Two FREE books today and tomorrow

 

December 22 and 23, get these two books.

At Amazon

At Amazon

Ready...set...FREE!

Happy Thanksgiving!!

I have four FREE books slotted for the end of November beginning on the 24th, Black Friday. They are

Conquering Your Goliaths - 24th

The Feast - 25th

 

The Gift - 26th

and Enlightened - 27th!

CYBER MONDAY FEEL GOOD DEAL!

Today is Cyber Monday, and you know what that means! A FREE gift for you!

For the first time, get all three Parables in one place. That's Conquering Your Goliaths, The Feast, and The Gift!

Get the book HERE!

CHARACTER INTERVIEW: Joy from the Parable series by Yours Truly

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

My name is Joy and I live with my mother. We live anywhere we can find, and sometimes I am able to spend a few nights at a homeless shelter for teens. My father is no longer in the picture, and that's fine with me, though at least with him, we had a place to live. My greatest hope is to find a better life for myself and my mother - even though she has given up all hope and I'm carrying the burden for both of us.

What do you like to do in your spare time?

My spare time is plentiful. Mother and I walk the streets and make infrequent visits to see Virginia and Richard at Just Desserts. I wish for a job, for a way out, but so far, all we really have is each other.

What is your favorite color and why?

I love pink. Actually, I love any color besides black.

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

That's easy. Cupcakes. They make them at Just Desserts and once I've saved up, my mother takes me over there for a special treat. Each cupcake is always served with a glittering ring on top - but the first ring was my favorite. I can't tell you why, you'll just have to read the series. It starts with Conquering Your Goliaths: A Parable of the Five Stones, next you'll want to read The Feast: A Parable of the Ring, and finally, you'll want to get your hands on, The Gift: A Parable of the Key.

What would you say is your biggest quirk?

I keep thinking that my mom's going to change, but I'm not sure if this is a quirk. Perhaps liking cupcakes so much is a quirk, but I think there's something else to liking them that I just haven't figured out yet.

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

My antagonist is the whole world and not anyone in particular, though my mother comes at a quick second, and my father definitely would if he was still around. Let's see, if it wasn't for my mother being addicted to drugs maybe she'd be able to get a job and then we could rent a place. I'm old enough to work but it's hard to get a job when you're homeless. I have high hopes that one day Virginia or Richard will ask me. I know I can work hard, I just worry what will happen to mother if I go to work. Will she be able to work with me?

Joy peered behind her mother like a small child. But she wasn't a small child. What was the woman doing to her only daughter? Whatever it was, she wouldn't stand for it.

"We have a right to our privacy!" the woman screamed, taking her daughter by the hair and pulling her in front of her.

"I'm so..." Joy began.

"Don't you go apologizing!"

"We're... in... their...house," Joy stammered.

Grace glared at Virginia. "It doesn't matter," she wheezed, letting go of her daughter's hair and taking her daughter by the hand. "I suppose you want us to leave."

Virginia was dumb struck. What could she possibly say to this woman? Do? And then the words came:

"We will not allow drugs in this house! I don't care if it's booze or needles!"

Joy blinked her large green eyes. "I told you, I told you they'd find out!"

Grace scowled. "I told you to be quiet."

Joy laughed. But it was a sickly laugh, almost as if she couldn't believe what her mother had told her to do.

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?

God means the most to me. Perhaps you don't believe me, but my grandmother always told me to remember who I was, and I know that I'm more than a homeless girl trying to take care of her mother. I have a spirit and I know God is my father. I also love Virginia and Richard. They continue to help me and I'm happy they are in my life.

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 know that I can have a better life. Sure, it's hard now, but I have this feeling that God is leading me along somehow. How else would I have ever met Virginia and Richard?

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

Sometimes I get tired of waiting for my mother to be like she used to be. I get short tempered with her (at least in my mind). I'm tired of taking care of her. I have sometimes thought to just leave her and find my own way, but I just can't do that. If someone is sick do you just leave them at the side of the road because you don't like what they're doing? My mother was good once. Maybe she will be good again.

Ask me any question. I've always wanted to know what a character thinks about writers like myself. I'll answer the question at the end of this interview.

Why do characters have to go through so much bad stuff? Why couldn't you have made things just a little easier on me?

