Authors, Kai Strand & LA Dragoni

You must live life in order to write about it. You have to leave the house, interact with people, develop relationships, experience euphoria and sorrow. The best way for a writer to bring a character to life is to infuse aspects of reality; sights, sounds, smells—into the world the character lives in. But dang it, I don’t want to! I’m jonesing to write full time these days. At least full timer than I am now. Maybe it’s because the end of the school year is in sight and I have short timer’s disease, but not being able to just sit and write for hours on end physically hurts right now. I added 10k words to my WIP—working title, Fugue Identity—over spring break and it felt really good. It wasn’t as much as I’d hoped for, because I actually took some time to enjoy the break as well (plus I have another job, so…) but it really, really felt wonderful to be able to 1) write for long stretches 2) set my own schedule 3) write in public places. Oh well, it is life ...

I'm trying out a new look. What do you think? I need to simplify my writing world. Even though I love my current website: www.kaistrand.com , I'm thinking about letting it go and point my domains here. So, dear readers, before I make such a dramatic change, does this site fill your needs? If you were to need to look up something - anything - about Kai Strand or LA Dragoni, would this site fill those needs? What is it missing that you generally need/want out of an author website? I need to make a final decision soon, so the more input I get right away, the better.

Would you sacrifice everything for love? My new release for the adults among us, is available TODAY! Yay. A life must be lost. Who will make the ultimate sacrifice?   Lawson lives a simple life: a job at a brewery, and his basketball and hockey leagues. Even his eccentric lifelong friend and roommate—who is intent on discovering time travel—doesn’t complicate things. Then Jory appears. Lawson feels an immediate attraction to her, yet their attempts at dating end with him thinking it just isn’t meant to be. But Jory refuses to give up.   When one date ends tragically, Lawson turns to his best friend and the experimental time travel program he’s invented. But, no matter what he does, each time the reset ends with a loss.   It’s clear…a life must be lost, and Lawson is prepared to give his for Jory. But he isn’t the only one playing with time.   Will he spare Jory by forfeiting his own life? Or will someone else make the ultimate sacrifice? Buy ...

I remember reading Amityville Horror. I think I was about 12 years old and I was home alone a lot. I’d get so wrapped up in the book I wouldn’t notice the sun had set until I look up and found myself completely surrounded by black picture windows. I was terrified that the red pig eyes would appear, so I’d close my eyes and feel my way around the room to draw all the curtains closed – not opening my eyes until I was sure I wouldn’t see any black window surfaces. It’s hard to scare me like that anymore. I think life experiences jade us enough that we are less prone to fears fueled by imagination, but I still get butterflies if I have to go out into the dark garage alone at night, or if I hear an unexplained noise scratch up against the house. *Shiver* What scares you? Makes your heart pound so that it’s hard to hear? Freezes you in place? To celebrate Halloween, I’m giving away two books again this month. YAY! First the winner will receive a copy of Ghost Touch by the super ...