Pre-order I Walked With Jesus!

Readers, get my new book, "I Walked With Jesus: New Testament Stories of Faith and Healing From the Least of These" on August 30! Pre-order the Kindle book today!

CHARACTER INTERVIEW: Missy Mack and BOOK TRAILER: Hidden Secrets by J.S. Andersen

     Tell me a little about yourself (where you live, who you are, what you look like, what you hope to achieve, etc.)

Oh my heck. I’m feeling a little nervous. I don’t like talking about myself. I live in a mid-size city, Nampa, ID. I’m a Tom Boy and only wear a dress if I’m forced too. I do like to brag that when I go fishing, I don’t mind cutting and cleaning out the fish. There, know you can see I’m not a gimp. Oh, and I’ve eaten a cow tongue once too.

     What do you like to do in your spare time?

Okay, my family is so old fashioned. I have no cell phone and our family doesn’t have internet or cable T.V. You’d think we would since my dad is a C.P.A.

I do what my mom did when she was my age. I ride a dirt bike, jump on my trampoline, read and write in my journal. And if it works out, I go horseback riding on one of my friend’s horses.

     What is your favorite color and why?

     I like green and blue separate and combined. Harvest colors. They're just cool colors.

      

     What is your favorite food? Why is it your favorite?

     I’m not a picky eater and it depends on my mood. Love Hawaiian Pizza (Canadian bacon and pineapple) and General Tso’s Chicken.

.       

     What would you say is your biggest quirk?

     Living in my dreams. Getting tired of not knowing if it’s for real or just a dream. I have picked-up a habit of flapping my arms like a chicken trying to fly. Another one I just picked up was rubbing my thighs. Don’t know why but hope that habit leaves soon.

     What is it about your antagonist that irks you the most, and why? Share a line in the book where this irk is manifested.

Dealing with being second best. Not popular and taken advantage of. Here’s an example..

Maura gave her a scowl. “Why don’t you have a cell phone? Way uncool, you know.”

Missy imagined Maura’s thoughts. ‘Why are we friends? She’s the weirdo of our group.’ She didn’t answer, knowing she would be opening herself up for negative feedback from Maura. She wondered why she did hang out with Maura and Ally. Hanging out with Julie was fun, but the others came as a package deal.

     What or who means the most to you in your life? What, if anything, would you do to keep him/her/it in your life?

Hard question. I love my parents and my little brother, but keep it to myself. Expressing emotions is hard for me. Even when I tell my parents I love them, I feel embarrassed.

       

     What one thing would you like readers to know about you that may not be spelled out in the book in which you inhabit?

I can sense things before they happen, good or bad. Sometimes it even gets confusing in my story, my dreams and real life encounters. Sometimes I don’t know if something is really happening or if it’s only a dream.

      

     If you could tell your writer (creator) anything about yourself that might turn the direction of the plot, what would it be?

I'd like to turn into Maura. A self-centered, stuck-up girl is never wrong. 

     Ask me any question. I've always wanted to know what a character thinks about writers like myself.

What makes writers create characters? Is there a part in your personal life you want to live through us?

Fantastic question, Missy. I think we create characters to live out some of our dreams, yes, but I also think we create characters  to make sense of the world. We like to figure out how people tick, and working with characters can help us to do that. My characters are fiction with a little sprinkling of people I already know. It's almost like they become a new neighbor or friend in the months it takes me to write my next book. And I like making new friends.

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Learn more about Hidden Secrets:

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TUESDAY TRAILER's and HOW TO's: Over Easy

Today, I am officially beginning my Tuesday Trailer's and How To's postings. What this means is that from now on, expect to see a trailer or how to video from me every Tuesday. The videos will differ from the trailers posted on Fridays because they will:

Be about my books only.

Will share writing, publishing or marketing 'how to's from others that I have found insightful.

In time, I plan on putting together my own 'how to' videos, so you will see these here as well.

For today, I wanted to start with a book trailer for my latest mystery which will be released in early April. Enjoy!

As always, I am happy to hear your comments about anything I post here; this helps me to improve my blog and make it better for you.

💓Kathryn

Marketing Your Book on a Budget 2017

It's that time again!

Marketing Your Book on a Budget 2017 has been released!

Get it in paperback or eBook!

Get the Book at Amazon!

TIE DIED: Behind the Scenes

As some of you know, I've begun my first YA mystery series!

I also know that many of you are working on your first book, wondering how I get it all together when it comes to writing, publishing and marketing my books.

And so, I wanted to give you a little behind-the-scenes look at the process of book publishing and marketing. You may just find my thoughts helpful on your own journey to book publishing.

Book trailers are big these days, so I've put together my first book trailer of TIE DIED: BEHIND THE SCENES.

In this video I will tell you how I came up with the title, what's in the future for the series, and I will give you a little taste of the book's beginning below:

I remember the day I first found her. She was lying by the stream in that park I always go to when I'm out running. Just lying there as if taking a nap. But it was November in Utah and it was odd that someone would be taking a nap in the snow. The water itself was practically frozen, white glossiness covering most of the stream where I'd dipped my toes in just this past summer. The leaves were already gone from the trees and I felt suddenly as if I was somewhere I shouldn't be. My skin was cold and yet I didn't shiver as I looked down at the girl wearing the red running shoes.

                She must have been running because she wore sweat pants - dark black with a white stripe down the legs, a tie dyed sweat shirt - and a scarf, still around her head. It looked like wool. Her eyes were opened. Brown. And her hair, blond - no, more like a light brown with golden highlights. It lay crusted against the snow, glued to it almost, fanned out like the sun.

                I didn't scream.

                I reached for my cell phone from my back pocket and dialed the police all the while watching the girl, her skin a light blue, her lips - white. How long had she been there? How had she been killed? Why had she been killed?

                And then I looked at the bottom of her shoes. There was no mud. No snow. They were as clean as paper that hadn't been written on yet. The path near the stream was at least 20 feet from this frozen steam. She could never have jumped that far.

                There were no tire tracks. Just one set of footprints coming to the stream and then away from it. They were large, much larger than her own that had decorative symbols on the bottom...

                "Hello, Hello?"

                "Oh, yes, sorry."

                "Do you have something to report?"

                "Yes. Yes... I found a girl at Montgomery Park. She's dead."

CONTEST! Win Conquering Your Goliaths!

Click on the link below to learn more!

Conquering Your Goliaths: A Parable of the Five Stones 

HALLOWEEN IS SNEAKIN' UP

What will you choose to read this Halloween?

After the trick-or-treating there will be lulls I'm sure, and if you haven't planned on watching a scary movie, why not try a mystery book?

Here's my latest book trailer. Enjoy!

Kathryn

BOOK TRAILER: Creative & Funny Poetry for Kids by Gloson Teh

Find the book at Amazon

Friday Flicks: Journey, by Aaron Becker

Get the Book at Amazon!

Listen to the book trailer here!