NEVERLAND

For all of us who can't wait until Spring (who listens to groundhogs anyway) I've got some great news!

My next YA/Paranormal, NEVERLAND, will be released in APRIL!!

Here's the synopsis: 

It’s been four months since seventeen-year-old Livy Cloud lost her younger sister, but she isn’t quite ready to move on with her life — not even close. She’d rather spend her time at the Seattle Children’s hospital, reading to the patients and holding onto memories of the sister who was everything to her and more.

But when she meets the mysterious and illusive Meyer she is drawn into a world of adventure, a world where questions abound.

Is she ready to live life without her sister? Or more importantly, is she brave enough to love again?

Will Livy lose herself to Neverland or will she find what she’s been searching for? 

This is a re-imagining of Peter Pan set in Seattle. I CAN NOT tell you how excited I am to get this out into the world. Peter Pan has always been one of my favorites, and I hope you all fall in love with Meyer. =)

It is up on Goodreads!! Feel free to add it!

Cover Coming Soon!!

BEING INDIE

I'm all about being Indie!!

KATE TRIUMPH is now available at The King's English bookstore in SLC, Utah!

More indie stores coming soon! =) But I had to start with The King's English because it's my favorite and it's surrounded by mountains!!

If you are in or around SLC go find it there!!

CALIFORNIA DREAMING

How I spent my winter vacation...

Over the holidays we traveled out west where the mountains are big and the family is plentiful. We were there over Christmas and New Years and it made me realize how beautiful the mountains are and how much I've missed them. OH! And I missed my family as well. =)

And then just after January hit we took a detour over to California to the place where I was born and raised, and for the first time I truly felt like I was coming home. It's strange how your childhood memories center everything you are. I no longer have family there, but the smells in the air; the color of the light — everything was familiar. Everything felt like me.

Lemon trees 

I've lived a couple of places for a decent amount of time, and it's been a long while since I've been back to California. But it remembered me in a way I haven't in a really long time.

It's always nice to feel familiar. Even better when it comes with sunshine.


In KATE TRIUMPH I've always related to Kate's need to belong somewhere. She's forced to move often and has yet to find a home. And when she ends up in Mercer Island, a place that isn't familiar to her, a place where she doesn't have childhood memories, she eventually finds her familiarity.

She finds her home.

Currently I'm working on the continuation of her story as well as finishing up the edits on my next YA novel, NEVERLAND. It's been brought to my attention that the common thread in these novels is my female protagonist's need to feel familiar.

This is very evident in Kate as well as Livy (NEVERLAND) and I believe it's a theme that will continue as Kate's story continues.

But the truth is every character I've ever met is vulnerable and strong in some way. It makes them feel human. Real.

I hope you feel this, relate to this, in Kate and soon Livy. Characters should jump off a page. They should speak to you. Make you feel something.

Otherwise we writers aren't doing it right.

Well, Hello There, 2015!!

Happy Holidays!!

Wait. Let's try that again.

Welcome back!! So... I've been gone for about a month or two, but now that it's 2015 and things are back to happening it's time for more recent blog posts. YAY blog posts!! Right??

Anyway.

The KATE TRIUMPH book trailer is still in the works, and so far it looks AWESOME!!

Have you read KATE yet??! If you have I'd love to hear from you! Reviews make my day! =)

Now that 2015 is here... I feel I should spread some news...

!!!!

Did you hear about that one book I've been working on and can't wait to share with you?? NO?

Well. More details coming soon, but let me throw this your way...

Do you love Peter Pan? Do you love Seattle?? Do you love love and young adult novels and such??

=)

NEVERLAND will release in early Spring!!

Stay tuned for more details.

And happy reading!

A SALE AND A BOOK TRAILER!

This week has been a busy one. There is a lot going on in KATE TRIUMPH-land.

First things first... KATE TRIUMPH is currently on sale over on Amazon. You can pick it up for $0.99!! $0.99 I tell you!!

And!!

The excitement continues...

We are currently working on the KATE TRIUMPH book trailer!! Continue to check back here for updates and teasers and stuff.

Here's a photo from the set... =)

SOOO EXCITING!!!

Hope you all had a Happy Thanksgiving!! =)

News! Updates and Giveaways!!

Sorry for the radio silence. I was away in Texas and just got back last night. While I was gone some super awesome things happened and I wanted to share them with you!!

First: KATE was written up in the Huffington Post!! YES!! I KNOW! You can find that awesomeness here!

There have been a few contests going on around the internet to win an ebook of KATE. You can find some here:

Giveaway at My Book Addiction!

Giveaway at Mythical Books!

Giveaway at Happy Tails and Tales!

Giveaway at Literary Winner!

Giveaway at Chosen By You Book Club!

Giveaway at Bibliophile Mystery!

And!! You can also enter to win a paperback over at Goodreads! Enter here!!

OH!! And KATE made it on TV!! Watch it here!!

And for all of you who prefer epub files you can also find KATE TRIUMPH on Smashwords!!

