Christa Kinde's Blog, page 87

Rough and Tumble, Chapter 234: Think of the Children

Chapter 234: Think of the Children

Heavy rains dragged the last of the leaves from the trees. It was too wet to work or play outside, which left Zeke restless and ready to roughhouse. Neil wasn’t much better off. “Please? You’re better at knots than me!”

Tad stared up into the barn rafters. “Kind of a hassle, getting out the big ladder.”

Neil waved at Zeke and Jude. “Think of the children!”

Ethan joined the brothers’ Guardians on the wide beam where Tad leaned the ladder and secured his knots. Then the Pomeroy boys proved that rainy days, rafters, and rope swings were a perfect combination.

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Author’s Note: This story in small chapters is a companion to Christa Kinde’s Threshold Series [Zonderkidz] and updates every weekday (Monday through Friday). More information and cast pictures can be found on the Rough and Tumble index page. And don’t forget, more story art is on display in my gallery!

Rough and Tumble, © Copyright 2012 – 2013 Christa Kinde, all rights reserved. If you want to receive an email whenever my stories update, consider subscribing to this blog. You can also watch for notifications on Twitter.

COUNTDOWN: 2 Weeks

COMING SOON!  Book 3 in the Threshold Series will release on Thursday, August 22, 2013, just 2 weeks from today. To count down, I’ll be doing a weekly post to share newsy tidbits, sneak peeks at sketches, and brand new story art. There’s plenty to show-and-tell! This week, I’ll show you the back cover, new art, n’stuff.

Jedrick can’t say for sure if Prissie met the members of his Flight because she was in danger, or if she’s in danger because she knows them. Either way, she’s being singled out by a cunning foe. While Prissie throws herself into the hustle and bustle of the holiday season, Koji takes his promise seriously and stays close by her side. Prissie can’t wait to share her Christmas traditions with him. Including Ransom and Marcus in the festivities is harder to take. A new enemy turns out to be an old friend. A demonic horde boils up from the Deep. A light is sent into the darkness. Prissie’s about to discover that some gifts are greater than others, and some triumphs come at great price. [Available in hardcover and e-book editions from Zondervan/Zonderkidz.]

PRE-ORDER! Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Zondervan

Books! On Tuesday, I had a lovely stack of boxes show up on my front step. There’s something special about the moment you hold a book in your hands and think, “Mine.” But books are for sharing, so I’m going to make a very special offer. I’m making 10 review copies of The Broken Window available. What’s that? Basically, I’ll send you an autographed copy of the book, and in exchange, you’ll help spread the word about the series by posting a review. Blog about it, add a book review on Amazon, B&N, GoodReads, Novel Crossings, etc. etc. etc.  Want to give it a whirl? Email me at christa [dot] kinde [at] gmail [dot] com.

Back Cover Reveal! I’ve enjoyed seeing Zondervan’s creativity in putting together the covers for my books. Front and back. Today, I’ll give you a look-see at the back cover for The Broken Window, complete with story excerpt. [Click to enlarge.]

Twitter Chat! This is so exciting. I’ve been invited to take part in a Q&A Session on Twitter as a part of the release day celebrations for The Broken Window. How does it work? I’ll be at my keyboard at 2 p.m. (EST), ready to satisfy your curiosity. The chat will be hosted by @DJC_comm, and I’m of course at @ChristaKinde. Tweet your Qs using the #Threshold hashtag, and I’ll tweet back! It’ll be all conversational! Sound fun? Mark your calendars:

Thursday, August 22, 2013 ♦ 2:00 p.m. (Eastern)

New Art! And lastly, a bit of new art for this week! I’ve always felt a little sad that I didn’t have any portrayals of Harken Mercer in my gallery. Part of the delay was simple. Which version of this divine Messenger should I show? Prissie grew up knowing of him as nothing more than the elderly owner of a Main Street bookstore. But we quickly catch glimpses of this angel’s true face. My solution? Do both at once! Here’s Two Sides…

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Rough and Tumble, Chapter 233: Goosh

Chapter 233: Goosh

Sticky strands. Gooey chunks. Zeke held out two hands full of pumpkin guts. “It’s squishy!”

