Author: Katie L. Carroll (Page 80 of 142)

Talking Paranormal and Ideas with K.L. Pickett Author of The Unwanted Gift

May 30, 2014 / Katie L. Carroll

K.L. Pickett is on the blog today for a conversation about her latest novel, a MG historical paranormal called The Unwanted Gift (see my 5-star review here). And her book is on sale. Let’s give a big welcome to K.L.!

Katie: Welcome, K.L.! Thanks for chatting with me today. I understand you have your third book out now. Congratulations! What kind of book is it and what’s its title?

K.L.Pickett: Thanks for having me back, Katie. My latest book is a middle-grade paranormal ebook entitled THE UNWANTED GIFT.

Katie: That’s an intriguing title. It makes me wonder what kind of gift would be unwanted?

K.L.Pickett: The main character, a twelve-year-old girl (whose name by the way, is also Katie), receives the gift of healing when her grandmother passes on.

Katie: Great name! Why wouldn’t someone welcome having a special power, especially the power to heal other people?

K.L.Pickett: Katie was raised by her grandmother. She saw firsthand how people constantly interrupted her grandmother’s life because they needed her help with their illnesses, injuries, and disabilities. All of her grandmother’s time was spent serving others; she never had time to herself. Katie doesn’t want to live her life that way; she wants to go places and do things. She wants a life of her own, so she hopes she never has the gift.

Katie: From the title of the book, I assume she does receive the gift.

K.L.Pickett: Yes, her grandmother passes the gift on to her right before she passes away, leaving Katie with a difficult dilemma. Should she keep the knowledge of her power to herself so she can lead her own life, or should she use it to help others, knowing her life will no longer be her own?

Katie: That does sound like a hard decision, especially for a twelve-year-old. How did you come up with this idea for your story?

K.L.Pickett: I’ve always been fascinated by paranormal stories. Paranormal, by the way, is a general term for having experiences that can’t be explained by scientific explanation. Stories about paranormal experiences are found by the thousands in popular culture, folklore, and from individuals.

Katie: When I think about paranormal activities, I usually think of ghosts.

K.L. Pickett: A lot of people do, which is why they have several TV shows based on finding them! But any activity outside of the realm of science’s current ability to explain it would be considered paranormal. Every culture has stories about weird things happening that can’t be explained: Bigfoot, Loch Ness monster, ghosts, alien abductions, psychic abilities, and healing people through touch. There are a whole lot of unexplained things that happen in our world.

Katie: So how did you come with the idea for this particular story?

K.L. Pickett: I got the idea for the story when I walked by a store called The Blue-Eyed Witch. Wondering what kind of items were for sale inside, I went in to discover crystals, incense, books, and other items used for (good) witchcraft on their shelves. There was an advertisement posted on their bulletin board from someone who performed Reiki, which was explained as the “laying-on-of-hands” to promote healing. Those who do Reiki believe there is an unseen “life force energy” flowing through each of us and that it is what causes us to be alive. Reading that flyer made me start thinking about what it would be like to have the power to heal or to take away pain. At first I thought it would be awesome to have that ability. But then I started thinking that if people knew you could heal them or take away their pain, you’d probably be hounded for the rest of your life. And that’s how I came to write The Unwanted Gift.

Katie: I’m always asking people where they got their ideas, but this is the first time someone said it was from a witchcraft store! It sounds like a great book and now I’m curious to find out what Katie decides to do. Will she use her gift or not?

K.L. Pickett: I hope others are curious as well! It’s currently on sale from the publisher for only $2.99. Thanks for letting me chat with you today.

Katie: It’s been my pleasure.

The Unwanted Gift blurb:

Twelve-year-old Katie is destined to receive the gift of healing from her grandmother. But people bother Granny for help every single day – at all hours of the day and night. Katie doesn’t want her life to constantly be interrupted. Who wants to live like that? To Katie, Granny’s ‘gift’ is more like a curse. So she hopes she never has the gift.

Harry, Katie’s school enemy, is destined to live in poverty like his parents. His father drinks and hurts him and his mother. He doesn’t want to end up like that. He wants to be somebody someday.

