Kristin N. Spencer's Blog, page 2
July 12, 2016
Goodreads Makeover
I love that the new look includes descriptions of the books people add. What do you think?
July 7, 2016
Camp NaNoWriMo Take 2
The decision about what to do for July's Camp NaNoWriMo wasn't easy. I was waiting to hear if my upcoming hernia surgery would be approved in time to have the surgery at the beginning of July, but no... now I am tangled up in the annoying process that is private insurance for people living abroad. I was originally planning to write "Were in Time," with my husband, but our schedule has been insane, so I then decided to start a non-fiction book. But I realized I don't know how to footnote properly in Scrivener, and I don't feel like learning how to do that at the moment.
So, what to do? Accidentally come up with a plot for the second book in the Desires & Decisions series? Yes, that's just what I did one morning in church. Flummoxed takes place from March through June 2017 and Olive is in 8th grade. One of the main plots also involves Barb and Reed. I got a lot of requests to hear more about those two, and I personally think you should give the readers what they want ;) What are some things you are curious to learn about in the second book?
So, what to do? Accidentally come up with a plot for the second book in the Desires & Decisions series? Yes, that's just what I did one morning in church. Flummoxed takes place from March through June 2017 and Olive is in 8th grade. One of the main plots also involves Barb and Reed. I got a lot of requests to hear more about those two, and I personally think you should give the readers what they want ;) What are some things you are curious to learn about in the second book?
April 27, 2016
Newfangled FREE Today
Here is the link:
On Amazon
And here is a link to the post I wrote about the general response to Newfangled, including some good news for those of you who asked me when the next book was coming out :)
Newfangled Free Today!
On Amazon
And here is a link to the post I wrote about the general response to Newfangled, including some good news for those of you who asked me when the next book was coming out :)
Newfangled Free Today!
April 11, 2016
Camp NaNoWriMo
Today I broke 11,000 words! That means I am actually caught up according to my writing schedule. I got behind on the first day, and it got worse and worse from there. Here's a quote from Plunge Into Darkness... I'm currently writing chapter 4
"There would be a cost, but in the end she couldn’t justify ignoring her friend’s obvious need, whatever that cost was. She was willing to follow through, even if it meant she lost everything she cared about."
"There would be a cost, but in the end she couldn’t justify ignoring her friend’s obvious need, whatever that cost was. She was willing to follow through, even if it meant she lost everything she cared about."
April 3, 2016
Newfangled is here!
Hey everyone, I'm really excited to announce that "Newfangled" is finished and live on Kindle (the print version is coming in a month or so).
Until Tuesday you can get it for free, so check it out here ---> Newfangled on Kindle
Happy reading!
Love, Kristin
Until Tuesday you can get it for free, so check it out here ---> Newfangled on Kindle
Happy reading!
Love, Kristin
March 4, 2016
Good Witch
She looked at the board. The holopieces were on almost every space. Don’t keep looking at that spot, he’ll know your next move. The score was close, too close for her. If he won she would spiral, and she knew it. Why she had ever agreed to play Terestrial Venture she couldn’t remember. Oh yeah, the eyes. Those cursed green discs. I thought he would stop looking at me like that by now.
“Are you going to go before the solar century is over, or should I go read a holonovel or something?”
“You’re so impatient Good Witch.”
“I wish you would stop calling me that.”
“It’s a cute nick name.”
“I don’t even know who Glinda the Good Witch is. Don’t you think it’s a strange how obsessed you are with Archaic Earth Literature? Everyone else just calls me Glin.”
“That sounds like a man’s name. I’m confident you would love The Wonderful Wizard of Oz.”
Ransom glanced at his pieces once more and slid one into place. Glinda’s heart raced as she watched him take her spot. Now she would definitely lose.
“You jerk! You knew I wanted to go there. Ugh, I hate this game. Fine, whatever, you win.” She waved her arm in a flourish to concede and accidentally knocked over her plutarian red tea.
In seconds it had spread over the entire table and the Terestrial Venture game was shooting sparks everywhere. Once that stopped a steady stream of smoke filled the room.
Glinda watched as Ransom grabbed a hot glove from the kitchen and carried the game to the trash shoot. He looked at her for approval and placed it inside the hatch as she nodded.
