Authors, Kai Strand & LA Dragoni

Word Count            Submissions              Rejections        Acceptances   30,700+                          12                           6                        0 A number of years back, a friend of mine took up Irish Dance. I thought it was pretty ambitious for an adult, but she said if she wanted to lose weight, she'd have to significantly step up her activity. It really worked. So this year I realized if I want to see success in my writing career I was going to have to step it up. I'm a slow writer. But in the past I've spent a lot of time not writing. I've changed that and look at the results! Thirty thousands words is nothing to sneeze at. Granted, I won't always be able to lay down that many...

Today we have a special treat. To celebrate their story bundle TEXT ME: 8 Novels of First Love , the authors are sharing their own first love stories. It is sort of like a box of chocolates. You never know what might be inside until you take the bite. Be sure to read about the deal they have on their bundle too! Shana Norris (author of Surfacing ) Hi, I'm Shana Norris . My first love was my cousin's friend, who I met at my cousin's eighth birthday party. We skated together, he bought me a little plastic ring from the gift counter, and then…I never saw him again. Brokenhearted at an early age! Amanda Brice (author of Codename: Dancer ) Hi, I'm Amanda Brice . My first love was a sweet boy named Matt. We held hands on the bus and kissed at the junior high dance. He moved away during the summer between 7th and 8th grade and I didn't see him again for 20 years. We ran into one another on the Metro in DC one day in our early 30s. He looked nothing like he d...

Beverly Stowe McClure invited me to participate in the My Writing Process blog hop. I'm so glad she did. I think it's fun for readers and other writers to learn about a writer's process. So, thank you Beverly for the invite and here goes:  Step 1: Acknowledge the person and the blog site that invited me to take part.  Please visit Beverly's blog and browse her expanding selection of middle grade and young adult books. She's a lovely writer:   http://beverlystowemcclure.blogspot.com . While you are there, be sure to read about her writing process, from last week's post.  Step 2: Answer four questions about my writing process. Me writing (I was actually writing a letter to my bestie, but writing is writing, right?) 1)      What am I working on? I'm currently writing two young adult, romance novella's (the first from the girl's point of view and the second from the guys point of view) that I'm actually considering self-publ...

Welcome to Three Times A Charm. I love introducing my readers to new authors, illustrators, bloggers, agents, editors or promoters from the children’s publishing industry. Today’s guest is author, Christina Weigand. Chris, tell us a little about you, please. Christina Weigand’s a writer, wife, and mother of three grown children and a middle school daughter. She is also Nana to three granddaughters. She lives with her husband and youngest daughter in Pennsylvania, returning there after a short sabbatical in Washington. Currently, she’s working on fantasy novels and inspirational writing. Through her writing, she strives to share the Word of God and help people young and old to realize the love and mercy He has for everyone. When she’s not writing, she’s active in her local Church as a lector, Bible Study, or with the church theater group, volunteering at her daughter’s school helping the children develop a love for reading and writing. Jesus fills her home with love as sh...

I’m excited to be the host for a stop on the World of Ink tour for Alicia Lloyd’s book When The Monsters Are Quiet . Welcome Alicia. Congratulations on your book. What age range is your book for? Alicia: My book ranges from a first to second grade reading level. However, I work with three and four year olds on a daily basis and they comprehend the book and its meaning as well….it is awesome! Kai: Can you share a memory of yours or a story of you from when you were within the age range of your target readers? Alicia: Yes, I had the majority of Dr. Seuss’ books memorized. I chased my family out of the house because they didn’t want to hear me recite “The Cat in the Hat” word-by-word anymore. Kai: That’s adorable! Tell us, how you think life has changed for children today than when you were that age? Alicia: Life has changed drastically, I believe. First of all, with in regards to reading, children can now flip through the pages of books electronically. I do...

I'm excited to be a part of the cover reveal and release day for the young adult novel PARIS CRAVINGS by Kimberley Montpetit. I happen to be a huge fan of the woman and her writing. About PARIS CRAVINGS: Can life really turn on a dime— a missed bus—  or a stuck pastry shop door? Chloe Dillard’s life has always been complicated. She has a mother who is a neurotic romance novelist and a boyfriend who’s been pressuring her to go all the way. After The Worst Night of Her Life Chloe escapes on a trip to the swoon-worthy city of Paris where she becomes stranded after an accident with high heels and a pastry box. Saved by a French boy with chocolate-brown eyes, Chloe begins to wonder if being lost in Paris is the chance of a lifetime. But as attracted as she is to the gorgeous and oh-so-kind La Patisserie shop boy—even he has a girlfriend. The police are tracking her down, Mom’s having a nervous breakdown when she goes missing, and Chloe just wants to have her dream o...