Kate Avery Ellison's Blog, page 7
February 4, 2015
The Season of Lightning Chapter 1
Hi all,
I thought I'd share the first chapter of The Season of Lightning, my newest book that releases on Feb 20 (and available now for pre-order on Amazon). The book will be releasing on Nook and in paperback as well.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
THE SOLDIERS HAD their guns pointed straight at me.The sky was cloudless and blue as azure above us, the air dry and hot with late summer heat. I was bruised from falling off Gryphon, my horse, and my temper was as short as the hair of a newly articled servant.I’d escaped from the house on horseback after another argument with the housekeeper about my inability to keep shoes on while walking the grounds. Riding Gryphon hard across the gold-brown flatlands outside the fields of the plantation made my head clear, so I’d given him slack in the reins, and that brat took the bit in his teeth and ran wild for the Jessu River, which cut like a jewel-green snake through the hills between our land and the port city at the edge of the sea. He’d been startled by a hawk in the foothills and thrown me, and then my companion, Trilly, had shown up with the air of a martyr and the scolding of a sergeant to usher me home on foot.We’d been arguing about the propriety of my actions when the soldiers appeared, guns slung across their arms, on patrol against smugglers that sometimes roamed the river at night. I’d known immediately by the expression that crossed the big one’s face that we were in trouble.Now, he was toying with us like a cat plays with an injured sparrow.They were young soldiers—new ones I’d never seen before—the buttons on the gold-embroidered uniforms still sparkled clean and bright in the sunlight, the fringe on their belt-ends still hung straight and soft and clean, unstained by the dust of the canyons that edged the river. Their faces were sunburned, their eyebrows drawn together like locked gates as they looked at me. One was tall, with bright blond hair that marked him as barbarian-blooded somewhere in his past. A foreigner. He jerked his chin at me.“What’s your business on this road?”He spoke with the lazy drawl of a man who knows he will be having some fun and who wants to take his time so he can savor it.The second soldier, who was smaller, swarthier, and darker-haired, an Austrisian, looked away at the twisted trees lining the water of the Jessu instead of the boardwalk we stood on. One of his eyebrows lifted a little, as if he wanted to say something, but couldn’t find the courage to speak in front of the blond.“I was riding my horse, and I fell off when a bird flew up from behind a rock and startled him. He reared, dumping me. We were walking home, where he has surely already gone.” My words came out stiff and hoarse instead of cold and strong like I wanted.The yellow-haired soldier frowned. “Let me see your papers.”This was, of course, an outrage. I wasn’t carrying papers because I didn’t have any, because I wasn’t a bonded servant or a silvra freewoman, or a tyrra like these men assumed. My hair might be curly with a hint of red-brown and my skin milky with a touch of bronze in the summer like a tyyra, the river people who lived in our land as immigrants and strangers, but I was the daughter of a plantation owner, an Austrisian, and I had every right in the world to be walking on this road with my companion.“Didn’t you hear me? I want to see your papers.”“I don’t have them, you idiot. I don’t need them.”“Oh?” His mouth turned down, but his eyes sparkled. The malice in them made me furious instead of afraid.“My name is Verity Ely—”“Shut up. I only want to see the notification that you have the right to escort this seevver along this route. I don’t want a sob story.”I quit feeling frightened when the word seevverleft his lips like a breath of smoke.“You pig,” I snapped, drawing in a quick, sharp breath. “We don’t need papers. Get your guns out of our faces before I have my father arrest you. I—”“I said shut up!” He stepped forward fast, grabbing my shoulder hard. Trilly screamed, and the other soldier started to raise his gun at Trilly.The soldier’s hands dug into my arm. His eyes blazed as they stared into mine, and out of the corner of my eye, I saw his weapon in his hand, and the way his fingers tightened reflexively over the trigger. His breath was hot against my chin.“I’ll teach you to insult me, you little minx. Your father, you say? He’s probably dead in a ditch somewhere, shot for insolence against a patrol. You need to be taught a lesson.”I heard the sharp rap of a horse’s hooves on the boardwalk, and my mind screamed out for salvation from this new person, but the soldier ignored the sound of hoofbeats, drunk with his station and the power that came with his firearm. He knew as well as I that no farmer would mess with him, not with a gun in his hand, not with the uniform he wore on his back, not with the fury written all over his face.My heartbeat pulsed in my throat. My shoulder ached beneath his hands. I saw the way his jaw tightened as though he was holding his temper in check, but just barely.“For the last time, girl,” he growled. “Your papers.”The hoofbeats halted behind us, and a cool voice cut in. “I knew that the regiment had taken to importing barbarians to do its dirty work, but I was unaware that it had begun recruiting the brain-injured.”I knew that voice. My heart sank.The soldier swung around with a swagger of confidence, lifting his gun. As he caught a glimpse of the man who’d dared to interrupt his interrogation, his hand slipped on my arm, and I yanked away.“Sir,” the soldier muttered, his tone grudgingly deferential.The nobleman on the horse tapped one gloved hand against his thigh as his lips pursed in a scowl. He darted a look at me that embodied pure scorn before returning his attention to the two soldiers before him.“I am of course assuming that you were unaware that you were accosting the beloved and only daughter of General Elysius?”Their faces turned ashen as they realized their horrible, horrible mistake, and I smiled tightly at the way they darted furtive glances at me, their mouths snapping open and then closed, as if they were holding in curses. The dark-haired one stepped away from Trilly hastily.“Give me your regiment numbers,” the young nobleman snapped, looking disgusted at having to continue even conversing with them. “I’ll report you myself. If you are lucky, you’ll get by with only a caning instead of a full dismissal.”He remained astride his horse and watched as they wrote down their regiment numbers and gave them to him. My eyes lingered on the pistol strapped to his leg, the fine lambskin boots that came almost to his knees, the crisp white gloves that covered his hands. Lords, I had such terrible luck. Of all the people to have rescued us, it had to be him.After the soldiers scrambled away, not daring to look back, he turned to us, his mouth folding back into its characteristic smirk. “Ladies.”I wiped the beads of sweat from my upper lip, avoiding his gaze. I was thankful, naturally. But...Trilly, on the other hand, gasped out a sigh and snatched up the fallen bonnets and basket, trying without success to smooth out the wrinkles from the bonnets. “Lord Roth, I don’t know what we would have done if you hadn’t shown up.”I swallowed the snarl that came to my lips, because, after all, he had just saved us. Gratefulness was in order.His lordship dismounted smoothly, and his eyes found mine. There was a lazy sort of appraisal in them, as always, as though he’d measured my talents and faults and found me wanting in every way. I busied myself with brushing a bit of mud from the full bodice of my gown.“Thank you,” Trilly said to Roth.“Oh, it was nothing. I’m sure Verity would have been able to find something to say to keep that lackey at bay.” He folded his arms, as if waiting for my smart reply.“That’s Miss Elysius,” I snapped, feeling stupid for being unable to think of anything wittier to say to him. “Anyway, we really must be going. We’ve lingered here long enough, and Mimi is probably frantic about us. Goodbye.”Roth tsked cheerfully under his breath. Now that the soldiers were gone and the danger was over, he was sarcasm as usual.“Is that any way to thank me?”I grabbed Trilly’s arm and pulled her down the pathway for my father’s plantation, my silk shoes barely whispering against the planks of the boardwalk that carried us safely over the waters of the Jessu.“I could send a baou, so you wouldn’t have to dirty your shoes,” Roth suggested.I knew he was upset with me for getting myself into trouble with the soldiers like an idiot, no doubt, and I knew he was probably also upset that I was being nasty to him about rescuing us.Perhaps I should care, but it was Roth.I left him standing beside his horse on the boardwalk without a reply, and his chuckle rang in my ears, infuriating me.
