Writing for a YA Audience: Do ghosts really cast no shadows?
Posted: October 17, 2018 Filed under: Books, Fiction, Paranormal, Stories, Writing, Writing for a YA Audience, Young Adult | Tags: Ghost Stories, Jordan Elizabeth, Paranormal, Writing for a YA Audience, YA, Young Adult Fiction Leave a comment
Anyone who knows me knows I’m obsessed with ghosts. Recently at work, someone drew a house on a whiteboard and everyone added something to the picture. I added a ghost screaming from an upstairs window.
Writing a short ghost story has always been a fun activity for a rainy afternoon. After compiling two steampunk anthologies, I decided to take a turn compiling one on ghost stories. I imagined it sitting on the shelves of local gift shops; the cover would show a ghost girl floating down a hallway of peeling wallpaper and cobwebs. With this in mind, I reached out to my critique partners, author friends, writing workshop attendees, and writing club members. They had a year to get me a short story or two. I wrote a few, and as stories trickled in, I put them together in a word document. We brainstormed ideas for a title and settled on “Ghosts Cast No Shadows.”
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Once I had a selection of almost thirty stories, I submitted the manuscript to the publisher. The majority of the stories were accepted, but a few were rejected, and I had to break several hearts by telling writers their story didn’t make it in.
After the list of accepted stories was finalized, it was time for editing. Each story went across the desk of an editor twice, followed by a once-over with a proofreader. The proofreader was a different editor who could come into the anthology with new eyes. With the editing process over, we got to work on a cover. We’d originally submitted a worksheet of cover ideas, but the publisher felt a different style would be in order. The talented Eugene Teplitsky put together the current cover depicting a man haunted by his past and plagued by death. Ghost books, they felt, were too involved with Halloween. They wanted our anthology to be marketable year-round. This strategy meant we would need to change the title. “Ghosts Cast No Shadows was shortened to “Cast No Shadows.”
The book was in place and the release date was set for October 6, 2016.
We organized a cover reveal and blog tour for the release. Reviewers offered their services to help spread the word. I tentatively set up signings for the end of October through December. I had to hurry because my son was due October 18 of the same year. I didn’t want any of the release buzz to fall through the cracks. (I also naively assumed I would feel up to doing a signing despite just having a baby.)
The book came out to meet with rave reviews. (You can read Kaye’s review of the book here.) The blog tour sparkled. While the ebook sold, the paperback remained unavailable. My son arrived earlier than expected, and in no way did I feel like doing a book signing. They were postponed to the spring. Because of technical difficulties, the paperback still wasn’t available in the spring, and the signings were cancelled until further notice. When the paperback did release a year later, we were all set to push it.
The group of us who live locally (listed in order as they appear in the picture above: Elizabeth Zumchuk, Joan O. Scharf, Tracina Cozza, Jordan Elizabeth, Jeremy Mortis, W. K. Pomeroy, and James McNally) did our rounds wearing matching CAST NO SHADOWS T-shirts. The libraries welcomed us and in front of audiences, we talked about what inspired our individual stories and read the first pages. We sold copies to eager readers. Every October we do our rounds again. We stand together in our shirts with the books open in front of us.
It feels so mysterious to stand in front of an audience telling the story of a ghost who wanders dilapidated hallways seeking a future she will never find.
Interested in reading CAST NO SHADOWS? The book is available on Amazon or you can get a signed copy off Jordan’s official website.
Jordan Elizabeth is a young adult fantasy author. CAST NO SHADOWS is her third anthology published by Curiosity Quills Press. Jordan can be found wandering the empty houses and shadowed woods of Upstate New York searching for ghosts.
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“Time to Live”: A YA Mystical Fantasy
Posted: September 28, 2018 Filed under: Book Review, Books, Fantasy, Fiction, Speculative Fiction, Young Adult | Tags: Fantasy, Jordan Elizabeth, Magic, Time to Live, YA, Young Adult, Young Adult Fiction Leave a comment
Time to Live by Jordan Elizabeth was released yesterday. I had the privelage of a review copy and found it to be a delightful story of magic and mayhem. I was able to fall into this young adult novel and kept the pages turning.