Together they form an unlikely alliance to help one another. But is it possible to change your destiny?

Buy it now at the MuseItUp Publishing bookstore or other e-book retailers.

About the Author:

K.L. Pickett was born in Southern California. Her first job as a young teenager was collecting eggs on an egg ranch. She’s had many occupations since then: preschool teacher, real estate salesperson, special education teacher’s assistant, loan officer, furniture salesperson, and agricultural biologist. She currently teaches fourth grade in a rural elementary school.

Over fifty of her stories and articles have appeared in national magazines such as Boys’ Life, Highlights for Children, Humpty Dumpty, and Ladybug under the name Karen Troncale.

She’s rescued dozens of cats, dogs, and birds in her life including a pelican, a pheasant, and several crows. An avid animal-lover, she’s a volunteer for the Tombstone Small Animal Shelter, designing their flyers each week and writing their public radio announcements.

Currently she resides in Tombstone, Arizona, along with her husband, dog, and mule. When she’s not writing, reading, or teaching, she’s riding her mule along the same desert trails that Wyatt Earp and Doc Holliday rode upon.

THE UNWANTED GIFT is her third book. For more about K.L.. and her books visit her website or Facebook page.

Don’t Judge Your Characters with Linda Budzinski Author of The Funeral Singer

May 23, 2014 / Katie L. Carroll

Today’s guest and I go all the way back to my very first SCBWI Poconos writing retreat in 2009, so I am super happy to have Linda Budzinski, author of THE FUNERAL SINGER, on the blog today. Her words about not judging characters apply not only to writing but also to life. Welcome, Linda!

You Can’t Judge a Character by Her Role

It’s a lesson I keep learning over and over again: Don’t be too quick to judge people. Or maybe I should say, it’s a lesson the universe keeps trying to teach me, since I continue to fall into the same trap.

We’ve all been there, haven’t we? Maybe it’s the guy in the next cubicle at work. Maybe it’s the grouchy neighbor. Maybe it’s your kids’ lacrosse coach. They act like a jerk, so you proclaim them a Jerk.

Until one day you find out this Jerk has a child with a severe disability, or he spends every weekend traveling hundreds of miles to visit an elderly parent who can’t even remember his name, or she’s in the middle of a nasty divorce. That’s when you realize that maybe he or she wasn’t always a Jerk. Maybe he or she deserves some patience, some grace, some understanding right now.

The same is true with our characters. When I set out to write THE FUNERAL SINGER, I wanted to write a novel about the difference between pop culture heroes and real-life heroes. My rock star characters would be shallow, selfish Jerks, while my real-life hero (a funeral director) would be a loving, caring, charitable gentleman.

Only they’re not. At least, not entirely. Most of the rock stars turned out to be pretty decent people, and the funeral director is far from flawless.

Even my main character, who throughout the course of the book goes from being a normal teen-ager to a pop culture hero to an everyday hero, isn’t all good or all bad along the way. She’s sweet and sensitive and infuriatingly self-centered, all at once. Because in real life, that’s how people are. People are both good and bad. And no matter what their station in life, everyone has problems. They may keep their problems well hidden, but they have them.

When we set out to create characters, we need to know their roles in our books. That is, we need to know whether they are protagonists (the main characters, who want something) or antagonists (the characters who stand in their way), but we do not need to proclaim them good or evil, angels or devils, sweethearts or jerks. Because chances are, they will be all of the above. And they will have problems that may never make it onto the page, but they will have them, and those problems will affect the way they behave.

And that will be what makes them interesting.

The Funeral Singer blurb:

Seventeen-year-old Melanie Martin has witnessed her share of lame eulogies and uninspired epitaphs while singing part-time at her dad’s funeral home. She’s determined to be more than a funeral singer, and more than just someone’s “beloved wife” or “loving mother.”

When Mel’s impromptu rendition of “Amazing Grace” at a local rock star’s graveside service goes viral on YouTube, she becomes an Internet sensation, attracting thousands of fans and followers, and even a hot rock star boyfriend–Zed Logan, bass player for The Grime.
But instant fame isn’t easy–and neither is love. Especially when Mel realizes she’s falling for another guy–one who may just want her heart more than her voice.

