Author: Katie L. Carroll (Page 89 of 142)

Magnetic Poetry Weather Theme

December 2, 2013 / Katie L. Carroll

You many not know this because I haven’t featured guest poetry in awhile, but I have a pretty expansive magnetic poetry set on my refrigerator and I like to show off on the blog what people have been creating. These snippets of poetry have accumulated on my fridge over the last couple of months (spaces have been preserved to show the use of different tiles).

winter woman desire s the ghosts s of too little heart

hard night easy party

cold gray man taste little snow spark s

love rain

ask her not to wet y our past

blue light make s the garden speak in sweet whisper s

play every day

There seemed a weather theme going on with “winter”, “cold”, “rain”, “wet”, and “snow” all being used. I was quite pleased to see that the ever overused “prostitute”, “monkey”, and “manacle” were left in the unused pile this time around.

Here are some more poetic creations from the past: July 2012, February 2012, July 2011, and May 2011. Enjoy! And feel free to share any of your poems in the comments. 🙂

If You’re Going to Shop This Week, at Least Buy a Book

November 27, 2013 / Katie L. Carroll

I’m not a big shopper. It might be because my oldest sister would occasionally drag me along to clothes shop with her (I guess when no one cool could come along…they probably all knew better).

The day would usually go like something like this. Twenty minutes in, I’d be bored, but she would still be looking, her pile of clothes to try on getting ever larger. Finally after an eternity, she would be ready to try on the pile, and I would get all excited because I’d be thinking we were almost done. Nope. Because she would have to show me every single thing, and for some reason (which I still don’t understand) it would take her ten minutes to try on each piece.

Mind you, this was before cell phones, so it wasn’t like I could just plop myself down in the dressing room and play on my phone while I waited. (These days, I try to avoid clothes shopping with this particular sister.)

So I’ve only been out on Black Friday once. And that was because I had a very particular item I wanted, and I didn’t get up at some crazy early time to get it. I don’t plan on going out this year or any year in the near future. But I know a lot of people do go out, so I’m asking that if you do, consider buying a book while you’re shopping.

Need some recommendations? Check out my Goodreads “read” page. I don’t write reviews for all the books I read, but I do give them star ratings. Basically anything that’s a 4 or 5 is one I’d recommend. Don’t care what I read…okay, how about this list from Publisher’s Weekly or this children’s list (novels) from Publisher’s Weekly or the picture book list from Publisher’s Weekly? There’s also the 2013 National Book Award winners and finalists list. That’s not even mentioning lists from previous years.

So what books are you looking to buy or receive this holiday season? Oh, and Happy Thanksgiving!

Blog Tour for Erin Albert’s The Prophecy

November 22, 2013 / Katie L. Carroll

Let’s all help Erin Albert celebrate the release of her fabulous YA fantasy The Prophecy (see my 5-star Goodreads review here). Today she’s sharing a bit about her writing process and a giveaway. Welcome, Erin!

First of all, I want to give a big shout out and virtual hug to my editor and friend, Katie, for hosting me today!!

Katie asked me to give a little bit of information about my writing process. If you dare, enter the inner workings of my mind… 😉

What am I working on?

I am always working on multiple projects. Currently, I am revising the sequel, The Outlanders, to my young adult fantasy debut novel, The Prophecy (which released November 15). I also have a futuristic thriller called Number 25598, a middle grade fiction in the vein of Judy Blume called Meet Kit: An American Boy, and another young adult fantasy novel without a title—all in progress.

Why do I write what I do?

I write young adult books because I LOVE young adult books. My friend and Dream Team member Danielle Craver (she created all of the crests for The Prophecy) got me hooked on the YA genre, and I’ve read that almost exclusively ever since. Epic high fantasy appeals to me because I’ve always loved Arthurian legend. When George R.R. Martin combined that time period with fantastical elements, my mind sprung to life. Reading fantasy allows a person to fully immerse in a totally different world, escaping this one completely. Who doesn’t need a good escape every now and then?

How does your writing process work?

I am a total pantser, which means I do not plan a thing. I have a rough idea of how I want the story to start and how I want it to end, but I let the characters take over for the middle. Sometimes that gets me in some logic trouble, but I’m fortunate enough to have my Dream Team and critique partners to catch those little snafus.

The demands on my life and time afford me a very short window to get my writing done, usually between 3pm-5pm. I have ADD, so I always have to drink something caffeinated to help me focus. Also, a little container of chocolate is a creative must. I seek to write a chapter a day (my Dream Team member and timekeeper, Kim Sharp, requires a new chapter to read each night which keeps me on task).

The creative portion of my work takes me very little time. I wrote the entire Fulfillment Trilogy in 3 months. But I am also an anal grammar freak, so editing the work takes me MUCH longer. It’s a painstaking process.

So, to recap: Afternoon writing time with chocolate and caffeine, 1 chapter a day, and edit, edit, edit!

Thanks for stopping by and reading my post!!

