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Summer Writing News: Cassie’s Story, and Lights, Camera, Conflict!

by Kristen James

I’ve been plotting away on my current novel and slowly writing. Why slowly? This is my first sequel, and there’s a lot to live up to. I put Cassie, my main character, through a lot in the last novel, Embers of Hope. She lost her husband and was a roadblock to her friend Savanna. She’s been growing and is ready to move forward, but she still has issues and fears to work through. Even with that, I’m enjoying revisiting her story, and the other characters from Embers of Hope. You’ll get to see Savanna, Jason and Aubrey, and see what life holds for them right now. I’m also using Ocean View Stables from A Cowboy For Christmas, in case any of you wondered how things turned out for Brent and Missy.

Here’s the working description for the next book, More Than A Promise: Cassie’s Story.

Cassie escapes to Ocean View Stables on the Oregon Coast to cope with the three year anniversary of her husband’s death. She’s starting to dream about her future again and possibly romance. A safe romance, that is, where people don’t die. She runs into Ethan Caldwell, the cute boy who teased her through grade school. He sure grew up – into a man who’d catch anyone’s eyes. Now he’s a single dad to nine year old Isabel, who talks about her parents getting back together…as soon as her mom is out of rehab. Then maybe her mom can watch her while her dad goes on his work trips. Apparently Ethan has some kind of dangerous, secretive government job. This isn’t at all what Cassie is looking for! So why is she running full speed into another broken heart?

***

Of course I’m holding back quite a few surprises too! I can’t wait to share the story with everyone… which means I need to get writing.

In other writing news, I’ve been releasing books in print and Nook. More Than Memories, A Miraculous Fate and In The Land of Huckleberries and Wokas are on Nook now. (Opens to a search page on B&N with my books.) The first two are available in print as well. You can read more about In The Land of Huckleberries and Wokas or read a preview from The River People, my other Native American story.

For other writers….

I’ve been working on another nonfiction book too. This one is called Lights, Camera, Conflict! It’ll show how to set your novel up with conflict in all the main elements. Conflict is the base of a novel so this book will provide a process to build a solid base for a captivating story. This one will be out in July or August.

I also wanted to share a blog post from Book Promoting 501 called, “How to Lose A Reader in 500 Words,”

and my guest blog on The Creative Penn called, “Book Marketing: 7 Ways to Grow Your Readership.”

I hope you’re having a wonderful summer! Share your adventure with me here or on Facebook. 🙂

Summer Time!

by Kristen James

If I could pause time, I’d pick June in Oregon. It’s so perfect this time of year. I’ve been planting and pruning and swimming in the river, and of course picking berries. Salmon berry season is over, and the blackberries are just now in bloom, but we picked 26 pounds of strawberries the other day and made jelly. I had no idea three kids could pick strawberries so quickly! The blueberries are getting ripe now too. I also planted yellow raspberries this year, and I’m really excited to see how they produce.

I was pretty proud when my son tried a new kind of popsicle a while back and said, “This tastes like salmon berries!” It was one of those moments when I thought, I’m doing this parenting thing right when he knows the flavor of a local wild berry.

In case you haven’t gone into a shady gully to pick salmon berries, they’re a yummy sherbet orange berry that’s lightly sweet. They’re mild like a raspberry. And they’re a bit like a treasure because you have to fight the stinging nettles to pick them.

Summer is magical not just because we get to run around in shorts and play outside, but because families get together so often this time of year. We gather together during the holidays, but there must be a different kind of special about summer gatherings. Because when you think of family time from your childhood, isn’t it the summer cookouts, camping trips and vacations? It’s hardly May each year when my youngest starts asking, “When are going camping?”

I could write all day about how much I love summer here, but it’s hot and sunny outside. It’s time to play!

