Sneak Peak from Heart of Kylassame

Hi everyone, and welcome to a special sneak peak from my newest work-in-progress, Heart of Kylassame, which will be released during the summer of 2013.

Heart of Kylassame is the second book in the series, Tales of Kaldalangra. Be sure to Read the first book, Lady of Steinbrekka, today! Lady of Steinbrekka is available for Nook, Kindle, and Paperback.

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Rowan turned as the crowd gasped in alarm and then gave a restrained smile at the sight of his wife walking beside the massive cat. She looked regal at that moment, and he was given the uncomfortable reminder that not only she was his wife, but she was the Lady of Steinbrekka. It did not surprise him, then, that the Makaholr would show up on this day. Somewhere he must have sensed that his lady had been threatened, that her mate needed his assistance in carrying out justice. 

She looked beautiful and terrifying as she walked through the grasses, the crowd of people shrinking back at the sight of the giant cat. Her entire essence changed during that walk through the crowd. Blue jeans and cotton shirt shimmered, and when he blinked she was suddenly wearing a deep crimson gown, so well-fitted it seemed to have been sewn onto her body. The neck dipped low on her chest, revealing the carved-stoned ladybug pendant that he had given her two years prior. He had made that necklace for his mother, the Queen, and she had returned it upon her deathbed. It belonged to Rhea now, a woman his mother would have loved, had they ever met.

          The people behind him shifted nervously at the sight of the pair. The cat moved slowly, stealthily through the grass, muscles rippling and fangs bared as those large, green eyes  fixed on the criminals. The women walking with the cat was a stranger to them, indeed a stranger to all who lived in Kylassame. This was not the friend who smiled at their antics, watched the children, or danced with them at parties. This woman was formidable, a protector of the threatened, and her feline companion a harbinger of justice.

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Want to be delightfully teased by some other fascinating stories? Check out these great posts from the Indie-licious blog hop! I can't wait for these stories to come out!

My interview by Kristina Circelli

One of my biggest moments happened in August 2012 following the release of my first novel, The Lady of Steinbrekka. This was a chance to be interviewed by my friend, mentor, and inspiration, the amazing Kristina Circelli!

For the full interview, please be sure to visit Kristina over at An Awfully Big Adventure! While you wait the 5 seconds for the page to load, here is a snippit.

Interview with Kristi Strong

1) Thanks for participating in this author interview (and for being my guinea pig and being the first…)! I am so excited The Lady of Steinbrekkais available. Being your first novel, how does it feel to go through the self-publishing process and finally, at the end of it all, have your book in hand?

It is very surreal. When I first saw my book up on www.bn.com I screamed, and grabbed my husband and just kept pointing at the screen going “It’s there! It’s there!” It is a wonderful and incredible feeling. At first I did experience some doubt because I always thought you had to go through a big time publisher to be legit, but this has just blown my mind and that notion straight out the window. The indie novel world is so immense, and has such wonderful creations that it is a awesome source of entertainment and stories.

2) LoS has been many years in the making. What inspired you to go back to your idea, and how did you keep that motivation going throughout the course of writing the book? 

That would be you ;) I have been writing short stories and poems my entire life, but never really thought of other people enjoying them. Your constant excitement kept me writing and made me realize that this is something that should be shared. My mom actually got pretty emotional when I told her that someone was encouraging me to write, and then publish. I had given up on it in college because “I was no Emerson/Tolkien/Rowling” and had forgotten why I write in the first place.

I also hit some spots where the characters or events totally surprised me by taking a different path than originally intended, and that is always exciting. After one fight scene I found myself going “Oh wow, I wonder what will happen next and if everything will be ok!” Then I realized I would have to actually write that and figure it out as the story evolved.

3) LoS is filled with many unique characters and places. Do any of them come from specific inspirations, or people? 

Mateo is actually the only one based on a real person, although more so his nicer side. Also, many of Rhea’s college experiences she refers to late in the book were pulled (and embellished a bit) from our friendship.
Many of the terms, names, and creatures do pull from a variety of languages (mashed together in many cases) or loosely resemble myths and folklore stories told throughout the world.

Welcome!

Welcome to my new blog, Strong Novels!

Did you find me through my personal blog, Adventures in Adulthood ? That blog is a constant journey through my growth as a wife, homeowner, and mother. This blog is going to serve as my gateway to my fans, readers, mentors, and anyone who loves the world of writing and reading.

Here you will find some incredible interviews, book reviews, new releases, cover reveals, and everything that is going on in my writing life.

Enjoy!