Lady of Steinbrekka is on sale!

That's right! For the month of June The Lady of Steinbrekka is on sale for only $1.99 (Kindle and Nook only)

If you want to purchase the paperback version, that is currently on sale for $10.79 at Amazon.com

Here is what readers are saying about The Lady of Steinbrekka.

Amazing!!! The Lady of Steinbrekka transports the reader into another dimension. 

A fantastic literary journey into another realm. Once you enter the world of Steinbrekka, you won't want to leave.

It is an exquisite combination of The Looking Glass Wars meets Graceling entwined with The Last Knight. I simply could not put it down and lost valuable sleep, but it was worth every minute. 

Adults and Teens alike will devour this book enjoying an exciting adventure that surprises and shocks the reader at every turn. 

Kudos to Kristi Strong on her debuting novel! I am looking forward to the rest of the trilogy as I am sure the characters will not disappoint.

A book has to grab me in the fist few pages. This book did just that! I fell in love with the characters so this was a fast read. I found myself wanting to more about the past of the characters and where they will go from here. Looking forward to the second book!

FHS Book Club Meeting

I had a wonderful opportunity to meet with the faculty at a local high school who had chosen the Lady of Steinbrekka as their May fiction novel! It is certainly daunting to have a group of teachers reading your work, and part of me was terrified that they were going to hate it.
Quite the opposite, it seems :) We had a wonderful question/answer session and everyone was also very excited about the bookmarks I handed out, as well as the sneak peak for the cover of Heart of Kylassame, coming June 26th.
Here are some of the wonderful questions they sent my way (paraphrased because I have a horrible memory, even of my own answers)

Do you have a favorite character?
My favorite is definitely Rowan. He's like my fantasy husband, you know, if I were ever kidnapped and taken to another realm. Savin is my second, and he's like my fantasy boyfriend. Obviously I have a hand in giving them qualities I like, but they also developed a bit on their own, and I like how Rowan "grew up" over the course of the book(s).

Are you Rhea?
I wish! Parts of me make up Rhea, like my archaeology background, horse experience (the story she tells KataOlya is a true story of my past), as well as my fondness for cats. But, I think it's safer to say that Rhea is who I wish I could be. When writing, I am able to think of how I would react to a situation and then have time to formulate the results. This allows Rhea to be stronger and wittier than me. I'm the type of person who thinks of the perfect response...5 minutes later.

How do you write? Do you use an outline?
(I will do a post on this later, but here's the short answer). I typically have a loose plot outline for each book. Normally I have a beginning and an end, but the details in the middle get kind of fuzzy. Mostly I just write down things I want to have happen on paper, and then they all begin to magically connect, sometimes with much frustration on my end. The Lady of Steinbrekka was much more outlined than Heart of Kylassame (due out June 26th), and I gave up within 2 pages of Soul of Asimina (due out Christmas 2013) because the characters weren't listening to me anyway.

What inspired The Lady of Steinbrekka?
It sounds cliche, but I had a dream about some of the scenes and the rest just kind of happened. I dreamt (from the pov of Rhea) about getting kidnapped and waking up to see this evil High Prince who wore my friend's face. I knew I had to save him, but couldn't figure out how. I also dreamed the scene with the Gormellyn. Then I just had to figure out how to connect them.

What is it like to be a famous author?
I wouldn't say I'm famous (yet?)! It's still processing for me. Some days, like when I get awesome reviews or make a profit, it's really incredible. Mostly, I just feel like a person who likes to write books, and who is lucky enough to be able to share them with the people around her and have readers who enjoy the work.

When do you write?
Whenever I can, which is not nearly as often as I like. I have paper near me so I am scribbling plot lines and ideas all day, but really can only sit down and write when my child is asleep. Of course, that's also when I have to clean/cook/pay bills, so that's why it takes so long in between books! One day I'll be able to just sit and write for 8 hours a day, but that is not today.

Character Spotlight - Faulks

     While Faulks is a minor character in The Lady of Steinbrekka, he becomes a key player in the second and third books of the series, Heart of Kylassame and Soul of Asimina.

