The Cover that Almost Was

 

Sometimes things don't turn out exactly as you intend them to, and that ended up being the case with the cover of The Bone Whistle. 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. 

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 The Bone Whistle turned out beautifully. There will always be, however, that little part of me that wishes I could have seen the original cover in print.

Virtual Cookie Exchange

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!

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, Breeder.

 Summary of Breeder

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.

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.

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. 

Breeder 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 Breeder would make if they were to make cookies at all. I hope you enjoy it, and be sure to enter the Rafflecopter Giveaway below!

The recipe!

1 stick of butter, softened *

1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
1 egg
1/2 tsp vanilla
1 cup flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup oats (quick or old fashioned)
1/2 cup to 3/4 cup fresh cranberries, chopped
1/2 cup white chocolate chips
1/2 cup nuts, chopped (I used pecans, walnuts would be good too!)

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.

*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.

SneakySpoons Original (Find more from SneakySpoons at sneakyspoons.com)

You can purchase Breeder at: 

Amazon     Barnes and Noble     Kobo     iTunes     TWCS


Giveaway! Enter to win 2 $25 Amazon Gift Cards

Rafflecopter giveaway

The 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...

I disagree, and I think the facts are on my side.

The headline I saw stated that The Hunger Games: Mockingjay 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 Divergent. (You can read the article here.) 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.

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 BREEDER? 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?

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 BREEDER that I think has been notably absent from most of the other Dystopias: hope.

Book 1 of The Breeder Cycle: BREEDER coming December 11, 2014! 

T-Shirts for Sale!

In honor of the release of The Bone Whistle, 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:

kids 10-12, 14, & 18 

Fitted women's x-small-large 

Unisex small-large

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. 

*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. 

Please find the pictures and prices below: 

 

$15 each ($10 if you bring your own shirt to have it screen printed)

The backside has my website address

(front)

(back)

$18 each ($13 if you bring your own shirt to have it screen printed)

The Bone Whistle Blog Tour

I'm happy to announce the blog tour for the release of The Bone Whistle! Over the next several days, you will find reviews, guest posts from yours truly, interviews, a giveaway, and more. I hope you enjoy! 

Please find the schedule and a link to the giveaway below: 

Tour Dates and Sites

September 11
http://sarityahalomi.blogspot.com/ 
http://www.freshfiction.com 
www.paperbookprincess.com 

September 12
http://nerdgirlofficial.com/ 

September 13 
http://kellyatx.blogspot.com/ 
www.sherrygomeswrites.com 

September 14
http://pebbleinthestillwaters.blogspot.com 

September 15
www.teainthetreetops.com

September 18
http://www.firstpagetothelast.com/ 
http://thebookwhorediaries.blogspot.com 
www.lilylovesindie.co.uk 

September 19
bookreviewsandgiveaways.org 
http://www.dauntlessindies.blogspot.com 

September 21
shortsweetandsnappy.wordpress.com 

September 22
http://ashleysaddictivebookblog.blogspot.com 

September 23
http://pagesbetween.blogspot.com 


a Rafflecopter giveaway

Breeder Cover Reveal!

I am happy to reveal the cover and back cover summary of Breeder, the first in my New Adult Dystopian trilogy. Are you more of a Dystopian fan than a Fantasy fan? Prefer The Hunger Games to Harry Potter? Stay tuned, because my next series might just be for you...

Perfection comes at a terrible cost. 

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.

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.

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.

Seventeen, now Pria, is thrust into a position as a key player in a dangerous bid to bring down the Unified World Order. Meanwhile, Pax's attachment to her and her growing attraction to him contribute to the ever-growing mysteries in her life.

Pria’s journey from a sheltered, naïve Breeder to a rebel agent requires not only external transformation but self-discovery. As her world crumbles, Pria must decide who she is and what she really believes.

But in her world, the truth comes at a cost, and uncovering it will require a greater treason than she could ever have imagined.

Copyright TWCS Publishing House

Coming late 2014 

The 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 The Gateway Chronicles 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 The Bone Whistle:

The Bone Whistle
“Nothing in you that has not died will ever be raised from the dead.”
C. S. Lewis

Prologue 
AFTER THE FIRE

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.
Colin coughed and raised a hand to shield his eyes as he stepped into the beam of light.
Light.
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.
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.
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.
A gleam of gold caught his eye, and Colin kicked at a pile of cinders next 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—EMS—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.

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?
It belonged to her, 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.
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, enchantments; 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.
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 was the royal suite, and it would be the most suitable place for him when Tselloch crowned him king.
He was not alone.
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.
“You see what I have done for you?” Tselloch said.
For me? Or for you? Colin raised his head and schooled his expression into blank obeisance. It would not do to have Tselloch suspecting he had any doubts.
But Tselloch was absorbed with his accomplishment. “He burned my house, and now, see how I have repaid him by burning his.”
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 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.

“Everything happened just as you said it would,” Colin said. “They did not discover your secret. The castle is ours, and Tellius is dead.”
Tselloch hissed, and his pleased countenance fell. “But the Six escaped.”
“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.
“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.
“Should we search for them? They can’t have gone home yet. It’s not the right time.”
“Home?” Tselloch’s black eyes flashed as he took a deliberate step toward Colin. “Do you still think of it as home?”
Colin set his jaw and widened his eyes at his slipup. He hadn’t meant to call that other world “home,” not really. He didn’t know why he’d said that. “I meant only that . . .”
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?”
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.
“That is good, my prince.”
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.
“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.”
Colin felt a cold chill wash down his spine, and he bit the inside of his lip 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.

“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.
“Join the others in searching for the body.”
Colin frowned. “Whose body?”
Tselloch narrowed his eyes and finally let his hands drop from Colin’s
face. “When you threw the pretender-king from the window, did you not think to search the grounds for his body?”
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?”
“No one, perhaps. But I want the body still.” Tselloch turned his back to Colin and strode away.
“Find it so I can burn it,” he said. 


*The Bone Whistle is book 6 of K. B. Hoyle's bestselling YA Fantasy series The Gateway Chronicles. It is published by TWCS Publishing House and will be available everywhere books are sold on Sept. 18, 2014.