Katie Hamstead's Blog, page 27
January 10, 2016
Updated! Son of a Pitch: Agents Dawn and Jennie from Red Sofa Lit
Today I have the great privilege of introducing you to our agents who will be perusing the entries! Meet Dawn and Jennie from Red Sofa!
Dawn Michelle Frederick (Bio from Website) is the owner and literary agent of Red Sofa Literary, established at the end of 2008. She brings a broad knowledge of the book business to the table, bringing multiple years of experience as a bookseller in the independent, chain, and specialty stores; sales, marketing, & book development at a YA publisher, and a literary agent at Sebastian Literary Agency. She carries a B.S. in Human Ecology, and a M.S. in Information Sciences from an ALA accredited institution. Dawn is a co-founder of the MN Publishing Tweet Up, the News chair for the Twin Cities Advisory Council for MPR, and a teaching artist at Loft Literary. You can find her on Twitter at@redsofaliterary.
Jennie Goloboy is a Literary Agent at Red Sofa Literary in St. Paul, Minnesota. She has a PhD in the History of American Civilization from Harvard, and is a published author of both history and fiction. Her book, Charleston and the Emergence of Middle-Class Culture in the Revolutionary Era, will be published by University of Georgia Press in 2016. Her funny, spec-fic short stories appear under her pen name, Nora Fleischer. Representative categories:· Science Fiction/Fantasy, especially with a literary flair. Would love to see more non-traditional settings and characters. I’m always open to optimistic, lighthearted fiction, but also enjoy a good scare.
• History– must have a commercial (non-academic) focus. Strong interest in American history, especially through 1850. Also interested in “history of an idea” books. Absolutely no personal memoirs.
• Romance, primarily with sci-fi and fantasy elements.
• Young Adult and Middle Grade– Mostly Science Fiction/Fantasy. No paranormal romance, dystopias, or “chosen one” stories, please.
January 7, 2016
Review: No Interest In Love by Cassie Mae
From Goodreads:When Jace Carver snags a minor part in his buddy’s zombie flick, he suddenly starts getting noticed all over the place. Even Hollywood megastar Carletta Ocean—known for her extensive “research” with her male co-stars—wants Jace for her new rom-com. The role could be a game-changer . . . if Jace nails the audition.
As Jace’s agent, Shaylene Kwak is all business, and isn’t about to let her favorite client blow this opportunity. Since their college years, Shay has been immune to Jace’s charm and rock-hard body. But long hours in close company have a way of wearing down even the best defenses, and when their platonic teasing turns into serious flirting, Jace and Shay are no longer able to resist what’s been right in front of them the entire time.
Shay knows Jace’s love-’em-and-leave-’em history with women. She’s not about to be just another notch in his belt. And it’s true, Jace has never wanted more than a one-night stand—until now. But at the end of the line, he’s got a choice: sleep with Carletta and seal the deal, or risk his career for a shot at true love with Shay.
My Thoughts:
I love Cassie Mae's books, so I was so excited to get my hands on this one. I wanted so much to love this book because Mae's writing is always funny, and sharp, and her characters have strong voices. But I really struggled with this book.
Jace is an incredibly difficult character to like, and since the book is in his point of view, he really started to irritate me quickly. Shay is equally difficult to like, and I struggled to root for them to get together. They just had too much contention and not enough romantic tension.
But I pushed through, hoping the character arc paid off. The problem was, the book takes place primarily on their journey, and it rapidly became monotonous.
I'm still a fan of Mae's works, and still consider her my go-to for happy, feel good reads, but this one just didn't work out for me.
January 6, 2016
Review of 2015 and Goals for the New Year
2015 was a good year for me. More ups than downs in my writing and personal life.
Writing Successes:
2015 saw the release of Deceptive Cadence and Diverging Cadence, my duology about a young woman who goes back to her high school days to have a second chance in life, and spans the years between. Cadence's story is one that, from the moment I wrote it, buried deep into my heart. At times I still wonder if I can ever write anything so deep and stirring as her tale. So, having these books released is something I'm personally really proud of, like I'm leaving something truly me to the world.
