Kat Ellis's Blog, page 18

Scrapping the schedule

Good evening, blog readers. (It's evening for me, anyway.)

This is a very brief post, just letting you know that I've decided to scrap my monthly blog schedule (because I was getting a bit booooored knowing what was coming each week) and basically freestyle it from here on in. Fact is, I'm now just a few months away from BLACKFIN SKY's publication date, so there's a LOT going on that's probably (hopefully) going to be more interesting to you guys.

AND I'll be posting on We Are One Four about the pre-pub journey as well, so feel free to follow the adventures of the WAOF cohort.

Kat out x

Write On: FAN ART

My CP Bridget Shepherd is wicked talented - not just with writing, but at creating beautiful pieces of art, too. (I know. I am also very jealous.) But she has also created a few pictures based on characters from my stories - which is pretty much the most amazing thing ever! If I had tear ducts like a real person, I'd cry every time I saw one of her pictures.

Since Bridget is my friend and CP, she has already read BLACKFIN SKY, my story which is going to be a BOOK. Not only that, but she created this gorgeous picture of my main character, Skylar.


For me, I don't think there is anything more amazingly surreal than having something I created inspire a fabulous artist like Bridget to create an image like this (which is something I could NEVER do).

Thank you so much, Bridget, for creating my first ever fan art!

Bridget did an awesome guest post for me earlier this year on drawing and writing inspiration - you should check that out if you haven't already. And of course, there are her blog and twitter to stalk!

The Playlist: APOCALYPSE

THE PLAYLISTThe shiz has hit the fan. A great whirling shiz-cloud has descended upon the earth, and maybe as the dust settles it's turned out OK, maybe it hasn't. Maybe the last living creatures on earth are your MC and his dog, or maybe the plague has been cured with skittles. Whatever your apocalypse, here's a playlist for while you write it.

As always, add your own songs in the comments and I'll stick them on the list.

EVADE by Jessa Russo - Cover Reveal!

I am utterly thrilled to be one of Jessa's cohort of online friends who get to reveal this stunning cover to the book-loving world. EVADE is the sequel to EVER, the second in the trilogy, and will be released on 1st October.

BEHOLD. 




In this thrilling sequel, Ever Van Ruysdael's race to beat the odds—and the clock—begins with the introduction of an integral part of her past. As secrets are revealed, and truths uncovered, she learns her imminent death is the least of her problems: Ariadne did more than just put an expiration date on her life; she marked Ever's soul by upping its value for greedy collectors looking to buy their freedom.
Condemned by the countdown on her life, and hunted by hired Seekers, Ever’s journey leads her to question everything she’s known and everyone she’s trusted, while growing closer to the one person from her past she was determined to avoid—and the one guy she never could—Toby James.
With her ex-boyfriend by her side, and the countdown clock rapidly ticking away, Ever tries thwarting fate’s plans. But as her nineteenth birthday approaches, and desperate Seekers follow her every move, she may be too late.
A marked soul is hard to come by … and even harder to escape.

EVADE'S LINKS:Facebook | EVADE on Goodreads 
JESSA RUSSO'S LINKS:Website | Twitter | Facebook (Friend) | Facebook (Follow/Like)
GRAB A COPY OF EVER: Book One of The EVER Trilogy!Amazon | Kobo | Barnes & Noble | Goodreads 
COVER CREDIT: Cover Photo: Face On By Tamara Website | Facebook | Twitter Cover Design: Blue Sky Designs / Michelle Johnson Illustrations Website

Flash Friday: FLASH SNAPS

FLASH FRIDAYI decided to take a slightly different approach to Flash Friday this month, a) because I haven't felt inspired to write a new flash piece, and b) because I've been gallivanting around the North Wales countryside this week taking photos...so my 'flash' is a little more literal! I wrote a post a few weeks ago about using images as inspiration for writing, so I thought I'd showcase a few photographs I've taken this week which I already plan to use for the writing projects I have coming up in the near future.

If you've taken a look at the blurb for my book, BLACKFIN SKY, you'll know that the pier in Blackfin is a pretty major feature of the novel. This is a bigger version of what I wrote about, but as it's 20 minutes from my house, it probably sowed the seed!


I'm going to be working on an outline for a new MS this week, and this image is one which has inspired the plot a little bit...SECRET CAVE FTW.


Aaaaaannnd, my next-but-one MS, which is going to be a historical fantasy, might just have a scene set in this room...


A bit Downton, isn't it??

Anyway, they're some photos I've snapped on my travels this week. Hope you liked them!