“It’s gone, even I know you can’t fix a hologame once you drown it in red tea.”
“That’s ok, it didn’t seem like you enjoyed the game much anyway. Want to talk about it?”
“It’s none of your business.”
Ransom walked toward the kitchen. Once he was inside Glinda heard several beeps that meant he was using the beverage screen to order another tea. He came back with a hand vac and sucked up the rest of the tea on the table. Glinda watched in silence. Tea in hand, he came back and set it on the table in front of the holoscreen.
“Movie?”
“Aren’t you going to say anything about my tantrum?”
“Do you want me to?”
“You aren’t even a little mad?”
“I don’t understand why you hate that game so much, but I’m sure there’s a reason. But if you don’t want to tell me I won't keep asking.”
“Fine.”
Glinda moved from the table and sat next to him on the large silver poof suspended from the ceiling with metal cable.
“Command Window,” Glinda said. The holoscreen rose into a slot in the ceiling and the rings of Saturn emerged.
“I still don’t know how you managed to get a place with a view like this. My place overlooks the sewage processing barge.”
“My dad and mom split, and neither one wanted to stay in this system so they let me take over the contract.”
“Rent controlled?”
“Definitely. How else could I afford a place like this with my platzy job?”
“Nice.”
They sat there, staring out the window. Glinda remembered how often she had done the same thing with dozens of other men. But they always left, just like Ransom would.
“It’s amazing. The motion is hypnotizing. The company is pretty blastic too.”
“I’m sorry I lost my temper. I used to play that game with my ex.”
“Why didn’t you tell me you didn’t want to play?”
“Because it’s weird to talk about your ex with your new, whatever you are. And I didn’t want you think I was being random. He always won. He would be such a platz about it.”
“We didn’t have to play, why did you even keep the game?”
“I don’t know. I guess I never thought it would be ok to get rid of it.”
Ransom walked over to the trash shoot and pushed the button with a flame on it.
“Well now you never have to worry about it again.”
He sat next to her and pulled her close.
“I’m not going away anytime soon, so you might as well stop trying to push me away.”
“That’s what you say now.”
“I like you, I know how you are, and I like you. I’m not going to let you get rid of me. I’ll wait, however long it takes for you to stop being surly and defensive.”
“I don’t know how to believe you.”
“That’s ok, I’m patient, unlike you Good Witch.” Ransom leaned over and kissed her head. They watched the gas and debris tumble past in a perfect ring as a mix of gold, sapphire, and sienna. As much as she wanted to believe him, she knew it would take time. Then again, he seemed ok with that. He traced her fingers with his. She had never met a man so content to sit and watch. Just to be with her. It was nice.
“So tell me more about the wizard, if I would love it so much.”
Ransom got off of the couch and grabbed his bag. He pulled out something she had never seen. It was a stack of thin, cream layers. They were all the same shape and thickness and were fused together at one end.
“Is that..?”
“Yeah, it’s a paper book. It’s the new trend print them on paper again.”
“Isn't that wasteful? That’s why we have holonovels.”
“Smell it. Touch it. It’s different." He held it out to her but she refused to take it.
"Do you want to hear about the wizard or not?”
She nodded. He sat and motioned for her to rest her head on his lap.
“You’re going to read me that whole thing?”
“You don’t like the sound of my voice?”
“No, I like it,” she put her head on his lap and looked up as he held rested the book on the poof where the cable connected to form an edge and flipped through the first few pages with his thumb.
“Dorothy lived in the midst of the great Kansas prairies…”
“Are you going to go before the solar century is over, or should I go read a holonovel or something?”
“You’re so impatient Good Witch.”
“I wish you would stop calling me that.”
“It’s a cute nick name.”
“I don’t even know who Glinda the Good Witch is. Don’t you think it’s a strange how obsessed you are with Archaic Earth Literature? Everyone else just calls me Glin.”
“That sounds like a man’s name. I’m confident you would love The Wonderful Wizard of Oz.”
Ransom glanced at his pieces once more and slid one into place. Glinda’s heart raced as she watched him take her spot. Now she would definitely lose.
“You jerk! You knew I wanted to go there. Ugh, I hate this game. Fine, whatever, you win.” She waved her arm in a flourish to concede and accidentally knocked over her plutarian red tea.