Now Available – Recuperación del Agente M

by Kristen James

Recovery of Agent M in Spanish

Recuperacion de Agente M

Los Navy Seals no se dan por vencidos, nunca. No dejan gente detrás. Parte de su credo dice: “Mi Tridente es un símbolo de honor y herencia. Confiado en mí por los héroes que me han precedido, que encarna la confianza de aquellos que he jurado proteger. Al usar el Tridente acepto la responsabilidad de mi profesión y la forma de vida que elegí. Es un privilegio que debo ganarme todos los días … ”

El agente encubierto Jeff Ivanov está trabajando en Colombia para la División de Actividades Especiales, o SAD, utilizando tácticas asimétricas y no convencionales. La nueva inteligencia, sin embargo, lo cambiará todo.

El Comando Especial de Guerra de Estados Unidos a través de DevGroup recupera HVI, o Inteligencia de Alto Valor, desde el yate privado de un traficante ruso-checheno frente a las costas de Venezuela, llamado Nikolai Markovich. La nueva información de inteligencia indica que la agente de la CIA Lida M. no fue asesinada en Teherán, pero que se mudó a una pequeña isla frente a la costa norte de Venezuela.

La rehén se encuentra en estado crítico, y otra operacion de máxima prioridad puede ponerla en peligro. El presidente pidio que pongan las botas en el terreno lo antes posible.

Jeff Ivanov está llamado a liderar a su equipo anterior, SEAL Team 7, y trae consigo dos “hermanos” de las Fuerzas Especiales de Colombia. El equipo de Halo salta a la zona para llevar a cabo una misión de sigilo en el corazón de un campamento terrorista, empleando la tecnología más reciente y avanzada. El “paquete”, Lida M., puede estar en estado crítico, y como una mujer musulmana puede ser que no desee sobrevivir a esta terrible experiencia y enfrentar luego el deshonor. Pero los Seals no dejan a la gente detrás, e Ivanov considera que salvar a su hermana agente es una misión donde todo se vale.

Coming Soon

This is the cover for the Spanish version of A Cowboy For Christmas, Un vaquero para navidad, which will be released this fall.

 

Cuando su hermano alejado fallece, Missy se convierte de repente en la codueña indeseada de Rancho Marbella, cerca de Florence, Oregón. Después de la mala jugada que su antiguo jefe le hizo, Missy busca un nuevo comienzo. No tiene trabajo, y su reputación ha sido injustamente mancillada, de modo que esta parece ser la oportunidad perfecta—hasta que conoce al vaquero a cargo del rancho. Brent construyó su sueño a fuerza de perseverancia y con sus propias manos; él es responsable por todo lo que ocurra aquí. En secreto, se siente responsable por la muerte de su socio. Y no disimula que está convencido de que Missy no se quedará aquí por mucho tiempo. Las mujeres siempre se marchan. ¿Por qué ella ha de ser diferente? Ambos tienen un pasado que puede arruinar su futuro. ¿Puede él confiar en que ella se quedará? ¿Puede ella confiarle su corazón?

 

In The Land of Huckleberries and Wokas – Now Available on Kindle

by Kristen James

Now Available on Nook and Kindle

Click to preview or purchase on Amazon Kindle

In The Land of Huckleberries and Wokas, a Native American adventure novella, was expanded from a short story that placed 32nd in the YA category out of 12,000 plus entries in Writer’s Digest Annual Writing Competition.

Young Snow Bird is taken from her people in a raid and forced to leave her marshes and people behind. A young brave in the raiding party offers help but he cannot help all of the women in children. She must decide if she can leave them and search for help.

Preview:  The stories weren’t just stores, after all. Snow Bird had listened all through her childhood to scary tales of braves raiding camps and taking slaves, but she had never truly feared such a thing happening. When others told her these stories, her father patted her head and smiled, reassuring her that the elders used stories to keep the children close to camp.

Yet now she sat with her hands bound in front of her while her captors drank from the river. They had rushed into camp and attacked those around the dinner fire. With knives tied to their wrists and clubs to swing, they had hit and stunned the adults in a confusing blink of the eye.

Kindle Link

Nook Link

Sneak Peek: The River People

by Kristen James

I realized I haven’t shared a preview in a while, and I’m not sure if I’ve shared one from The River People at all. The  below preview is several chapters into the novel, during the summer games. I’m finishing another Native American short story for publication called In The Land of Huckleberries and Wokas. More on that later. (Soon, hopefully!)