Remember!! Reviews are very important!! =)


Now I'm off to continue working on the next KATE!! More news coming soon!! =)

MUSIC AND BOOKS

A story always begins with an idea, but for me that story won't get written without a soundtrack. I can never start writing until I have the "feeling" of the story just right. That feeling basically sets the mood and foundation of the story and helps me get ideas whenever I'm feeling stuck. For KATE TRIUMPH my "feeling" song was "23" by Blonde Redhead. I knew as soon as I heard it that it would be played over and over again until the beginning was just right.

And as for the rest of the story, here's a list of all the songs that contributed to the making of KATE TRIUMPH: (in alphabetical order)

Amandine "For all the Marbles" 

Animal Collective "My Girls"

Beirut "Elephant Gun"

Blonde Redhead "23"

The Cinematic Orchestra "To Build You A Home"

The Decemberists "The Crane Wife 3"

Feist "1234"

John Mayer "Say"

My Morning Jacket "Touch Me I'm Going to Scream, Pt. 2"

The New Pornographers "The Bleeding Heart Show"

Peter Bjorn and John "Nothing to Worry About"

Silversun Pickups "Lazy Eye"

Stars "Look Up"

Stars "Take Me To The Riot"

Enjoy the music! And I hope you enjoy KATE!

HOW TO MAKE IT THROUGH YOUR BOOK BIRTHDAY

Last Thursday KATE TRIUMPH officially made her debut into the world. There was much joy, some crying and a whole lot of sugar consumed. Like, a lot a lot. I have learned that the only way to make it through a stressful/exciting moment is to eat Nutella straight from the jar.

Here's proof:

This is the big bottle, people, not the small one. It was full on Thursday. A few days later I need to buy more.

And just because a bottle of Nutella doesn't look all that celebratory I visited this place:

And brought some home. (No photo because they didn't last very long)

Now that KATE TRIUMPH is alive and out in the world here is where she is currently residing:

She is very happy there.

OH! And this happened: 

Yes. I totally made the news feed with JK Rowling. Here is the link. No, I won't be visiting her at her castle, but I'd love to visit Scotland. I've always wanted to go there. Like, ALWAYS. 

I hope you all enjoy reading KATE TRIUMPH!! Now off to write the next one. =)

CONFESSIONS OF A DEBUT AUTHOR

On Thursday, October 16th (two days from now!!!) my YA Paranormal debut, KATE TRIUMPH will be out in the world. Two days. Two days is not a very long time. However, the story of how this book came to be a debut is rather long.

I'll give you the short version.

About eight years ago I got the idea that I wanted to write a novel. I've always thought about writing, I'd written countless short stories and such, but never had I attempted to write an entire book. While I was writing it I thought about publishing it. Of course I did. I thought about getting an agent and an editor, and having people buy it and read it. I hoped that it would sell. I remember my husband would try to keep me grounded by telling me how statistically difficult it was to get a book published and I would smile and say, "Yes, but I believe."

And I did. A lot. 

Then one day (not very long after I'd finished writing my second book) it sold. And I thought, this is it. I'm an author.

The road of my debut book had many twists and turns. But eight years later I have a physical copy of my book. And it is real. And I still have hope.

It isn't all that easy writing a book. And it's even less easy selling it. But I'm proud of what I've accomplished, and this Thursday I hope you will all help me welcome KATE into the world. And read it too. =)

THE STORY BEHIND KATE TRIUMPH

There's always a story behind how a book came to be, whether the idea came from something the author witnessed, or heard, or simply imagined.
This story of mine started with a name. I was working on something entirely different, something that was keeping me up until four in the morning. I remember going to bed, listening to the birds waking up and chirping, and thinking how my daughter would be up soon as well. But I couldn't sleep. My mind was still reeling with all the things I had just written and all the things I had yet to write. And then somewhere in the back of my mind came this noise. It was more distracting than the other thoughts and ideas, to the point of annoyance.

Weird, right? Yeah, I know.

But it eventually got louder and louder until I stopped thinking about the other stuff and gave it my complete attention. And there it was. A name. Not just any name, but a strong name.

KATE TRIUMPH.

This name pushed all the other words and ideas right out of my head.

KATE TRIUMPH.

I eventually fell asleep, but I knew a name like that would stick around awhile.

The next morning I told my husband about this name and asked him what he thought it meant. He's used to my weirdness so he didn't roll his eyes or ask me to see someone professionally, instead he thought about the name with me.

I told him with a name like that she had to be a super hero. He told me he agreed, and then for the next few weeks we plotted and brainstormed and eventually decided that with a name like KATE TRIUMPH she'd have to be the daughter of James Bond. Not like the real James Bond, but someone similar to James Bond, someone like Andrew Shore.

And... that is how KATE TRIUMPH came to be.

On October 16th KATE will be out in the world. I hope you all enjoy her like I do. I hope you see her strength and feel her compassion the way I do.

To me, KATE TRIUMPH is a super hero. Her story has yet to give me peace. It grows in my mind even now.

***NEWS FLASH!!***

Coming soon!! KATE TRIUMPH is getting a book trailer!! Check back here for more details!!

Isn't that exciting??!!