Cadence released through REUTS, which hooked me up with some amazing people. I always love having the chance to interact with other great talents, whether in writing, editing, or design.
Another release was Dancing in the Athenian Rain. This novel was one I originally wrote as a teenager, and was my first real novel I ever wrote. I'd written stories before then, but this one turned things around for me. I'd updated it a few times since then, but the basic story and characters are still the same. I'm honestly just happy to see it in print.
Although I took most of the year off acquisitions, I did sign the third book in Sharon Bayliss' December People series with Curiosity Quills. These books blow my mind. How Sharon comes up with this stuff is beyond me. If you haven't read the first two books, do it before the third comes out later this year.
The Kiya Trilogy continues to be my bread and butter as it holds solid ranks. Late in the year, right before Thanksgiving, Kiya 1 went on sale for free and sales sky-rocketed for all three books. Kiya 1 reached a high of #3 of ALL free Kindle books, and when it came out of the free sale, sat at about 300 for several days. Even now, it's still sitting around 12,000-14,000.
Upcoming in 2016:
The first book in my seven book series called Fairytale Galaxy Chronicles, releases early this year. I don't know the exact date, but I believe in Feb sometime. As usual, this part gets a little slow with CQ as I wait for the proof and cover, but it will get there in time, I'm sure. The rest of the books are lined up for tentative release each March for the next, well, seven years.
I have a couple more books in the pipelines, nothing official yet, but I'm hoping to work with REUTS and SMP again this year.
I'd really like to get to some conferences.conventions etc this year, so if you know of any around Arizona, point me that direction.
My Personal Life in 2015:
2015 brought a miracle to my life. After years of trying, leaving a 4 1/2 year gap between kids, I finally had baby #2. I have some health issues that I put a lot of time and money into dealing with in 2014, which paid off exactly how I wanted. Now I have two beautiful little girls that I love with my whole heart.
I had plenty of visits from my family in Australia too. My husband finally got to meet my sister's husband, and they hit it off amazingly well, when they came over to visit earlier in the year. I love my sister, and although I was quite pregnant and limited, we did do a trip to the Grand Canyon with them, and my first daughter had a great time tailing her uncle everywhere. There's no doubt that "Uncle Jason" is her favorite uncle!
My parents came right after I had the baby, which was nice, especially when I spent a lot of time focused on the bub, and kid #1 had some jealousy issues.
On the down side, about a month after having the baby, the hubs lost his job. So we had a mountain of medical bills and a very small income in comparison with my royalties. We've been lucky enough to have people help us out here and there, and we've scraped by so far. Hopefully, he'll get some work here soon so we can get back on our feet financially.
Coming in 2016:
Honestly, I really want my sister to get pregnant. Fingers Crossed!!! Like me, she has struggled with fertility issues, and I so want her to be a mother. There's no one more deserving of that role than her.
In August, Kid #1 will be starting school. Mind. Blown. How did she get so big? How is she five??? But school will be so great for her. She's so lively and bright, I really think it will give her the opportunity to get the stimulation mentally and socially that she craves.
When the hubby gets some work and we start to bounce back, we will hopefully be doing some much needed renovations on our house. This place has needed work from the day we moved in, and we've finally set some solid plans in place... we just need the income. So, fingers crossed on that.
I started a book club! We had our first meeting already, and at our meetings we Skype with the author. So far it's been a hit, and I love hearing the ladies say that they're enjoying reading again, and looking forward to reading new genres and types of books. Thanks to the hubs for suggesting doing a book club, and for supporting me as I took the idea and went to the next level with it. I really needed it, as my PPD was really getting me down, and I think he saw that. But, after the meeting, I felt so much happier.
look out for son of a Pitch in Feb! If it goes well, I'll run it again later in the year. Yay!
