R.E. Klinzing's Blog, page 3

5 Books to Read for the Fourth of July

Hello readers!

It’s been a while, but I’m back! Happy Independence Day!

The Fourth of July is often celebrated with picnics, parades, and spectacular fireworks. While all of the sporting events and food are amazing, we can’t forget the true meaning of Independence Day. We mustn’t forget to honor our fallen and think about the sacrifices that were made for our great nation.

Life was not easy in colonial times, and as a new nation fighting for her freedom, many people played a part in the American Revolution.

Here are 5 five books about people who fought in the American Revolution. So while we still enjoy the fireworks and hot dogs, we can also think about what life was truly like for people of all kinds during this great war for our freedom.

Camp-Fires of the Revolution or, the War of Independence

This book contains stories from different people who fought in the war for America’s Independence. It shows the suffering these men experienced through the stories and conversations that might have taken place around the campfire.

Buy HereSpies in the American Revolution for Kids

This book, specifically designed for younger readers, is full of captivating tales about spies during the American Revolution. It has stories designed to teach kids about the jobs these brave men had and the tools and tactics used by spies during the war. This story is also filled with wonderful illustrations to bring these stories to life.

Buy HereThose Rebels, John and Tom

This is a story about Thomas Jefferson and John Adams and the roles they played in creating the Declaration of Independence and the American Revolution. These two men, who were quite different from each other, worked together as a fascinating duo. This book shows just how their relationship unfolded to bring America her freedom.

Buy HereA Spy Called James

This is the story of the famous double agent, James Lafayette. James was a slave in the states who worked as a double agent posing as a guide for the British Army. After the war, he was still a slave in America. In this book, learn about the heroic acts of James Lafayette and his fight for freedom not only for his country but for himself.

Buy HereCan’t You Make Them Behave, King George?

This story shows the perspective of America’s enemies during the War for Independence. In this book, the authors tell an entertaining story about King George III from his life as a boy, a new king, and his role in the American Revolution when he was no longer “good King George.”

Buy Here

Well folks, there you have it! Here are 5 books you can read to learn a little bit more about what happened during the first Independence Day.

The great people who fought for the freedom of America inspired not only me but the creation of the agents in my stories, in the Teen Spy Organization. By learning about the heroes in our past, we can learn more about ourselves and the true cost of our freedom, and what it means to be American. Comment about other books you’ve read about the American Revolution, or if you’ve read any of these!

Until next time my friends, happy reading!

-R.E. Klinzing

Interested in reading Finding Doom? Check it out here!

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School Visit: St. Hyacinth Academy

Hey readers!

This last week I had an amazing opportunity to visit St. Hyacinth Academy in Southern California. This visit was very special because it’s the same school I went to when I was a kid from preschool through eighth grade. It had been years since I’d been there, and I loved talking to current students and seeing some of my teachers again.

When I published Finding Doom, a dream of mine was to have my book in that school library, and now that dream has come true! I was so excited when the school reached out to me and asked me to come back. I got to talk to all the classes after morning assembly and see one of my favorite places, the library!

Students asked such amazing questions about how to write and publish a book, what my time as a student there was like, and we talked about the books they like to read. I was surprised by how many students weren’t only interested in writing, but were actually working on creating their own stories and comic books!

The Teen Spy Organization wouldn’t exist if I never attended school there. I’ve talked about what inspired my idea for the T.S.O. before, playing spies with my friends when I was a kid. But those games and creative adventures also happened on campus, and my teachers there also encouraged me to read different things and learn more about how to write. Being able to share where I am now with students who are sitting at the same desks that I did was amazing.

-R.E. Klinzing

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Processing… Success! You're on the list. Whoops! There was an error and we couldn't process your subscription. Please reload the page and try again. Author Life Update!January 11, 2022School Visit; Kornblum Elementary SchoolMarch 10, 20204 Steps to Research for Book WritingFebruary 4, 2022

Book Review: Red Queen

“Anyone can betray anyone.”

