Meet Author Kai Strand on Tour

I’m pleased to be participating in author Kai Strand’s Blog Tour today for her latest release, DAY OF RECKONING, the beginning of her Concord Chronicles series.

I've known Kai for many years, and I'm glad to have her back on my blog. It's also exciting to help other authors debut their new books.

First, here's a bit about Kai:

I love that I make things up for a living. From my bestselling, young adult Super Villain Academy series to my award-winning, middle grade Weaver Tales series, I create worlds where readers can escape their reality one adventure at a time. I write fiction for kids and teens under the name Kai Strand and I write fiction for the adults among us under the name LA Dragoni. 

Why do you write books for multiple ages?

Mostly, it’s because my mind doesn’t focus its ideas to one readership. Who am I argue with it? I love writing for adults because there are literally no rules. I love writing for young adults because there is so much to discover in the areas of love and decision making and independence. And I love writing for a middle grade audience because, in my opinion, those are the most formative years of our lives. We are expected to be independent without being given our independence. We are expected to make good choices without previously being taught how to make decisions. But kids this age who read are among the most prepared to live life successfully because they have already experienced so much without having to suffer the consequences.

What types of books do you like to read, and what do you do when you're not writing?

My reasons for reading books across the ages are the same as why I write for them. However, I do read mostly young adult. I love the fast pace, the economy of words, the adventure, the passion, the discovery. It gets my heart beating fast and makes me stay up too late reading. But a good middle grade adventure always draws me in.

Living in Central Oregon, I chase my own adventure while hiking, canoeing, and camping with my husband and our two dogs

Tell us about Day of Reckoning and how the story came to be:

I was inspired to write Day of Reckoning after having read the first four Harry Potter books and was waiting for the fifth to be released. I missed the magical world so much and thought, “I can create my own!” I’d always enjoyed writing but had never considered becoming a writer until I decided to sit down and write an entire middle grade novel. The book poured out of me in only two short months. Like most first books, it was poorly written, and it took me years and years to get it into publishable condition. So, though it was the first book I wrote it was far from the first book I had published. I had the most fun making up the fantastical underworld creatures and developing the Nature’s Spirits’ talents. 

Here's a peek at Day of Reckoning:

Not only does twelve-year-old, Terra, learn she’s a Nature’s Spirit destined to serve the peaceful underground city of Concord, but she also finds she is named in a prophecy as the only one who can thwart the leader of the death tribe.

The Trepidus are the death janitors of the Underworld. They’re responsible for the termination and cleanup of Concord’s beings. When their leader, Blanco, learns Terra is the one who can derail his day of reckoning, he does everything he can to get rid of her. Including, dispatch a “Bringer” to complete the ultimate of death janitor duties.

Not only does Terra want to stay alive, but she hopes to complete her training and discover her Spirit talents too. So, Frank, a Spirit of Security, is assigned to protect her. Together, they undertake a secret investigation of how to defeat Blanco. But with the future of Concord and Terra’s very own life at stake, will they find the answer in time?

Straight from the story: Though her heart did its best imitation of a hummingbird and her legs twitched with the desperate need to kick into flight mode, she somehow sensed it wasn’t unexpected for her to wake at two in the morning to find an elf-like creature standing politely in her bedroom. Maybe it was his serene expression or the way he folded his hands together as he waited for her reaction.


Nonetheless, she clutched the comforter under her chin, ready to throw herself under her covers if he bared spiked teeth and razor-sharp claws.


“What are you?” Terra’s voice, barely a whisper, shook with fear.


The creature stepped into a beam of moonlight streaming through the window. Terra blinked, screwing up her expression with the effort to see in the dark. Hair tickled her chin as a cool night breeze stole into the room.


“Where’s my window?” She choked over the words, scooting as far into the corner of her bed as she could press herself, dragging her comforter with her. Though the creature was no more than two feet tall, he’d managed to make her window disappear, so it seemed likely he could grab her by the ankle and drag her from the house.
 
What are you working on now?

I’m writing the prequel to Day of Reckoning, The Making of a Master, now and, once again, I really enjoy figuring out the different Spirit talents and how they are applied to protecting the peace of the underground city of Concord.
 

