INDIEpendence Day Blog Fest


Happy INDIEpendence Day!

I am joining the Indelibles to celebrate indie authors (self-published and small-press) by holding up an example of an outstanding indie work. Like the 25 Indelible authors, I believe amazing works of fiction can be found in indie novels and I want to help you, the reader, make informed choices on your indie purchases.

When I read about the INDIEpendence Day Blog Fest, I had to sign up because I had a specific indie book in mind that I wanted to read, but hadn’t had the time yet to do. What better reason than an INDIE shout out to get my to-be-read list in order and read what’s important (I know, they ALL are, really)

So I bought the Kindle version of Winging It! by Shel Deslisle and took it on vacation with me. First of all, I read Shel’s first book, Dolphin Girl and loved it. The main character had a great voice. Second, I’ve met, Grace, the main character of Winging It! She’s been on my blog and I fell in love with her when she gave the most fun interview I’ve hosted on my site yet (And I’ve hosted some great interviews)! When you are done with this entry, you can read that awesome interview here.

About the book:

She Just Wants to Fly.
Ever decided to do something that seemed like a good idea and in the second before there’s no turning back think, I musta been totally mental when I came up with this? And, then, Oh, well, here goes.

That’s how Angel-In-Training Grace Lightbourne felt right before she asked the Big Kahuna to go straight to Earth on a mission as a Guardian Angel. The problem? She never was a great student and now she won’t even finish her last three years of school. The make matters worse, Archangel Michael isn’t happy about her special assignment, but Grace is convinced she’s on a fast track to her wings. How hard can it be? She’s working with humans, after all.

Winging It!, the first book in the Angel-In-Training series, is an irreverent, light hearted take on Angels, Heaven and everthing else that’s divine.

My take:

Loved it! Really loved it. It has a tween feel with elements of young adult, so I feel it will appeal to a wide age group. Grace is just as much fun as you might expect from the interview she gave on my blog. Though her disregard for her studies was a stressor for me (that’s my rule follower personality coming out), she learned lessons in her own way and occasionally came to it the old fashioned way – by cracking open a textbook.

The supporting characters were fun and complex, too. I often found myself wondering about their motives and second-guessing their sincerity one minute and then routing for them and wanting to hug them the next.

I’m very glad the INDIEpendence Day Blog Fest gave me the impetus to read this fun book. I look forward to the next in the series and am a bona fide fan of Shel Delisle’s. Brava, Ms. Delisle! Brava!

Buy the book on Amazon. Now! 

Love Indies? Be sure to visit the other bloggers who promise to highlight an indie published book. There are a lot of quality books out there from self published and small press published authors. Keep them writing by buying their books, liking them on Amazon and Barnes & Noble, posting a review and telling all of your friends!




Comments

  1. Susan Kaye QuinnJuly 2, 2012 at 7:11 AM

    This sounds so cute! Definitely going on my list ... I bet my kids will love it too!

    ReplyDelete
  2. AnonymousJuly 2, 2012 at 1:15 PM

    Kai, I just came out of my writing cave to read mail and catch up on Twitter. What an awesome surprise!!

    Thanks for reading and it's wonderful to hear you enjoyed it.

    Okay, back to my cave. Grace's work ethic is a stressor to me, too. :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Kai Strand, AuthorJuly 2, 2012 at 2:59 PM

      Glad you stuck your head out of your cave to find this. Hope it convinces people to buy it. Your characters are so much fun!

      Delete
  3. NicoleJuly 2, 2012 at 6:14 PM

    Oh, that just sounds like pure fun! Thanks for sharing.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Kai Strand, AuthorJuly 2, 2012 at 10:24 PM

      That's exactly what it is! Thanks for stopping in Nicole!

      Delete
  4. wwe11July 3, 2012 at 2:16 AM

    It sounds good, hope to win it.
    erma2167@sbcglobal.net

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Susan Kaye Quinn, Author of Open Minds, Presents:

Image
Finding Time to Write the Sequel by Susan Kaye Quinn, author of Open Minds (Book One of the Mindjack Trilogy) Even before I decided to self-publish my new paranormal/SF novel Open Minds (Book One of the Mindjack Trilogy) , I knew it would be a trilogy. But once I had made the decision to publish, the need to get busy on the sequel(s) kicked into high gear. Except that I was also publishing a book. Most writers find it difficult to balance writing with all the other demands in life. Even people who are lucky enough to write full time (which I am, since I write while my kids are at school), there’s still a tug between writing time and all the other things that need to be done. Once you’re published, this all changes, and not for the better. Now, not only do you need to write and get the kids to school and get the laundry done, but you also need to market your book, which can mean everything from actually getting it published (edits, covers, websites, blogs)
Read more

I Want More – The Story Behind the Story, I Am Me

Image
When an author writes a novel, they make up the characters and the story, but the character, setting, story arc doesn’t just appear out of nowhere. There is usually a story behind the story. Often several little stories, which an author tweaks and cobbles together to mold into the main character or the supporting characters. Sometimes they will set their story in a real place. Other times they will create a fictional place that has aspects of places they’ve visited or lived. In my series, The Story Behind the Story , I will share some of the stories behind my stories. Though I have never outright written a person I know into a book, I have definitely been influenced by those who have crossed my path, as well as places I’ve visited or even simply passed through throughout the many years I’ve been on this earth. Feel free to ask questions or leave comments. I love, love, love to talk books or hear moments of your own life it might remind you of. I Want More – Th
Read more

Robot Writing - What It Is & How to Avoid It

Image
Many beginner writers fall into the habit of what I like to refer to as “robot writing.” It’s when you basically write your scenes like a grocery list. Ex: Marcy stood and walked across the room. Then she picked up the candle stick to inspect it. She blinked when she noticed the spot of dried blood. Marcy dropped the candlestick and ran from the room. I call it robot writing because when I'm reading it I tend to fall into a robotic pattern and start to sound like the robot from the old Lost In Space series. "Danger. Danger. Will Robinson." You may as well put numbers in front of each sentence: First Marcy stood and walked across the room. Second she picked up the candlestick to inspect it. Third she blinked when she noticed the spot of dried blood. Fourth she dropped the candlestick and ran from the room. Don’t get me wrong, robot writing is absolutely acceptable in your first draft, no matter your writing experience. Your first p
Read more