Endowed with powers she’s not supposed to have yet, Banon seems to find trouble and someone to rescue wherever she goes. Then, she disses the wrong guy and re-ignites the kindling for an all out clan war that’s gone on for so long, no one remembers how it really started, throwing her in the path of her true soul mate, awakening memories within them both, and bringing understanding as to why they’d never felt as if they belonged.
I question why this book is titled as such, but I think the cover is killer. I enjoyed this tale to the utmost and give Time to Live five quills.
Kaye Lynne Booth does honest book reviews on Writing to be Read in exchange for ARCs. Have a book you’d like reviewed? Contact Kaye at kayebooth(at)yahoo(dot)com.
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Writing for a YA Audience: Boo! There’s a ghost behind you.
Posted: September 19, 2018 Filed under: Fiction, Paranormal, Speculative Fiction, Writing, Writing for a YA Audience, Young Adult | Tags: Ghost Stories, Ghosts, Jordan Elizabeth, Paranormal, YA, Young Adult, Young Adult Fiction Leave a comment
Ghost stories have always fascinated me. I’m obsessed with history, so I see ghosts as a link to the past. They’re our chance to communicate with those who came before. Plus, the mystery surrounding ghosts is fascinating.
Ghost stories are prevalent in young adult fiction, as well as non-fiction. Whenever I visit a new locale, I always check out books on local ghosts. You can see I love ghosts, right? They tend to drift into my writing more often than not. My young adult novel, VICTORIAN, centers around ghosts in an abandoned village where visitors come to relive the past. ESCAPE FROM WITCHWOOD HOLLOW features a ghost child trapped by a witch’s curse. TREASURE DARKLY tells the story of Clark Treasure, a young man who receives the gift of communicating – and raising – the dead.
Oftentimes, I’m asked if I believe in ghosts. That’s a big yes. I’ve even experienced a few ghostly happenings.
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Ever since I was a small child, I’ve had people say my name, voices no one else hears. It doesn’t happen all the time and the voices never answer if I reply. I always turn to find no one behind me. The earliest time I can remember was when I was driving by Lake Delta. A voice came from beside me on the back seat. “Jordan!” No one was there and my parents hadn’t heard it. More recently (a few years ago), I was working in a renovated woolen mill. This building of weathered brick was infamous in the neighborhood for its hauntings. I never saw or felt a presence, but twice a female called my name from directly behind me when I was alone in an office with a closed door – and the only other person in the building was a male custodian.
I was a recent high school graduate when one of my grandmother’s close friends passed away. She and I were in her bedroom when the phone rang, My dog – the only one else in the house – was also in the bedroom. While my grandmother was learning about the passing from her friend’s daughter, a box of candy flew off the kitchen table and slid across the floor. It had been on the center of the table and we hadn’t experienced an earthquake. Nothing else in the house moved. I like to think it was the friend’s way of saying goodbye.
The other ghostly goodbye came while I was at my then-boyfriend’s house. I suddenly had an eerie feeling. The world wasn’t quite right. After a few minutes, I went to get a drink. As soon as I walked into the other room, a female voice said my name directly behind me. Almost instantly, the eerie feeling passed. I learned the next day that my father’s aunt had died. I’d only met her a few times, but perhaps she had done her rounds through the family to say farewell.
I’ve been on plenty of ghost tours, but only once did I catch an orb on film. A local church is connected to a mansion with giant pillars, beautiful windows, and embellished rooms. The mansion is breathtaking. A friend hooked my parents and I up with an exclusive tour. Many people have claimed to have experienced ghostly happenings, but we didn’t see or feel anything. I did, however, catch a clear orb in a picture of the upstairs sitting room. Ghost or dust? I like to think it’s a ghost saying hello.
Photo by OVAN on Pexels.com
Have you had any ghostly experiences? If you have, share them with us below!
Jordan Elizabeth is a young adult fantasy author. She may or may not be staring at a supposedly haunted house trying to see faces in the windows. You can connect with Jordan – and point her in the direction of some paranormal activity – via her website, JordanElizabethBooks.com.
