K.M. Shea's Blog, page 80

Life Reader Book Trailer

Before I reveal the book trailer, this is just a reminder that I’m looking for two to four people to pre-read Life Reader (I will send you a copy for free) and review it by June 1st. For more information click here!

Finally, allow me to introduce the premier of the Life Reader book trailer!

The trailer was made with Adobe After Effects and Sony Vegas Movie Studio. I used Magix Music Maker to create and produce the music, and the sound effects were downloaded off the internet, or, in some cases, came with Sony Vegas Movie Studio. Like it, share it, and tell all your friends, please!

Life Reader Annoucement

I’m embarrassed to admit it, but I totally forgot about updating yesterday. A thousand apologies my dear Champions!

For starters I again updated Texnovel, Fictionpress, and NovelJoy with free chapters! The first 25 pages are posted on those sites, so that should give you a pretty good idea what Life Reader is like. But! That is not the big announcement!

I am looking for a few reviewers for Life Reader. While obviously I would love it if everyone would review Life Reader, I’m looking for a few people to review it before it is available for free on Amazon. Here’s how it will work: Email me through the form below or the contact me page, stating that you agree to review Life Reader by June 1st (earlier is better) and I’ll send you a free, PDF copy of Life Reader for your reading pleasure!

I’m looking for two to four people, and I will post on here when the review slots are closed. Don’t worry if you don’t get the chance to snag Life Reader for free during this offer. It will be available for free on Amazon June 6–June 10.

[contact-form]

Life Reader: Picture This & Sneak Peek

Great news! Life Reader has been selected as one of the Editors Picks for May on Textnovel.com! I’m pretty psyched about this, mostly because Life Reader hasn’t even been up a week and it was chosen! Thanks Textnovel!

Today I’ve got another small update of Life Reader, which can be read on Textnovel.com, FictionPress, or (a new addition to the free chapters club) NovelJoy.com.

Also I have a new episode of Picture This to share! For those of you who haven’t been here long, picture this is when I post photographs/comics/fanart for my books. Today’s Picture This is actually an archived image for Life Reader. Life Reader has been written three times. Today’s image–a comic–was written/drawn for the first edition. However, it so clearly displays the characters of Raven and her co-workers, I just had to post it.

Thanks for reading!

Sneak peek: Another sample chapter!

Another sample chapter of Life Reader has been posted. You can view it at Fiction Press or Textnovel. In this chapter you’re finally introduced to Raven’s coworkers, and you get your first peek at the snarly Library Director, Isaac Eastgate, through his terse emails.

I’m working on a book trailer–which I hope to release by Friday or early next week. It’s almost finished, but it just needs a little more polish.

I also wish to assure you that I am working on my next adult book (A Modern Girl Rules Camelot, title REALLY pending) and I’ve actually gathered enough research that I think I may be able to start writing the first few chapters in the next few days. (I slave away for you, Champions, let me tell you!

This is a short post, but the sample chapter should give you champions something to nibble on. Enjoy!

Life Reader: Sneak peeks!

The first of the Life Reader sample chapters have been posted! You can read them in one of two places: Textnovel.com or FictionPress. Clicking the links will take you to my profile at those respective sites. Life Reader is listed below my profile–just click on it to get to the chapters. I will be releasing more sample chapters, but don’t work! I’ll announce it here whenever I do.

Today I’m also revealing the cover art for Life Reader.

Once again my cover artist did a bang up job! I think this cover is my favorite so far, mostly because the details of the story really shine through. All of the animals/things pictured on the book cover actually appear in the story. The main character does have that russet red shade of hair, her fingers are perfectly manicured, and she wears a silver ring.

Life Reader: Character Sketches

Today is the last set of Life Reader character sketches. I want to go on the record of saying: I know there’s a lot of guys! I do have female characters as well, but when it comes to the plot Raven and these guys are the important pieces. I assure you this is not going to be one of those sappy stories where everyone falls in love with the heroine. Just about everyone I’ve listed in the character sketches starts out by hating Raven. When I start releasing sample chapters next week you’ll get what I mean.