I thought I'd share the first chapter of The Season of Lightning, my newest book that releases on Feb 20 (and available now for pre-order on Amazon). The book will be releasing on Nook and in paperback as well.~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
THE SOLDIERS HAD their guns pointed straight at me.The sky was cloudless and blue as azure above us, the air dry and hot with late summer heat. I was bruised from falling off Gryphon, my horse, and my temper was as short as the hair of a newly articled servant.I’d escaped from the house on horseback after another argument with the housekeeper about my inability to keep shoes on while walking the grounds. Riding Gryphon hard across the gold-brown flatlands outside the fields of the plantation made my head clear, so I’d given him slack in the reins, and that brat took the bit in his teeth and ran wild for the Jessu River, which cut like a jewel-green snake through the hills between our land and the port city at the edge of the sea. He’d been startled by a hawk in the foothills and thrown me, and then my companion, Trilly, had shown up with the air of a martyr and the scolding of a sergeant to usher me home on foot.We’d been arguing about the propriety of my actions when the soldiers appeared, guns slung across their arms, on patrol against smugglers that sometimes roamed the river at night. I’d known immediately by the expression that crossed the big one’s face that we were in trouble.Now, he was toying with us like a cat plays with an injured sparrow.They were young soldiers—new ones I’d never seen before—the buttons on the gold-embroidered uniforms still sparkled clean and bright in the sunlight, the fringe on their belt-ends still hung straight and soft and clean, unstained by the dust of the canyons that edged the river. Their faces were sunburned, their eyebrows drawn together like locked gates as they looked at me. One was tall, with bright blond hair that marked him as barbarian-blooded somewhere in his past. A foreigner. He jerked his chin at me.“What’s your business on this road?”He spoke with the lazy drawl of a man who knows he will be having some fun and who wants to take his time so he can savor it.The second soldier, who was smaller, swarthier, and darker-haired, an Austrisian, looked away at the twisted trees lining the water of the Jessu instead of the boardwalk we stood on. One of his eyebrows lifted a little, as if he wanted to say something, but couldn’t find the courage to speak in front of the blond.“I was riding my horse, and I fell off when a bird flew up from behind a rock and startled him. He reared, dumping me. We were walking home, where he has surely already gone.” My words came out stiff and hoarse instead of cold and strong like I wanted.The yellow-haired soldier frowned. “Let me see your papers.”This was, of course, an outrage. I wasn’t carrying papers because I didn’t have any, because I wasn’t a bonded servant or a silvra freewoman, or a tyrra like these men assumed. My hair might be curly with a hint of red-brown and my skin milky with a touch of bronze in the summer like a tyyra, the river people who lived in our land as immigrants and strangers, but I was the daughter of a plantation owner, an Austrisian, and I had every right in the world to be walking on this road with my companion.“Didn’t you hear me? I want to see your papers.”“I don’t have them, you idiot. I don’t need them.”“Oh?” His mouth turned down, but his eyes sparkled. The malice in them made me furious instead of afraid.“My name is Verity Ely—”“Shut up. I only want to see the notification that you have the right to escort this seevver along this route. I don’t want a sob story.”I quit feeling frightened when the word seevverleft his lips like a breath of smoke.“You pig,” I snapped, drawing in a quick, sharp breath. “We don’t need papers. Get your guns out of our faces before I have my father arrest you. I—”“I said shut up!” He stepped forward fast, grabbing my shoulder hard. Trilly screamed, and the other soldier started to raise his gun at Trilly.The soldier’s hands dug into my arm. His eyes blazed as they stared into mine, and out of the corner of my eye, I saw his weapon in his hand, and the way his fingers tightened reflexively over the trigger. His breath was hot against my chin.“I’ll teach you to insult me, you little minx. Your father, you say? He’s probably dead in a ditch somewhere, shot for insolence against a patrol. You need to be taught a lesson.”I heard the sharp rap of a horse’s hooves on the boardwalk, and my mind screamed out for salvation from this new person, but the soldier ignored the sound of hoofbeats, drunk with his station and the power that came with his firearm. He knew as well as I that no farmer would mess with him, not with a gun in his hand, not with the uniform he wore on his back, not with the fury written all over his face.My heartbeat pulsed in my throat. My shoulder ached beneath his hands. I saw the way his jaw tightened as though he was holding his temper in check, but just barely.“For the last time, girl,” he growled. “Your papers.”The hoofbeats halted behind us, and a cool voice cut in. “I knew that the regiment had taken to importing barbarians to do its dirty work, but I was unaware that it had begun recruiting the brain-injured.”I knew that voice. My heart sank.The soldier swung around with a swagger of confidence, lifting his gun. As he caught a glimpse of the man who’d dared to interrupt his interrogation, his hand slipped on my arm, and I yanked away.“Sir,” the soldier muttered, his tone grudgingly deferential.The nobleman on the horse tapped one gloved hand against his thigh as his lips pursed in a scowl. He darted a look at me that embodied pure scorn before returning his attention to the two soldiers before him.“I am of course assuming that you were unaware that you were accosting the beloved and only daughter of General Elysius?”Their faces turned ashen as they realized their horrible, horrible mistake, and I smiled tightly at the way they darted furtive glances at me, their mouths snapping open and then closed, as if they were holding in curses. The dark-haired one stepped away from Trilly hastily.