About the Author:

Linda Budzinski lives in Northern Virginia with her husband, Joe, and their feisty chihuahua, Demitria (also known as Dee Dee, The Puppy, and Killer). She grew up in a tiny town called West Grove, in southeastern Pennsylvania. In the second grade, she announced to her parents that she wanted to be a “Paperback Writer,” just like in the Beatles song. She majored in journalism in college and now works in nonprofit marketing and communications.

She’s a sucker for romance and reality TV and has been known to turn off her phone’s ringer when watching “The Bachelor.” Her favorite flower is the daisy, her favorite food is chocolate, and her favorite song is “Amazing Grace.”

LINKS:

Website: www.lindabudzinski.com

Twitter: https://twitter.com/LindaBudz

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Linda-Budzinski-Author/188747034633426

YouTube Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1gs0PX1fEdg

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/The-Funeral-Singer-ebook/dp/B00FDWYBRS/

Barnes & Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-funeral-singer-linda-budzinski/1116970019?ean=2940148424031

Attic Office Space Update With Pictures

May 20, 2014 / Katie L. Carroll

I recently posted about how I’m getting a new writing room in the soon-to-be finished attic. Of course, the whole space won’t be entirely devoted to my writing pursuits. It will also serve as a playroom, a room for others to pursue their creative talents, and a workout room. I only posted one picture and several of you asked for updates with more pictures, so here we go!

Mostly empty attic. The green in the ceiling is spray foam insulation and you can see old duct work and the loose boards that served as a floor.

August 2013: Mostly empty attic. The green in the ceiling is spray foam insulation and you can see uncovered duct work and the loose boards that served as a floor.

Similar view...now with subfloor, duct work hidden, and a half wall framed out around the staircase.

April 2014: Similar view as above…now with subfloor finished, duct work hidden, and a half wall framed out around the staircase.

April 2014: Good look at the duct work, which will be hidden behind a knee wall. Where those boxes and the toolbox is will be a closet.

April 2014: Good look at the duct work, which will be hidden behind a knee wall. The spot with the toolbox and boxes and stuff will be a closet space.

More from April 2014: Pic with the framed knee wall.

April 2014: Framed wall and closet wall with stairway in view.

May 2014: Drywall up and ready to be painted soon, view from the top of the stairway.

May 2014: Drywall up, view from the other end of the room, looking toward the stairway.

That means painting comes next, and we already have the colors picked and the paint purchased. There was also a lot of behind the scenes work that you don’t see in the picture, like electrical and stuff. I can’t take credit for any of the work, though! The hubby has done a lot of it himself and we contracted some of it out, given the time constraint we’re under. What do you all think of the progress?

The Monster Within by Kelly Hashway Giveaway

May 16, 2014 / Katie L. Carroll

I’ve been crazy busy these last two weeks with work being done on the house and getting ready for baby boy #2 (a month and one day until my due date!). The bad news is that I haven’t had much time for blogging; the good news is I’ll probably have an attic office update with pics for you all next week. In my absence, I have an awesome giveaway from Kelly Hashway in anticipation of her upcoming YA paranormal The Monster Within. Welcome, Kelly!

Squee! There’s one month until the release of The Monster Within! That means it’s time to celebrate! And what better way to celebrate than by having a giveaway? But before we get to the giveaway, check out the cover and blurb for The Monster Within.

The moment seventeen-year-old Samantha Thompson crawls out of her grave, her second chance at life begins. She died of cancer with her long-time boyfriend, Ethan, by her side—a completely unfair shot at life. But Ethan found a way to bring her back, like he promised he would. Only Sam came back wrong.

She’s now a monster that drains others’ lives to survive. And after she kills, she’s tortured by visions—glimpses into her victims would-have-been futures had she not killed them. Barely able to live with herself and trying to make things right, Sam ends up a pawn in a vicious game of payback within the local coven of witches.

But when the game reveals what Ethan had to do to save Sam, she must make a choice that will change all their lives forever.

