Blog Tour for Kindar

If you're looking for something for your blog for the first week of February, a wonderful Goodreads group is doing a Blog Tour for Kindar's Cure. You can leave a comment on the Making Meaning discussion page to join the tour.

Thanks to Shannon and Making Meaning for hosting me and to anyone who offers a spot.

Giveaway for Kindar's One Year Book Birthday

This month is the one year anniversary of my fantasy, Kindar's Cure! 

Princess Kindar of Anost dreams of playing the hero and succeeding to her mother’s throne. But dreams are for fools. Reality involves two healthy sisters and a wasting disease of suffocating cough that’s killing her by inches. When her elder sister is murdered, the blame falls on Kindar, putting her head on the chopping block.

    
No one who survives eighteen years of choke lung lacks determination.  A novice wizard, Maladonis Bin, approaches with a vision—a cure in a barren land of volcanic fumes. As choices go, a charming bootlicker that trips over his own feet isn’t the best option, but beggars can’t be choosers. Kindar escapes with Mal and several longtime attendants only to have her eyes opened that her country faces dark times.

Her mother’s decision to close the prosperous mines spurs poverty and joblessness, inciting rebellion and opening Anost to foreign invasion. As Mal urges her toward a cure that will prove his visions, suddenly, an ally turns traitor, delivering Kindar to a rebel army, who have their own plans for a sickly princess.

With the killer poised to strike again, the rebels bearing down, and the country falling apart, she must weigh her personal hunt for a cure against saving her people.

I'd like to celebrate by offering a free query critique (including two revisions) and an autographed paperback copy to one winner. To make it easy to enter, you get one entry just for leaving a comment telling about your favorite strong woman in fiction. Please leave you twitter handle in the comment or email address so I can find the winner.





a Rafflecopter giveaway

A Nice Review

I hope you won't mind if I dive into the personal briefly.

A book reviewer recently gave Kindar's Cure a place on her blog. What I love about this review (go here to see it yourself) is that she called Kindar a strong woman in fiction. The reviewer also highlighted a few other areas of the story she felt stood out.

I know as writers we're wise to avoid reading reviews of our stories. Reading and responding to reviews can lead to bad situations. My belief is people more than have a right to form their own opinions on anything they read. Honest reviews are the way it should work, whether they are good or bad.

The problem comes when sometimes authors can't handle what they see. And also sometimes reviewers are only looking to talk about/exaggerate the bad without being honest, or even reading.

But sometimes you get a nice surprise.

Summer Celebration with a Free Read

TWO WORK DAYS until my summer vacation begins! It's been a long 180 days of school, full of snow days, 4th graders, and field trips! I love my work, but you definitely need a break to refresh yourself. Delayed by many make-up snow days, that break is almost here. I really feel like celebrating!

What better way to celebrate than to give something away? 

I haven't given away any books for some time. How about a free ebook of Kindar's Cure to anyone who wants one. After all, it features a sick but gutsy girl, off on an insane quest to find a cure. Almost like a summer vacation, if you have murder, betrayal, and romance on your vacations. 

Simply ask in the comments or on twitter and let me know whether you want a mobi or epub version. I'll also need an email address.

Of course, I'd appreciate any honest reviews you'd care to leave. 

Now onward to celebrating!  

HOORAY FOR 100K PAGE VIEWS!

The contest is over and we have a winner! Thanks to all who helped me celebrate!

I'm celebrating and you made it all possible! It's In The Details will soon (or already has) hit 100K page views!

That means a giveaway!

Enter the Rafflecoper to win a private query critique plus a first chapter edit. I've done a few paying editing jobs and I'll give you the works for FREE! That's line edits and big picture items!

Not enough excitement? 

And until November 30th, you can also enter to win one of five autographed trade paperbacks of my book, Kindar's Cure, over on Goodreads! 

Goodreads Book Giveaway

Kindar's Cure

by Michelle Hauck

Giveaway ends November 30, 2013.
See the giveaway details at Goodreads.