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Writing for a YA Audience: CLICK YOUR CONVERSE HEELS TOGETHER
Posted: August 15, 2018 Filed under: Books, Stories, Writing, Writing for a YA Audience, Young Adult | Tags: Converse Sneakers, Details, Writing, Writing for a YA Audience, Young Adult Fiction Leave a comment
When I write contemporary young adult stories, I draw on my own experiences growing up. A huge part of my childhood involved wearing Converse sneakers. Okay, you’re probably thinking that’s a sad childhood, but bear with me. I was always obsessed with shoes. I liked the old-fashioned ankle-boot style. I liked the shiny Mary Janes. I hated regular sneakers. They weren’t cute enough. I endured sneakers only for gym class.
In Junior High, I started seeing the other children wearing Converse sneakers. They came in all sorts of patterns and colors, and they went over your ankle. They were unique, and even though almost everyone had a pair, everyone had a DIFFERENT pair. Some kids even wore mismatched sneakers or used fancy laces. I went home to tell my grandmother I just had to have my own Converse sneakers. (If you aren’t familiar with Converse sneakers, you have got to check out their incredible selection.)
She took me to the coolest sneaker store in the mall (I don’t remember the name of this wicked awesome store) and got me…a pair of knock-offs. They were black and came below my ankle. I fell in love with them because they had a side-pocket. I wore those sneakers until they fell apart.
In the meantime, my grandmother and I went to the nearby outlet mall. We would go once or twice a year. At their shoe store, I saw a beautiful array of colorful Converse sneakers. She bought be an official, high-top pair. They were black with white pinstripes. I wore them so much they started to fall apart…so now I don’t wear them much to preserve their life.
After that, I got a pair each time we went to the outlet mall. I even got a pair that reached up to my thighs! I now have twelve pairs altogether in my collection. Converse is still my favorite brand of sneaker.
Why am I talking to you about my Converse obsession? Well, Converse sneakers were a huge part of my childhood, from shopping for them to wearing them almost every day. I loved wearing them to gym class with fishnet stockings. I always write about my young adults wearing Converse because that’s what I wore. I didn’t realize how prevalent the brand featured in my writing until an editor called it to my attention. I went back through my writing and almost every girl character has a pair at one point in their individual stories!
If you were writing about shoes, what shoes would you mention? What shoes are most important in your life?
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Jordan Elizabeth is a young adult fantasy author. Her latest book, a post-apocalyptic novella entitled ROTHAM RACE, released July 14th fron CHBB. If you’re wondering if it features Converse sneakers, you will have to read it to find out.
You can connect with Jordan via her website, JordanElizabethBooks.com.
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Writing for a YA Audience: LEND ME YOUR EAR…OR YOUR LENDING LIBRARY
Posted: July 18, 2018 Filed under: Books, Reading, Writing, Writing for a YA Audience, Young Adult | Tags: Books, Lending Libraries, Reading, YA, Young Adult, Young Adult Fiction Leave a comment
Lending libraries are the new craze. Basically, you build this little wooden box on a pole and stick it in your front yard. Most of the time, the little wooden box has a little glass window. People walking by leave a book and take a book. Lending libraries encourage neighborhoods to connect and read more. Plus, if you’re like me, they’re a great way to give away books and know they’ll go to a good home. The lending libraries can also be found outside of churches, schools, community pools, anywhere you might find a group of readers hungry for new books.
(For those who feel the need to DIY, here are some simple instructions to build your own.)
Lending libraries pull me in, and I’ve frequented quite a few. There’s one in Old Forge, Westernville, and New Hartford, all towns in Upstate New York where I live. Recently, I dropped off signed copies of my novels to the one in New Hartford.
Lending libraries, however, cater more toward adults than to young adults. Each one I’ve been to has never contained a young adult novel. I’ve seen some picture books for kids, but nothing in the young adult genre. The books are all well-worn copies of religious non-fiction, popular chick-lit or obscure fiction. I’m not knocking any of those genres, but let’s build up some interest for teenage readers.
