Keira Gillett Author

Fierce Middle Grade Fantasy Reads

Author

Blog Tour Stop: Author Interview at The Novelty of Life + Giveaway

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In case you missed it, I did an author interview with book blogger Kathy of The Novelty of Life.

Here’s a sneak peek of what we talked about:

Kathy: Why did you decide to switch the main character from Zaria to Aleks?

Keira: Zaria fought her dragon. Plus, I knew there was a story to tell in Niffleheim, which brings me to Aleks. His character arc always intrigued me and I wanted to explore it more…

Read the rest of the interview here, be sure to leave a comment on her site because someone is going to win a Fierce Scale Necklace. The winner gets to choose their color – will you pick one that reminds you a dragon in the series like Koll, a winter-wyvern like Norwick, or a river-troll like Olaf?

Video + Recap: Midnight Release Party for Aleks Mickelsen and the Twice-Lost Fairy Well

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Michele Carpenter and I had an absolute blast hosting the live event midnight release party on Facebook for Aleks Mickelsen and the Twice-Lost Fairy Well. We had lots of comments as we went which was so much fun! Thank you guys for making it so special. If you missed it you can watch the replay here:

There’s still some time to enter the scavenger hunt contest. Be sure you take the time to do so! The winner gets a signed copy of Aleks Mickelsen and the Twice-Lost Fairy Well. Contest closes 7/9/17 at 10 PM EST. This contest is open internationally, and your entry can be posted to Instagram or the Zaria Fierce FB page with the hashtag #zariafierceparty

It should look something like this:

Good luck! As for the other prize, the Zaria Fierce necklace, congratulations again to Megan for winning the Zaria Fierce book bingo!

The book is now available in e-book and print with the audio book soon to follow. Thank you again everyone who came out and joined Michele and I. We were so excited and thrilled to celebrate Aleks with you. I look forward to your thoughts on Aleks. Enjoy and happy readings!

Recap: Grand Opening of Titusville Splash Park

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I had a great time last Saturday at the grand opening of the Titusville Splash Park. I heard about the event through my friend Amy. She knew I was looking for opportunities to bring my books to the public and this community event was a perfect match. I even got to meet the mayor! The kids had a great time with the goodies provided by the various vendors and the splash park was a huge success.

Lots of wonderful people came by the tent to inquire about my books and I gave out lots of cards, encouraging them to look me up on Amazon and to check the books out from the county library system. Zaria and I made some new fans which is great. I couldn’t ask for better!

One thing I plan to get, and in fact have already ordered, is an official banner to put in front of my table for future events. It’s the only thing I would change. Thanks everyone for stopping by and saying hello. Here are some highlights of the day!

4 Reasons Every Fiction Author Should Go On Escape Room Adventures

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Escape room games are a new source of entertainment sweeping the nation and gaining in popularity. I didn’t know much about them, other than my hubby saying the idea for them is based off the Saw franchise. I’m not into horror so I put the idea of doing one on the back burner. I didn’t really think the rooms were all designed for cheap horror thrills, like a haunted house, but I didn’t know what to expect either. It wasn’t until seeing Geek and Sundry’s Escape Room web series that I got super excited. It was the catalyst for me to jump in head first and try one out.

Having now completed two different scenarios (technically escaping only one, and missing the other by a one-to-two minute margin), I fully recommend trying them out for all, and feel that every fiction author should do one to improve their writing, and not just for mystery writers, but for any genre. Here’s how:

  1. Finding Clues: Escape rooms are all about observation. It teaches gamers about what’s worth noticing. When it comes to sprinkling legitimate clues and red herrings, escape rooms are a great way to sort through possible clues in your writing. For instance, if you see a locked door, obviously you want to open it. In a recent room I did, the locked door was a red herring. If you focused too much of your time on opening it, you’d never complete the scenario. What sort of clues can you sprinkle in your writing that draw your characters’ and readers’ attention while also planting the real clues more subtly?
  2. Solving Puzzles: Escape rooms will chain together puzzles. Not in every case, but in enough to be mindful that not everything is one and done. Sometimes clues are doubly important. Solving them takes creative thinking, matching several observations together, deduction, and other skills to put it all together. These will help you as an author, figure out how to get your characters to arrive at the solution, and bring your readers along with you in a way that makes sense and doesn’t feel half-baked.
  3. Teamwork: Escape rooms are not a single person effort. It requires many people, communicating and noodling their way through the scenario. As fun as the Sherlock Holmes archetype is, your main character shouldn’t always be the one with the solution or the observation that leads to winning the day. Sometimes puzzles are unsolvable alone, someone else has part of your puzzle. How can you get your characters involved with other people to find the crucial missing pieces? Do they talk to an authority? A witness? A neighbor?
  4. Immersive: Escape rooms are an experience, as oppose to playing a puzzle game on your computer, which is not immersive. In an escape room there’s sounds, lights, props, sets, and more. Everything you do in one involves your senses. Everything is chosen specifically and with purpose. They draw you in. Your writing should do the same. When you build a scene, start with your theme and go from there. Add your touches to pull in your readers’ imagination. Play to their expectations when creating atmosphere and scenery. Then surprise them. Delight them! Make them want to dig deeper. Your choice in words and storytelling should be evocative.

