Chelsey Krause's Blog, page 2
January 14, 2015
My Debut Novel Release Date Has Come and Gone
My debut novel was released yesterday!
And what a crazy day it was.
I was so excited the night before that I couldn’t sleep, so I spent my publication day in half-awake haze. I didn’t even bother getting dressed until the late afternoon.
My author FB page and Twitter were exploding! People messaged me to say that they had bought my book and were excited to read it, or were 9 chapters in already, that they laughed at such and such scene, or that they could “hear my voice” in the main character, Sophie.
It was so surreal.
This is something I wrote in my basement.
And now, lots of people (strangers, even!) are reading it, critiquing it, blogging about it. I wonder when this is going to feel normal!
I ended the day by going out for a fancy dinner with my husband and some of our closest friends. I ate steak and drank wine. The waitress gave us a free chocolate dessert. It was pretty fantastic.
On the drive home, it struck me just how special yesterday was. I plan to write more books. There are more release dates in my future.
But I’ll never experience this again.
I’ll never have another debut novel being published for the first time.
And I’m so thankful that it happened!
I’m thankful for my publisher, my editor, my marketing team, and the countless people who have worked on turning my manuscript (this 440 KB Word document that I tapped away at for six months because I was bored and figured, “Why not?“) into a book.
I’m thankful for the bloggers and reviewers who took the time to talk about me and my debut novel.
I’m thankful for my husband, friends and family and their unwavering support.
A miniature army has come together to turn my dream into a reality.
You have made my release date memorable and special. Thank you.
Images Courtesy of Pinterest
And that’s that! Book 1 is done! My childhood dream of writing books has finally been realized. But it doesn’t stop here.
I have big dreams. There’s a long, successful career of writing ahead of me.
So stay tuned.
Because you ain’t seen nothing yet!
– Chelsey
January 7, 2015
Book Giveaway!
So my book tour has officially started!
For the month of January, I’ll be featured on various blogs and websites for author interviews, guest posts, book giveaways, and free chapter excerpts.
It’s pretty freaking awesome.
Here is my upcoming tour schedule. Check it out! Something new is being posted almost every day!
My dear friend Joanna (who blogs at To A Pretty Life) is also hosting a book giveaway for my debut novel, Can’t Always Get What You Want.
From now until January 13, 2015, you can enter to win your own copy!
6 copies are available. So please! Enter the giveaway! Spread the word! Tell your friends!
January 13 will be here before you know it!
BOOK Giveaway – To A Pretty Life
I’ve also posted this all over my Author Facebook Page and Twitter, so there are LOTS of other places you can find this giveaway link.
Good luck!
– Chelsey
December 13, 2014
How to Read my E-Book (even if you don’t have an e-reader)
Photo’s Original Source: http://www.cagle.com/2012/11/book-vs-...
My debut novel’s publication date is a mere month away.
AAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!
This still feels so weird.
Anyway. I have no doubt that I’ll have paper books published someday. But in the mean time, my book, “Can’t Always Get What You Want,” will be available through all major e-Tailer sites as an eBook.
Amazon. Kobo. iBooks. You get the idea.
Click on this link to see a complete list of where my book can be purchased: http://www.randomhouse.com/book/24983...
But…what if I don’t have an e-reader? How can I read your book?
Excellent question! And I have the solution!
As long as you have a computer , or laptop, iPad, or basically any device that can connect to the internet, you can read eBooks.
How, you ask?
By downloading a free e-Reader app. There are tons of free e-Reader apps out there.
I’ll provide some examples (with links) below. Once you download the app (onto your device of choice), you can read e-Books to your heart’s content.
Amazon says, “Anybody can read Kindle books even without a Kindle device with the FREE Kindle app for smartphones, tablets, and computers.”
This is the app I’m most familiar with (mostly because it’s the only one I’ve ever tried). I used the Kindle app before I was given my first e-Reader for Christmas. I just loaded it onto my laptop, and PRESTO! Instant access to the world of Amazon.
Kindle. https://www.amazon.com/gp/digital/fio...
As per Kobo’s website, “Download the free Kobo app to read whenever and wherever you want, and then choose from our catalogue of more than 4 million of the world’s best titles.”
They have apps listed for iPhone, iPad, Android, Blackberry, Windows, and Windows Phone. Cool, eh?
The next link boasts “The Best Apps for Reading eBooks on the iPad.”
http://www.digitalbookworld.com/2013/...
And this one claims to list the “13 Best eBook reader Android Apps.”
http://www.androidauthority.com/the-b...
