Year in review

Farewell, 2013

I'm actually a little in shock that 2013 is very rapidly coming to a close. It's been an incredibly busy, hard, exhausting, and rewarding year, both in my author life and my personal life.

While the first quarter of the year was fairly uneventful, minus a small personal moment as I realized it was my last year as a twenty-something year old, the rest of the year was a "hang on tight" kind of year.

It began in May with my very first author event at Cascades Library in Ashburn, VA. It was equal measures thrilling, exciting, terrifying and just wonderful. I was able to meet so many authors from my area, and had a great day

Next on the ride, the release of Heart of Kylassame, my second novel and the second book in the Land of Kaldalangra series. A bit darker, a bit broodier, and much more emotional, releasing this book into the wild was a similar feeling to, I imagine, when I send my daughter off to college. Stay strong, little book, and work your magic.











Speaking of daughters, somehow mine turned two in July! I'm definitely in shock over how fast she is growing, and how the time is flying by. I began writing The Lady of Steinbrekka before I was even pregnant, and published it one month after my kiddo was born. Wow.

It wasn't all fun and games though. In August of this year we finally said goodbye to our beloved Catahoula. Katie had lived a very long life (14!) and was able to make her way to the rainbow bridge with her head on my husband's lap and my arms around her. A peaceful and pain-free ending for such a wonderful member of the family.

This Christmas I was able to add a new member of the novel family to the grid, with the release of Soul of Asimina! While I love all of my book children equally, this is my current favorite. The main characters in this book are in the 19 - 25 range, and boy do they do their own thing. I would regularly be writing this book only to stop and go, "Wait, you just 
did what with who? I'm in charge!"










And finally we ended with a new additional to my non-book (real? regular? human/animal?) family, a betta fish. While the tank may look like it was fully designed by my 2 year old, it was actually my husband who picked out the decor. That being said, the 2 year old loves her fish, who she named Momma. 






So that's it for 2013! What's next? Who knows? Well, I know a little. I'm hoping to put out two books next year, both contemporary fiction and a break from the Land of Kaldangra series. While I do have a fourth book in the series in the works (Katrina's story) as well as a possible novella (Sula's story), it's going to be just a little time until those will be hitting the shelves.

It's been fun 2013, now let's ring in the new year!

Soul of Asimina Release

The third book in the Land of Kaldalangra series has arrived!

Cover by Once Upon a Time covers

Sabina de Nespa has known a life of freedom and peace, thanks to the actions of her heroic parents. As a child of royalty, she has kept her intentions pure and her heart guarded, always aware that the crown of the realm may one day rest upon her brow.

When two strangers stumble across her path, she finds her peace shattered as dangerous family secrets begin to emerge, along with a malignant force that threatens to destroy her entire world. These men have the ability to help her rise to brilliant heights, or cause a devastating plunge into darkness.

It is now up to Sabina to continue her parents’ legacy of honor, courage, and strength through adversity. With the fate of Kaldalangra upon her shoulders, she has vowed to follow the path of righteousness, or die trying.

Kindle

Nook

Paperback

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Do you want to know how the story began? Then be sure to get your copy of the first two books in the Land of Kaldalangra series, The Lady of Steinbrekka and Heart of Kylassame. As a bonus, each of these e-books is available for Nook and Kindle users for only 99 cents until January 1st, 2014!

Also, be sure to check out the give-away currently being hosted by Strong Novels, a free Kindle of Nook copy of all 3 books in the Kaldalangra series! But don't delay, the contest ends with 2013, and entries will close on January 1st.

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Rhea Aralia lived an uneventful life in Virginia, until the fateful night of her kidnapping. Taken to a strange realm of destruction, despair, and mysterious people with dark secrets, the young woman must learn a new way of life to survive.With the help of her new companions, Rhea discovers the courage to defy the tyrant King Verikhan and his heir, the cleverness to deceive the court, and the power within herself to transform this world of darkness into one of beauty and hope.

Will Rhea triumph over those who seek her destruction, or will she be forever lost in the darkness known as Kaldalangra?


Kindle    Nook

Nyssa has taken her place as Queen of the realm, with her secret love, Sebast, now openly at her side. She rules with a fair hand, striving for justice and prosperity for all of her people.
Rowan and Rhea travel the realm, spreading peace and healing wherever they go. In Kylassame, they have formed a strong bond with friends and spread deep roots in the community.
The people of Kaldalangra are joyful, and life in their world is better than ever before.
But a string of tragedies has the ability to bring Rhea to her knees, and with her, the entire realm. While Rowan struggles to recover the village of Kylassame from a devastating crime, Rhea’s faith in her own strength weakens, with dire consequences.
Re-enter the world of Kaldalangra, and join the adventure as Rhea and Rowan endeavor to continue upon their chosen destiny

Kindle
Nook

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Soul of Asimina cover reveal

Her parents were heroes of the realm, and when Sabina de Nespa found herself in a position to thwart grave evil, she had never been more determined to do what is right, or more terrified.

Cover by Once Upon a Time Covers

Coming this winter!

Soul of Asimina is the third book in the Land of Kaldalangra series, written by Kristi Strong.

Sabina de Nespa was content living in the shadow of her heroic parents, traveling the realm and aiding the less fortunate. As the child of royalty, she kept her intentions pure and her heart guarded, always aware that the crown may one day rest upon her brow.