Publisher: Spencer Hill Press

ISBN: 978-1-937053-85-7

Release Date: 6/17/2014

Formats: Paper, e-book

Add it on Goodreads.

Pre-order on B&N or Amazon.

So, what can you win?

1 signed copy of The Monster Within
The Monster Within bookmarks
a mask (winner’s choice of purple, green, or gold)
a mood ring (winner’s choice of small, medium, or large)
a triquetra necklace (not shown in picture)
a paperback ARC of Cold Calls, a YA thriller by Charles Benoit
a hard cover copy of The Magnolia League, a witchy YA by Katie Crouch
a $10 Amazon or Barnes and Noble gift card (winner’s choice; gift card not shown in picture)

Sound good? Enter by filling out the rafflecopter below.

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Overcoming Fears with Kai Strand Author of Worth the Effort: Ella’s Story

May 9, 2014 / Katie L. Carroll

I’m very pleased to welcome back Kai Strand, who is celebrating the release of her YA contemporary novella Worth the Effort: Ella’s Story (see my 5-star Goodreads review here). She is discussing a topic near and dear to every writer: overcoming fears! Kai is also offering up a nice giveaway, so make sure to enter at the end of the post.

Overcoming Your Fears

By Kai Strand

In my newly released novella, Worth the Effort: Ella’s Story, Ella has to face a fear she wasn’t even aware of prior to meeting Ayden.

Ella is a senior in high school. She has a part-time job as a barista at a café downtown. She prefers to work the opening shift – you know, to get work over with for the day. For the two years she has worked at Read Between the Beans, she’s never once felt vulnerable until the morning she bops up to the backdoor of the restaurant and finds someone sleeping in the shadows next to the dumpster.

But realizing how vulnerable she is, all alone at four in the morning, isn’t even what scares her the most. It’s the fact that the homeless person sleeping in her alley is a seventeen-year-old boy. Ella hadn’t realized there were homeless kids, nor did she realize how terrified she was of them.

Just like Ella has to face her fear in her story, I had to face mine to make it available for your reading pleasure.

I was always terrified of self-publishing. Over the past few years the role of indie author has exploded until it seems like everyone is doing it. But still I resisted. Because I was scared to death. Afraid I’d look like a hack. Terrified I’d make a mistake. Worried I wouldn’t sell any copies and waste all that time, effort, and money.

But the more I watched the industry evolve (not that it is finished evolving, by any means) the more I realized that I wanted my career to stretch across all publishing opportunities and that meant self-publishing. So not only did I write the story, but I studied how to self publish, asked questions of more experienced authors, learned a formatting software (well, still learning it, actually), and forced myself to keep moving forward.

There were a couple times during the process that I almost quit. I almost decided to submit the novella to a small press for consideration. If it was accepted, they could do the hard work. Even now that the book is out there, my stomach still squirms. But I remind myself that I love public speaking even though I get all squirmy-bellied before each gig, and maybe self-publishing will be like that too.

So writing and publishing Ella’s Story was an exercise in both Ella and I facing our fears. Have you faced a fear? Did you succeed? Did you have to try again? Or do you have a fear you want to face?

About Worth the Effort: Ella’s Story:

Ella Jones is a coward. There is a teen boy living in the alley behind her work and she is terrified of him.

Desperate to leave behind the stereotypical and judgmental world she was raised in, Ella forces herself to make a true connection with seventeen-year-old Ayden Worth. As their friendship grows Ayden’s quiet, gentle ways teach her true courage.

But there’s more to Ayden’s story than Ella knows. When their worlds collide in the most unexpected place, Ella feels betrayed. Will she find the courage to learn who Ayden really is, or will she determine he’s not worth the effort?

Amazon, Goodreads

About the Author:

When her children were young and the electricity winked out, Kai Strand gathered her family around the fireplace and they told stories, one sentence at a time. Her boys were rather fond of the ending, “And then everybody died. The end.” Now an award winning children’s author, Kai crafts fiction for kids and teens to provide an escape hatch from their reality. With a selection of novels for young adult and middle grade readers and short stories for the younger ones, Kai entertains children of all ages, and their adults. Learn more about Kai and her books on her website, www.kaistrand.com.

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