tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-90852833783244374412024-03-10T12:14:14.552-07:00K. B. HoyleK. B. Hoylehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13871333050283839311noreply@blogger.comBlogger174125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9085283378324437441.post-59109710084246161762015-12-16T14:30:00.000-08:002018-11-30T14:30:21.387-08:00Blog Migration...Just a quick post to let y'all know that my blog is migrating to my website. I've had this blogger site up for a loooong time as my official blog, and it's served me well, but I've also been operating my www.kbhoyle.com website for several years, and it's silly to continue to manage both. I will keep this site up and active, so all posts will remain archived and available, but all new posts from this point forward will be on my main website. Thanks for reading! I hope you continue to do so!<br />
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And for exclusive content and regular updates sent directly to your e-mail, please sign up for my newsletter <a href="http://www.kbhoyle.com/about.html" target="_blank">here.</a> K. B. Hoylehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13871333050283839311noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9085283378324437441.post-19766094156314412142015-12-06T21:32:00.001-08:002018-11-30T14:30:44.178-08:00An Abundance of ThymeTonight as I was cooking dinner for my family, I opened my spice cabinet and, while rummaging through in search of something, knocked over a container. As I set the container right-side-up, I looked at the label and started laughing like a crazy person, because it's one of those herbs I have way too much of. I rarely cook with it, you see. It was thyme, and the first thing that ran through my head was, "I certainly have an abundance of thyme!" I laughed myself silly because if there is one thing in this life I <i>don't</i> have an abundance of, it is time - real time, of course - and I rather think few people can say they actually do. But this struck me as <i>so </i>funny at the end of this week because it's been a particularly time-less week - or, a week during which I've wanted nothing so much as a little time in which to write, and have been unable to find any at all.<br />
<br />
Exactly one week ago, I was so sick, I couldn't get out of bed all day. It was the sort of sick that makes you wish you could erase your existence and get a do-over, but, alas, life doesn't work that way. On Monday I felt better, but I had a long day of work ahead of me, followed by a three-hour-long senior thesis disputatio to attend for half of my senior students. It is the culmination of their classical education and not something to be missed (and <i>quite</i> enjoyable), but it does make for a long night at the end of a long day, especially when one is already under the weather. Tuesday was a repeat of Monday - work all day, three hour disputatio at night. Wednesday after a full day of work, my husband and I had a bit of a drive to a work Christmas party that lasted late, so another night gone. Thursday I had another long day of work followed by a long faculty meeting at school. And Friday another day at work followed by another long drive to another Christmas party. Now, all of these evening events, I should point out, are things I enjoy! All in one week while recovering from illness and trying to write a book... a bit much to handle. Especially given that three of my four boys have been fighting the same ailment as I, and my sleep was interrupted a lot all week by crying and coughing. Then yesterday, my three-year-old regressed into the coughing part of the illness quite badly, and yesterday night, instead of either of us sleeping, I spent most of the night on the couch holding him in my lap while he coughed, cried, and burned up with fever.<br />
<br />
So when I knocked over the thyme in the cabinet at dinner tonight, yes... it struck me as funny. Because this is life, and time waits for no man - or woman, or writer. As Gollum taunts Bilbo in <i>The Hobbit</i>:<br />
<br />
"<i>This thing all things devours:</i><br />
<i>Birds, beasts, trees, flowers;</i><br />
<i>Gnaws iron, bites steel;</i><br />
<i>Grinds hard stones to meal;</i><br />
<i>Slays king, ruins town,</i><br />
<i>And beats high mountain down."</i><br />
<br />
Am I being a little maudlin? Perhaps. But it's been a difficult, sleepless week, and I'm staring at a desk full of notes and a manuscript that hasn't yet reached 10,000 words. And time keeps passing remarkably fast. I would love to say that I have release date news on <i>Criminal</i> for you all, too, but I don't; not yet. All I can say is that it is obviously not coming out by the end of 2015 here, and I apologize for that, but I have been in communication with my publishing house, and I hope to have news <i>soon</i>. In the meanthyme, I'm going to keep plugging along, even if I can only get a handful of words written per day. This week promises to be less hectic than last, so we'll see what I can get done!<br />
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<br />K. B. Hoylehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13871333050283839311noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9085283378324437441.post-842297132372350942015-11-10T17:46:00.001-08:002018-11-30T14:31:25.010-08:00Writers Write. Writers write. I know this is a revolutionary concept, so let me run it by you again. Writers... write.<br />
<br />
I often get asked, "But how do you have the time?" Usually this question is asked by someone who has always wanted to write a book, but who has never figured out how to sit down and make it happen. Also not uncommon is for this sort of person to say that they've wanted to write a book for years. Years. Not months or weeks, but years. "Sure, I'm a writer," these people say. "I just haven't finished my book yet. I don't have the time." "How much of it do you have done?" I might ask. "Oh, you know... bits and pieces..." Quick change of subject. <br />
<br />
If you do not actually write, you are not a writer. I'm not trying to be a condescending jerk; I'm trying to motivate you. There are a number of things that keep wannabe writers from becoming actual writers, and some of these things are legitimate reasons. I don't want to discount anybody's personal experience or struggles, but if what's holding you back is just a general lack of time, then I'm here to tell you that you will never have the <i>time</i> to write a book. You must make the time. Do you really want another five or ten years to pass without your dream of becoming a novelist becoming a reality? If so, read no further. Go back to Facebook and Pinterest and Instagram. Social media is calling. But if there is a story burning inside of you longing to get out, then today is your day. Not tomorrow - <i>today</i>. <br />
<br />
J. R. R. Tolkien wrote that the act of writing stories takes, "Labor, discipline, and special skill." Many people have the special skill part down, but lack in the labor and discipline. If you are lacking in any of those three areas, you will never be successful as a writer. How did I write eight novels while teaching full-time and giving birth to (and raising) four little boys? I have always made time to sit down and write. Not every day, but when it really matters, I do. So the question really becomes: How badly do you want it? <br />
<br />
In honor of this subject and November being National Novel Writing Month, I thought I'd post a link to a fantastic article I found on this subject from NY Times bestselling author Hugh Howey. If you want a serious kick in the pants, <a href="http://blog.nanowrimo.org/post/99060133846/nano-prep-the-truth-of-what-it-takes-to-be-a" target="_blank">this is where you can find it. </a>Then go forth and write!<br />
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<br />K. B. Hoylehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13871333050283839311noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9085283378324437441.post-48200350283602575192015-09-17T19:05:00.002-07:002018-11-30T14:31:40.027-08:00What's in a Book Festival? <br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmSfReJKAYwArDd-FKxL9oHhmmqkbXKvxxbMIMmi99eWeN_aDwbHA2BBvCJSiTKGNV75FPhxI6kwYy723pUPW1g-mtU5yCoQKH4r4JQAIGSav31nCnJHE_oLdtpgkh3RkPmalCZtGTLws/s1600/1385934_462342133885485_1653018515_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmSfReJKAYwArDd-FKxL9oHhmmqkbXKvxxbMIMmi99eWeN_aDwbHA2BBvCJSiTKGNV75FPhxI6kwYy723pUPW1g-mtU5yCoQKH4r4JQAIGSav31nCnJHE_oLdtpgkh3RkPmalCZtGTLws/s320/1385934_462342133885485_1653018515_n.jpg" width="320" /></a>Book festivals are exhausting. So much to pack up - and I have a Prius, so packing that little sucker is like playing a high-stakes game of Tetris - so much to not forget, so many details to iron out, so few opportunities to eat or use the bathroom (who needs to use the bathroom, anyhow?), so much talking and smiling and talking and smiling and talking and smiling..., so much worry over selling enough books to make the venture profitable, so much hoping the person you're assuring will like your book <i>will</i> actually like your book, so much work. But I never question if going to book festivals is worth it, because my readership is what makes my writing possible.<br />
<br />
Authors are a rather anchoritic bunch by nature. That is to say, we like to be alone, and we can tend to treat our art as a sort of religious practice. It's spiritually fulfilling, in a way, to close oneself off from the real world and sub-create a new world in the form of a story. I think most of us would prefer to write our stories in seclusion, submit them for editing and publishing, and then set them loose (for sale) in the magical world of the internet and let the <i>readers</i> come to <i>us</i>. No direct selling, please. No self-promotion, thank you very much. The <i>Art</i> should speak for itself.<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeDZblW5SXHeT5-f6vZrqggCsCpXej21fgPyedkj2hRNeegL395xZhn8Zwh5ThspZJAe1KKkyUX8-KFQRcASmXuejjYtigR2i_1f85Scf12xLP9fUsUnL4b6vzlIFKrn1HpYZfgKhJzfk/s1600/11150637_769254843189105_6804871910165487299_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeDZblW5SXHeT5-f6vZrqggCsCpXej21fgPyedkj2hRNeegL395xZhn8Zwh5ThspZJAe1KKkyUX8-KFQRcASmXuejjYtigR2i_1f85Scf12xLP9fUsUnL4b6vzlIFKrn1HpYZfgKhJzfk/s200/11150637_769254843189105_6804871910165487299_n.jpg" width="150" /></a><br />
The problem with this is, even in a perfect world, I don't believe this is ever the way it should be. Art always has a personal source. We, the authors, are part of our written works, and our readers deserve a chance to get to know us, and us them. To set a story loose on the world is to enter into a relationship with the people consuming the story. Hopefully that relationship will be a good one, but as with most relationships, it will not thrive without communication and effort on both parts.<br />
<br />
One way devoted readers who have entered into a relationship with authors through their books can help that relationship thrive is by writing reviews on places such as Amazon and Goodreads, telling their friends about the author's books, and generally spreading the word! But how can the author foster a good relationship with his or her readers?<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPHwfyB-qORXPfaS6dGDxaExNhK1itgxByrMFrlVc63NsbXSvixz_N1DuZWo_nDdS9nmKjKN5n3odwCh14BJUaaVp-LX_4jF8ajmU60Bi8HILFm9Zk03-8S8_ZiRB6LrZ9jE6mr9E3g9I/s1600/11915734_842425672538688_2178609563459193992_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPHwfyB-qORXPfaS6dGDxaExNhK1itgxByrMFrlVc63NsbXSvixz_N1DuZWo_nDdS9nmKjKN5n3odwCh14BJUaaVp-LX_4jF8ajmU60Bi8HILFm9Zk03-8S8_ZiRB6LrZ9jE6mr9E3g9I/s320/11915734_842425672538688_2178609563459193992_n.jpg" width="240" /></a>I think one way (besides the obvious way of continuing to write <i>books</i>) is to remain engaged and active in book festivals, and that is why I attend as many as I am able to attend. I can blog, I can Facebook and Tweet every day, I can post to Pinterest, but it's not the same as getting on the ground in the real world and meeting new (and old) readers. Meeting people in person - shaking hands and signing books, and placing my stories directly into their possession - is something that will never go out of style. It keeps me grounded and puts names and faces to my readers. It encourages me, too. I hope that, no matter where my books take me in the future, I will always have opportunities to attend book festivals and greet my readers in person. The moment you lose that personal connection to your readers is the moment you fail in your half of the author/reader relationship.<br />
<br />
My next book festival, if you live anywhere in the vicinity and would care to join me, is the Southern Festival of Books in Nashville, TN on Oct. 9-11. Come, grab a couple copies of <i>The Gateway Chronicles</i> or <i>BREEDER</i>, and build a relationship with me!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjS_A8UutouFUZ86v2zoRU0TuCE7flOfKCaOXFc3gRoS-cS1iOq-ya52L3evHaKQ_xXuWrfGkJ3wHuNnGIj-nmbLEXty00-iCnVqwKeoNOoVbZ2QNW775owJSzbSZtYxgw8CfEdvwvoFdI/s1600/SFB2015poster_CageFreeVisual.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjS_A8UutouFUZ86v2zoRU0TuCE7flOfKCaOXFc3gRoS-cS1iOq-ya52L3evHaKQ_xXuWrfGkJ3wHuNnGIj-nmbLEXty00-iCnVqwKeoNOoVbZ2QNW775owJSzbSZtYxgw8CfEdvwvoFdI/s400/SFB2015poster_CageFreeVisual.jpg" width="263" /></a></div>
<br />K. B. Hoylehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13871333050283839311noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9085283378324437441.post-35918163073336737292015-08-12T19:40:00.000-07:002018-11-30T14:31:56.897-08:00Questions From a New Reader<span class="_5yl5" data-reactid=".8w.1:$mid=11438126324542=27a468e5cb13dddc992.2:0.0.0.0.0"><span data-reactid=".8w.1:$mid=11438126324542=27a468e5cb13dddc992.2:0.0.0.0.0.0">Every now and then I hear from a new reader so enthusiastic with either <i>The Gateway Chronicles</i> or <i>BREEDER</i>
(or both!) that they come to me with a plethora of questions, and
sometimes those questions are blog-worthy because I feel there might be
more people out there interested in the same information. This is one of
those situations! The following questions came in last month from a new
reader of <i>The Gateway Chronicles</i>... </span></span><br />
<br />
<span class="_5yl5" data-reactid=".8w.1:$mid=11438126324542=27a468e5cb13dddc992.2:0.0.0.0.0"><span data-reactid=".8w.1:$mid=11438126324542=27a468e5cb13dddc992.2:0.0.0.0.0.0"><b>1) Okay, I can't stand it anymore. I must know. What addictive substance did you hide between the lines of your books??</b> </span></span><br />
<br />
<span class="_5yl5" data-reactid=".8w.1:$mid=11438126324542=27a468e5cb13dddc992.2:0.0.0.0.0"><span data-reactid=".8w.1:$mid=11438126324542=27a468e5cb13dddc992.2:0.0.0.0.0.0">Fairy dust. That addictive substance is fairy dust. </span></span><br />
<br />
<span class="_5yl5" data-reactid=".8w.1:$mid=11438126324542=27a468e5cb13dddc992.2:0.0.0.0.0"><span data-reactid=".8w.1:$mid=11438126324542=27a468e5cb13dddc992.2:0.0.0.0.0.0">:)</span></span><br />
<br />
<span class="_5yl5" data-reactid=".8w.1:$mid=11438126324542=27a468e5cb13dddc992.2:0.0.0.0.0"><span data-reactid=".8w.1:$mid=11438126324542=27a468e5cb13dddc992.2:0.0.0.0.0.0">Actually,
in all seriousness, I've worked quite hard over the years to make sure
my books follow established literary patterns without being cliched. I
believe the human brain looks for patterns subconsciously, and because
of this, there are certain storytelling techniques that will always feel
more fulfilling in the end than others (or than a story written with no
plan at all). This is one reason why I also beat on the "plan ahead!"
drum when I give seminars on creative writing. </span></span><br />
<br />
<span class="_5yl5" data-reactid=".8w.1:$mid=11438126324542=27a468e5cb13dddc992.2:0.0.0.0.0"><span data-reactid=".8w.1:$mid=11438126324542=27a468e5cb13dddc992.2:0.0.0.0.0.0"><b>2)
Ever since my first read-through, I've been trying to figure out how
much of yourself you put into a character, if not more than 1. So,
obviously Darcy is from your town and went to your camp. I tend to
think you put some other parts of you in her, too. When at camp, did
you have those magical feelings about the camp? Did you feel that
perhaps you were meant for a different world, not fitting in? Or have
you so aptly captured those aspects from other things you've read and
from hearing it from others?
Or are you more like Lewis, always carrying around a backpack full of
journals?
