E. Kaiser Writes's Blog, page 7

2 Month Update...

Hey Guys!!!

 So... hi! Yes... I've been silent on the blog since May, it would appear... which is interesting. It hasn't felt like that long.

 Clearly, if someone wants to keep close tabs on me and what I'm up to, it'd be a great idea to stalk me on FB, (makes one wonder more deeply about who else might be, also, doing the same? But then this is the internet, so pretty much, don't post it if you don't want the world to know! Right? ;-) )


 Okay! Back to the subject at hand!

 I actually have gotten a ton of stuff done between my last post and this... so a quick recap of the past 2 months goes thusly:

 20k in June: Check!!! Yep, got that done, even though June turned out to be a busy month, and I faltered a bit in the middle, but I got 'er done!
 In fact, I was introduced to My Write Club through some connections made in Camp NaNoWriMo, and I've been using that to chart my progress every month. It's a huge boost to my determination, when I can watch that little chart going up, and the time/space shrinking... really puts the progress into perspective. :-)

 20k in July: for Camp NaNo in July I wanted to boost my usual monthly 20k up to a 30k, which I was able to accomplish. I did have to resort to counting in a blog post which I wrote for The Book Creators, who have invited me to post advice-y stuff there, and it's been an interesting challenge, one that will continue.


Mostly though, I've been trying to keep Real Life in order while working on updating and finalizing the five novels I have out at this time, in preparation for increasing their exposure. So editors and betas have been the order of the day, and there always seems to be a truly astonishing array of corrections to be made each time through!!!

 Also, I've been trying to bring along several art projects as we go, whose requestors have been very good at understanding the weird schedule that my projects usually run on! Also, they've got very busy lives, too, so we're all in the same boat!!! :-)
 It's good to know we're not alone, at least!

 Anyway, so here at the beginning of August I've gotten 5k started on my 20k for this month, so that's not too shabby, and I hope to be wrapping up some of the art stuff and getting that off to the very patient peoples whom await it! That'll be a great feeling, on both sides!!!

 Okay, well, here's another vote.

  Since I was gone from the blogosphere for about 2 months: Did you miss me?

 And how often would you really want to hear updates on my various projects?

 Finish anything up recently? If so, congrats to you!!! That's an accomplishment! (Both literally and figuratively!)

20k in May: Complete!

Okay!
  Well that was very down to the wire, but I've finished up my monthly goal of 20k for May just right now.
   So that's a great feeling!!!

  Want to know what's even greater?

      I have the urge to keep going on this scene that came to mind as I desperately needed one to finish out my word count for the month!




   That's one of the wonderful things about having a monthly goal, for me it allows a lot of flexibility within the month, but if assures that at least at some point, I will have to really push myself beyond the "comfort zone" of writing only when and if I totally, completely am inspired.
   And sometimes in those "reach zones" there is real treasure to be found!

  This scene is a perfect example... I had not thought to have the Tree King show up in the #4 Thaw book, but suddenly here he is and he's answering a lot of questions that have been sort of floating around all through this series so far. The profundity of his replies are setting up a whole slew of information, further enriching the world for this series to go forward in, and laying a foundational hints at some of the things that are to come.
   Though Ilise is totally oblivious to the clues... I think readers who read this series twice will catch a whole ton of suggestion here!!!

   I love moments like this. Gifts from the pinch-points, so to speak.


   What goal have you finished this month?
     Do you have a long range goal you're working on?

  You all take care!
     Elizabeth

Author Interview: Faith Blum, Amazing Grace release tour

Hey! Today we have with us indie author Faith Blum, stopping by on her release tour for her latest book, Amazing Grace, number 3 in the Hymns of the West series.



 E; Okay! So when writing a series like this, at what point in the process did  you get the idea of this book's plot?

F; When I started writing "Be Thou My Vision". I was writing it in first person and Caleb's character started to grow on me and I wanted to write more about him than I could in the first person account of Anna, Caleb's sister. So, I started coming up with a rough plot idea for "Amazing Grace" and the plot grew as I wrote it.

E; So you don't necessarily have things planned before you begin a particular book?

Tomorrow is the last day to get "A Mighty Fortress" for free! Get it here:F; In that case, no. When I started writing "A Mighty Fortress", I wasn't even thinking about doing a series. Then one of my beta-readers asked what book two was about. I told him I didn't have a book two, but my brain kind of took off from there. The original idea I had for book two ended up being book five now because I kept coming up with idea after idea after idea. All of which had to come before book five. 

E; AhahAh!!! I feel you there, Faith! 
 So, "book two idea" still isn't written?

F; No, it hasn't been. It's also a mystery and slightly intimidating, so I may have procrastinated on it slightly. Not much, but a little. Although, with the new idea I have for the mystery part, the procrastination was a good thing.

E; And where in the process did this current book's idea come up?

F; Which one? Amazing Grace or book five?

E; The one you're releasing now, Amazing Grace. 


On Amazon F; I think that happened while I was writing "Be Thou My Vision" and wanted to do more of Caleb's side of the story.