The River People

The old oak sat on top of a hill, with branches perfect for sitting and keeping a lookout. As expected, Fast-Runner was there, but she wasn’t up in the tree. Her injury, River-Song supposed.

“Where have you been?” River-Song knew she had to speak now that they’d seen each other. After glancing at her, Fast-Runner lowered her face.

“I can’t go into the village,” she said, “I’ve never lost the race in all the years I’ve run.”

River-Song sat down a little ways from Fast-Runner. “Your foot got caught in a hole, I saw it! You could have won.”

The other girl looked away. “No, I didn’t. Everyone heard what Walks-with-Pumas said. His father didn’t allow that name out of pity. Pity! He’ll never marry me now.”

Forgetting their rivalry, River-Song asked, “Do you still want him as your husband?” This is how they used to speak to each other, as close friends. Almost like sisters.

Fast-Runner sprang to her feet. “That is what you say now? If he marries me, you’ll pretend you never wanted him. But I know.” She left angry.

River-Song watched her, too interested in her quick pace to call after her. Fast-Runner didn’t favor her leg anymore, or even limp. Even while Fast-Runner disappeared into the trees, River-Song told herself there was no reason for her to have faked an injury.

Everyone knew she was the fastest woman in the tribe – she had proved it four times now! Had she thought River-Song would somehow beat her this year? In her own mind, River-Song would rather lose a fair race than pretend to fall. She decided not to consider the possibility.

Instead, she gazed out at the lands around them. The blue sky went on until the earth ended, presiding over the hills and valleys, the streams glistening as they trickled and flowed over rocks and falls. The oaks of the valley gradually mixed into pines and cedars.

The cedars were their sacred tree, giving them the long planks of wood with even grains. Yellow cedar was the softest, so they carved spoons and bowls from them. But the red cedar had better grains, splitting into long planks for their houses and canoes. Their babies slept in red cedar cradles. They carved their weapons from them. They beat strips of red cedar and twined them into mats, clothing, and baskets. A good weaver could make a basket to hold water.

Maybe, someday, she would name a son for the beautiful tree that gave them so much. Strength and flexibility. Yes, Cedar-Tree would be a great name for a leader.

Hearing footsteps in the twigs and grass, she turned to the visitor, a young brave that she felt fond for. “Cleaver-Fox, are you coming to keep watch?”

“I wanted to see all the land.” He joined her. “You are happy after winning the race.”

She found herself wishing that there had been no race. “No, little brother, I don’t know what to think about it. I don’t feel as if I really won.” She had talked to him many times about things she kept from others because she trusted him and knew he was wise. But he looked surprised that she told him this.

“Didn’t you want to win?”

She wouldn’t tell him that. “I didn’t want Fast-Runner to lose like that.”

“People talk of nothing but you and Fast-Runner. And Walks-with-Pumas. Many women want to marry him.”

River-Song was no longer one of those women. “I want what’s best for our people.”

He broke into his wide, handsome grin. “Then maybe you’ll wait for me.”

“Oh, you are like a brother to me!” She pushed him playfully. “Though sometimes I have wished you were old enough. I wish I were married now, with children on the way.”

“I think you will marry someone greater than Walks-with-Pumas.” His smile vanished.

Purchase or Preview the beginning on Amazon.

Description:   River-Song’s father, Chief Sits-and-Thinks, is growing old and sick, but he trusts in her to lead their people. Her best friend has become her rival as they compete to marry the big chief’s son. But as River-Song proves herself to him, she begins to see he isn’t the man she thought. Then she must use her gift of words when a wandering band of braves seek a new home with them. They speak her mother’s language so she can understand them. River-Song feels pulled to their leader but confused about her place in the tribe. Can this young girl hold her tribe together as the new braves join them, and again when hostile warriors attack their valley?

Print Verions, my next novel, and a Top Indie Author List

by Kristen James

I had to share! These are the print versions for some of my Kindle ebooks. I’ll be adding The Enemy’s Son soon so my books will all be available in print and ebook.

The picture just doesn’t capture how good they look, especially how the nonfiction covers pop out. They look a bit 3D to me.

