Star Magic is the Best Magic

Magic is in the air.

Can you feel it? I couldn’t feel it for quite some time. My creative juices dried up for a while and I couldn’t focus on anything writing related. Health issues, COVID, working the day job; they all contributed, but last month I told myself enough was enough.

In an attempt to reboot my writer energy, I attended the Novelists Inc (NINC) conference at St Pete beach. NINC conferences are always powerful and amazing and this one was no different. I have a long list of why it was so great (connecting or reconnecting with authors and industry folks, informative seminars, amazing food, etc.) but one magical moment occurred that I need to share with my readers. Fans of my Kindrily series will really appreciate this true story… 

My long-time friend and writing partner, Megan, attended the conference with me. One night, we walked out to the beach to relax and chat about the day. We sat on beach loungers discussing our projects and I admitted I didn’t know what story to work on next. Half joking, I said, “Okay, Universe. If I’m meant to write book 4 of The Kindrily, send a shooting star within the next 5 minutes.”

Meg insisted it was not up to the universe and asked if I hoped to see a shooting star, because that would mean I want to write book 4. I insisted it wasn’t up to me. I was leaving it up to the universe. She told me I needed to make my own decisions.

Only two minutes of conversation had occurred as I said, “I miss the days when I was writing The Kindrily and it all came so easily, but…”

I was cut off by a bright, bold, shooting star streaking through the dark sky directly in front of us. It was so bright, and lasted so long, that I had time to point to it and say, “You see that, right?”

Meg said, “Yes. How can I not see it?”

Honestly, you couldn’t miss it.

The star had a long, bright tail. Then, the head of it split into two. Soul mates falling from the heavens together?

I said, “Well, the universe has spoken.”

Meg completely agreed and we were both in awe that it happened so perfectly, timely, and so blatantly in our faces. I am now required to finish book 4. The universe said so.

Megan finished the magical encounter by making me laugh hysterically. She said, “I can’t believe you asked for a shooting star in the next five minutes. And the universe said, ‘Here, hold my beer.’”

Maybe it shouldn’t surprise me that the universe communicated with me so clearly about my beloved series about magical souls who come from the stars. Still, I’m humbled by the wonderment of it and the perfectness of that moment.

Less than a month later, yesterday actually, another Wow moment occurred. I’ve been floating on air and bouncing between being crazy-excited and trying to keep my hopes in check. I can’t say more than that right now, but hopefully I will have big news to announce soon. All I can say is it involves The Kindrily and there’s a whole lot of serendipity surrounding it. *Insert big smile here*

So, that’s it for now. I’m still here. I’m reinspired. And I’m glad you’re still here too.

Guess it’s time to get to work. Cheers, Universe. I heard you loud and clear.

How about you? Any magical moments you’d like to share? As always, feel free to shoot me an email, message me on social media, or comment on my blog. I’d love to hear from you.

Writing In The Time of Corona

Like many others, I've been self-isolating at home for nearly three weeks due to this worrisome and surreal COVID-19 crisis. I hope all of you are staying as safe and healthy as possible and looking out for your loved ones and your community.

We've been trying to NOT watch the news 24-7 because, let's face it, it's scary and depressing. We've been playing a fun dominoes game called Spinner, watching our crazy and beloved 90 Day Fiance, Poldark (great for lovers of Downton Abbey and Outlander), and reruns of King of Queens or The Office. Heck, we may even try Tiger King soon but I'll admit, I'm afraid of that too. Ha.

I've been wanting to read and write more, but it's tough to concentrate with this worldwide pandemic happening all around us.

Enter WRITE CLUB.

I volunteered to be a slushpile judge which means I've made a commitment to read submissions for a fabulous writing contest associated with the DFW Writers Conference.

I'm super excited about this because it takes me back to the blissful days of writing and submitting my stories with hopes that someday some of my stories would be published. (Mission accomplished.) Plus, the world needs positivity and happiness right now, so I look forward to giving fellow writers uplifting critique on their submissions. (At least I hope it will be uplifting. I'm going to try my best.)

Want to know more or interested in submitting? You can find all the details here.

First prize is FREE ADMISSION TO THE 2021 DFW CONFERENCE IN DALLAS. $429 value and an experience that cannot be missed! In addition, the winner will also receive a $100 Barnes & Noble gift card.

Sadly, I haven't been making much progress on book 4 of The Kindrily series. I hope to change that soon. Maybe after Tiger King. Ha. Kidding. Sort of. 

May you all stay safe and healthy during these uncertain times. We're all in this together, even while we have to stay apart.  *air hugs*

NEW KINDRILY COVERS!