     A wild hawk with russet colored wings and a larger than average size, Faulks was given to Rowan by Queen Sula in honor of Rowan’s 5th birthday. Though he left for unknown reasons after the death of Queen Sula, he returned to Rowan when the man was old enough to venture from the castle walls.

     The character of Faulks was inspired by the many hawk sightings I had while writing The Lady of Steinbrekka, and then when I began Heart of Kylassame. I have always been fascinated with the beautiful predatory birds, but rarely was able to view them in my daily travels. When I began writing The Lady of Steinbrekka, I began to see at least two hawks per day on my daily commute to work.

     This became significant to me when I found out that I had become pregnant. Every day I would see more and more hawks, almost as if they were watching over me. Once I gave birth, the numbers dwindled down, but I still occasionally see one sitting on a power-line, watching over me as I make the commute home.

Cascade's Signing

What an incredible day! I woke up bright and early and was relieved to start my day by leaving the husband and the kiddo happily asleep in the bed. A quiet and calm morning is always a nice way to start the day. My parents came to pick me up, as their Acura gives substantially more storage space for the stuff I needed to bring to the signing. I naively thought I was only going to need to bring a tote bag and my box of books, but...well...a picture says a thousand words.

The end result ended up being 

 - In leather bag on left : Ipad + charger, 2 different fabrics for the table cloth (because I am indecisive and couldn't decide until I saw the table itself), book display stand, rack card display, business card display, several sharpies and pens. 

- In middle bag with the circles : bookmarks, rack cards, more pens, small notebook, business cards, candy, basket for candy, book stand, sign with Heart of Kylassame's blurb and release date, Square card reader, scratch paper, water bottle, iced coffee (for me), wallet, cell phone.

- In box : books

It was just...awesome. I didn't have a panic attack which really surprised me, and I felt confident the entire time. There was an incredible array of authors there, although I was fairly alone in the fantasy fiction genre, at least during the morning session. There were also quite a lot of self-published authors there, which really surprised me.

I do have to admit, my dad now has free reign to say "I told you so" regarding Lady of Steinbrekka's cover. I have been wanting to change the cover since it is rather generic, and he told me not to even think about it. All I heard all day were variations of the statement that amounted to, "your cover is gorgeous" "what a beautiful cover", etc. Fine, the cover stays :)

Here is my set-up :) I was pretty happy with it, especially for my first event where I really didn't know what to expect or what would be provided. I went with a white, sparkly table cloth, then fanned out my bookmarks, set up two books, had my bookmarks and rack cards, and then a bowl of candy. My blurb for Heart of Kylassame was just beside the candy.

For future events, I plan on making a big poster-board sized sign that has "Author Signing Today" as well as reviews from my books. I'm also going to make a few card-stock copies of the titles with an "Available for Nook" or "Available for Kindle" so that readers know that there are e-book versions available. 

I also could not have been happier with Cascades Library, who was hosting the event. They went above and beyond to give us a wonderful time. There was a really considerate green room set up with water, coffee and snacks, and then they provided a really thoughtful lunch spread. They also had many volunteers who would watch our tables if we needed a restroom break, lunch break, or went into the other room to do a reading. I am already looking forward to signing up for the event next year.

Reading club!

In more good news, I just received word that The Lady of Steinbrekka is going to be the featured book for the LCPS-FHS Fiction Reading Club for the month of May! The Fiction Club is a group of teachers who meet weekly to read, discuss, and socialize.

The Lady of Steinbrekka is also one of the featured books for the 2014-2015 Battle of the Books! This is a reading competition held by the high schools in Loudoun County, VA. Students on the teams are responsible for reading, learning, and retaining the information from 10 different books in a variety of genres. I have had the privilege of working in one of the Battles in the past and, let me tell you, the facts these kids remember are pretty amazing. I am thrilled and really proud of The Lady of Steinbrekka being selected for this competition, especially because the panel who selects the books are made up of Reading Specialists and Librarians from the school system!

I was even able to give them a bit of information about self-publishing. The Lady of Steinbrekka was originally slated for the 2013-2014 school year (next year), however none of the people who do the book ordering had ever ordered from a self-published author before. They moved The Lady of Steinbrekka to the next year under the assumption that they would have to order the books from me, and I would then have to print them (through Kinkos, Staples, etc) and then deliver them to the schools.

