Books for kids, teens, & those who are young at heart

Tag: Katie L. Carroll (Page 7 of 8)

Elixir Bound Sale

Just in time for Christmas, Elixir Bound is only $1.99 on Amazon. If you don’t have a Kindle, don’t fret, Elixir Bound will be $1.99 on Thursday, December 20th at the MuseItUp Bookstore (where you can buy it for your Kindle, Nook, computer, or other device). UPDATE: Elixir Bound is on sale one day early–as in right now–at the MuseItUp bookstore if you want to buy it. No shipping or wrapping required!

In case you haven’t heard what Elixir Bound is all about, here’s a short blurb:

Elixir_Bound_300dpiKatora Kase is next in line to take over as guardian to a secret and powerful healing Elixir. Now she must journey into the wilds of Faway Forest to find the ingredient that gives the Elixir its potency. Even though she has her sister and brother, an old family friend, and the handsome son of a mapmaker as companions, she feels alone.

For it is her decision alone whether or not to bind herself to the Elixir to serve and protect it until it chooses a new guardian. The forest hosts many dangers, including wicked beings who will stop at nothing to gain power, but the biggest danger Katora may face is whether or not to open up her heart to love.

Check out Lorrie Unites-Struiff’s blog on Thursday for an original short story about how Katora, Bhar, and Kylene celebrate the Winter Solstice.

The Liebster Award

 Thanks to Meradeth Houston over at the Write Stuff for passing on the Liebster Award to me.

What is The Liebster Award you ask? 
Well, it’s an award given to up-and-coming bloggers who have less than 200 followers. Think of it as a virtual pat on the back. A bit of recognition for doing a good job and encouragement to keep going.
And let’s not forget the bloggers that have been blogging for a while and have great blogs.

In the spirit of the award, let me just take a minute to plug my blog. I’ve added a bunch of sharing buttons all over the Observation Desk, so I encourage you to click on those. Also, note the sidebar where you can subscribe to the blog. All you have to do is type in your email address and you’ll receive an email when a post goes live. I promise I do not use your email address for anything else. Finally, you can click on the RSS feed in the coffee cup up in the right-hand corner to add the Observation Desk to any reader. Okay, on to the questions!

1. If you won the lottery, what is the first thing you would purchase?

Definitely a Ferrari…a red one, like Magnum P.I. drove.

2. Is there something unique about you that you’d like to share with the readers?

I used to be quite the jock. I earned 12 varsity letters in high school for soccer, basketball, and track.

3. Where is your dream place to live and why?

Well, I actually like the small city I live in now (corny, right!). There’s a nice green downtown, lots of beaches, and most importantly my family is nearby. But if I bought a second home, I think it would be in London.

4. What do you find is the most difficult part of the writing process?

For me the hardest part right now is breaking through all the fear and self-doubt and just getting the story written. Writing for publication is a tough, tough business to get into, and it’s hard not to let the fear paralyze you.

5. Tell us something about yourself that we don’t know.

I get very, very nervous about showing my emotions in public.

6. Do you have any pet peeves?

When you smile at a stranger to be polite, and they don’t smile back. So rude!

7. Do you have any special habits you do when you write?

Unlike with sports, I really don’t have any special habits for superstitions when it comes to writing. I do like to have tea while I’m writing, but I don’t absolutely need it.

8. Did you ever write your friends or family members in your books?

Yes. 🙂 *evil laughter*

9. What is your favorite drink?

Well, tea I’ve already mentioned, so I’ll say that Riesling is my favorite wine.

10.  Who gives you the best encouragement to keep writing?

My 13-year-old nephew, who is also a writer (and his mom, my twin-not-twin sister).

11. Do you have a critique group or a special author circle?

Yes! I have a local critique group I meet with once a month and a few writer friends online as well.

Okay, the last part of this award is to list 11 random things about myself.

My favorite Harry Potter book is Goblet of Fire. I used to be a puzzle magazine editor. When I was three years old, I told everyone I was a boy because I wanted to play baseball for the New York Yankees. My elbows are double-jointed. I once pierced my own belly button. The last book I read is Kimberly Sabatini’s Touching the Surface. I have really weird dreams all the time, some of them lucid. My favorite artist is Vincent Van Gogh. I could eat pizza every day. I publish under my maiden name. How many is that? Apparently I’m not very good at counting…okay one more. My favorite person in the world is The Boy, of course!

I now have the pleasure of passing this award to two fabulous bloggers and authors: Kay Lalone, author of “Ghostly Clues” (who you met earlier this week on the blog) and Tonja Drecker, author of “In the Shadow of the Eagle’s Eye” in the upcoming anthology “Real Girls Don’t Rust.”

I’ve asked them both to answer the above questions, and instead of giving 11 random things about themselves, share their 11 favorite books!

“The Bedtime Knight” Is Born

Today marked the day my picture book The Bedtime Knight, illustrated by Erika Baird, originally released with a company called MeeGenuis. While it’s no longer available there, you can now buy the ebook or signed copies of the paperback on the Purchase Books page

You also find it at BookshopAmazonBarnes & NobleKobo, or Book Depository (for international folks). Listen to the audiobook on ChirpBarnes & Noble, Kobo, Audible, Libro.fm, Scribd, Audiobooks.com, and Google Play.

When the lights turn off at bedtime, a young mouse’s imagination runs wild. Daddy Knight charges in to the rescue and sheds light on what the shadows really are. Then he empowers his daughter to turn the scary shadows into fun imaginings.

THE BEDTIME KNIGHT is a gentle way to face the childhood fear of the dark. Perfect for a bedtime story or as a read-aloud any time of day.

The Next Big Thing Blog Hop

Warning: The Next Big Thing Blog Hop has gone viral. On this hallowed day, I’m sad to report I’m the latest victim. That means you’ll have to suffer through hearing all about my latest work in progress, a follow up to my novel Elixir Bound.

This all happened thanks to the virus-spreading Rosalie Skinner, who shared the pestilence of her work in progress last week.

What is the working title of your book?

Elixir Saved

Where did the idea come from for the book?

When I wrote Elixir Bound, I always knew I wanted to write a more epic sequel. Enter Elixir Saved. Three POV characters, an epic battle scene, and life-and-death choices.

What genre does your book fall under?

YA fantasy adventure

What actors would you choose to play your characters in a movie rendition?

This is a tough one, mostly because I haven’t had power for the last few days, which inhibits my ability to scan the Internet looking for just the right actors.

What is the one-sentence synopsis of your book?

Each saved by the Elixir, three survivors must decide how much they are willing to sacrifice with their second chance at life.

Will you book be self-published or represented by an agency?

Most likely neither. I’ll be sending it to the publisher of Elixir Bound once it’s ready.

How long did it take you to write the first draft of your manuscript?

Who can say? Hopefully not as long as it took to write Elixir Bound. I’m aiming for less than a year.

What other books would you compare this story to within your genre?

Genre wise I’d say Kristin Cashore’s and Melina Marchetta’s fantasies. Wouldn’t I love someone else to compare me to those writers!

Who or what inspired you to write this book?

My sister Kylene, who died unexpectedly at the age of sixteen. I’ve been very candid about how she has influenced me in my writing career.

What else about your book might pique the reader’s interest?

Most of your favorite characters from Elixir Bound will make appearances in this book. Honestly, I’ve grown so much as a writer these last few years, I think Elixir Saved will be even better than its predecessor!

On November 7th, the next victims of the blog hop will be posting about their own books and works in progress and spreading the madness. Tag, you’re it:

Meradeth Houston

Cheryl Carpinello

Sarah C. Pilon

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