E; So how much of a plan did you have when you started writing Amazing Grace, and how much of it occurred to you as you wrote?

F; I knew the story would be about Caleb and his mail order bride and have a lot of Caleb's father in it. That's about all the planning I had. The rest came as I wrote it.

E; So you're a certified "fly by the seat of your pants"-ter, hm?

F; Sometimes. I sometimes plan it out more. But then, even if I have a plan, my characters sometimes change things on me. Quite a bit. With book four, the one I'm currently writing, I had a rough outline for the last few chapters, but a new character crept in and kind of inserted herself into the story. I think it was a very good thing, but I hadn't planned it originally.

E; Sounds like a good mix, to me!

F; I think so!

E; So how did you come up with the theme of naming the books after songs? And what made you choose these certain ones?

F; As I edited "A Mighty Fortress", I realized my characters sang or quoted the hymn a lot. So that title was born. "Be Thou My Vision" has Irish roots as do Anna and Caleb Stuart, so Anna's story was naturally that hymn. "Amazing Grace" is one of my favorite hymns and really fit the story or grace and redemption that I weave into "Amazing Grace". And of course, all of the hymns I pick would have actually been around during that time period.

E; Started out very organically, then. That's terrific! I love it when a title comes easily. Yes, the historical aspect to them is wonderful. So have you decided what the one you're writing now will be called? 

F; Yes, I have and that was the hardest one so far. I was originally going to name it "Come Thou Fount", but that didn't fit as well as I wanted to. Then when I was picking music one day for church, I decided I wanted to sing "The Lily of the Valley". As I read the words, I knew I had to look and see if that hymn could possibly work as a novel title. It did! And the best part is that it is based off of Song of Solomon which is where I plan to quote from at the beginning of my novel. So, the short answer is yes. Book four's title is "Lily of the Valley".

E; Beautiful title for Book 4!! These are all set in the American West during the 1870s. Having grown up in several different parts of that West, there's a wide range of area... "the West" is a huge region! What particular place have you set these, and why did you choose that route? Also, was there research to be done, or were you already familiar with the territory?

F;  Book one was set in Illinois, Wyoming, and Montana. Books two and three are set in Tennessee and book four is back in Montana. I chose Montana because I've always wanted to go there. I chose Tennessee because it worked well for the story. I didn't do much research of any of the places, just enough to put in a few descriptions. And I am not familiar with any of the places.

E;  Well, you know, Wisconsin in the "old days" was considered the West for a long time there. Have you ever thought of setting something in that area?

F; That's true. I haven't. Book six might end up being in Chicago, though. So that's close to Wisconsin!

E; So what was the most fun part of writing something set in the west, as an author? The thing you just loved the most that another setting wouldn't have given you as much rein on?

F; Being able to live vicariously through my characters as they travel the West.  Plus there was so much that happened in the Old West that it isn't as strict as say, the Regency era.

E; So, if there was one thing you'd like strangers to know about you from reading this book, what do you think it would be?

F; That it is only by God's grace that any of us are on this earth or that I was even able to write and publish this book!



About the Book
Caleb hurried to the post office. He had to get in and out before his sister finished at the general store. “Any mail for the Stuarts?” he asked the postmaster.The postmaster took a lazy look at him over the top of his eyeglasses and gave a heaving sigh as he turned around to check. “Yep. Somethin’ from Ohio and somethin’ from Montana.”Tapping his foot, Caleb waited until the large man put the letters lazily in his hand. As he left he wondered why Anna had written someone in Montana and who she knew in Montana. It was really none of his business, but he was still curious. He folded the Ohio letter in half and stashed it in his back pocket. It would get wrinkled, but at least Anna wouldn’t know about it.
As Caleb struggles through some inner battles, he secretly starts a correspondence with a widow and her daughter. Their unabashed faith in God convicts him and increases his inner struggles.
Unable to find a steady job, Maggie places an advertisement to become a mail-order bride. Her daughter, Rachel, is her motivation and encouragement, but if Maggie doesn’t find a job or husband soon, Rachel might not survive through the next year.
Can Caleb learn to trust God despite his past? Can Maggie and Rachel hold onto their faith despite all their trials? What will happen when they meet in person? 

About the AuthorAn avid reader, Faith Blum started writing at an early age. Whether it was a story about the camping trip that summer or a more creative story about fictional characters, she has always enjoyed writing. When not writing, Miss Blum enjoys reading, crafting, playing piano, Captaining on the Holy Worlds Historical Fiction Forum and playing games with her family (canasta, anyone?). As a history enthusiast who has been fascinated for years with the Old West, Faith has endeavored to create a clean, fun, and challenging Western story. Faith lives with her family on a hobby farm in the Northern Midwest, where she enjoys the many cats they have.You can find Faith on her Website, Blog, Facebook, and Twitter.