“Give me your regiment numbers,” the young nobleman snapped, looking disgusted at having to continue even conversing with them. “I’ll report you myself. If you are lucky, you’ll get by with only a caning instead of a full dismissal.”He remained astride his horse and watched as they wrote down their regiment numbers and gave them to him. My eyes lingered on the pistol strapped to his leg, the fine lambskin boots that came almost to his knees, the crisp white gloves that covered his hands. Lords, I had such terrible luck. Of all the people to have rescued us, it had to be him.After the soldiers scrambled away, not daring to look back, he turned to us, his mouth folding back into its characteristic smirk. “Ladies.”I wiped the beads of sweat from my upper lip, avoiding his gaze. I was thankful, naturally. But...Trilly, on the other hand, gasped out a sigh and snatched up the fallen bonnets and basket, trying without success to smooth out the wrinkles from the bonnets. “Lord Roth, I don’t know what we would have done if you hadn’t shown up.”I swallowed the snarl that came to my lips, because, after all, he had just saved us. Gratefulness was in order.His lordship dismounted smoothly, and his eyes found mine. There was a lazy sort of appraisal in them, as always, as though he’d measured my talents and faults and found me wanting in every way. I busied myself with brushing a bit of mud from the full bodice of my gown.“Thank you,” Trilly said to Roth.“Oh, it was nothing. I’m sure Verity would have been able to find something to say to keep that lackey at bay.” He folded his arms, as if waiting for my smart reply.“That’s Miss Elysius,” I snapped, feeling stupid for being unable to think of anything wittier to say to him. “Anyway, we really must be going. We’ve lingered here long enough, and Mimi is probably frantic about us. Goodbye.”Roth tsked cheerfully under his breath. Now that the soldiers were gone and the danger was over, he was sarcasm as usual.“Is that any way to thank me?”I grabbed Trilly’s arm and pulled her down the pathway for my father’s plantation, my silk shoes barely whispering against the planks of the boardwalk that carried us safely over the waters of the Jessu.“I could send a baou, so you wouldn’t have to dirty your shoes,” Roth suggested.I knew he was upset with me for getting myself into trouble with the soldiers like an idiot, no doubt, and I knew he was probably also upset that I was being nasty to him about rescuing us.Perhaps I should care, but it was Roth.I left him standing beside his horse on the boardwalk without a reply, and his chuckle rang in my ears, infuriating me.
February 1, 2015
You Won't Believe What's Available for Pre-Order!
Haha, sorry, forgive my clickbaity title. I couldn't resist--been reading some Buzzfeed lately. Seriously, though, THE SEASON OF LIGHTNING is now available for pre-order!
This is probably my favorite book I've written to date. It's very near to my heart, and it feels a little vulnerable to publish it, but at the same time, I'm thrilled to pass the story on to readers who can love it and make it their own. I think that's the magic of reading, that partnership between author and reader where they work together to build a world, the author on the page and the reader in his or her imagination. It's magic, you guys, and it's the coolest thing. When people tell me they enjoy something I wrote, I want to thank them. It's their creation too, in a way, because they took words on a page and made a masterpiece in their minds. Without that, there is no story.
Anyway, sappy feelings aside, this is the last book I'll release before I have my baby. I will be taking a bit of a break from writing to focus on mom stuff, although hopefully I'll be popping in here and there on various social media sites like Facebook and Twitter. And if he sleeps a lot, maybe I'll do a little writing when I have the time. I'm itching to finish the Itlantis series and get to work on the sequel to A Gift of Poison. I've already plotted and brainstormed for them both, and done a little drafting. When I have titles and summaries, I'll put those on the blog.
In the meantime, The Season of Lightning releases Feb 20 and I hope you'll all check it out.
Emma meets Robin Hood in this antebellum-esque fantasy set in the same world as A Gift of Poison.
Verity Elysius is the only daughter of a retired general and rich plantation owner. She lives in an insulated world of wealth and privilege, where she spends her time riding her horse, sassing her lady's companion, and being tormented by the family's handsome but irritating nobleman friend, Lord Roth. But when a mysterious, masked vigilante called the Hawk begins stirring up trouble and freeing "silvras," the oppressed, elven lower class, Verity's world is turned upside down as she is challenged about everything she knows about her world and her place in it.
(You can find it here)
This is probably my favorite book I've written to date. It's very near to my heart, and it feels a little vulnerable to publish it, but at the same time, I'm thrilled to pass the story on to readers who can love it and make it their own. I think that's the magic of reading, that partnership between author and reader where they work together to build a world, the author on the page and the reader in his or her imagination. It's magic, you guys, and it's the coolest thing. When people tell me they enjoy something I wrote, I want to thank them. It's their creation too, in a way, because they took words on a page and made a masterpiece in their minds. Without that, there is no story.
Anyway, sappy feelings aside, this is the last book I'll release before I have my baby. I will be taking a bit of a break from writing to focus on mom stuff, although hopefully I'll be popping in here and there on various social media sites like Facebook and Twitter. And if he sleeps a lot, maybe I'll do a little writing when I have the time. I'm itching to finish the Itlantis series and get to work on the sequel to A Gift of Poison. I've already plotted and brainstormed for them both, and done a little drafting. When I have titles and summaries, I'll put those on the blog.
In the meantime, The Season of Lightning releases Feb 20 and I hope you'll all check it out.
Emma meets Robin Hood in this antebellum-esque fantasy set in the same world as A Gift of Poison.