In seconds it had spread over the entire table and the Terestrial Venture game was shooting sparks everywhere. Once that stopped a steady stream of smoke filled the room.
Glinda watched as Ransom grabbed a hot glove from the kitchen and carried the game to the trash shoot. He looked at her for approval and placed it inside the hatch as she nodded.
“It’s gone, even I know you can’t fix a hologame once you drown it in red tea.”
“That’s ok, it didn’t seem like you enjoyed the game much anyway. Want to talk about it?”
“It’s none of your business.”
Ransom walked toward the kitchen. Once he was inside Glinda heard several beeps that meant he was using the beverage screen to order another tea. He came back with a hand vac and sucked up the rest of the tea on the table. Glinda watched in silence. Tea in hand, he came back and set it on the table in front of the holoscreen.
“Movie?”
“Aren’t you going to say anything about my tantrum?”
“Do you want me to?”
“You aren’t even a little mad?”
“I don’t understand why you hate that game so much, but I’m sure there’s a reason. But if you don’t want to tell me I won't keep asking.”
“Fine.”
Glinda moved from the table and sat next to him on the large silver poof suspended from the ceiling with metal cable.
“Command Window,” Glinda said. The holoscreen rose into a slot in the ceiling and the rings of Saturn emerged.
“I still don’t know how you managed to get a place with a view like this. My place overlooks the sewage processing barge.”
“My dad and mom split, and neither one wanted to stay in this system so they let me take over the contract.”
“Rent controlled?”
“Definitely. How else could I afford a place like this with my platzy job?”
“Nice.”
They sat there, staring out the window. Glinda remembered how often she had done the same thing with dozens of other men. But they always left, just like Ransom would.
“It’s amazing. The motion is hypnotizing. The company is pretty blastic too.”
“I’m sorry I lost my temper. I used to play that game with my ex.”
“Why didn’t you tell me you didn’t want to play?”
“Because it’s weird to talk about your ex with your new, whatever you are. And I didn’t want you think I was being random. He always won. He would be such a platz about it.”
“We didn’t have to play, why did you even keep the game?”
“I don’t know. I guess I never thought it would be ok to get rid of it.”
Ransom walked over to the trash shoot and pushed the button with a flame on it.
“Well now you never have to worry about it again.”
He sat next to her and pulled her close.
“I’m not going away anytime soon, so you might as well stop trying to push me away.”
“That’s what you say now.”
“I like you, I know how you are, and I like you. I’m not going to let you get rid of me. I’ll wait, however long it takes for you to stop being surly and defensive.”
“I don’t know how to believe you.”
“That’s ok, I’m patient, unlike you Good Witch.” Ransom leaned over and kissed her head. They watched the gas and debris tumble past in a perfect ring as a mix of gold, sapphire, and sienna. As much as she wanted to believe him, she knew it would take time. Then again, he seemed ok with that. He traced her fingers with his. She had never met a man so content to sit and watch. Just to be with her. It was nice.
“So tell me more about the wizard, if I would love it so much.”
Ransom got off of the couch and grabbed his bag. He pulled out something she had never seen. It was a stack of thin, cream layers. They were all the same shape and thickness and were fused together at one end.
“Is that..?”
“Yeah, it’s a paper book. It’s the new trend print them on paper again.”
“Isn't that wasteful? That’s why we have holonovels.”
“Smell it. Touch it. It’s different." He held it out to her but she refused to take it.
"Do you want to hear about the wizard or not?”
She nodded. He sat and motioned for her to rest her head on his lap.
“You’re going to read me that whole thing?”
“You don’t like the sound of my voice?”
“No, I like it,” she put her head on his lap and looked up as he held rested the book on the poof where the cable connected to form an edge and flipped through the first few pages with his thumb.
“Dorothy lived in the midst of the great Kansas prairies…”
February 22, 2016
Quiet (Short Story)
Sounds of steam wands and shuffled feet broke the awkward silence at the tiny table. Stephanie warmed her hands on the oversized mug as Kara finished a few texts before putting her phone in her purse.
“Thanks for taking me out for coffee.”
“No problem, I mean, you have had a rough week,” Kara took a sip of her iced vanilla latte through a red straw. “It’s the least I could do.”
“A rough week. Yeah, that’s true.”