Blog Tour Schedule



April 27………Faith Blum……………….Introducing the TourApril 30………Jess Strong……………….Book SpotlightMay 4………...Annie Douglass…………..Character InterviewMay 7…………LeAnne            Douglas………...Book ReviewMay 11……….Shanna Hatfield………….Character InterviewMay 14 ……….Dee Strawbridge…………Book SpotlightMay 18 ……….Dawnita Fogleman………Book Review/Author InterviewMay 21 ……….Elizabeth Kaiser…………Author InterviewMay 25 ……….Emily Kopf………………Book ReviewMay 28 ……….Kathryn Fogleman……….Author InterviewJune 1…………Raechel…………………..Author InterviewJune 4…………Faith Blum……………….Novella Cover RevealJune 8…………Carlene Havel……………Book SpotlightJune 11 ……….Amanda Tero……………Book Review/Author InterviewJune 15……….Jaye L. Knight……………Character SpotlightJune 18 ……….Claire Banschbach………Author InterviewJune 22 ……….Tricia Mingerink…………Book SpotlightJune 25 ……….Karilyn Putt………………Book SpotlightJune 29 ……….Morgan Huenke…………..Book Review/Author InterviewJuly 2…………Faith Blum………………..The Wrap Up 

Goal Counters... Ticker Factory

 Hey!

 I posted previously about finding places to keep track of word goals with fun little sliding scale type gizmos, because they're so much more fun to watch whenever you get actual progress.

 I wasn't able to fully incorporate the ones that I did find, and also for some reason I wasn't able to handily update them.

 Now I'm trying the cute stuff they have over at Ticker Factory, and we'll see how this goes. I actually really like the one I was able to concoct in honor of my current 20k in May goal, so I'm hopeful that this might be the ticket for this kind of visual score keeping!


 
 What so you think?   Have you ever used Ticker Factory?      And can you viably imagine my writing progress as a swift racehorse galloping toward a finish line???

Why Section Breaks? ;-)

Here's just a handy-dandy link to a nice person's blog post sweetly explaining the reasons why one should use section breaks instead of page breaks when formatting in Word.
 http://noelleryan.com/2012/01/01/section-breaks-and-createspace/

 Yes.
  I am definitely likely to need this again, so I am putting it here.

 And if any of you lovely people need something like this, you can click through and learn something (which will probably make your head hurt... so be warned. Formatting is not for the faint of heart!)

   Hang in there!!

     Elizabeth

Guest Cover Reveal! Shantelle Mary Hannu

  I'm always excited to hear that fans of my books are taking the scary step and beginning to share their own work with others! I well remember being there... writers are a 'quiet type', and it's a big leap for the secretive creativity that grows best tucked away safe and sound in the deepest parts of your mind, slowly unfurling it's mysteries to no one but the inner eye.

 But a writer can't grow by keeping everything hidden, and so putting one's efforts out there is a necessary step... and one that can be very intimidating!
 I know it took me a long, long time before I even showed my sisters what I'd been writing when no one was around...!!!
 
 But a fan and reviewer, Shantelle Mary Hannu, is now taking that step, and is preparing to release her first work; a Cinderella retelling.
 She's collaborated with a friend to make up the cover art for her, and today is her cover reveal, the first step toward release!!!

 

About the Book
A MAID, a PRINCE, and a DUKE. A GARDENER, a STEPMOTHER, and a secret...
     Ellie Abbington, a beautiful yet unassuming young woman, quietly longs for her life to change. Too privileged to associate with the servants—too underprivileged to associate with her own family; she dreams a dream of a prince and a happily ever after.
     But it could be that her own stepsisters, conniving Dezmarie and easily-influenced Adelaide, are dreaming the same dream...of the same prince.
     In the end, are dreams even all they're made out to be? Especially with deep and long-hidden secrets about to be unearthed?Add to Goodreads!
A Dream Not Imagined is a non-magical fairytale novella based loosely on the classic tale of Cinderella.
Tentative Release Date: June 2015


  "Great job, Shantelle Mary! You've done a really good job with putting your Cover Reveal Tour together, and I look forward to seeing where you go in future!!" E. Kaiser Writes




About the Author
     Shantelle Mary Hannu was born in the mountainous west, spending her golden childhood years there. Since then, she has relocated time and again with her parents and seven siblings, making cherished memories in both the South and Central United States.      A Christian homeschool graduate, Shantelle has a passion for writing and all things books. From a young age she’s been penning tales with a hope of sharing with the world adventurous and soul-stirring stories that bring glory to God.     A Dream Not Imagined, a fairytale novella, will be
About the Illustrator
     Natasha H. is an aspiring photographer and also loves drawing and painting. A Dream Not Imagined is the first book she has drawn the cover picture for.     Learn more about her work at her blog: http://tashahphotography.blogspot.com/