Did you have a friend - or were you the friend - like Sam, who was
always by your side, never giving up on you even when you were mean-ish
to her?</b> </span></span><br />
<br />
<span class="_5yl5" data-reactid=".8w.1:$mid=11438126324542=27a468e5cb13dddc992.2:0.0.0.0.0"><span data-reactid=".8w.1:$mid=11438126324542=27a468e5cb13dddc992.2:0.0.0.0.0.0">Darcy
is definitely the character into which I poured the most of myself. I
did use my hometown (from my teen years) as Darcy's hometown, and the
camp they attend in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan is the real camp I
attended every summer of my life from birth until college (with the
names changed). There was absolutely something magical and different
about that camp, and not in a mystical, creepy,
I-can't-seperate-fantasy-from-reality, delusional sort of way, but in a
total separation from the rest of the world, from the rest of
civilization, sort of way. The real camp, which I'll just call Cedar,
was a constant for me in an otherwise changing world. Every summer when
we went there, it was virtually unchanged. Obviously the flowers and
trees and sun and water and rocks and sky didn't change, nor did the
smells or sounds or sensations of being there, but even the camp itself
went through very little change. For 18 years, I don't even remember the
quilts on the camp beds being replaced with new ones, or the carpet
being torn up and replaced. The furniture and artwork was always the
same. There were small changes made here and there, but nothing big was
done until I was an adult. I know the forest trails out there like the
back of my hand, and it's so achingly remote and beautiful. When the sun
comes through the trees, or glimmers in off the water, at just the
right times of the day, it really is a magical place. It was an escape
from reality, and it did make me feel like I was meant for another
world. I really didn't fit in well in my "real world" life, at least I
didn't feel like I did much of the time, so going to Cedar was like an
escape into a fantasy world for me. It revived my spirit. In writing <i>The Gateway Chronicles</i>,
then, I wanted to cause the reader to have this same sort of revived
sensation by "visiting" the camp - and Alitheia - through the pages of
my books. </span></span><br />
<span class="_5yl5" data-reactid=".8w.1:$mid=11438126324542=27a468e5cb13dddc992.2:0.0.0.0.0"><span data-reactid=".8w.1:$mid=11438126324542=27a468e5cb13dddc992.2:0.0.0.0.0.0"><br /></span></span>
<span class="_5yl5" data-reactid=".8w.1:$mid=11438126324542=27a468e5cb13dddc992.2:0.0.0.0.0"><span data-reactid=".8w.1:$mid=11438126324542=27a468e5cb13dddc992.2:0.0.0.0.0.0">I
was (still am) a bit like Lewis, too. I don't carry a backpack around
full of journals, but I'm rarely without one! I keep a small journal in
my purse, and I probably have ten to twelves scattered around my house
that are full of story ideas, notes, sketches, names, sample chapters...
you name it! I put that aspect of my personality into Lewis's
character. </span></span><br />
<span class="_5yl5" data-reactid=".8w.1:$mid=11438126324542=27a468e5cb13dddc992.2:0.0.0.0.0"><span data-reactid=".8w.1:$mid=11438126324542=27a468e5cb13dddc992.2:0.0.0.0.0.0"><br /></span></span>
<span class="_5yl5" data-reactid=".8w.1:$mid=11438126324542=27a468e5cb13dddc992.2:0.0.0.0.0"><span data-reactid=".8w.1:$mid=11438126324542=27a468e5cb13dddc992.2:0.0.0.0.0.0">I
definitely was not the loyal Sam-friend, although I wish I could have
been! I've always been a bit too self-centered to be a Sam. But I had a
Sam-friend, who is still one of my closest friends today. Even when I
grew exasperated with her and did mean-ish things to her so I could go
off and have "me time," she never gave up on me. And she always saw
(sees) the good in everyone. That combination of loyalty, optimism, and
overall <i>goodness</i> is so rare. I knew I had to write in a character
like Sam who had those same traits. A Darcy needs a Sam. (And the
parallel in names to Sam in <i>The Lord of the Rings</i> is not entirely unintentional! :) ). </span></span><br />
<br />
<br />
<span class="_5yl5" data-reactid=".8w.1:$mid=11438126324542=27a468e5cb13dddc992.2:0.0.0.0.0"><span data-reactid=".8w.1:$mid=11438126324542=27a468e5cb13dddc992.2:0.0.0.0.0.0"><b>3) Did you make up narks, or are those an across-the-board fantasy creature?</b> </span></span><br />
<br />
<span class="_5yl5" data-reactid=".8w.1:$mid=11438126324542=27a468e5cb13dddc992.2:0.0.0.0.0"><span data-reactid=".8w.1:$mid=11438126324542=27a468e5cb13dddc992.2:0.0.0.0.0.0">I
made up narks! They are entirely unique, although I tied them loosely
to Tolkiensian elves to give people a frame of reference (I believe I
say in the first book that they are in the elf family, or something like
that). Every successful fantasy series, in my opinion, has to have a
unique fantasy creature that has been created just for that particular
universe. Lewis has his marshwiggles and dufflepuds, Tolkien his
hobbits, and Rowling her house elves. I went with narks, which was a
word I pulled from a form letter at Cedar (apparently a "night nark" is
actually just a counselor who enforces night curfew). I came up with the
concept of having night narks and day narks sharing one body, and the
physical and social characteristics fell into place from there. I was
super nervous about it before the publication of the first book, though,
because I felt that of all the things in the story, the narks were what
could flop the worst. Either people would love them, or people would
think they were terribly cheesy and hate them. Thankfully, some of the
first feedback I got on <i>The Six</i> was that people loved the narks - specifically Yahto Veli. I was relieved! </span></span><br />
<br />
<span class="_5yl5" data-reactid=".8w.1:$mid=11438126324542=27a468e5cb13dddc992.2:0.0.0.0.0"><span data-reactid=".8w.1:$mid=11438126324542=27a468e5cb13dddc992.2:0.0.0.0.0.0"><b>4) You mentioned teenagers as your target audience. Do you hear from male teenagers about the books? Are they drawn to the battles and strategy? </b></span></span><br />
<br />
<span class="_5yl5" data-reactid=".8w.1:$mid=11438126324542=27a468e5cb13dddc992.2:0.0.0.0.0"><span data-reactid=".8w.1:$mid=11438126324542=27a468e5cb13dddc992.2:0.0.0.0.0.0">Yes! Surprisingly, I hear from lots of male teenagers - actually, I hear from lots of males, period! I wasn't sure how <i>The Gateway Chronicles</i>
would be received by boys since it's written around a primary female
protagonist, but the boys who have read it have responded overwhelmingly
positively. Some of my biggest fans are boys, especially boys between
the ages of 11 and 14. After the publication of book 4 (I think), I had
8th-grade boys (who were my students at the time), coming up to me the
next day, bleary-eyed and sleep-deprived and red-nosed, saying things
like, "Thanks a lot, Mrs. B. You made me cry!" or "This is your fault,
you know. <i>Your fault</i>!" It was great. I've also recently had a lot
of grown men reading them and giving me positive feedback. That's blown
me away. I think part of it is that they like the battles and strategy,
but I really think that's only a small part of it at the end of the
day. Some themes are just universal. If you write a story that speaks to
the human condition, you're going to have a crossover story on your
hands. </span></span><br />
<br />
<b><span class="_5yl5" data-reactid=".8w.1:$mid=11438469153961=2e11bdb3ad1d41bbe24.2:0.0.0.0.0"><span data-reactid=".8w.1:$mid=11438469153961=2e11bdb3ad1d41bbe24.2:0.0.0.0.0.0">5) Any tips on where I can look up the names/places?</span></span></b><br />
<br />
<span class="_5yl5" data-reactid=".8w.1:$mid=11438469153961=2e11bdb3ad1d41bbe24.2:0.0.0.0.0"><span data-reactid=".8w.1:$mid=11438469153961=2e11bdb3ad1d41bbe24.2:0.0.0.0.0.0">Baby
name books or generators online, lol. But it's the truth! I have a big
book of baby names that includes names from all around the world with
country of origin, meaning, variations, etc., and I've relied heavily on
that for choosing names with specific meanings I wanted for <i>The Gateway Chronicles</i>
(and all my writing). A Greek translator online would help with many of
the Alitheian names, too, but not all of them! Some of the nark names
incorporate Finnish and Hebrew and Native American languages. If you
ever really are desperate to know what a particular name means, though,
and can't find it online, just shoot me an e-mail at
kbhoyle.author@gmail.com and ask me, and I'll spill the beans. :) </span></span><b><span class="_5yl5" data-reactid=".8w.1:$mid=11438469153961=2e11bdb3ad1d41bbe24.2:0.0.0.0.0"><span data-reactid=".8w.1:$mid=11438469153961=2e11bdb3ad1d41bbe24.2:0.0.0.0.0.0"> </span></span></b><br />
<br />
<span class="_5yl5" data-reactid=".8w.1:$mid=11438469153961=2e11bdb3ad1d41bbe24.2:0.0.0.0.0"><span data-reactid=".8w.1:$mid=11438469153961=2e11bdb3ad1d41bbe24.2:0.0.0.0.0.0"><b><span class="_5yl5" data-reactid=".8w.1:$mid=11438871798161=2271b1a953d213b7355.2:0.0.0.0.0"><span data-reactid=".8w.1:$mid=11438871798161=2271b1a953d213b7355.2:0.0.0.0.0.0">6) Is it tough to switch gears to your teacher-hat?</span></span></b></span></span><br />
<br />
<span class="_5yl5" data-reactid=".8w.1:$mid=11438469153961=2e11bdb3ad1d41bbe24.2:0.0.0.0.0"><span data-reactid=".8w.1:$mid=11438469153961=2e11bdb3ad1d41bbe24.2:0.0.0.0.0.0"><span class="_5yl5" data-reactid=".8w.1:$mid=11438871798161=2271b1a953d213b7355.2:0.0.0.0.0"><span data-reactid=".8w.1:$mid=11438871798161=2271b1a953d213b7355.2:0.0.0.0.0.0">Yes
and no. At this stage in my career, it's really more about the time
crunch. My writing and teaching career have coincided for about eight
years now, so I know more or less how to balance things. There are times
of the year when, as a teacher, I just have to focus on getting teacher
stuff done, but then there are other times where I have more energy and
it's easier to come home and write for a couple of hours at night. But
because I teach history at a classical school, which means I'm not bound
by a textbook or a curriculum some government suit put together, I
basically get to stand in front of my students and tell stories - true
stories, but stories - all day long. I get to dramatize historical
stories for a bunch of teenagers every day. And I get to read to them
from primary source material that is hundreds of years old, and I get to
talk it out with them, and gnaw through the tough bits, and study them
and their reactions to things... It's kind of fantastic! As an author of
Young Adult material, it feels like the other side of the writing coin,
if that makes sense. I do wish, however, that I just had more time. But
I think we all wish for that! And as Gandalf says, "All we have to
decide is what to do with the time that is given to us." </span></span></span></span>K. B. Hoylehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13871333050283839311noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9085283378324437441.post-69553558421845947192015-07-23T22:45:00.001-07:002018-11-30T14:32:08.340-08:00Criminally DifficultHello, dear readers, loyal followers, and those of you who stumbled randomly onto this blog in the wide inter-verse.<br />
<br />
This past year has been a difficult year.<br />
<br />
I've (now) written eight novels. I know how it's done. I have a system for writing novels and piecing stories together - one that involves a collision of plenty of pluck and pretty careful planning. I have never written a book that has not been marinating in my brain and in my writing journals for at least two years. I am deliberate and intentional, and I have a knack for knowing what works and what doesn't in a story. Writing is, for me, both a gift and a discipline. And that is why this year was so, so frustrating, because no matter how much all of my above-stated "ducks" were in a row, I simply could not make the time to get the sequel to BREEDER written when and how I wanted it to be written. Even though I felt like it shouldn't have been, CRIMINAL was criminally difficult to write.<br />
<br />
It started with burn out. In March of last year, I wrapped writing on the first draft of BREEDER right on the heels of having finished the first draft of <i>The Bone Whistle</i>. So, from October 2013-March 2014, I wrote two novels in two different series in two entirely different styles and totaling about 290,000 words (That's more than the length of the first three <i>Harry Potter </i>novels combined). I only took about two weeks off in those six months, and while I was finishing writing BREEDER, I was also starting edits on <i>The Bone Whistle</i>, which was set for publication in September 2014. When I turned in BREEDER at the end of March, I sat back and took a break from writing while I continued to work with my editing team on <i>The Bone Whistle</i>, but I fully intended on picking myself up after a couple week break and beginning to write CRIMINAL so as to have it complete before my baby came in October - because, oh yes, I was also pregnant with my fourth baby.<br />
<br />
And... It just didn't happen. <br />
<br />
I was so tired. I look back on last summer and wonder why I couldn't make myself write, and I can only guess that I was just beyond burned out. The story was in my head, all my planning was done, but my creative juices were gone. I think the toll of basically completing six NaNoWriMo challenge equivalents in a row had caught up to me, along with the mental strain of those books - the last in a long series that had to tie up every loose thread, and the first in a series that was untested and unknown. Every week that passed last summer, I told myself I would get to work on CRIMINAL, and every week I didn't. And then school started, and I went back to teaching full time, and my time and energy diminished even more. And then I had the release of <i>The Bone Whistle</i> to manage, and then one week later, my fourth little baby boy decided to make his entrance to the world three weeks early. I'm sure everybody knows, or at least has heard, how exhausting the first few months with a newborn are, and so after Edmund's birth, all possibilities of writing productivity dwindled even more. November arrived, and with it, the Time of Much Sickness. Between Thanksgiving and Easter of this past year, between myself, my husband, and my four boys, we did not have more than a single week where everyone was well. We experienced the flu, RSV, bronchitis, pink eye, croup, ear infections, strep, asthma attacks, migraine headaches, and more. It was bizarre and awful and dispiriting, and... I couldn't find the time or the energy to <i>write</i>. I was nursing my baby, too, which takes hours of every day, and between that, working full time, cooking, taking care of sickies, being sick myself, being wife and mother, and all the other general things in life, I despaired at finding any time to get down to writing CRIMINAL. There were even a few dark moments where I wondered if my writing career was over because I simply couldn't balance everything in my life anymore. <br />
<br />
I am the sort of writer who needs time to write. Perhaps that sounds like a "duh" thing to say, but let me explain. If I can't carve out a couple hours to devote to it at a time, it's hard for me to even bother. A half hour here and there is not enough time for me to get my head in the game. At least, that's what I'd always thought, because that's how I'd always written. I'd always started a book and knocked it out in 6-12 weeks, working several hours each day to get it done. This year taught me that if I was going to practice was I preach about the discipline of writing, then I would have to change the way I write books in order to fit into my new schedule with four little ones instead of three (that fourth one really does make a difference!). I would <i>have</i> to write in the stolen half hours - fifteen minutes - five minutes - in between diaper changes and staggered naps. I would <i>not</i> be able to stay up half of each night for a month to get a book written, because I just don't have the energy for that anymore, and it's not fair to my family! I would have to adapt to my new life, or my writing career <i>would</i> be over. So I did.<br />
<br />
Sometime this past year - I think it was February - I opened my document (that I'd created last summer) and began to pick at CRIMINAL. There were days where I only got a hundred words on the page, but at least I got those hundred words on the page. But I lost track of things far too easily. The benefit of writing novels the way I usually write them is that because it happens so fast, I don't forget much of what I've already written as I go. But with CRIMINAL, sometimes it would be weeks in between scenes, and I couldn't remember which story elements I'd already included. This made for a lot of rewriting as I went along, and for a painfully, criminally slow writing of the first draft, but I got it done. I got it done! And then I did a complete revision, and that took a few weeks, too, because there were a lot more rough edges than I usually have, but that is now also done. It took me six months, and I think it was an important six months. I don't know if I'll ever again be able to write novels like I used to, but now I know I can write novels like this - with baby steps rather than marathon strides. I got to the finish line, beta reader feedback is already starting to come in (it's positive!), and I hope to have publication info soon. It still has a long official editing process to go through, so I don't know if it will squeak in before the end of 2015, but if it does, it will be a Christmas miracle! All I can promise at this time is, it's coming...<br />
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<br />K. B. Hoylehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13871333050283839311noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9085283378324437441.post-75024219974388878252015-07-05T21:57:00.000-07:002018-11-30T14:32:21.491-08:00A Girl and Her DinosaursLet me tell you a story about a girl and her dinosaurs...<br />
<br />
In 1993, I was ten years old, shy, gawky, and a huge fan of everything dinosaurs. Because I was still rather young, my parents, being good parents, had no intention of letting me go and see the PG-13, probable (within reason) bloodbath, adventure flick that was <i>Jurassic Park</i>, no matter how much I begged and pleaded. Dinosaurs eating people on an island? Oh no. I do not think so. I lamented my fate and glued myself to the TV whenever the trailer for the movie played, but the theater run came and went, and no <i>Jurassic Park</i> for me.<br />
<br />
Kids these days have no idea how to wait for anything, and yes, I do intend to sound like a curmudgeon when I say that, so (kids, if you're reading this), let me tell you how it used to be. We used to have to wait almost an entire year for a movie to make it from theater to film - yes, that long. And then we had the agony of being on the waiting list at Blockbuster for any popular films, since they were usually in high demand. Not that this gave me any real hope of seeing <i>Jurassic Park</i>, as the advent of a new year did not advance me to the magical age of 13, and I still did not expect my parents to allow me to see the film. If they wouldn't take me to see it on the big screen, why on earth would they bring it into our house? Oh, agony upon agonies.<br />
<br />
And then, about a year after <i>Jurassic Park</i> left the theaters, I spent the night at a friend's house.<br />
<br />
She had this amazing basement bedroom all to herself. I distinctly remember it because it had a pass-through fireplace from the main family room in the basement to her bedroom. It was, truth be told, rather creepy, but it was also private. And not only was it private, but she had her own TV <i>and </i>VCR down there, with access to the family's stash of VHS tapes.<br />
<br />
Now, I was a good girl. I really was. I wouldn't have watched anything truly terrible. No R-rated forays for me, thank you very much! But... they had THE MOVIE. The movie I had wanted to see for a whole year. <i>Jurassic Park</i>. It was before me like a gleaming prize. We could watch it, and nobody would ever know. Her parents were fast asleep. She was game for it (and assured me it wasn't "that" scary), and we swore neither of us would ever breathe a word of it. So I said okay. I outright disobeyed my parents, and I watched <i>Jurassic Park</i> with my friend.<br />
<br />
