Kelly Nelson's Blog, page 4

Come “Like” The Keeper’s Saga Facebook Page

I love it when I can check something off my to-do list. This week’s check-offs include:

The Keeper’s Saga Facebook page. Please click here to follow my page: https://www.facebook.com/?ref=hp#!/TheKeepersSaga

Be the guest blogger on A.L. Sowards site. Come see my answers to her thought-provoking questions at: http://alsowards.com/2012/04/12/author-interview-with-kelly-nelson/

Set-up and advertise my first bookstore book signing. Saturday, April 14, 2012 from Noon to 2p.m. I will be signing books at Lighthouse Book & Bible, 1050 SW Baseline, Hillsboro, OR 97123, 503.693.1990 (located across the street from Bruce Chevrolet).

 

The Week’s Events

I love it when I can check something off my to-do list. This week’s check-offs include:

Set up and invite friends to follow The Keeper’s Saga Facebook page. Please click here to follow my page: https://www.facebook.com/?ref=hp#!/TheKeepersSaga

Be the guest blogger on A.L. Sowards site. Come see my answers to her thought-provoking questions at: http://alsowards.com/2012/04/12/author-interview-with-kelly-nelson/

Set-up and advertise my first bookstore booksigning. Saturday, April 14, 2012 from Noon to 2p.m. I will be signing books at Lighthouse Book & Bible, 1050 SW Baseline, Hillsboro, OR 97123, 503.693.1990 (located across the street from Bruce Chevrolet).

 

Reading Group Discussion Questions (click here)

Does your book club need a new book to read? How about The Keeper's Calling? Below are nine questions tailor-made for a group discussion.

~Reading Group Discussion Questions~

 1. What would you do if you were faced with a situation similar to the one Chase Harper experienced—alone in the wilderness with no cell service when you discover a corpse? (Chapter 1-2, pages 16 &19)

2. Many people entertain the idea of destiny or the Fates, and although things happen that we have no control over, we do control our reactions. How have you responded to sudden and unexpected changes in your life? (Chapter 3, page 22)

3. If you found the counter, what would you do with it once you discovered what it was? (Chapter 4, page 53)

4. Chase Harper and his sister Jessica stretch the truth and even lie to protect Ellie and the secret of the counter. When, if ever, is it acceptable to justify lying for the sake of the greater good? (Chapter 5, pages 63 & 66)

5. Lord Arbon had aspired to the calling of Master Keeper, and seeing his brother chosen for the honor infuriated him. Have you ever begrudged someone because of their good fortune, or felt jealous of their success? What can be done to combat these feelings of envy? (Chapter 15, page 163)

6. Speaking of his older brother Lord Arbon, Master Archidus says, "He allowed his bitterness and anger over a trivial disappointment to fester until his desire for revenge was insatiable." In your circle of friends and acquaintances can you think of an instance when a small offense became a huge rift in a relationship? How could the outcome have been different if they would have been willing to forgive and forget? (Chapter 15, page 163-164)

7. When faced with a trial, we often ask, "Why me?" After considering rejecting the call to be Keeper, Chase thinks, "Why not me? Am I entitled to a life of ease anymore than anyone else?" How can altering our attitude impact the way we endure and overcome our trials? (Chapter 15, page 169)

8. Chase being sent by Master Archidus to help Garrick in 1817 can be likened to the Lord sending help in the form of a friend or family member during our time of need. Have you ever considered that a timely word of encouragement or a helping hand from a friend may have actually been inspired from the Lord? Has the Lord ever intervened to help you, and in what ways? (Chapter 23, page 238)

9. If The Keeper's Calling was made into a major motion picture, who would you cast as Chase Harper? Ellie Williams? Garrick? Jessica? Master Archidus?

When Have I Failed? (click here to read more)

That is the question I asked myself one dreary and discourage-filled day. I had devoted time equivalent to working a full-time job for the past two years with no concrete proof of any progress in my quest to get my book published. After 14 letters of rejection delivered via US Postal Service, 10 emailed queries to agents who decided it wasn't the right fit for their agency, 7 emailed queries to publishers who said, "No thanks" or simply didn't reply, 5 contests entered and changing the title at least 4 times, who wouldn't wonder if that equaled a failed attempt. I could hear it already, 'good try, too bad it didn't work out for you.'

As I contemplated walking away from everything that had to do with publishing and going back to a life of ease riding my horses, a thought came to me as clear as if someone had spoken it aloud. "You haven't failed until you quit trying."

I used to HATE rejection, but now I am grateful for each rejection I received because they helped shape and refine my novel and myself. The rejections motivated me to take writing classes, attend conferences, study grammar books, and rewrite again and again. Each rejection brought me to my knees, strengthening my relationship with the Lord as I asked what I needed to do differently.

In the end, no one rejected the version of the book I ultimately submitted to Walnut Springs Press. It had been through a complete metamorphosis and wasn't the ugly caterpillar I had submitted everywhere else, The Keeper's Calling was now a butterfly.

Thank you Betsy Love for the Facebook status and picture below that motivated this blog post!

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I am on Amazon.com

Well, not me personally, but my book is! Check it out at:  http://www.amazon.com/Keepers-Calling-Kelly-Nelson/dp/1599928442/ref=sr_1_7?ie=UTF8&qid=1329855999&sr=8-7 

When I found out last week that The Keeper's Calling would be available on Amazon in a week or two, I couldn't help myself. I started visiting http://www.amazon.com/ every day . . . just to see. What a surprise when the thumbnail picture of my book greeted me upon my visit today. Sure enough, there was book, available for pre-order. Cyber world, The Keeper's Calling has arrived.