Bloggers Participating in the Cover Reveal
HaydenWand at The Story Girl
Claire Banschbach at Claire M. Banschbach – Thoughts and Rants
Amber Stokes at Seasons of Humility
Ghost Ryter at Anything, Everything
Deborah O’Carroll at The Road of a Writer
E. Kaiser Writes at E. Kaiser Wrties-A-Blog
Alyssa-Faith at The American Anglophile
Hannah Williams at The Writer’s Window
Laura Pol at Crafty Booksheeps
Natasha H. at Through My Lens (+ review)
Skye Hoffert at Ink Castles
Jaye L. Knight at Jaye L. Knight’s Blog
Serena at Poetree
Brittney at Brittney’s Book Nook
Jesseca Dawn at Whimsical Writings
Lena K. at Read, Write, Laugh, DANCE
Allison Ruvidich at The Art of Storytelling
Shannon McDermott at Shannon McDermott’s Blog
Tricia Mingerink at The Pen of a Ready Writer

March & April Update

Hey Everybody!!!
   How's things been going with me? Well, thanks for asking... it's been going in fits and starts, so that's my writing!! I'm a hare-like writer, not a turtle... which I guess fits into everything I do. I binge.
  Sewing, quilting, everything. I'll stay up late into the night, skip meals, everything... then I hit a wall and the project is on halt, totally "done in" for days. Can't think of what to do next, even if it's just putting a seam into a jacket I'm remaking.
From an internet store: similar look.







 
 This very minute I'm wearing a (beautiful, crimson, 100% wool) jacket that spent all winter on my mannequin in my room half torn apart. I'm making it over from a boxy, 80's style long coat, into a shorter, fitted jacket; that tucks in at the waist and then "peplum-s" out over the hips. To this day it is
still not all finished.
  Last fall I got the necessary seams ripped, and the darts pinned and most of the things in mind set in, but then I was seized with indecision and couldn't bring myself to sew anything down.
 So it adorned my mannequin all winter, and then at the beginning of this month (or perhaps last) I suddenly had the idea to wear it around the house in it's pinned up state. I loved the way it wore, and so got the courage to sew down the various seams necessary to remove the pins. One at a time, on various days... I'm almost done now.
 All that remains is to put a finish on the hem, (sadly, I cut the swoop differently on either side, and now am violently in love with the longer side... so much so that I cannot in conscious settle to even it. So am I going to figure out a way to put some back onto the shorter side? No idea. Maybe. Stay tuned.)
 ...and also, have decided to leave slashes in the peplum part instead of inserting gussets the way I had originally thought. So those need to be closed up.

 And also I need to whip-stitch or else zigzag the top button hole I cut for the double breasted look. Right now it's just got a incremental machine stitch around the slash to hold it from unraveling... but I'll need to finish that off too.

Go here for a lovely explanation of all things redingote!  Anyway.. so yes! The good news? It's so warm! I'm loving it... and I also still love the way the sleeves were set in, kind of blousey for a wool coat, which gives it a kind of Edwardian/redingote style look.
 Love it. So cute.
  Also, the color is very crimson, which makes me happy. And since it's a blue based red, it doesn't make me look dead, which is a source of joy!  
   (Reds/oranges and I are not the best of friends... though I have often pined over a beautiful red that refuses to be my friend. So it there is a little-girl glee in now wearing a red that is amiable toward my complexion, and I feel that much warmer just seeing it whenever I glance down! )

 Anyway, it has a semi-military fit to it, which I've always admired. The old uniforms of previous centuries were often so very snazzy!
 In future I can always put some black embellishments on to enhance that feel, and maybe some gold. (Possibly braid? )
 Though I might ought to go with silver if I do, because I'm a silver-ish person, and this red goes with me, so it probably deserves silver, too.

 Anyway, all that to say, Yes! I'm writing along in fits and starts, and am now up to 9k on my Camp NaNo project, the Beaded Slipper. This Cinderella is turning out to be quite different than the others, which I'm really liking... because I've never cared for the passivity of the original character.
 Elinor has much more on her mind than just having a night off... and she may possibly be influenced by the illustrious Miss Dashwood where she partially borrows her name from, but she is much more "step up to the bat" then Jane Austen's heroine, as well.


 So! That's my progress on April's 20k goal... which if things go well, I hope to up to 30k goal for Camp NaNo. It's always so satisfying to get more done on a Camp NaNo month than usual months... and the Beaded Slipper can use the progress!
  Seeing as it is the earliest, chronologically, in the series... I want to have it ready to release as soon as possible, and it seems to have slipped a bit, sort of fallen behind it's second sibling the dashing Twelve Dark Knights. (Oooh!! But that one is so much fun! It's stolen most of my "free time" writing... so Beaded Slipper has to be scheduled into existence!!!)


 I also need to work on a cover to draw inspiration from...
    And yes... I did get my March 20k complete, and one day early, too!

Guest Author: Kendra E. Ardnek

 Today we have with us a fellow "fairy-tale re-teller" of a writer, Kendra E. Ardnek. She hails from Texas, and is bringing out her sixth release, My Kingdom For A Ques t , set in her world of Bookania.

E: What draws you to writing with "mix and match fairytale" elements instead of inventing everything from scratch? Why is this more fun? 