Prissie rolled her eyes. “Keep scraping.” She and Beau sorted through the orange glop, rescuing seeds to toast.

Zeke wrinkled his nose but dug back in. Ethan was close enough to hear him mumble, “Don’t need no sister to tell me what’s fun.” Up to his armpits in the biggest pick from their patch, Zeke cleaned it out the way Tad had shown him.

Ethan saw inspiration strike and groaned. Alpheus’s deep laugh soon joined his chuckle as Zeke helped Jude climb inside the pumpkin.

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Author’s Note: This story in small chapters is a companion to Christa Kinde’s Threshold Series [Zonderkidz] and updates every weekday (Monday through Friday). More information and cast pictures can be found on the Rough and Tumble index page. And don’t forget, more story art is on display in my gallery!

Rough and Tumble, © Copyright 2012 – 2013 Christa Kinde, all rights reserved. If you want to receive an email whenever my stories update, consider subscribing to this blog. You can also watch for notifications on Twitter.

Rough and Tumble, Chapter 232: Applesauce Doughnuts

Chapter 232: Applesauce Doughnuts

On a rainy Saturday in early October, Zeke lost his usual job. Customers weren’t interested in picking their own apples in this weather, so he and Tad hung out in the barn. Ethan could tell Zeke was bored, which usually led to trouble. “Daddy shoulda let me go to the bakery,” the boy grumbled.

Ethan blessed Naomi for choosing that moment to intervene. “Zeke, can you help?”

He ran to his mother, who asked him to put applesauce doughnuts into bags whenever there was an order. “Just like Daddy!” he exclaimed.

Naomi laughed softly. “More than he likes to admit!”

<< PREVIOUS CHAPTER | NEXT CHAPTER >>

START AT THE BEGINNING

Author’s Note: This story in small chapters is a companion to Christa Kinde’s Threshold Series [Zonderkidz] and updates every weekday (Monday through Friday). More information and cast pictures can be found on the Rough and Tumble index page. And don’t forget, more story art is on display in my gallery!

Rough and Tumble, © Copyright 2012 – 2013 Christa Kinde, all rights reserved. If you want to receive an email whenever my stories update, consider subscribing to this blog. You can also watch for notifications on Twitter.

Rough and Tumble, Chapter 231: Resemblances

Chapter 231: Resemblances

Alpheus beckoned to Ethan, who stole up in time to overhear Jude ask, “How come we’re brothers?”

Zeke answered, “Dad and mom.”

“But we don’t look like brothers.” Zeke’s blond mop and blue eyes bore little resemblance to Jude’s fine, dark hair and gray eyes.

“You look like Tad.”

Jude wibbled. “But I wanna look like you.”

Taking off his plaid coat, Zeke buttoned it onto the three-year-old. “There!” he exclaimed. “This coat usta be mine when I was little like you. It’s a hand-me-down from your brother. And that’s me. See?”

The little boy hugged himself and smiled. Satisfied.

<< PREVIOUS CHAPTER | NEXT CHAPTER >>

START AT THE BEGINNING

Author’s Note: This story in small chapters is a companion to Christa Kinde’s Threshold Series [Zonderkidz] and updates every weekday (Monday through Friday). More information and cast pictures can be found on the Rough and Tumble index page. And don’t forget, more story art is on display in my gallery!

Rough and Tumble, © Copyright 2012 – 2013 Christa Kinde, all rights reserved. If you want to receive an email whenever my stories update, consider subscribing to this blog. You can also watch for notifications on Twitter.

Rough and Tumble, Chapter 230: Contraband

Chapter 230: Contraband

Ethan could understand his charge’s fascination. The boy’s father ran a bakery, and his grandmother kept their cookie jar stocked with homemade goodies. So when Jasper brought out a pre-packaged snack in a crinkling cellophane wrapper, Zeke asked, “Whassat?”

“Zert,” his friend replied.

That evening, Jayce Pomeroy drove Zeke to a convenience store outside Harper where they wouldn’t be recognized. Side-by-side in the front seat of the van, they bit into golden sponge cakes.

Ethan chuckled when the boy’s face screwed up in confusion. Jayce’s expression was almost as funny. Especially when Zeke looked for a place to spit.

