Kacey Vanderkarr's Blog, page 4

Kacey Vanderkarr

Originally posted on All The Way YA:

Why am I here?

Oh Lord. It’s the existential question everyone wants the answer to. Why am I here? Why are YOU here? We’re all here to learn about writing. The journey. The neurosis. My gift and my curse.

First lesson. Writers are dramatic.

Perhaps I should start with Who Am I?

I’m a self-proclaimed young adult author who occasionally toes the line into new adult and adult. Lines were meant to be crossed, after all. I love fantasy and sci-fi, but my short fiction tends to be contemporary. Perhaps you’ve heard of me, Kacey Vanderkarr. I’ll wait while you do the Google.

The long story is that I started writing seriously in 2009. I had a dream and my laptop. Magic happened. Well…to be honest, back then the things I wrote weren’t so magical. The next few years moved in fast-forward. I learned A LOT of things. Then, in…

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MY BEST BOOKS OF 2014!

I set out to read 60 books this year, but fell short at 50. If I add in all the times I read my own manuscripts, I’ve read at least 100 books, so I’ll let it slide. I’ve compiled my favorite books of 2014 for your perusal. (Some of them were published before 2014. Whatever. Books don’t suddenly lose their readability because of their age!) A lot of them were continuations of a series (or the final books, SADNESS!). A lot of the books appear more than once on my list. What can I say? I like what I like.

I’ve got a pile started for 2015. What’s on your favorites list? Leave me a comment!

Top 5 Reads

1. City of Heavenly Fire by Cassandra Clare

2. The Retribution of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin (Review HERE.)

3. Third Degree by Julie Cross (Loved, loved, loved this book! Review HERE.)

4. The Kiss of Deception by Mary E. Pearson (Review HERE.)

5. Where She Went by Gayle Forman

Romance (The kind with a plot. Don’t be crazy.)

1. Third Degree by Julie Cross

2. Whatever Life Throws at You by Julie Cross (Cross writes non-skanky romance, and I love her for it.)

3. Making Faces by Amy Harmon (This book was SO good. Review HERE.)

Kick Ass Heroines

1. City of Heavenly Fire by Cassandra Clare (Clary. I Clary.)

2. Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi (This book surprised me. The writing was AH-MAZING)

3. The Retribution of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin

Books with Boys I Love

1. City of Heavenly Fire by Cassandra Clare (Jace. Magnus. Simon. I love boys.)

2. The Retribution of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin (Noah. Sigh. I need more of him.)

3. Where She Went by Gayle Forman (Adam. Boys. In bands. Always bad news, haha.)

Books that Wrecked Me

1. Love and Other Unknown Variables by Shannon Lee Alexander (Review HERE.)

2. How We Deal with Gravity by Ginger Scott (Review HERE.)

3. Searching for Sky by Jillian Cantor (Heartbreaking! Review HERE.)

Something a Little Different

1. Lovely Vicious by Sara Wolf (Talk about snark! I loved the MC’s voice!)

2. The Replacement by Brenna Yovanoff (Dark, beautiful writing.)

3. The Girl of Fire and Thorns by Rae Carson (Not your typical YA about a snowflake girl. Nice deviation from the norm.)

2014: A Look Back

2014 is almost over. I think it’s time to look back on everything I’ve accomplished this year and what’s coming in 2015.

Wow, judging by my posts for 2014, it’s been a rollercoaster. I decided to publish some books (3 to be exact) and had my work published in Sucker Literary Volume III. I think, though the date is up in the air, I’ll have another published in Ember: A Journal of Luminous Things by the end of December.

In January 2014, did I know I’d get this far? No. No, I did not. It’s amazing what we’re capable of when we want something enough. That being said, there’s still more I want, and I’m not giving up.

I’m the process of querying Stepping Stones. Those of you not familiar with this story—it’s the one that started everything for me. Back in (oh God!) 2009, I sat down on a college break and wrote a manuscript in 4 weeks. It was my first real attempt at writing, and in retrospect, it was terrible. I knew nothing of plot or characterization, or hell, even point of view or tense. I’ve come so far since that summer. I’ve written 9 manuscripts since then, not counting ALLLL the rewrites. Stepping Stones, through many, many complete rewrites, is something I’m proud of, now. The technicalities of the story have changed and improved, but the heart, the things that made me love those characters, remains the same. I’m determined to find an agent to represent my work. And never giving up is kind of my motto.