K: I won't say it's more fun, since I do love building the plots in my original worlds as well. However, I've always loved fairy tales, I grew up listening to my mother's renditions of them (and she's an amazing storyteller). I believe the first book I ever wrote was a retelling of the ugly duckling, and somewhere in my desk I have a retelling of Rumplestilskin and a Paul Bunyan story.

 I love the challenge that comes with retelling fairy tales. How can I make this story mine and work it into the mythos of the Bookania that I've created? Some of the fairy tales have been difficult, but it's always so rewarding when I realize where the story belongs, and everything clicks into place and is perfect. I especially love drawing on the more obscure tales, such as "Casperl and the Princess," bringing them to light and giving them some time in the sun.

E: What do you think gives the fairy-tales that have come down through the generations to us such a lasting quality? Why do you think they are still around, when in each decade more and different writers are all adding to the huge literary tradition that is available in the English language?

K: I'm not entirely certain. Many fairy tales, such as Cinderella, have existed in some form or fashion for millennia, perhaps predating even the flood. There's a timelessness to the messages that many carry, and an ease with which most can be told. 
As for why they're still popular today, despite the inundation of so much modern literature? Actually, I think Disney might be to blame for that. Snow White was the first movie they ever made, and ten years later, they followed with Cinderella, in an attempt to produce something to help pull them out of financial difficulties following the second world war. After taking thirty years off from animated films, they chose to return with The Little Mermaid. As much as you and I may complain about how much Disney changed our beloved tales, they've made sure that they're a huge part of every little girl's childhood.

E: True! Good point... that is an interesting angle in itself. What makes fairytale retellings such good bets for Disney, as well, then, hm? Hahah! One question just leads to another!  Once you start with this style of story, will there ever be a time when you "run out" of material? Or is the heap of resources so inexhaustible that you can only foresee yourself quitting by saying "I'm Stopping!!!"? 

K: I have a notebook that contains the titles of 21 volumes for the Bookania Quests, and I have untitled plots and stories set beyond that point. The only way I foresee myself quitting this series is dying.

There are just so many great fairy tales, many of which I know for certain where they go, others that I only have a vague idea or no clue at all. My personal repertoire of fairy tales that I know off the top of my head is somewhere over a hundred, with multiple versions of many of those tales. I'm also working in legends, such as Robin Hood, and myths such as King Arthur and the Odyssey. I even have a few Shakespearean plays scheduled to make their appearances.
Unless you limit yourself to just the "popular" fairy tales, this isn't something you're going to run out of any time soon.
E: I agree with you! And have the same "problem" myself... I'd like to be finished with this series, but the 18 plotted tales (only 3 released!) make for a daunting pile to see the bottom of! Though, I suppose other things can be done in the "interim" between writing these...   So, what do you think can be learned from fairy-tales, and/or their retellings?
K: Literature in general is a study of people's beliefs. You can learn about the values of the Greeks by reading their mythologies, the middle east by perusing the Arabian Nights, and Fairy Tales are no different. The modern retellings are no different.
And by taking them in as a whole, we can see that, as a race, at our core, humans have changed very little. We love and hate, we seek glory and knowledge, and above all, we have a fascination with that which is beyond the natural world. We all still love a good story.

E: Do you feel that you include Christian themes in your tales, and how does that show up? Don't be afraid to give us examples!

K: Had you asked me this question three years ago following the publication of the first book, I would have shrugged slightly and admitted that there wasn't very much in there. Now, with the third book of the series (and my sixth book all told), my answer is a strong yes. In Bookania, God is called the Author. For the past hundred years, however, most of the royalty and nobility have turned their backs on him. It's interesting writing their return to faith.
 E: Ah, that can be a tricky road to trace out... Here's wishing you success! Thanks for joining us and sharing some of your methods with us!
Back Cover: Arthur is the rightful king of Briton, but his Uncle Mordreth refuses to give up the regency. Arthur and Grandfather are now returning with allies to wrestle the kingdom from his uncle's grasp. But not all is as it seems among his allies, and everyone has secrets. New loves, old loves, lost loves, kingdoms conquered and kingdoms stolen. Who is the real "rightful heir" and will the nearly forgotten sword in the stone finally answer this question?
My Kingdom For A Quest  can be seen on Goodreads; is available on Kindle,in print as a Paperback.
Snippet “Only twelve hours! Leo, there is no way to escape Briton Dungeons. No way!”“That’s what they said in the dungeons of Fronce, too,” said Leo absentmindedly, taking a sip of his gruel. “Now be quiet while I think. And eat up. We’re going to need our strength!”“Dungeons in Fronce!” Gavin squeaked.“Yes, now those were dungeons! Now be quiet.”Gavin fell silent and simply stared in the direction of his friend, the look on his face (had it been visible in that dark cell) a mixture of confusion, awe, and horror.“You wouldn’t have happened to have fallen in love with any young lady who would be able to arrange for a soldier to play traitor and get us out of here, now would you?” Leo suddenly asked.“No…”“Ah, well, I suppose that not every young lady can be so obliging. And now that I think about it, it’s as good a way into the dungeon as out. Now where was I … No, bribing the guards is out of the question. All we have is gruel to call our own, and I’m sure they have much better food in the soldier’s quarters.”“We’ll never get out of here!” Gavin moaned.“That’s what you think. That’s what everyone thinks,” said Leo. “But I tell you, there’s a way out of every sticky situation. You just have to be observant and look for it.” Leo frowned as he set his now-empty bowl to the side. “It’s too bad Mordreth doesn’t have any daughters for us to charm. Only that good-for-nothing Kew, and I really don’t see him helping. And Arthur’s gone, so that’s out of the question.”“If Prince Arthur was here,” said Gavin, “we wouldn’t be in the dungeon.”“Good point,” said Leo. “As I was saying, we could always try to steal a key and unlock the door, but that can be a very tricky business, and it’s very easy to get caught. And then where would we be? Probably talking about death sentences some more. Honestly, they don’t bother me, just all this talk about them. It’s enough to drive a man mad.”
Sew, It's a Quest (The Bookania Quests Book 1)Do You Take This Quest? (The Bookania Quests Book 2) The Ankulen The Woodcutter Quince and Other Stories Saffron's Big Plan and Other Stories                                                                                        Check out the other stops on this Tour!
Author: Kendra E. Ardnek loves fairy tales and twisting them in new and exciting ways.  She's been practicing her skills on her dozen plus cousins and siblings for years, "Finish your story, Kendra", is frequently heard at family gatherings.  Her sole life goal has always been to grow up and be an author of fantasy and children's tales that also glorify God and his Word. You can read more about her on her blog, knittedbygodsplan.blogspot.com.