My Goals for this Year:
To enjoy my kids. To enjoy my husband. To shed all the baby weight (cliche, I know, but if I want to try for another baby in the future, it has to be done) To get to Australia to meet my brother's soon-to-be wife. And to just get to Australia again, because I miss it so bad.
I'd like to get an agent, but I'm at a point where I'm pretty happy with the publishers I work with, so getting an agent would be a bonus, but not a necessity. I feel like my books sell pretty well as it is, and I like the flexibility I have with the publishers I work through.
I'm working on a sequel to the Kiya Trilogy, as well as book 3 and onward of the fairytale novels. There are also a few other things I have up my sleeve, but you've have to wait to learn about those.
All up, I'm in a pretty good place. 2015 went pretty well, and I believe 2016 has just as much promise. It's all about the outlook, right?
Writing Successes:
2015 saw the release of Deceptive Cadence and Diverging Cadence, my duology about a young woman who goes back to her high school days to have a second chance in life, and spans the years between. Cadence's story is one that, from the moment I wrote it, buried deep into my heart. At times I still wonder if I can ever write anything so deep and stirring as her tale. So, having these books released is something I'm personally really proud of, like I'm leaving something truly me to the world.
Cadence released through REUTS, which hooked me up with some amazing people. I always love having the chance to interact with other great talents, whether in writing, editing, or design.
Another release was Dancing in the Athenian Rain. This novel was one I originally wrote as a teenager, and was my first real novel I ever wrote. I'd written stories before then, but this one turned things around for me. I'd updated it a few times since then, but the basic story and characters are still the same. I'm honestly just happy to see it in print.
Although I took most of the year off acquisitions, I did sign the third book in Sharon Bayliss' December People series with Curiosity Quills. These books blow my mind. How Sharon comes up with this stuff is beyond me. If you haven't read the first two books, do it before the third comes out later this year.
The Kiya Trilogy continues to be my bread and butter as it holds solid ranks. Late in the year, right before Thanksgiving, Kiya 1 went on sale for free and sales sky-rocketed for all three books. Kiya 1 reached a high of #3 of ALL free Kindle books, and when it came out of the free sale, sat at about 300 for several days. Even now, it's still sitting around 12,000-14,000.
Upcoming in 2016:
The first book in my seven book series called Fairytale Galaxy Chronicles, releases early this year. I don't know the exact date, but I believe in Feb sometime. As usual, this part gets a little slow with CQ as I wait for the proof and cover, but it will get there in time, I'm sure. The rest of the books are lined up for tentative release each March for the next, well, seven years.
I have a couple more books in the pipelines, nothing official yet, but I'm hoping to work with REUTS and SMP again this year.
I'd really like to get to some conferences.conventions etc this year, so if you know of any around Arizona, point me that direction.
My Personal Life in 2015:
2015 brought a miracle to my life. After years of trying, leaving a 4 1/2 year gap between kids, I finally had baby #2. I have some health issues that I put a lot of time and money into dealing with in 2014, which paid off exactly how I wanted. Now I have two beautiful little girls that I love with my whole heart.
I had plenty of visits from my family in Australia too. My husband finally got to meet my sister's husband, and they hit it off amazingly well, when they came over to visit earlier in the year. I love my sister, and although I was quite pregnant and limited, we did do a trip to the Grand Canyon with them, and my first daughter had a great time tailing her uncle everywhere. There's no doubt that "Uncle Jason" is her favorite uncle!
My parents came right after I had the baby, which was nice, especially when I spent a lot of time focused on the bub, and kid #1 had some jealousy issues.
On the down side, about a month after having the baby, the hubs lost his job. So we had a mountain of medical bills and a very small income in comparison with my royalties. We've been lucky enough to have people help us out here and there, and we've scraped by so far. Hopefully, he'll get some work here soon so we can get back on our feet financially.
