Friday, March 28, 2014

You Never Give Up

Hello good peeps! I just wanted to stop by and 1) appologize for not posting lately and 2) update you on what's going on with The Grey Curse.

March 17th, 2014, I signed the contract with Breathless Press! I am still waiting on word on my first round of edits, but hopefully that email will come soon. In the mean time, I have been posting character introductions and a Tuesday Trivia on my Facebook page. I've ordered business cards to hand out at places and I'm browsing sites for some good swag to hand out once the time gets closer to release day. I spoke with my local library and discussed maybe reserving the banquet room for a kind of "Meet The Author" event. Since my book will be out in E-book form first, I obviously will not have copies to sign. BUT I should have some nice stuff to sign and give out. So if any of you are in the NW Kentucky/SE Indiana area, stop on by! I'll update you all on that once I set an actual date.

*happy sigh* I still can't believe this is actually happening! My dream of being a published author is coming true. A question asked to most authors is, "Why did you want to become an author?". Well, I've always loved writing. I think it stemmed from my love of reading. And I always wanted to see one of my own books in the hands of others. But the true reason? My daughter. You see, right now she's only a toddler and doesn't read or understand what it means that mommy is an author. But I'm still doing it for her. I want her to see that, with hard work, dreams can and do come true. I want her to see that despite all the bumps in the road, Mommy didn't give up. I want it to be a lesson to her that no matter what her dream is, she can accomplish it. And that she shouldn't give up, no matter how hard life is.

And this lesson goes for anyone out there who is trying to achieve their dreams as well. Don't give up. Don't let naysayers put you down. It's YOUR dream. Believe in yourself. Because I believe in you.

Wishing you all a fantabulous week ahead, full of happiness and love.

Krista

Thursday, March 13, 2014

Dreams Come True

Over the years, my choice of career has changed many times. Veterinarian, teacher, writer, zoologist, archaeologist, sports manager/trainer, photographer, and anything else that I thought was cool. But I was only real serious about two of those. Teaching and writing. I even went to college for Early Childhood Education. Well, two semesters but that counts, right? And now I have found my calling. Looking back, I realize that it was something I always loved to do and I am surprised that I allowed myself to forget.

I am a writer. I have always loved writing, ever since I can remember. Silly little short stories, fan fiction, role playing, etc. It has always been such a passion of mine. And hopefully soon, I will be a published author.

Yes, my dream has finally begun to come true. On Tuesday, March 11th, 2014, I received an email stating that Breathless Press (a WONDERFUL publishing company) wanted to offer me a contract for my very first book, The Grey Curse. I'll admit, I cried. Happy tears, of course. I mean, who wouldn't? After months of work on it, my "baby" is finally getting published!

I will, of course, keep everyone updated as the process moves along. As of right now, I am still waiting for the contract to hit my in-box. *Big happy sigh* I still can't believe it. My dream came true. I didn't give up, despite wanting to time and time again. 

That's how these things happen, you see? You keep trucking and NEVER give up. No matter what.

Fate knocked and I simply...answered.

Tuesday, March 11, 2014

Torie James, Author extraordinaire!

I had the opportunity to sit down with the fab Torie James for an interview. Her first book in her New Camelot series, Timeless Night, just came out recently in Print form and her second book, Timeless Desire comes out on March 21st! I, for one, am so excited!!



Timeless Night




Timeless Desire





Favorite Characters to Write About:

Hands down, my favorite characters to write about are the quirky, odd, questionably sane ones. Male or female, it doesn’t matter to me. I like exploring eccentricities, weird habits and the socially awkward. I’m a blended triumvirate of those three things and love  expounding in verbal fashion from brain to page about it. There are parts of me that live in every character I fashion but I’d have to say that Sabrina Foxworth, my heroine from Timeless Night, is pretty much spot on how I am. Daily. I even toned her down a bit because I’ve been accused of being rather like a hurricane. Or like caviar, an acquired taste.

Toss into that mix a dash of paranormal and now we’re cooking. I love creating characters with depth, passion, trust issues, skewered views of the world around them and then sprinkle a smidge of fangs, fae or fur on them to boot. Thanks to Joss Whedon, I completely associate all things paranormal as simple metaphors for the externalization of internal angst. 

Did I also mention I love to write about rather nerdesque types as well? Nothing sexier to me than brains. And I am not talking about wanting to eat them! 

Excerpt from Timeless Desire, Book Two of New Camelot:

Why did his touch still burn through her, make her heart skip a beat? "Trust you? Trust you? I'd rather take a running leap onto the face of the sun, Gawain. I trusted you once and you ruined my life. I trusted you once more and you helped kill what I loved. Excuse me if I find your use of that particular word ironic." She shoved hard against him, hard enough he stumbled back a bit, allowing her to slip from his hold.
"If Lancelot knew, he'd hate you as much as I do. They all would! The only reason he remains unaware, is he is at peace again with his heart. I won't disturb it for the world. So your dirty little secret is safe with me, husband." The last word spit out with derision, she gave him a cold smile. "Let me go, Gawain. It's easy. As for the blood link, simple solution. We can continue to provide each other with what's needed without being together. As black as your blood is, it does provide me with the necessary sustenance. But that's all you are to me, now. A food source. There is no happy ending for us. You botched that up proper. I have stayed my voice the last few months for Bri. For Alex. But I owe you nothing. So let me go my way!" She moved as wind, reaching down to snatch off one of her stiletto'd heels, her free hand shoving him back into the wall, mortar crumbling around them. Animosity spurred her on as she angled the heel over his heart. "Or I will kill you. I swear it. I will kill you and in killing you, I kill myself. That's how desperate I am to be free of you."

Timeless Desire, Book 2 of New Camelot, releases March 21st, 2014!

Welcome to New Camelot...not everything remains myth.

Krista, my darling girl, thank you so much for having me on today! Rock on, my Padawan, rock on! 

Want to follow along on my shenanigans, follow me at: 

Blog and Website: http://torienjames.blogspot.com/
FB: https://www.facebook.com/WriterGurl216

Twitter: https://twitter.com/Writergurl216

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7054839.Torie_N_James

Amazon Author: http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B00CTBYH0M

Breathless Press Website: http://www.breathlesspress.com/

Sunday, March 2, 2014

Remembering March 2nd, 2012



Two years. It's hard to believe that two years ago today, my little family was forced to start anew. I remember huddling in the tiny linen closet at my mother's with my daughter, praying that the tornado-reported just a couple of miles away-would miss us. I remember my husband telling me that Walnut Street (the road we lived on) was gone. Just...gone. Everything was destroyed. And I remember thanking the Gods that none of us were down there when it hit. Possessions could be (and were) replaced. But my family? Never.

I remember later that night, looking down at my two week old baby girl, crying because it was (in my mind) her who saved us. Had she not had been born, I would have been down there during it all. And I probably wouldn't have survived. Who would have known that not one, but TWO tornadoes would have traveled down in a small valley? I mean, they teach you growing up that the safest place during a tornado is down low, mainly in valleys. Boy were they wrong.

Two years. While looking at the destruction, it is heartbreaking. Nearly everything we had ever owned, stuff collected over a twenty-one year time period, was scattered with the wind. Toys, movies, electronics, pictures, clothes. Just gone in a single moment. But most of those things were easily replaced. Including the home. And, in my opinion, I think we really upgraded.

Let this serve as a lesson to all. Tornadoes can happen anywhere, even in valleys. It just takes the right ingredients in a powerful storm to make a sunny day turn bleak. Know where to go in case of these king of things. If you have a basement, pick a spot that is safest and prepare it. Stock up on food, water and stuff. Just in case. Because you never know when you'll need it.