Authors, Kai Strand & LA Dragoni

A quick side note before I get into a favorite topic of mine. My alter ego, LA Dragoni, is releasing a paranormal romance for the adults among us on August 1 st . I’m coordinating a blog and social media tour for the release week (July 31 – August 5), complete with a rafflecopter giveaway. If you can help, please sign up here: https://goo.gl/forms/fI6V0jW84ed0hOc13 The cover reveal is happening all over the internet this week. Please hop over to my Facebook page   to visit the lovely sites showing off the stunning cover for me. Now, let me ask you, hero or villain ? If any of you have read my Super Villain Academy series, you might garner where I stand of the topic of heroes and villains. We are all both a hero and a villain. All of us. And we need to be. If we were all only virtuous and brave, there would be no inspiration to improve. There would be no room for us to get better. Plus, who would we be friends with? “What cause do you support?” you’d as...

This month I’m exploring the making of a book cover. So far this month I’ve shared the progression of a couple covers as I worked with digital artists and I shared my experiences working with an illustrator. This week I want to share the experience of covering a series. Even though I have The Weaver Tales series, it didn’t start as a series, so I didn’t go into it knowing the covers had to relate. Plus each of book in The Weaver Tales series is a standalone. When it came time to work on a cover for King of Bad, book 1 in my Super Villain Academy series, I knew that there would be more books with the same theme. But I still didn’t understand what it meant to make the covers look like a series. Not really. I would love to say that I approached the cover of King of Bad knowing how the over all story arc would progress over the next two books. But I mostly didn’t. Instead, I approached King of Bad with my blinders on. Looking only at the single book and it’s single cover. The...

Don't miss the book blast for King of Bad. I'm celebrating the 2nd edition of the Amazon bestseller with a week long blast hosted by YA Reads. Be sure to stop by, thank the bloggers for participating and help me spread the word about King of Bad to new readers around the world. Oh - and enter to win an Amazon gift card and a pack of Super Villain Academy playing cards, too! Here's our blog line up for the week: Author Eric Price http://authorericprice.com/blog 2/8 Crossroad Review http://www.crossroadreviews.com 2/8 Elizabeth Delana Rosa https://elizabethdrosa.wordpress.com/ 2/9 Cover2Cover https://chocomeiske.wordpress.com 2/10 The Story of a Writer http://beverlystowemcclure.blogspot.com 2/10 The Book Beacon http://thebookbeacon.com 2/10 Book Lovers Life http://bookloverslife.blogspot.ie/ 2/10 Roxy's Reviews http://roxykade.blogspot.com 2/10 Adventures in Writing http://thhernandez.com/blog-3 2/11 Mythical Books http://mythicalbooks.blogspot.ro/ 2/11 Ro...

For more info & for a complete list of blogs, visit the #IWSG site Purpose: To share and encourage. Writers can express doubts and concerns without fear of appearing foolish or weak. Those who have been through the fire can offer assistance and guidance. It’s a safe haven for insecure writers of all kinds! The co-hosts for November are: Tyrean Martinson   http://tyreanswritingspot.blogspot.com/ Karen Walker   http://karenfollowingthewhispers.blogspot.com/ Denise Covey   http://dencovey.blogspot.com/    Stephen Tremp    http://authorstephentremp.blogspot.com/ Please be sure to visit their sites to thank them for hosting! *** Today I'm insecure about book signings! I have an event coming up in a real live bookstore. I've done bookstore events before and I really, really enjoy them-when people show up! Those of you who've had events before know it's hard to attract guests to book signings, plus this one is t...

The book that hit #7 on the Amazon bestsellers list of superhero fiction just got better! Today's the official launch of the 2nd edition of King of Bad - Super Villain Academy book 1. Not only that, but the series is now also available in a box set. Jeff Mean would rather set fires than follow rules or observe curfew. He wears his bad boy image like a favorite old hoodie; that is until he learns he has superpowers and is recruited by Super Villain Academy – where you learn to be good at being bad. In a school where one kid can evaporate all the water from your body and the girl you hang around with can perform psychic sex in your head, bad takes on a whole new meaning. Jeff wonders if he’s bad enough for SVA. He may never find out. Classmates vilify him when he develops good manners. Then he’s kidnapped by those closest to him and left to wonder who is good and who is bad. His rescue is the climactic episode that balances good and evil in the super world. The catalyst – t...

This month, Lightning Quick Reads is hosting a giveaway. Each comment you leave on any LQR post in May enters you to win a gift cert. Start with my may story on sexism,  You Cannot Be Serious To sign up, visit the IWSG Master,  Alex Cavanaugh Purpose:  To share and encourage. Writers can express doubts and concerns without fear of appearing foolish or weak. Those who have been through the fire can offer assistance and guidance. It’s a safe haven for insecure writers of all kinds! Posting:  The first Wednesday of every month is officially  Insecure Writer’s Support Group  day. Post your thoughts on your own blog. Talk about your doubts and the fears you have conquered. Discuss your struggles and triumphs. Offer a word of encouragement for others who are struggling. Visit others in the group and connect with your fellow writer - aim for a dozen new people each time. Let’s rock the neurotic writing world! Our Twitter hashtag is #IWSG The awes...

Watch out. Things are about to get really bad Excerpt from Super Bad : After sliding the card out of the envelope, she stared at it for so long Lexa finally said, “Well?” Sandra glanced at her friend before frowning again at the card. Finally she handed it to Lexa and stared at the flowers. Seeing you last night was as refreshing as the clean smell after a rainstorm. —Set Lexi’s lip curled up. “What does this mean?” “I’m not sure.” Sandra spoke tentatively. “He obviously has a thing for weather.” “And you,” Lexa said. “Maybe.” Lexa rolled her eyes. “What do you mean, maybe? He became a stalker at the party last night, and now he’s sent you your very first flowers.” Sandra shook her head. “There’s something…I don’t know.” A thought somewhere deep in her gray matter teased her, but kept getting overridden by images of Set’s beautiful face lowering toward hers in the dark of the hedge cave. She mentally scolded herself to focus, but then she remembered...