Great question, Joy. You know, life isn't always about what you want, and sometimes it's worse than you could ever imagine, but that's how life is. That's why the stones and what they represent are so important - Listening, Trust, Optimism, Tenacity and Constancy, aren't just fun words to memorize, they are new ways of living and remaining close to God.

This is one thing I know for sure because I created all of my endings; they are always hopeful. You will get through this hard time. You will. And you will just love the ending (and the new beginning) I have given you.

***

Thanks, Joy!

Learn more about Joy and the author,

yours truly,

Kathryn Elizabeth Jones

by clicking on the social media tags on the front page

SIMPLE TREASURES A SUCCESS!!

A BIG THANK YOU to all who stopped by my booth this past weekend! I had my BIGGEST show ever!

Top seller was "The Gift: A Parable of the Key"!

At AMAZON!

I had a great time meeting you and giving out FREE audio's to those who agreed to do a review for me. I'm looking forward to seeing these soon on Amazon.

As a head's up, I still have 8 audio slots left, and so if you'd like to review the audio of The Gift, please let me know and I'll send along the code via email.

I will also be offering the eBook of Conquering Your Goliaths: A Parable of the Five Stones on Black Friday. You can get it here then. That's the 27th of November.

AT AMAZON!

WINNERS HAVE BEEN CHOSEN FOR Conquering Your Goliaths and The Feast

THANKS TO EVERYONE WHO ENTERED! AND CONGRATS TO THE WINNERS!

If you haven't read Conquering Your Goliaths: A Parable of the Five Stones or The Feast: A Parable of the Ring, you may just want to enter one or both of these contests. Amazon will ship the books to the winners.

You can find the contests by clicking the links below:

https://giveaway.amazon.com/p/b9f4a95b9c5fbb74

https://giveaway.amazon.com/p/32bf973ad4cc3557 

Both of these contests are in preparation for the release of my upcoming book, The Gift: A Parable of the Key, to be released on September 1, 2015. ENTER TODAY!!

Summer Writing

Summer writing this year will be taking a different course. Usually I spend quite a bit of time writing, but this year my grandchildren from Texas will be making their way over to spend the summer with us.

Writing (for the most part) will just have to wait.

I see myself spending most of my waking hours going to the park, snuggling on the couch, or making many visits to the local fun places. I guess you could say that come June 7, I will be spending most of my time making memories for future use in a book I may not have even dreamed up yet.

And I think it's safe to say that I will be okay with that - besides, I still have my mentoring sessions with authors, and, believe it or not, a book to get ready for a September release.

So, wish me luck, and please, PLEASE, let me know if I can schedule you for an author or character interview (or both) for September.

Happy Writing!

Kathryn

What's Next for Me in the Writing World? UPDATE!

I was asked what was next for me the other day. As if I haven't been busy enough with my new book, The Feast, to be released Monday, September 30. (Update: Book was released by Amazon on September 26! Early, yes, but it's hard to predict these things!)

And yet, I understand the importance of the question.



Get the book at Amazon!

As a writer, you're just not writing, not just publishing, but you're continually thinking about what is coming up for you next. Sort of like that vacation that you've been planning for a few months or a year, you're thinking forward to the glorious day.

As so I'll tell you. I'm going to be having a fun and "pink" book release party on October 19 from 1-4. (If you live near me in Utah, send me a 'I'd like to come message' and I'll add you to my friend list). I can't plan on the weather being good, so it might be outside or inside, depending on the chill. But be assured that my new book will be here, and some luscious pink cupcakes and a strawberry slush (or something equally tempting). And you can be assured that there will be plenty of opportunity to visit.

After that...

I will be working on getting the word out about my new book AND I will be finishing the planning on my book, Marketing Your Book on a Budget, due out January 2014. Be prepared for some new and exciting additions! I am continually learning about what works for me and what doesn't when it comes to getting the word out and you will see new ideas in this book!

After that...yes, there will be a third book in the parable series. But I believe this will be the final one. My working title is The Gift. I have some ideas swirling in my brain but nothing is on paper--yet.

Oh yes, plan on me at the Simple Treasures show in November. And maybe somewhere else! I love selling my books at craft shows!

 

Last year's show was fantastic! This year's show will be November 6-9

That's it. I think.

What's next for you? I would love to hear.

Kathryn