Kyle Pratt's Blog: Musings & Rantings, page 9

Five Stars of Excitement

One more reason to be grateful!

When browsing, customers judge a book by the cover (despite the saying) and by the reviews. That is why I’m so very grateful that readers of Through the Storm have left overwhelmingly positive reviews.

Now I have another reason to be grateful. The Readers’ Favorite organization has given Through the Storm a five-star review.

In her review for Readers’ Favorite, Susan Sewell said that Through the Storm “is a thrilling, action-packed adventure. This superb novel has a gripping plot and outstanding characters. The onset of the storm sets off frightening events that are so realistic; the book is hard to put down ... frighteningly realistic ... a sensational novel filled with perils and acts of heroism, and is the first in what promises to be a stellar series. I recommend this phenomenal adventure to young adults and older readers who love cataclysmic novels with everyday heroes.”

Readers Favorite is the fastest growing book review and contest organization online. Used by publishers such as Penguin Random House, Simon & Schuster, and Harper Collins, the organization has received the “Best Websites for Authors” and “Honoring Excellence” awards from the Association of Independent Authors.

If you’ve read Through the Storm and haven’t reviewed it, please do. Reviews really do help sales. For everyone who has read the novel and left a review—Thank you!

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Conference Season

Right now I’m planning on attending two conferences.

I could add more, but in August I will be at the Oregon Christian Writers Conference and in September I’ll attend the Southwest Washington Writers Conference. So, why am I writing about them now?

Because the work and planning have already begun.

Kyle with the books for the Cascade Award competition

Oregon Christian Writers Conference (August 20 – 24, 2018)

I’ve attended the Oregon conference for more than five years and gradually become more involved. This is the second year I’ve judged short stories and flash fiction for the Cascade Award, presented annually at the conference. In 2015 my novel A Time to Endure was a finalist in the Speculative Fiction category. This year I’ve submitted three novels for consideration, Seekers of Earth and Through the Storm in the speculative fiction category and Recall the Earth in the young adult category.

Southwest Washington Writers Conference (September 8, 2018)

The other members of the board, Jennifer Vandenberg, Amy Flugel, and Pat Thompson.

I’ve been involved in the planning of this one-day conference since it began four years ago. Now, I’m on the board of directors for the Lewis County Writers Guild, the non-profit that runs the conference. Recently the board met to decide on who would speak and conduct workshops for the fifth-annual event. The struggle each year is to line up new and interesting speakers. The first, third, and fourth year I conducted workshops but bowed out this year to allow for new voices. Still, I’m involved with most of the preparations.

Kyle Pratt and his sticky notes

As you can see from the photo we used sticky notes on the wall to set up the presenters and schedule.

The work to create a successful conference can feel overwhelming at times, but I always enjoy the event.

If you attend either conference come up and introduce yourself. I’d enjoy meeting you.

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Click on the following links to read my author bio, or read more about current writing projects.

Save me from answering systems

I’m sure you’ve tried to call a business and ended up on their automated answering system. You know the type, “Press 1 for English, press 2 for Spanish, press 3 for Belarusian.

Immediately after pressing a number the music starts and my stomach always twists into a knot. I’ve spent years with a phone against my ear while waiting for human assistance. Eventually, my ear starts to hurt and I’ll need to use the bathroom. That’s bad enough, but while waiting I’m forced to hear music that I would never listen to unless trapped in a dungeon, an elevator, or compelled to stay on the phone.

Then I hear a voice. “Your call is important to us; please remain on the line and we’ll be with you shortly.” It’s not a human, merely a disembodied demon sent to torment me in phone purgatory. If my call were important I would be speaking to an actual flesh and blood person.

More instrumental music.

“Please wait on the line and a representative will be with you shortly.”

Endless inane music.

Yes, I’ve been writing this while waiting on hold—but now I’m going to hang up and find a company that actually values my business.

Click on the following links to read my author bio, or read more about current writing projects.

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Win More eBooks

Have you read my novel Though Many Fires?

Recently I’ve been working with other authors to give my readers opportunities to download and win ebooks. Here is the latest chance for you to expand your library.

For a limited time, you can enter to win the book, plus 30+ fantastic dystopian & post-apocalyptic sci-fi novels from an amazing collection of authors like Craig Martelle, Jay Falconer and Steven Konkoly. You can also win a brand new eReader - along with a collection of FREE ebooks!

All you have to do is enter the contest by clicking here: http://bit.ly/dystopian-feb2018

When you’re done, leave a comment to let me know you’ve entered!

Click on the following links to read my author bio, or read more about contests and promotions.

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The Moon Landing & Grandma

I’m old enough to remember the Apollo 11 moon landing.

Pearl Thornton Pratt with her husband James and first child William

I was in middle school at the time and my family lived in rural Colorado. Cable TV didn’t exist in my area and there was no such thing as satellite TV, so we did without.

Very early on the morning of Sunday, July 20, 1969, my father woke me up and together we drove down out of the mountains to my seventy-three-year-old grandmother’s home in Denver. Later that morning we sat in her living room and watched the moon landing on her small black and white television.

During the broadcast, I glanced over at my grandmother. I recalled her telling me that she homesteaded land in Arkansas with my grandfather when she was twenty years old. Years later my grandfather moved to Kansas to look for work. When he had a job he sent word and she drove a covered wagon with their possessions and children to join him.

Now, near the end of her life, she watched people walk on the moon. What an incredible life of progress, adventure, and marvel. But I never asked her to tell me her stories.