Coming in 2016:
Honestly, I really want my sister to get pregnant. Fingers Crossed!!! Like me, she has struggled with fertility issues, and I so want her to be a mother. There's no one more deserving of that role than her.
In August, Kid #1 will be starting school. Mind. Blown. How did she get so big? How is she five??? But school will be so great for her. She's so lively and bright, I really think it will give her the opportunity to get the stimulation mentally and socially that she craves.
When the hubby gets some work and we start to bounce back, we will hopefully be doing some much needed renovations on our house. This place has needed work from the day we moved in, and we've finally set some solid plans in place... we just need the income. So, fingers crossed on that.
I started a book club! We had our first meeting already, and at our meetings we Skype with the author. So far it's been a hit, and I love hearing the ladies say that they're enjoying reading again, and looking forward to reading new genres and types of books. Thanks to the hubs for suggesting doing a book club, and for supporting me as I took the idea and went to the next level with it. I really needed it, as my PPD was really getting me down, and I think he saw that. But, after the meeting, I felt so much happier.
look out for son of a Pitch in Feb! If it goes well, I'll run it again later in the year. Yay!
My Goals for this Year:
To enjoy my kids. To enjoy my husband. To shed all the baby weight (cliche, I know, but if I want to try for another baby in the future, it has to be done) To get to Australia to meet my brother's soon-to-be wife. And to just get to Australia again, because I miss it so bad.
I'd like to get an agent, but I'm at a point where I'm pretty happy with the publishers I work with, so getting an agent would be a bonus, but not a necessity. I feel like my books sell pretty well as it is, and I like the flexibility I have with the publishers I work through.
I'm working on a sequel to the Kiya Trilogy, as well as book 3 and onward of the fairytale novels. There are also a few other things I have up my sleeve, but you've have to wait to learn about those.
All up, I'm in a pretty good place. 2015 went pretty well, and I believe 2016 has just as much promise. It's all about the outlook, right?
January 5, 2016
Son of a Pitch Publisher: Soul Mate Publishing
Soul Mate Publishing:
(From their website) Soul Mate Publishing welcomes you to romance, where two become one. We offer high-quality romantic fiction for readers around the world. Our novels, written by only the finest authors, will be available both electronically and in paperback.Whether you enjoy traditional romance or are searching for stories that push the limits, you'll find what you're looking for. We are NOT the same old thing! Find them here: http://www.soulmatepublishing.com/
Participating Editors:
Deborah Gilbert:
Founder and Senior Editor Deborah Gilbert graduated from Nazareth College, magna cum laude, with a B.S. in English and an M.S. in Reading. She taught high school English for sixteen years and joined RWA in 1998. Noting the tightening New York market and the trend toward digital publishing, she opened Soul Mate Publishing in October, 2011. She is currently seeking submissions in all areas.
Cheryl Yeko:Cheryl Yeko is a multi-published, award-winning author. Her debut novel won the 2012 Gayle Wilson Award of Excellence in Romantic Suspense, and she just published her 6th book, The Notary. She lives in Wisconsin with her husband Patrick, and loves to read, play piano, and spend time with family and friends. She enjoys novels with fast-paced action and steamy romance, protective alpha men and strong heroines. She belongs to several writing groups, and is a member of Romance Writers of America (RWA), as well as the Wisconsin Chapter. Cheryl is also an Acquisitions Editor for Soul Mate Publishing. As an Editor, she welcomes Romantic Suspense, Paranormal, Sci-Fi, Contemporary, and Erotica.Cheryl is thrilled to be able to add author/editor to her resume and would love to hear comments from readers.Where Love Always Wins: http://www.cherylyeko.com/ Soul Mate Publishing: http://tinyurl.com/lav53p3 Amazon: http://tinyurl.com/lb5xxlq Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ProtectingRose Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/threeBFFs Twitter: https://twitter.com/cherylyeko Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/cyeko/boards/ Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5406425.Cheryl_Yeko About Me: http://about.me/cheryl.yeko Here are some fun trailersBook Trailer Playlist: http://tinyurl.com/mcqhuno My audio book playlist: I also design book trailers. You can find my designs here: http://tinyurl.com/p58ws2e
January 4, 2016
Review: Her Perfect Game (Hot & Nerdy #2) by Shannyn Schroeder
From Goodreads:Spring break is supposed to be a week of fun in the sun for three childhood friends about to graduate from college. But one of them is ready to get her game on somewhere else…
Charlie Castle is an expert archer and a fierce warrior—in her favorite video game, anyway. But college life was a program she couldn't quite master. To land a cybertech job without a degree, she's entering a "hackfest" over spring break—where she also hopes to meet the sweet gamer who's been flirting with her online. Instead, she runs into the hot guy who walked away years ago, and can't fight the desire that comes rushing back.