Bear in mind, both of these two lists are from 2013, so they may be a bit outdated. But, still, it might be worth a look.
Remember, you can pre-order my book now! If you pre-order it today, it will be magically whisked into your eReader (or eReader app) on the day it’s published.
Happy reading!
– Chelsey
October 23, 2014
Edmonton: A Good Setting for a book?
“There’s no place like home.” – Dorothy quote from The Wizard of Oz
Photo from Pinterest
My first book takes place in Edmonton, AB. So does my second.
And I keep wondering if it’s a good idea. I ask myself, “Who cares about Edmonton?”
And even though I know it’s a beautiful city and according to the Huffington Post, it’s “climbing the ranks of Canada’s best places to live,” I’m often unsure of whether it will be interesting or exotic enough to my readers.
That is, until I came across this video. Alex Scuccato, a talented Edmonton based photographer, has captured the beauty of the city.
Alex Scuccato Capture the Best of Edmonton in Stunning Video
To quote the Huffington Post article:
Scuccato shows off Edmonton’s stunning River Valley, street festivals, eateries and more, highlighting the best bits of of the city in what could easily be a tourism reel.
As one Redditor put it: “We live in a nice f***ing city.”
We couldn’t agree more.
So, I’ll lay my worries about story setting to rest. As best I can, anyway. Because in all honesty, I think that Edmonton is a cool city. I’m happy to live near it. I love wandering around West Edmonton Mall, with it’s sea caverns, indoor waterpark and rollercoaster, luxury stores and Target. I love sampling food at Taste of Edmonton and the Heritage Festival.
I love the Citadel Theratre, the Jubilee Auditorium, and the Muttart Conservatory. I love the eclectic shops on Whyte Ave and Audrey’s Books on Jasper.
I love to visit Fort Edmonton Park, and feeling like I’ve stepped back in time. I love Vi’s for Pies, and the Goodwill on the west end. I love the Indian restaurants and fabric stores in Millwoods.
Next on my to do list is the Fringe Festival. I’ve lived in this area since the late 90s and have yet to see the Fringe. A travesty, I know. The Folk Fest would be awesome too. Ooh, and touring the Legislature grounds. I’d love to take my kids there next summer to splash in the fountains. (Don’t worry, we’re allowed. It’s totally a “thing” people do here.)
Ah! Too much to see and do. I love it
And, to answer my original question, is Edmonton a good setting for a book?
I say yes.
Anywhere can be a good setting for the book. Personally, I think readers are more interested in your characters and what they’re doing than where the story takes place.
Furthermore, even if Edmonton is familiar to me, it will still be exotic and interesting to people from far away, like Perth (Australia), Reno (Nevada), or Dehli (India), etc. That’s the hope, anyway 
What do you love best about your home town?
– Chelsey
PS – if you want to learn more about Edmonton, check out this great article at Discover Edmonton.
October 15, 2014
Writer’s Block
Writer’s block and I are old friends. I think we first became acquainted in junior high.
Last week, it popped up again. Well, if I’m being honest, the last month has been me staring at a blank computer screen and eventually saying, “Screw it” and checking my email instead.
That all changed yesterday. But, I’ll get to that in a minute.
There are a few reasons why (I think) people experience writer’s block:
1) You try to write better than you actually can.
2) You care too much about what other people will think.
3) You are fresh out of ideas.
4) You have TOO MANY ideas, and can’t make sense of the chaos.
I’ve struggled with all, from time to time.
Reason #1 pops up regularly. I haven’t been satisfied with my writing lately. It just felt BORING. I was SO close to just scrapping the whole manuscript and starting from scratch.
Thankfully, I went through a similar process when writing my first book, so my husband know how to reel me back in. Basically lots of encouragement and glasses of wine, peppered with his own special brand of comfort:
Don’t be stupid, Chelsey. Just keep working at it.
Reason #2: Wondering what people will think: I often wonder how my second book will compare to my first. I’ve had a lot of positive feed back about Can’t Always Get What You Want. Will people like my second book just as much?
Reasons #3 and #4: I’m rarely out of ideas. In fact, I’m usually brimming with ideas (which end up being written on scrap pieces of paper and in emails and in notebooks, and later I have to piece it back together like a puzzle). But, there are times where I’m completely out of ideas, and have no idea of what to write next.
That all changed yesterday.
It was just an ordinary day.
I fed and dressed my kids. We walked to Starbucks for a coffee. Then we went to the park.