“Yuck.”

<< PREVIOUS CHAPTER | NEXT CHAPTER >>

START AT THE BEGINNING

Author’s Note: This story in small chapters is a companion to Christa Kinde’s Threshold Series [Zonderkidz] and updates every weekday (Monday through Friday). More information and cast pictures can be found on the Rough and Tumble index page. And don’t forget, more story art is on display in my gallery!

Rough and Tumble, © Copyright 2012 – 2013 Christa Kinde, all rights reserved. If you want to receive an email whenever my stories update, consider subscribing to this blog. You can also watch for notifications on Twitter.

The Week’s Accumulation l

A week has come and gone, and what a week it’s been. Stuff’s been happening so fast, it’s all I can do to keep up! We’re counting down to the release of The Broken Window, and I’ve accepted some extra non-fiction writing jobs. All this while maintaining an accelerated fiction writing schedule. My alarm clock and I are developing a deep, meaningful relationship. ♥ Naturally, my desktop has developed an acute case of clutter. Wanna see?

♦ In case you missed it, yesterday began our countdown to the release date for The Broken Window, which is the third book in my Threshold Series. I’ll be doing a bonus post each Thursday as we rush toward August 22, 2013, that book’s official “birthday.” Here’s the short version of the Story Summary: Christmas is right around the corner, and Prissie’s gift list has expanded to include an entire Flight of angels. As she searches for the perfect presents for her friends, she learns that good ones can come in unexpected wrappings, great ones come at a high price, and the greatest gift of all is still free.

♦ I’m a graduate of University of Northwestern – St. Paul, a Christian liberal arts school in Minnesota. In July, I was included as one of their alumni authors in their Pilot magazine alongside another Zondervan author. This week, I’m sharing a snapshot of the article. [Click to enlarge.]

♦ As I’ve mentioned from time to time, I’m immersed in a new book. All my pre-writing was done earlier this summer, so it was time to buckle down. For me, that means daily word counts and a chapter-a-day goal. July’s word count was 58,000~ words, and most of that’s writing for this new tween/teen adventure. This last week, I made it past the halfway point in the plot, so August will be my rush to the finish!

♦ It always feels good to complete something. This week, I was finally able to cross some things off my To Do list. I turned in a proposal to my editor. I finished edits on a short story. And I turned in the initial summary for a workshop I’ll be running at the San Diego Christian Writer’s Guild’s Fall Conference in October. (More about all those exciting things later!)

♦ Did you know that I’ve been writing non-fiction for a dozen years? I’ve always tested high in the gift of teaching, which I love to exercise by writing Bible studies, workbooks, and devotionals. My schedule is borderline hectic right now because I’ve been invited to write/edit non-fiction titles for a few different publishers. In preparation for one of these projects, Zonderkidz sent me a box of shiny new books! Can’t wait to dive into them next week! (Reviews may follow.)

May I just say… polka dot Bible is made of win! ♥

♦ And finally, in relation to the upcoming release of Book 3: The Broken Window, I’ve added some new pages to this website. There’s a page under the Threshold Series tab for The Broken Window, and I’ve added a page under the Gallery tab. Watch for new additions of art in the weeks ahead, especially during out countdown.

         

So what’s cluttering up your desktop? Do tell!

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Rough and Tumble, Chapter 229: Weekend Getaway

Chapter 229: Weekend Getaway

On Saturday morning, Naomi did a double-take. “Zeke?”

As the boy skidded to a stop, Ethan breathed, “Finally.”

Lucan chuckled. “She has always been quick to notice small things.”

Naomi scrutinized her son. “What’s in your pocket, Zeke?” she asked lightly.

“School stuff.”

“What kind of school stuff?”

Zeke’s zipped-up coat pocket jumped, and he quickly cupped it with his hand. “Y’know how Grandpa says you gotta take care of your animals every day, no skipping?”

Naomi rephrased her question. “Who’s in your pocket, Zeke?”

“Zippity ….”

“You brought home a gerbil?”

Zeke held up two fingers. “… and Doo-Dah.”