When I cleared away the cobwebs of my hard drive, I found another manuscript in there. Sleep and Shatter, which I wrote for Nano 2013. As a writer, I suffer from self-defeatism. I get an idea in my head that things suck. My writing, specifically. A lot of it comes from taking criticism to heart. So, after Nano, I had a few people read Sleep and Shatter, I took their words as truth, and shoved the manuscript to the back of my hard drive and willed myself to forget about it. A few days ago, I opened Sleep and Shatter, and read it, beginning to end.

And felt like I won the damn lottery.

Suffice it to say, this story will not remain hidden in the back of my computer. I’m currently editing it and making notes. It’s my back up plan if I can’t find representation for Stepping Stones.

So what’s coming in 2015?

Torch Rock, the final installment in the Reflection Pond series. Agent representation (cross your fingers!). More short fiction, possibly a novella, Who She Is. More writing. More good things. More. More. More.

Stay tuned.

I feel like my time is coming. My represented writer friends tell me that it’s only a matter of time before I snag an agent of my own. I sure hope they’re right, because I have so much to give and I’m SO ready to work for it.

All the best,

Kacey

HAPPY RELEASE DAY, POISON TREE!

Book 2 in the Reflection Pond series is finally here! I’m so excited to share the continuation of Callie and Rowan’s story. You can see early reviews of the book at Seeing Double in Neverland and Paradise of Pages. Leave some comments and thank these ladies for being awesome bloggers!

To celebrate, Reflection Pond (Book 1) is on sale for $0.99 this week only!

Be sure to add Torch Rock (Reflection Pond, Book 3) on Goodreads!

Poison Tree (Reflection Pond, Book 2)

by Kacey Vanderkarr

Available Dec. 2, 2014 from Urban Fey Press

Amazon

Goodreads

The road to the City of War is dangerous.

With their home in ruins, Callie and Rowan are Eirensae’s last hope of stealing the cauldron back from Fraeburdh. They must travel into the human world where the Fallen hide. The banished fae wait for Callie, desperate to sacrifice her before she comes of age.

If Callie and Rowan survive the journey, something worse looms in Fraeburdh. Rowan is destined for a dark family legacy too horrifying to accept, and his father is anxious to welcome him home. Once the truth is revealed, will Callie ever look at Rowan the same way?

Trapped between feuding cities lost in a centuries-old war, Callie and Rowan will face their biggest rivals yet, and neither of them will make it out unscathed.

COVER REVEAL: THE ANGEL KILLER BY LISA VOISIN

Happy Saturday, friends! Today I’m featuring the lovely Lisa Voisin, and the cover reveal of her upcoming novel, The Angel Killer.

Coming January 5, 2015

DESCRIPTION

Now that she’s found him again, all Mia Crawford wants is some downtime with her fallen angel boyfriend, Michael. But the call of duty keeps him away—from school and from her—with more demons to smite than ever.

When Michael is mortally wounded by a cursed sword, Mia must perform an ancient blood ritual to save him. But the spell exacts a price. Haunted by visions of war, torture, and despair, Mia discovers the world is in more danger than she ever imagined. Behind the scenes, an evil adversary pulls all the strings.

After redemption, there’s Hell to pay.

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/23420120-the-angel-killer

About Lisa Voisin

A Canadian-born author, Lisa Voisin spent her childhood daydreaming and making up stories, but it was her love of reading and writing in her teens that drew her to Young Adult fiction.

Lisa is also a technical writer, a meditation teacher, and the leader of the Young Writer’s Club, a local writing group for teens in her home town. A self-proclaimed coffee lover, she can usually be found writing in a local café. When she’s not writing, you’ll find her meditating or hiking in the mountains to counteract the side effects of drinking too much caffeine!

Though she’s lived in several cities across Canada, she currently lives in Vancouver, B.C. with her fiancé and their two cats.

WEBSITE | BLOG | TWITTER | FACEBOOK | GOODREADS | MAILING LIST

Prepare yourself for the release by getting the first book in the series, The Watcher. Available on Amazon.

Millennia ago, he fell from heaven for her.

Can he face her without falling again?

Fascinated with ancient civilizations, seventeen-year-old Mia Crawford dreams of becoming an archaeologist. She also dreams of wings—soft and silent like snow—and somebody trying to steal them.

When a horrible creature appears out of thin air and attacks her, she knows Michael Fontaine is involved, though he claims to know nothing about it. Secretive and aloof, Michael evokes feelings in Mia that she doesn’t understand. Images of another time and place haunt her. She recognizes them—but not from any textbook.