Verity Elysius is the only daughter of a retired general and rich plantation owner. She lives in an insulated world of wealth and privilege, where she spends her time riding her horse, sassing her lady's companion, and being tormented by the family's handsome but irritating nobleman friend, Lord Roth. But when a mysterious, masked vigilante called the Hawk begins stirring up trouble and freeing "silvras," the oppressed, elven lower class, Verity's world is turned upside down as she is challenged about everything she knows about her world and her place in it.
(You can find it here)
January 22, 2015
Super Secret Book!
Hi everyone,
If you've been reading For Wreck and Remnant, I hope you've enjoyed it. I've already plotted the final book in the Secrets of Itlantis series (eek!) and begun drafting it as I have time, although I'm really busy right now doing things like organizing baby clothes. :D
HOWEVER I also have a new book coming out very soon, probably next month. This is something I've been working on for a long time, in between other things. I've been talking about it a little bit, and I wanted to give you a few more bits of info today.
The book will be called The Season of Lightning. It's set in the same world as A Gift of Poison, only several hundred years in the future. This is one of my favorites, you guys. I really love this book. My editor really loves it. My husband really loves it. So I hope you love it too.
Here's a bit of a summary:
Emma meets Robin Hood in this antebellum-esque historical fantasy set in the same fantasy world as A Gift of Poison. Verity Elysius is the only daughter of a famous retired general and rich plantation owner. She lives in an insulated world of wealth and privilege, where she spends her time riding her horse, sassing her lady's companion, and being tormented by the family's handsome but irritating nobleman friend, Lord Roth. But when a mysterious, masked vigilante called the Hawk begins stirring up trouble and freeing silvers, the oppressed lower class, Verity's world is turned upside down as she is challenged about everything she knows about her world and her place in it.
I'm really looking forward to releasing it! Check back for a pre-order option soon, or sign up for the New Releases Newsletter to get information about when it becomes available.
If you've been reading For Wreck and Remnant, I hope you've enjoyed it. I've already plotted the final book in the Secrets of Itlantis series (eek!) and begun drafting it as I have time, although I'm really busy right now doing things like organizing baby clothes. :D
HOWEVER I also have a new book coming out very soon, probably next month. This is something I've been working on for a long time, in between other things. I've been talking about it a little bit, and I wanted to give you a few more bits of info today.
The book will be called The Season of Lightning. It's set in the same world as A Gift of Poison, only several hundred years in the future. This is one of my favorites, you guys. I really love this book. My editor really loves it. My husband really loves it. So I hope you love it too.
Here's a bit of a summary:
Emma meets Robin Hood in this antebellum-esque historical fantasy set in the same fantasy world as A Gift of Poison. Verity Elysius is the only daughter of a famous retired general and rich plantation owner. She lives in an insulated world of wealth and privilege, where she spends her time riding her horse, sassing her lady's companion, and being tormented by the family's handsome but irritating nobleman friend, Lord Roth. But when a mysterious, masked vigilante called the Hawk begins stirring up trouble and freeing silvers, the oppressed lower class, Verity's world is turned upside down as she is challenged about everything she knows about her world and her place in it.
I'm really looking forward to releasing it! Check back for a pre-order option soon, or sign up for the New Releases Newsletter to get information about when it becomes available.
January 12, 2015
FOR WRECK AND REMNANT is here! Also, a sale!
Hi everyone,
A couple of cool things!
First, For Wreck and Remnant (Secrets of Itlantis #4) is now available for purchase on Amazon (Nook and paperback coming soon). This one is my husband's favorite in the series, and there are a few big reveals and answers about secrets... I hope you enjoy it.
Second, Frost is on sale as a Kindle Countdown Deal at 99 cents (normally $3.49) for a very limited time. If you (or someone you know) haven't read the Frost Chronicles, this is a great time to start. You can grab a copy here.
Other news - I've just finished the first round of edits for the New-Book-That-Has-Not-Been-Named. I am seriously behind on title selection with this one, ughhh. Choosing a title can be really easy sometimes, and practically impossible other times. This is one of the latter. Working on that today, actually. Again, this book is set in the same country as A Gift of Poison, but a couple hundred years in the future. It is one of my favorites ever and I really think you guys are going to like it. Think Zorro! So stay tuned for more info about that, and maybe a pre-order option pretty soon.
I'm also kicking around a completely new idea that I find delightful. I might be crazy, because I have a bunch of other stuff on my calendar to write/complete. But I really like this new idea. It is calling to me. Don't worry though--I have already starting drafting Secrets of Itlantis #5, as well as plotting/working on the sequel to A Gift of Poison. Both of those will come out this year, hopefully around late spring and summer, as I'm taking a few months off after I have my baby.
Happy reading!
A couple of cool things!
First, For Wreck and Remnant (Secrets of Itlantis #4) is now available for purchase on Amazon (Nook and paperback coming soon). This one is my husband's favorite in the series, and there are a few big reveals and answers about secrets... I hope you enjoy it.
Second, Frost is on sale as a Kindle Countdown Deal at 99 cents (normally $3.49) for a very limited time. If you (or someone you know) haven't read the Frost Chronicles, this is a great time to start. You can grab a copy here.
Other news - I've just finished the first round of edits for the New-Book-That-Has-Not-Been-Named. I am seriously behind on title selection with this one, ughhh. Choosing a title can be really easy sometimes, and practically impossible other times. This is one of the latter. Working on that today, actually. Again, this book is set in the same country as A Gift of Poison, but a couple hundred years in the future. It is one of my favorites ever and I really think you guys are going to like it. Think Zorro! So stay tuned for more info about that, and maybe a pre-order option pretty soon.
I'm also kicking around a completely new idea that I find delightful. I might be crazy, because I have a bunch of other stuff on my calendar to write/complete. But I really like this new idea. It is calling to me. Don't worry though--I have already starting drafting Secrets of Itlantis #5, as well as plotting/working on the sequel to A Gift of Poison. Both of those will come out this year, hopefully around late spring and summer, as I'm taking a few months off after I have my baby.
Happy reading!
January 8, 2015
Upcoming Book Releases and News
Hi everyone!
Hope 2015 is treating you well so far. It's really cold here in GA, and the flu is everywhere, so I've been hunkered down at home, massively pregnant, and getting a lot done while I stay warm and avoid getting sick. Here's what's happening in the next month or so with my books:
For Wreck and Remnant is available to pre-order, and will release on Jan 12. I hope you guys like it. My husband says it's his favorite of the series so far, for what that's worth.