-Victoria Aveyard, Red Queen

Red Queen, by Victoria Aveyard, was first published in 2010. This book gave me chills! It reminded me why I love reading so much!

Alright friends, Red Queen is a YA, fantasy, dystopian novel with so many subgenres. To me, it was like a combination of Hunger Games and the Selection Series. (If you haven’t read those, you’re missing out!) I’ve known about this book for years, but never got around to reading it. Finally, I gave it a shot and got the audiobook version of the book. Without further a due, let’s dive in!

The Plot:

In this dystopian world, there are Reds and Silvers. The Reds are people with red blood, your basic human. The Silvers have silver blood and superpowers. The Silvers rule the world, living in luxury, priding themselves on their strength and their abilities. The Reds are treated like slaves, left to live in the slums of the world, forever serving the Silvers and being treated as less than human.

Mare Barrow is just like any other Red. She’s seventeen, poor, and steals whatever she can to help her family survive. That is until she finds herself with a job in the palace that changes her life. After an accident, she realizes she has powers of her own, something no one has ever heard of. Both Red and Silver. To hide her abnormality, she is betrothed to the Silver prince when a Red group of rebels, the Red Guard, enlists her help in fighting for the rights of her people.

The Characters:

Our main character, Mare, is a fierce girl bent on never kneeling at the feet of others. Her character is so human, so relatable that it makes you root for her more and more. The two Silver princes are like polar opposites, each playing a crucial role in their world. You never know who you can trust, who is really lying, and who is truly on your side.

There are many characters in this story with their own intentions and their own secret plans. Each one is unique and crafted in such a way that you can never compare one to the other.

The Writing:

If you’re someone that is looking for a little bit of romance, a lot of twists and cliffhangers, this book is definitely for you. Sometimes you come across a book and think every single line is quotable. Well, this is that book. As if without trying, Victoria Aveyard managed to tie in so many themes into her story, it makes the entire plot feel deeper than words on a page.

The pace of the story keeps you from stopping. You finish the book dying for more of the author’s heart-wrenching words of raw truth.

If this sounds like your next read, give it a try! If you’re into audiobooks, this story is also narrated beautifully. I would recommend this book to anyone looking for a fantasy story, a bit of action, and world rebellion. But beware. Once you start, prepare to be betrayed, prepare to lose a part of yourself. Because once you open your heart, there is no going back.

-R.E. Klinzing

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Processing… Success! You're on the list. Whoops! There was an error and we couldn't process your subscription. Please reload the page and try again. Pexels.com" data-medium-file="https://reklinzing.files.wordpress.co..." data-large-file="https://reklinzing.files.wordpress.co..." /> 4 Steps to Research for Book Writing by R.E. Klinzing February 4, 2022 Pexels.com" data-medium-file="https://reklinzing.files.wordpress.co..." data-large-file="https://reklinzing.files.wordpress.co..." /> 2022 Reading Challenge by R.E. Klinzing January 22, 2022 Author Life Update! by R.E. Klinzing January 11, 2022

4 Steps to Research for Book Writing

What’s up, readers?

Have you ever been in the middle of writing out that one scene and realized your facts just don’t add up? Maybe you’re in the middle of a detailed action sequence and don’t remember the name of that one punch. Is your story something that takes place in an actual place on Earth, or a specific time period? You want to make sure the characters are walking the same streets as your readers, that they actually used the corset the damsel in distress wears during that era! Did someone just get injured? You want to make sure the lung is in the right place and the bandages will actually help them heal. These are all reasons to do research for your books.

If you’ve been keeping up with my posts, I actually wrote about why we do research for books a while ago. It’s called All in the Name of Research! You can read it

In this post, I’m going to explain the 4 steps to research for book writing, then I will give an example of what this process has looked like in my writing.