I'm so excited to reveal the new covers for my Kindrily series! 

Be sure to check out the contest at the bottom of this post to win a signed set of paperbacks.
Now, without further ado, here they are...

 *throws star confetti*

This big change has me so excited, but also a little nerve-wracked because I’m hoping and praying that the new covers appeal to readers. Instead of just telling you why I decided to change the covers, I thought it would be fun to include a conversation with my fantastic cover designer, Michelle at Melissa Williams Design.

Karen: What did you think when I told you I wanted to redo the Kindrily covers? Especially considering you had already redone the Fighting For Infinity cover a couple years ago?

Michelle: Honestly, I was a little excited. I liked your previous covers, but it always seemed like something was missing. It was just a question of whether you wanted to invest the time and money into creating a whole new feel for your series. Over the years, I've noticed how beloved these books are to you, so I didn't try too hard to restrain myself from encouraging you to go forward with a redesign.

K: I LOVE the new covers. Even with only a quick glance, I feel like they clearly and beautifully say, magical love story, which was the goal. The old covers will always hold a special place in my heart, but I think they could be a tad confusing unless you knew what the story was about. How do you feel about them?

M: I agree! I think these covers better convey romance immediately, rather than hinting at it. I know there's a lot more to the series, but you're trying to reach a certain readership, and hitting the mark at first glance is super important. I think that's one of the things that I see many covers miss, and one reason why I like doing redesigns so much. It's a chance to figure out who you're really trying to reach in your readership. 

K: Here's a comparison of the old covers with the new. Again, I'll always love the original covers and they served their purpose for the past few years, but I think the new ones make the series much more branded and cohesive. (Not to mention, all the pretty stars!)

M: The fresh new look is so exciting, and I feel like it really incorporates the magical, ethereal quality that was missing before.

K: We've done several covers together since Tangled Tides in 2011, which one is your favorite and why?

M: GRASPING AT ETERNITY is my ultimate favorite cover so far! I just love how it all comes together with the striking colors and the characters, the magic and the real-world element of the rock. I've found myself looking at that cover more than any others. Perhaps it's partly because of the fun I had creating it with you! It was a perfectly balanced creative project.

K: Thanks! We did have quite a few laughs during the process, but I'll spare readers from our private jokes. 

Grasping's cover is gorgeous, but it's impossible for me to choose a favorite. Besides the continuing theme of soul mates in a starry sky, there are lots of other fun details and symbolism that readers may pick up on. Like the new infinity symbol (LOVE!) or the Sedona scenery, and the hot air balloon on the back of Grasping at Eternity. (Readers will have to own the paperback to appreciate that detail .) 

Thanks so much, Michelle! I always enjoy working with you. 

What do YOU think of the new covers? 

Please tell me in the comments below or let me know on social media. (I'm anxious to know!)

The covers have been updated on most ebook retailers. If you already own the ebooks, you should be able to get the updated version for free. The paperbacks are taking a little longer but will hopefully be available next week

Want to  win a set? To celebrate, I’m giving away a signed set of the new paperbacks. You can enter via the Rafflecopter below. It is open internationally. I'll announce the winner next week.

Lastly, but very importantly, I highly recommend Michelle to anyone needing a talented artist who is easy to work with. 

Here’s her contact info: 

Melissa Williams Design Website

Instagram @melissawilliamsdesign

Facebook https://www.facebook.com/melissawilliamsdesign/

a Rafflecopter giveaway

UPDATE! Winners have been chosen.

On January 26th, Dana P. was chosen as the random Rafflecopter winner (above.)

For my other conest, those who signed up to help share on social media and/or blogs, the randomly selected winner from Random Name Picker was Amy B!

Thanks so much to all who entered and helped spread the word.

Out With 2018, In With 2019!

2018 is almost over, and while I didn't get nearly as much done as I hoped (do we ever?) I still consider it a successful and productive year. 

I'm even more excited for 2019 because I will be sharing new covers for my Kindrily series. *throws star confetti*

PLUS, I'm working on a fourth book. That's right, the eternal love story will be continuing. And then continuing some more!

What exactly does that mean? Well, I'm about to explain. 

I didn't publish anything new in 2018. Maybe I should beat myself up about that but I'm not because I DID write pretty consistently. I wrote about the Kindrily a lot (two different books, actually). I even threw a few Kindrily members into a totally new paranormal romance that I worked on. I also plotted out an entire contemporary romance novel and wrote a third of it (and a Kindrily member made a cameo). That's FOUR books I've been working on. So yes, I didn't FINISH any of them, but I did make good progress, and many times in 2018, I heard that we should all strive for "progress not perfection." (Catchy, huh?) 