Enter to win

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REVIEWERS NEEDED FOR KINDAR'S CURE

I'm not big on asking for help for myself. It's so much easier to help others. But ... it's time to pull up my big girl pants and get serious. 

I'm looking for some reviews of my YA fantasy story, Kindar's Cure. It's got murder, mayhem, magic and a motivated but ill princess. If you've already read it, please consider leaving a review. 

If you'd like one of the free ebook copies in exchange for an honest review, leave a comment with a way to get in touch with you. Also tell me what type of file you'd like epub or mobi. There are a limited number, but I'll try to get one to everybody.

If you haven't got an ereader but are on Goodreads, check out the sidebar for the giveaway of the paperback version that's happening through November 30th.

Kindar's Cure is published by Divertir Publishing.

Princess Kindar of Anost dreams of playing the hero and succeeding to her mother’s throne. But dreams are for fools. Reality involves two healthy sisters and a wasting disease of suffocating cough that’s killing her by inches. When her elder sister is murdered, the blame falls on Kindar, putting her head on the chopping block.

    
No one who survives eighteen years of choke lung lacks determination.  A novice wizard, Maladonis Bin, approaches with a vision—a cure in a barren land of volcanic fumes. As choices go, a charming bootlicker that trips over his own feet isn’t the best option, but beggars can’t be choosers. Kindar escapes with Mal and several longtime attendants only to have her eyes opened that her country faces dark times.

Her mother’s decision to close the prosperous mines spurs poverty and joblessness, inciting rebellion and opening Anost to foreign invasion. As Mal urges her toward a cure that will prove his visions, suddenly, an ally turns traitor, delivering Kindar to a rebel army, who have their own plans for a sickly princess.

With the killer poised to strike again, the rebels bearing down, and the country falling apart, she must weigh her personal hunt for a cure against saving her people.     

Kindar's Cure is in Bookstores + New Contest

Sort of. Kindar is in one bookstore! A friend got copies into the store where she works, Indy Reads Books, in Indianapolis! I really appreciate her efforts. Friends are the best!

Look, I'm right next to Suzanne Collins and Catching Fire. How cool is that!

More contest fun! When my blog hits 99K page views I'll load a rafflecopter. Leave a way to contact you and you could win a query + first chapter critique when the blog reaches 100K! Just be a blog and twitter follower. 

Kinda neat, don't you think?

Goodreads Book Giveaway

Kindar's Cure

by Michelle Hauck

Giveaway ends November 30, 2013.
See the giveaway details at Goodreads.

Enter to win

Last Day to Enter My Giveaway

Giveaway is over! Thanks to everyone who entered!

Princess Kindar of Anost dreams of playing the hero and succeeding to her mother’s throne. But dreams are for fools. Reality involves two healthy sisters and a wasting disease of suffocating cough that’s killing her by inches. When her elder sister is murdered, the blame falls on Kindar, putting her head on the chopping block.

    
No one who survives eighteen years of choke lung lacks determination.  A novice wizard, Maladonis Bin, approaches with a vision—a cure in a barren land of volcanic fumes. As choices go, a charming bootlicker that trips over his own feet isn’t the best option, but beggars can’t be choosers. Kindar escapes with Mal and several longtime attendants only to have her eyes opened that her country faces dark times.

Her mother’s decision to close the prosperous mines spurs poverty and joblessness, inciting rebellion and opening Anost to foreign invasion. As Mal urges her toward a cure that will prove his visions, suddenly, an ally turns traitor, delivering Kindar to a rebel army, who have their own plans for a sickly princess.

With the killer poised to strike again, the rebels bearing down, and the country falling apart, she must weigh her personal hunt for a cure against saving her people.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Win A Copy of Kindar's Cure

I've got an interview today over at Laurie's Thoughts and Review, along with a chance to win a copy of Kindar's Cure. I'm discussing the influences that helped me create my story and trying not to sound like an idiot. 

You can enter there or enter here. Though the magic of technology, all entries are linked into one giant giveaway.