How To Sell More Kindle eBooks and How To Be A Full Time Writer are both $6.99 in print and $2.99 for the Kindle ebook. (Book Promoting 101, not shown, is 9.99 in print but also 150 pages. It’s 2.99 in Kindle.)

The fiery cover with the dark figure is Embers of Hope, my women’s fiction novel. I’m working on a sequel to it that tells Cassie’s story. It’s in the early stages, but this is the working description:

More Than A Promise: Cassie’s Story

Cassie escapes to Ocean View Stables on the Oregon Coast, hoping she won’t think about the three year anniversary of her husband’s death. She’s there to relax and comfort her friend Missy, who’s been trying to conceive and just lost her first pregnancy. Instead, she runs into Ethan, and his nine year old daughter, and her life turns upside down.

If you read A Cowboy For Christmas, you might have caught that I’m using that setting again. That means you’ll get to catch up with Missy and Brent, along with Savanna and Jason from Embers of Hope.

The last bit of news is I’m included on a list of the top Indie Authors. It began as a list of 100 names but grew with author submissions. So I came in at #101. See it here! You might find some more authors to read too.

Extended Preview of More Than Memories on Kindle Nation Daily

by Kristen James

Kindle Nation Daily is a great FB page and website for anyone looking for new Kindle reads, including freebies.

You can read four chapters of More Than Memories and enter their Kindle Fire Giveaway HERE.

 

Reviews for More Than Memories:

Can she love him if she can’t remember him?  Molly Anderson returns “home” to a town she doesn’t remember, hoping it will spark a memory. She runs into Trent Williams, an off duty police officer, and something else definitely sparks. —  Rated 5 stars by BigAl’s Books n Pals and The Fictional Bookshelf. Rated 4.5 stars by 16 reviews.
“I fell in love with Trent… because of how Trent aided and cared for Molly and that made him very unforgettable.” ~ Reader Review

“I just loved this book! Primarily because Ms. James’ equation for the plot kept me guessing the entire time. There was no predicting the conclusion, which was a treat for me in reading this genre. For that reason, I couldn’t put it down. It read much more like a mystery than a romance. The characters drew me in. I cared about Molly, Trent and their friends. The subplots eased transitions and mentally stirred up the intrigue factor. I found myself constantly wondering… about everything. This felt like a love story in reverse only to have the characters come full circle with a new understanding of the past and a happy peek into the future. I look forward to enjoying the other titles noted above.” –5-Star Review by BigAl’s Books n Pals

These are a few of my favorite things…

by Kristen James

I’m borrowing from The Sound of Music there, and of course I hear the song when I typed that! I was thinking about what makes characters interesting, and mostly (to me) it’s how we get into their head and feel their dreams and conflicts, and see through the eyes of a different person. Characters need to make us feel, but it’s also fun when they’re quirky, unique people with interesting likes, hobbies, beliefs, etc. I’m in the beginning stages of a couple different novels, which explains why this has been on my mind. I often draw from things I like or things I want to know more about so I’m listing some of my favorite things:

fuzzy animals, especially babies
fuzzy caterpillars (fuzzipitters)
frogs
bumblebees
turtles

Cheesecake
salmon (most seafood!)
berries
white whine
Bree cheese with apples and crackers

cycling
reading and writing of course!
hiking, canoeing and other outdoor activities
traveling
making jewelry
watching the kids play sports – I can really get into a game then!

My all time favorite thing is spending time with my family, which is probably a given for most people. Well, it’s Saturday and the sun is out, so I’m off and running! (Well, cycling as the case may be.)

The ‘C’ Word

by Kristen James

The topic of my last post has been on my mind, and I’ve been thinking about when we want something but stop ourselves from trying for it. I didn’t join any sports until high school when my best friend, who was always a good influence on me, convinced me to join track with her. My coach, Mrs. Taylor, created a new rule that year: if anyone said the C word, they had to do 20 push ups.

I learned two things in a short amount of time after that.

First, I learned I said “I can’t” to a lot of things. Soon I only got as far as “I ca–” and I had to do 20 push ups.