“Jake is a loser. I can’t believe he broke up with you the same week your dad died.”
"Maybe it's good thing. It's not like he was being supportive."
Kara thought as the second hand clicked its way around the clock twice.
“Supportive about your dad?”
“Well, yeah. I mean, he died. But there is other stuff. And I’ve been really emotional lately.”
Kara didn’t know what else to ask. Stephanie shifted the sugar packets on the table in front of her into different shapes while she decided if she could tell Kara what happened.
“You know you can tell me, right? I’m here for you. I know there’s something wrong from your past that you don’t talk about. You get randomly freaked out about the weirdest things.”
“I guess it does seem weird,” Stephanie took a deep breath and gathered her courage, the little she had. “My dad abused me, like, he did things. Since he died I’ve been remembering stuff, well I don’t know if I’m remembering. I have flashbacks and horrible dreams. I can’t focus. Jake told me I was being too dramatic. He said he could understand I was grieving, but if I wanted more attention I didn’t need to act out.”
“Wow, that’s crazy,” Kara said. “So you aren’t sure what your dad did to you?”
“Well I remember a few things, but I’m getting the feeling there are things I forgot.”
“Well, have you forgiven him? Your Dad.”
“Yeah, I mean, I know I’m supposed to, and I that's what I wanted. I did.”
“Well, there you go. You forgave him, now you can move on with your life. Now he’s dead and he can’t hurt you again.”
“But look what just happened between me and Jake, my dad caused our break-up.”
Kara looked down at her buzzing purse.
“You can get it if you want,” Stephanie said.
“No, it’s fine. We’re talking.”
Then she felt it, the wall rose. She knew what Kara would say before Kara said it. She could just pretend. Maybe she had imagined her father's abuse. Her breath quickened and her pulse raced. The familiar feeling of worthlessness crept over her. Kara was one of the few people at church that still talked to her. Now it would be over. Her last friend would ignore her just like everyone else had.
“It’s just…” Kara paused, “well, it’s upsetting. I don’t know what to say. I don’t feel like I’m the person you can talk to about this. I understand why Jake was freaked out.”
“So you’re taking his side?” Stephanie wanted to be shocked or surprised by Kara’s reaction, but she wasn’t.
“No! I’m not, I’m just saying I understand. You shouldn’t have dumped all your emotional baggage on him like that without some kind of warning. It was selfish of you.”
“I wasn’t, I was just trying to explain to him why I was so upset.”
“Listen Stephanie, you know I care about you, but that stuff is just too personal. No one will to want to talk about it. I think things will be better if you keep it to yourself.”
“But what about the flashbacks?”
“I don’t know,” Kara said. She looked at the clock for the third time.
“Well, what about the nightmares?” Stephanie asked.
“I don’t know, Steph. I just don’t know, ok? But I can’t talk about this stuff. I know nothing about it. Just keep quiet. I’m telling you as your friend. If people know, they will be weirded out around you. I’m sorry, but I have to go. I have plans with another friend in twenty minutes and now I'll be late. I’ll pray for you, ok? I’m sorry about Jake.”
Without waiting for another word, Kara got up, grabbed her purse and took out her keys on the way to the door. She didn’t look back as she threw her empty cup into the trash and walked out the door and toward the parking lot. Stephanie sat there for five minutes, trying to decide if she could make it to her car before the dam that held back her emotional torrent failed.
“Excuse me,” and elderly woman said.
Stephanie tried to wipe the tears off of her cheeks in a subtle way.
“Hi. Um, do you need something?”
“No, sweetie. I overheard your conversation with that young lady, and she’s wrong. I hope you don’t mind me saying this, but she’s a jerk.”
Stephanie was stunned. She didn’t expect the tiny, gray-haired woman to insult her friend.
“But…”
“No, you don't need to defend her. She’s still the Lord’s child, and He loves her, but she’s a jerk too. There’s a table over there in the corner that will offer us more privacy. It seems like you need a good cry and someone that will actually listen to your story. I promise not to tell you to be quiet, ever.”
“Well… I mean… I don’t know.”
“If you don’t feel like talking, ok, but I would still love company. And how about a few brownies on me?”
“I guess that’s ok.”
“Come on, let’s go.”
The woman linked her petite arm through Stephanie’s and led to her to the corner table.