But for some reason, something in my head finally clicked and ideas were flowing nonstop. It was like a river of creativity had opened up, and I couldn’t help but write.
What made yesterday different from any other day? What dislodged my writer’s block?
I have a few theories:
1) Problem: You try to write better than you actually can.
Solution: Give yourself permission to write badly.
When I let go of the idea that my writing has to be “good,” writing is easy. (Well, at least easier). Write whatever comes to mind, whether you think it’s good or bad, doesn’t matter. You can edit later.
2) Problem: You care too much about what other people will think.
Solution: Write for you, and you alone.
3) Problem: You are fresh out of ideas.
(I have two ways to fix this):
Solution 1: Think about something else.
Ever have those moments where you KNOW the answer is on the tip of your tongue, but for the love of God, you can’t spit it out? And then a while later, when you’re doing something completely unrelated, the answer comes to you?
Sometimes when you try to force an idea out, it will cling to the dark recesses of your mind. Sometimes you have to ignore the idea (and the fact that you’re searching for it at all) before it will wander out and say, “Here I am!”
Who knows why. Maybe your mind just needs to relax.
So distract yourself. Read a book. Listen to music you love. Go shopping. Do some people watching. Basically, do anything fun.
Laughter is another powerful to free up your mind. I’ll usually look at www.fml.com if I need a pick me up. Not only does this instantly lift my mood, but these stories are often so funny (or so awful) that I start to envision the back story and the characters.
Solution 2: Exercise!!!
When your body is in motion, it puts your mind into motion as well. Whether it’s a walk outside, cleaning your kitchen, dancing around the living room or whatever, your state of mind will change if you start moving.
I’m convinced that’s what made the difference yesterday. I went for a walk with my kids, and BAM! All of these thoughts and ideas connected in ways they never had before.
4) Problem: You have TOO MANY ideas, and can’t make sense of the chaos.
Solution: Put everything in one spot.
Yesterday, I collected all of my scrap pieces of paper, my notebooks, the emails I sent myself (I usually think of dialogue while I’m running errands, and will email the ideas to myself), and tried to make sense of the chaos. Physically organizing these ideas helped me to mentally organize them as well. Now that everything is in its place, I feel that I can carry on with the story.
Reading my old notes also helped to get my thoughts flowing. One idea would lead to another, and next thing I knew it, I had wrote over 3,000 words, and had a completely organized story line.
Having an organized, pretty space to work in helps too.
Follow Chelsey ‘s board Office Inspiration on Pinterest.
Writer’s block and I will meet again. I know we will.
But, that’s okay. The next time I’m staring at a blank screen, not sure of what to write, I’ll go for a walk, have a laugh, listen to some good tunes, and then write whatever comes to mind.
What do you do to overcome writer’s block?
– Chelsey
September 8, 2014
Procrastination
Image courtesy of Pinterest
So here’s what happens. I sit down at my laptop, determined to write that next chapter.
And then I think, “Maybe I should check my email. Just quick. Oh, look, I have new messages on Facebook. And Twitter. And I really should post that Goodreads review.”
And it snowballs from there into Pinterest and Youtube and reading another chapter of the book I just picked from the library. Before I know it, my kids are up from their naps, my laundry is beckoning, the kitchen is piled up with dishes, and it’s time to make supper.
Even though every day chores and social media interfere with my productivity, they aren’t the reason why sometimes days (or weeks) go by and I haven’t written anything.
No, the underlying issue is (drum roll please)….
PROCRASTINATION.
Image from someecards
This is nothing new for me. I’ve always procrastinated when it came to writing assignments. Some of the best essays I ever wrote were written the night before they were due.
And this certainly isn’t new to other writers. Just read an author interview or memoir, and it becomes clear that even though they LOVE to write, many will go out of their way to avoid it.
Why???
I think it all boils down to fear.
Fear that your writing is crap.
Fear that your ideas are bad, that you aren’t “inspired” enough.
Fear that no one is going to like it.
Fear that you’ll never finish it.
Fear that you’ll never be as good as your favorite author.
Fear that your words won’t do justice to the story in your head.
Image from Pinterest
I know there will be days where I struggle with writing, where my first instinct will be to run in the other direction and distract myself with something else. Because that’s safer. I can’t fail if I haven’t tried.
But on those days, I just need to remember to tell my fear to just shut the hell up and let me write.
Every writing book or author biography I’ve ever read says the same thing over and over again:
WRITE. EVERY. DAY.
Image from Pinterest
The ideal time or conditions may never arrive. Write anyway.
