Katie Hamstead's Blog, page 42

How Did I Become a Writer?

I get asked this question a lot, especially by my "non" writer friends. I think it's interesting because I know it secretly means How do they become a writer? I'm also fairly certain most of the people who ask me haven't read my books, but that's another issue at this point.

So I'll begin with one thing: a burning need to write a story. Then another, then another. This need needs to be more than just an idea. You need to write it down, hash out the plot, the twists and turns, develop the characters.

No time? Congrats, I don't have time either. I'm a mother and wife, which in themselves are crazy busy gigs, I'm massively pregnant, have church and family commitments, and work. Yes, my work is mostly edits, but that leaves very little time for actually writing, and before I received my first contract, I was working in an office part time. Not to mention, I'm a female and put a heck of a lot of pressure on myself.
So no time? If you're serious about writing, you'll find time. Please don't insult me and every other writer out there by asking this.

Next: Remember your first story won't be the next Harry Potter. There's a reason why we have the term "first draft." Working in submissions, I've seen a lot of newbies submit. It's cute, really it is, and I try to send them something constructive for feedback. Yes, please, for the first round get all your ideas down. Better out than in. But after that, get online, join in writers groups, read blogs, make some friends who can critique with you and refine your art. Like anything else out there, there are rules and styles for writing, and these are there to fit the trends and reader expectations. Trust me, you want your readers to be happy.

Once you've written that manuscript and polished it to a shine, then you can look into querying. I started by getting involved with competitions. This way I could get great feedback on my query, and I met other writers at the same stage as me. We worked together, and I'd say most, if not all, the people I met during that time have a book deal of some form.
But you'll need to know a few things.
1. You will be rejected. Over, and over, and over, and over...
2. Know what you're looking for. Do you want an agent? If so, don't sign with just any agent. Know who is good, what agencies have positive/negative reputations, who actually gets big 5 publisher deals (some agencies have little to none of these) etc.
If you choose to go through a press, know the same about them, are they reputable? Do their books sell?
Also make sure you read over any contract you consider thoroughly. You don't want to be blindsided by contract clauses you missed.

So there you have it. Sounds simple enough, right? With hard work and patience, along with frustration and a thick skin, you can get there. There are plenty of writers out there, but the authors are the ones who soldier on and work through the trials.

Five-Line Friday: Deceptive Cadence

I decided I need to join Collette Cameron's Five Line- Friday more often. So today, here we go! I'm going to share a snippet from Deceptive Cadence, which releases in just over two weeks! So excited! But first, the rules:
Five-Line Friday RULES
Five lines of your current work in progress, new release, soon-to-be-released … whatever.   (Do keep it as close to five sentences as you can.)You are welcome to post buy links too.PG (I don’t have a warning on my blog about content, so it has to be appropriate for all viewers. I will delete comments that aren’t appropriate or offensive to some audiences. Sorry.)
Now the five lines:

As James walked back, I bit my lip. He was so attractive, and every inch of me screamed to have him. I cursed my raging teenage hormones. It wasn’t hard the first time around because I hadn’t cared about someone like I did James. I hadn’t desired someone like I did him. But I had to resist. Austin needed to be my first and only, even if I couldn’t feel anything for him yet. I knew I would eventually.

Names of the Kiya Characters

In Kiya, we see how many of the Egyptian characters are named and their meanings, like Tut and Horemheb. The Egyptian historical figures all have pretty well known names and origins, but for the fictional characters I had to find names to suit them. So, here are some!


Abimbala: A Nubian name in origin, also spelled "Abimbola", this means "Rich child." Since Abi grew up a princess in a culture arguably as rich and powerful as Egypt, she needed a name to reflect her nobility. Nubian queens were highly revered, and treated equally to kings. Abi would have been no exception to this.

Adina: Hebrew name meaning "lean and subtle." Since Adina was to be pretty and far more gentle than Naomi, this seemed fitting. Although Adina did prove to have a fiery side.

Eliora: Hebrew name meaning "the Lord is my light." As the youngest and loveliest of the sisters, Eliora needed something sweet with some kind of praise, especially since their mother died giving birth to her.


Gerlind: Ancient Germanic name meaning Ger "Spear" and Lind "soft, tender." This is perfect for the Gerlind I wanted to portray as she is small, quiet and hardly noticed, but she secretly has this strength and burning loyalty.

Hepsati: Egyptian name. I can't find my notes on the meaning of this unfortunately. But I did swap her name with Jendaji because I thought Hepsati would be better suited to Mordad's daughter for whatever reason.

Mordad: Persian name meaning "immortality." If you've read the story, you'll understand why this is so perfect. It's also the fifth month of the Iranian calendar. Random, huh? So it's kind of like I called her May.

Rena: Hebrew name meaning "joyous melody." Rena is my favorite of Naomi's sisters, which shows more and more through each book. She was named first, and brings a special joy to Naomi her whole life.