Jonah Best has never gotten over Charlie, whose kisses were always as deliciously creative as her coding. But now that they're face to face again, he doesn't know how to admit that her online admirer is really him—or how to convince her that he's offering her a job for her incredible skills, not her sex appeal. Can Jonah cut through their communication glitches and persuade Charlie that the next level up for them should be forever?
My Thoughts:
This was a light, fun read. Quick and easy, the writing was snappy and direct. I sped through this novella. Charlie and Jonah are likable and highly compatible.
The only downside is that it felt a bit generic New Adult sexy romance-ish. The plotline was simple, but that kept it light. It did touch on some real issues, like sexism problems in the heavily male dominant world of gaming and IT, but there were a few things I felt didn't get resolved, and then ending was kind of abrupt.
If you want something light and quick, with a bit of heat, this novella is perfect for you.
January 3, 2016
Blog Tour: The Son of Light Book 1: Rebirth by Chris Parker
Title: The Son of Light Book 1: RebirthAuthor: Chris ParkerGenre: Fantasy It's pretty obvious that Nick and Josh are not brother biologically. Nick is half Chinese and Japanese and Josh looks like your average white boy with bright turquoise eyes. But you wouldn't know that based on the way they act towards each other in their home in Porter Ranch, California. In their love hate relationship, Nick is the strict older brother and Josh is the rebellious teenager. But when an old family enemy returns, their relationship spirals into chaos. As kidnappings and murders happen around them, Nick and Josh are forced into an epic struggle to keep each other alive. And as time goes on, it's very clear to Josh that Nick is hiding secrets from him that are connected to the murders. What is Nick hiding? And can they survive this threat?Author Bio
Chris Parker started writing during his community college years until he transferred to a film school, Columbia College Hollywood, after losing his house in 2008. There he came up with many stories such as, The Son of Light. However, he went to school to become an editor. After earning his BA, Chris went back to his first love, writing. LinksWebsite: http://parkerunlimited2.wix.com/chrisparkernovelsTwitter: https://twitter.com/AuthorParkerFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/chrisparkerbooks/?ref=aymt_homepage_panelBuy on Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Son-Light-Book-Rebirth-ebook/dp/B018X3MM92/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1450714398&sr=8-1&keywords=the+son+of+light+rebirth
January 1, 2016
M9B Friday Reveal: Cover Reveal – Temper (Lifer #2) by Beck Nicholas with Giveaway #M9BFridayReveals
Welcome to this week’s M9B Friday Reveal!This week, we are revealing the cover forTemper (Lifer #2) by Beck Nicholasan upcoming Month9Books title!Be sure to enter the giveaway found at the end of the post!
FREEDOM COMES WITH A PRICE.Free from the spaceship and reunited with Samuai, Asher should be happy. But thoughts of her dead family weigh heavily on her mind.Things worsen when temper problems in camp lead to a murder. When Asher volunteers to get the drug need to calm people down, tension ignites.Loyalties are questioned.Jealousy rears its head. Sparks fly.And when rumor of a second ship hits close to home, all bets are off.Have the aliens returned? Is this the end of everything Asher has ever known?