In search of the truth, Mia discovers a past life of forbidden love, jealousy and revenge that tore an angel from Heaven and sent her to an early grave. Now that her soul has returned, does she have a chance at loving that angel again? Or will an age-old nemesis destroy them both?

Ancient history is only the beginning.

COVER REVEAL: POISON TREE (REFLECTION POND, BOOK 2)

Obviously, I’m super excited to reveal this cover. It’s so beautiful that I can’t stop looking at it. This book has been a long, hard road, and I can’t wait to share it with all of you in December! The full print cover is below, this is EXCLUSIVE to my blog, just because I love you!

Poison Tree

Available December 2, 2014 from Urban Fey Press

Cover Design by Julia Gollbach (Gorgon) – Bioblossom Creative

Goodreads

Buy Reflection Pond (Book 1)

The road to the City of War is dangerous.

With their home in ruins, Callie and Rowan are Eirensae’s last hope of stealing the cauldron back from Fraeburdh. They must travel into the human world where the Fallen hide. The banished fae wait for Callie, desperate to sacrifice her before she comes of age.

If Callie and Rowan survive the journey, something worse looms in Fraeburdh. Rowan is destined for a dark family legacy too horrifying to accept, and his father is anxious to welcome him home. Once the truth is revealed, will Callie ever look at Rowan the same way?

Trapped between feuding cities lost in a centuries-old war, Callie and Rowan will face their biggest rivals yet, and neither of them will make it out unscathed.

Poison Tree Print Cover

COVER REVEAL: OUT OF THE GREEN – TALES FROM FAIRYLAND

Coming November 24, 2014 from Urban Fey Press in digital and paperback.

Preorder digital version HERE.

FEATURING:

A Wall of Wings and Sorrow – A.M. Supinger

Rabbit, Rabbit – Jill Corddry

Fill – Kacey Vanderkarr

The Youngest Prince – Holly Hook

Pixielated – Katie Tillwick

Tam Lin’s Documentation – Ian Springer-Woods

Grandfather Carp’s Dream – Loren Rhoads

The Marriage of Dorian the Shepherd – Russell Adams

Wish – Nancy Tucker

See You at 7 – Tiffanie Shaw

The Steed of the Fey – T.J. O’Hare

Wild is the Wind – Martha J. Allard

Pixie Sticks – E.A. Fow

Add it on Goodreads.

WHY YOU HAVE TO WRITE THE HARD STUFF

I wrote this post a while back as a guest spot on the Antithesis blog tour. Now, more than ever, I think it’s important to remind myself why I write. Plus, it’s a good post. It’s over a year later and it’s still relevant. I spent the afternoon Googling myself, and this is what I came up with. Won’t go into detail, the post speaks for itself. Enjoy!

WHY DO YOU HAVE TO WRITE THE HARD STUFF?

Originally appeared at: YA Midnight Reads

It’s an ongoing fear of mine. I’m standing in front of a crowd holding a novel—I’ve just done a reading and now hands shoot into the air. They have questions—questions about my story that I don’t want to answer.

They want to know which character I am.

They want to know which horrible thing happened to me.

I want you to close your eyes and think back on your favorite books. I can list mine off the top of my head. The Fault in our Stars by John Green. Clockwork Princess by Cassandra Clare. The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky. The list goes on and on—now you’re trying to figure out what these books have in common. All of them deal with hard issues—and the best fiction does.

When I finished The Fault in our Stars, I thought I’d never be the same. My heart was torn out and stomped into nothing. It made me think. It made me appreciate. I cried for days. There were moments of sheer brilliance in that book, some of them quiet and beautiful, others loud and energetic. All of them heartbreaking. All of them.

Clockwork Princess. You’re wondering why this is on my list. Didn’t it have a happy ending? Yes. It had a very happy ending, but it explored things that are so important to me. Cassie has a way of portraying friendships between males that you don’t see in fiction. Beautiful love for one another that would be scorned in the real world. It makes me hopeful. It makes me cry. It makes me want to be a better writer.

The Perks of Being a Wallflower. Where to begin with how epic this novel is? It explores drugs. Suicide. Self-harm. Homophobia. Discrimination. Molestation. Sex. First love. The bittersweet taste of hope and second chances.

Writing is not a dissociative process. I find myself steeped in my stories. I cry when I write. I laugh. I let go. (And sometimes I just write for fun—I mean, we can’t be angst filled all the time.)