And Naomi? Well, she was always Naomi. She picked her own name. But Naomi does mean "pleasantness."

Did I miss any of your favorite characters? If I did, feel free to point it out to me.

Teaser Tuesday #7

All these are from K.A. Last

Cover Reveal: Fast, Fresh, and Hot by Eliza Madison (Men At Work, #1)

Publication date: June 29th 2015 
Synopsis:
Fantasy guys were supposed to remain anonymous. They were supposed to be nothing more than pretty faces. I didn’t have time for real.
Even though she’s ordered 4 pizzas this week, Becca Dahl’s interested less in spicy sausage and more in the smoking eye candy provided by her hot delivery guy, Tariq. It’s not supposed to amount to anything, but when he proposes a co-ed study break, the sex is hotter than she expected. They both want it to last more than one night, but Becca doesn’t have time for a relationship. She’s got to finish grad school with honors if she’s ever going to earn her dad’s praise. But when Tariq’s kisses light her up brighter than the Bat Signal, she can’t help but say yes to another date.
As they spend more time together out of bed, Becca starts to see the man behind the pizza box. They find a connection deeper than their mutual love of comic books and nerdy movie quotes. Tariq shares pieces of himself and he sees through Becca’s façade to the pain she’s kept hidden for years. Her resolve to hold him at arm’s length starts crumbling. But when Tariq shows up at her graduation, setting off her overbearing father, can he convince her that when it comes to a relationship, they’ve got what it takes to deliver?
Disclaimer: Fast, Fresh and Hot delivers chocolate that melts on your hand, not in your mouth, Batman tattoos, angry shower sex, 80s movie references, and a lifetime supply of sexy pizza boy. And lots of steamy, delicious sex.

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/25537785-fast-fresh-and-hot
Pre-order: http://www.amazon.com/Fast-Fresh-Hot-Work-Novella-ebook/dp/B00Y3P35IC/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1433541322&sr=8-1&keywords=Eliza+Madison

Cover Reveal: Coming Back by Emma South

Publication date: July 2015
Synopsis:Once, Christabelle Jayne defied death.  Learning to live and love again is going to be so much harder.
After being abducted and vanishing without a trace, she was presumed dead.  But Christie isn’t the kind of girl that goes down without a fight.  When she crawls out of the forest almost two years later, bruised and bleeding, she is confronted by a world that seems to have moved on and left her behind.
Dean Hawking returned to Warfields after a terrible tragedy on the job shook his faith in humanity.  The cop’s transfer home wasn’t the cure-all he hoped for until the best thing about it, the girl he loved since high school, Christie Jayne, turns up alive.
Their worlds are thrust together again for the first time in years.  Though still reeling from her ordeal, in Dean she finds a fathomless love that reminds her there are still beautiful things in the world. In Christie, he sees his chance at redemption…
Then Dean uncovers some startling information about Christie’s case, revealing that she might be in imminent danger, and their second chance at love will be put to the test when the full story of her escape is revealed.  Can there be any coming back from what she’s had to do?
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/25473145-coming-back-to-life?ac=1




AUTHOR BIO: Now a USA Today Best Selling Author!

Please visit http://emmasouth.com/?page_id=31 to sign up for my newsletter.

I'm in my thirties and living in New Zealand. About 2 years ago I lost somebody very close to me. I was lucky in a way, I was given enough time to make a promise. My promise was that I would never forget our young and innocent love, and it's a promise I intend to keep.

My writing is a way to help me keep that promise. I've always enjoyed writing but was forced into being 'prudent' and giving myself over to soul-crushing office work for the sake of a steady salary. Recent events forced me to re-evaluate my priorities and I decided to take a chance. I like to put little pieces of 'us' into my writing, from funny conversations we had, to apocalyptic arguments, to that special feeling you get when you hop into bed fully aware that your feet are freezing but your partner doesn't kick you away.

Even though these things are set in fictional worlds and attached to fictional characters, in a way it feels like I'm doing something that will make our love live forever. If somebody reads one of my stories and likes a joke or sheds a tear, then our love has lived on, and I thank any readers I might have for that.

Author Links:
http://emmasouth.com/
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7304575.Emma_South
https://twitter.com/EmmaSouthAuthor

Review: Sachael Dreams by Melody Winter

From Goodreads:
Twenty-two-year-old Estelle Bailey has had enough of busy city-life and her hot-tempered ex. She escapes to the seclusion and peace of her family’s clifftop home in Ravenscar, where the soothing solitude whispers to her soul as strongly as the sea itself does. But her newfound contentment is interrupted when a mysterious man—a Sachael, master of seduction—joins her midnight swim unexpectedly.