Princess Kindar of Anost dreams of playing the hero and succeeding to her mother’s throne. But dreams are for fools. Reality involves two healthy sisters and a wasting disease of suffocating cough that’s killing her by inches. When her elder sister is murdered, the blame falls on Kindar, putting her head on the chopping block.

    
No one who survives eighteen years of choke lung lacks determination.  A novice wizard, Maladonis Bin, approaches with a vision—a cure in a barren land of volcanic fumes. As choices go, a charming bootlicker that trips over his own feet isn’t the best option, but beggars can’t be choosers. Kindar escapes with Mal and several longtime attendants only to have her eyes opened that her country faces dark times.

Her mother’s decision to close the prosperous mines spurs poverty and joblessness, inciting rebellion and opening Anost to foreign invasion. As Mal urges her toward a cure that will prove his visions, suddenly, an ally turns traitor, delivering Kindar to a rebel army, who have their own plans for a sickly princess.

With the killer poised to strike again, the rebels bearing down, and the country falling apart, she must weigh her personal hunt for a cure against saving her people.

Here's a sample of one of the interview questions:

What books have most influenced this story?

Gone with the Wind was a big influence. My main hero, Henry, has a love of the land that comes directly from that book.

But the biggest influence came from the history books I read about Elizabeth the First and her parent, Henry the VIII. One often forgets that Henry the VIII had children, everyone tends to focus on him and his wives. But his children must have lived lives of fear what with constantly being in dread of losing their heads.

Instead of making my main character’s father a tyrant, I switched that around and gave Kindar a tyrannical mother, then decided to make the whole theme one of a matriarchal society. 

The relationships of distrust and instability within the royal family I created for Kindar’s Cure all comes directly from the real royal family of Henry VIII. I just threw in a little murder and magic.

I really appreciate everyone stopping by to help make this giveaway a success. 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Best Box of Books Ever!

The long awaited box of books arrived from my publisher yesterday! I wasn't really expecting it so it came as a pleasant surprise. Sort of an early birthday present.

Many of them are already promised to winners of other contests, friends, and libraries, but I hope to have some giveaways soon. 

Who doesn't love a giveaway! Any ideas?

I also did an interview for Amy Trueblood about publishing choices. There are so many roads to take in publishing these days, and no reason that a writer can't take more than one of them. I tried to explain why I decided to go with a small press over at Chasing the Crazies.

Finally on Bookshelves

Kindar's Cure might not be available in bookstores, but thanks to my CP and friend, Carla, I get to see it on bookshelves. And the ebook version went online last weekend.

In other news, there will be a new Query Questions tomorrow featuring Molly Jaffa. It will feature some new questions about ... well, come and see. 

End of Summer Blues

My sister sent me this picture yesterday. Her copies finally came! 

As summer winds down and I head back to work with the lovable pygmies, I'm reminded again what is important. The pygmies will inundate me with hugs and happy greetings. I can't wait to see them and hear all about their loose teeth and t-ball games. But I'm also reminded that my aunt passed away yesterday.

She had seven children and was one of those no nonsense, tell-it-like-it-is ladies. Truth be told, I was a little bit afraid of her. But she had a heart of gold and would have done anything for me. We hadn't seen each other in years, but I remember her caring for my grandmother with such tenderness.

One of the copies of Kindar in the picture above was for her. Kisses, Aunt Elaine. We'll miss you. 

Main Character Pictures

 

Anyone else get a picture of their main character in their heads even before they start writing? The beautiful cover model for Kindar's Cure wasn't exactly what I pictured, but she was pretty close. Then somehow, over time, she went from being close to becoming the picture in my mind. 

Joni Pope sent me this picture through twitter. Thanks, Joni. It means a lot that you would take the time. 

Nerves and the Agent Greeting Contest

Another sweet friend sent a picture of her copy of Kindar. It's getting a little easier to believe it's real now, and the pretty background suits the cover! I'd love to post more pictures if anyone else would like to share.