Do you use images to inspire your writing projects? 

Winner of the September "I, Reader" Giveaway

And the winner of a copy of SKIN DEEP by Laura Jarratt is...

VikLit!

Congratulations, VikLit! Your book will be in the mail to you soon.
Thanks to everyone who entered. There will be another awesome book giveaway next month!

I, Reader: SKIN DEEP by Laura Jarratt

I, READERI asked for recommendations on twitter for a contemporary YA with a really intense romantic relationship, and this book was recommended to me by the wonderful Molly Ker Hawn. And it was exactly what I wanted: intense and heartbreaking, all at once.


Don't forget, you too can win a copy of SKIN DEEP - just leave a comment on this post for a chance to win!

Here is the back cover blurb:


'I wanted to say this morning, only you ran off...Sorry if I was rude.' The boy from the boat grinned, looking straight at me. 'You surprised me, that's all. The scar' - he touched his face - 'took me by surprise. I didn't mean to be rude.' I gaped at him. Nobody ever, ever mentioned the scars.

After the car crash that leaves her best friend dead, Jenna struggles to rebuild her life. But every stare in the street, every glance in the mirror, makes her want to hide away. And then Ryan turns up - a tall, good-looking traveller unlike anyone Jenna's ever met before.

Can he help to put her world back together, or will he just break her heart?





Why did this book stand out?

I've mentioned in previous posts (or was it tweets?) that I'm broadening my reading horizons, particularly when it comes to contemporary YA, which has always been a bit of a blind spot for me. And SKIN DEEP is such an easy read, the characters totally engrossing (I'll talk about that more in a second), the setting and what happens so believable that I actually got lost in the story at some point in the first chapter and didn't emerge until I finished the last page.

The story is told in dual 1st person POV, which I will confess is a favourite of mine (I like getting into people's heads, and this seems the most expedient way to get there). Jenna has had a truly terrible thing happen to her, and that has had a huge impact on her life. But while it has obviously affected her, changed the person that she is, it hasn't made her self-absorbed or depressed or anything which would - for me - be a barrier to liking her. And Ryan was a fantastic character, too - he has his own issues to deal with, judged for being a traveller by the people he meets and isolated by his mother's illness. But he's funny, and charming, and a little bit rogueish, while at the same time having the courage to do what he knows is right and fighting for the things he believes in.

I finished reading SKIN DEEP a few days ago, and it has left me a little heartsick that I can't read it all over again without knowing what's going to happen. That said - and without spoilerifying - I thought the ending was exactly right for the story. I pretty much inhaled this book, it was so good!

SKIN DEEP is definitely in my top 3 reads so far this year!

**Leave a comment by 8pm GMT on 10th September for your chance to win a copy of SKIN DEEP. One commenter will be chosen at random. Open internationally.**

Happy Release Day! EVER by Jessa Russo

To celebrate EVER's rebirth, and Jessa Russo’s first step into the indie self-publishing world, she is giving you the first chapter of EVER for FREE! Yup! FREE! You can read along, decide if you want more, then click on one of the buy links below to grab a copy for yourself! *Paperbacks available soon!


Check out the FREE first chapter HERE. 


We're also having some fun on Twitter (details below), and Jessa has also compiled TWO prize packs of super awesome stuff! There will be one (1) lucky winner in the US, and one (1) lucky winner Internationally! Want to know what we’re giving away? 



***GIVEAWAY FUN!***
The winner(s) will receive the following items:

US ONLY Prize Pack (ONE winner):
Set of 4: custom Frankie4Ever / Toby4Ever Coasters (2 of each) + Signed EVER bookmarks +
Signed paperback copy of EVER by Jessa Russo (YA)
Complete set* of The Darkness Falls Trilogy e-books from Krystal Wade (YA)
*Includes WILDE'S FIRE, WILDE'S ARMY and WILDE'S MEADOW
Signed paperback copy of EYRE HOUSE by Cait Greer (NA, adult content)
Paperback copy of THE CHARGE by Sharon Bayliss (YA)
Paperback copy of SEALED WITH A CURSE by Cecy Robson (A, mature content)

INTERNATIONAL Prize Pack (ONE winner):
E-book of EVER by Jessa Russo (YA)
Complete set* of The Darkness Falls Trilogy e-books from Krystal Wade (YA)
*Includes WILDE'S FIRE, WILDE'S ARMY and WILDE'S MEADOW
E-book of THE CHARGE by Sharon Bayliss (YA)
E-book of BROKEN FOREST by Eliza Tilton (YA)
E-book of THE VALENTINE CHALLENGE by Marisa Cleveland (A, mature content)
E-book of THE GATHERING DARKNESS by Lisa Collicutt (YA)
E-book of 1,000 SLEEPLESS NIGHTS by Connie Michael

ENTER HERE:
a Rafflecopter giveaway | a Rafflecopter giveaway



***TWITTER FUN!***


We're also going to be tweeting a bit today, to celebrate not just EVER's re-release (hashtag: #EVERTrilogy), but also playing up a major theme of the book--Ever's love for her deceased best friend. We'll be tweeting the theme with the hashtag #IfICouldBringBack and then sharing who we would bring back and why, or what we'd do with them, etc.