Escape rooms are a wonderful tool in author’s toolkit, and plus it’s so much fun to do. Your readers will also thrill in solving puzzles, chaining together a series of clues, and completing a set of challenges. Good luck and may you have a great escape! 🙂

Thinking of other books, which feature fun immersive games/challenges, off the top of my head, I enjoyed the Triwizard Tournament from Harry Potter, the 74th and 75th Hunger Games from the trilogy with the same name, the Encyclopedia Brown mysteries, Nancy Drew mysteries, the Testing in the trilogy with the same name, and the Selection in the trilogy with the same name.

In the Zaria Fierce Series there are two such sequences a few books apart. The first in book two involving the fey in Niffleheim. Zaria and her friends must win two of three challenges. The stakes are high and they can’t afford to be outmatched. Now the next trials they’ll face is in a future book, also with the fairies. If you recall from book two, I said fairies love games. You’ll see what I mean when the gang reaches Niffleheim again.

What are your favorite tests/challenges/puzzles/trials/tournaments in books?

On the Road to Success – Book Marketing Wins

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This post is part of my goal to document how I got to where I am today as a self-published author. I’m always learning in this self-publishing journey. I’ll share successes and failures, in hopes that it inspires others who are in the midst of similar journeys or starting one. I don’t claim to have all the answers, or to even be right. I’m simply sharing my experiences in an effort to show that success isn’t instant, it’s being willing to try something, to learn from it, and having the guts to try again. It’s about adjustment and growth, and a willingness to fall flat on your face, but to get back up again.

Marketing and promotion isn’t always about advertising and budgets. Away from algorithms and in front of people I’ve had some major wins. Sometimes thinking outside the box (in some cases the box is the computer) is exactly what you need to do. Now, I totally get it. Reaching out for opportunities online is way easier than reaching for opportunities offline. The computer is a safety net. You only have to worry about an e-mail or 140 characters, or whatever. Offline you have to see people face-to-face and risk rejection. You have to call them – most often a cold call where they don’t know you from the next bloke down the street. You might even have to talk aloud about yourself and your books for a long time. Don’t panic. It’s worth the risk. Trust me.

Here are a few things I’ve done that have really helped me in my writing career, and what I call marketing wins. Not every author will have these under their tool belt, so if you can snag them, you’re that much more ahead of the game.

  • Local Paper: I’ve been listed in local paper for new book releases. This is probably the easiest of the ones to attempt to do because you can generally reach the right person at the newspaper without having to make that phone call or see them face-to-face. The power of e-mail! Be sure to have your press release handy with as much information as possible. You basically want to give them everything they could need at the tip of their fingers.
  • Local and Out-of-State Book Signings: Author readings and book signings are a great way to get word out about your book and sell a few copies while you’re at it. One hour of reading, holding a Q&A, and signing books (maybe add half an hour more for the signing), plus an hour set-up/tear-down, is well worth it. I generally make enough sales to cover my time and costs. Even if it didn’t, I’d still do book readings because the exposure is fantastic and you can reuse it on the web by filming your sessions. The best part of book signings? I get to take part in the joy of sharing my books with interested and interesting readers and fans. I love meeting kids who are fans of the series. They are adorable and absolutely make my day with their comments and questions. You can check out videos from my book signings here.
  • Local Television Shows: I’ve been interviewed on a local television show several times. You can see the videos here. This was a unique opportunity that I got to do because I was talking to a local librarian and he had recently been interviewed by the show for an event the library was doing. This is the power of your network! I made a cold call and sent an e-mail. I got a spot on the show and they had me back twice more. How wonderful is that?
  • Book Business Cards: I’ve purchased book business cards for each novel. I use them when people say something, “You write books? About what?” I whip out a card or set of them (one for each book) and say back, something like, “I write an upper middle grade fantasy series set in modern-day Norway featuring a biracial heroine who’s adopted. Also lots of trolls.” I’m a chatty Kathy and if you sit by me on a plane, train, bus or at the theater, local playhouse, or restaurant, I’ll gladly talk to you about my books. I give extras to my mom and friends so they can leave them around town or pass them along to others they might bump into.
  • Book Blog Tours: I coordinate a series of reviews and guest posts with the release of my books. Gaining reviews is the toughest aspect. Like the newspaper and any other offline pitch, you should never approach a blogger without knowing their name. It’s common courtesy. Now, I won’t say online pitching is easy. It’s extremely difficult. I’ve pitched over 400 times and my response rate is pretty low, which I totally get. Don’t take it personally if they can’t read your book, just say thanks for considering me, and move on. I used to book blog 24/7 and it takes a huge amount of dedication, effort, and love to read and review books. With that in mind, each blogger who takes a chance on me and my books is priceless and worth their weight in gold. I use quotes from their reviews in the front matter of my books. I try to repay them for their kindnesses with exposure, by doing my best to keep up with what they do across multiple social networks, liking, sharing, and commenting on their posts. To find new bloggers, I ask the ones who took a chance on me if there’s anyone they know who might like my books. I also keep track of everyone I’ve written, so I don’t swamp a blogger unintentionally and become a spammer to them. Book blog tours are all about relationship-building. It takes time and patience.