BrainstormResearchSave itApply itBrainstormBrainstorming is a very important aspect of each step in the writing process. For research, this is where you think about the scene you want to write. Jot down the questions that you need answered or the tools you know you will need in order to write a believable, realistic scene.Whether you are doing this while outlining or revising, you need to have a goal when you go to research. If you don’t know what you’re looking for, you might end up wasting the next two hours of writing time watching videos about sword fighting on YouTube or reading an article about knitting that has nothing to do with your story.So, brainstorm first about what you are looking for while researching!ResearchOkay, now you know what you’re looking for. It’s time to do some research! With today’s technology, the internet is going to be your best friend. You can find videos on places like YouTube, or do a simple Google search. You can even find help from other people. First-person sources can provide a lot of insight and details about a topic. It depends on what you’re researching. Use sites like Google.scholar or a library catalog to look for more detailed, proven sources. You can also find information on places like blogs or websites, just like this one.Whatever it is you’re researching, make sure you fully understand what you need to. Take your time, find multiple sources if you need to in order to find the answers you’re looking for. If it’s a subject that requires you to try something on your own, don’t be afraid to do so!If more questions come up as you’re researching, write them down to look at later.If the facts don’t add up with the scene you were trying to write, it’s back to brainstorming. This means your research is helping you! If you have to change your scene to make the facts add up, do so. It’s better to have a believable scene than a scene with facts that will make the reader close the book or discredit you, the author.Save itSave your research!Whether that means writing down the website, the name of the book, or the video that you used, save it. Hold on to your notes. Bookmark the sites that you use.Save your research so you can go back to it later to check your facts or find more information during the entire process of the book writing, editing, and publishing.Apply itNow it’s time to write that scene! Use the information you just learned to make that scene amazing! You will sound more educated and believable, with realistic facts incorporated into your fictional story. Readers will love it and want more. Use those facts to write those scenes you want people to fall in love with!

Recently, I have been working on revisions for Recruited, the soon-to-be third book in my T.S.O. series. Here is how I used my 4-step process for research during some rewriting.

BrainstormOne scene I was going to add involved a couple characters pulling a prank.I took notes of the different ideas I had and what types of tools or information the characters would need to succeed with each prank.I chose the one I thought would work best with the storyline, and flushed it out, asking myself detailed questions about the supplies necessary, reality of it succeeding in real life, and the science that would be involved.ResearchAfter coming up with my questions, I started researching. I used Google to find the information I needed, which led me to informational websites and videos.In the end, I realized that my idea was faulty. I didn’t have the right science to back the scene in order to make the prank succeed properly. If I had written it without realising this, the end product would not have been intriguing or believable.I went back to the drawing board and came up with a different idea. I did detailed research about the science behind the new idea, different variations of the product I wanted to make, and thought about how to apply it to the story. I found a detailed blog with the information and ingredients I needed and videos with a step-by-step process. I used different sources to verify the facts and learned about the science behind the chemicals that would be involved so I could accurately apply it to my story.Save itI bookmarked the sites I used and saved the YouTube videos I found, and went back to them as I wrote the scene to verify my facts for accuracy.Apply itUsing the information I learned, I wrote the new scene idea. It came out really well, and was much more enticing and exciting than the first idea I had, while still being scientifically and logically sound.

If I had done no research, the scene I wrote would be very different. I wouldn’t have realized my idea didn’t make sense and would have written a scene that would tell readers I didn’t understand what I was writing. With the research, I made the scene more exciting. After reading it, the story flowed much better and made the character more exciting and sound more educated.

See how beneficial research is for books?

Don’t forget that research can be fun! Things that I’ve researched for books have taught me so much, and made my writing so much better! Some of these topics include tactical defense maneuvers, military-style combat, the effects of sun mutations, travel distances between states, and lately, how to make a colored smoke grenade from household items. Doesn’t sound boring at all!