Estelle struggles against his charm and the overpowering attraction she feels for him. He offers her a life she never could have imagined, a life beneath the waves . . . but at what cost? Before she can decide, she’s captured, ensnared by the Sect, a secret enemy of the Sachaels, becoming a pawn in a war she knew nothing about.

Now, she’s left with a new choice—escape the clutches of the Sect and flee into the ocean, or side with her alluring, intimidating captor and destroy the Sachaels forever. Can she turn her back on the man she might love, or will the secret of her heritage change everything?

Set against a picturesque backdrop, Sachael Dreams is the first in a new series, exploring themes of romance, love, and identity, and the struggle that happens when all three collide. 

My Review:
4.5-5 stars.
I read the first chapter for this a while ago during a competition, and desperately wanted to read the rest ever since. So, when it published and the chance to read it was offered to me, I snatched it up!
Estelle is our narrator, a quiet, fairly reclusive girl, especially after fleeing from an abusive relationship. She has returned home to perform her monthly ritual she promised her father she would keep, when she finds a rare shell. A shell that shouldn't be anywhere near her beach. Soon after she collects the shell, a strange man appears in the water with her and, understandably, scares her half to death. But she can't stop thinking about her, and when he appears in her dreams and they agree to meet in person, her life takes a dramatic turn.
Estelle's life has always been quiet, her parents keeping to themselves. They loved each other and Estelle, and so Estelle never really met anyone outside of them. As a result, she misses them terribly especially her father, and is content being on her own. She is kind but strong willed and smart. She never lets anyone get the better of her, no matter how hard they push.
Azariah is the man in the water who she ends up falling for. The first half of the book consists almost entirely of their interactions and falling for one another. Slowly he reveals things to her, things that confuse her, but strangely make sense.
Then, right when secrets are uncovered, all hell breaks loose.
The story is excellent. It's well plotted with twists and turns. It ends cleanly, but leaves enough unanswered to make you anxious for the next installment. For example; the girl in the prologue. There's so much I suspect there, but very few answers! So eager to see where that goes.
The only reason I knocked off half a star is because I felt the internal dialogue slows things down in places. It gets a little heavy and repetitious. But it's a debut novel, and so well written, so don't let that deter you!
Excellent read!

Reading Your Own Book After It's Published

With Kiya: Hope of the Pharaoh's second anniversary recently passing, I decided it was time to read the trilogy again, because honestly, I hadn't read them since I approved them for publication.That's Two Years since I read something I worked so hard on, and that has changed my life.
Things I noticed. There were definite improvements in writing style from one book to the next. It's like a permanent record of my growth as a writer. Although, they are all technical things, things that don't really distract from the plot. In general, I still love the stories, especially the characters, and I still cried when so-and-so died, and grinned when so-and-so triumphed.  I still love Naomi, flaws and all. She's reckless, and often follows her heart without checking with her head first, especially when it comes to her children. 
And book 3 is still my favorite!
Anyway, I don't want to go on about my book, mostly I just wanted to mention how cool it was to read the books again after so long. It's like I put them out there, and moved on. I've been so focused on other works, I just let them roll on. I'm glad I decided to read them again! I'd recommend all author's go back and read their books again.

Teaser Tuesday #6

From Mara Valderran

Cover Reveal: Undeath & Taxes by Drew Hayes

Blurb:After discovering just how filled with magic, intrigue, and adventure the parahuman world of being an Undead American can be, Fredrick Frankford Fletcher did exactly what was expected--he became a certified parahuman accountant. Myths and legends, as it turns out, are not so great at taking appropriate deductions and keeping their receipts, and Fred is more than happy to return to a life others view as woefully dull, expanding his accounting business to cater to various monsters and their respective financial needs.

Said monsters are, unfortunately, still spectacular at pulling Fred into trouble, though. And despite merely wanting to stick with simple paperwork, Fred once again finds he is going to have to deal with enchanted weaponry, government agents, possessed houses, and one enigmatic dragon’s interest. In the parahuman world, any business can turn deadly, even one as mundane as accounting.
Add Undeath & Taxes on goodreads
Author Bio: Drew Hayes is an aspiring author from Texas who has written several books and found the gumption to publish a few (so far). He graduated from Texas Tech with a B.A. in English, because evidently he’s not familiar with what the term “employable” means. Drew has been called one of the most profound, prolific, and talented authors of his generation, but a table full of drunks will say almost anything when offered a round of free shots. Drew feels kind of like a D-bag writing about himself in the third person like this. He does appreciate that you’re still reading, though.Drew would like to sit down and have a beer with you. Or a cocktail. He’s not here to judge your preferences. Drew is terrible at being serious, and has no real idea what a snippet biography is meant to convey anyway. Drew thinks you are awesome just the way you are. That part, he meant. Drew is off to go high-five random people, because who doesn’t love a good high-five? No one, that’s who.
See Drew told about himself in first person on his website and twitter.