As naughty as I was, my first experience with that film is emblazoned on my memory - and probably in no small part because I watched it in the thrill (and horror) of disobedience, hovered around an old TV in a dark creepy basement in the middle of the night. I had never been so awed by a movie as I was in experiencing the brontosauruses for the first time alongside the characters, or as horrified as I was when the T-Rex escaped and when the velociraptors ate their handler ("clever girl!"). The movie scared me to death, but it also took a hold of me as a good movie experience does, and little did I know at that time I had experienced what could rightly be called, I think, a 90s-kid quintessential rite of passage. All I knew was I was so happy to finally have seen it.<br />
<br />
I was also terribly guilty, especially when my dad surprised me by bringing it home not a month later.<br />
<br />
We were going to have a family movie night, and my dad had gone off to Blockbuster to get the movie. I fully expected another Disney animated flick, as per the usual, and I was having a bad attitude about the whole thing, so much so that when Dad arrived home with the movie, I huffily pronounced (in good, preteen fashion) that I was just going to hang out in my room instead. "Stay, stay!" Dad said. I remember folding my arms and sulking while he put the tape in. As I waited for the Disney music to begin, instead an image of the globe appeared on the screen and the words "UNIVERSAL" began floating around them. (I remember this like it was yesterday). I dropped my arms, and my jaw, and shouted, "Is this <i>Jurassic Park</i>?" "I thought you'd like to see it," my dad said. He never asked how I knew it was <i>Jurassic Park</i> just from the opening production credits, and I never told him. Until now. (Sorry, Dad! Mea culpa.) I watched it through for the second time, pretending like it was my first time seeing it, and thoroughly enjoying it all over again.<br />
<br />
Now that my parents had invited it into the house, however, I was free to indulge the obsession. My school library had every Michael Crighton book on the shelves, and I read every. single. one... multiple times. In hindsight, 6th grade was probably not the most appropriate age for Michael Crighton books, but I survived. And, to bring this around to writing (which is really what my blog should be about, after all), I mark Michael Crighton's works as being formative for me. He mastered creepiness that didn't feel like horror to me, and I liked that and wanted to emulate it as a writer. Anyhow, I also delved much further into all things dinosaur. (We'd just moved and I had NO friends in my new school - shocking, I know. Who <i>doesn't</i> want to be friends with the girl obsessed with dinosaurs?) When my 6th grade science teacher assigned a project where we had to pick a dinosaur to do a report on, I chose procompsognathids. Yes. That's right. Procompsognathids. "Whatsits?" my teacher asked. "Oh, they're also called compys," I said. *sigh* I was such a winner. He let me do the project, and gave me an A on it.<br />
<br />
As time passed and I made some (human) friends, my obsession with dinosaurs cooled. I grew up and out of infatuation with the wonderment of the prehistoric unknown, and I came to recognize <i>Jurassic Park</i> for what it was - fantasy. Great, gripping fantasy, but just that, all the same. Of course I saw each of the successive <i>Jurassic Park</i> movies as they came out, but when I heard about <i>Jurassic World</i>, I honestly kind of rolled my eyes. Hasn't this been done already? Isn't it tired out? Welll... there was still a curious corner of my brain and a nostalgic corner of my heart that wanted to go and see it, but I had no concrete plans to do so.<br />
<br />
But then my parents came in town for the 4th of July holiday and my dad volunteered to take me to a movie. It just seemed fitting for my dad, who rented <i>Jurassic Park</i> for his poor, desperate, dorky 11-year-old daughter to take his poor, not-as-desperate, still-dorky 32-year-old daughter to see <i>Jurassic World</i>. And I'm so glad he did! <i>Jurassic World </i>was so ridiculously awesome, and I take my hat off to the film makers who managed to recreate the wonderment this 90s-era kid felt at seeing dinosaurs on the big screen for the first time all over again. The music, the choice of dinosaurs, the sounds, the fights, the action, the island, the throwback vehicles and buildings, it was all perfection. Oh, don't get me wrong - it was totally stupid, too. I mean, ridiculously stupid (training velociraptors for use in combat? Puh-leaze), and so predictable (called the ending - called it!), but it was stupid and predictable in all the right ways for the sort of movie it was. And I loved it. I ate up every moment. I pulled my knees up to my chest and tucked my feet onto the seat like a little kid, grinned from ear to ear, and covered my eyes at the most jumpy moments. Perfect movie going experience. Nostalgia for the win. <br />
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So what's the moral of the story? The moral of the story is, good stories have the power to be life experiences. Here I am, 21 years after I saw <i>Jurassic Park</i> for the first time, blogging about dinosaurs.<br />
<br />
Another moral of the story is that procrastination produces amazingly long blog posts about dinosaur movies when you're supposed to be revising your manuscript, so... yeah. I'm going to go get back to work on CRIMINAL. Dystopian novels don't produce themselves! Maybe I should try my hand at screenwriting next...<br />
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K. B. Hoylehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13871333050283839311noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9085283378324437441.post-7958313121239200412015-04-30T21:04:00.001-07:002018-11-30T14:32:37.643-08:00May the Fourth be With You! <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="color: gold;"><span style="font-family: "comic sans ms" , cursive;">Say NO to REALITY!</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: gold;"><span style="font-family: "comic sans ms" , cursive;">This May, TWCS is paying tribute to the SciFy genre in honour of the EPIC <i>Star Wars </i>series and LEGENDARY <i>The Hitchhikers Guide to the Gal-axy</i>, amongst others...</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: green;"><span style="font-size: 18px;"><span style="font-family: "comic sans ms" , cursive;"><b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', 'Bit-stream Charter', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; text-align: cen-ter;">BOOKS ON SALE FOR ONLY 99 PEN-NIES!</b></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: goldenrod; font-family: "georgia" , serif;"><b><i>LEGACY OF A DREAMER</i></b></span>, Allie Jean, Paranormal</div>
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Legacy-Dreamer-Book-1-ebook/dp/B007ZXKDOS/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1429633239&sr=8-3&keywords=legacy+of+a+dreamer" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;" target="_blank"><img alt="ce87b-legacydreamerpbcover" class="alignright wp-image-2715 size-medium" height="200" src="https://wyndydee.files.wordpress.com/2013/07/ce87b-legacydreamerpbcover.jpg?w=192" width="128" /></a><span style="font-family: , sans-serif;"></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Chantal Breelan is plagued by horrible nightmares too realistic to ignore. Her past has been a mystery, and the foster system isn’t providing any answers. Starting a new life alone at eighteen is a challenge, espe-cially when things that go bump in the night appear out of the shadows, and her dreams begin to breach reality. Darkness surrounds her from all sides, but is it only evil that hides in the shadows, or are the answers to her past lingering just be-yond?</span></div>
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<span style="color: #666633; font-family: "georgia" ,;"><b><i>ZOMBIFIED</i></b></span>, Maggie LaCroix, Paranormal Fantasy</div>
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Zombified-Maggie-LaCroix-ebook/dp/B00MQGNM60/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1429633282&sr=8-1&keywords=zombified+by+maggie" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img alt="Zombified-Hi-Res-Cover" class=" size-medium wp-image-5310 alignleft" height="200" src="https://wyndydee.files.wordpress.com/2014/08/zombified-hi-res-cover1.jpg?w=200" width="133" /></a><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Monsters know their place: vampires are sexy; zombies just decompose. But Maggie La Croix’s <i>Zombified</i> con-jures up an entirely different kind of undead raised by good old-fashioned Voodoo. Take Henri—still gorgeous, over one hundred years after his death. And now a hurricane has set him free from a curse.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Enter Josie, a reporter with her eyes on Henri. But falling for a man without a heartbeat could get her more than a broken heart. It could get her zombified.</span></div>
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<span style="color: saddlebrown; font-family: "georgia" , serif;"><b><i>THE SIX</i></b></span>, K.B. Hoyle, Fantasy</div>
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Six-Gateway-Chronicles-Book-ebook/dp/B007RKZA7E/ref=sr_1_14?ie=UTF8&qid=1429633309&sr=8-14&keywords=the+six+by+k" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;" target="_blank"><img alt="The_Six_Low-Res_Cover" class="alignright size-medium wp-image-7098" height="200" src="https://wyndydee.files.wordpress.com/2015/04/the_six_low-res_cover.jpg?w=200" width="133" /></a><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Darcy Pennington feels like she is an insufferably average thirteen-year-old, but when a change in her dad’s job forces her to attend Cedar Cove Camp, she unwittingly stumbles upon a magical gateway. Along with five other teenagers, she will travel to a world called Alitheia. The “arrival of the Six” was prophesied long ago, but will she have what it takes to save Alitheia?</span></div>
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<span style="color: green; font-family: "georgia" , serif;"><b><i>MORE</i></b></span>, T.M. Franklin, Paranormal</div>
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/MORE-Trilogy-Book-1-ebook/dp/B009LO2B6W/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1429633339&sr=8-2&keywords=more+by+tm" style="clear: left; float: left; mar-gin-right: 1em; margin-bottom: 1em;" target="_blank"><img alt="more" class="alignleft size-full wp-image-78" height="200" src="https://wyndydee.files.wordpress.com/2012/10/more1.jpg" width="133" /></a><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Haunted by terrifying nightmares and certain she’s being watched, college student Ava Michaels finds an unlikely ally in Phys-ics tutor Caleb Foster. But Caleb isn’t quite what he seems. In fact, he's not entirely hu-man, and he's not the only one.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Together, the duo faces a threat from an ancient race bent on Ava’s capture, and possible extinction. As Ava fights to survive, she learns the world’s not what she thought.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">It's a little bit more.</span></div>
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<span style="color: darkorange; font-family: "georgia" , serif;"><b><i>THE SILVER CRESCENT</i></b></span>, Debby Grahl, Paranormal</div>
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Silver-Crescent-Debby-Grahl/dp/1612132081/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1429633363&sr=8-1&keywords=the+silver+crescent" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;" target="_blank"><img alt="The_Silver_Crescent_Hi-Res_Cover" class="alignright size-medium wp-image-4566" height="200" src="https://wyndydee.files.wordpress.com/2014/06/the_silver_crescent_hi-res_cover.jpg?w=200" width="133" /></a><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">An ancestor’s tale of betrayal, murder and a stolen fortune in silver leads Elise Baxter to Max Holt’s Victorian inn.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">She is reluctantly, though irresistibly, attracted to Max. Leery of loving again, Max lets passion overrule caution, tumbling them into an erotic encounter.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Guided by ghosts and opposed by an evil presence, the couple searches for the treasure. But there are others who will stop at nothing to unlock the mystery of the Silver Crescent.</span></div>
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<span style="color: gold; font-family: "georgia" , serif;"><b><i>THE MEMORY HEALER</i></b></span>, Julie Filarski, Paranormal</div>
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Memory-Healer-Filarski-Julie/dp/1612132405/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1429633397&sr=8-1&keywords=the+memory+healer+by+julie" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img alt="1551f-the_memory_healer_low-res_cover" class="alignleft size-medium wp-image-4622" height="200" src="https://wyndydee.files.wordpress.com/2014/06/1551f-the_memory_healer_low-res_cover.jpg?w=200" width="133" /></a><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">When Beth Montgomery reluctantly agrees to carry out a psychic assessment of Carrington House, she is transported to another era, where she sees a date on a calendar that fills her with dread.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Back in the present time and sensing an eternal bond with the irresistible Dr Matthew Jamieson, she wonders whether he was once the darkly handsome but unfaithful Samuel Methven. Beth must regress to the tragic events of 1895 to learn the truth.</span></div>
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<span style="color: grey; font-family: "georgia" , serif;"><b><i>HUNTED</i></b></span>, Lorenz Font, Paranormal</div>
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Hunted-Gates-Legacy-Book-1-ebook/dp/B00OU6O5GA/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1429633421&sr=8-1&keywords=hunted+by+lorenz" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;" target="_blank"><img alt="Hunted-Hi-Res-Cover" class="alignright size-medium wp-image-6459" height="200" src="https://wyndydee.files.wordpress.com/2015/02/hunted-hi-res-cover.jpg?w=200" width="133" /></a><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Disease is ravaging the vampire com-munity in New York City’s underworld. Harrow Gates is sick, alone, and hunted. When Pritchard Tack offers him a new beginning, he is in no position to refuse.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Jordan is a young vampire whose only focus is revenge. In her search for her family’s killer, she meets a man who threatens to pull her heart away from her sworn mission. Is love strong enough to override her thirst for vengeance?</span></div>
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<span style="color: paleturquoise; font-family: "georgia" , serif;"><b><i>MOUNTAIN CHARM</i></b></span>, Sydney Logan, Paranormal</div>
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Mountain-Charm-Appalachian-Heart-Book-ebook/dp/B00DRFNTBM/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1429633581&sr=8-1&keywords=mountain+charm+by+sydney" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img alt="77b12-mountain-charm-hi-res-cover" class="alignleft size-medium wp-image-2634" height="200" src="https://wyndydee.files.wordpress.com/2013/07/77b12-mountain-charm-hi-res-cover.jpg?w=200" width="133" /></a><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">“True love and sweet whispers, till death do us part;</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Send someone to love my Appalachian heart.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">At the age of thirteen, Angelina Clark followed in the footsteps of her ancestors by casting an Appalachian love spell, which promised she would blossom into a beautiful and gifted woman who would find her true love. A young Angelina had been thrilled to participate in the sacred ritual, but through the years, her father’s untimely death and her mother’s failing health have shaken Angelina’s magical faith to its core. As her twenty-first birthday approaches, she refuses to practice her supernatural gifts and no longer believes in the love charm.</span></div>
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<span style="color: orange; font-family: "georgia" ,;"><b><i>REDEMPTION</i></b></span>, Lindsey Gray, Paranormal</div>
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Redemption-Lindsey-Gray/dp/1612130380/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1429633619&sr=8-1&keywords=redemption+by+lindsey" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;" target="_blank"><img alt="Redemption_Low-Res_Cover" class="alignright size-medium wp-image-6982" height="200" src="https://wyndydee.files.wordpress.com/2015/04/redemption_low-res_cover.jpg?w=200" width="133" /></a><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Life is for living. Afterlife is a chance at redemption. As the only remaining female vampire in existence, Lily attempts to make her way towards her ever after. But with best friend Becca, new beau Ian, human hus-band Ryan, Archangel Peter, and a host of demons all standing in the way of Lily's chance at a peaceful eternity, how can she possibly survive?</span></div>
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<span style="color: firebrick; font-family: "georgia" ,;"><b><i>CONVERGENCE</i></b></span>, J.D. Watts, Paranormal</div>
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Convergence-J-D-Watts/dp/1612130062/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1429633654&sr=8-1&keywords=convergence+jd" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img alt="Convergence_Hi-Res_Cover" class="alignleft size-medium wp-image-6983" height="200" src="https://wyndydee.files.wordpress.com/2015/04/convergence_hi-res_cover.jpg?w=200" width="133" /></a><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Daniella Rossi is a nineteen-year-old college student who sees the world quite differently than those around her. From infan-cy, she was aware of the beings that walked among her kind who were not like them, as well as her own personal Guardian who watched over her. Dani always knew she was different, but she never dreamed the full scope of her importance. When a new male Guardian comes to replace her lifelong friend and companion, will Dani be able to ac-cept him as she deals with a world full of the other Children of Creation, Angels, both good and evil?</span></div>
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<span style="color: #3399ff; font-family: "georgia" , serif;"><b><i>OBVIOUS CHILD</i></b></span>, Warren Cantrell, SciFy</div>
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Obvious-Child-Warren-Cantrell-ebook/dp/B00JFA84WW/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1429633704&sr=8-1&keywords=obvious+child+warren" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;" target="_blank"><img alt="Obvious_Child_Low-Res_Cover" class="alignright size-medium wp-image-7099" height="200" src="https://wyndydee.files.wordpress.com/2015/04/obvious_child_low-res_cover.jpg?w=200" width="133" /></a><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">In 2015, Sam Grant is chosen to take part in a contest that will choose the world’s first time traveler. There’s just one prob-lem—Sam doesn’t want anything to do with the contest. Yet his deliberately profane public appearances and sabotaged interviews only boost ratings. Now stuck, Sam must plot how he’ll get out of the contest, or if he should embrace it all and become the most famous person in history.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #9933ff; font-family: "georgia" ,;"><b><i>GHOSTWRITER</i></b></span>, Lissa Bryan, Paranormal</div>
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Ghostwriter-Lissa-Bryan-ebook/dp/B009OMPM1C/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1429633738&sr=8-1&keywords=ghostwriter+by+lissa" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img alt="ghostwriter" class="alignleft size-full wp-image-375" height="200" src="https://wyndydee.files.wordpress.com/2013/02/ghostwriter.jpg" width="133" /></a><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Unemployed, with her savings dwin-dling, Sara Howell thinks things are looking up when she lands a ghostwriting job and rents the affordable island home of her favorite author, Seth Fortner, who mysteriously disappeared in 1925.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Strange things happen, making Sara wonder if Seth ever left. When she finds an old trunk of Seth’s letters, she delves into a world she never imagined, filled with love and a family curse it seems only she can break.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #cc3333; font-family: "georgia" , serif;"><b><i>THE STARS ARE FALLING</i></b></span>, Michelle Birbeck, Paranormal</div>
