myself, to seek my only hire.
Desiring not, but how to kill desire.
In a trance, to our omnipotent God.
I stand near the ultimate consequence.
Before the beginning of years.
There came to the making of man.
Time, with a gift of tears.
Grief, with a glass that ran.
Pleasure, with pain for leaven.
Summer, with flowers that felt.
Remembrance, fallen from heaven.
And madness, risen from hell.
Strength, without hands to smite.
Love, that endures for a breath.
Night, as a shadow of light.
And life, a shadow of death.
He who bends to himself a joy.
Does the winged life destroy.
But he who kisses joy in fleeting.
Lives in eternities sunrise.

by Samuel Patrick Jones

(used with permission from the author)

Dinner conversation in a house of writers…

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So this is the kind of thing that regularly occurs in my family.  You know, between “Please pass the salt,” and “Mmm, tasty.  Is that a hint of oregano?”

Tonight…

Me:  I’m contemplating doing something evil.

My husband:  I say go for it.  The evil-er the better.

(We continue eating.)

A few minutes later…

My husband:  Wait.  In a story or in real life?

The Proof is in the Pudding… or in the mail, in this case.

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Proudly reporting that I did it:  I finished my revisions to the print version of E.  All the files were cleared this morning, and the proof is on its way.  I expect to receive it on or around July 8th.  I’m feeling really good about this one.  So, fingers-crossed, the print version should be available shortly after I receive the proof.  I’m excited.

Here’s a mock-up of the back:

 

e back in 3dThere will be an extra bar-code, of course, and the print version will be trade paperback in 6×9.

 

 

Been working away…

posted in: Uncategorized | 0

Hey everyone!  I know I’ve been a bit quiet this week.  Things have been busy, as usual.  I figured I better take a moment to drop in and let you know what I’ve been up to.

I know I’ve been slacking off on the promised print version of E, and some people have been asking for that.  So, I’ve been working on the cover to try to sort out the issues with it printing darker than I like.  This is a slightly experimental process, so it may be a while yet.  But it is on the way.  Promise.  I’ve also done some improvements to the spine, thanks to my pal Nicola’s great, insightful advice.  (Her book, Chasing Freedom, has an awesome spine, so I felt I really needed to listen to her on this one!)  I really like the way it has come out, so now, if it just prints right….  We’ll see.

I’ve had some ideas for changes to TMT, so I think I know what I want to concentrate on when I do start editing.  I haven’t touched it yet (except for one sentence I just had to change).  I’ve made some notes.  I had an epiphany or two.  And I think I have settled on a title.  I want to give the title a while in the back of my brain and see if I still like it later, though.  In the meantime, we’ll still call it TMT.

I’ve also been mulling over cover ideas, and to be honest, I’m a bit stumped.  There are a lot of elements and ideas that I would like to include, but honestly, I have not found anything that just clicks with me yet.  I also want to keep some consistency between the books in the series, so I am considering how to keep some of the things from the cover of E.  I’m betting there will still be a lily.

…And, I’ve started going through the first book in my FE fantasy series, so I can really think about getting it ready for publication.  Picture this:  me + machete + book + evil grin.  Yep, that’s about right.  It ain’t pretty.

And of course, we’re all excited over at Rock the Book as the site is getting off the ground and taking off.  We’ve had lots of traffic, and we’re all having fun getting to really be part of the Indie community.

I’m probably forgetting plenty, but as you can see, I’ve had my hands full.

I hope everything is going great for all you amazing readers out there, and you’re all keeping cool and enjoying the summer!

 

 

 

TMT is written! And, the launch of a new Indie site, Rock the Book!

posted in: launches and news | 2

TMT, round 1, is done!

I’ve been a little AWOL, trying to catch up on things, and have been trying to get to this post for a couple of days.  So first, in exciting news, my rough draft of TMT is complete!  I finished my manuscript the night before last, and we are a week and a half ahead of schedule.  I’m letting it sit for a few days at least, before I leap into editing, because it is so hard to see what’s wrong when you are too close to the writing.  Expect editing to take a few months, minimum.  I will now go through one massive hack-and-slash with multiple rewrites.  Once I think I’ve massacred it enough, it goes to my fabulous editor, Pol Blaze.  There could be some delays there, because he is deep in the writing process of one very awesome sci-fi novel.  I’m lucky enough to get to read it as he goes along, and damn, it’s good!  Actually, all his stuff is amazing, and makes me feel like a little kid writer in comparison.  He’s just so good it hurts.  If only I could get him to quit stockpiling and just publish this stuff!  *Gets on her ass-kicking boots*

If you haven’t read the first book in my dystopian series yet, now’s the time!  Here’s the sample of E:

Rock the Book

So aside from all that, I have some more super-exciting news.  I have banded together with fellow Indie writers Nicola S. Dorrington (you’ve seen her author interview on my Extras page, I hope) and Leti Del Mar to create a new blog just for Indie authors and the people who love them.  The blog is called Rock the Book, and will be packed full of articles and resources for Indie authors.  We will be doing Indie book reviews, author spotlights and interviews, and much, much more.  This site is geared toward helping out the Indie community.  Everything is free, so you won’t find any hidden give-us-money schemes.

So, today is launch day!  Stop on by and leave a comment, or sign up to follow.  If you are an Indie author, don’t hesitate to sign up for an interview, spotlight, or book review.  These will be filling up fast  so get on board now!  If you’re a blogger or book reviewer, consider helping us by writing a guest review.  We are also open for guest posts, so if you have some fabulous content you’d like to share, please let us know.  There are forms on the site you can fill out for pretty much all of these.  If you don’t find a form for it, just give us a shout through email.

If you’re a reader, please stop on by and show your support for Indie authors.  You’ll be able to find out about new books, learn about the writing/publishing process, and connect with authors.  Everyone is also invited to participate in our Think Tanks.  Just make sure you sign up– we’ll need your email– and then you will automatically be included in group interviews and hot topic conversations that will be posted to the site.

Please share this with all the Indie authors and readers you know.  And follow @RTBIndie on Twitter.

 

Some days…

posted in: progress updates | 0

Most of the time, writing is amazing fun.  But then, as a writer, you get tired.  There are so many things to do (aside from the actual writing aspect of the job).  This is kind of how I’m feeling today:

 

TMT is 3/4 written now, but I might just throw it out the window and start again.  Off I go to clobber my coconut….