Khristina Chess's Blog, page 6
June 10, 2017
"The Future Unborn" Named Finalist in RONE Awards
I'm thrilled to share that "The Future Unborn" was named a finalist in the 2017 RONE Awards this year. You can see the list of all the finalists here: http://www.indscribe.com/2017-rone-fi... Winners will be announced in October.
May 28, 2017
From Yesterday's YA Panel at Catfish Literary Festival
I enjoyed the YA panel discussion at the Catfish Literary Festival yesterday. The atmosphere was relaxed, and the moderator brought some questions that I hadn’t answered before.
What is your favorite childhood book?
I was one of those kids who loved horses. I’d have to say The Black Stallion. I had a whole series of black stallion books in paperback.
Have you ever gotten reader’s block? (What do you not like to read?)
I’m not a big fan of mystery or fantasy books.
Since we’re in a library, what kind of research do you do, and how long do you spend researching before beginning a new book?
I research all the time using Google. People would find my search engine queries peculiar, like “what sound does a shotgun make?” I don’t do a lot of up-front research before beginning a new book but instead research all along the way.
How many hours a day do you write?
An hour and a half a day during weekdays. On weekends, it depends—sometimes more, sometimes less.
What was your hardest scene to write?
Writing conflict is challenging for me. I’m an introvert by nature, and that means that conflict is hard, even on the page. Sometimes I have to go multiple times before I can get it right.
What other authors are you friends with, and how do they help you become a better writer?
Amber D. Tran is another writer that I’m friends with. We have lunch together every month or so and share about our writing. She’s taught me about social media and things to do with Twitter. She’s so much more extroverted than me, and she’s helped me with self-promotion in my writing.
What did you do with your first writing paycheck?
I took a photocopy of it. Then I put it into the bank.
What’s the best way to market your books?
Face-to-face events work well. I’ve had good success with the book clubs, library events, and festivals. I do not think buying ads does a lot, and I’m not sure what social media does.
What did you or your editor cut out of a book?
In Hollow Beauty, I had some sections where the character started self-harming, and my editor thought that didn’t belong in the book. I took it out. She was right.
Do you read your book reviews? How do you deal with bad or good ones?
I read all my book reviews. The good ones make me feel really happy and full of joy, but the bad ones, don’t have the same effect on the negative side. It’s just feedback.
What is your favorite childhood book?
I was one of those kids who loved horses. I’d have to say The Black Stallion. I had a whole series of black stallion books in paperback.
Have you ever gotten reader’s block? (What do you not like to read?)
I’m not a big fan of mystery or fantasy books.
Since we’re in a library, what kind of research do you do, and how long do you spend researching before beginning a new book?
I research all the time using Google. People would find my search engine queries peculiar, like “what sound does a shotgun make?” I don’t do a lot of up-front research before beginning a new book but instead research all along the way.
How many hours a day do you write?
An hour and a half a day during weekdays. On weekends, it depends—sometimes more, sometimes less.
What was your hardest scene to write?
Writing conflict is challenging for me. I’m an introvert by nature, and that means that conflict is hard, even on the page. Sometimes I have to go multiple times before I can get it right.
What other authors are you friends with, and how do they help you become a better writer?
Amber D. Tran is another writer that I’m friends with. We have lunch together every month or so and share about our writing. She’s taught me about social media and things to do with Twitter. She’s so much more extroverted than me, and she’s helped me with self-promotion in my writing.
What did you do with your first writing paycheck?
I took a photocopy of it. Then I put it into the bank.
What’s the best way to market your books?
Face-to-face events work well. I’ve had good success with the book clubs, library events, and festivals. I do not think buying ads does a lot, and I’m not sure what social media does.
What did you or your editor cut out of a book?
In Hollow Beauty, I had some sections where the character started self-harming, and my editor thought that didn’t belong in the book. I took it out. She was right.
Do you read your book reviews? How do you deal with bad or good ones?
I read all my book reviews. The good ones make me feel really happy and full of joy, but the bad ones, don’t have the same effect on the negative side. It’s just feedback.