Where can readers find you and your books?

You can learn more about me at
 

www.kaistrand.com 
Facebook 
Twitter 
Instagram 
Amazon

DAY OF RECKONING can be purchased at the following sites:
Amazon | Barnes and Noble | iBooks | Kobo

GIVEAWAY DETAILS:

Author Kai Strand is giving away four $5 Amazon Gift Cards and one lucky winner will receive a digital copy of DAY OF RECKONING along with a $15 Amazon Gift Card

To enter the giveaway, just click on the Rafflecopter widget below and follow the instructions. The widget may take a few seconds to load so please be patient. If the widget doesn’t show up, just click HERE and you’ll be directed to the widget.

Thanks for stopping by and be sure to follow Kai on her week-long tour HERE. You never know what you might find out. What do you think about a 12-year-old protagonist? Do you see how she could grow and develop over a series?

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Finding Thor Book Debut Blast

Have you found your Thor? Kai Strand wants to help with that. Be sure to check out the giveaway below.

International intrigue hits small-town America.

Tragedy has left Cara Cassidy broken and the only thing keeping her from giving in completely is her guilt. Until Nik Rock.

Nik stirs up feelings in degrees she has never experienced, and causes her to do things that most assuredly give him the wrong impression – like kiss him before their first date. Somehow, he breaks down the walls around her emotions until she has no choice but to forgive herself and feel again.

But a mysterious, troubled past follows Nik, and Cara may prove to be his weakest link.

When a royal princess shows up looking for Nik, and an international gang arrives looking for missing jewels, Cara lands in mortal danger. Will she be able to save herself? What will happen to her newly repaired psyche if she loses Nik?

Romance, mystery, and high stakes – just another day in high school.

Excerpt:

A deep voice, as rich and warm as homemade hot chocolate, said, “Let me assist you.”

A charming retort of gratitude already forming on her lips, Cara looked up to find the boy from the park crouching to pick up her spiral notebooks. She gaped as fear doused her like a bucket of briny seawater. Her hand, reaching for a textbook, quivered like a leaf in the wind. Somewhere in her mind she recognized that his expression and mannerisms were non-threatening, but she wanted nothing more than to flee.

She scurried to the back of the room, slid into her chair, and scrunched down, wishing she could disappear.

As the boy returned to his own seat at the front of the class, the tilt of his head seemed to indicate all his senses were tuned to her. She could almost see his ears expand to take in every sound she made. Really, she couldn’t see his ears, because his silky black hair fell in shiny waves to just above his shoulders.

When she sucked in her breath, because she realized she’d been admiring his hair, his chin angled toward her ever so slightly. Raking a hand through her own hair, she looked around the room to see if anyone was as wary of him as she was, but everyone else ignored him.

Finding Thor is available in print or electronic format from the following:
Amazon| Barnes & Noble| Whiskey Creek Press| All Romance| BookStrand|
Add Finding Thor to your to-read shelf on Goodreads

When her children were young and the electricity winked out, Kai Strand gathered her family around the fireplace and they told stories, one sentence at a time. Her boys were rather fond of the ending, “And then everybody died. The end.” Now an award winning children’s author, Kai crafts fiction for kids and teens to provide an escape hatch from their reality. With a selection of novels for young adult and middle grade readers Kai entertains children of all ages, and their adults. Learn more about Kai and her books on her website, www.kaistrand.com.

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Swag alert! Looking for your Thor? Look no further, Kai’s got you covered. Enter to win a custom tote bag for all of those books you like to carry with you, and a Thor baseball cap. Easy entry for those in a hurry, or many other ways to earn more entries for contest junkies. The Finding Thor swag pack can only be shipped in the United States. If winner is International, an Amazon gift card will be substituted and another winner will be chosen.

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Meet MG Author Kai Strand

Carpinello's Writing Pages welcome fellow MuseItUp author Kai Strand and her MG Weaver Tale series.