The news is often talking about how teenagers aren’t reading enough. The news talks about how teenagers focus on their phones instead of getting out into the world. Lending libraries meant for young adults, or lending libraries with YA titles mixed in, would “fix” both of those issues. Teenagers would be reading more. They’d be introduced to more options. They would also be getting out into their neighborhoods. A great way to make lending libraries more interactive is to leave a note or bookmark inside the treasure you drop off. I like to include a thought about why I enjoyed the story. It helps to connect the readers, even if they live in a different town.
I’m all for dropping off a young adult title or two in the nearest lending library. Who is with me?
Jordan Elizabeth is a young adult fantasy author. Her latest book, a post-apocalyptic novella entitled ROTHAM RACE, released July 14th fron CHBB. You can connect with Jordan via her website, JordanElizabethBooks.com.
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Starting Off the New Year with YA Author Jordan Hallak
Posted: January 1, 2018 Filed under: Books, Fiction, Gothic, Interview, marketing, Speculative Fiction, Steampunk, Stories, Writing, Young Adult | Tags: Author Interview, Gothic, Jordan Elizabeth, Jordan Hallak, Steampunk, Young Adult Fiction Leave a comment
I’m pleased to be able to start the New Year off with a YA author who I have interviewed for both my Book Marketing -What Works? series this past year, and my 2015 Pros and Cons of Traditional vs. Independent vs. Self-Publishing series. I’ve reviewed many of her novels, (Escape From Witchwood Hollow, Cogling, Treasure Darkly, Victorian, The Goat Children, Runners and Riders, The Path to Old Talbot, Wicked Treasure, Kistishi Island)as well as collections featuring her short stories, such as Darkscapes, Cast No Shadows, Under a Brass Moon, Chronology.
If you’re feeling a little confused right now, that’s okay, because all of the interviews and reviews were done for an author named Jordan Elizabeth, and in the very early reviews she was booked as Jordan Elizabeth Mierek. However, she’s starting off 2018 as Jordan Hallak, and we’ll hear an explanation for the different name soon. In addition to being the author of at least ten young adult novels and countless short stories, Jordan is a wife and mother, as well as often having a day job on the side. She runs a tight juggling act to keep it all balanced and still manages to craft some quality stories which are all quite entertaining. Join me in giving a warm welcome to Jordan Hallak today, on Writing to be Read.
Kaye: You’ve had a change to your last name. It threw me off and might throw of readers who know your work under the name Jordan Elizabeth. Were you recently married?
Jordan: I got married over a year ago, but I didn’t change my name right away. I still write as “Jordan Elizabeth,” but little by little I’ve been altering Mierek to Hallak. The most recent thing I changed was my name for my gmail account. Even though I signed things as “Jordan Hallak,” people were getting confused who Jordan Mierek was. I was getting documents for work to the wrong name!
Kaye: What are your secrets for juggling writing with family?
Jordan: Haha, I haven’t mastered it yet! Most nights now I’m too tired to do more than scroll through facebook. When I push myself, though, I have my husband watch the baby for an hour and I do all my writing. Once the baby goes to bed, then I do my marketing because it isn’t as emotionally draining. Writing leaves me breathless.
Kaye: Other than the last name, what do you think will be different for you in 2018, and why?
Jordan: My marketing budget is a lot different for this year. I’m only going to be using what I make off royalties. This might ruin my marketing plan, but we’ll see. 2018 is the first year where I won’t have a full time job starting out.
Kaye: What’s in store from Jordan Hallak in 2018?
Jordan: Other than my goal of landing a full time job, I want to write more novels and work on my marketing techniques. I usually fly by my seat for the year, but this time I want to concentrate on planning out all my marketing events. I’ve heard that’s better, so we’ll see.
Kaye: Is there anything unique or unusual about your writing process?
Jordan: I can’t plan. I start writing with a general sense of where the story will lead. If I try to plot, the book becomes a chore. It never follows the written storyline anyway.
Kaye: What is the working title of your latest book?
Jordan: My newest book will be Secrets of Bennett Hall. It is going to be a steampunk Gothic. I’ve always been entranced by Gothic novels, and I love the steampunk genre, so I decided to blend the two and see how it came out.
Kaye: How do you decide the titles for your books? Where does the title come in the process for you?