Thaw: release GiveAway: WINNERS!!!

Okay, peoples!!! How exciting is this??!!!

 I can't believe we just started this on the 5th and already it's DONE!!! Where did the time go? It's like I blinked and it zoomed by!

Well, I'm sure you all are feeling the same way, so we'll get right down to brass tacks with today's subject.

  Today we get to find out who the winners are!!!

    "Win'wing... 'win'wing is what b'wings us togev'ew to'w'day..." (Bonus points if you just heard that in Princes Bride worthy lisp!)

"Okay! So..." the MC in black velvet jacket, suit vest, and flowing Spanish riding style skirt, steps up to the podium.

*while the crowd waits breathlessly,*

"...here we go to the randomness generators...."

  *hushed silence fills the domed hall, and a faint, sh-sh-sh kind of whirring can barely be heard. Everyone holds they're breath... They're starting to strangle...*

 "And here we have it!!!" *MC holds ticket in the air and the crowd can breath again.*  (Everyone is super relieved, and so focused on the proceedings that they don't notice that they just narrowly escaped asphyxiation...)


 "Our first winner today is Abi Pearson !!!"

   *thunderous applause, waves and waves of it*

 "Congratulations, Abi!"

 *the crowd looks around as a gorgeous blonde in a gorgeous white dress stands from amidst them and takes a small bow*

 "Come on up here Abi! And let us shake your hand!"

  *applause continues as the cute-faced blonde, with a sprig of babies' breath in her hair, walks up the red carpeted aisle and steps into the spotlight*

 "You are the proud winner of the Winter's Child print ARC, book 1, Abi Pearson!" MC and Abi Pearson clasp hands, both smiling.
  "And thanks so much for entering... and your winning entry was Subscribing to the Announcements Only Newsletter!!! Thanks so much for that!"

*Abi Pearson smiles and waves to the crowd*

"Okay, Abi, thanks for joining us up here, and we'll let you go now."

*audience applauds as Abi Pearson returns to her seat*

*a hush settles once more... as MC unfolds the next winner's name... you could hear a pin drop...*

 "And the next winner is..." the painted cherubs on the domed ceiling seem to lean forward, listening...

 "Rachel at Bookworm Reading!!"

   *the audience bursts into waves of applause, creating a deafening roar*

 *MC waits until the noise dies down, and then bows*

  "Rachel is uncomfortable with a big fuss being made about her, so we'll just say Congratulations, Rachel! You've won a print ARC copy of book 2, Thaw: Winter Queen, with your blog comment entry!"

 MC applauds along with the crowd.

 "Thanks for joining us, Rachel, and we'll be looking forward to sending that out to you!"

 *spattered applause breaks out throughout the crowd as the MC straightens her face and prepares to read the third winner*

 "And our third winner is...."
       *hushed anticipation...*
            "Si- erra BLASKO!!!"

 *the crowd erupts in a roar*

*a dark haired fifteen year old girl jumps out from her seat and races to the podium*

 "The very same Sierra Blasko, ladies and gentlemen, from the Space Kitties Anthology, randomly won with her blog comment!"

"Oh, wow, oh wow..." Sierra beams. "I'm so excited!"

 MC and Sierra shake hands and grin at each other.  "Congrats, Sierra!!! Not only on being one of the authors included in the Space Kitties, but ALSO as a winner of a shiny, print ARC of book 3, Thaw: Prince of Demargen!!!"

 *trumpets blare out with a triumphant riff*

"Thank-you! Yes!"