So, sticking with EVER as my example, the main female character of the series may tweet something like this:

#IfICouldBringBack Frankie, I'd finally tell him the truth. That I've loved him since we were in diapers. #EVERTrilogy 

Who would you want to bring back? An old flame? A relative? Maybe a famous author or dignitary? Think about it and join in the fun on Sunday, 9/1/13! We'll see you on Twitter!



***BOOK DETAILS!***

EVER
The EVER Trilogy, Book One 
By Jessa RussoSeptember 1, 2013
Seventeen-year-old Ever’s love life has been on hold for the past two years. She’s secretly in love with her best friend Frankie, and he’s completely oblivious. Of course, it doesn't help that he’s dead, and waking up to his ghost every day has made moving on nearly impossible. 

Frustrated and desperate for something real, Ever finds herself falling for her hot new neighbor Toby. His relaxed confidence is irresistible, and not just Ever knows it. But falling for Toby comes with a price that throws Ever’s life into a whirlwind of chaos and drama. More than hearts are on the line, and more than Ever will suffer.

Some girls lose their hearts to love. 
Some girls lose their minds.Ever Van Ruysdael could lose her soul.


Purchase Links: Amazon |  Kobo |  Barnes & Noble |  GoodReads |  Facebook (The EVER Trilogy) Jessa Russo's Links: Website |  Twitter |  Facebook (Friend) |  Facebook (Follow/Like)


Stay tuned for the second book in the trilogy, EVADE, set to release on October 1st, 2013! 

You can now add EVADE on Goodreads!

Remember to follow EVER's 9/1/13 re-release day FUN on Twitter with these hashtags: 


#EVERTrilogy
and 
#IfICouldBringBack

Write On: THE TO-DO LIST

WRITE ONThis post is just a quickie update on what I'll be doing, writer-wise, in the coming weeks and months...call it a to-do list blog, if you will.

1. Finishing the first draft of my current WIP
I've taken a week off work to get this done, because the truth is I'm not good at switching back and forth between projects, and I have a couple of biggies coming up...see #2. I can edit it properly at a later date, but drafting - for me - needs to be done in one hit.

2. Editing BLACKFIN SKY...twice
By which I mean two different versions - the UK version and the US version. I am excited and a little terrified.

3. Preparing some interesting book-journey posts for WE ARE ONE  FOUR
In case you missed the announcement, WAOF is a brand new site run by 6 kidlit authors who are debuting in 2014. You should check it out, because we'll all be posting about our experiences on the road to publication, and it should be FUN. I'm working on my intro post right now, and might just reveal what horrible thing happened to me on my way to my first ever publishing meeting.



4. Getting my zombie on for THE ZOMBIE PROJECT
This is going great guns over at Chynna-Blue Scott's blog, with a short story published there every Sunday. Each story takes an element from the previous one and runs with it - the whole thing is rippling outwards like...well, like some kind of zombie outbreak. I'm really enjoying the stories so far, and can't wait to add my own to the pot. That's happening 6th October, by the way. BE READY.


If you want in on The Zombie Project, let me know and I'll put you in touch with Chynna-Blue so she can schedule you in.

5. Betaing for my CPs
I know of a couple of projects heading my way in the next month or so, and I can't wait to read them. But I also have to get my MS in a fit state to swap, so what it all boils down to is I'MA BE GETTING SHIZ DONE LIKE A BOSS.



So, that's what is keeping me busy over the next few months. What's on your to-do list?

The Playlist: BREAK UP, GET SAD

THE PLAYLIST
Music to inspire you when writing
different kinds of scenesThis playlist is different from June's BREAK UP, GET MAD post because this is the scene where your MC just broke up with their great love, and their heart broke into a thousand shards. They know life will never be the same, their chest is just a gaping hole of pain, and there aren't enough tears to fix this trauma.

Got different tunes you write this kind of scene to? Let me know in the comments and I'll add them to the playlist.