So, again,

BrainstormResearchSave itApply it

Now, go do that research for your own books! Tell me in the comments what really cool, or really boring facts you’ve learned for your books! Sometimes ideas come from the smallest comments! Have fun writing!

-R.E. Klinzing

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2022 Reading Challenge

Hey readers!

Welcome to 2022! A new year means a new reading goal! Every reader has one, whether it’s to simply pick up one book and start reading again, to finish a specific series, or to read as many books as you can!

Fill out the survey below to share what your reading goals are for 2022!

Take Our Survey

My goal is to read about 40 books this year! I have a series I want to finish called Left Behind and a couple other specific books on my to-be-read list! Comment below what books you want to read this year!

Make sure you join the email list too! Make that a goal for 2022! On the email list I share some behind-the-scenes info, chapter sneak peeks, and you’ll even get all these amazing blog posts right in your inbox!

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-R.E. Klinzing

P.S. This applause thing is a new feature on the website! You can click it as many times as you like to show your excitement, so click away!

Author Life Update!

Hello readers! Hello, T.S.O. fans, young writers, or whoever you may be!

I know, I disappeared off the face of the internet for a little while. Sorry. But, I’m back! And I’m here with a brief story.

Some of you may know, and some of you may not… my family has begun our journey of moving from California to Tennessee. Due to our little adventure in progress, we are staying in our trailer at the moment.

Let’s paint the picture.

Seven people and a dog all in one space together for a couple months. Moving from one campsite to the next every couple weeks. All the while, I’m trying to maintain my academic studies as a full-time college student and a part-time employee at a restaurant. Lots are happening. (And yes, there were ducks at the campsite.)

We started our adventure with the packing of our house. During this time, the rottweiler we all know and love, my writing buddy and companion Dasher, passed away. Some of you might know him from his frequent appearances on my Instagram.

I can also say that I’ve never valued the internet more. Certain campsites have no cell service, meaning libraries have become my schoolroom and office. I have to say, librarians are very patient and don’t get enough gratitude for the work they do. Give them some love, guys!

And now our little clan of seven is on to the next part of the adventure! The move to Tennessee is underway. I started off the year with family, receiving an amazing college acceptance letter and some challenges with beginning this school semester, but a new leg in the journey has begun!

I know most people say bloggers shouldn’t have posts about why they haven’t been writing. But in my case, writing hasn’t been happening at all. Recruited, the third book of the T.S.O. series and my mermaid fantasy WIP have been put on the back burner with these other activities taking precedence. I can say that I’ve been working on reading more, and audiobooks during my commute have been a blessing. The few moments I can spare for some writing feel like a lifetime, and hopefully, we’ll have more moments to enjoy world-building and rewriting soon.

Now that you’re all caught up with the adventures of R.E. Klinzing and the family, I think we can get back to some traditional posts and maybe try to work on some fiction while we’re at it.

Due to everything that’s going on and school starting up again, I’m going to have only 1 post a month, and some other fun content that will be exclusive to the newsletter, so make sure you’re signed up!

I wish all you students out there the best of luck, and all you writers some well wishes.

Until next time, my friends . . . Happy Reading!

-R.E. Klinzing

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T.S.O. Book 3 Name Release!

Hello Agents!

Hope all is well in the world and in your books.

Now, it’s time to release the name for the 3rd book in the Teen Spy Organization series! Are you ready?

Well, there you have it, folks! Recruited is the title of book 3 in the T.S.O. series! We have a new main character, a guy everyone loved from Finding Doom, Tony Anderson. Big things are happening in the T.S.O., and it’s time to start doing something to fix it. I’ll be sending out the book synopsis soon. Until then, feel free to wonder! If you haven’t done so yet, I encourage you to read Finding Doom and The Bayshire! You don’t want to be in the dark like our new recruit, do you?

-R.E. Klinzing

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Character Interview: Agent Mills

“Well, Agent Mills, it’s nice to finally have you here with us. We’ve been trying to get you to do an interview with us for some time now.”