Temper (Lifer #2) by Beck Nicholas Publication Date: Feb. 23, 2015 Publisher: Month9Books 
I always wanted to write. I’ve worked as a lab assistant, a pizza delivery driver and a high school teacher but I always pursued my first dream of creating stories. Now, I live with my family near Adelaide, halfway between the city and the sea, and am lucky to spend my days (and nights) writing young adult fiction.Connect with the Author: Website | Twitter | Facebook | Pinterest | Tumblr | Instagram 
Complete the Rafflecopter below for a chance to win.Title will be sent upon its release. a Rafflecopter giveaway
December 30, 2015
My Favorite Reads of 2015
At the year's end, I felt it appropriate to mention my five star reads from this year. It doesn't matter if they released this year, or whenever, I just had to read them this year. I'm surprised by how many books I read this year, considering I had three book releases, which also includes edits and promotion, and having a baby, but, that aside, along with a few beta reads, I read a total of 24 books according to Goodreads. Yeah, not bad, eh?
So, here are my top reads for this year. (You can find their reviews under the review tab above.)
So, here are my top reads for this year. (You can find their reviews under the review tab above.)
December 29, 2015
Son of a Pitch Publisher: Elephantine Publishing
About Elephantine Publishing:Elephantine is a digitally focused publisher. Our goal is to partner with you to turn your love of writing into a successful career for years to come. We work side by side with our authors through every step of the publishing process to create a unique and professional title to share with the world. Using strategic marketing, we provide our authors with industry tools and resources to build readership and grow sales.
Our aim is simple. We seek to provide access to all stories worth telling, whether or not the words fit into a neatly labeled box. Words that resonate in your bones. Stories you’ll never forget.
Find them here: http://www.elephantinepublishing.com/
Participating Editor:Amanda Aksel realized her passion for publishing in 2011 when she co-produced and ghostwrote a New York Times Bestseller. With more than five years of experience working with entrepreneurs, Amanda enjoys helping others build a successful career with innovative ideas and effective marketing.
She's the author of The Marin Test Series and understands the entire process from inspiration to promotion. Amanda is looking for women's fiction with unique female leads and eco-lit.
December 28, 2015
Review: Acne, Asthma, and Other Signs You Might Be Half Dragon by Rena Rocford
From Goodreads:Allyson fights acne, not trolls. As an inhaler-carrying member of the asthma society, she just wants to meet the father who turned her mother into a paranoid, move-across-the-nation freak. Now she’s trying to fit in at yet another school, but for the first time in her life, she has a best friend, Beth. When Allyson accidentally spits fire at kidnappers in the mall, she realizes why her father isn’t in the picture: she’s half dragon. Her acne? Emerging scales. Her asthma? The side effects of her dragon’s fire breath. Instead of freaking out, unflappable Beth reveals her own troll heritage and explains how things work with the supernatural creatures hiding within the modern world of smartphones and skyscrapers.
When trolls kidnap a unicorn, Beth gets blamed. Allyson is determined to prove Beth’s innocence and keep her friend off the unicorn chopping block. When they start looking for the kidnappers, they get a call from the last person they expect: Allyson’s father. He tries to warn them off, but he’s been put under a spell by the kidnappers to keep the victims from escaping. Nothing short of death can stop him. Now Allyson must choose between killing the father she’s always dreamed of, or letting her best friend die for a crime she didn’t commit.
My Thoughts:
I first saw this in the Pitcharama contest run by Aussie Owned and Read. It intrigued me back then, and so I waited for this release eagerly.
This story didn't disappoint! Action packed, full of adventure, friendship, and a sassy heroine, this novel with an extremely long title that really grabs your attention, has the makings of a fun read for anyone seeking something for pure pleasure.
Allyson was an absolute delight to follow as she rushed through a steep learning curve. She reacted naturally, and often humorously to the situations thrust upon her, and with a heart full of fierce loyalty.
A clean read I'd definitely recommend!