Jordan: The titles always come at the end. I usually call the book by the main character’s name as I’m writing, and then I see how it feels when I’m all done. Secrets of Bennett Hall started off as Adelaide. Adelaide is the main character who moves to Bennett Hall to work as a governess. Secrets from the past – both her past and the estate’s past – return to haunt her. Secrets of Bennett Hall had more of a Gothic ring to it.
Kaye: In my review of Runners and Riders, I identified the book as a part of your Treasure Chronicles Apparently, this isn’t the case, as it is the first book in a series of its own. Would you like to share how that came about?
Jordan: Runners and Riders features the same world as in the Treasure Chronicles. I called it a “companion” novel because of that, but it was mislabeled as a novella in many places. It is a full-length novel, and it was getting a lot of heat for being “misleading.” People who hadn’t read the Treasure Chronicles weren’t willing to give it a chance. It will now be book one in Return to Amston, with Secrets of Bennett Hall being book two. Secrets will be in the same world again, but with a new cast of characters.
Kaye: So, tell us a little about this second book in the Runners and Riders.
Jordan: Joseph from Treasure Darkly will make an appearance. Remember him as Amethyst’s spurned lover? I always felt bad about how things went down with the two of them and I wanted to give him his own story. As I started writing about Adelaide, he just fell into place as her love interest, and they are perfect for each other. He deserves a sweet, but strong, girl like Adelaide. In the novel, Adelaide loses her teaching job in Hedlund and finds a new position as a governess. Once she arrives at Bennett Hall, she meets its handsome occupant – Joseph – as well as some shady figures. People in the village warn her about the darkness on the estate, but it isn’t until she sees the Villain lurking in the forbidden wing that she begins to believe the rumors.
Kaye: A lot of your books are of the steampunk genre. What is it that appeals to you about steampunk?
Jordan: I love the nifty inventions paired with corsets and long skirts. I am obsessed with corsets and long skirts. You should see my closet!
Kaye: Most of your work has been published through Curiosity Quills Press, but it sounded like you might be striking out independently. Will this second book in the Runners and Riders series be independently published?
Jordan: Secrets of Bennett Hall will be published by Curiosity Quills Press. I haven’t decided to go the self-publishing route yet, but I might someday. I know people who have left their publishers to try self-publishing with great results. For now, I like having a publishing house behind me. The support I get has been awesome. I’m currently published by Curiosity Quills, CHBB, and Clean Reads.
Kaye: When will Secrets of Bennett Hall be available?
Jordan: Secrets releases January 30.
Kaye: What is the biggest challenge of being a writer?
Jordan: It is so hard to get your book out there. I know people are sick of me always talking about my books, but that’s the only way to spread the word.
Kaye: What’s the most fun part of writing a novel or short story? What’s the least fun part?
Jordan: The best part is actually writing it. I become lost in the setting and the characters become my best friends. I have an awesome time visiting this new world. The least fun part would have to be the marketing that comes after. When you have to push people to review and when you have to pay for ads, you start to doubt if your writing is worth it. Then you write a new story and remember how much it is worth it.
Kaye: If writing suddenly made you rich and famous, what would you do?
Jordan: I wouldn’t worry about money anymore! I would be happy being a stay-at-home mom and full-time writer. There would be a lot of traveling. I need fresh fodder for my stories.
I want to thank you, Jordan, for joining us on Writing to be Read to start the New Year off right. I wish you the best of luck in 2018, and I know Secrets of Bennett Hall will be a huge success.
Until next time, I want to wish you all a Happy New Year!
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“Monsterland”: Vampires and Werewolves and Zombies, Oh My!
Posted: November 10, 2017 Filed under: Book Review, Books, Dark Fantasy, Fiction, Middle Grade, Young Adult | Tags: Book Review, Michael Okon, middlegrade, Monsterland, Young Adult, Young Adult Fiction Leave a comment
I recently had the privilage of reading Monsterland, the new release by Michael Okon. It”s an entertaining little tale about a new kind of theme park, filled with zombies, vampires and werewolves of the very real kind. There are Monsterland theme parks opening all over the world and Monsterland’s creator, Dr. Vincent Konrad intends to give new meaning to the idea of family entertainment, handing out free tickets to Wyatt and his friends. Wyatt and his friends are stoked about the grand opening of the newest innovation in theme parks, featuring real live vampires, werewolves and zombies. Finally, they’ll be able to settle their age old debate over which is the ultimate monster. Monsterland holds all the answers.