Authors – what have been some of your book marketing successes? Any tips you’d like to share to help others follow in your footsteps?

Write Ahead of Your Publishing Schedule

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I’m a huge advocate of writing ahead of your publishing schedule. Whether it is self-imposed, or a deadline set upon you by your publisher, the quicker you can crush that deadline, the better off you’ll be. Getting ahead of the game provides great benefits for you and for your writing, such as freeing up your time and your energies for other tasks and activities.  When you’re ahead in your writing, you’re not stressed or pressed for time, and you can step back, think, and make adjustments to the story line. It’s a great position to be in, and you can be right there with me, if you aren’t already.

When I started publishing Zaria Fierce, I cut my timeline short between writing and publishing by two months, because I was so excited to get the book out and become a published author. I wrote the book and published it within a six month time span instead of an eight to 12 month time span, which hampered me in some respects. I wasn’t as prepared for book one or book two as I could have been. This is especially apparent to me from a marketing standpoint. I’m still figuring this whole marketing thing out, so I don’t beat myself up too badly about the abbreviated timeline. And happily, I built back into my timeline those missing months and even more time besides.

So how far along am I? I’m about a one-fifth to one-quarter of the way through the newest story and conclusion to Aleks Mickelsen’s trilogy. No, you didn’t read that wrong. Today, as I am nearing the publication of the fourth book in the Zaria Fierce series, which is the first in Aleks’ trilogy, I’m writing book six. This is fantastic, because I can make changes to book five if something comes to me as I’m writing book six that requires foreshadowing or prior-knowledge from one or more of the characters.

I have done this before with previous books. Something has nearly cropped up in all of my books that requires planting it’s seeds in an earlier one. An example I can give that doesn’t spoil readers (at least for the upcoming books in Aleks’ trilogy) is the time I went and added the term “Golden Kings” to book one due to developments in book two. This type of detail fleshes out a world and gives it more depth, a common history/knowledge/vernacular, and vividness. If you’re not giving yourself the space and time to be able to add these nuggets into your writing, you could potentially miss out on chaining and building really great story-telling elements into your books.

Being as far ahead as I am in my own writing schedule, I am able to research more for future books, and work on my marketing for the books which are already published (something I really need to do!) I can also use this free time to build my newsletter list, write blog posts, or hold a book reading/signing event. I can use the time to plan a vacation or attend a friend’s wedding. The only true thing I have to worry about now is not spoiling for readers what happens next, because I know so much more than they do or will even after the Twice-Lost Fairy Well comes out.

I hope I’ve sold you on my writing style and its benefits. If you want to be in a similar position I have a few tips for you, which will get you there.

3 Things You Can Do Now to Crush Writing the First Draft for Your Current WIP

  1. Set goals like a crazy person. The more writing goals you can set the better. When I set writing goals, I ensure that they chain together, and help motivate me to reach the next goal, and the next, and the next. Each one acts like a springboard to push myself to the next level. I do this by setting word count goals (off-set from 500/1000 to 200/700, so even my non-goals of 500/1000 act like goals). I set chapter goals (big picture items, plotting, pacing, and planning for a certain number of chapters). I set micro goals – e.g. finish the scene. I set macro goals – e.g. link these two areas of the story together. The more goals I have across the various levels the better off I am, because it keeps me constantly moving and writing and before I even know it, I’ve written thousands of words and finished my first draft.
  2. Make writing a habit. Not only should you be setting writing goals to churn out word count, you should be making your writing a long-term habit. Write on a schedule. If you want to write every day, set aside time to do so. If you only want to write Monday through Friday, plan for it. Set aside a place to write and a time. You can even take it a step further by securing the clothes you’ll wear, the food you’ll need, your drink of choice, your writing music playlist, shutting off your phone, unplugging your modem, whatever it is. Minimize interruptions and distractions. Stick to your plans and your butt-in-chair time will equal progress on your current draft.
  3. Do not edit. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again. Do not waste time editing now. Don’t look up stuff now. This time is for writing the book. Got a question? Can’t remember a character’s hair color? Don’t know who did what or said what in what scene from before? Write down what you think you know. Highlight it. When you come back for your second draft, do the research then. It’s not worth losing a train of thought to fix something immediately that you can fix later. Your train of thought is the most precious thing your book has got going for it. Don’t screw it up by focusing on the nitty gritty. Write. Write. Write. It’s okay to be thin on facts and details as long as you get the ideas out there. You can always edit until your blue in the face later, fixing what you got incorrect and fleshing out sequences that are missing their “potatoes.”

As a self-published author, being ahead of schedule is huge for me. I work hard (and play hard) to get the first draft out. Afterward, because I have built-in time, I can set aside the draft, instead of racing into editing. I can wait on notes from beta readers and trusted persons, to learn what worked and what didn’t. And while I wait for those notes, I can start the next book. See? Always chaining those goals together even across WIPs.

I hope these writing tips have helped you, and fired you up to tackle your WIP. Good luck my friend and happy writing!