And my super-secret extra release is coming out in (I think!) February. I got it back from my editor this week and I'm working on revisions. I really hope you guys like it. Lemme give you a few ideas of what it's about:
-The book is set in the same world as A Gift of Poison, but several hundred years in the future. Briand is mentioned, but not integral to the plot. If you haven't read AGoP, you can totally read this book. It won't spoil anything and it stands on its own perfectly fine.
-I would describe the book as a cross between Gone With the Wind and Zorro, but fantasy.
-This is my husband's favorite of all the books I've ever written.
-My editor loved it too.
-This book is real close to my heart.
So that's a few facts, and I really hope you guys enjoy it when it comes out. Like I said, I love it a lot. I hope to have a title and cover in the next few weeks or so, maybe some excerpts and teasers to give you a better idea of what it's like!
And I'm already drafting Secrets of Itlantis #5 AND the sequel to A Gift of Poison.
Like I said, I've been cooped up over here.
Happy New Year, everyone!
Hope 2015 is treating you well so far. It's really cold here in GA, and the flu is everywhere, so I've been hunkered down at home, massively pregnant, and getting a lot done while I stay warm and avoid getting sick. Here's what's happening in the next month or so with my books:
For Wreck and Remnant is available to pre-order, and will release on Jan 12. I hope you guys like it. My husband says it's his favorite of the series so far, for what that's worth.
And my super-secret extra release is coming out in (I think!) February. I got it back from my editor this week and I'm working on revisions. I really hope you guys like it. Lemme give you a few ideas of what it's about:
-The book is set in the same world as A Gift of Poison, but several hundred years in the future. Briand is mentioned, but not integral to the plot. If you haven't read AGoP, you can totally read this book. It won't spoil anything and it stands on its own perfectly fine.
-I would describe the book as a cross between Gone With the Wind and Zorro, but fantasy.
-This is my husband's favorite of all the books I've ever written.
-My editor loved it too.
-This book is real close to my heart.
So that's a few facts, and I really hope you guys enjoy it when it comes out. Like I said, I love it a lot. I hope to have a title and cover in the next few weeks or so, maybe some excerpts and teasers to give you a better idea of what it's like!
And I'm already drafting Secrets of Itlantis #5 AND the sequel to A Gift of Poison.
Like I said, I've been cooped up over here.
Happy New Year, everyone!
December 31, 2014
Preorder FOR WRECK AND REMNANT!
Happy New Year!
Hope you're all having a lovely time ringing in 2015, everyone. My husband and I spent a lovely evening with friends, and before we left the house for the party, I hit the "submit" button on For Wreck and Remnant's preorder status, so you can click here and get it from Amazon!
The book will release in just a few weeks. I hope you all enjoy it.
Got some new and cool stuff coming down the pipe for 2015 that I'm really excited about. Stay tuned for more news about a sequel to A Gift of Poison, as well as a new book coming in February.
Hope you're all having a lovely time ringing in 2015, everyone. My husband and I spent a lovely evening with friends, and before we left the house for the party, I hit the "submit" button on For Wreck and Remnant's preorder status, so you can click here and get it from Amazon!
The book will release in just a few weeks. I hope you all enjoy it.
Got some new and cool stuff coming down the pipe for 2015 that I'm really excited about. Stay tuned for more news about a sequel to A Gift of Poison, as well as a new book coming in February.
December 30, 2014
FOR WRECK AND REMNANT Cover!
Hi everyone!
I hope you've had a great holiday season so far. I spent a lot of mine (happily) working on books that will be coming out in the next few months. For Wreck and Remnant (Secrets of Itlantis #4) should release mid-Jan, and I'm hoping it will be up for pre-order in the next couple of days, as I want to try that option out.
(Find out more about the entire series here.)
In the meantime, here's the cover, and a little teaser from the book!
The door split with a hiss, and a figure stepped inside, boots clicking against the metal floor. I lifted my head, peering through my dripping hair at the intruder.
Nol.
He stepped inside and crossed his arms. I noticed the way his muscles stretched his shirt. He was taller now, stronger, and harder. His hair was shorter, and his eyes burned with determination.
The door shut behind him, and he stood looking at me. His expression was unreadable, but I hoped mine wasn’t. Seeing him was desire wrapped in pain and threaded with fury. The rage was strongest, and it threatened to choke me unless I spit it out, but I bit down on the words and stayed silent. Better to let him talk first and see what he wanted.
Nol studied me. A muscle in his jaw flexed, and I could tell he was trying to decide what to say.
“I know you’re angry,” he began. “But it’s better this way.”
I laughed, low and harsh. “Better? How could you possibly defend this? Are you that assured of your position?”
So much for letting him talk first.
I hope you've had a great holiday season so far. I spent a lot of mine (happily) working on books that will be coming out in the next few months. For Wreck and Remnant (Secrets of Itlantis #4) should release mid-Jan, and I'm hoping it will be up for pre-order in the next couple of days, as I want to try that option out.
(Find out more about the entire series here.)
In the meantime, here's the cover, and a little teaser from the book!
The door split with a hiss, and a figure stepped inside, boots clicking against the metal floor. I lifted my head, peering through my dripping hair at the intruder.
Nol.
He stepped inside and crossed his arms. I noticed the way his muscles stretched his shirt. He was taller now, stronger, and harder. His hair was shorter, and his eyes burned with determination.
The door shut behind him, and he stood looking at me. His expression was unreadable, but I hoped mine wasn’t. Seeing him was desire wrapped in pain and threaded with fury. The rage was strongest, and it threatened to choke me unless I spit it out, but I bit down on the words and stayed silent. Better to let him talk first and see what he wanted.
Nol studied me. A muscle in his jaw flexed, and I could tell he was trying to decide what to say.
“I know you’re angry,” he began. “But it’s better this way.”
I laughed, low and harsh. “Better? How could you possibly defend this? Are you that assured of your position?”
So much for letting him talk first.
December 15, 2014
Gingerbread Man by Lee Strauss
Hi guys! I wanted to tell you a bit about a new series by my author-friend Lee Strauss.