Dr. Konrad is looked upon as a savior because everyone knows the monsters are only unfortunate victims of the infections that created them, and he is offering them a haven after years of living on the edges of civilization, shunned and feared. But Carter, Wyatt’s step-dad, doesn’t see it that way. He senses that Konrad isn’t telling the whole story and he has his doubts about the intelligence of bringing the public into the midst of such dangerous creatures.
As the teens move through the Monsterland tour, things begin to go awry, and Wyatt starts to suspect that Carter is right. It seems Dr. Konrad isn’t saving the monsters, he’s exploiting them and instead of being scared, Wyatt feels kind of sad. When the werewolves plan a revolt to regain their freedom, the frights aren’t for fun anymore, and Wyatt and his friends and family will be lucky to get out alive.
The idea of Monsterland is a good one, with a few different subplots branching off the main plot line to keep things moving forward. Younger readers may enjoy the comic book-like characters Okon creates by humanizing the monsters, he made them seem more pathetic than scary, but I had trouble buying in. I give it three quills.
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“The Psychokinetic”: Good Story, Believe It or Not
Posted: July 28, 2017 Filed under: Book Review, Books, Fantasy, Fiction, Paranormal, Speculative Fiction, Young Adult | Tags: Grace M. DeLeesie, Speculative Fiction, The Psychokinetic, Young Adult Fiction Leave a comment
The Psychokinetic by Grace M. DeLeesie is Book 1 in her The Day Twelve Witches Burned series. If this first book is any indication of what’s to come, I might hesitate in reading the sequel books. There are many, many typos, missed words, and misspellings; the whole story is told, rather than shown; there is a lot of head hopping. But the biggest problem was an inability to suspend disbelief. I just couldn’t buy into the odd responses and behaviors of her characters.
Overall, the story line is a good one. Six teenage girls find themselves with extra-sensory powers which normal teens just don’t have. They feel they have been led to find each other, and they’ve bonded to form a tight knit group, who look out for one another, while they search for evidence of who or what they are. And before the first book is finished, we learn that there also exists an evil nemesis, who has followed them through many lifetimes, intent on destroying them. Which, is all pretty cool.
I spoke with the author, Grace M. DeLeesie about my concerns with this story, and she admitted she had some problems with a previous editor. She assured me many of the problems are already being addressed and a revised text will replace the current version. I have to say, I really like the story line, although it could have been written better. I still can’t buy into the story or its characters, but with the author’s assurance that at the least, the grammatical errors and typos will be corrected, I feel comfortable giving The Psychokinetic three quills.
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Interview with Author Kristy Centeno
Posted: July 17, 2017 Filed under: Author Profile, Books, Fiction, Full Moon Bites, Interview, Paranormal, romance, Writing, Young Adult | Tags: Author Interview, Books, Deliverance, Kristy Centeno, Novel, Paranormal Romance, Writing, Young Adult Fiction 3 Comments
Today, we have the pleasure of chatting with author Kristy Centeno, who recently had her latest YA/NA paranormal romance released, Deliverance. In addition to being the author of the Secrets of the Moon saga and Keeper Witches series, and now, Deliverance, Kristy is a wife and mother to five children, and she holds down a day job, as well. This interview will kick off her book blog tour for the book with Full Moon Bites author promotions, so let’s give her a good send off.
Kaye: Your most recent paranormal romance released is Deliverance, and I hear it has received some great reviews. Would you like to tell us a little about it?
Kristy: Deliverance depicts the story of a young man who has been imprisoned in an Institute his entire life. Created in a lab, he has no clues as to what he is. Only that he’s not human. Tired of a life of suffering, he escapes to seek the assistance of a man that can help permanently free him and the other prisoners from his creator’s clutches. To do so, he requires the assistance of a young woman—one that will come to challenge everything he believed his enemies to be.