May 5, 2017
Manuscript Done!
Yeah, my novel is done and off to my editor for review! I am basking in that post-writing glow. :)
After seven months of immersion, I’m up for air again. This place is a restless one for me. I’m always writing, but I don’t want to start the next project until I’ve put the final bow on this one. I need to stay in this book-dream just a little while longer in case there are suggestions for scenes to add or major shuffles…
But a new idea is already beginning to take seed. I’m happy about that. It’s just a little one, but it will grow.
After seven months of immersion, I’m up for air again. This place is a restless one for me. I’m always writing, but I don’t want to start the next project until I’ve put the final bow on this one. I need to stay in this book-dream just a little while longer in case there are suggestions for scenes to add or major shuffles…
But a new idea is already beginning to take seed. I’m happy about that. It’s just a little one, but it will grow.
April 15, 2017
DOWNTOWN AUTHORS MARKET - APRIL 22
Come out and see us next Saturday, April 22, from 12-4 PM in the lower atrium of the Downtown Huntsville Library for the Downtown Authors Market. I’m excited to “talk books” with all the other local authors who will be there. We’ll have lots of items on hand for sale, giveaways, and free swag.
I hope you can make it!
https://www.facebook.com/events/16393...
I hope you can make it!
https://www.facebook.com/events/16393...
March 31, 2017
Revision Spiral
Reading through my first draft and beginning the revisions, I cycle through a full range of emotional experiences. This novel is the best one I’ve written yet. No, it’s a complete disaster. Wait, it’s brilliant. Nope, I’ve just wasted five months.
Revision is my favorite part of the writing process, but having a fresh, critical eye can be difficult with that chorus running around in my brain. I’m not always sure if I’m questioning something because it’s not working, or I’m just questioning myself.
In the past few years I’ve learned to push past the doubt because I can’t trust it. It’s like the “dark night of the soul” portion of the story itself. All seems lost right before everyone is saved. Things always get much worse before they get better. That’s just how the best stories work. If my first draft seems like a glorious pile of trash, no worries. I just need to keep climbing the spiral until I reach the light.
Everything will work out in the end.
At least, it’s supposed to.
Revision is my favorite part of the writing process, but having a fresh, critical eye can be difficult with that chorus running around in my brain. I’m not always sure if I’m questioning something because it’s not working, or I’m just questioning myself.
In the past few years I’ve learned to push past the doubt because I can’t trust it. It’s like the “dark night of the soul” portion of the story itself. All seems lost right before everyone is saved. Things always get much worse before they get better. That’s just how the best stories work. If my first draft seems like a glorious pile of trash, no worries. I just need to keep climbing the spiral until I reach the light.
Everything will work out in the end.
At least, it’s supposed to.
March 23, 2017
Southern Meet-and-Greet
I just signed up for another event. This spring, I’m really going to shake off my introverted tendencies and visit several libraries in northern Alabama for local author events—even daring a panel discussion at one! If you’re in the area, come and check it out. We have a lot of indie authors, and our public libraries are pretty awesome.
Saturday, April 22, 2017 (12-4 PM) – Huntsville-Madison County Public Library – Author's Market https://hmcpl.org/node/133640
Friday & Saturday, April 28-29, 2017 – Florence-Lauderdale Public Library - Reader Riot http://readerriot.com/
Saturday, May 27, 2017 – Athens-Limestone Public Library – Catfish Literary Festival http://www.alcpl.org/catfish-literary...
Saturday, April 22, 2017 (12-4 PM) – Huntsville-Madison County Public Library – Author's Market https://hmcpl.org/node/133640
Friday & Saturday, April 28-29, 2017 – Florence-Lauderdale Public Library - Reader Riot http://readerriot.com/
Saturday, May 27, 2017 – Athens-Limestone Public Library – Catfish Literary Festival http://www.alcpl.org/catfish-literary...