The Prophecy blurb:

Growing up on a small farm in the kingdom of Vanguard, seventeen-year-old Layla Givens lives a deceptively tranquil existence. But her carefully constructed life quickly falls apart when she’s abducted by a religious zealot who proclaims her The Fulfillment of an ancient peace prophecy and whisks her away to marry her greatest enemy.

Wilhelm, Prince of the Ethereals, is reluctant to meet his new bride. He’s grown up believing Vanguards are evil, an enemy to fight and fear…not love. Can he set aside his prejudices and work alongside Layla to bring lasting peace after centuries of war?

Nash, a loner who has never fit in, carries a huge secret, one big enough to destroy both kingdoms. When he accidently meets Layla, he’s no longer content to live in the shadows, but he must resist his growing attraction—for her safety and for the longevity of the two kingdoms.

When Nash’s secret is revealed, a firestorm sweeps through both realms, with Layla at the center. Now she must choose between duty and desire while the fate of two nations hangs in the balance.

The Prophecy can be purchased at the MuseItUp bookstore, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, and other ebook retailers.

About the Author:

Erin Albert is an author and fitness trainer. Since she picked up Morris the Moose Goes to School at age four, she has been infatuated with the written word. She went on to work as a grammar and writing tutor in college and is still teased by her family and friends for being a member of the “Grammar Police.” In her free time, Erin enjoys acting, running, kickboxing, and, of course, reading and writing.

Find Erin online:

Twitter: @ErinAlbertBooks

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Erin-Albert-Books/182769448541270

Website: www.erinalbertbooks.com

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18160774-the-prophecy

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Feeling in the Christmas Spirit

November 19, 2013 / Katie L. Carroll

Some years all the early Christmas hoopla gets on my nerves. The commercials starting just after Halloween, hearing Christmas music on the radio before Thanksgiving, and seeing Santa at the mall in early November can really get the blood bubbling.

But this year, I kind of don’t mind. If I allow myself to look past the commercialism of the holiday, all that often annoying stuff can be sweet. Those sappy commercials, well, some of them are kind of heart-warming. The music is nostalgic and wonderful. The lights and trees are beautiful.

Maybe this change of heart is because The Boy is old enough to really enjoy unwrapping presents, decorating cookies, and reading Christmas stories. Maybe it’s because I might actually have a little bit of time to enjoy the Christmas wrapping and baking that comes with the season.

You know what, I don’t even care why. I’m not going to ruin this Christmas spirit I’m feeling with over analyzing it. So bring on the music, the lights, and the cheer! I’m into it this year, and I’m going to live it up while it lasts!

Katora Duels in the Realms Faire

November 11, 2013 / Katie L. Carroll

Image[2] Katora, from my YA fantasy Elixir Bound, is taking part in the biggest literary duel of the year as part of the Realms Faire, an online literary event hosted by M. Pax. Writer and artist Cassandra Webb is hosting Katora and her foe. And there’s a giveaway going on, too!

In honor of this battle, Katora wanted to share a little about herself with a Q&A session. Please post any questions you may have for Katora in the comments. She’ll be stopping by throughout the day to answer them. Here are a few Katora has answered already:

What is your strongest personality trait?

My ma always tells me I’m stubborn when it comes to everything, but I think I’m only stubborn about the stuff that really matters.

What is your greatest fear?

I don’t like to admit I’m afraid of anything, but if I had to pick one thing, I would say a fear of being controlled. I like my independence and don’t want anyone messing with it.

What are some of the biggest stumbling blocks you’ve encountered while on your journey in Faway Forest?

Well, let’s see…there’s Roodesh, the crazy leader of the miniature tilli demick species; Yeselda, the power hungry witch of Faway Forest, who has three terrifying horse-riding spirits as henchme

n; Bhar and Kylene, my brother and sister who can’t seem to stay out of trouble. And well, the long-lashed, smooth-lipped Hirsten…but I promised I wouldn’t be feeling his lips on mine again. I had a quest to complete; it was not the time to be falling in love.

Which words or phrases do you most overuse?

“Great Mother!” I’m not sure Mother Nature would approve of me using her name so much to express my less-than-virtuous feelings.

If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be?

I would love to be more open about my feelings, though if you told anyone I told you this, I would deny

it. Seriously, though, I think life might be easier if I could me more like my sister Kylene, who tends to wear her emotions on her sleeve. I keep mine all bottled up and then get annoyed when people don’t understand me. But how are they supposed to understand me if I never let them know how I’m feeling?

What words of wisdom would you like to share with our readers?

It’s taken me a long time to follow Pop’s advice. He told me to follow my heart, and when I finally did that, the answers to life’s hardest questions suddenly seemed simple.

Now it’s your turn to ask away. And don’t forget to check out Katora’s duel. Oh, one last thing. Elixir Bound is still on sale for $.99. Not sure how long this great price will last, so check it out on Amazon or the MuseItUp bookstore.

a Rafflecopter giveaway