Gingerbread Man Series by Lee Strauss
Genres: New Adult, Science Fiction, Suspense
Synopsis:FRINGE meets CASTLE in this New Adult Sci-fi Mystery Suspense.
College girl meets boy online.
A killer targets girls like her.
She’s next on the list.
The boy wants to save her.
She thinks it’s him.
It’s worse than they both think.
RUN RUN RUN is the first part of a three part episode – Gingerbread Man – in the romantic suspense series, A Nursery Rhyme Suspense by Amazon best-selling author Lee Strauss.
Episode release dates:Run Run Run – December 31stAs Fast As You Can – January 7
You Can’t Catch Me – January 14
Gingerbread Man (ep 1-3) complete – January 28
Purchase:Episode1Episode 2Episode 3 (Boxed set will be released on Jan 28th and is available for pre-order now!)
ABOUT LEE STRAUSS:
I write mixed genre Romance, most recently The Minstrel Series.
I also write fun, lower YA fiction (time-travel and fantasy) as ELLE Strauss. I divide my time between BC, Canada and Dresden, Germany and enjoy drinking coffee and eating chocolate in both places.
CONNECT:
http://www.leestraussbooks.com/https://www.facebook.com/AuthorLeeStrauss?ref=hlhttps://twitter.com/leestraussbooks
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5227552.Elle_Strauss
Gingerbread Man Series by Lee StraussGenres: New Adult, Science Fiction, Suspense
Synopsis:FRINGE meets CASTLE in this New Adult Sci-fi Mystery Suspense.
College girl meets boy online.
A killer targets girls like her.
She’s next on the list.
The boy wants to save her.
She thinks it’s him.
It’s worse than they both think.
RUN RUN RUN is the first part of a three part episode – Gingerbread Man – in the romantic suspense series, A Nursery Rhyme Suspense by Amazon best-selling author Lee Strauss.
Episode release dates:Run Run Run – December 31stAs Fast As You Can – January 7
You Can’t Catch Me – January 14
Gingerbread Man (ep 1-3) complete – January 28
Purchase:Episode1Episode 2Episode 3 (Boxed set will be released on Jan 28th and is available for pre-order now!)
ABOUT LEE STRAUSS:I write mixed genre Romance, most recently The Minstrel Series.
I also write fun, lower YA fiction (time-travel and fantasy) as ELLE Strauss. I divide my time between BC, Canada and Dresden, Germany and enjoy drinking coffee and eating chocolate in both places.
CONNECT:
http://www.leestraussbooks.com/https://www.facebook.com/AuthorLeeStrauss?ref=hlhttps://twitter.com/leestraussbooks
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5227552.Elle_Strauss
December 5, 2014
How To Be A Novelist Part 1
So I get a fair number of questions from people, both friends/family as well as readers, about how to "be a writer." I try to answer these questions as best I can, and I don't mind them at all, but it's hard to sum that up in a paragraph or off-hand conversation while still giving a helpful response.
So, I thought I'd write a series of blog posts about what I did* to develop my craft, learn the ropes of writing, and go on to have a career in writing. This will mainly focus on CRAFT, not business. The business aspect is super important, and there is absolutely a place to talk about that, but I think the foundation should be skills related to the creation of content.
*Bear in mind this is what I did in my journey. Mileage may vary!
So let's pretend you, the reader, are asking me to help you become a novelist with the intention to be published (independent, trad, hybrid, doesn't matter). You don't just want to write one novel, you want to make a career out of it. You want to tell stories and sell them and make a living from it.
I think emphasizing the career part is important, because a lot of my advice is going to hinge on the idea that you need to be developing skills that will allow you to stick with what is a difficult and intense process at times. If you want to write that one book and that's it, great! You will probably not make a lot of money from it**, so don't expect that, but that's perfectly fine if that isn't your plan. However, if you want a career, you will need more than one idea and infinite time to spin it into a story. You're going to need a whole arsenal of skills.
**People are funny with their assumptions about authors and their finances. I remember a couple of years ago when I was starting out and had 1-2 novels out, and people made all kinds of strange small talk with me about it. They'd say things like "are you a millionaire yet?" I just laughed awkwardly. Or, "you just need to get a movie deal and you're set for life, right?" Um, no. Other people say things like "you must be really rich" after you've published 1 book. No no no.
Anyway, this advice is specifically for people who want to be authors and who want a career doing that. People who are in it for the long haul.
First, pretend apprentice, I would advise you to work on developing or strengthening some skills, both general and writing-specific. The good news is that you can do all of these things at the same time, a little each day. Yay for multitasking!
General Skills
1. Develop discipline.
Writing is hard. It's emotionally taxing, creatively draining, and it requires a lot of work that nobody is making you do (unless you have deadlines and an editor harassing you about them, I suppose). Generally, you're going to sit down and write that novel IF you make yourself do it, so possessing the ability to make yourself work hard and stick to a schedule is pretty important. Soooooo many people say "one of these days I am gonna write that novel." Well... maybe? Novels don't just happen. They take a lot of intentionality. But remember, we're looking at developing a career here, not just writing that one book. So discipline is going to be even more important.
Honestly, I think one of the biggest hurdles to becoming an author is simply finding the discipline and fortitude to 1) learn to write well and then 2) actually do the writing. It's not so much the learning, it's the ability to keep trying and working over a long period of time.
I learned a lot of my self-discipline when I finished my degree long-distance due to health problems that caused me to drop out of school. So many people said to me, "I could never do that. I could never do my homework and write my papers if I didn't have the structure of class." But you CAN. It's a skill I learned--I wasn't born with baskets of willpower and discipline--and it came in handy again and again after I started seriously working on writing novels.
Well, how do you develop things like discipline?
I found these books really, really helpful. They are not about writing in particular, but they aided me as I worked to become a more productive individual.
The Power of Habit
Outliers: The Story of Success
Switch: How to Change Things When Change Is Hard
The Talent Code (haven't read this one but it looks similar to some other things I have read)
2. Develop a thick skin and the ability to hear constructive criticism.
A lot of writing is just re-writing and revising. You get the words down on paper and then you have beta readers and editors give you feedback, or you read books that guide you through the process of editing. You have to look at what you've produced and say, what needs to be fixed? How can I make this better? If you can't hear anything bad about your book baby, that is going to hold you back from growing as a writer. A lot of writers seem to be sensitive creatures--I certainly am--but I strongly advise cultivating the ability to hear hard things, because this will grow you as a writer. Also, you're going to get lots of criticism, not all of it constructive, once you are published. You are going to want to start now when it comes to learning to deal with that in a healthy manner.