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Stars-Are-Falling-Michelle-Birbeck-ebook/dp/B00LIAKT6G/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1429633773&sr=8-1&keywords=the+stars+are+falling+by+michelle" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;" target="_blank"><img alt="The_Stars_Are_Falling_Low-Res_Cover" class="alignright size-medium wp-image-4849" height="200" src="https://wyndydee.files.wordpress.com/2014/07/the_stars_are_falling_low-res_cover.jpg?w=200" width="133" /></a><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Jenny’s life revolves around surviving university, watching the stars, and staring at her housemate, Dale. But as the night sky glows with the light of falling stars, Jenny’s classes and crush seem unimportant. The Stars are retaking Earth, saving mother nature by eliminating the problem. Together, Jenny and Dale can save the world and the human race, but surviving long enough to convince the Stars of that is perilous and may kill them both.</span></div>
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<span style="color: red; font-family: "georgia" , serif;"><b><i>EVERYBODY OUT OF THE LAUNDROMAT, I NEED TO THINK!</i></b></span>, </div>
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Phil G. Glenn, Paranormal</div>
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Everybody-Out-Laundromat-Need-Think-ebook/dp/B00EUNM0VA/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1429633809&sr=8-1&keywords=everybody+out+of+the+laundromat" style="clear: left; float: left; mar-gin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img alt="Laundromat-Low-Res" class="alignleft size-medium wp-image-7100" height="200" src="https://wyndydee.files.wordpress.com/2015/04/laundromat-low-res.jpg?w=200" width="133" /></a><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">When the ordinary life of Virgil Blaine crosses the path of the even more ordinary Doug Coulthard, it sets off a series of extra-ordinary events. Doug Coulthard is a Filing Clerk and the President of the Unpublished People’s Poet’s Party –Political Unit (UPPPPU) where a catastrophe has just happened; two of his long time members have been published. The UPPPPU goes on a recruiting drive by distributing leaflets, one of which finds its way into Virgil Blaine’s pocket. Virgil Blaine, who is a slight poet himself, attends one of the meetings where he meets For-ward Slash who offers Virgil Blaine a job. The offer comes with two things Virgil Blaine has never had; a job and a car and on a whim he accepts. The problem is, through no effort of his own, his position is suddenly elevated. Virgil Blaine says the job is ‘messing with his DNA – Deliberate Non-Achiever’ and he misses his old life and so hatches a plan to get it back…</span></div>
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<span style="color: #cc0066; font-family: "georgia" , serif;"><b><i>SEBASTIAN AND THE AFTERLIFE</i></b></span>, William j. Barry, Paranormal</div>
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Sebastian-Afterlife-William-j-Barry-ebook/dp/B004P8JWXY/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1429633832&sr=8-1&keywords=sebastian+and+the+afterlife" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"></span></a><br />
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<a href="https://wyndydee.files.wordpress.com/2015/04/sata_low-res_cover2.jpg?w=200" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="SatA_Low-Res_cover" border="0" class="alignright size-medium wp-image-7101" height="200" src="https://wyndydee.files.wordpress.com/2015/04/sata_low-res_cover2.jpg?w=200" width="133" /></a><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Sebastian, an average seventeen-year-old boy, has just paid this debt. He awakes in a surreal world somewhere between mor-tal life and the afterlife, where the Grim Reaper rules and his loyal agents maintain the law. But not all is peaceful in this mystical realm. Axis Red and his soul pirates threaten the future of all who dwell there.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Sebastian soon finds himself at Sa-pentia, a high school for the departed. There he makes new friends but longs for his lost love, Sarah, who is still alive in the mortal world. Some things are forbidden; some lines cannot be crossed. What will Sebastian risk to be close to Sarah again?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Continue the adventure with Sebastian and the Afterlife Book II - Agents of the Reaper</span></div>
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K. B. Hoylehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13871333050283839311noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9085283378324437441.post-19921611504677225052015-04-07T22:42:00.002-07:002015-12-06T15:12:05.089-08:00Blind Date With a Book! <br />
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<a href="https://wyndydee.files.wordpress.com/2015/04/blind-date-with-a-book-week2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="blind-date-with-a-book-week2" class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-6918" height="172" src="https://wyndydee.files.wordpress.com/2015/04/blind-date-with-a-book-week2.jpg?w=627" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: darkorange;"><span style="font-size: 18px;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"><span style="line-height: 1.6em;">Four weeks of GiveAways!!!</span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: darkorange;"><span style="font-size: 18px;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;">Enter this week to win one of the following titles in eBook.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="text-decoration: underline;"><b><span style="color: gold;"><span style="font-size: 28px;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Week 2</span></span></span></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: gold;"><i><b>Breeder</b></i></span>, K.B. Hoyle, Dystopian</span><br />
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</span> <a href="https://wyndydee.files.wordpress.com/2014/11/breeder-hi-res-cover.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><img alt="Breeder-Hi-Res-Cover" class="alignright size-medium wp-image-5798" height="200" src="https://wyndydee.files.wordpress.com/2014/11/breeder-hi-res-cover.jpg?w=200" width="133" /></span></a><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Everything about Seventeen’s life is perfect, from her genetics, to her home in Sanctuary, to her status as a Breeder in the Unified World Order. But all that changes when an Enforcer named Pax infiltrates Sanctuary and targets her for extraction from the Controlled Repopulation Program, a program he claims is hiding a dark secret. Mired in confusion and doubt, Seventeen takes the name Pria, the identity of her childhood, and embarks on a quest to discover the truth before it’s too late.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: gold;"><i><b>The Six</b></i></span>, K.B. Hoyle, YA</span><br />
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</span> <a href="https://wyndydee.files.wordpress.com/2015/04/9781612130538.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><img alt="9781612130538" class="alignleft size-medium wp-image-6920" height="200" src="https://wyndydee.files.wordpress.com/2015/04/9781612130538.jpg?w=200" width="133" /></span></a><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Darcy Pennington feels like she is an insufferably average thirteen-year-old, but when a change in her dad’s job forces her to attend Cedar Cove Camp, she unwittingly stumbles upon a magical gateway. Along with five other teenagers, she will travel to a world called Alitheia. The “arrival of the Six” was prophesied long ago, but will she have what it takes to save Alitheia?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: gold;"><i><b>The End of All Things</b></i></span>, Lissa Bryan, Dystopian</span><br />
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</span> <a href="https://wyndydee.files.wordpress.com/2014/12/e4d6a-the2bend2bof2ball2bthings2bfinal2bversion.png" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><img alt="e4d6a-the2bend2bof2ball2bthings2bfinal2bversion" class=" size-medium wp-image-6077 alignright" height="200" src="https://wyndydee.files.wordpress.com/2014/12/e4d6a-the2bend2bof2ball2bthings2bfinal2bversion.png?w=199" width="132" /></span></a><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">After a terrible virus ravages the planet, Carly, one of the few survivors, hides in her apartment in Juneau, trying to survive the best she can with only occasional forays to gather food. She is discovered by Justin, an ex-soldier intent on making his way to Florida before winter sets in. This is the story of their journey to find a place to begin a new life and a home in each other.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"><span style="color: gold;"><b><i>How To Get Ainsley Bishop To Fall In Love With You</i></b></span>, T.M. Franklin, Romance/YA</span><br />
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</span> <a href="https://wyndydee.files.wordpress.com/2015/04/9781612133164.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><img alt="9781612133164" class=" size-medium wp-image-6919 alignleft" height="200" src="https://wyndydee.files.wordpress.com/2015/04/9781612133164.jpg?w=200" width="133" /></span></a><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Oliver Holmes likes making lists—meticulous procedures for achieving his goals, step-by-step. So when he decides it’s time to declare his feelings for Ainsley Bishop, it’s only natural for him to approach the challenge with a logical and methodical plan.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">He decides a perfect birthday gift is the key to success, but finding that gift proves to be a challenge. Oliver will need to watch her carefully for clues to pinpoint exactly what he should give her. And along the way, he might just learn that what Ainsley really needs is not quite what he expected.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: gold;"><i><b>More</b></i></span>, T.M. Franklin, YA</span><br />
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</span> <a href="https://wyndydee.files.wordpress.com/2012/10/more.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><img alt="more" class=" size-full wp-image-76 alignright" height="200" src="https://wyndydee.files.wordpress.com/2012/10/more.jpg" width="133" /></span></a><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Haunted by terrifying nightmares and certain she’s being watched, college student Ava Michaels finds an unlikely ally in Physics tutor Caleb Foster. But Caleb isn’t quite what he seems. In fact, he's not entirely human, and he's not the only one.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Together, the duo faces a threat from an ancient race bent on Ava’s capture, and possible extinction. As Ava fights to survive, she learns the world’s not what she thought.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">It's a little bit more.</span></div>
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<span style="color: gold;"><i><b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;">Sebastian and the Afterlife</span></b></i></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;">,</span> William J. Barry, YA</div>
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<a href="https://wyndydee.files.wordpress.com/2015/04/sata_low-res_cover.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="SatA_Low-Res_cover" class="alignleft size-medium wp-image-6921" height="200" src="https://wyndydee.files.wordpress.com/2015/04/sata_low-res_cover.jpg?w=200" width="133" /></a><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Sebastian is an average 17 year-old boy, there is one catch ... he has just died. Sebastian awakes in a surreal world somewhere between mortal life and the afterlife. The Grim Reaper and his loyal agents maintain the law of this mystical realm. Sebastian soon finds himself at Sapentia, a high school for the departed. He longs for his lost love, Sarah, who is still alive in the mortal world. Some things are forbidden; some lines cannot be crossed. What will Sebastian risk to be close to her again?</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhi7u8qmcFqV2pA_PQtcQZLniM4TyjV_5riGoEXM9EMZIKbijNcMD-D0majUIodnjdv9qjyimkjmEemgLFKhZgf2fTTQtSi2Y1xksiJ_-oZ4PhomrFF5OGuQKzetBiycCi9sLwTXJ2l/s1600/9+giveaway-01.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhi7u8qmcFqV2pA_PQtcQZLniM4TyjV_5riGoEXM9EMZIKbijNcMD-D0majUIodnjdv9qjyimkjmEemgLFKhZgf2fTTQtSi2Y1xksiJ_-oZ4PhomrFF5OGuQKzetBiycCi9sLwTXJ2l/s1600/9+giveaway-01.png" /></a></div>
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<a class="rcptr" data-raflid="af6c39ab78" data-template="" data-theme="classic" href="http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/af6c39ab78/" id="rcwidget_imtotkim" rel="nofollow">a Rafflecopter giveaway</a><br />
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<a href="https://wyndydee.files.wordpress.com/2015/03/blind-date-with-a-bookmain.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="blind-date-with-a-bookmain" class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-6855" height="172" src="https://wyndydee.files.wordpress.com/2015/03/blind-date-with-a-bookmain.jpg?w=627" width="400" /></a></div>
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<br />K. B. Hoylehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13871333050283839311noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9085283378324437441.post-52029295721326814562015-02-26T22:28:00.002-08:002018-11-30T14:32:57.549-08:00Netflix: Consuming TV like LiteratureNetflix is one of the greatest things to ever happen on the face of the earth. <br />
Hyperbole? Sure. But I do feel my enthusiasm is warranted. It struck me the other day as I finished yet another series that Netflix has made it possible for people to consume television shows like literature. When you're reading a good book, you are under no obligation to put the book down after every chapter and wait a week to read the next chapter. I'm sure there are people out there who read books like that, but goodness knows that's never been me! When I get engrossed in a good story, I have to read until I finish. If there's any waiting to be done, it will be done only if I am waiting on the publication of the next book in a series. Similar, I think, is waiting on the next series of a TV show to come to Netflix.<br />
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TV shows these days - at least the ones I watch - are great at having detailed story arcs. There is often one long story to be told, broken down into several episodes, each one of which leads artfully to the next, just like chapters in a book. A skilled screenwriter will write each episode so the viewer can't wait to find out what happens next, and in my opinion, that is also how a skilled novelist writes each chapter in a book. I've read lots of articles online about how binge-watching TV shows on Netflix is ruining TV consumption and making us unwilling to wait for delayed gratification. I think there is some validity to this argument, but then I look at my own experiences and kind of laugh about it. Why should binge-watching a show on Netflix be considered any different from binge-reading a book from your favorite author the night it comes out? In both cases, you're receiving immediate satisfaction for your entertainment desires, and probably making the wait for the next TV series or book that much longer, actually allowing you still to experience delayed gratification.<br />
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Ultimately, I'm probably over thinking this, but that's okay. I tend to wax philosophical late at night and when I realize little epiphanies. Epiphanies like how Netflix is allowing me to consume TV shows like my favorite books - in binges and sprints and agonizingly-long waits - and that is a small thing for me to be thankful for. :)<br />
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*As an aside, my husband and I do not have cable, and I wouldn't have time to binge watch anything on Netflix right now if I wasn't a nursing mother. But having that time - where I can't do much more than sit on my bum - has allowed me to discover and enjoy many shows that are truly great stories. A few of my favorites are:<br />
-Marvel's Agents of Shield<br />
-Arrow<br />
-Chuck<br />
-Parks and Recreation<br />
-LOST<br />
-Doctor WhoK. B. Hoylehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13871333050283839311noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9085283378324437441.post-58762130710918084592015-01-20T21:38:00.002-08:002015-12-06T15:13:16.207-08:00The Cover that Almost Was<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBX4aPrM0XCpdFiqFQAcKrLXIbkqQ6MlLDcT-MyXBVTzavxFQDAxAk3-OaqlDpaFwFkKrhIJt0KVGfMUf_bMLJef0lAtbm0eA0qPNUiBmCsnV3py6CBGXMpvTUT54hllBBBABMznmQifI/s1600/TBW5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBX4aPrM0XCpdFiqFQAcKrLXIbkqQ6MlLDcT-MyXBVTzavxFQDAxAk3-OaqlDpaFwFkKrhIJt0KVGfMUf_bMLJef0lAtbm0eA0qPNUiBmCsnV3py6CBGXMpvTUT54hllBBBABMznmQifI/s1600/TBW5.jpg" width="262" /> </a></div>
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Sometimes things don't turn out exactly as you intend them to, and that ended up being the case with the cover of <i>The Bone Whistle</i>. Months before publication, I had chosen the image of this girl to go on the cover of book six, and my excellent cover designer, Megan Dooley, did such a spectacular job of putting her over just the right background and coloring her just so. In fact, she sent me several drafts of this cover, and we spent many weeks tweaking this and that to make it perfect. And in the end, I loved it. I loved everything about it, and I still do. This image informed my description of Darcy when she is being taken from Limina at the end of the book, and I thought it was so beautiful and fitting for what the story is all about. But I also thought I should definitely test it on friends, family, and colleagues to see what they thought. </div>
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It did not test well. People took issue with the fact that none of the other books have people on the front, that it looks too "girly" (so it might not appeal to my male readership), that it doesn't look like a YA cover, and that it looks more like paranormal romance than fantasy. So, with a heavy heart, I had to go back to Megan and tell her that I thought we should change it. We were about one week away from the deadline for the finalized cover, and I had to come up with a new image to go on the front, and Megan had to do all the digital artwork and design around the image. To her very great credit, she was understanding and didn't complain one bit. She rallied and got it done once I found the picture of the tree (which I dug up in one night). That's how the tree on the final cover came to be (which, by the way, Megan had to completely re-color. In the original image, the tree's leaves are green). I was hesitant to use a tree because I already knew I wanted a tree on the cover of BREEDER, but I think the final cover for <i>The Bone Whistle</i> turned out beautifully. There will always be, however, that little part of me that wishes I could have seen the original cover in print. </div>
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<br />K. B. Hoylehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13871333050283839311noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9085283378324437441.post-89279639070553725652014-12-23T10:54:00.000-08:002018-11-30T14:33:21.487-08:00Virtual Cookie Exchange<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrFAhJGzUicFi10t1zwdVQhc_R2AgSP8DCQOb-mNbuan561UUgEyayJScZS-dHQ1oCOs6KRivoNXH5VjLSWda47EjtY-UxxT28f_13Cpi1KuLgRxD8UGdWNcsGBqFkwTHj82gMvIrtD6c/s1600/Cookie-Exchange.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrFAhJGzUicFi10t1zwdVQhc_R2AgSP8DCQOb-mNbuan561UUgEyayJScZS-dHQ1oCOs6KRivoNXH5VjLSWda47EjtY-UxxT28f_13Cpi1KuLgRxD8UGdWNcsGBqFkwTHj82gMvIrtD6c/s1600/Cookie-Exchange.png" width="400" /></a></div>
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Today on the Virtual Cookie Exchange, I'd like to introduce you to a recipe created by my sister-in-law: White Chocolate Cranberry Oatmeal Cookies!<br />
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<img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZfFbbQR3NdhQfmsjp3BH6v7Mppej1n0JquKOoxDS5EtH1mE9ISEEKDjHj4yF2LbMoFTYfQclbbikA70n8AjUBufP7Xel468BVfaGk04hhtwZ0VEagBbqiR8pDPifaDl55n9oxm-f5Yoo/s1600/cran+cook.jpg" width="400" /></div>