“Well, you know me, always busy,” said agent Mills.

“Alright, well let’s get started.”

“This is all classified, right?”

“Of course, Agent Mills.” The interviewer smiled. “Now, let me ask the rest of the questions, okay?”

Q: We asked Agent Z the same questions before, so we’ll start with some of those and more. First off, what’s your greatest fear?

A: My biggest fear would be getting kicked out of the Teen Spy Organization.

Q: What makes you angry?

A: My partner would say probably anything, but really? Agent Watson. Or these silly questions my boss said I had to answer for the benefit of new agents. Why, do you want me to be angry?

Q: If you could change one thing in your past, what would it be?

A: I would have interfered to keep my sister from dying.

Q: What is your earliest memory?

A: That’s a vague question. I’ll just pass.

Q: Really, you have nothing to say?

A: Unless you want me to talk about my days in grade school and watching movies with my mom when I was four, no.

Q: What do you like best about yourself?

A: I can only pick one? That’s not fair at all. We’ll go with my inability to make my boss happy with me.

Q: Have you ever come close to dying?

A: Probably more than once on the job.

Q: What’s the last nightmare you recall having?

A: Hmm, probably that one where I was beat by Agent Watson at the obstacle course at camp, and then my leather jacket ripped.

Q: Have you ever had your heart broken?

A: Didn’t I mention my sister’s death before?

Q: Have you ever stolen?

A: Well, I technically stole this rock called the Bayshire Stone at least three times during my last mission, so yes.

Q: What was the last lie you told?

A: If I told you that, I would probably be in trouble with a couple people.

Q: What do you read?

A: Mysteries, crime, anything that involves an adventure and an outstanding sleuth.

Q: Have you ever physically harmed another person?

A: Haha. You’re talking to the Defence Tactics Instructor for the T.S.O. Of course I’ve hurt someone. Physical combat is one of my specialties.

Q: Have you ever saved someone’s life?

A: I like to think that I have.

Q: What makes you laugh?

A: The fact that all your questions make you sound like a really nosy therapist.

Q: Do you pray?

A: All the time. I wouldn’t make it through some of the cases I’ve dealt with without my faith in God.

Q: Do you have superstitions?”

A: I don’t know. But if I have another friend that suffers a foot injury, I’ll be ready to call that a bad omen.

Q: What languages do you speak?

A: English. I can do a couple of accents that are awesome. Everything else I know is classified.

Q: How well do you sleep?

A: Like a baby.

Q: What was the last song you sang?

A: Trouble’s Coming by Royal Blood

Q: When was the last time you danced?

A: Well, that’s just a silly question. I don’t dance. I fight. There’s a difference.

“Well,” I think that’s all we have time for today,” the interviewer said with a sigh.

“Well, I had fun,” said Agent Mills. “Thanks for the silly questions.”

Learn more about Agent Mills and all her friends, her adventures, and her secrets in the second book of the Teen Spy Organization Series, The Bayshire.

-R.E. KLinzing

How do you Know You’re a Book Nerd? You Have Your Own Library Catalog!

Hey readers!

Welcome back to the blog, where we discuss books, writing, and everything in between. Today’s post is going to be a little different, one my entire family said I should write, so here it goes!

Have you ever wondered at what point you can call yourself a book nerd? Maybe the number of books on your to-be-read list makes you wonder, or the number of books on your Goodreads shelf. But here’s another way to know. Do you have your own library catalog? I know I do.

I keep a spreadsheet catalog of every book I own. Each book in my catalog is categorized by author and genre. I keep a record of how many copies of each book I have and who is borrowing what book. Here’s what it looks like:

Even the books I’ve written are included in my catalog if they are on my bookshelves. Maybe I’m just extremely organized, but I find this very helpful. I know just how many books I have and where they are at all times. So, if for whatever reason I need a book that I don’t see on my shelf, I know who’s borrowing it.