WRITING SKILLS
1. Read fiction.
Seriously, read. Read all the time, especially in whatever genre you wish to write in. This is the fastest and best way for you to develop a feel and a taste for the genre. If you want to write YA, you need to be reading YA. Lots and lots of it. I cannot understand it when people say they want to write YA and they haven't read anything in that category except maybe The Hunger Games or something really well-known. That is THE starting point for you. Familiarize yourself in what you plan to write. Bathe in it. Soak in the styles, the conventions, the character types. Learn what you like and what you don't.
The good news is that this is the fun kind of work, because (hopefully!) if you want to write, then you like to read.
So read a lot.
2. Pay attention to all kinds of storytelling.
I, for instance, pay a lot of attention to my favorite TV shows. What do I like, what do I dislike, why did the writers make the choices they did, how could they have chosen differently? Analyze movies for structure, character arc, dialogue. Find a friend or two who enjoys discussing this kind of thing. Immerse yourself in the business of taking stories apart to find their nuts and bolts. This is part of learning how to put them together. This is another easy kind of work, one you can train yourself to do effortlessly.
3. Read books on writing.
I would suggest reading at least 6 books a year on craft, or 1 every couple of months. Depending on your skill level, you might want to start with more basic books on writing and work up. Beginner books are going to teach you very storytelling basic skills, like how to avoid info dumps, create compelling characters, and write basic, functional dialogue. The more immediate ones will assume that you know that kind of thing and focus on more advanced techniques. Here's some suggestions:
Beginner:
The First Five Pages
Self-Editing for Fiction Writers
Intermediate:
The Fire in Fiction
Writing the Breakout Novel
The Making of a Story
4. Write all the time.
It's as simple as that. You need to be writing. Not necessarily every day, but... a lot. Maybe every day. Make it a priority. Practice. Learn. Let yourself be terrible at it, and then learn why you were terrible, and fix it. Making mistakes is a huge part of learning. Don't be afraid to put down imperfect words, because that's what revision is for. Learn to uncork the flow of words in a consistent way. If you put off writing until you can compose it perfectly, you aren't going to learn. You're going to be afraid of failure and you're going to stall and stagnate. Don't do that.
Seriously, don't fall into the trap of waiting for a moment when you feel inspired and seized with the magic of the muse. In fact, that's a terrible idea, because most of the time you won't feel very inspired. Learn to use discipline (from general skills) and consistency to get the work done. As you become more familiar with your own process and as you grow your skills, you will develop confidence, and I think a lot of "writer's block" and other kinds of problems come from a lack of confidence in yourself as a writer and your own process, so you will see improvements there.
Movies always seem to depict writers as moodily wandering around, moaning about writer's block and doing romantic things like drinking a lot, smoking while wearing sunglasses, and staring through windows of coffee shops waiting for that perfect idea. NO. Writers plant their butts in chairs and write. They don't always leave the house or take a lot of showers if deadlines are tight. You're probably not going to be that guy from Castle. It is mostly unglamorous work. And when you've got a book or two out, it's not all about sitting around gazing at your name on the cover. Especially not as your write more and more. You'll probably say "cool," smile at it like a proud parent, and get back to work on the next one.
Don't be in love with this image of "being a writer." Love the craft. Love the process and the journey and the sharing of stories. It's what is going to sustain you through the crappy hard work.
Now, having said all that, I looooooooove being a writer. It. Is. My. Dream. Job. It's a lot of work, and it takes intentionality, cultivation of skills, and effort. But it's WORTH IT. And you can do it! You really, really can, if you set your mind to it and don't give up.
In part 2, I'll talk more in depth about my suggestions for developing your writing skills, specifically in regard to novels.
So, I thought I'd write a series of blog posts about what I did* to develop my craft, learn the ropes of writing, and go on to have a career in writing. This will mainly focus on CRAFT, not business. The business aspect is super important, and there is absolutely a place to talk about that, but I think the foundation should be skills related to the creation of content.
*Bear in mind this is what I did in my journey. Mileage may vary!
So let's pretend you, the reader, are asking me to help you become a novelist with the intention to be published (independent, trad, hybrid, doesn't matter). You don't just want to write one novel, you want to make a career out of it. You want to tell stories and sell them and make a living from it.
I think emphasizing the career part is important, because a lot of my advice is going to hinge on the idea that you need to be developing skills that will allow you to stick with what is a difficult and intense process at times. If you want to write that one book and that's it, great! You will probably not make a lot of money from it**, so don't expect that, but that's perfectly fine if that isn't your plan. However, if you want a career, you will need more than one idea and infinite time to spin it into a story. You're going to need a whole arsenal of skills.
**People are funny with their assumptions about authors and their finances. I remember a couple of years ago when I was starting out and had 1-2 novels out, and people made all kinds of strange small talk with me about it. They'd say things like "are you a millionaire yet?" I just laughed awkwardly. Or, "you just need to get a movie deal and you're set for life, right?" Um, no. Other people say things like "you must be really rich" after you've published 1 book. No no no.
Anyway, this advice is specifically for people who want to be authors and who want a career doing that. People who are in it for the long haul.
First, pretend apprentice, I would advise you to work on developing or strengthening some skills, both general and writing-specific. The good news is that you can do all of these things at the same time, a little each day. Yay for multitasking!
General Skills
1. Develop discipline.
Writing is hard. It's emotionally taxing, creatively draining, and it requires a lot of work that nobody is making you do (unless you have deadlines and an editor harassing you about them, I suppose). Generally, you're going to sit down and write that novel IF you make yourself do it, so possessing the ability to make yourself work hard and stick to a schedule is pretty important. Soooooo many people say "one of these days I am gonna write that novel." Well... maybe? Novels don't just happen. They take a lot of intentionality. But remember, we're looking at developing a career here, not just writing that one book. So discipline is going to be even more important.