January 2, 2017
Coming to Life
I don't remember this ever happening to me quite this way before. Right in the middle of writing a new scene, my characters came to life and began cracking me up. I mean serious laughing out loud, waking up the cat and making Dear Hubby call out from the living room, "What's going on back there?"--that kind of laughing.
"This is really good stuff," I say. "I'm making myself laugh."
"Uh huh."
I walked into the kitchen, still chuckling, but I don't offer to read the scene. It's too new, hot off the keys, and anyway, it might not really be that funny. Maybe it just tickled me because I'd just spent a half hour staring at a white space wondering if anyone was going to talk at all, when suddenly this dialog erupted from my characters out of nowhere, and wow! Giggles.
Who is this girl? I really like her. She's magical. I can't wait to see what she does next. Maybe she'll break a few laws and lead a rebellion.
"This is really good stuff," I say. "I'm making myself laugh."
"Uh huh."
I walked into the kitchen, still chuckling, but I don't offer to read the scene. It's too new, hot off the keys, and anyway, it might not really be that funny. Maybe it just tickled me because I'd just spent a half hour staring at a white space wondering if anyone was going to talk at all, when suddenly this dialog erupted from my characters out of nowhere, and wow! Giggles.
Who is this girl? I really like her. She's magical. I can't wait to see what she does next. Maybe she'll break a few laws and lead a rebellion.
December 16, 2016
The Wait Is Over!
I’ve been a writer my whole life. I started in elementary school. I wrote and illustrated stories and read them in front of the class. Get the picture in front of you… bright red hair, reading tales like The Demon of Debra Devinski in dramatic tones to a classroom of fifth graders while our teacher rolls her eyes. I read them to my little sister by flashlight in the closet under the stairs and gave her nightmares. I was prolific and fascinated by demons, witches, aliens, and monsters.
In middle school I contributed stories to the student newspaper. In high school I was part of a writer’s club that published a literary magazine. People liked my dark stories. I submitted work for publication and had even a poem published in Young Author’s Magazine. I really had the bug then.
Surely, surely I was destined for great things as an author!
According to Stephen King, “What separates the talented individual from the successful one is a lot of hard work.”
I wasn’t blessed with an abundance of raw talent, but I was blessed with bull-headedness. I am the energizer bunny, The Little Engine That Could, persistent, diligent, and unstoppable. “Never give up! Never surrender!”
Since the late nineties, I’ve written 12 novels. Some of these novels have been rewritten multiple times, so drastically that you could really count them as new novels. Some of them are very, very bad. It’s fortunate that they have not seen the light of day. I have a spreadsheet with 870 rows of rejections from agents over an 18-year period.
Some of the novels are literary fiction. One is a memoir. One is a quasi-biographical novel that closely follows my mother and grandmother’s lives. The last five have been young adult novels, four of which I self-published.
I’ve learned a lot. I keep learning. I love the writing. That’s what keeps me going. In the end that’s why I do it.
Someone who gets up at 3:00 AM every morning to write has to love it, right?
So here is the really, really awesome part. On row 871 of my spreadsheet, I finally have a green row that says “Accepted.” The Jennifer De Chiara agency (http://www.jdlit.com/) has offered me literary representation for my latest YA novel, “Junior Missing.” I have a New York Agent. And she said she loves my book. This is not a trick or a dream It’s real! Jennifer represents children’s, middle-grade, and young adult literature, and as you can see from her website, the agency has been in business for a long time with many great authors in their client list. I am so excited I am vibrating with joy in my heart.
Now a new wait begins. And I guess I need to create a new spreadsheet for the publisher rejections. Let’s hope I don’t have to go through 870 rejections in that one before I get to an “Accepted” row.
Wish me luck!
In middle school I contributed stories to the student newspaper. In high school I was part of a writer’s club that published a literary magazine. People liked my dark stories. I submitted work for publication and had even a poem published in Young Author’s Magazine. I really had the bug then.
Surely, surely I was destined for great things as an author!
According to Stephen King, “What separates the talented individual from the successful one is a lot of hard work.”