Leave a comment if you’ve done anything like this that definitely makes you a book nerd. Or let us know if you’ve read any of the books that are on my list! Every reader and every writer has their quirks, and this is one of mine.

-R.E. Klinzing

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T.S.O. Bk# 1 Finding Doom

Amelia Zegro wakes up in the hospital with no memory of her tragic accident. She knows it has something to do with her secret life as a teen spy. Known as Agent Z, Amelia works for the Teen Spy Organization (T. S. O). As she tries to work out the sorted details of her lost memory, she is assigned a new and dangerous case, a case that brings her on a collision course with Doom, a notorious criminal with whom she has an ominous connection. As Agent Z uncovers clues about her past, she realizes she has been looking in the wrong direction. She must decide who she can trust and uncover the truth before it’s too late. Can Amelia piece together the details in time to rewrite a wrong and stop Doom from succeeding in his plan?

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The Magic of Book Dedications

To my sister Audrey. Thanks for being my wall.

T.S.O. The Bayshire, R.E. Klinzing

Hello readers!

Welcome back, where today we are talking about book dedications. I know it isn’t something usually discussed in book writing, or a necessary addition to a story, but they are important nonetheless. A book dedication, like the one from The Bayshire you see above, is usually found in the beginning of a book before the story even starts. It’s a little message or note from the author to a special person or group of people. Sometimes it’s more sentimental than others, but they are always fun to read and provide a glimpse into the author’s life and personality.

Book dedications are easy to write. Keep in mind, if you chose not to dedicate your book, there is nothing wrong with that! My first book, Finding Doom, didn’t have a book dedication. I’m already planning some dedications for the third and fourth books in the Teen Spy Organization series. For fun, here are some of my favorite book dedications from different authors. Maybe they can give you some ideas too.

Dedicated to America, whatever that is.

Visions of Cody, Jack Kerouac

The dedication of this book is split in seven ways: to Jessica, to David, to Kenzie, to Di, to Anne, and to you, if you have stuck with Harry until the very end.

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, J.K. Rowling

To my wonderful readers:

Sorry about that last cliff-hanger. Well, no, not really. HAHAHAHA. But seriously, I love you guys.

The House of Hades, Rick Riordan

So, you see how much fun book dedications can be? It doesn’t even need to be a specific person, although sometimes that is necessary.

In The Bayshire, I dedicated the book to my little sister, Audrey. The book wouldn’t be what it is without her. Audrey is the model you see on the front cover, with some photo editing of course. She lets me bounce all my crazy ideas off her while I ramble about my stories. Audrey is a big influence on the main character as well. Alexis really does get her stubbornness, her sarcasm, and her big heart from my sister. So, y’all should be thanking her for helping me create such an amazing character. It was because of all this that I dedicated the book to her. (Read the story and you’ll see what I mean.)

Well, people, it’s that simple this week. Comment below with your favorite book dedications, or maybe with a dedication you would love to see in a book!

Happy reading, everyone!

-R.E. Klinzing

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T.S.O. Bk. #2 The Bayshire

The adventure for the agents of the Teen Spy Organization continues.

Agent Alexis Mills, stationed in Ohio, is a top agent that carries out her missions with her impressive combat skills and teaching abilities. After failing to retrieve an artifact known as the Bayshire Stone, Alexis is taken off the case, and her goal of being the Defense Tactics Instructor at the T.S.O. Training Camp might as well be thrown out the window.

To learn what went wrong and reclaim her position as instructor, Agent Mills ignores her orders and travels across the country to finish the mission on her own. But bad memories and mysterious enemies keep her on her feet as startling secrets are uncovered. Alexis must seek help in some old friends and an archenemy. Now she wonders if the T.S.O. is in danger. Several questions remain. Can Agent Mills retrieve the Bayshire Stone, be reinstated as an instructor, and finish the mission before she gets caught? Or will she lose everything?

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