Recently, I joined a genealogy group at my Assemblies of God church. These last few weeks I’ve been trying to reconstruct her life, along with many others that have now passed on. Each of them might have told me so much.

I was young, shy and I did ask a few questions, but I could have asked so many more.

The Olympics Got in the Way

It’s not my fault—it’s the Olympics.

Last month I said that I would take some time off to watch the Olympics—but writing will dominate my days. It didn’t quite work out that way. Oh, I did take some time off, but writing didn’t dominate my days.

I’ve always enjoyed the bobsled, luge, skeleton, ski jumping, hockey, snowboarding—okay, I like many of the events, but during these games my youngest son and I both developed a keen interest in curling. The rest of the family found our interest amusing, but it really is a strategic game.

But the Winter Olympics are over now and I’m officially behind schedule on all of my writing and editing projects.

I hope to be done with a sidequel of Through the Storm by the end of March, more than a month behind schedule. In this story, I’m following Major Franklin through the same time period as Neal Evans. Into the Storm is the working title for this sidequel novella which should be released in May of this year.

The full-length sequel to Through the Storm is the other writing project I’m currently working on. This, as yet unnamed, novel will continue the plot of both the earlier books (Through the Storm & Into the Storm) and bring some of the characters together and they struggle to survive. I’m going to work very hard to have the sequel, and the sidequel, ready for release this year.

Click on the following links to read my author bio, or read more about current writing projects.

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Writing Every Day

February was a short month and I didn’t get as much done as I wanted.

Kyle with a month of edits to his stories

Nearly every working day of this month will be devoted to writing and editing the sidequel and sequel to Through the Storm. Okay, I will take some time off to watch the Olympics—but writing will dominate my days.

If I don’t write and edit each day I fall behind. In the picture I’m holding one month of edits for my current writing projects.

I hope to be done with a sidequel of Through the Storm by the end of February. Sidequel isn’t a real word, yet, but authors sometimes use it for stories that portray events that occur at the same time as the original work, (Through the Storm), but with different characters in a different setting. In this case, I’m following Major Franklin through the same time period as Neal Evans. Into the Storm is the working title for this sidequel novella which should be released in May of this year.

The full-length sequel to Through the Storm is the other writing project I’m currently working on. This, as yet unnamed, novel will continue the plot of both the earlier books (Through the Storm & Into the Storm) and bring some of the characters together and they struggle to survive. The sequel should be ready for release at the end of this year.  

Click on the link to read more about my upcoming books on the projects page of my website.

Click on the following links to read my author bio, or read more about current writing projects.

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Surviving the Winter

My bees have survived winter – at least so far.

Kyle opens the hive.

A few days ago the temperature rose into the low fifties. Between rain showers, I hurried out to inspect both of my hives. I didn’t have to open them to know the most important news, as of that day in late January both colonies had survived the winter. Individual bees were flying out and returning to both structures.

Before opening the hives, I cleared a few dead bees from near the entrance. This is normal. Worker bees remove the dead from the hive, but on cold days they don’t take the bodies far. Then I removed the top of the hive. Immediately below the roof is a box with a wire mesh bottom. On top of that is a cloth and resting on that are cedar chips. This collects excess moisture during our damp rainy winters. I was pleased to see that it was dry. 

Deep in the hive below, I heard the buzz of a healthy colony. I quickly returned the moisture box and roof to the hive.

In a few weeks, I’ll open the hive again and add food to tide the bees over until spring.

Click on the following links to read my author bio, or read more about my life on the farm.

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Oh, Deer!

The days are getting longer now, but it seems to me that this is the coldest time of the year in the northwest. While it doesn’t always snow in western Washington State it has this year and that brings more wildlife to the house and barnyard area.

Click to Enlarge

My wife feeds the chickens daily, but they hate the snow and usually stay in their house. However, squirrels and an assortment of birds come to feast in both the chicken area and the barnyard. My wife makes sure they are well fed.

Meadows and pastures have little edible grass this time of year so deer are another common visitor to the barnyard. If they arrive early enough they eat bird food with the squirrels and birds. Whenever they arrive, the deer will often linger around the house. We grow some really nice apples, but I prefer my wife not feed those to the deer, so she started buying cooking apples to toss to them.

On this farm, she cares for all creatures, great and small.

Click on the following links to read my author bio, or read more about my life on the farm.

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Massive Book Giveaway

Three FREE Giveaways of over 120 books!

I’ve teamed up with a multitude of other authors to promote our books and gain exposure to new readers. So, in conjunction with these authors, we’ve created three book giveaways of over 120 books going on right now. Download any or all of the books you like. However, these are all limited time offers, so act now!

Fantastic Voyages

This giveaway goes from now through January 15th and includes an incredible selection of over 100 stories. These novels and novellas are all in the science fiction and fantasy genre and are available for free download right now. In this group, I’m offering Final Duty, my science fiction novella. To check out these fantastic sci-fi and fantasy voyages click the image or this link, https://books.bookfunnel.com/freefantastic

New Year Thriller

The New Year giveaway goes until the end of January and includes fifteen thriller novels available for FREE download. These stories range from military to sci-fi, but they are all thrillers and free, including my own Through Many Fires. To check out these New Year thriller books click the image or this link,  https://books.bookfunnel.com/newyearthrillers   

Military Thriller

Looking for a military thriller novel to read? Look no farther!  These bestselling authors have teamed up to offer a FREE action-packed selection of books. All are available for free download until the end of January. This group also includes my novel Through Many Fires. To check out these New Year thriller stories click the image or this link, https://books.bookfunnel.com/militarypromojanuary2018

 

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