Now to business. I need to get some work done on Monday morning. (It's kinda hard to concentrate on writing when email notification of comments keep rolling in.) So the post for the Agent Greeting Contest will go live about noon on August 5th.

There's no need to rush. The contest will stay open until 5:00 pm EST on August 7th. Then I will randomly draw the winners.

As a reminder, there will be five winners of agent query critiques on the line. All the information about the contest is here and the agents are listed here. You do need to be a follower of this blog. And that is all. 

If there are any questions, leave a comment and I'll get right back to you.  

Nervous Nelly

Well, I didn't think I could get any more nervous. Then I saw this. A friend and CP sent me a picture of him holding my paperback. YIKERS! People are going to read it.

I didn't think I could get any more nervous.

A couple people have mentioned that the superstore book seller says Kindar is unavailable or on backorder. Please check out the Book Depository which also features FREE shipping.

Cover Release for Summer's Edge with Frost and Fog

As some of you may know, I had a short story accept by The Elephant's Bookshelf Press for their summer anthology called Summer's Edge, which releases July 15th. However, few people know that they received so many excellent stories that the summer anthology will have TWO volumes!

Volume 1

The theme of these stories is short term relationships or relationships at an end, but I'll use Matt Sinclair's description as he said it best.

 "As much as we all like to think about what might have been, we all know that not all relationships were meant to last. For you, perhaps it was a May to September romance that still tastes sweet, or a one-night stand that lasted too long, or maybe the haunting pain associated with a parent or child who died too young.

In the next anthology from Elephant's Bookshelf Press, we explore the short-term relationship.

For the summer edition of our four-season series, we are looking for stories that share a love or relationship that is or appears to be short-lived or not long for this world."

Given that description one would think romance or family relationships. I'm sure many of the stories will follow that direction. Naturally, I went against the grain. 

Frost and Fog is a prequel to my epic fantasy, Kindar's Cure, and it has nothing to do with love or family. Set thousands of years from the time period of my epic, Frost and Fog relates how the religious worship in this world was established by a chance meeting of lumberjacks. It explores the ending of one type of life as a new one begins.

And it will be in fabulous company in volume two of the anthology, Summer's Double Edge, which also releases July 15th. 

Volume 2

You can find out more about the Summer's Edge Volumes on twitter using the hashtag #EBPchat. Find it on Goodreads. I am so excited to be part of this group of writers and all the proceeds of these books goes to charity.  

To Join Thursday's Children Blog Hop links:

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You Made the Call: Cover Art for Kindar's Cure

I want to thank everyone who came by and left their opinion on the cover art for Kindar's Cure! You guys were awesome! Masako M. is the winner of the autographed copy. Congrats to her! I'll get that out to her as soon as I have the first paperbacks.

(If you are looking for Terri Bruce's cover reveal contest scroll down to the next post or go here.) 

I wanted the contest to give an idea of which cover looked the best to the most people and the response was huge, but also unexpected.

The vote was so overwhelmingly one-sided that I didn't have to actually count. You guys really made your desire known. The general consensus was for the white cover which was choice number 4. 

Now while I did love how well the white off-set the green of the photo, it didn't exactly shout epic fantasy. The cloud effect is a little on the romance side. And while there is romance in Kindar's Cure, I wanted the cover to fit as much as possible into the right genre. 

So my wonderful publisher came up with a compromise that I hope satisfies all sides. It keeps the white which everyone loved. And on a happy note, the new font and color actually stands out better in a thumbnail size than the original concept. To me it is has all the elements. The perfect model of my main character while looking clean, clear and modern.


So here it is: The Final Cover!!

    

Kindar's Cure Cover Reveal Contest!

YAY!

The day is finally here! This is a contest so you guys can let me know which cover you like the best. And yes, there is a prize, but more on that later. Your vote and opinion matter. I want to hear if you think anything needs tweaked or if you have a clear favorite. Put your pick in the comments. The cover with the most votes wins!

.  