Honestly, I think one of the biggest hurdles to becoming an author is simply finding the discipline and fortitude to 1) learn to write well and then 2) actually do the writing. It's not so much the learning, it's the ability to keep trying and working over a long period of time.
I learned a lot of my self-discipline when I finished my degree long-distance due to health problems that caused me to drop out of school. So many people said to me, "I could never do that. I could never do my homework and write my papers if I didn't have the structure of class." But you CAN. It's a skill I learned--I wasn't born with baskets of willpower and discipline--and it came in handy again and again after I started seriously working on writing novels.
Well, how do you develop things like discipline?
I found these books really, really helpful. They are not about writing in particular, but they aided me as I worked to become a more productive individual.
The Power of Habit
Outliers: The Story of Success
Switch: How to Change Things When Change Is Hard
The Talent Code (haven't read this one but it looks similar to some other things I have read)
2. Develop a thick skin and the ability to hear constructive criticism.
A lot of writing is just re-writing and revising. You get the words down on paper and then you have beta readers and editors give you feedback, or you read books that guide you through the process of editing. You have to look at what you've produced and say, what needs to be fixed? How can I make this better? If you can't hear anything bad about your book baby, that is going to hold you back from growing as a writer. A lot of writers seem to be sensitive creatures--I certainly am--but I strongly advise cultivating the ability to hear hard things, because this will grow you as a writer. Also, you're going to get lots of criticism, not all of it constructive, once you are published. You are going to want to start now when it comes to learning to deal with that in a healthy manner.
WRITING SKILLS
1. Read fiction.
Seriously, read. Read all the time, especially in whatever genre you wish to write in. This is the fastest and best way for you to develop a feel and a taste for the genre. If you want to write YA, you need to be reading YA. Lots and lots of it. I cannot understand it when people say they want to write YA and they haven't read anything in that category except maybe The Hunger Games or something really well-known. That is THE starting point for you. Familiarize yourself in what you plan to write. Bathe in it. Soak in the styles, the conventions, the character types. Learn what you like and what you don't.
The good news is that this is the fun kind of work, because (hopefully!) if you want to write, then you like to read.
So read a lot.
2. Pay attention to all kinds of storytelling.
I, for instance, pay a lot of attention to my favorite TV shows. What do I like, what do I dislike, why did the writers make the choices they did, how could they have chosen differently? Analyze movies for structure, character arc, dialogue. Find a friend or two who enjoys discussing this kind of thing. Immerse yourself in the business of taking stories apart to find their nuts and bolts. This is part of learning how to put them together. This is another easy kind of work, one you can train yourself to do effortlessly.
3. Read books on writing.
I would suggest reading at least 6 books a year on craft, or 1 every couple of months. Depending on your skill level, you might want to start with more basic books on writing and work up. Beginner books are going to teach you very storytelling basic skills, like how to avoid info dumps, create compelling characters, and write basic, functional dialogue. The more immediate ones will assume that you know that kind of thing and focus on more advanced techniques. Here's some suggestions:
Beginner:
The First Five Pages
Self-Editing for Fiction Writers
Intermediate:
The Fire in Fiction
Writing the Breakout Novel
The Making of a Story
4. Write all the time.
It's as simple as that. You need to be writing. Not necessarily every day, but... a lot. Maybe every day. Make it a priority. Practice. Learn. Let yourself be terrible at it, and then learn why you were terrible, and fix it. Making mistakes is a huge part of learning. Don't be afraid to put down imperfect words, because that's what revision is for. Learn to uncork the flow of words in a consistent way. If you put off writing until you can compose it perfectly, you aren't going to learn. You're going to be afraid of failure and you're going to stall and stagnate. Don't do that.
Seriously, don't fall into the trap of waiting for a moment when you feel inspired and seized with the magic of the muse. In fact, that's a terrible idea, because most of the time you won't feel very inspired. Learn to use discipline (from general skills) and consistency to get the work done. As you become more familiar with your own process and as you grow your skills, you will develop confidence, and I think a lot of "writer's block" and other kinds of problems come from a lack of confidence in yourself as a writer and your own process, so you will see improvements there.
Movies always seem to depict writers as moodily wandering around, moaning about writer's block and doing romantic things like drinking a lot, smoking while wearing sunglasses, and staring through windows of coffee shops waiting for that perfect idea. NO. Writers plant their butts in chairs and write. They don't always leave the house or take a lot of showers if deadlines are tight. You're probably not going to be that guy from Castle. It is mostly unglamorous work. And when you've got a book or two out, it's not all about sitting around gazing at your name on the cover. Especially not as your write more and more. You'll probably say "cool," smile at it like a proud parent, and get back to work on the next one.
Don't be in love with this image of "being a writer." Love the craft. Love the process and the journey and the sharing of stories. It's what is going to sustain you through the crappy hard work.
Now, having said all that, I looooooooove being a writer. It. Is. My. Dream. Job. It's a lot of work, and it takes intentionality, cultivation of skills, and effort. But it's WORTH IT. And you can do it! You really, really can, if you set your mind to it and don't give up.
In part 2, I'll talk more in depth about my suggestions for developing your writing skills, specifically in regard to novels.
December 1, 2014
Blog Tour and Updates!
Hi everyone,
I just sent For Wreck and Remnant, the 4th installment in the Secrets of Itlantis series, to the editor today! Maybe I can post a few hints and teasers for you guys in the coming weeks. I am hoping the book will be available for preorder before the end of December (and releasing in January). Meanwhile, the 3rd book is available now.
I will also be having a blog tour for Of Sea and Stone in February, so if you'd like to participate in that, you can sign up here: http://xpressobooktours.com/2014/12/01/tour-sign-up-of-sea-and-stone-by-kate-avery-ellison/
Can you believe it's December already?
I just sent For Wreck and Remnant, the 4th installment in the Secrets of Itlantis series, to the editor today! Maybe I can post a few hints and teasers for you guys in the coming weeks. I am hoping the book will be available for preorder before the end of December (and releasing in January). Meanwhile, the 3rd book is available now.
I will also be having a blog tour for Of Sea and Stone in February, so if you'd like to participate in that, you can sign up here: http://xpressobooktours.com/2014/12/01/tour-sign-up-of-sea-and-stone-by-kate-avery-ellison/
Can you believe it's December already?