When two strangers fall into her world, life as she knows it spirals out of control, and shakes her to the core. One brings with him an enemy that destroyed entire cultures in his old world, and the second is filled with hidden intentions and dangerous secrets.

It has been two years since the reign of the tyrannical King Verikhan has ended, and the realm of Kaldalangra flourishes.

When a decade old evil threatens to destroy the peace of Kaldalangra, it is up to Sabina to take the step into her parents’ footsteps, or let everything for which they worked crumble into dust.







Rhea Aralia lived an uneventful life in Virginia, until the fateful night of her kidnapping. Taken to a strange realm of destruction, despair, and mysterious people with dark secrets, the young woman must learn a new way of life to survive.

With the help of her new companions, Rhea discovers the courage to defy the tyrant King Verikhan and his heir, the cleverness to deceive the court, and the power within herself to transform this world of darkness into one of beauty and hope.

Will Rhea triumph over those who seek her destruction, or will she be forever lost in the darkness known as Kaldalangra?

Kindle

Nook

Paperback

Goodreads 

Nyssa has taken her place as Queen of the realm, with her secret love, Sebast, now openly at her side. She rules with a fair hand, striving for justice and prosperity for all of her people.

Rowan and Rhea travel the realm, spreading peace and healing wherever they go. In Kylassame, they have formed a strong bond with friends and spread deep roots in the community.

The people of Kaldalangra are joyful, and life in their

world is better than ever before.

But a string of tragedies has the ability to bring Rhea to her knees, and with her, the entire realm. While Rowan struggles to recover the village of Kylassame from a devastating crime, Rhea’s faith in her own strength weakens, with dire consequences.


Re-enter the world of Kaldalangra, and join the adventure as Rhea and Rowan endeavor to continue upon their chosen destiny.

Paperback

Kindle

Nook

Goodreads 

~ * ~ * ~

About the Author

 Fixing broken computers, wrangling a very spirited little toddler, and creating a world with a tyrant king, are all parts of the average day for Kristi Strong. While she has called Virginia her home for two decades, her head has rested in two countries, three states, and under far too many roofs to count. She was more than happy to give up her nomadic lifestyle and settle down with her husband, daughter, and their small zoo (consisting of a dog, cat, and chinchilla).                                                                                               Attending James Madison University gave Kristi the rare opportunity to work as part of an archaeological team on a variety of dig sites in Virginia. She now uses her extensive studies in human cultures (aka, Anthropology degree), to create her own world in her fantasy novels, beginning with her debut novel, The Lady of Steinbrekka, continuing with her second novel, Heart of Kylassame, as well as her upcoming novel Soul of Asimina.

Teaser Time - Soul of Asimina

Vacation has ended and I'm back in the game! I have spent the last seven days making a 12 hour car trip with my husband and 2 year old up to his family's lake house in Maine. It was a total blast, and I was able to flesh out the entire story for the 4th book in the Land of Kaldalangra series, which is currently titleless.

Since I have now returned, I thought I would give you a bit of a taste of the 3rd book of Kaldalangra, Soul of Asimina, which is due to be released Christmas of 2013!

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Sabina's breathing hitched as her father turned, the glittering crown of Queen Sula held carefully before him.
"Daughter, you are the true heir to the realm, the oldest-born child of the oldest-born reagent. As such, this crown is yours to claim, or refuse.
He placed the crown onto her out-stretched hands reverently and gave a small smile. His lips gently touched her forehead in benediction and he whispered, "the choice is yours, sweetheart. Follow your heart."

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.

Teaser time!

That's right, folks. It's time for the Indi-Licious teaser blog hop!


This week we are going back to Kaldalangra, but we will be visiting Soul of Asimina, due to be released winter 2013.

~ * ~ * ~

Sabina stood in the orchard, still as a rabbit caught in the sight of one of her father’s hunting hounds, and quickly ticked off her options.

Too close for me to run, she calculated. The strange man was over a foot taller than her, and looked to be athletic enough to overtake her before she escaped the orchard. Her friends had turned and were coming back, but too slowly, not realizing the danger. She could yell, but there was no assurance that help would come quickly enough.

She looked into the blue eyes and saw a feverish hope there, a longing so intense that it frightened her. He was covered in dust, covered in mud, and his shaggy hair was tangled with twigs and thorns.

“Hello. Are you lost?” She said, carefully backing up as she spoke, observant that he stepped closer with every step.

“I’m here. Don’t you recognize me? I’m here.” The man stretched out a hand towards her face, the movement smooth and unthreatening.

“I’m sorry, but I don’t. Are you from the court? Are you from the other world?” Sabina glanced to her right, saw her friends approaching, and saw the shift from carefree friends to young warriors as the men approached.

“It’s me. I came back to save you. I came back to help you. Now we can find our way back again, together.” His eyes were shiny with unshed tears of relief that he had finally found her.

“Why don’t you come back to the village with me? We can get you some food, some clean clothes, and then we can talk.” Sabina slowly reached out a hand for the man, heart pounding in her chest, eyes subtly tracking her friend, Nastasio, as he moved behind the stranger.

“We should leave now, before they trap you again.” He stepped forward to grab her hand, preparing to flee with her into the woods.

Nastasio moved as soon as the stranger’s hand touched his friend, and a quick elbow to the temple sent the man crumpling to the floor.

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Be sure to also check out these other tantalizing teasers from the incredible authors in this weeks Indie-licious blog-hop