A.R. Kahler's Blog, page 11

Birthday Reveal: Fear The Hunted

Friends!

For the past few weeks I've been dedicating every moment of internet time I've had into building something new and exciting for you all.  (This is saying something, since I haven't had net in the flat and walk SO FAR to attain it.)  I've been scheming with artists, plotting out worlds.  I've been building you a playground.  And today, on my 25th birthday, I reveal the project that encompasses everything I've been working on for the past few years.





Best of all, my dear ones, you are the beta testers.  You get the sneak-peek.  You get to decide how this entire thing plays out--comments are enabled for every single page.  Tell me what you like and dislike.  Tell me what you want to see.  How can this site interact with you?  What would make you check back every week?  Every day?

This beta phase will ONLY be open through December.  Once the New Year hits, the site will be honed to YOUR desires.


Let's make this so big, every publisher/producer/designer sits up and takes notice.

Teaser Tuesday!

So guys, I gotta keep this short, but the secret project is coming along nicely, and there should be a reveal by the end of the month.  If you aren't as excited as I am for this, well, maybe this teaser will help....


[image error] 'Surrender to Water' - Char sketch of Tenn by Bea ScharesOh yeah.

And guys, two minutes after posting this, Bea sent me another image.  Of the twins.  And it is so beautiful I may have teared up a bit.  You have no idea.
Well, you will.  But not today. :D

On Being the Assistant to Holly Black and Cassandra Clare

So, I mentioned in my YARebels video this week that I'd do a small write-up to chat about the things I just didn't have time to talk about in 4 minutes.  I'm going to try to answer a few questions before they come up, but you're welcome to ask more.

Q: How did you get such an amazing job?
A:  By complete chance.  Seriously.  I had recently moved to Massachusetts to open an art studio, and had juuuust gotten a job waiting tables--which meant I was done with the jobsearch.  But my housemate was still looking, and she found an add on Craigslist (yes, it is for more than creepy stalkers) that just read '2 YA Fantasy Authors Seeking an Assistant.'  No names.  I thought, heck, why not?  They're probably just locals with a book or two out, could be fun.  THEN I GOT THE EMAIL BACK, and realized NOT ONLY who the add was for, but that they had a studio/office right next to mine.  I have always believed in strange acts of Fate.  Life consistantly reminds me of this.  I had the interview (I was freaking out) and yeah.  The rest is history.

Q: What is your favorite moment from working with them?
A: The booksigning.  In my first month of work for them, I was invited along to a local booksigning.  I got to the shop after they did and the clerk saw me over the sea of heads (being tall with white hair is a serious perk in crowds, let me tell you.) and ushered me over.  I got to stand behind-the-scenes with their friends (Elka Cloke, who did the poems in a few of CC's books) a rep from Simon and Schuster.  I handed out Magnus+Alec postcards while they were signing.  After, we all went to dinner.  That's when I realized that that was the life I wanted.  Saying that, the small moments--going out for lunch/coffee/whatever--and getting to chat were just as important.

Q: But what exactly did you do?
A: Ummm...  Think of what a secretary does.  That's what I did.  I helped manage their calendars, organized the office, sorted mail, took things to the post office.  When Holly was around, I made coffee.  I also helped paint a blackboard and make Seeing Stones.  :)

Q: CLEARLY YOU MUST KNOW ALL THE SECRETZ.
A: Actually.... Holly and Cassie are busy.  Verybusy.  That's why they had me.  I wasn't there to help generate ideas, I was there to keep the non-creative side of their lives running smoothly.  So, although I was around them a lot, I'm not lying when I say the people who run their fansites know more about their lives than I do.  About the only thing I had insight on was their tour schedule, and you can find that on their websites. ;)

Q: So, obviously they helped you get a book deal.
A: HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA.  If the publishing world worked that way, trust me, there'd be a lot more book deals floating around.  If you think about the amount of say authors get in their book covers (...none...), you can imagine how much clout they'd have recommending their bffs to a publishing house.

Q: Why did you leave such an amazing job?
A: I ask myself that a lot, actually.  No, in seriousness, I wouldn't have left the job if external situations (IE that restaurant I mentioned closed down, and nowhere within 30mins was hiring.  So I decided grad school was the next best thing to having an income) hadn't made it a necessity.  I also wasn't so happy in that area.  I missed Scotland too much.  Trust me, if I could be in both places at once, I would.

Q: Would you recommend being an author's assistant for those interested in publishing/getting published?
A: No.  As I said, I was basically a secretary with some unique duties.  If you're interested in getting into publishing, work for a publishing house.  If you're interested in getting published, do the leg work of writing, researching, networking, etc.  Don't take on a job because you think it will get you somewhere--that's bound to lead to you not caring about what you're actually paid to do, which will only ruin the chance of moving ahead.  An author's assistant is precisely what the title entails: you are there to help the author succeed.  Everything else is just candy.  Magical, magical candy....

Teaser Tuesday!

Guyzzzz I am SO EXCITED I CANNOT EVEN-!!!!!!!

There are amazing, stupendous things coming your way, oh-so-soon.  They're already appearing in my inbox and let me tell you, we all have a lot to be excited for.

Here's a sneak-peek.



Helloooo Tomas! by B. Schares
 
Fear The Hunted...