Three Times A Charm is on hiatus, because I haven't been recruiting. Feel free to contact me if you're an author, illustrator, editor, blogger, publicist, publisher involved in children's publishing and would like to be interviewed. So instead, I'm talking about the craft of writing. Creating a character arc is difficult, but crucial to the enjoyability factor of your story. Creating an arc over a series is even more challenging. In order for your readers to care, your character has to change and grow during their story. A friend of mine posted a picture of a scene from my book, Polar Opposites , on my Facebook page and the status called the characters in the scene, “Assholes!” Awesome! I squealed and clapped. Why am I okay with this? It’s the emotion behind the post that thrills me. Yes, literary characters can be jerks, too. And, as is the case in the scene my friend highlighted, it is often intentional. So many things have to come together to shape th...

Hey everybody! I was unpacking books at a signing and came across a copy of King of Bad with a torn cover. Since I can’t sell it, I decided to hold a giveaway instead! Along with a signed, slightly damaged copy of King of Bad, I’m also giving away several sets of character trading cards . These cards have been specially designed for book one in the series. There will be a separate design for each book – so be among the first to own a set of the King of Bad cards. About the book: Jeff Mean would rather set fires than follow rules or observe curfew. He wears his bad boy image like a favorite old hoodie; that is until he learns he has superpowers and is recruited by Super Villain Academy – where you learn to be good at being bad. In a school where one kid can evaporate all the water from your body and the girl you hang around with can perform psychic sex in your head, bad takes on a whole new meaning. Jeff wonders if he’s bad enough for SVA. He may never find out...

I was unpacking my books at a recent signing and found one with a torn cover. *sad face* But that's okay because I decided to make a giveaway out of it and I'm asking for your help. Along with the slightly damaged copy of KING OF BAD , I'll be giving away some cool swag, too. Signed bookmarks and TRADING CARDS (which are not damaged, btw)! The book will only be available for US addresses, but there will the trading cards available for International addies. I'm looking for bloggers who can post a book spotlight and the rafflecopter code anytime between September 15 and September 30. All hosts will be able to add either their Twitter or Facebook page to the rafflecopter code to snatch up some new followers. I'd love to have you participate. Thanks ahead for helping me make a fun and successful giveaway. Loading...

The responsibility of a book's promotion lies with the author. Even an author who has a publisher that promotes or a huge following of readers who automatically buy every newly released book, has to keep their finger on the pulse of their book's success and step in when sales flag. Because of that, we often search for new ways to spread the word. That is exactly what I did when considering how I wanted to approach promotion for POLAR OPPOSITES, book 2 in my Super Villain Academy series. I collected votes about supers and super powers before my book signing for King of Bad . I wanted to collect more votes through my website for the second book, but knew I would have to do something to drive people to my site. I got a new tablet for Christmas and that gave me the idea to take my promotion to the streets and record an interview series that I could post through YouTube. But I knew nothing about making videos. Turns out there is an app for that (thank goodness!). My tablet has W...

I'm so excited to bring you the cover of POLAR OPPOSITES: Super Villain Academy, Book 2 The supers are balanced. Academies have altered their curriculum to teach both sides of the super power spectrum. All’s well in the super world. Right? When Mystic kidnaps Oceanus, Jeff learns it isn’t all right. Turning to the newly balanced supers for assistance, he panics to find they’ve done nothing to rescue Oceanus. When no ransom request follows, he worries Mystic’s plan never included returning his girlfriend. Frustrated, he’s forced to work with the only super willing to help. Oceanus’ ex-villain, ex-boyfriend, Set. Mystic isn’t the only one hiding something. Nothing about Jeff is balanced. Temper flares result in scorched clothing or flying furniture, and his charm has become an indiscriminate people-magnet. Jeff is convinced, or maybe just hopeful, that his lack of control is directly related to Oceanus being gone. But will he and Set find her before Jeff loses contro...

My KING OF BAD Standard Virtual Tour comes to an end in just two days. Hurry to enter to win a signed bookmark and a $25 Amazon gift card. You only have through December 20th, so don't delay. Two simple ways to help me spread the news of the tour during these last two days: Visit my Facebook page and click like and/or share on the links to the stops.  Click the social media buttons in the blog posts to post to your Twitter, Google+ or Facebook account. Here are a list of my tour stops: December 2:  Reading In Twilight December 2:  Bunny's Review December 3:  Andi's Young Adult Books December 4:  Welcome to My World of Dreams  December 5:  Dawn's Reading Nook Blog December 6:  Books on Silver Wings December 9:  Long and Short Reviews December 10:  Straight from the Library December 11:  Sandra's Blog December 11:  Writing into the Sunset December 12:  Lisa Haselton's Reviews and Interviews December 13:  ...

The reviews are in, but the giveaway isn't over. However you only have a few days to enter to win a signed bookmark and a $25 Amazon gift card.  November 22:   Love is a Mystery November 29:   Unabridged Andra December 6:   Books in the Hall   December 13:   Dalene's Book Reviews December 13:   The (Mis)Adventures of a Twenty-Something Year Old Girl Plenty of ways to enter - but HURRY , giveaway ends December 16th! For a chance to win second prize, follow my Standard Virtual Book Tour. Stops can be found on my website: www.kaistrand.com