So often authors are afraid to step outside their comfort zone. There’s a scene coming up in my current work in progress where a girl finds her father after he’s killed himself. I initially wrote this story a long time ago—back before life turned me upside down. To tell you the truth, I’ve delayed rewriting this story because of that one scene. I picture it in my head and I’m terrified. I know exactly how it looks—how it smells. I know the sound her hands make in the blood. I know that she will never be the same. I know that she will always ask what if?

And then I cry.

For so long I told myself that I couldn’t do it. I had to let the story go because I couldn’t bring myself to write this scene that had become so close to me.

Now I’m looking forward to it. That sounds macabre, I know, but it’s not for the reason you think. The suicide, the horror, it’s something that I need to let go of, and when I put it on paper, I’m releasing it into the world. And if I share it with thousands of people, maybe each of them will take a tiny piece of the burden.

I know I have to write it—and I know it will hurt.

There are authors who refuse to write about rape or drugs or teenage sex or death. They skirt reality as if it doesn’t exist. But if we lie in our writing—if we pretend that real issues aren’t there—what are we really accomplishing? Lying in writing is lying to yourself. If you aren’t emotionally involved, you’re doing it wrong.

Sometimes writing a scene is so hard that I have to walk away.

You have to write the hard stuff. You have to face the fear of the unknown—that’s where the good is, that’s where the things you say will affect people. If your writing starts to scare you—if you find yourself questioning your sanity and wondering how you found these awful things inside of you—you’ve found where you need to be. Write. Let it out. Feel lucky that you have an outlet.

My words are like scars. I see them and I remember. Sometimes they still hurt. Sometimes I see them and I smile, because at least I had the courage to show them to you.

POISON TREE BLURB

For those of you following along, here is the blurb for Poison Tree, the sequel to Reflection Pond. Expected publication is December 2, 2014!! Add it on Goodreads.

The road to the City of War is dangerous.

With their home in ruins, Callie and Rowan are Eirensae’s last hope of stealing the cauldron back from Fraeburdh. They must travel into the human world where the Fallen hide. The banished fae wait for Callie, desperate to sacrifice her before she comes of age.

If Callie and Rowan survive the journey, something worse looms in Fraeburdh. Rowan is destined for a dark family legacy too horrifying to accept, and his father is anxious to welcome him home. Once the truth is revealed, will Callie ever look at Rowan the same way?

Trapped between feuding cities lost in a centuries’ old war, Callie and Rowan will face their biggest rivals yet, and neither of them will make it out unscathed.

BOOK TRAILER REVEAL: WHATEVER LIFE THROWS AT YOU BY JULIE CROSS

Everybody knows how much I love Julie Cross (and if you don’t…where the heck have you been??). Julie’s latest release sounds delicious and I can’t wait for October 7th!!

Life loves a good curveball…

Seventeen-year-old Annie Lucas is too young to remember her dad’s glory days as a pitcher for the Yankees. So when her father is offered a coaching position with the Kansas City Royals, Annie is intrigued to see the baseball side of her dad. Of course, knowing he’ll be a mentor to hot young rookie pitcher, Jason Brody, certainly makes it more enticing.

After an awkward first meeting with “Brody” involving very little clothing and a much-too-personal locker room interview, Annie’s convinced she knows Brody’s type: arrogant, self-involved, bossy. As her dad grows closer to the pitching phenom, the friction between Brody and Annie increases. But when opening day arrives and it looks like both her dad and Brody may lose their dream jobs, Annie steps up and offers support. She and Brody call a truce that grows into friendship—and beyond. Falling for a rising star who’s quickly reaching a level that involves rabid female fans is not what Annie would call smart, except suddenly she’s getting hints that maybe this crush isn’t one-sided after all. Could someone like Brody actually fall for a girl like her?

Buy Links:

Amazon ** Amazon UK ** Barnes & Noble ** iBooks ** Powell’s Books

About the Author:

Julie Cross lives in Central Illinois with her husband and three children. She’s a former gymnast and longtime gymnastics fan, coach, and former gymnastics program director with the YMCA. She’s a lover of books, devouring several novels a week, especially in the young adult and new adult genres. Outside of her reading and writing credentials, Julie is a committed—but not talented—long-distance runner, creator of imaginary beach vacations, Midwest bipolar-weather survivor, and expired CPR certification card holder, as well as a ponytail and gym-shoe addict.

Links:

Blog http://www.juliecrossbooks.com/p/home-page.html

Facebook https://www.facebook.com/FansOfJulieCross

Twitter  https://twitter.com/Juliecross1980

Author Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/3429117.Julie_Cross

WHATEVER LIFE THROWS AT YOU Goodreads  https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/20757528-whatever-life-throws-at-you