<< PREVIOUS CHAPTER | NEXT CHAPTER >>

START AT THE BEGINNING

Author’s Note: This story in small chapters is a companion to Christa Kinde’s Threshold Series [Zonderkidz] and updates every weekday (Monday through Friday). More information and cast pictures can be found on the Rough and Tumble index page. And don’t forget, more story art is on display in my gallery!

Rough and Tumble, © Copyright 2012 – 2013 Christa Kinde, all rights reserved. If you want to receive an email whenever my stories update, consider subscribing to this blog. You can also watch for notifications on Twitter.

Fridays: I’ll keep comments open on Fridays in case you’d like to say hello.

Rough and Tumble, Chapter 228: Good Sport

Chapter 228: Good Sport

Ethan dropped from a tree limb as Zeke plunged into the overgrown grass along the yard’s edge. “I got it!” the boy shouted.

“Hurry up!” called Neil.

Tad waved broadly. “More to the left, Zeke!”

“I know!”

Football season was in full swing, and Neil used all his spare time for practice. He let his kid brother join in, so long as Zeke chased down overthrown passes. Ethan did what he could to help, gently lifting aside the worst of the brambles, steering clear of sticker bushes, and nudging the football out from behind a stump.

Zeke hollered, “Found it!”

<< PREVIOUS CHAPTER | NEXT CHAPTER >>

START AT THE BEGINNING

Author’s Note: This story in small chapters is a companion to Christa Kinde’s Threshold Series [Zonderkidz] and updates every weekday (Monday through Friday). More information and cast pictures can be found on the Rough and Tumble index page. And don’t forget, more story art is on display in my gallery!

Rough and Tumble, © Copyright 2012 – 2013 Christa Kinde, all rights reserved. If you want to receive an email whenever my stories update, consider subscribing to this blog. You can also watch for notifications on Twitter.

COUNTDOWN: 3 Weeks

COMING SOON!  Book 3 in the Threshold Series will release on Thursday, August 22, 2013, just 3 weeks from today. To count down, I’ll be doing a weekly post to share newsy tidbits, sneak peeks at sketches, and brand new story art. There’s plenty to show-and-tell!

Jedrick can’t say for sure if Prissie met the members of his Flight because she was in danger, or if she’s in danger because she knows them. Either way, she’s being singled out by a cunning foe. While Prissie throws herself into the hustle and bustle of the holiday season, Koji takes his promise seriously and stays close by her side. Prissie can’t wait to share her Christmas traditions with him. Including Ransom and Marcus in the festivities is harder to take. A new enemy turns out to be an old friend. A demonic horde boils up from the Deep. A light is sent into the darkness. Prissie’s about to discover that some gifts are greater than others, and some triumphs come at great price. [Available in hardcover and e-book editions from Zondervan/Zonderkidz.]

PRE-ORDER! Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Zondervan

Beginnings. The third book opens with an angel readers met in The Hidden Deep. Abner is a samayim, one of the Caretakers. These guys know how to make an entrance.

Holidays. Since The Hidden Deep closed right after Thanksgiving, it’s no surprise that The Broken Window sends Prissie right into the hustle-bustle of Christmas. The Pomeroys have always lived by Momma’s motto, “The more the merrier!” And that’s especially true this year. After all, Koji’s living there … and Ransom’s horning in. Fun Fact: When I first started writing this book, I made a calendar to keep straight all the rehearsals, concert dates, advent services, and shopping days left until Christmas. For what it’s worth, I jumped ahead to what seemed like the “distant future” at the time—December 2012. (So last year.)

Pages and Tabs. I know my webpage inside and out, but I’m here nearly every day (at least to update Rough and Tumble on weekdays). But you might not have noticed some of the features. I’ll highlight those related to Book 3′s release.

♦ Summary, Reviews of The Broken Window

♦ Story Art Gallery for The Broken Window

♦ Sign up to receive Threshold Series postcards

Postcard Peek. As you may know, I’m fond of “real” mail, and postcards are a part of what I do to celebrate my stories. If you’d like to hop onto my mailing list, I’ll point you to my Postcard Page. And today, I’m revealing the sketch for the art on the postcard for Book 3: The Broken Window. Anybody recognize anybody? -eyebrow waggle-

MORE NEXT WEEK!