 *the crowd goes wild once more*
 
 "This just seems to be a great season for you, Sierra!" MC smiles and puts her white gloved hands together along with the crowd: the hall falls suddenly dark as night and sparkling fireworks crackle and soar across the  high dome.

 *some of the audience members begin to crouch in alarm, before remembering that the festivities are partially sponsored by the Perfect Illusion Firecracker Company, (Bringing Safe, Fake Fireworks to Every Place & Occasion)*

 Through the dramatic display, some members see the black silhouette of Sierra as she returns to her place.

 *the noise eventually dies down, the firecrackers wink out and the dome lights back up*

 "Okay! Those are the print ARCs that have found their new owners!" the MC shifts to take in the whole crowd and a smattering of applause ripples through the hall.

 "So now we see where those PDFs are going!"

*the trumpets play a soft, suspenseful cascade of notes*

  "All right!" MC pulls the paper out and looks at it officiously for a second, keeping the crowd on bated breath.

 "Deborah O'Carroll!" MC sticks her hand in the air holding the winning name high, and the place booms with roars of applause. Even the paintings on the dome seem to shimmer in the excitment.

 "Deborah O'Carroll, who has been wanting to read this book for a while now, is going to get that opportunity! She has randomly won the PDF of book 1, Thaw: Winter's Child, with her entry of a Subscription to the Announcements Only Newsletter!" MC beams around at everyone.
"Unfortunately she could not attend, but we'll see if we can't get her on the screen here after the main ceremonies."

*the crowd applauds once again*

 "Congratulations, Deborah!" the MC smiles at the crowd, and the audience hushes slowly.

 When all is finally still once more, there is a pause.

"And our next winner is..." MC unfolds the paper slowly. "LeAnne Douglas!!!"

 *confetti shoots out of little cannons concealed among the seats and disco lights stab the suddenly darkened hall, lighting up the floating confetti and dancing to the quick strains of fast paced violin music*

*the audience claps and starts bouncing in their seats in time to the music*

 The MC speaks above the music while the colored lights and colored papers seem to dance in the air above the crowd.

 "LeAnne Douglas wins an e-cpy of book 2, Thaw: Winter Queen, with her Subscription to the Announcements Only Newsletter!" MC claps along with the crowd. "Congratulations, LeAnne, and
thanks so much for joining us here!!!"

*the confetti slowly falls out of the air, but specially designed vacuums suck it away just before it falls on anyone. They are so quiet, most people don't even notice, but those who do remember the festivities are also partially sponsored by the Totally Automatic and Completely Silent Vacuum Company (Bringing Ease of Clean-Up to Every Home & Situation)*

 *drums roll a long, thaaaa, ruuu, rum-puuum*

"And for our last winner of the day, Ladies and Gentleman..." the MC draws the suspense out while staring at the paper. "Please join me in congratulating... the winner of book 3, Thaw: Prince of Demargen in pdf...."

 *the drums continue to roll...*

 "Miss...!"

 *the crowd holds its breath...*

  "Ash lee ...!!!"

 *the MC seems to be holding her breath...*

  " Willis !!! "

 *the applause is deafening, and the trumpets all ring out*

"Ashlee Willis, author of Word Changers, has won the sixth prize!!!" the MC holds the paper with the winning name up in the air. "Congratulations, Ashlee!!!"

 *the drums roll dramatically, fireworks shoot off again, the violins play a lightning fast tribute to Micheal Flatley, and the disco lights whirl and flash on and among all the rows and rows of the massive audience attendance in time to the music. The crowd keeps quick time with their claps and many are dancing in their seats as the dramatic event reaches a heart thumping crescendo*

 "Thank you so much for being here!" The MC shouts into the mic and is barely, but clearly, heard above the dance of sound and light. "To each and every one of you: We appreciate you so much!!!"

 The violins ache and shimmer in the flashing lights. 
 *the unmistakable click-click-clickety-ing grows louder as an undertone in the music*

 "Congratulations to all our winners...!"

 *the music has twined around everyone there, and the audience is on it's feet...*

 " And a huge thank you to our wonderful, generous hosts on the blog tour!" The MC swivels to catch the other half of the massive audience in her sight. "...Which is still going on, so make sure to keep an eye on that!" She points to a leader board that lights up, with over twenty blogs prominently displayed in flashing lights with the date that they hosted the Thaw: release tour.

   *the crowd is swaying on its feet, unable to be still a single second more*

 "And a thank-you to our partial sponsors... the Perfect Illusion Firecracker Company, (Bringing Safe, Fake Fireworks to Every Place & Occasion)"

 *the crowd joins hands and begins to step in time to the inescapable music*

"The Totally Automatic and Completely Silent Vacuum Company (Bringing Ease of Clean-Up to Every Home & Situation)"

  *suddenly the plush, red velvet seating simply folds up and slips back into the floor, leaving a perfectly smooth dance floor underneath the crowd's feet*

 "...And the Top Class Awards-Ceremony Seating Company, (Bringing Automatically-Disappearing Plush Velvet Seating to the World)" the MC presses on, holding out against the insistent music.