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I chose this recipe not just because my sister-in-law is crazy brilliant in the kitchen (which she is), but because it ties in nicely with my newest release, <i>Breeder</i>.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigLCMj36cR-klwKQ_77jwCYorev_r6vX-q_Al-v3TcjdYuY15-rOFNjU2auNAmSbeMsAnWmki3K16RrVxozwR3qHiS7ZWKv02dtwE5rjFVgYEkfANcoYWPky_733han-R1IpHLcuSdJMs/s1600/Image+5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="312" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigLCMj36cR-klwKQ_77jwCYorev_r6vX-q_Al-v3TcjdYuY15-rOFNjU2auNAmSbeMsAnWmki3K16RrVxozwR3qHiS7ZWKv02dtwE5rjFVgYEkfANcoYWPky_733han-R1IpHLcuSdJMs/s1600/Image+5.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<b> Summary of <i>Breeder</i></b> <style>
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<i><span style="font-family: "times new roman";">Everything about Seventeen’s life is perfect, from her genetics, to her home in Sanctuary, to her status as a Breeder in the Unified World Order. But all that changes when an Enforcer named Pax infiltrates Sanctuary and targets her for extraction from the Controlled Repopulation Program. Pax plants dangerous doubts in her mind that accuse Sanctuary of hiding a dark secret, and that cause Seventeen to question everything she’s ever known. </span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: "times new roman";">When Seventeen’s life is threatened, she has little choice but to run away from Sanctuary with Pax. But for Breeders, contact with men is forbidden by law, and even the simple act of taking Pax’s hand is treason. </span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: "times new roman";">Mired in confusion, Seventeen takes the name Pria, the identity of her childhood, and embarks on a quest to discover the truth. In her world, the truth comes at a price, and uncovering it will require a greater treason than Seventeen could ever have imagined. </span></i></div>
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<i>Breeder</i> is set in futuristic Denver, but most of it takes place in the mountains and wilderness outside the city. My main characters, Pria and Pax, spend most of their time out in this wilderness searching for, and hooking up with, people who can help them survive in a world turned hostile against them. I wanted to find a rustic, almost granola-like cookie recipe to tie in with the book, and this one works perfectly. Not only does it remind me of my short time living in Colorado, but it's the sort of cookie my characters in <i>Breeder</i> would make if they were to make cookies at all. I hope you enjoy it, and be sure to enter the Rafflecopter Giveaway below! <br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>The recipe! </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">1 stick of butter, softened *</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">1/2 cup sugar</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">1/2 cup brown sugar, packed</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">1 egg</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">1/2 tsp vanilla</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">1 cup flour</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">1/2 tsp baking soda</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">1/2 tsp baking powder</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">1/2 tsp salt</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">1 cup oats (quick or old fashioned)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">1/2 cup to 3/4 cup fresh cranberries, chopped</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">1/2 cup white chocolate chips</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">1/2 cup nuts, chopped (I used pecans, walnuts would be good too!)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cream together butter, sugar and brown sugar. Mix in egg and vanilla. Stir in dry ingredients, mixing well. Mix in oatmeal, chocolate chips, cranberries and nuts. Scoop 1 inch balls of dough onto a greased cookie sheet. Bake 8 – 10 minutes.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">*You can do a combination of butter and shortening (or coconut oil) to make crisper cookies. Totally up to you. I have made them both ways…and both are delicious. However, the all butter recipe tends to freeze better.</span></div>
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<b>SneakySpoons Original (Find more from SneakySpoons at </b><a href="http://www.sneakyspoons.com/" target="_blank">sneakyspoons.com</a>)<br />
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<b>You can purchase <i>Breeder</i> at: </b><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Breeder-Cycle-Book-1-ebook/dp/B00PCDTM9A/ref=sr_1_3?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1418486104&sr=1-3&keywords=kb+hoyle" target="_blank">Amazon</a> <a href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/breeder-kb-hoyle/1120168961?ean=9781612132914" target="_blank">Barnes and Noble</a> <a href="http://store.kobobooks.com/en-US/ebook/breeder-9" target="_blank">Kobo</a> <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/breeder/id938549322?mt=11" target="_blank">iTunes</a> <a href="http://ph.thewriterscoffeeshop.com/books/detail/172" target="_blank">TWCS</a></span><br />
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<b>Giveaway! Enter to win 2 $25 Amazon Gift Cards</b><br />
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<a class="rcptr" data-raflid="5c62dbf738" data-template="" data-theme="classic" href="http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/5c62dbf738/" id="rcwidget_dal4zrfm" rel="nofollow">Rafflecopter giveaway</a><br />
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<br />K. B. Hoylehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13871333050283839311noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9085283378324437441.post-13981356008050153712014-10-31T09:51:00.001-07:002018-11-30T14:33:40.880-08:00The Passing of Dystopia? I saw an entertainment news headline this morning on IMDb that got me thinking... Is Dystopia a trend that has passed in literature? Or is it, instead, at its peak? I've been planning my next book series (a NA Dystopia, for those of you who don't know) for about two years, and for the last year or so, I've run into people who have told me in no uncertain terms, "That ship has sailed!" Over! Done! What need is there for another Dystopian novel? People have moved on...<br />
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I disagree, and I think the facts are on my side.<br />
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The headline I saw stated that <i>The Hunger Games: Mockingjay</i> has just set a 2014 record for first-day pre-sales. And what was the previous record-holder for this year? Oh yes, that would be <i>Divergent</i>. (You can read the article <a href="http://insidemovies.ew.com/2014/10/30/the-hunger-games-mockingjay-part-1-presale-record/" target="_blank">here</a>.) Unless you've been living on another planet, you are probably well aware that both of these movies are based off bestselling Dystopian book series.<br />
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As with any trend, at some point the market will become saturated with imitation novels, with all sorts of people who want a piece of the pie, and I think people who tell me the trend has passed believe the Dystopian market is already saturated. Do I want a piece of the Dystopian pie? Sure. But is that why I wrote <i>BREEDER</i>? No. I think Dystopian is a crucially important genre right now. The world is rapidly changing. My children are growing up with the sort of technology I watched on The Jetsons as a child, and I can only imagine what will become normal in the next ten years. But with all sorts of fun technology come questions of ethics and morality, questions that effect the human race and our stewardship of the earth itself. Throughout history, periods such as this have always led to great expression in literature, and I think many authors of Dystopia today see the world heading in directions that warrant warning. Isn't that - beneath the adventures, beneath the heroes and heroines, beneath the love triangles, beneath all the surface trappings of the story - what Dystopia is really all about?<br />
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So no, I don't think the Dystopian trend has passed. Far from it - I think it's at its peak, and I don't see it passing any time soon. People are hungry for stories that look forward to the future, especially in an era of rapid technological increase, terrible world conflicts, and threats of ebola epidemics. There may be a lot of Dystopian books out there right now, but I don't think the market is saturated, not yet. And I promise to deliver something in <i>BREEDER</i> that I think has been notably absent from most of the other Dystopias: hope.<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">Book 1 of <i>The Breeder Cycle</i>: <i>BREEDER</i> coming December 11, 2014! </span>K. B. Hoylehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13871333050283839311noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9085283378324437441.post-29357901737545269472014-09-12T19:05:00.001-07:002015-12-06T15:15:04.159-08:00T-Shirts for Sale!In honor of the release of <i>The Bone Whistle</i>, my friend Dana has made a limited number of t-shirts that will be for sale at the release party on September 18th (and there may be some available after that date, as well!). She will have shirts available in the following sizes:<br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica";">kids 10-12, 14, & 18 </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica";">Fitted women's x-small-large </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">This is a great way to celebrate and promote my books, and also just a fun, limited-time item to own. I will even sign the shirts for you, if you'd like! She's not taking preorders, so it's first come, first served, and she has limited quantities of each size. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">*If you live out of state and would like a t-shirt, please contact me at kbhoyle.author@gmail.com to arrange purchase and shipping and handling. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">Please find the pictures and prices below: </span></div>
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$15 each ($10 if you bring your own shirt to have it screen printed)</div>
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The backside has my website address</div>
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$18 each ($13 if you bring your own shirt to have it screen printed)</div>
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K. B. Hoylehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13871333050283839311noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9085283378324437441.post-63816778492178474962014-09-10T18:23:00.000-07:002015-12-06T15:15:26.573-08:00The Bone Whistle Blog Tour<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioIhwWMScBsdKx2iaZP36syH6hrj5JwZjyoiAOvOYBUsjgxZ42kiuq6bm5GUL93E4M-qC9BZziIHjGAxf8Bgm26CW8khHdPAgScwhHYgu7K_1rR2nBgt_mUF3jBXznAFhTva19Dusvho0/s1600/The-Bone-Whistle-Low-Res-Cover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioIhwWMScBsdKx2iaZP36syH6hrj5JwZjyoiAOvOYBUsjgxZ42kiuq6bm5GUL93E4M-qC9BZziIHjGAxf8Bgm26CW8khHdPAgScwhHYgu7K_1rR2nBgt_mUF3jBXznAFhTva19Dusvho0/s1600/The-Bone-Whistle-Low-Res-Cover.jpg" width="213" /></a><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I'm happy to announce the blog tour for the release of <i>The Bone Whistle</i>! Over the next several days, you will find reviews, guest posts from yours truly, interviews, a giveaway, and more. I hope you enjoy! </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Please find the schedule and a link to the giveaway below: </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><b>Tour Dates and Sites</b></span></span></div>
<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">September 11</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px; text-decoration: underline;"><a href="http://sarityahalomi.blogspot.com/">http://sarityahalomi.blogspot.com/</a></span><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px; text-decoration: underline;"><a href="http://www.freshfiction.com/">http://www.freshfiction.com</a></span><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px; text-decoration: underline;"><a href="http://www.paperbookprincess.com/">www.paperbookprincess.com</a></span><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"> </span></span><br />
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">September 12</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px; text-decoration: underline;"><a href="http://nerdgirlofficial.com/">http://nerdgirlofficial.com/</a></span><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"> </span></span><br />
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">September 13 </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px; text-decoration: underline;"><a href="http://kellyatx.blogspot.com/">http://kellyatx.blogspot.com/</a></span><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px; text-decoration: underline;"><a href="http://www.sherrygomeswrites.com/">www.sherrygomeswrites.com</a></span><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"> </span></span><br />
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">September 14</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px; text-decoration: underline;"><a href="http://pebbleinthestillwaters.blogspot.com/">http://pebbleinthestillwaters.blogspot.com</a></span><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"> </span></span><br />
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">September 15</span></span><br />
<span style="letter-spacing: 0px; text-decoration: underline;"><a href="http://www.teainthetreetops.com/"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">www.teainthetreetops.com</span></a></span><br />
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">September 18</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px; text-decoration: underline;"><a href="http://www.firstpagetothelast.com/">http://www.firstpagetothelast.com/</a></span><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px; text-decoration: underline;"><a href="http://thebookwhorediaries.blogspot.com/">http://thebookwhorediaries.blogspot.com</a></span><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px; text-decoration: underline;"><a href="http://www.lilylovesindie.co.uk/">www.lilylovesindie.co.uk</a></span><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"> </span></span><br />
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">September 19</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px; text-decoration: underline;"><a href="http://bookreviewsandgiveaways.org/">bookreviewsandgiveaways.org</a></span><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px; text-decoration: underline;"><a href="http://www.dauntlessindies.blogspot.com/">http://www.dauntlessindies.blogspot.com</a></span><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"> </span></span><br />
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">September 21</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px; text-decoration: underline;"><a href="http://shortsweetandsnappy.wordpress.com/">shortsweetandsnappy.wordpress.com</a></span><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"> </span></span><br />
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">September 22<span class="" style="white-space: pre;"> </span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px; text-decoration: underline;"><a href="http://ashleysaddictivebookblog.blogspot.com/">http://ashleysaddictivebookblog.blogspot.com</a></span><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"> </span></span><br />
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">September 23</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px; text-decoration: underline;"><a href="http://pagesbetween.blogspot.com/">http://pagesbetween.blogspot.com</a></span><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"> </span></span><br />
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</span></span> <a href="https://mail.google.com/mail/b/236/u/0/%3Ca%20id=%22rc-af6c39ab58%22%20class=%22rafl%22%20href=%22http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/af6c39ab58/%22%20rel=%22nofollow%22%3Ea%20Rafflecopter%20giveaway%3C/a%3E%20%3Cscript%20src=%22//widget.rafflecopter.com/load.js%22%3E%3C/script%3E" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12px;"></a><a class="rafl" href="http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/af6c39ab58/" id="rc-af6c39ab58" rel="nofollow">a Rafflecopter giveaway</a> <script src="//widget.rafflecopter.com/load.js"></script><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><br />
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K. B. Hoylehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13871333050283839311noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9085283378324437441.post-71555018298925178892014-08-16T17:00:00.003-07:002014-08-17T22:17:49.833-07:00Breeder Cover Reveal!I am happy to reveal the cover and back cover summary of <i>Breeder</i>, the first in my New Adult Dystopian trilogy. Are you more of a Dystopian fan than a Fantasy fan? Prefer <i>The Hunger Games</i> to <i>Harry Potter</i>? Stay tuned, because my next series might just be for you...<br />
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<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="color: red; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace; font-size: large;">Perfection comes at a terrible cost.</span> </b></blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Everything about
Seventeen’s life is perfect, from her genetics, to her home in Sanctuary, to
her status as a Breeder in the Unified World Order. But all that changes when
she meets a rogue Enforcer named Pax, who infiltrates Sanctuary and targets her
for extraction from the Controlled Repopulation Program. Pax seems to know a
little too much about her, and he plants dangerous doubts in her mind that accuse
Sanctuary of hiding a dark secret, and that cause Seventeen to question
everything she’s ever known. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">When Seventeen’s
life is threatened, she has little choice but to run away from Sanctuary with
Pax. But for Breeders, contact with men is forbidden by law, and even the
simple act of taking Pax’s hand is treason. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Mired in confusion,
Seventeen travels with Pax to the outside world and takes the name Pria, the
identity of her childhood. But she is far from certain she’s made the right
decision when they discover an entire community of people who should no longer
exist. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Seventeen, now
Pria, is thrust into a position as a key player in a dangerous bid to bring
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growing attraction to him contribute to the ever-growing mysteries in her life.
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Pria’s journey
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transformation but self-discovery. As her world crumbles, Pria must decide who
she is and what she really believes. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">But in her
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treason than she could ever have imagined.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"> </span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Copyright TWCS Publishing House</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Coming late 2014</span> </div>
<br />K. B. Hoylehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13871333050283839311noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9085283378324437441.post-44322913904919998042014-07-17T21:59:00.000-07:002014-07-17T21:59:00.323-07:00The Bone Whistle Prologue! I don't know about you, but September 18th can't get here soon enough! I'm so excited to share the conclusion to <i>The Gateway Chronicles</i> with you, especially as it's been seven years in the making. In the final two months leading up to release day, I want to share some tidbits and snippets with you, and I thought a good place to start would be with the prologue. So, without further ado, here is the prologue for <i>The Bone Whistle</i>:<br />
<br />
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<span style="font-family: 'TimesNewRomanPS'; font-size: 11.000000pt; font-style: italic;">The Bone Whistle<br />
“Nothing in you that has not died will ever be raised from the dead.”