Deliverance delves into the paranormal, with a hint of romance, and some mystery thrown in as well. It took me a year to complete this project and enjoyed every minute of the process. Tiger wasn’t an easy character to develop as he isn’t quite your average hero. He’s both fierce and vulnerable. Strong yet weak. A potential killer yet innocent. As readers go through the story, they’ll better understand what I mean.
Kaye: Deliverance is listed under both YA and NA paranormal romance. Would you talk a little about what the difference in these two genre categories are?
Kristy: Young adult is basically geared more toward the teenage audience with coming of age scenarios that help shape the young character’s future, personality, or outlook in life. The main characters are usually in their teens, experiencing, learning, experimenting things for the first time.
New Adult, however, portrays characters that are a bit older and perhaps, a tad more mature. Think college age adults who undergo a series of scenarios that might have more of an impact on their lives than it would a younger person. They might have to deal with things that might not be an issue for someone in their teens.
Kaye: You are currently working on a sequel to Deliverance. Any hints as to what might be in store for your readers there?
Kristy: There is a bit more background story for some of the main characters as well as information on how the Legion works. It gives some insight on what Gerard’s next plans for the main characters were. And, of course, another mystery unfolds. One that will flip Tiger and Kristina’s worlds upside down.
Kaye: You have a large family, including five children. What are your secrets for juggling writing with family?
Kristy: Between my day job and my five children, finding time to write isn’t always easy. To be honest, even when I find time, I struggle between heading off to bed early to get some rest or get the next chapter completed. My days are full, but I try to make the best of what time I do have.
Most days, I get some writing done after the kiddies head off to bed. It’s nice and quiet. Not having anyone vying for my attention provides me with at least one to two hours of uninterrupted writing.
Basically, the way I work around my schedule is by tending to the kids first, house second, and then my writing. If the kids need something or the house is unorganized I can’t concentrate on my writing either so when I sit down to write, no matter what time of the day it is, I have to make sure that my to-do list is complete. Then and only then can I devote my full attention to those that live in my head.
Kaye: What is the one thing you hope to teach your children?
Kristy: There’s so much I wish to teach my children that I could go on forever naming each. But one thing that’s important for me is that they learn how to love themselves first and everyone else second. With so many issues about body shaming and public ridicule for being different, I don’t want my kiddies to feel as if they have to be like everyone else just to fit in the crowd. I always tell them that it’s okay to be different and there’s nothing wrong with being a little weird.
Kaye: You have two blogs dedicated to author promotions and writing. Would you like to tell us how they came about and what one might find there? How do you come up with enough content to keep them both active?
Kristy: When I was first published, I realized right away that one of the most difficult things to do as an author was, and still is, promoting. I had to develop an online presence and that took time. Fortunately for me, I found a network of authors that were willing to lend a hand when it came to promoting my work, offering advice, and some constructive criticism when needed.
While I was establishing an online presence, I found many new authors that like me, struggled to promote their work and would benefit from the same kind of help I received when I first got started. Thus, the idea was born to create not one but two blogs where I could assist anyone that needed it.
It didn’t take long at all for my inbox to start to fill up with requests from authors all over the States, Canada, and even the UK. I keep a calendar to track which author I’m hosting on what day due to the sheer volume of requests. Many of the authors I’ve worked with over the years also help cross promote my work on their sites/blogs, which is fantastic. Plus, I get to learn about new authors and their fabulous work that I’d probably have a difficult time locating if I didn’t hear from them directly.
Now, I also host blog tours for various book blogging companies as well. It’s something that I’ve come to enjoy over the years and continue to do as a hobby.
Kaye: What’s something most readers would never guess about you?
Kristy: I’m a bit of an introvert. Most people don’t believe this because I’m generally outgoing. Though at first I’m a bit shy, once I’m comfortable with someone I tend to talk a lot more and joke around. But I prefer the comfort of my own home as opposed to going out.
Kaye: What is the biggest challenge of being a writer?
Kristy: Aside from getting published and struggling with promoting your work once it’s published, I’d say one huge challenge is overcoming the dreaded writer’s block.
Kaye: Would you share the story of your own publishing journey?