They were pretty blown away when they realized that a self-published author doesn't have to print their own materials, and that they could simply order the books through Amazon or CreateSpace without any issues. Once we get into next year, I am going to write the event organizers and see if they would be interested in me presenting about self-publication and how it is a viable option for writers in this day and age.

Upcoming events

Guess what guys?

I have just received word that I was accepted to be one of the featured authors for the Cascades Library Local Author's Fair! This event will take place Saturday, May 5th at the Cascades Library in Sterling, Virginia. Authors spanning generations, experience, and genres will be gathering to speak with their fans, make some new connections, and spread the love of reading and writing to all who attend.

If you come to the library between 10am and 1pm, I will be there selling signed copies of The Lady of Steinbrekka, offering complimentary bookmarks to all who attend, as well as offering advice about self-publishing.

Authors will be present for book signings from 10am to 5pm. There will also be two panel discussions occurring during the day. The first discussion, "Writers, technology, and the future" will be held from 11am to 12:15pm. The second discussion, "Inspiration: Insight on what motivates us to write" will be held from 2pm to 3:15pm.

Spread the word, and I hope to see you there! This is going to be an incredible event.

Character Spotlight - The Aos Si

    The Aos Si, or Sisters of Mourning, are three women who reside in the rocky cliff of Steinbrekka. Cursed to a life within their stone prison, Sorella, Nina and Leora lament the evil that has spread over the realm of Kaldalangra. They have made it their calling to watch over the souls of the damned, people sent to their deaths by the evil King Verikhan.

    While their silver-white hair, porcelain skin and piercing blue eyes give the Aos Si a spectral appearance, the sisters are, in fact, alive. Trapped within their curse, they cannot die, but instead are doomed for an immortal life of pain and grief for the souls they could not save.

    Immediately loved by the sisters, Rhea stumbles into their lair after the King sends her to Steinbrekka to break her sanity, or end her life. After stumbling through a strange door in the rock wall, she meets the sisters and gains strength from their song.

    The story of the Aos Si will be continued further in the fourth book of the Kaldalangran series, Grace of Kaldalangra, due to be released summer 2014.

Character Spotlight - Gormellyn

Character Spotlight – Gormellyn 

     The Gormellyn is a harbinger of justice, deliverer of destiny, and a creature with no mercy.

     With a body the size of a large bird, but with a feline form, the Gormellyn is a small, but lethal creature. A body and legs of obsidian-black fur led to paws with razor-sharp talons. The long, thin muzzle of the Gormellyn was deceptively passive, until it opened and revealed needle-sharp fangs that glistened against black fur. The red, sibilant tongue can smell fear on the air, and the pointed, black ears can hear the words of deception spoken across the entire realm.

     Usually content to reside within its rocky lair in the region known as Steinbrekka, the Gormellyn will only leave in order to see justice done within the realm of Kaldalangra. Rarely has he been woken from his decade long slumber, but when the imposter to the throne answered the Gormellyn’s call for power, he arose angry and vengeful.

     The Gormellyn has no patience for human struggles, pain, or relationships. This creature knows only one thing, and that is justice. He has no room in his heart for those who seek to deceive those around him, and no mercy for those who cause harm to the people he claims as his own.

Teaser Time!

Do you know what time it is? Time for the   teaser blog hop!

This week's teaser takes us back to the beginning of The Lady of Steinbrekka, the first in the Kaldalangra series. The Lady of Steinbrekka is available for purchase from Barnes&Noble and Amazon.

   “It is not worth it to struggle, little one. You have no chance of winning.”

   Rhea caught a finger between her teeth and bit down hard, wildly kicking her feet out to try to contact any body part of her assailant. She growled, “it’s always worth trying,” and then cried out in pain as he grabbed her by the back of her neck like a kitten. He forced her on her knees into a stillness born of agony as the second man approached.

   “I thought she was going to be an easy one eh, so much for a painless job.”

   The man holding her laughed, “I suspect it will be well worth it, my brother. They do not come this feisty all the time!” His grip hardened on her neck as he dragged her onto her feet. “Now are you going to come quietly girl, or will you be taking the hard way out?”