Name: Daire Eastgate IV

Magic Element: Sand

Personal Slogan: My decisions are the law

Six words that describe him: Paranoid, prideful, rule follower, brown noser

Daire Eastgate IV moves through life with a stick up his butt. He religiously believes in order, rules, and power, and as an entitled prat from a rich family he has high ambitions and goals. His only redeeming quality, as most girls see it, is his handsome face and high intelligence. He is not above bribery and sucking up to get what he wants, and things always go his way.

Name: Jeremiah Tanner

Magic Element: Water

Personal Slogan: Hello Princess

Six words that describe him: Carefree, light hearted, deceptive, intelligent, flirt

Jeremiah Tanner is a flighty, flirty guy who fancies himself a prince and God’s gift to women. He is cheerful and friendly, although he can use his smiles and seemingly low intellect to deliver insults to those he dislikes. Jeremiah is ever the sympathetic crusader for girls—all girls—but does whatever work is asked of him in a timely manner.

 

Name: Isaac Eastgate (Library Director) Aka The Tyrant

Magic Element: ?

Slogan: Sit down and shut up, idiot

Six words that describe him: Crabby, powerful, testy, workaholic, reserved,  all knowing

In the universe of Saint Cloud, Isaac Eastgate is the sun. He is rarely seen and is known mostly for his insults, steep disciplinary actions, and general tyranny. He never smiles and is expressive as a stone unless he is angered. It is generally agreed upon that he doesn’t like anybody at all, and is always in a bad mood.

Life Reader: Character Sketches

Today is Day 2 of Life Reader character sketches. These next two characters are more mild mannered and tend to slink around in the background. (In fact they may be the only library employees who actually do anything.) But don’t let that fool you, Royce and Brannon are too observant to lay low for long.

Name: Royce Stephonson

Magic Element: Plants (this includes trees and wood)

Personal Slogan: Howdy!

Six words that describe him: Cowboy, calm, follower, swordsman, friendly, open

Royce sticks out like a sore thumb in the spotless shelves of Saint Cloud Library. He wears a Stetson hat, talks with a drawl, and can always be found at the sign-in station for computer usage. He is sweet tempered, although he can be judgmental, and has the reflexes of a fencer. Out of all the library employees Royce is undoubtedly the most normal.

Name: Brannon Dougal

Magic Element: Earth

Personal Slogan: Touchdown!

Six words that describe him: Football player, enthusiastic, happy, athlete, trusting

Brannon is a sports enthusiast and a fantastic football player—a skill that unfortunately has him missing a fair amount of shifts at the library thanks to games and practices. Built like a small yak, Brannon is as cheerful as they come and completely void of guile. He loves Saint Cloud and takes great pride in his work, and he is surprisingly skilled at hacking computers.

Life Reader: Character Sketches

Welcome to Day One of Life Reader Character Sketches. Today, Wednesday, and Friday I am revealing the eight main characters of Life Reader. These profiles will also be available on a second page, which will be up by Wednesday at the latest. Today I’m featuring the heroine of the story, Raven Wishmore, and two of her co-workers, Asher and Aron Montamous.

 

Magical Element: Ice (and the ability to read things to life)

Personal Slogan: Don’t judge me by my cover

Six words that describe Raven: Mysterious, sarcastic, liar, secret keeper, warrior

Raven can generally be described as “an unobtrusive presence,” but this is mainly a ploy she uses to screen her dark secret—her ability to read things to life. Constantly weighted down with the knowledge that her life will be over if anyone finds out about her magic has nurtured in Raven a sarcastic, secretive outlook and personality. She has an unmatched passion for libraries and books, and is greatly jealous of those who are able to use their magic or natural physical abilities to protect themselves and others. She would generally prefer to be silent and get her work done, but this new mission she’s been shoved into by her father has placed her alarmingly out of her comfort zone and more in the limelight than she ever feared.

Magical Element: Fire

Personal Slogan: It’s only illegal if you get caught.

