Category: Self-Publishing (Page 2 of 6)

Wrapping Up 2022 and What’s to Come in 2023

January 13, 2023 / Katie L. Carroll

Happy New Year! It seems to be flying by already, and I don’t expect it to slow down. According to Goodreads, I read 52 books in 2022, but that doesn’t include the countless picture books I read. I set my usual goal of 50 books for 2023, though reading is off to a bit of a slow start for me. What are your reading goals for this year?

As an author, 2022 was a banner year as it was the first time I released two books in one year. And 2023 is set to be even bigger with five book releases! (Yes, I do sleep, but probably not as much as I should.)

The first of which is my nonfiction book SELFIES FROM MARS: THE TRUE STORY OF MARS ROVER OPPORTUNITY, which comes out February 13 and is up for preorder on most sites! I have some final proofing and uploading to do, but this one is mostly done and ready to meet readers.

From evidence of water to stunning images,
Mars rover Opportunity allowed humans to
experience the Red Planet as never before.
Ride along on the 15-year mission
that captured hearts a world away!

Then I’ve got three YA thrillers, one standalone and a duology, planned for the spring and summer months. Details on titles, covers, release dates, and ARC copies all coming soon. I’m working on getting a monthly newsletter going, so stay tuned for that. It’ll be the best place to get all my book news first.

And finally, another picture book in the Family Christmas Tales series called DADDY’S TWELVE DAYS OF CHRISTMAS. Phoebe Cho will be illustrating this one, and we will be getting started on that soon. The first in the series was MOMMY’S NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS, which recently got a lovely 5-star review from Readers’ Favorite, earning it a shiny badge.

For anyone interested in a detailed workshop about self-publishing children’s book (picture books through YA), I’m presenting my 90-minute workshop “What to Expect When You’re Self-Publishing” on Saturday, January 21 at 10:30 a.m. (ET). It’s on Zoom, so you can attend from anywhere and there will be a recording available for 30 days after.

Alrighty, one last question for all of you…is there anything in particular you’d like me to blather on about here on the blog this year?

Signed Books, SELFIES FROM MARS Pre-order, & Self-Publishing Workshop

December 5, 2022 / Katie L. Carroll

Since it’s that gift-giving time of year, a reminder that signed copies of my books are available to be shipped right to you on my Purchase Books page. If you want those goodies to arrive by Christmas, you should get your orders in now. And a reminder that you can also purchase them on all the usual online book retailers or order them from your local indie bookstore.

For those of you who aren’t familiar with my books, my award-winning YA fantasies, Elixir Bound and Elixir Saved, are great for teens or adults who love epic fantasy with cozy vibes. Pirate Island and Witch Test are contemporary middle grade with a hint of the supernatural, great for the 8 and up crowd but particularly perfect for 10-14 year-olds.

The Bedtime Knight is an imaginative, interactive picture book that’s a fun read aloud. And finally, Mommy’s Night Before Christmas is a modern take on the classic Christmas poem that is just as much for the adults as it is for the kids. This one is a great stocking stuffer for all the moms in your life.

Speaking of books (as if I talk about so many other things here!), I have a new one coming your way February 13, 2023, and it’s up for pre-order now. Meet Selfies From Mars: The True Story of Mars Rover Opportunity! It’s STEM with heart. This has been a passion project of mine that I’m so excited to bring to readers. It’s my first nonfiction children’s book, and I have loved working on it, particularly using all the amazing NASA images from Opportunity’s mission. I also navigated the tricky world of music licensing for this book.

At Indie Author Day at the Norwalk Public Library, there was a lot of interest from other authors to learn more about self-publishing children’s books. So I’ve been convinced to offer up my self-publishing workshop “What to Expect When Self-Publishing” in January. This is digital workshop, so you can attend from anywhere (details and sign up here)!

Yes, I’ve been very busy! I wouldn’t want it any other way. What have you all been up to this fall?

When a Writer Doesn’t Have Time for Writing and New Books from Katie L. Carroll

October 13, 2022 / Katie L. Carroll

I have been longing to get back into creative mode. I’ve got a revision of my YA psychological thriller Hamlet retelling that has been inching along so very slowly. NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month) starts in a few weeks, and I really want to draft my next YA during November.

However, with two book releases this fall (and approximately a thousand soccer games for my kids), there’s been little time for the actual book writing and revising. It’s a case of the writer not getting to actually write. The fact is being an author means marketing our books, and being an indie author means producing our books as well. I’ll get back into the fun stuff eventually.

The good news is that WITCH TEST is out in the world and spreading all kinds witchy, crow, Halloween vibes. It recently hit #1 in all its categories on Kobo, so that was super exciting! Thank you so much to all who have read, reviewed it, or shared it. Posting reviews on Amazon, Goodreads, and other book retailers is so helpful to authors because it increases the chance of new readers finding it.

MOMMY’S NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS comes out in 12 days! It’s available for pre-order at all the usual places, like Bookshop, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, IndieBound, and Kobo. I’ll soon be getting the listing up on my Purchase Books page for those of you who are interested in signed copies. I’ve probably mentioned this before, but MOMMY’S NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS makes for a great Christmas gift for any moms you know. I still can’t get over the beautiful illustrations by Phoebe Cho.

Here’s a little video I created for it. How’s your fall going?