Cover Photo & News on the Series (click here)

I am so excited! Walnut Springs Press has decided to publish my trilogy, The Keeper's Saga. My editor said, "The Keeper's Calling is definitely good enough to plan on doing all three books." That is music to my ears.

The Keeper's Calling will be in stores and available online mid-March 2012. Book 2, The Keeper's Quest, will be released late summer 2012. And book 3, The Keeper's Defiance, has a target release date of early spring 2013. Click on the "Books" page above for more information.

To post a comment, click comment below and scroll down to the bottom of the page. I look forward to hearing from you.

Random Thoughts on a New Year (click here)

Like everyone else, the beginning of a new year tends to make me ponder things, such as, where I am, what I'm doing with my life, and where I want to be at the end of the year. Hence, New Year's Resolutions! I generally consider myself a persistent person. If I haven't reached a previous goal, I tend to roll it over to the new year and press on, hoping to eventually conquer the beast.

In 2009, I set the goal to write a book. I exceeded my expectations, tripling my goal that year, finishing not one but three of them. In 2010, I set the goal to publish a book. Never have I worked harder to accomplish a goal. But alas, December 31, 2010 found me without a publishing contract. So, the annual, New-Year's-Resolutions family home evening rolled around, and I again issued the publishing goal for myself. This time, with an additional ounce(okay, maybe it was a ton) of work, a little luck, and a generous sprinkling of Heavenly blessings, I reached my goal. I'm sure my hand was shaking as I penned my sloppy "John Hancock" on the Author's Signature of my Walnut Springs Press contract line on December 21, 2011.

As with so many things in life, what we previously saw as the finish line, we soon come to realize is only a check-point in a much lengthier race. Like getting married in the temple, having a baby, securing that first "real" job out of college. Those are goals which many of us are striving for or have strived for, but in each case, reaching those goals simply marks the start of the next leg in the relay race of life. So it was for me. I see now, that although I reached a major milestone, I am only just beginning.

It is a privilege, for which I am most grateful, to be able to include in my 2012 goals things like:

Travel the Wasatch front doing book signings to promote The Keeper's Calling.
Join LDS Storymakers(an exclusive organization limited to published authors).
Attend the PNWA writers conference as an author and participate in their bookstore/author autograph party.
Sell enough books that my publisher will publish Book 2 of The Keeper Series. As my editor said, "If book 1 sells well, we will publish book 2."
Get The Farmer's Deception, my LDS contemporary romance novel, published.
But most importantly, I want to spend time with my rapidly maturing family. This year may be our last one together as our oldest daughter will be heading off to college in the fall.
Lastly, my roll-over goals. The ones that are never finished and must simply become a way of life. Read my scriptures, ride my horse more, and go to the gym.

Happy New Year my friends! May 2012 find you all happy, healthy, and hopeful in your quest to make your dreams come true.

Why do I love writing? (click here)

Why do I love writing? I asked myself that question one day because it struck me as an odd thing to actually enjoy doing. I mean, really, sitting in front of a computer screen and plunking out a seemingly endless stream of words on the keyboard should be boring, right? Isn't life about doing? I traditionally thought the fun was all in the doing, so I wanted to research and meditate on that puzzling conundrum.

As I pondered the question my mind revisited the talk President Dieter F. Uchtdorf gave in the 2008 Relief Society General Broadcast. He talked of striving for God's happiness and quoted Moses 1:39. "Behold, this is my work and my glory—to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man."

He goes on to say, "Heavenly Father is able to accomplish these two great goals—the immortality and eternal life of man—because He is a God of creation and compassion. Creating and being compassionate are two objectives that contribute to our Heavenly Father's perfect happiness. Creating and being compassionate are two activities that we as His spirit children can and should emulate.

"The desire to create is one of the deepest yearnings of the human soul. No matter our talents, education, backgrounds, or abilities, we each have an inherent wish to create something that did not exist before.

"Creation brings deep satisfaction and fulfillment. We develop ourselves and others when we take unorganized matter into our hands and mold it into something of beauty . . ."

That was an ah-ha moment for me—a true epiphany. What I loved wasn't the writing, it was the creating. The characters, the world they lived in, the problems they faced, and the resulting growth and maturity they experienced were my creations. They were real to me, even if only in my mind. I glimpsed in a microscopic way, the joy our Heavenly Father and our Savior Jesus Christ must have felt as they created the Earth and all the creatures and people that live on it.

I noticed another strange phenomenon. The year I spent writing my books, was the happiest year of my life. I felt more content, had a brighter outlook on the future, and was physically healthier than at any other time I could remember. To sum it up, I felt great! I add my voice to that of President Uchtdorf's, who challenged us all to go and create something. I promise you won't regret it!

(Thoughts or ideas to share? Click comment below and scroll down to the bottom of the page.)

Home Page (click here)

 

Welcome! Thank you for visiting my website. I'm pleased to announce the upcoming release of my debut novel, The Keeper's Calling, to be published by Walnut Springs Press. The Keeper's Calling is scheduled to be released in March of 2012.

If you'd like to receive an update when The Keeper's Calling is available, please join my mailing list. Click the Questions or Inquires box in the upper right hand corner and leave your name and email address.

To post a comment, click comment below and scroll down to the bottom of the page. I look forward to hearing from you.