Now, what DID get finished are the new, gorgeous covers for the Kindrily series. I am in love with them. The original covers will always have a special place in my heart, but the new ones represent the story so much better. With only a glance they communicate that the story is a magical romance, and I love the way they all flow together. I can't wait to share them with you and get your opinion. 

So, are you noticing a theme here? Even when I tried working on other things, my focus always seemed to be drawn back to my beloved Kindrily. They are always whispering additional story ideas to me, telling me new (or old) facts about themselves, revealing a different thread that needs to be tied up (or unraveled). They constantly make me start itching to tell more of their story, so that's what I plan to do. 

Book 4 (I'm still debating on the title) will be a connector book. That's all I can say for now without giving too much away. Basically, it will tell what happens after book 3 and it will be the set up for book 5.  Yup, book 5!  But book 5 will take place well over a decade after book 3 ended, so I needed a connector book, which will be book 4.

To kick off 2019 with a bang, I’m going to release the new covers on Friday, January 18th. I’m hoping some of you will help me spread the word and share them with the world. Bloggers, reviewers, bookstagramers, authors, readers, or a combination of any or all of the above, I’d be forever grateful if you helped celebrate with me. 

If willing and able, please fill out this form: https://goo.gl/forms/0uvosXnkrvEWO4ue2

A week or so before the 18^th, I will send you a couple different options of photos that you can share, and you’ll get to see the covers before the rest of the world. PLUS, everyone who participates will be entered to win an autographed set of paperbacks with the new covers. 

I’m pumped and excited about 2019. I hope you are too. I’d love to hear about your goals and plans too, so please comment below or you can privately reply to this email. 

Happy Holidays and cheers to a magical 2019!

HELP ME WITH BOOK 4 OF THE KINDRILY SERIES?

Besides all the heartwarming emails from fans asking for more Kindrily stories, the universe has also been giving me signs lately that I should probably create a book 4. I want to keep my readers happy and I don’t like to ignore signs from the universe, but I’ve been perplexed about a fourth book ever since I released Fighting For Infinity. So, who better to turn to for help than my wonderful readers?

*SPOILER ALERT! If you haven’t read all three of my Kindrily books, LOOK AWAY. Seriously, I’m about to give spoilers galore here, so don’t ruin it for yourself. Stop reading.*

 What should book 4 be? 

Do I back up a bit and tell Krista and Carson’s love story?

(I’m tempted because it would be so much fun and many readers love Carson and Krista. But some of the timeline would overlap with what has already happened, just from a different POV. Not sure if readers would enjoy that or hate it.)

Do I start where we left off and keep telling the story from Maryah’s POV?

(I worry this would be too much of a drastic change because her voice would change SO much now that…well, you know. See? I’m still trying to keep this spoiler free.)

Do I continue onward from Nathan’s POV along with another (different) narrator?

A honeymoon book has been a very popular request and while that would be very fun indeed, *blushes* I don’t think it would be enough for a whole book. I may possibly offer that as a bonus short story or novella later down the road. (Hang in there, ladies!)

I’ve already started a story that takes place almost eighteen years after FFI ends. But I feel like jumping ahead that far would be unfair. There’s so much that happens between “now” and then.

I’ve also toyed with the idea of a secondary couple turning to our beloved Kindrily for help. Anyone remember James and Lilian? They were the couple from Marcus’s kindrily who Dedrick had mind-controlled and they were helping him with his evil plight. My imagination has been brewing with a whole big story about them that could turn into another book or two. I could tell that story from Nathan’s POV along with Lilian’s.

I’ve even got a spinoff series idea based on Edgar’s patients. If I go this route, it wouldn’t be a book 4 to the current series, but it would feature many of your favorite characters from The Kindrily. And, of course, there would be lots of magic, reincarnation, supernatural abilities, and romance.

HELP! Do you see my dilemma? It’s so hard to choose!

And instead of choosing one and working on it, I’ve gone and started a whole new and different book idea which I LOVE (and I hope you will too) but deep down I know that I also need to return to my Kindrily peeps. So many more stories are waiting to be told from their world, I just don’t know where to start.

I’m open to suggestions. Let’s discuss. You can comment below or on my FB page in the comments of this post. https://www.facebook.com/AuthorKaren/

Tell me, what should be written in the stars next?

I’m hoping to make a decision by the end of this weekend so I can start plotting next week. 

Please and thank you!