 *no longer constrained by seating, the crowd synchronizes in full Irish dancing; the recorded track of shoe taps being drowned out by the live sounds of the audience completely fulfilling all it's Irish dancing dreams*


 "And thank you for coming!" The MC lifts her gloved hands to the audience, who is barely paying any attention. Row upon row of flashing feet click and clickety faster and faster as a the violins wail and cry in the rising tempo.

 The sound of the massive crowd, all Irish dancing in full clogs, (courtesy of the Irish River Imedi-Clog Company, who got permission to use this event as a trial.) As I said, it nearly drowns the clatter of hooves as a horse approaches at a gallop.
 The MC starts as the white beastie bursts from stage left and skids to a halt right next to her.

 The front row of dancers are the only ones who can hear her as the MC tries to ward the horse off for fear of getting white hairs on her black velvet jacket.
"No, Tompte... no..." She protests, but the horse just stares at her.
"All right!" She yelps, pulling her shoulder back quickly as he tries to put a furry white cheek against it.
 "Here..." she growls, and grabs a small black clicker. Pointing at the blackness behind the stage she clicks the button, and a promo image springs to glorious life.

 Tompte looks at the artistic rendering of himself and tips his head back and forth in the air, as if he's
very pleased with the result.

"You are such a prima-donna..." the MC mutters and shoves the clicker in her black velvet pocket. "You're an embarrassment! Ruined the ending!"

 Tompte just looks from her to the promo and blinks as if to say "I just saved the ending. You're welcome."

 "Well, at least you had the decency to come saddled." the MC grasps the opportunity to turn the unscheduled appearance into something that looked planned. She grabs a handful of mane and vaults into the saddle, glad she'd opted to wear her black split skirt instead of the one with ruffles.
 Kneeing the horse around, she leans over and speaks into the mic.

 "The banquet hall will be open until midnight..." her words carry loud and clear over the audience, but the madly Irish dancing crowd appears to ignore her in favor of keeping perfect time with everyone else.

  "Oh, never mind..." she straightens,  then gives Tompte the cue. He leaps into a soft lope and carries her off the stage, down along the aisle and out past the grinning crowd of Irish dancers.

 At the back of the hall Tompte pauses, and the MC looks back. Over the heads of the dancers the lighted promo image of the white horse stands out starkly. The word Thaw: is clearly readable.
 The MC grins.
 "Yeah, okay. Maybe you were right." she shrugs, but Tompte knows it's as good as a mile. "That does look pretty good."
 The horse snorts as if to say "I told you so." then wheels and trots through the doors.
 Behind them the music goes on, and the crowd is lost in a dream of energetic Celtic footwork.

The End 

So tell me; did you enjoy the GiveAway Announcement Ceremony?

 Did you get any confetti on you? (The Totally Automatic and Completely Silent Vacuum Company wants to know. If you did, please file section four of your leaflet on your way out.)

 Were the Irish River Imedi-Clogs easy to slip on over your shoes? (Thanks so much for any voluntary information you can share...)

 And are you at all interested in special offers from the Perfect Illusion Firecracker Company or the Top Class Awards-Ceremony Seating Company? (You can pick up more information by the door, they are collecting addresses of interested parties.)

 But most of all, which was your favorite part?
 (Did we go overboard with the drums and the violins? Should we confine ourselves to just the trumpets next time?)
 Thank-you so much for coming!

Thaw: series LAUNCH! Yes!!!

Winter's Child is on AmazoWell, here it is!
                    *Trumpets blare: Ta-rum!!!*
   The beginning of the launch for the Thaw: series! We're very excited about this series, not just because the first three books are kind of heart wringers, (which we've heard reports that they are,) but because of all the brand new vistas these books lead to!

 Anyway, so Winter's Child is live on Amazon Kindle books as we speak, and the others will be going up throughout the week. 
Winter Queen 
Prince of Demargen  Winter Queen is scheduled to be out on the 7th, which is Wednesday (for all you people who are like me and hardly aware of what today is, let alone the 7th!)

 ... and Prince of Demargen is going to be out on the 10th. (Which is Saturday! So, whoo-hooo!!!)
(We also intend to have these in print through Create Space, so we hope to have those out soon!)

  We are welcoming just about anyone who wants to join us in this launch, so if you have a blog, or want to put something on your social media, just contact me! As always, feel free to share the images, with links back! Thanks!

 And we'll be running a Rafflecopter giveaway stretching from the 5th to the 20th, so there will be lots of time to spread the word and get lots of entries in!
  There will be 6 winners, and they'll be drawn randomly by the widget, so we'll all be looking forward to that on the 20th!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

We and the giveaway are featured Jan. 5th on Homeschooled Authors.
Jan. 6th on Kelsey's Notebook
Jan. 7th on Faith Blum's Blog
Jan. 8th on The Rambling Writer
Jan. 9th on The Rambling Writer, again,
Jan. 10th on
Jan. 12th on Realm Explorers