Kristy: My story isn’t that different from most authors. At least, I don’t think. I must have queried close to thirty agencies that first year, receiving nothing but rejection after rejection. It was very disappointing, not to mention it really made me suffer through periods where I had serious self-doubt about my work and myself as a writer.
I didn’t understand that even if your first manuscript isn’t the best, you tend to improve overtime. I wasn’t in that state of mind though. I considered quitting before I even got started. That was until I heard a positive response from a publisher that was interested in reading the full manuscript of the first book I ever submitted.
They decided to pass, but that rejection ended up helping so much. When they got back to me, they were kind enough to say where my strengths lay and where and what I needed to improve. I took their advice to heart and worked on my manuscript some more. It wasn’t perfect by any means, but it read a lot better. When I submitted it again to another publisher, I was once more asked for a full manuscript. Three months later I was offered a contract. I was elated!
From there it has been easier but I’m still learning. I’m sure there’s still so much room for growth and I don’t mind. I love evolving my skills and developing my voice as I go along. With every publisher and every editor I work with, I learn something new. I learn where I have to improve and what areas I should focus on. It’s a never-ending cycle but one I don’t mind repeating.
Kaye: What’s the best piece of advice you were ever given?
Kristy: “No matter how hard life knocks you down, you better get right back up again and plow through. Life will never stop trying to knock you off your feet so don’t ever stop getting right back up again.”
Kaye: You are fortunate enough to have found a publisher for your books. How much non-writing work, (marketing & promotion, illustrations & book covers, etc…), do you do yourself for your books?
Kristy: Fortunately, the book covers are taken care of by the publisher. However, I do most of the marketing for my book. I organized takeovers, hire book blog companies, spread the word via social media, send emails, etc.
One of my publishers does quite a bit in terms of spreading the word about our books. They have put our books in local libraries, they send out newsletters with interviews, guest posts, etc. and we occasionally do author takeovers and Facebook events as well.
Kaye: What strategies and promotional tools work best to sell books for you, as far as marketing goes?
Kristy: It’s hit or miss with marketing to be honest. I have found that when I book a tour via a book blogging company, some will do extremely well and I immediately see an increase in sales. While there are other times when there’s barely a difference. However, I’ve found that when I do character interviews, guest posts, or giveaways my book does well and there’s a lot of online activity, which is great.
I prefer to schedule release tour weeks in advance to get the release off to a good start. Usually, this is when I see the most impact when it comes to sells as well as reviews. Giveaways do very well too so I have tend to partake in them more and more nowadays than I used to. Especially if I’m giving out a signed copy of one of my books. People respond positively to that.
I want to thank Kristy for joining us here, on Writing to be Read, and for sharing a little bit about herself and her paranormal romance, Deliverance. You can purchase Deliverance on Amazon, iTunes, B&N, Inktera, and Createspace.
To find out more about Kristy, or her books:
Her Website: https://booksbycenteno.com/
Blog: http://therightbook4u.blogspot.com/
Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/Kristy-Centeno/e/B00BR7KQ4U
Goodreads Author Page:
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6580510.Kristy_Centeno
Or check her out on social media:
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“The Lying Planet”: Only The Truth Will Set Them Free
Posted: May 12, 2017 Filed under: Book Review, Books, Fiction, Science Fiction, Young Adult | Tags: Book Review, Carol Riggs, Science Fiction, The Lying Planet, Young Adult Fiction Leave a comment
The Lying Planet, by Carol Riggs is a grabbing YA science fiction novel. Riggs puts a new twist on the story where all is not as it appears. On the planet Liberty, the future seems bright, but when the truth is finally unveiled, it may be very dark indeed.
On the planet Liberty, kids look forward to turning eighteen and venturing out of the colony they grew up in, away from their families, to live lives of their own. Jay can’t wait to gain his freedom. But what’s a kid to do when he discovers that everything he was ever lead to believe is a lie, the very fabric that he’s built his life on is false? Jay uncovers a secret that will change life on Liberty forever, and once he knows the truth, there’s no turning back.
Riggs brings us action and suspense in a well crafted YA science fiction novel which is filled with surprises. Just when you think you have it all figured out, another twist is added. I give The Lying Planet five quills.