First, a bit about Kai:

Kai Strand writes fiction for kids and teens. Her debut novel, The Weaver, was an EPIC eBook Awards finalist. Her young adult title, King of Bad, soared to the publisher's #1 spot in its second month and stayed on the Top 5 Bestsellers list for eight months. She is a (very lucky) wife and the mother of four amazing kids. The most common sound in her household is laughter. The second most common is "Do your dishes!" She and her family hike, geocache, and canoe in beautiful Central Oregon, where they call home.

Why did you pick to write books for MG readers?

The middle school years are filled with conflicting messages. Kids are expected to be independent thinkers, but not yet allowed to act independently. They are expected to act responsibly without being awarded many real responsibilities. How a child navigates through the years of double standards shapes who they will become as adults. That’s where reading comes in. Reading how book characters attack, fail, or succeed over challenges can really help a tween see how their choices might impact their lives and those around them. Though you won’t find a heck of a lot of middle schoolers casting a wish with an odd gnome-elf, like in my story The Lumpy Duckling, the critical thinking that Wheezy demonstrates after her wish goes horribly wrong can teach a child far beyond what their own limited life experiences might. Plus, that child is more likely to handle problems well when they do face them because they’ve seen their favorite characters work their way through situations.

What types of books do you like to read?

Fiction. Mostly middle grade and young adult, though I do branch out beyond that occasionally. Beyond that, I’m not picky. Fantasy, contemporary, historical, sci-fi, dystopian, romance, issue, comics…really I’ll read it all.

When you are not writing, what do you like to do?

Read, walk, hike, go to movies, visit the library, hang out in coffee shops. Even better when those things are done in the company of my husband, kids, or friends.

Tell us about The Lumpy Duckling: Another Weaver Tale and how the story came to be.

There are two key elements from my life that loosely inspired the story. First and foremost is my very own best friend. We’ve been besties for 35 years (crazy!), and we’ve been through boatloads of good times, but also weathered some rather trying times. I really wanted to tell that story—of friends weathering through tough times—so kids know not to just give up on a bestie when things get shaky. Second, my bestie and I knew a boy who returned to school one year practically unrecognizable and rather eye catching! So I decided to use those two elements in an Ugly Duckling type of story.

Here's a peek at The Lumpy Duckling:

Lumpy may be hefty with a misshapen mouth, but he's funny and the most loyal friend Wheezy could ask for. When she meets Unwanted, she casts a wish for people to be able to see her best friend like she does. Her wish nearly kills him.







Have you written other books? If so, tell us a bit about them.

Lumpy is my ninth published book and the third standalone title in my Weaver Tales series. The Weaver and The Wishing Well being the first two. In each of the Weaver Tales, a wish goes awry and our main character has more of a problem to fix than she started out with. What I love about the Weaver Tales is that the characters speak in story, making for a more lyrical and literary experience. My other middle grade titles are Beware of the White—a Narnia-like adventure, and Save the Lemmings—a contemporary story about a girl inventor whose reputation is ruined by the media. My other titles are for young adult readers. People can browse my books on my website.

What’s next for your writing? Are you working on a new story?

My 10th book is under contract! Finding Thor, a contemporary young adult romance, will be published in 2015. I hope to see publication of the third and final book in my Super Villain Academy series (also written for young adult readers) in mid 2015. I’m already working on the fourth Weaver Tale. As you can see, I keep myself busy.

What advice do you have for other authors?

People always say, “Read, read, read.” You know what? It’s true. You need to be familiar with the good and bad books written for your target audience. You need to discover what you like and don’t like so you can mold and shape your own writing. First, steep yourself in books written specifically for your intended audience and then branch out and learn from other genres or age groups.

Anything else you want readers to know?

I’m eternally grateful to readers who give their precious time to any of my books. Readers rock! Thanks for having me, Cheryl.

Where can readers find you and your books?

My website is the most comprehensive place to start.

I’m on Facebook and Twitter.

I’d love for readers to join my mailing list so they don’t miss any announcements or giveaways.

Meet MG/YA Author Kai Strand

Carpinello's Writing Pages welcomes Middle Grade and YA author Kai Strand. Kai is a fellow MuseItUp author.