I wasn’t blessed with an abundance of raw talent, but I was blessed with bull-headedness. I am the energizer bunny, The Little Engine That Could, persistent, diligent, and unstoppable. “Never give up! Never surrender!”
Since the late nineties, I’ve written 12 novels. Some of these novels have been rewritten multiple times, so drastically that you could really count them as new novels. Some of them are very, very bad. It’s fortunate that they have not seen the light of day. I have a spreadsheet with 870 rows of rejections from agents over an 18-year period.
Some of the novels are literary fiction. One is a memoir. One is a quasi-biographical novel that closely follows my mother and grandmother’s lives. The last five have been young adult novels, four of which I self-published.
I’ve learned a lot. I keep learning. I love the writing. That’s what keeps me going. In the end that’s why I do it.
Someone who gets up at 3:00 AM every morning to write has to love it, right?
So here is the really, really awesome part. On row 871 of my spreadsheet, I finally have a green row that says “Accepted.” The Jennifer De Chiara agency (http://www.jdlit.com/) has offered me literary representation for my latest YA novel, “Junior Missing.” I have a New York Agent. And she said she loves my book. This is not a trick or a dream It’s real! Jennifer represents children’s, middle-grade, and young adult literature, and as you can see from her website, the agency has been in business for a long time with many great authors in their client list. I am so excited I am vibrating with joy in my heart.
Now a new wait begins. And I guess I need to create a new spreadsheet for the publisher rejections. Let’s hope I don’t have to go through 870 rejections in that one before I get to an “Accepted” row.
Wish me luck!
December 11, 2016
Writeup: "How Novel! Straddling the Worlds of Technical & Creative Writing"
This week an article about me appeared in the employee newsletter. I thought it was really nice of them. Patricia actually wrote the article back in August or September (as you can tell by the leaves on the photograph at www.khristinachess.com/blog), but the magazine is quarterly.
I've included an excerpt of the actual text below. The company name is redacted for privacy reasons. Please visit my web site for the full article.
"Khristina Chess lives something of a double life.
During the work day, she's a technical director at (company), busily rushing from meeting to meeting, managing the complexities of user experience, documentation and development services.
But in the wee hours of the morning, long before the sun even contemplates rising, she's seated at the corner desk in her den, with a Diet Mountain Dew in hand and her cat Minnie sitting nearby, plotting the painful effects of suicide, academic pressure, unwanted pregnancies, eating disorders and alcohol abuse on young adults.
"It's a passion and an obsession," says this author of several coming-of-age novels. "Sometimes I feel like it's the one thing I do for me. I'm a manager, so I'm always helping other people. But for that hour and a half or two hours, when it's dark and quiet, it's my time. It's just me.
"And I'm telling stories. It's a beautiful thing."
- Article by Patricia McCarter
I've included an excerpt of the actual text below. The company name is redacted for privacy reasons. Please visit my web site for the full article.
"Khristina Chess lives something of a double life.
During the work day, she's a technical director at (company), busily rushing from meeting to meeting, managing the complexities of user experience, documentation and development services.
But in the wee hours of the morning, long before the sun even contemplates rising, she's seated at the corner desk in her den, with a Diet Mountain Dew in hand and her cat Minnie sitting nearby, plotting the painful effects of suicide, academic pressure, unwanted pregnancies, eating disorders and alcohol abuse on young adults.
"It's a passion and an obsession," says this author of several coming-of-age novels. "Sometimes I feel like it's the one thing I do for me. I'm a manager, so I'm always helping other people. But for that hour and a half or two hours, when it's dark and quiet, it's my time. It's just me.
"And I'm telling stories. It's a beautiful thing."
- Article by Patricia McCarter
November 22, 2016
"The Future Unborn" Named Finalist in 5th Annual Beverly Hills Book Awards
I'm thrilled to share that "The Future Unborn" was named a finalist in the 5th annual Beverly Hills Book Awards this year. It's really nice to have the positive feedback about the novel. You can see the list of awards here: http://www.beverlyhillsbookawards.com...