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'TimesNewRomanPS'; font-size: 11.000000pt; font-weight: 700;">C. S. Lewis
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'TimesNewRomanPS'; font-size: 11.000000pt; font-weight: 700;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: 'FelixTitlingMT'; font-size: 24.000000pt;">Prologue </span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'FelixTitlingMT'; font-size: 20.000000pt;">A</span><span style="font-family: 'FelixTitlingMT'; font-size: 16.000000pt;">FTER THE </span><span style="font-family: 'FelixTitlingMT'; font-size: 20.000000pt;">F</span><span style="font-family: 'FelixTitlingMT'; font-size: 16.000000pt;">IRE
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'FelixTitlingMT'; font-size: 16.000000pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: 'TimesNewRomanPSMT'; font-size: 11.000000pt;">Glass crackled and crunched beneath his feet as he walked through the
ruins of what had once been the royal suites of the west wing of Ormiskos
Castle. The air was hazy with dust and soot, and yellowish light filtered in
through the high broken windows, casting a sallow halo on the charred
remains of a heavy armchair. A shadow flitted into the beam of light, and he
looked up and saw a crow perching on the jagged edge of a broken
windowpane. The crow ruffled its feathers and cocked its head to one side
before it cawed and took off again.
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'TimesNewRomanPSMT'; font-size: 11.000000pt;">Colin coughed and raised a hand to shield his eyes as he stepped into the
beam of light.
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'TimesNewRomanPSMT'; font-size: 11.000000pt;">Light.
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'TimesNewRomanPSMT'; font-size: 11.000000pt;">It felt like so long since he’d seen the light of the sun. He closed his eyes
against the brightness and tilted his face up to let the sun warm it. But it
was early morning light—hardly strong enough yet to give him the warmth
he craved.
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'TimesNewRomanPSMT'; font-size: 11.000000pt;">The illumination behind his eyelids dimmed, and he cracked them open.
Another crow sat in the window regarding him with a beetle-black eye. He
scowled at it and looked away. He would have to get used to the crows if he
was to be king. Tselloch had a curious affinity for them.
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'TimesNewRomanPSMT'; font-size: 11.000000pt;">He ran his fingers through his hair. He was dirty—he could feel the oil
from his scalp coating his fingertips—and he smelled. He’d once heard
someone say it was impossible to smell one’s own body odor after ten
minutes. Whoever said that clearly had never wallowed in their own filth in
a dungeon for several months. Colin didn’t think he would ever forget the
stench. Biding his time in that cell had been one of the hardest things he’d
ever done, but Tselloch had promised he would be rewarded, and he had
delivered.
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'TimesNewRomanPSMT'; font-size: 11.000000pt;">A gleam of gold caught his eye, and Colin kicked at a pile of cinders next </span><span style="font-family: TimesNewRomanPSMT; font-size: 11pt;">to a small, half-charred book. He moved the book aside and picked up the
shiny object. It was a metal rectangle, blackened in all but a few places
where the gold was undamaged. He rubbed his thumb over the surface,
removing some of the soot, and turned it over to examine it from all sides.
There was an engraving on the bottom—</span><span style="font-family: TimesNewRomanPS; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic;">EMS—</span><span style="font-family: TimesNewRomanPSMT; font-size: 11pt;">and when he found the
catch, he pressed it. The mirror on the inside was still bright and gleaming,
untouched by the smoke and fire. He brought it up before his eyes and
peered at his reflection.</span></div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
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<div class="section" style="background-color: rgb(100.000000%, 100.000000%, 100.000000%);">
<div class="layoutArea">
<div class="column">
<span style="font-family: 'TimesNewRomanPSMT'; font-size: 11.000000pt;">With a sharp intake of breath, Colin jerked the compact away. It had to be
magic. Certainly he couldn’t look so ugly, even after his time as prisoner.
But what was the purpose of magic like this?
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'TimesNewRomanPSMT'; font-size: 11.000000pt;">It belonged to </span><span style="font-family: 'TimesNewRomanPS'; font-size: 11.000000pt; font-style: italic;">her</span><span style="font-family: 'TimesNewRomanPSMT'; font-size: 11.000000pt;">, he was sure of it, and if it did, then the magic in it was
contrary to him, to his master, to everything they were working for.
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'TimesNewRomanPSMT'; font-size: 11.000000pt;">He closed his eyes and held it up again, this time careful to feel for it with
his magic and draw on the power his master had given him—the power to
destroy enchantments. He could see the particles of the compact in his
mind, and the glowing golden threads that bound the enchantment—no,
</span><span style="font-family: 'TimesNewRomanPS'; font-size: 11.000000pt; font-style: italic;">enchantments</span><span style="font-family: 'TimesNewRomanPSMT'; font-size: 11.000000pt;">; there were two of them—to it. He pulled the threads apart,
and the compact seemed to grow cold and heavy in his hand. When he
opened his eyes, he saw his normal reflection staring back at him. With a
snort of derision, he bent back the top, pushing until the hinges snapped,
leaving two pieces in his hands. He dropped them one at a time into the
ashes at his feet, raising a cloud that hovered for a moment like a grey haze
in the beam of sunlight.
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'TimesNewRomanPSMT'; font-size: 11.000000pt;">Tselloch would not mind the filth left behind after the burning. In fact, he
would prefer it, but Colin looked around the suite in distaste. He had
thought to make his residence here, in this room, but now he wasn’t sure.
There were other rooms in the palace that hadn’t burned. But this </span><span style="font-family: 'TimesNewRomanPS'; font-size: 11.000000pt; font-style: italic;">was </span><span style="font-family: 'TimesNewRomanPSMT'; font-size: 11.000000pt;">the
royal suite, and it would be the most suitable place for him when Tselloch
crowned him king.
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'TimesNewRomanPSMT'; font-size: 11.000000pt;">He was not alone.
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'TimesNewRomanPSMT'; font-size: 11.000000pt;">Colin swung around to face his master. Tselloch had come in without a
sound and, as usual, he brought a shadow of blackness with him, clinging
to his robes so his presence filled the space in a palpable way. They
exchanged a long stare before Colin bowed his head and dropped his gaze.
“My lord,” he said.
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'TimesNewRomanPSMT'; font-size: 11.000000pt;">“You see what I have done for you?” Tselloch said.
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'TimesNewRomanPS'; font-size: 11.000000pt; font-style: italic;">For me? Or for you? </span><span style="font-family: 'TimesNewRomanPSMT'; font-size: 11.000000pt;">Colin raised his head and schooled his expression
into blank obeisance. It would not do to have Tselloch suspecting he had
any doubts.
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'TimesNewRomanPSMT'; font-size: 11.000000pt;">But Tselloch was absorbed with his accomplishment. “He burned my
house, and now, see how I have repaid him by burning his.”
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'TimesNewRomanPSMT'; font-size: 11.000000pt;">It was a lie, and Colin knew it. He had seen what the alchemist had done.
After Tellius had fallen through the window, Colin had stood agape for only
a moment before running to the alchemist’s chamber. The fire had not been </span><span style="font-family: TimesNewRomanPSMT; font-size: 11pt;">set by Tselloch, or by any of his servants. It had been set by Rubidius to
prevent the shadow creatures from following the Six through the back door
of the cottage. It was true, however, that it would not have been set at all if
Colin had not destroyed the wards and let in Tselloch’s hordes, so perhaps it
was appropriate for Tselloch to claim the deed as his. The fire had raged
through the castle all night, spreading from the west wing to other
chambers, smoking out Tellius’s servants and subjects like rats fleeing a
sinking ship. They had been easy targets, and Colin, unsettled by the
carnage, had retreated to the castle grounds to watch it burn.</span></div>
</div>
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<span style="font-family: 'TimesNewRomanPSMT'; font-size: 11.000000pt;">“Everything happened just as you said it would,” Colin said. “They did
not discover your secret. The castle is ours, and Tellius is dead.”
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'TimesNewRomanPSMT'; font-size: 11.000000pt;">Tselloch hissed, and his pleased countenance fell. “But the Six escaped.”
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'TimesNewRomanPSMT'; font-size: 11.000000pt;">“You thought they might,” Colin said. He watched Tselloch’s expression
carefully. After allowing him to possess him so many times, he was more
attuned to Tselloch’s moods than ever before.
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'TimesNewRomanPSMT'; font-size: 11.000000pt;">“That is true,” Tselloch said. He moved farther into the chamber, and the
dust and ashes rose up around the bottom of his robes, as though he walked
on a storm cloud.
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'TimesNewRomanPSMT'; font-size: 11.000000pt;">“Should we search for them? They can’t have gone home yet. It’s not the
right time.”
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'TimesNewRomanPSMT'; font-size: 11.000000pt;">“Home?” Tselloch’s black eyes flashed as he took a deliberate step
toward Colin. “Do you still think of it as </span><span style="font-family: 'TimesNewRomanPS'; font-size: 11.000000pt; font-style: italic;">home</span><span style="font-family: 'TimesNewRomanPSMT'; font-size: 11.000000pt;">?”
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'TimesNewRomanPSMT'; font-size: 11.000000pt;">Colin set his jaw and widened his eyes at his slipup. He hadn’t meant to
call that </span><span style="font-family: 'TimesNewRomanPS'; font-size: 11.000000pt; font-style: italic;">other world </span><span style="font-family: 'TimesNewRomanPSMT'; font-size: 11.000000pt;">“home,” not really. He didn’t know why he’d said that.
“I meant only that . . .”
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'TimesNewRomanPSMT'; font-size: 11.000000pt;">But Tselloch’s expression became pensive. “No. Do not make up excuses.
Do I have your full allegiance, Colin, or do I need to find another?”
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'TimesNewRomanPSMT'; font-size: 11.000000pt;">It was an empty threat. The time was almost nigh when Tselloch would
have no choice but to transition hosts, and he’d prepared too much for too
many years with Colin to go back on it now. But Colin couldn’t still the
fearful beating of his heart, and he clutched at his chest, at the place where
he would have to cut himself open. “Of course you have my full
allegiance,” he whispered.
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'TimesNewRomanPSMT'; font-size: 11.000000pt;">“That is good, my prince.”
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'TimesNewRomanPSMT'; font-size: 11.000000pt;">Tselloch loomed over him, placed his cold hands on the sides of Colin’s
face, and stroked his thumbs down his cheeks. Colin stared, mesmerized,
into his liquid eyes, searching for some glimmer of the man whose body it
had once been. Tselloch had assured him that, when it was done, Colin
would still be present—that they would share the body—but Colin was
afraid. When he looked at his master, he saw only shadow looking back at
him.
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'TimesNewRomanPSMT'; font-size: 11.000000pt;">“The gateway is almost complete,” Tselloch said without removing his
hands. “We need not yet worry about finding the Six. Your final task is
almost upon you. She will come to you, of that I am certain.”
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'TimesNewRomanPSMT'; font-size: 11.000000pt;">Colin felt a cold chill wash down his spine, and he bit the inside of his lip </span><span style="font-family: TimesNewRomanPSMT; font-size: 11pt;">to keep from letting the fear show on his face. Tellius’s surprised expression
as he’d smashed through the glass to fall to his death played over again in
Colin’s mind. He shoved it away, terrified his master would read the
remorse in his eyes.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'TimesNewRomanPSMT'; font-size: 11.000000pt;">“What would you have me do in the meantime, my lord?” Colin asked.
He was sweating despite the chill his master had brought with him. He
wished Tselloch would step away.
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'TimesNewRomanPSMT'; font-size: 11.000000pt;">“Join the others in searching for the body.”<br />
Colin frowned. “Whose body?”<br />
Tselloch narrowed his eyes and finally let his hands drop from Colin’s
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'TimesNewRomanPSMT'; font-size: 11.000000pt;">face. “When you threw the pretender-king from the window, did you not
think to search the grounds for his body?”
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'TimesNewRomanPSMT'; font-size: 11.000000pt;">But Colin hadn’t thrown him. They’d struggled. Fists had pummeled ribs
and smacked against jaws. He’d shoved Tellius, and Tellius had tumbled
over the window seat and fallen backward, through the glass that had
already been cracked . . . Colin twitched and closed his eyes. “Why would I
search the grounds?” he asked. “Who could survive a fall from that
height?”
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'TimesNewRomanPSMT'; font-size: 11.000000pt;">“No one, perhaps. But I want the body still.” Tselloch turned his back to
Colin and strode away.