@katielcarrollauthor
Mommy’s Night Before Christmas by Katie L. Carrol with illustrations by Phoebe Cho is the perfect gift for all the moms (and the kids). #mommysnightbeforechristmas #picturebook #christmasbooks #giftsforher #booktok
♬ We Wish You a Merry Christmas (music box) – yostimar

YA Author KE Strand on “Why a New Pen Name?”

June 6, 2022 / Katie L. Carroll

KE Strand may be writing under a different name, but she is no stranger to guest posting here on the blog. Let’s give a big welcome to YA author KE Strand (and find out if you recognize her other pen name)!

Thanks for having me today, Katie. I love visiting your readers!

Today I want to talk about my brand new book, Bad Boys Don’t Date Clumsy Girls, which I’ve published under a brand new pen name, KE Strand. Why a new pen name you might ask? Let’s start there.

Having multiple pen names isn’t the easiest way to go about authoring. Each time you publish under a new name you must find a new audience, but the same is true when you publish multiple genres under the same name, which I’ve also done (rolls eyes at self.) Let’s take my list of books published under Kai Strand, for example. I’ve published both middle grade and young adult under this name. While many readers are happy to buy both, not all young adult readers will step backward into a middle grade story, nor do most parents want their middle grade reader to read the more mature stories available in young adult. Within those targeted audiences, I’ve published both contemporary and fantasy. Within the fantasy, I’ve published fairy tales and superheroes. So, you see each time I publish a new book, I’m often targeting a new group of readers. I chose to publish my new Oak Grove High series under a new pen name, KE Strand, because I want to separate these books from the rest for a very crucial reason. All the books I publish under this pen name will be clean, wholesome young adult romance. That means, no swearing and nothing more than kissing. I want young adult romance readers to know what to expect when they pick up a book by KE Strand. Do you like a clean teen romance? Then you can count on KE Strand.

BAD BOYS DON’T DATE CLUMSY GIRLS blurb:

When the school’s bad boy infiltrates her shelter, will she lose her sanctuary or her heart?

Hopelessly clumsy Ava, is too focused on graduation and keeping both feet on the ground to have a boyfriend. She has enough to worry about with a less than ideal home life.

Bad boy Dylan can’t help but find Ava’s klutziness entertaining. That doesn’t mean he wants to date her.

When court-ordered community service forces them together at the animal shelter, Ava fears she’s lost her refuge. Dylan’s arrogance gets under her skin. And she finds it unforgivable the dogs prefer him after everything she’s done for them. A spontaneous water fight heats things up and suddenly she anticipates each meeting. But his reputation might be too much for her to overlook.

Will Ava be forced to find a new escape? Or will she stumble her way into his heart?

Bad Boys Don’t Date Clumsy Girls is a light-hearted, clean young adult romantic comedy. The first book in the Oak Grove High series by KE Strand. It will make you cringe, cry, and cackle.

Buy Bad Boys Don’t Date Clumsy Girls for your latest binge read today.

Available in ebook, print and from Kindle Unlimited.

About the Author:

KE Strand escapes within the pages of a book when real life thwarts her own outdoorsy adventures. But her favorite escape is into a story about young love. KE Strand writes clean teen romance because she loves those heart pounding moments of having a crush. The excitement, fear, and confusion of falling in love for the first time. And the relief and thrill of the first kiss. Each time you pick up a KE Strand book you’ll fall in love for the first time. You can find her on the following social media:

Email: kestrand@kestrand.com

Facebook| Instagram| Newsletter

World Wide Writeathon Fundraiser & NESCBWI Conference Registration

March 18, 2022 / Katie L. Carroll

Lots of irons in the fire going on here! I’ll be making a very exciting book announcement soon, so stay tuned for that. I’m also getting very close to being able to share illustration and cover news for my upcoming picture book MOMMY’S NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS. I also have a lot of book release news cooking for next year (I know it’s only March, but publishing thinks ahead!).

Today, I’m highlighting two upcoming events that are of interest to fellow writers. Tomorrow, Saturday, March 19, 2022, at 10 a.m. (ET), you can join me, Julie Zantopoulos, Katlyn Duncan, and Amber McManus for the World Wide Writeathon Fundraiser Sprint. Grab you WIP and get some work done with us!

The charity for the sprint is Rescue.org and our fundraiser will help the fleeing families of the Ukraine. Learn more about the charity here: https://help.rescue.org/donate/ukraine-acq.

The second event is the New England SCBWI 2022 Regional Conference , which takes place April 29 – May 1, 2022. Registration opens today! The theme is “find your star, let it shine.” This conference is once again virtual, so you can attend from anywhere (and in your pajamas if you’d like).

I’ll be teaching an intensive workshop called “What to Expect When You’re Self-Publishing.” I’m really excited to share what I’ve learned about this booming sector of the publishing world and give attendees a guide to start their own self-publishing journey.

There are a ton of other amazing workshops and keynotes from a distinguished group of kidlit creators, including Jane Yolen, Padma Venkataraman, Tara Lazar, Heidi Stemple, Rajani LaRocca, and John Parra. Check out all the workshop options, faculty bios, and registration on the NESCBWI conference page.

You can always check out my Events page for all my upcoming author events and don’t forget you can now buy ebooks and signed print books directly from me on my Purchase Books page. What have you been working on lately?