And second, I learned I could really build some muscle. In fact, I joined a weight raining and conditioning class in high school. I worked up to bench pressing my weight and leg pressing 350 lbs.

I suppose I learned a third lesson too. At first the lesson was to never say the C word. If indeed I slipped up, I had to quickly change it to I can. 

You know that saying, you are what you eat? In reality, we may be roughly the same fat content as the foods we eat, but we aren’t turning into fried chicken or a cupcake any time soon. We do, however, turn into what we think. “Whether you think you can’t, or you can, you’re right.” I’ve heard that one quite a bit too, and over the last few years I’ve decided it’s pretty much right on. If you set out on a mission thinking you’ll fail, guess what? You usually fail. It works just as well to expect positive outcomes. It can make an amazing difference simply to outlaw the C word. Now I’m trying to teach that to my kids!

How To Live Your Dreams

by Kristen James

I just read a must-read blog post called “How To Quit Your Job, Move to Paradise and Get Paid to Change the World.”  I’ll wait here while you go read it yourself…..Amazing, right? Jon Morrow is a person who decided to live his dreams and did it, against odds that would stop most people from trying anything. There are so many stories out there along the lines of, “If I can do it, what are you waiting for?” I saw a guy on TV a while back with the slogan, “No arms, no legs, no worries.” He actually has no arms or legs, and he visits schools to encourage kids. Many people live their dream, and it’s not despite/ because of any excuse or special situation. It’s because they decided they could do it. So what are we waiting for?

When I moved out on own my own for college, I had two dreams. Since the fourth grade, I wanted to “be a famous author.” Somewhere around high school I started dreaming about getting married and starting a family, a big family. And, oh boy, I’m living that dream! Now, 14 years since graduation, I have a blended family of 6 kids. As for my writing dreams, I wouldn’t say I’m a famous author, but I’m working toward it every day, I’m writing for a living, and I’m loving it. The part I didn’t understand 14 years ago is that you should love your life at every step, even as you work toward your goals.

That’s why I sometimes stop and ask myself, “Am I living my dream?” I don’t ever want to wake up and realize I stopped evaluating my life and now I’m living something I don’t really want. Part of that question implies, at least for me, “Am I helping people?” It’s hard to be truly happy if you just care about yourself. My small way of giving back is my blog, www.bookpromoting101. I renamed it Book Promoting 501 and I’ve been blogging about tips on book promoting and the publishing industry. I’ve published two nonfiction books, Book Promoting 101 and How To Be A Full Time Writer, and I’m about to publish a third called How To Sell More Kindle eBooks. Writing is my passion, and I’ve learned a lot about making it as a writer, so I hope my knowledge is helping others.

The other part of, “Am I living my dream?” is looking at new dreams. That’s what has been on my mind for a while, and it popped up again when I read Jon Morrow’s blog post. I’ve actually done quite a bit of traveling, and moving across the country at one point, but I have a dream of traveling more, enjoying it more, and taking the kids more. I read about families that take to the road for a year to see the U.S. with their kids, or even sail around the world. There’s books and blogs about how you can stop renting or sell your home, put your stuff in storage, and use your rent or mortgage money to finance your travels. That inspires me to get creative and look at ways to take more trips with my kids, even if we don’t travel the entire U.S. or world right away.Still, I want to take them on one of those trips they’ll remember all their lives.

You would think this dream isn’t that hard to achieve, but I’ve been making all kinds of excuses. I have a job I can do from anywhere, and I set my own hours, but I have kids, and they have school and sports. Well, other families have done year long trips with kids. Then there’s the money issues. But deep down, I know if I want a dream, it just takes planning and work.  I think I’ve been on the cliff, thinking about jumping. I’m not committed to any big or specific goal for a family vacation yet, but I’m researching and I’ve taken little steps. We’ve always gone on short trips around Oregon and some into California, and we have some more planned that branch out a little more. So maybe I’m even wading into the waters.  I just have to remember that reaching dreams means taking steps.

So what about you? Do you feel you have dreams that you’re working toward? Are you researching, planning and dreaming? Are you pausing in life and wondering what you really want?