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'TimesNewRomanPSMT'; font-size: 11.000000pt;">“Find it so I can burn it,” he said. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'TimesNewRomanPSMT'; font-size: 11.000000pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: 'TimesNewRomanPSMT'; font-size: 11.000000pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: 'TimesNewRomanPSMT'; font-size: 11.000000pt;">*<i>The Bone Whistle </i>is book 6 of K. B. Hoyle's bestselling YA Fantasy series <i>The Gateway Chronicles</i>. It is published by TWCS Publishing House and will be available everywhere books are sold on Sept. 18, 2014. </span><br />
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
K. B. Hoylehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13871333050283839311noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9085283378324437441.post-36677002656675147422014-06-17T17:44:00.000-07:002015-12-06T15:15:53.031-08:00The Bone Whistle Cover Reveal!Cover reveal for <i>The Bone Whistle</i>! I'm happy to reveal what the cover for the 6th and final installment in <i>The Gateway Chronicles</i> looks like, and yes, of course the image is important to the story. Let the speculation begin!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqb00RUpaOzBYoTxg5vHooEsFfFBzL3cJaEvLv4hRQIZct3Aq1dXFBmSJw_ssszLX-GNbIH-qUITqlPLGXuXrlJdDHryhjqw2Qun2ufBoF3Pp0YpFC4hLYlxVFt1_lzHbCJlvlOiq6TSU/s1600/The-Bone-Whistle-3D-Bookstack-1.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqb00RUpaOzBYoTxg5vHooEsFfFBzL3cJaEvLv4hRQIZct3Aq1dXFBmSJw_ssszLX-GNbIH-qUITqlPLGXuXrlJdDHryhjqw2Qun2ufBoF3Pp0YpFC4hLYlxVFt1_lzHbCJlvlOiq6TSU/s1600/The-Bone-Whistle-3D-Bookstack-1.png" width="454" /></a></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: "times new roman";">Darcy burned with the pain
of knowing she’d failed. What happened when a prophecy didn’t come true? It
must not have been much of a prophecy in the first place. And if they couldn’t
trust in that, then they couldn’t trust in anything at all. <o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman";">Five years ago, Darcy first received the prophecy of the
Six, which stated she and her friends would save the land of Alitheia from a
shadowy foe. For five years, she hasn’t known what the end will look like, but
she certainly didn’t expect this. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman";">Thrust back into Alitheia through unexpected means, Darcy winds
up alone, scared, and without her recent memory. As she struggles to regain her
lost memories and reunite with the ones she loves, she pieces together the
prophecies and the oracles to find they all converge into one story</span><span style="font-family: "symbol"; mso-ascii-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-char-type: symbol; mso-hansi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-symbol-font-family: Symbol;">¾</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman";">a story that
tells her just how much she’ll have to give to save both worlds, and everyone
she loves. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman";">Pursued through Alitheia by forces desperate to kill them,
Darcy and her friends take a journey fraught with danger that will lead them,
inevitably, to the final confrontation with the Shadow. Armed with newfound
knowledge of how the prophecy of the Six will play out, Darcy and the others
must have faith in the face of mounting odds and adversity. Ultimately, the
greatest courage of all belongs not to those who give something of themselves,
but to those who let go of what they could never control. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman";">Filled with stunning losses, heart-wrenching reunions,
unexpected twists, and the power of love and sacrifice, the conclusion to <i>The Gateway Chronicles</i> will leave you
breathless and begging for more from author K. B. Hoyle. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<!--EndFragment--><br />
<br />K. B. Hoylehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13871333050283839311noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9085283378324437441.post-36092308365573237422014-05-17T13:51:00.002-07:002018-11-30T14:34:59.878-08:00You Might Not Like My Books...There, I said it. The one admission most authors are loathe to make. My books are not going to be for everyone, and really, that's okay.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<br />
I've been reading through a lot of feedback this week on my first book, <i>The Six</i> - old and new Amazon reviews and Facebook feedback, mainly, and there's a trend I've noticed among it all, both the good and the bad: commentary on how unlikable my main character, Darcy, is. This isn't anything new, but it seems to have come up a lot lately, and it's gotten me to thinking about American consumerism and what we expect out of our entertainment these days.<br />
<br />
So if you haven't read <i>The Six</i>, or if you've read it and were turned off by Darcy's attitude in book one, here's what I have to say to you: If you want your heroes to arrive ready-made, spunky, capable, and flawless, then my books are probably not for you. Sorry. I know we live in a culture that demands instant gratification, but I often find instant gratification disingenuous, unrealistic, and false. I believe in developing a character - especially a heroic character - from the ground up, and that means you're going to have to slog through the bad stuff to make the good stuff (when you get there) that much more rewarding.<br />
<br />
There are many reasons why I wrote Darcy to be so insufferable in <i>The Six</i>. Here are a few of the main ones:<br />
<br />
1) It's realistic. She's 13 in book 1, and while there are some truly delightful 13-year-olds out there (my character Sam is one of them), the greater preponderance of them lean toward selfishness, whininess, and moodiness. And the thing is, they don't even realize it! 13 is a difficult age, an age at which you believe the world revolves around you, and an age during which your emotions border on out-of-control on a daily basis. This is how I was at 13, and I wanted to bring it to life in Darcy.<br />
<br />
2) It gives her room to grow - a lot of it! A main character should be dynamic, and the change that takes place should be for the better. I could have started Darcy off as a more likable character and still given her some ups and downs, sure, but I thought a full transformation from self-centered to selfless would pack a greater punch. She has to start off pretty awful for there to be any real change over the course of her story arc. I also didn't want her to hit her heroic high point in book 1 (or 2, or 3...). This is what I felt happened in <i>The Hunger Games</i>. Katniss is as good as she's going to get in the opening chapters of the first book, and it kind of feels all downhill from there. (Just my opinion, of course, feel free to disagree!)<br />
<br />
3) <i>The Gateway Chronicles</i> is a six-book series. That's a lot of story to get through, and again, I wanted Darcy to grow at a realistic pace side-by-side with her natural maturing, and to allow the events of the adventures and trials she goes through to shape her into a better person. She definitely has highs and lows as the books progress, but overall, she should be the worst she's ever going to be in book 1, and the best she's ever going to be in book 6. That's been my goal from the beginning. Most people don't change over night, and if I'd had Darcy improve <i>too</i> much by the end of book 1, there wouldn't have been enough transformation left for five more books.<br />
<br />
4) <i>The Six</i> is a Nigredo-stage book. This gets a little technical, but if you've read any of the other blog posts I've written about literary alchemy, that's what it's all about. There are three stages of alchemy Darcy has to progress through, and it all begins with the Nigredo, or black, stage of dissolution. This is a burning-away-the-dross stage, a stage during which the character is often beset with both internal and external problems that challenge the character's preconceptions about his/herself. It is the first step in a spiritual journey during which the character has to come to realize that he/she maybe isn't as great as he/she always thought. It is a peeling away of what is bad so purification can take place. This is where Darcy is at in <i>The Six</i> and <i>The Oracle</i>. Because I have six books, there are two books per stage. Darcy begins the Nigredo in <i>The Six</i> and progresses through it in <i>The Oracle</i>, which ends with a sort of crucible that challenges Darcy's notions of what love actually is and launches her into the next stage. By the time <i>The White Thread</i> opens, Darcy is ready to step into the Albedo, or white, stage of purification, and it's at this point that she starts to really learn selflessness.<br />
<br />
To wrap up, it really is okay if Darcy turned you off SO much that you just couldn't get into my books. I still appreciate you giving them a chance, and I acknowledge that my books are not going to be enjoyable for everyone. But if you read all this and get what I'm trying to do with her in the stories, maybe you'll want to give them an extra chance. I promise you, she does get better - much, much better - as the story progresses, but you have to be willing to take the journey alongside her. She stumbles a lot along the way, but that's because she's human. And I believe a human character is more relatable in the long run. And if you're one of my industrious fans who have always understood that this is what I'm doing with Darcy from the very beginning, bravo to you! I commend you for giving her a chance, and I hope I don't let you down with how I conclude her story in book 6!<br />
<br />
***As a very nerdy aside, I couldn't help thinking about the Marvel superheroes as I wrote this post. I'm a huge Marvel fan (geek), and I have strong and real opinions on all the Avengers. I love them all for various reasons, and while Captain America is probably my favorite Avenger at the end of the day, the two with the best origins stories, hands down, have always been Thor and Iron Man. Seriously, does anybody <i>like</i> Tony Stark before he's kidnapped? Or Thor before his dad banishes him to earth? They are both monumental jerks, and they're supposed to be, but that's what makes their transformations into heroes so satisfying in the end.K. B. Hoylehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13871333050283839311noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9085283378324437441.post-88765672062384667642014-05-05T10:19:00.000-07:002018-11-30T14:35:24.264-08:00Blog Hop: My Writing ProcessHello! This week I was kindly invited by fellow TWCS author Rene Gilley to participate in a blog hop, and as I've been woefully remiss with my blog this year, I thought it would be a great opportunity for me to connect with some new readers. So, if you're new to my blog, welcome! You can also learn about me by visiting my <a href="http://www.kbhoyle.com/" target="_blank">website</a>. If you're an old friend, welcome back, and I hope you take a moment to check out Rene's blog hop post <a href="http://renegilley.com/2014/04/28/my-writing-process-blog-tour/" target="_blank">here</a> and encourage her as her debut YA novel, <i>Just Sing</i>, is set to release in one month.<br />
<br />
1. What am I working on?<br />
<br />
I am working on several books at the moment. First up is the final release of my 6-book YA fantasy series, <i>The Gateway Chronicles</i>. Book 6, <i>The Bone Whistle</i>, will be out this fall (no release date yet, sorry!), and is in the final stages of the editing process. In the early stages of edits is the first book of my NA dystopian trilogy, <i>Breeder</i>, which should be released around Christmas of this year. While those edits are in process, I'm also working on the two sequels to <i>Breeder</i>, <i>Criminal</i> and <i>Clone</i>, and I'm hoping to have those manuscripts wrapped before <i>The Bone Whistle</i> comes out in the fall. So, I have a lot on my plate right now!<br />
<br />
2. How does my work differ from others in its genre?<br />
<br />
My fantasy work really hearkens back to an older tradition of storytelling, I think. I'm not saying it's old fashioned, but it will appeal to the adult who loved <i>The Chronicles of Narnia</i> as a child, and to the teenager who's looking for something on their level that is also deep, soulful, and meaningful. I read a lot of YA literature - almost exclusively so, actually, and almost all of it in the speculative genres - and I have not come across anything modern that feels or reads quite like my <i>Gateway Chronicles</i>. Modern YA lit tends to be all about self-actualization. In contrast, my <i>Gateway Chronicles</i> challenges the natural selfish tendencies of teenagers and taps their full potential to be giving, constructive, talented, and self<i>less</i> members of society - granted, I do this over the backdrop of a fantasy realm with all sorts of adventures, romance, mysteries, and action thrown in for good measure. But I really do think this sets my fantasy books apart from most of the other YA equivalents out there.<br />
<br />
As to my dystopian writing, well . . . let's just say, I guess I'm an old soul at heart, because it follows this same trend. <i>Breeder</i> reads more like <i>The Giver</i> than <i>Divergent</i> or <i>The Hunger Games</i>. I say this with some trepidation, because it's not necessarily a good thing to say your book is NOT like the most popular books current in the genre, but I really do think people are constantly looking for new spins on old ideas, and <i>Breeder</i> will deliver just that. As a New Adult novel, it's geared for a little older audience than my YA fantasy material, and this is because the story is really intense, and it deals with mature themes and a truly horrific futuristic world. Thematically, it has the gravitas of the older, classic dystopians, mashed together with the intensity of a good science fiction novel, and the romantic tension of a modern dystopian like <i>The Hunger Games. </i>It follows one girl's journey as she slowly uncovers the layers of reality and illusion in her world, and like a good mystery novel, it should cause the reader to second-guess what she's uncovering at all stages. In the very end of the last book, when all is revealed, I want the reader to sit back and go, "What? <i>What?</i> I can't believe that's what's been going on this whole time!" and then pick up book one and start all over just to see how all the pieces fall together once the truth is revealed. This is a tall order to accomplish as a writer, but it's already tested well with my beta readers, and I'm feeling pretty confident that it will set <i>Breeder</i> apart as unique in its genre once it is published.<br />
<br />
3. Why do I write what I do?<br />
<br />
There is one primary reason why I do what I do: I want to convey truth to a world that largely doesn't believe in objectivity. There are, of course, subjective things in this world, but I've always strongly believed in the objective nature of right and wrong. I won't go into my personal beliefs or more of my philosophy here, because I'd rather you (readers) read my books and try to figure it out for yourselves, but I will say that you will always find my books peppered with pointers to objective reality. I just realized that sounds kind of boring, so let me add that I also believe the primary function of fiction to be entertainment, and as such, it's a <i>great</i> venue for transmitting ideas in non-offensive ways. I must first write a <i>good story</i>, one that entertains and edifies, otherwise anything I want to say in my books will be lost.<br />
<br />
4. How does my writing process work?<br />
<br />
My writing process can be broken down into pretty distinct stages.<br />
<br />
-Epiphany<br />
<br />
This is the point at which the idea <i>strikes me</i>. I usually know when an idea is worth pursuing as a novel project. If it sticks with me and builds on itself, like a snowball rolling down a snowy slope, then I know it's a good idea, and I'll move into the next stage with it. And the epiphany can come from anything and strike at any time. For <i>Breeder</i>, it happened when reading an article in a magazine. For my next series after <i>Breeder</i>, it came from looking up at my favorite constellation one night.<br />
<br />
-Dreaming and Brainstorming<br />
<br />
This stage can go on for any length of time, and now that I'm an actual published author, the length of this stage is usually determined by publishing demands or what I think will sell. For example, I had my "epiphany" for <i>Breeder</i> only about two years ago, and I've had several ideas on the back burner for a lot longer than that, but I know that dystopian is hot right now, and I want to get on that train. So, I quickly moved <i>Breeder</i> into the organizing notes stage and on into planning and writing. But I have many more ideas that are still in the dreaming and brainstorming stage, and it's just a matter of when I will decide to publish those stories that determines moving on to the next stage with them. But this stage is fun - it's comprised of lots of randomness and lots of jotting down things in journals and drawing sketches and stuff like that. I usually come up with names and character and plot details during this stage, but it's very disorganized, and I have to be careful to write things down so I don't lose them. Much of what I work on during this stage doesn't actually make it into the final project, but that's okay, because it's all about dreaming of what could be. I'm in this stage right now with the series I will write after the <i>Breeder Cycle</i>. The next series is a science fantasy (yes, that's a thing) for a middle grade readership, and I've been dreaming and brainstorming this story for about two years, as well.<br />
<br />
-Organizing notes<br />
<br />
I only move into this stage once I've determined it's time to start actually working on a book (ie. when a publication date or goal is established). I take all the random notes from the dreaming and brainstorming stage (usually handwritten and in no particular order) and plug them in to a typed fact sheet. This is not an official outline, just a way for me to sift through what I've come up with so far and see where I have character, setting, and plot holes. This stage goes pretty quickly, and I will usually add the planning portion to this same document so I don't have to flip between my notes and my outline when I'm outlining and then writing. I will also usually write preliminary summaries of my story/stories at this stage.<br />
<br />
-Planning<br />
<br />
Anybody who's ever spent any time on my blog, <a href="http://www.kbhoyle.com/" target="_blank">website</a>, or <a href="http://www.facebook.com/pages/K-B-Hoyle/155377154576880" target="_blank">Facebook page</a> knows by now that I'm a huge believer in planning a novel before writing it. This can be difficult, as I'm not a natural planner and usually I'm very disorganized, but I've found that I can't discipline my mind to finish a novel if I don't have the details spelled out ahead of time as a way to both keep me from following rabbit trails, and a way to keep the story coherent straight to the end. For this stage, I plug my organized notes into a sort of outline. I have utilized traditional outlines in the past, but I usually now use a ring composition chart outline that gives me not only the order of events, but the themes and points of importance that go along with each chapter, as well as the corresponding places to mirror and/or reverse echo those things from one half of the novel to the next. This method keeps my novels from becoming train-of-thought ramblings and ensures that every event is important to the story and moves the plot forward. I should point out, however, that my outlines are <i>not exhaustive</i>. I typically leave blanks and gaps where I don't exactly know what is going to happen, but the beauty of having an outline is that these gaps don't cause me to grind to a halt when I'm writing (the dreaded - and illusory - "writer's block"). Instead it's kind of like going on a journey. I know my destination (you <i>must</i> know the end of your story before you start writing it!), and several stops along the way, so gaps are often just rivers I need to bridge, or forests I need to traverse, and it's just a matter of figuring out how to get to the other side. That might sound cheesy, but it works!<br />
<br />
-Writing<br />
<br />
My writing stage goes pretty quickly, all things considered. If I've planned well, then there's no reason to get truly stuck, as I mentioned above. Having my notes organized into a reference sheet, and the linear progress of the story mapped out on a chart and/or outline of some sort, allows me the freedom to just <i>write</i>. My novels tend to be between 100,000-160,000 words each, and I usually knock that out in 6-12 weeks of straight writing. I don't like to be distracted when I'm writing, and I <i>love</i> to engage in what I call "marathon" writing sessions - where I write 5,000-15,000 words in one sitting. I get the least amount of sleep when I'm in this stage, and I'm totally focused on forward progress. I only re-read what I wrote the previous day when I sit down at my computer, and I resist going back for any deep revisions. If something strikes me as needing to change earlier on in the story, I'll make a note to go back and change it later, but I don't let it derail me from moving forward. My writing pace picks up the closer I get to the end of the novel, too, so it usually takes me half or a quarter of the time to write the last half of the novel as it took me to write the first half.<br />
<br />
-Revising<br />
<br />
Once the first draft is complete, I try to let it rest for a day or two or three before I start revisions. Sometimes, because of deadlines, I don't have the time for the resting period, but it really is very important whenever I can squeeze it in. I do one complete and thorough read-through revision before I submit the draft to my editors. This is where I go back and make any changes I noted in my writing period, check for story continuity, fix general typos and errors, and get a <i>feel</i> for it. I should love my story at the end of the revision/read-through, and if I don't, then I have a problem, because I probably haven't written a very good story. I will also revise my outline, if necessary, and my notes and preliminary summaries at this time to match the actual draft (because often things change a little as you write.) Once I'm happy with the draft and have it all polished up, I submit it to my editing team (and beta readers, too).<br />
<br />
-Panicking, take 1<br />
<br />
I spend the few weeks it takes my editing team to read and evaluate the manuscript panicking over whether or not they'll like it. I usually don't start off panicking, because finishing a manuscript and submitting it for publication is a pretty euphoric feeling, but once that euphoria fades, I panic. The anxiety can be so severe that I usually don't read my manuscript evaluations until a few days after my team sends them back, because I need to mentally prepare myself. (My lead editor teases me for this, as they've never actually given me a poor review... knock on wood.)<br />
<br />
-Editing<br />
<br />
This stage takes several months and is comprised of three main parts: substantive, copy, and reader edits. My editors do most of the work, and when they send their portions back to me, I basically just have to go through and approve the changes and corrections they've made. I usually don't end up with major rewrites - not anything I would consider major rewrites, at least. And I'm a pretty good sport about the whole process. When you're an author, you have to remember that your editors are trying to make your books better, not worse, so giving them the benefit of the doubt to do their job well is very important. I don't fight anything unless it's changing my voice <i>too</i> much, or unless they're trying to cut something that's crucial to the story, which doesn't happen very often. I have a very good relationship with my editors, and I intend to keep it that way.<br />