I want to say a special thanks to Ken Tupper at Divertir Publishing for really taking my wishes into account and suggesting this contest. He went out of his way to include Kindar’s sword in the cover and made the image match the description, right down to the blue tint of the blade. After all, a princess is nothing without her sword.

Here is a blurb about the story to help with your decision:

Princess Kindar of Anost dreams of playing the hero and succeeding to her mother’s throne. But dreams are for fools. Reality involves two healthy sisters and a wasting disease of suffocating cough that’s killing her by inches. When her elder sister is murdered, the blame falls on Kindar, putting her head on the chopping block.

No one who survives eighteen years of choke lung lacks determination. A novice wizard, Maladonis Bin, approaches with a vision—a cure in a barren land of volcanic fumes. As choices go, a charming bootlicker that trips over his own feet isn’t the best option, but beggars can’t be choosers. Kindar escapes with Mal and several longtime attendants only to have her eyes opened that her country faces dark times. 

Her mother’s decision to close the prosperous mines spurs poverty and joblessness, inciting rebellion and opening Anost to foreign invasion. As Mal urges her toward a cure that will prove his visions, suddenly, an ally turns traitor, delivering Kindar to a rebel army, who have their own plans for a sickly princess.

With the killer poised to strike again, the rebels bearing down, and the country falling apart, she must weigh her personal hunt for a cure against saving her people.

Originally, the cover contest was supposed to be a choice of three different cover pictures, but one picture just stood out above the rest. After looking at literally hundreds of photos, one image just fit my story. The model was Kindar and it also fit the mood I wanted to create. Though I gave Ken five possibilities, he insisted we go with the picture I really loved, giving a few adjustments to the basic design.

So here are the choices in both large and small size: 

1. The original cover art without changes.

2. With Line Art outlining the picture to make the small version stand out more.

3. Green fringe to help the title stand out.

4. With white fringe for the same reason.

Now for the prize! I’ll mail an autographed copy of Kindar’s Cure to the winner. You must live in the US or Canada and leave a vote in the comments, plus your email address in the rafflecopter. The prize will arrive around May 1^st or as soon as I get my hands on the first copies!

Good luck and thanks for stopping by!

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Professional Writer?

When did you first consider yourself a professional writer? In the middle of filling out a questionnaire for an upcoming blog tour, that question brought me to a screeching halt. It was something unexpected, and I didn’t feel like it applied to me. A professional writer. Professional. Was I among that list? To me that list includes great fantasy writers like Sanderson, Tolkien, and Rowling. Was that me? Although Kindar’s Cure will soon be released as my debut novel, I didn’t really think so.

I looked up the word. –relating or belonging to a profession.  –engaged in an occupation as a paid job  –businesslike, conforming to the standards of skill, competence, or character  –very competent  –doing something habitually.

digitalart at FreeDigitalPhotos.net

For some reason, except for doing something habitually, I don’t feel like I fit those definitions. I haven’t been paid yet, so I can’t judge if I’ll feel professional when the first (small) royalty check lands in my lap. There are no reviews from readers on Amazon or Barnes and Nobles, so I can’t use them to judge if I have skill, competence or character. The fantasy and science fiction writers’ organization doesn’t accept authors who don’t receive advances, so I can’t join their professional group.

Possible modesty complex aside, none of those excuses are the real reason that I don’t feel like a professional. To me the term professional assumes something more than those definitions. It means you treat your skill like a business. You perform it for the gain you receive. It implies a sense of being jaded. But that has never been my idea of writing.

Most writers write because they must, or because they love to surprise readers, or for the thrill of getting a reader reaction to their words and sharing a story. Maybe deep down there is also the desire to be immortal. So feel like a professional—no. To me it’s the thrill of unfolding a story and having it take me to unplanned places. I hope that never becomes old. So no, I don’t think I’ll ever feel one hundred percent like a professional.

What are your thoughts? What does it take to be a professional writer? An agent? A publishing contract? What will tip the scales for you?