“Thanks for taking me out for coffee.”
“No problem, I mean, you have had a rough week,” Kara took a sip of her iced vanilla latte through a red straw. “It’s the least I could do.”
“A rough week. Yeah, that’s true.”
“Jake is a loser. I can’t believe he broke up with you the same week your dad died.”
"Maybe it's good thing. It's not like he was being supportive."
Kara thought as the second hand clicked its way around the clock twice.
“Supportive about your dad?”
“Well, yeah. I mean, he died. But there is other stuff. And I’ve been really emotional lately.”
Kara didn’t know what else to ask. Stephanie shifted the sugar packets on the table in front of her into different shapes while she decided if she could tell Kara what happened.
“You know you can tell me, right? I’m here for you. I know there’s something wrong from your past that you don’t talk about. You get randomly freaked out about the weirdest things.”
“I guess it does seem weird,” Stephanie took a deep breath and gathered her courage, the little she had. “My dad abused me, like, he did things. Since he died I’ve been remembering stuff, well I don’t know if I’m remembering. I have flashbacks and horrible dreams. I can’t focus. Jake told me I was being too dramatic. He said he could understand I was grieving, but if I wanted more attention I didn’t need to act out.”
“Wow, that’s crazy,” Kara said. “So you aren’t sure what your dad did to you?”
“Well I remember a few things, but I’m getting the feeling there are things I forgot.”
“Well, have you forgiven him? Your Dad.”
“Yeah, I mean, I know I’m supposed to, and I that's what I wanted. I did.”
“Well, there you go. You forgave him, now you can move on with your life. Now he’s dead and he can’t hurt you again.”
“But look what just happened between me and Jake, my dad caused our break-up.”
Kara looked down at her buzzing purse.
“You can get it if you want,” Stephanie said.
“No, it’s fine. We’re talking.”
Then she felt it, the wall rose. She knew what Kara would say before Kara said it. She could just pretend. Maybe she had imagined her father's abuse. Her breath quickened and her pulse raced. The familiar feeling of worthlessness crept over her. Kara was one of the few people at church that still talked to her. Now it would be over. Her last friend would ignore her just like everyone else had.
“It’s just…” Kara paused, “well, it’s upsetting. I don’t know what to say. I don’t feel like I’m the person you can talk to about this. I understand why Jake was freaked out.”
“So you’re taking his side?” Stephanie wanted to be shocked or surprised by Kara’s reaction, but she wasn’t.
“No! I’m not, I’m just saying I understand. You shouldn’t have dumped all your emotional baggage on him like that without some kind of warning. It was selfish of you.”
“I wasn’t, I was just trying to explain to him why I was so upset.”
“Listen Stephanie, you know I care about you, but that stuff is just too personal. No one will to want to talk about it. I think things will be better if you keep it to yourself.”
“But what about the flashbacks?”
“I don’t know,” Kara said. She looked at the clock for the third time.
“Well, what about the nightmares?” Stephanie asked.
“I don’t know, Steph. I just don’t know, ok? But I can’t talk about this stuff. I know nothing about it. Just keep quiet. I’m telling you as your friend. If people know, they will be weirded out around you. I’m sorry, but I have to go. I have plans with another friend in twenty minutes and now I'll be late. I’ll pray for you, ok? I’m sorry about Jake.”
Without waiting for another word, Kara got up, grabbed her purse and took out her keys on the way to the door. She didn’t look back as she threw her empty cup into the trash and walked out the door and toward the parking lot. Stephanie sat there for five minutes, trying to decide if she could make it to her car before the dam that held back her emotional torrent failed.
“Excuse me,” and elderly woman said.
Stephanie tried to wipe the tears off of her cheeks in a subtle way.
“Hi. Um, do you need something?”
“No, sweetie. I overheard your conversation with that young lady, and she’s wrong. I hope you don’t mind me saying this, but she’s a jerk.”
Stephanie was stunned. She didn’t expect the tiny, gray-haired woman to insult her friend.
“But…”
“No, you don't need to defend her. She’s still the Lord’s child, and He loves her, but she’s a jerk too. There’s a table over there in the corner that will offer us more privacy. It seems like you need a good cry and someone that will actually listen to your story. I promise not to tell you to be quiet, ever.”
“Well… I mean… I don’t know.”