Six words that describe them: crafty, deviants, loyal, loners, talented, creepers

Asher and Aron are identical twins with a penchant for breaking and entering…anything. They’re extremely talented in magic thanks to their connection as twins, which allows them to swap and share power. Their daily activities include playing video games, loafing, and spying on other library employees. They are mostly friendless but are playful and affectionate with those they deem worthy.

Page Turner?

To start off, remember, you can get a free, extra chapter of Red Rope of Fate by reviewing it on Amazon and emailing your review to me. For more information scroll down to the next post or click here!)

Whew, I have a few fun announcements! For starters, The Page Turner is being renamed. The most likely title is The Life Reader but I’ll keep you posted. Secondly, I’ll be posting several free chapters of The Life Reader on Text Novel and Fiction Press. The first chapter will be released May 12. Ish. (I say ish because I am a procrastinator , fickle, creative and timelines change.) I will be releasing a minimum of 3 chapters.

One thing I also wanted to mention, The Life Reader is going to be priced at $2.99. This does not reflect a pattern I’ll be following in the future, it reflects the length and complexity of the story. I spent a month writing Red Rope of Fate, and roughly half a year writing both of the Robyn Hood books. I have spent years writing The Life Reader. Pushing that aside, the main reason for the increase is that The Life Reader is double the length of the above stories. I will always keep my shorter books priced at 99 cents, so do not fear the price increase!

It’s a short update for today, but I’ll have lots of new things to reveal and talk about next week so hold on to your hats. Thank you for reading, and please stop by again!

Re: Lancelot the prat

Before I get started, remember, you can get a free, extra chapter of Red Rope of Fate by reviewing it on Amazon and emailing your review to me. For more information scroll down to the next post or click here!)

So I’ve been researching and reading King Arthur books and ballads for my future King Arthur book. (My King Arthur book will star a modern age girl who gets sucked into the past when the REAL Arthur runs off with a shepherdess, leaving Britian King-less.) I’ve come to the conclusion that the King Arthur ballads were the first soap operas.

In the stories I’ve read so far there have been 1) Brothers who unknowingly fought each other (hard to tell who you’re fighting with all that gear) and ended up killing each other 2) Several odd cases in which a knight spawns a son who seems to grow up in a matter of months before he joins is father in Camelot. 3) love affairs and 4) Girls who die of broken hearts. There is a lot angst to be had in the King Arthur tales.

I really want to smite Lancelot and Guinevere. I am not the type to go for the whole “courtly love,” thing, nor do I believe the lame “they both love Arthur which is why they are perfect for each other” argument. Normally most of my anger would boil on Guinevere, not because she deserves more of the blame but because she is the one who is actually cheating. However… Guinevere is a very bland character. Not much is mentioned about her besides her beauty, parentage, and the fact that Arthur fell in love with her. Let’s face it, compared to Marian (who has a spine, served as a spy, and also, according to one ballad, beat up Robin Hood when they crossed swords and were both in disguise) Guinevere is faceless and unimportant. Everyone says HER betrayal is what ruined Arthur’s reign, but really it was losing Lancelot that did Arthur in.

Lancelot is Arthur’s most trusted knight. After Merlin left, Lancelot was Arthur’s go-to guy. Their relationship is mentioned in many ballads and stories. Essentially, Lancelot was Arthur’s Little John. (A more gallant, charming, and handsome version of Little John) Lancelot is NOT the flat character Guinevere is. He is Arthur’s best friend, and HE is the one I really dislike for his betrayal. (YES, YES I know in some of the ballads Arthur acts like a clueless idiot regarding Guinevere and Lancelot, and he did a few stupid things over Guinevere, but one could never doubt he deeply loved his queen and treasured his friendship with Lancelot.)

Here’s where the fun comes in: In my story Brit Arthurs takes Arthur’s place in becoming King of England, as she is able to pull the sword from the stone. Brit Arthurs is NOT going to be heartbroken about Guinevere’s so called betrayal.  I must have my revenge and make Lancelot miserable for at least part of the book. The question is… should I just make him sad and break his heart a bit, or should I be downright nasty and tar and feather that sonofva… Ahem. well you get the point. So, my dear champions, help me decide. Leave a comment below or use the form in the  contact page to share your thoughts!