You may not feel inspired. Write anyway.
You might be intimidated by that blank page and the goal of writing 90,000 words, and are wondering how the hell you’re ever going to get there. Write anyway.
You might feel like your writing is horrible, and you’re just shoveling shit from a sitting position (thanks Stephen King for that awesome metaphor). Write anyway.
You might be eaten up by fear. Do it anyway.
Writing is a learned skill. And like any learned skill, the more you do it, the better you will be at it. Now go out there and write, even if it’s only 100 words a day! What are you waiting for?
- Chelsey
September 6, 2014
Book Covers
As much as I hate to admit it, I totally judge a book by its cover. If the cover art doesn’t grab me, then I won’t read it.
I love cover art so much that I even have a Pinterest board of “Book Covers” that catch my eye.
Follow Chelsey ‘s board Book Covers on Pinterest.
Now that I have a publishing deal (which still seems so surreal to me), we’re talking about things like copy editing, book promotion and marketing, and (drum roll please)… cover art.
I can’t show you anything yet, but I have a pretty good idea of what my cover is going to look like. And I love it. It reflects the content well, is romantic and sweet, symbolic, etc.
But, before I had a publishing deal, I tried designing my own cover art, mainly because:
A) Illustrators and cover designers charge and arm and a leg
and
B) I’m creative and have a ton of art supplies laying around the house. I figured, “Why don’t I give it a try?”
I tend to like illustrated covers with swirly, calligraphy type fonts.
Here’s what I came up with:
This one is my favorite. The red balloon is hugely symbolic in my book, and I’ve always pictured the cover featuring a red balloon in some way. I did a quick sketch in pencil, filled it in with water color paint, and wrote the words with a gel pen.
This one is my second favorite. I like how the balloon isn’t centered, but draws just enough attention to make you wonder, “What’s with the balloon?”
Not really sure what I’m going to do with these covers now. File them away, probably. Who knows? If I become famous and sell several million copies of my books, these drawings might be worth a lot of money someday!
What kind of books do you like? What is it about their covers that attracts your attention and makes you think, “That looks interesting,”?
I’d love to hear from you!
– Chelsey
September 5, 2014
My Book Is Going to be Published!
Photo courtesy of Pinterest
I’m absolutely thrilled to (officially) announce that my book, “Can’t Always Get What You Want” is going to be published by Random House. Specifically, with a digital imprint of Random House, called Loveswept.
EEEEKKKKK!!! (Cue hyperventilating and jumping on the spot).
Time to break out the wine and chocolate, today is all about celebrating!
I can’t quite believe this is happening. I started blogging about my publishing journey back in June. And now, I’ve got a publishing deal.
I was looking at Loveswept’s list of authors today, and see that my name has been added to the list. What an incredible feeling it is to see your name among these authors who have written New York Times and USA Today best sellers.
It was agony to keep this quiet, by the way. I wanted to shout it from the roof tops!
I did, however, discuss it with a select few (before it became official). And you all had some wonderful questions. Let me answer them:
1) When will your book be released?
We are looking at a January 2015 publication. Don’t worry, I’ll keep y’all posted on when it’s finally released!
2) Where can I buy it?
It will be available in an eBook format through all major distributors. (Think Amazon, for starters).
3) Can you get me a signed copy?
Loveswept is a digital imprint, meaning that my book is being published as an eBook only. So dig out your Kindles and Kobos, my book is FABULOUS!
4) What is a digital imprint?
A digital imprint basically means that a book is being published digitally (i.e. no paper copies). Publishers are using “digital imprints as a way to publish new authors as well as to bring back once popular titles that have gone out of print.”
Excerpt taken from Publisher’s Weekly. See the full article here: Digital Imprints Take Root.
5) How did you go about getting it published?
Long story short, Random House has several digital imprints that will take unsolicited manuscripts. They currently have four digital imprints (see links below for details).
Loveswept (Romance and Women’s Fiction)
Alibi (Mystery and Suspense)
Hydra (Science Fiction, Fantasy, and Horror)
Flirt (New Adult)
I sent a query letter to Loveswept using their online submission form, and hoped for the best.
6) What are you working on now? Is it a sequel?
No sequels in mind at the moment, but I won’t dismiss the idea completely
I’m currently writing my second book. I won’t give away any of the plot or character names just yet, but I will give you a few clue words: thrift stores, fire fighters (ooh la la!), rockabilly music, and mysterious photo albums.
Curious yet?