<br />
-Panicking, take 2<br />
<br />
Once the editing is complete, the manuscript is off to formatting, and at some point close to publication date, I receive a final document I have to sign off on. This always makes me panic at least a little because <i>what if there's some major error none of us caught?! </i>But . . . at some point, you have to declare the book done. So I sign off on it, and then spend the next few weeks until publication panicking over whether my readership will like it - which is really what it's all about in the end. It's so much blood, sweat, and tears to write, prepare, and publish a novel, and if nobody likes it after you've published it, I imagine it would feel like a wasted effort - and I know I would feel like I have let my entire team down. Thankfully, that's never happened to me (yet . . .), so I don't have any legitimate reason to panic, but it's hard to shake that anxiety. But, to end on a positive note, maybe I should add one more stage . . .<br />
<br />
-Relief and Rejoicing!<br />
<br />
Publishing a novel and having your readers respond in positive ways is one of the best feelings on the planet. My panic is replaced with relief, and I have a blast rejoicing with my readers over story details and anticipated conclusions. And then I rejoice a little personally at their agony over having to wait a <i>whole 'nother year</i> for my next book to come out. I'm not going to lie, it's great. :)<br />
<br />
<br />
Okay, so that's my <i>very</i> thorough breakdown of my writing process. If you made it all the way to the end, huzzah for you! *Long-distance high five*<br />
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I hope you tune back in to the blog hop next week to learn all about my friend and fellow author Fran Amerson and her writing process. She writes memoirs about her struggles with infertility and journey to adoption, and she's releasing a new book on Mother's Day! You can find her blog <a href="http://franamerson.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">here.</a><br />
<br />
ALSO, I've roped a former student into participating, because she's writing her first novel (that she intends for publication, at least), and is a young and fresh mind, and I'm sure she'll have some excellent insight into the starting-out stage of the journey. Her name is Maggie Rapier, and as she's just now setting up her writing blog, I'll post the link as <i>soon</i> as I have it.<br />
<br />
Thanks again, everyone! I hope you've enjoyed the post.K. B. Hoylehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13871333050283839311noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9085283378324437441.post-40600037774592204052014-04-29T14:27:00.001-07:002015-12-06T15:19:59.701-08:00Back Cover Summary - The Bone Whistle!All right, loyal fans and readers, it's that time again! I'm excited to share with you the back cover summary for <i>The Bone Whistle</i>, the upcoming final release of <i>The Gateway Chronicles</i>. Enjoy!<br />
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<i><span style="font-family: "times new roman";">Darcy burned with the pain
of knowing she’d failed. What happened when a prophecy didn’t come true? It
must not have been much of a prophecy in the first place. And if they couldn’t
trust in that, then they couldn’t trust in anything at all. <o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman";">Five years ago, Darcy first received the prophecy of the
Six, which stated she and her friends would save the land of Alitheia from a
shadowy foe. For five years, she hasn’t known what the end will look like, but
she certainly didn’t expect this. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman";">Thrust back into Alitheia through unexpected means, Darcy winds
up alone, scared, and without her recent memory. As she struggles to regain her
lost memories and reunite with the ones she loves, she pieces together the
prophecies and the oracles to find they all converge into one story</span><span style="font-family: "symbol";"> - </span><span style="font-family: "times new roman";">a story that
tells her just how much she’ll have to give to save both worlds, and everyone
she loves. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman";">Pursued through Alitheia by forces desperate to kill them,
Darcy and her friends take a journey fraught with danger that will lead them,
inevitably, to the final confrontation with the Shadow. Armed with newfound
knowledge of how the prophecy of the Six will play out, Darcy and the others
must have faith in the face of mounting odds and adversity. Ultimately, the
greatest courage of all belongs not to those who give something of themselves,
but to those who let go of what they could never control. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman";">Filled with stunning losses, heart-wrenching reunions,
unexpected twists, and the power of love and sacrifice, the conclusion to <i>The Gateway Chronicles</i> will leave you
breathless and begging for more from author K. B. Hoyle. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<!--EndFragment-->K. B. Hoylehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13871333050283839311noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9085283378324437441.post-21998910594633724822014-04-15T18:57:00.002-07:002018-11-30T14:35:51.895-08:00Idiotic Adults, and Other Problems with YA LiteratureI love Young Adult literature as much as the next person, probably more than most, given my position, but because I spend so much time reading YA, I've come to identify some recurring and troubling problems. The following are, of course, generalities, and the presence of any of these elements in a book doesn't mean that I won't/don't like the story, but they do tend to grate on me. These are also things I've tried to avoid in my own writing, so if you think I am myself an offender, definitely call me out!<br />
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1) Idiotic Adults. This one can be found <i>all over</i>. It's present in almost every YA book I read, and it never ceases to bother me. YA books these days tend to have a cast of teenage characters who are inexplicably wiser than any of the adults in the stories. Adults in YA literature are idiots, worthless, and/or wicked. They never have the answers, and they tend to contribute to the problems. Now, I understand that YA authors are trying to reach out to their primary fan base - teenagers - by giving them wish-fulfillment stories in which the teenagers save the day, and I don't have a problem with teenagers saving the day. But I do have a problem with the consistent lack of adult leadership. It sends a message to young people that they don't need adults in their lives, that when they enter adulthood themselves, they'll be relegated to the ranks of stupid and senile, and that wisdom is attained by the age of 17. Not only are all of these things false, but they are potentially damaging to a teenager's psyche and to the families of which they are a part. A wise mentor - at least one - was a staple of older literature for good reason, and I'd like to see it return to modern YA lit. Let's send a message to young people that, yes, they do have great potential, and yes, they can do great things, but they should also follow in the footsteps of wiser adults who have gone before them.<br />
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As a side note on this issue, I find it difficult to suspend disbelief when the teenagers save the world/have all the answers sans the expertise of any adults.<br />
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2) Age-inappropriate romance. Oh, the throes of teenage romance! Is there anything more dramatic or angst inducing in a young person's life? I fully understand the depth of feeling and emotion that comes with teenage romances, and I do believe that teenagers can fall legitimately in love, but it's rare for a teenage romance to be fully mature - especially after only a few days, which we're constantly asked to accept in YA lit. Teenagers do behave differently in relationships than adults do, and there are some things that come only with age and maturity, but I think many YA authors forget this when writing their romantic pairings. I recently finished a book in which the two main characters are only 15 years old, yet the way the author describes their thought processes toward each other (including sexuality) is more akin to how two 30-year-olds would think about each other. The mental processes of the characters did not match their ages, and that leads me to the next issue...<br />
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3) Age-inappropriate characterization. Kids should act and think primarily like kids. And like it or not, teenagers are still kids! When I read a book where the characters are 13, I want them to think and act like 13-year-olds. And this should be different from how 15-year-olds think and act, which should be different from how 17-year-olds act, etc... In fact, each year of a teenager's life bring great changes - intellectually, physically, spiritually, and in maturity - and to not differentiate between the ages is sloppy writing and disingenuous to teenagers themselves. I think a reader ought to be able to accurately guess the ages of the characters without them actually being stated, yet I'm constantly surprised when reading YA. "Wait... this character is only 14? I thought she was 18!" I think sometimes authors just want to publish a YA book, but they don't really want to put the time and effort in to figuring out how teenagers act, think, and speak. So what I find over and over again are stories that contain adults parading around as teenagers.<br />
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4) The most specialist girls in the world! I don't have a problem, per se, with the trend toward spunky female protagonists in YA lit, and I can't be too critical of it, as I also have female protagonists, but it is getting a little... overdone. Female YA protagonists are beginning to look like cookie cutters of each other, and it's almost without fail that the stories hinge on these girls being the most specialist girls in the world. But how long will readers buy into this repeating storyline? Spunky teenage girl discovers she's the key to solving all of society's ills while teaming up with tragic, brooding, attractive male counterpart. I tried to avoid this cliche by making Darcy reliant on a cast of characters (and wise, adult mentors!), rather than finding all the answers within herself.<br />
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All right, these are just a few of mine, but this blog post is getting long, so I'll leave it at that. Agree with me? Disagree? What are some trends of YA lit that bother you?<br />
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<br />K. B. Hoylehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13871333050283839311noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9085283378324437441.post-5578790011616566722014-04-02T15:03:00.000-07:002018-11-30T14:36:06.535-08:00A Rested BrainAs I sit before my loyal Scribbus MacDoodle (my laptop, of course), I can't help but breathe a sigh of relief. I haven't blogged much this year - or, at all - but I have finished another manuscript and submitted it to my editing team, and I'm in that sweet spot of waiting for one of my two manuscripts to come back to me. The copy edit is currently underway for <i>The Bone Whistle</i>, and the manuscript evaluation is underway for <i>Breeder</i>. I don't know how long it will be on either of these, but it is a strange feeling to have no writing or editing hanging over my head. I haven't had a break like this since . . . I can't remember when, actually, but it's offering me a good opportunity to get caught up on some things I've been neglecting all these long months. Such as blogging. So this is just a basic update on a rested brain about a few of the things I have coming up.<br />
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Tomorrow night I go to speak at a gathering of educators in a suburb about a half hour north of me. I'm looking forward to sharing my publishing journey with them and getting to know them and their visions for their students. Hopefully I can build some good relationships there that will endure and lead to some speaking engagements with some of their schools in the coming months.<br />
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At the end of the month, I travel to Georgia to visit a school during their spring literature day. I'll get to be in a few classrooms and interact with the students one on one - something I really enjoy doing. I started writing my first novel when I was eleven, so I really have a passion to encouraging that creative spirit from an early age.<br />
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In July, I'll be speaking as part of a writing workshop at my local library in Alabaster, AL. I haven't had the opportunity to do a lot of activities like this in my immediate community, so I'm really looking forward to it!<br />
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I just finished off a great month of partnership with the charitable organization called One Tough Kid (<a href="http://www.onetoughkid.org/" target="_blank">http://www.onetoughkid.org</a>). Sales were high during the month of March, which is excellent, as I'm donating $1 of every book I sold last month to One Tough Kid. I will be continuing my relationship with them and looking forward to further opportunities to partner and help support their organization. A big THANK YOU to all those who purchased my books last month and helped support OTK.<br />
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From May to September, I will be working on writing the remaining two installments to my <i>Breeder Cycle</i> trilogy: <i>Criminal</i> and <i>Clone</i>. I would really like to have these two finished and ready for submission should my publishing house decide to move forward with publishing the entire trilogy.<br />
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In October, the final installment of <i>The Gateway Chronicles</i>, <i>The Bones Whistle</i> will be published, and I will also be giving birth to another baby - our fourth! So, big month there!<br />
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And last but not least, in December <i>Breeder</i> should be published, assuming my editors like what they are currently reading and give the green light to move ahead with that project. I'm confident with the story, though, in fact, I really love it! And early beta reader feedback has been very positive, so that's always a good sign.<br />
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Don't forget, you can always follow me on Facebook (<a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/K-B-Hoyle/155377154576880" target="_blank">https://www.facebook.com/pages/K-B-Hoyle/155377154576880</a>) and/or Twitter (<a href="https://twitter.com/kbhoyle_author" target="_blank">https://twitter.com/kbhoyle_author</a>) for up-to-the-minute news and information! Or . . . at least up to the day. :)K. B. Hoylehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13871333050283839311noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9085283378324437441.post-84864706947870635702014-01-01T14:20:00.001-08:002018-11-30T14:36:19.863-08:00And Now For Something Completely Different...2013 wrapped with me finishing the first draft of the final book in <i>The Gateway Chronicles</i>: <i>The Bone Whistle</i>. While I am far from finished with working on <i>TGC</i> and all that goes along with it, finishing the first draft of book 6 is very much a closing of a door, a turning of a page, a . . . whatever metaphor you want to apply to it. I'm moving on! After seven years of devoting all my writing energies to one series, I am more than ready to expand my repertoire a bit, and the first project that will demand my attention is one I've been planning for about two years. Tonight I will submit my draft of <i>The Bone Whistle</i> to my excellent editing team (with crossed fingers and bated breath), tomorrow I will work on a couple short beta reading projects I have committed to, and probably the day after that, I will begin serious work on <i>Breeder</i>.<br />
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Dystopian fascinates me. It is a sort of fantasy because the author has to imagine a world that doesn't exist, but it is also a sort of science fiction because the author has to imagine a world that <i>could</i> exist in the future. And from there, the possibilities are almost endless! I think Dystopian provides an excellent venue for an author to foretell a lot about what he or she believes will go wrong with the world as a result of current societal/cultural/ideological ills, and as such, as a genre, it is almost always intentionally instructive and simultaneously controversial. This presents a lot of challenges to the serious writer of Dystopia. How to instruct without being overly didactic? How to handle controversy? How far ahead to look? How to convince people of a worldview they might not otherwise consider? How to do all this WHILE keeping in mind that the primary function of a work of fiction is to entertain?<br />
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I'm looking forward to these challenges, even as some of them scare me. <i>Breeder</i> will be the first in a trilogy of books that I'm simply calling the <i>Breeder</i> Cycle, and it will be totally different from <i>TGC - </i>different in setting, different in tone, perspective, and voice, different in almost every way. My very young readers, and parents of my very young readers, should be informed that I don't intend this book to be for them (UNLESS parental units preview it and find it appropriate for their child, of course). I'm classifying it as New Adult, which means I'm writing it for an audience of 16-25 year olds, but I anticipate it may be appropriate for mature readers as young as 13 - again, depending on parental approval. To give you some idea of how this is different, I wrote <i>TGC</i> for ages 13-17, with each book maturing some along the way. <i>Breeder</i> must be written for an older audience because the subject matter will be weighty, and some people will find it controversial. (I don't want to leave my younger readers completely in the lurch, though, and I have some plans to that effect. But until I know anything for sure, that's all I'll say!)<br />
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So, I'll be keeping you posted throughout 2014 as to the progress of <i>The Bone Whistle</i> and <i>Breeder</i>. As I'm writing <i>Breeder</i>, I'll be waiting on the editorial review on <i>The Bone Whistle</i>, which will be followed by the substantive edit. And basically I'll be back and forth between edits on the two books following manuscript submission of <i>Breeder</i> in March. I also have a few trips planned for the spring to visit schools and do educational talks, signings, etc., but my schedule is not full, so e-mail me if you or your school wants to host me! kbhoyle.author@gmail.com Cover design on both books is also well in swing, and come Spring, I'll toss you some teasers for <i>TBW</i>.<br />
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Overall, 2013 was a great year! I got to travel to Sydney, Australia and be a featured speaker at the Sydney Writer's Festival, I participated in two more festivals at which my books were the bestselling in their categories, I released book 5 in <i>TGC</i>, <i>The Six </i>and <i>The Scroll</i> became Amazon top 100 books, I had my first TV appearance, and I wrote <i>The Bone Whistle</i>. I'm hoping and praying for as much success, and more, in 2014. I'm so thankful to you all for making it happen!K. B. Hoylehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13871333050283839311noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9085283378324437441.post-62428386224406340872013-11-29T15:17:00.001-08:002018-11-30T14:36:37.926-08:00"The End is Where We Begin" You know, I don't often comment about books I don't like on here. I usually only comment on books that I LOVE and want to make sure y'all know influenced me, but I was reading through reviews for the third in a YA trilogy I was mildly interested in finishing - not madly in love with as many other people are - but interested in finishing . . . until the preponderance of the reviews came back negative. I won't name the book because I'm not interested in damaging the career of any fellow author, no matter how misguided she may have been with this book, but I mention this here because a) I think it's important for authors to pay attention to both good and bad reviews because we have a responsibility to our readers, and b) There was a comment made in one of the reviews that made me go, "uh huh! That's why." One reviewer said that this author has been quoted in interviews saying that she had "no idea" where the story was going when she first started writing the series. My creative writing students will chuckle at this, but if I've said it once, I've said it a thousand times - you DO NOT START WRITING A BOOK BEFORE YOU KNOW THE ENDING. This holds *especially* true for writing a series! If you are scrambling to make sense of everything you've already written at the end of the series, your readership can tell. At least, with this particular series, I could already tell from the beginning that she didn't have a plan, which is part of why I didn't get too emotionally invested in it in the first place.<br />
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So, here's what I promise you.<br />
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I have a plan. I have always had a plan. I planned out the basic premises of all six books before I started writing book 1, and I've known how the whole series will end before I started writing book 1. Have there been some changes to my plan along the way? Sure! Have I come up with new and different ideas as I go? Of course! Has the story evolved somewhat organically once the ball got rolling? You bet! But I have striven very hard to keep everything pointing toward the ending I planned out six years ago, and that has helped me to write a story that is coherent, logical, and enjoyable. You, the reader, can trust me. I take your feelings into consideration, and as long as I CAN work something in that I know you want, I WILL. Everything that you think "means something" probably in fact does, and there really is a "puzzle" for you to figure out. AND I have beta readers already lined up to read book 6 when I finish who will let me know if my plan has been executed to satisfaction and whether or not you, the reader, will feel fulfilled by it. I don't want to let you down, and I think any author who puts edginess or shock value above the needs of the readers has lost his/her way. I promise to give you an ending that has a eucatastrophe, an ending that makes sense, and an ending that has, really, existed all along.<br />
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One of my favorite bands has a recently-released album entitled, "The End is Where We Begin." Good advice for any author, especially an author with thousands of people riding on his/her books. At the end of the day, I don't want my readers to close book 6 and say, "What was the point?" And that is clearly what has happened to this author.K. B. Hoylehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13871333050283839311noreply@blogger.com0