   Rhea spat at him and tried to twist out of his grip. She felt a quick, hard blow to her head and the world began to move like slow molasses around her. She fought a quick wave of nausea and tried to coerce her feet to move, to will the stars to stop creating a tunnel in front of her face. She saw the mirror in front of her slide to the side, and felt herself being forced into the space it once occupied. She had the momentary thought of, that’s crazy, the mirror doesn’t do that, as the darkness consumed her.

 How will Rhea get out of this? While you wait for your copy of The Lady of Steinbrekka to arrive to your Nook, Kindle, or front step, check out these other great teasers from the 

teaser blog hop!

Sneak Peak, part 2

Are you ready for the second installment of the Indie-licious teaser blog hop? 

This is another bit from Heart of Kylassame, the 2nd book in the Kaldalangra series. Heart of Kylassame is due to be released Summer 2013, so make sure to read Lady of Steinbrekka so you know what's going on ;)

Lianna walked forward tentatively, eyes open wide in fear. The fountain was frozen, the water caught mid-flow as it had tumbled down the carved stone. The ice was clear in the summer sun, slightly melting in the summer heat before refreezing, an endless cycle of desolation. She could see the red swirls that had rippled through the water before it froze, the tiny red droplets that gleamed on the white surface of the pool. In the depths of the pool, the ornamental fish swam slowly, sluggishly, their resilient bodies succumbing to the freezing temperature above.

Dmitri folded his hands within his long-sleeved brown tunic. “It began yesterday. The roses and the fountain had frozen over when Lady Rhea left the garden. When I checked the clearing this morning the frost had spread to the entire area, and is slowly overtaking the entire garden.”

His nearly blind eyes shifted from Savin to Nyssa. “The garden reflects the heart of Lady Rhea. That was apparent so many years ago when her love and hope released us from the icy prison. Now,” he gestured to the icicles hanging from the tree branches, “something has caused her heart to go cold, and thus, we follow.”

Need something to read while you wait? Check out these other awesome teasers from some incredible authors!

Character Spotlight - Ayewoke

    This very first character spotlight is going to focus on the character of Ayewoke. Ayewoke can be found as a character in the books, Lady ofSteinbrekka and Heart of Kylassame.

    Ayewoke is a form of Magi, a woman with extraordinary powers who resides in an area of Kaldalangra known as Steinbrekka. Steinbrekka is a rocky, desolate region that is home to many supernatural creatures and people. The desolation of the realm has made it the perfect place for King Verikhan to send any people who come into his realm, either by accident or through kidnapping. There, they are brain-washed and, usually, die from the assault on their body and minds from the natural and supernatural forces in the region.

    When Rhea goes to Steinbrekka to be brainwashed, she meets the ancient Magi, Ayewoke. There, Ayewoke gives her the help needed to survive the ordeal. She realizes that Rhea is not just an ordinary woman, and decides to act as her emotional guardian once Rhea leaves Steinbrekka. As Ayewoke is not welcome in the court of Kaldalangra, she achieves this by transforming into her other form; that of a little gray cat.

    This character was born out of two very different but equally powerful images.

http://nativeamericanencyclopedia.com/running-eagle/

    The first is an image that has always stuck in my head; that of the old-world tribal Matriarch. These women lived in a time when it was not possible to erase wrinkles, smooth lines, and dye their hair to hide the grays. The elderly were venerated and cherished for their deep wells of wisdom and experience, and considered vital members of the community. 

    These are women who have a primal, dignified beauty, and every wrinkle tells a tale of the full life they have lived.

    It would not be hard to picture a woman, such as this, sitting on an isolated rocky peak in a supernatural region of another world.

    The second image, oddly enough, is based on my childhood cat, Ewok. Ewok was a very special little gray cat (sound familiar?) that was always looking out for me while growing up. She would follow me into the woods for hikes, sleep beside me at night, and brush away my teenage tears with her little paws. 

   

    She was in her twelfth year when I began writing The Lady of Steinbrekka, and passed away in a mysterious fashion when I was writing the final chapter of the novel.

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.