Alright, my lovely fan base, spread the word! I’m going to kick back with a glass of wine and do absolutely nothing for the rest of the day.
Love ya!
– Chelsey
September 1, 2014
What if Your Characters Came to Life?
Photo courtesy of IMDB
I absolutely love the movie “Ruby Sparks.” Anyone who writes should watch this movie. I so identify with the main character, Calvin. Sometimes he’s wallowing in despair, thinking that every idea he comes up with is complete junk.
Other times, he’s racing up his typewriter, fingers flying over the keys so he can capture the scene in his head. There are SO many times when I was like, “Ahh! I know exactly what the feels like.”
Anyway, “Ruby Sparks” is all about this frustrated writer who starts writing about his dream girl, Ruby. He’s a bit freaked out to discover that he’s falling in love with this character.
“I can’t fall in love with her, she isn’t real.”
Well one day, Ruby shows up. And is very, very real.
What a WONDERFUL concept! Ahh! I love ideas like these. All great stories can be reduced to fantastic what if questions. Even Stephen King says so in his book, On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft..
(In fact, I was a bit miffed when I read that in his book. I thought I was the person who came up with the “what if” idea. Am now torn between being flattered that the talented Stephen King and I think alike, and being pissed off that he ripped off my idea decades ago).
I dare you to try it! Just think of your favorite books (or movies, whatever) and reduce them to a single “what if” question.
Remember Me? by Sophie Kinsella: What if you bumped your head, and when you came to, you woke up to a completely new life with the body you’e always wanted, a rich millionaire husband, a fantastic job, and no memory of how you got there? What if your new dream life wasn’t what it seemed?
The Five People You Meet in Heaven by Mitch Albom: What if you felt like your life had been a total waste, and when you died, five people in heaven explain your life really was important?
Outlander by Diana Gabaldon: What if you were a nurse from the 1940s and were transported back in time to Scotland, 1743? What if your modern medical knowledge made people think you were a witch, and were forced to marry a stranger to be protected?
Fifty Shades of Grey by E.L. James: What if you were into BDSM and fell in love with someone who wasn’t? (Say what you may about FSOG, but the fact remains that this is an intriguing “what if” question).
So here’s what I want to you to do:
1) Watch Ruby Sparks (it is so so SO good). It was on NetFlix, last time I checked.
2) Think about your favorite story. What “what if” question inspired it?
3) Do you have any of your own “what if” questions? Anything that would make a great story? Well what are you waiting for! Go on and write that book!
Happy writing
– Chelsey
August 31, 2014
Research
So I’ve started doing research for my second book.
With my first book, I mostly wrote about things I knew.
But this go round, I’m trying to write outside of my comfort zone. My characters have different jobs, different interests, and different backgrounds.
The more I learn, the more I wonder: How much research should I do?
It is possible to research too much. And, if I’m not careful, I know I’ll spend more time doing research than writing anything.
I’ve read online that the majority of research doesn’t make it into a book (or a movie or tv show or whatever). But, even if only 10% of your research makes the final draft, it is important to do it anyway because YOU as the writer will feel more confident about the subject.
I’ve also been thinking a lot about WHEN I should research.
Most writing books say that you should complete your research after you’ve written your book; that it’s better to put your thoughts onto the page, and tweak it later.
This method seems counterproductive to me.
Let’s say that I want to write about rocket science, elephant farms, or circus acrobats, or anything else I’m not familiar with, and I write complete garbage.
What then?
What if major scenes pivot on misinformation?
I picture myself writing something fabulous, something I’m absolutely in love with, and then being devastated when I discover that the facts supporting the plot are pure crap, and I have to rewrite the entire thing.
Wouldn’t it just be easier to start off with all of the information I need? Furthermore, what if after I do my research, I come up with something better than my original ideas? I’d be back at square one, restructuring and possibly rewriting my novel.
So, where does that leave us? I think, as usual, it leaves us somewhere in the middle.
Research is important if you want to produce something that won’t fall on its face when people start reading it. Especially if you get readers who “know” the subject matter inside and out. They’ll spot inconsistencies a mile off.
How much research you want to do for your book is completely up to you. But remember to not research it to death.
And for when to do your research? I still think it’s better to do some research before you start writing your first draft. Just remember not get bogged down by it.
Your readers aren’t asking you to be an expert in Turkish archaeology, diesel engines, or whatever else your book might deal with. They’re asking you for a good story that has enough ring of truth that it sounds real.
– Chelsey
PS. Lord help me if I ever write about diesel engines. You’ll know something is wrong for sure.