“If you don’t feel like talking, ok, but I would still love company. And how about a few brownies on me?”
“I guess that’s ok.”
“Come on, let’s go.”
The woman linked her petite arm through Stephanie’s and led to her to the corner table.
January 14, 2016
Advanced Reading Group
Hey everyone, the editing of "Newfangled" has begun. I'm about 1/4 of the way through, and have already sent out the first four chapters to a newly formed advanced reading group. If you are interested in joining the group, please send me an email at kristin.n.spencer@gmail.com. I'm so excited to get first major edit underway and am hoping to have the book out in several months. Here's a quick quote to leave you with:
“Oh, hey Olive,” Olive turned around and saw Nick. Her brain was fried after the crazy week she had so she hoped he wasn’t going to ask her anything that required a lot of thinking. Maybe he had a question about yearbook or something.
“Hey Nick. What’s up?”
“I wanted to introduce you to my friend, he’s in a different seventh grade class, but he goes to church and does plays like you do.”
“Oh, really?”
“Yeah, here is comes… Adam, this is Olive. She’s the one I was telling you about.”
Olive and Adam started laughing.
“Thanks Nick, yeah Olive and I are in the same play. We go to church together,” Adam explained.
“Well, why don’t you, like, ever talk to each other at school? That’s weird, dude.” Nick rolled his eyes.
“I guess it is weird, hey Olive. See you tonight?” Adam asked.
“Yep, see you later,” Olive said.
Nick and Adam walked away, shoving each other.
“Um… what just happened?” Franny asked.
“I think it’s safe to say Adam won’t ignore me at school anymore,” Olive said.
“Why was he ignoring you at school? So you mean you see him twice or three times at church every week and he never says hi to you at school?” Franny asked.
“Yeah.”
“And you never said anything to him?”
“Well, I tried a few times, but he never responded so I just gave up.”
“Awkward. That’s pretty rude, actually,” Franny said, putting her hand on her hip.
“I don’t think he meant to be rude, I think he’s just shy around girls. He talks to James way more at rehearsals.”
“Well, my mom’s here… gotta go.”
“Bye.” Just as Franny ran off Olive spotted Sofia’s blue hatchback. As soon as they were home Olive was going to ask if she could talk to her mom while they made dinner.
“Oh, hey Olive,” Olive turned around and saw Nick. Her brain was fried after the crazy week she had so she hoped he wasn’t going to ask her anything that required a lot of thinking. Maybe he had a question about yearbook or something.
“Hey Nick. What’s up?”
“I wanted to introduce you to my friend, he’s in a different seventh grade class, but he goes to church and does plays like you do.”
“Oh, really?”
“Yeah, here is comes… Adam, this is Olive. She’s the one I was telling you about.”
Olive and Adam started laughing.
“Thanks Nick, yeah Olive and I are in the same play. We go to church together,” Adam explained.
“Well, why don’t you, like, ever talk to each other at school? That’s weird, dude.” Nick rolled his eyes.
“I guess it is weird, hey Olive. See you tonight?” Adam asked.
“Yep, see you later,” Olive said.
Nick and Adam walked away, shoving each other.
“Um… what just happened?” Franny asked.
“I think it’s safe to say Adam won’t ignore me at school anymore,” Olive said.
“Why was he ignoring you at school? So you mean you see him twice or three times at church every week and he never says hi to you at school?” Franny asked.
“Yeah.”
“And you never said anything to him?”
“Well, I tried a few times, but he never responded so I just gave up.”
“Awkward. That’s pretty rude, actually,” Franny said, putting her hand on her hip.
“I don’t think he meant to be rude, I think he’s just shy around girls. He talks to James way more at rehearsals.”
“Well, my mom’s here… gotta go.”
“Bye.” Just as Franny ran off Olive spotted Sofia’s blue hatchback. As soon as they were home Olive was going to ask if she could talk to her mom while they made dinner.
December 17, 2015
News on Olive
The big news about Olive book #1 is that the first draft is finished. I have been taking a break from it for the last few weeks, but plan on beginning the editing process after Christmas. I am really excited to share this story with all of you, and look forward to the next book in this series, which I am attempting to plot out now. I am also thinking about giving Adam and Anna their own books after the second Olive book. What do you think?