First, a bit about Kai:

Kai Strand writes fiction for kids and teens. She is a (very lucky) wife and the mother of four amazing kids. The most common sound in her household is laughter. The second most common is, "Do your dishes!" She and her family hike, geocache, and canoe in beautiful Central Oregon, where they call home.

Why did you pick to write books for MG/YA?

I write both young adult and middle grade. I jump between the two because the middle grade years are so formative. Kids are really figuring out who they are, who they want to be and learning some of the uglier truths of life. Reading is really important in those years to help them figure it all out. With young adult there are no limits. All subjects are open, all means of telling the story are available. The readers are smart and dialed in to the story and passionate about what they love. That passion is what I truly love about young adult readers – regardless of their age.

What types of books do you like to read?

Again I fluctuate between middle grade and young adult, and I try to read all the genres within that: fantasy, contemporary, mystery, horror, humor. I also try to alternate between books published by traditional big publishers, self-published books, and books from small publishers. There are so many good writers and now that there are choices out there for authors, you can find gems everywhere.

When you are not writing, what do you like to do?

I’m a mother, so I like to do the things that mothers do: taxi service, grocery shopping, cooking, laughing at – oh, I mean helping with homework. I’m a wife, so I spend a lot of time adoring my husband.  Great guise to sit and relax. I’m a compulsive walker, so I try to walk 3 miles, 5 or so days per week. I love to be outside, gardening, reading, wandering downtown.

Tell us about Beware of the White and how the story came to be.

My latest middle grade novel is Beware of the White: A Concord Chronicles Book. I recommend it for fans of Narnia because it has an alternate reality, magical abilities, fantastical creatures, prophecy, and adventure. I wrote this book while waiting for the fifth Harry Potter book to be released. I was so enamored with the world of Hogwarts and I thought, “I can create a world of my own while I wait.”

Here's a peek at Beware of the White:

As is tradition, Terra learns on the Saturday past her twelfth birthday that she is a Nature’s Spirit. It is her legacy to serve in the peaceful underground city of Concord. Learning she is named in a prophecy and being threatened by the leader of the death tribe…that part breaks tradition.

The Trepidus are the death janitors of the Underworld, responsible for delivering fatalities with a smile and cleaning up after themselves. Until Blanco, leader of the Trepidus, decides the day of reckoning for his species is coming, at Terra’s hand. He begins organizing the creatures and leads them toward an uprising. The prophecy says there is one person who can stop him. Terra.

With Spirit of Security, Frank, protecting her, Terra attempts to complete her training and discover her Spirit talents. Together, they go on a rogue investigation to learn out how to defeat Blanco. In the end, it comes down to a battle of the minds. The future of Concord is at stake. Will Blanco, the older, more experienced being win? Or will Terra, the young, new Spirit earn back the peace of the city?

Have you written other books? If so, tell us a bit about them.

I have a middle grade series called The Weaver Tales. There are currently two books in the series. Both books are set in the fictional village of The Tales filled with storytellers called Word Weavers. The people speak in story, so the books are lyrical and offer several examples of different types of storytelling. The Weaver, the first book in the series, was a finalist in the 2012 EPIC eBook Awards. In The Weaver, Molly Wordsmith lives in a town of storytellers, but can’t tell a good story to save her life. The Wishing Well: Another Weaver Tale is similar to Cinderella because the main character Molly has a horrible mother and two terrible sisters. In both books our girls meet a strange gnome/elf, named Unwanted who grants them each one wish, but it doesn’t solve their problems; it might have made them worse. The books don’t have to be read in a specific order.

Save the Lemmings is a contemporary fiction for the older middle grader or tween reader. Natalie is a young inventor and her latest invention makes her an overnight sensation. At first the media adores her, but then they turn on her and start to print lies. Natalie has to figure out how to take back control of her life.

Finally, I recently broke into the world of young adult with my most recent release King of Bad. Everybody loves a bad boy, and Jeff Mean is King of Bad. A self professed pyromaniac, Jeff wears his bad boy image like a favorite old hoodie, until he is recruited by Super Villain Academy  - where you learn to be good at being bad. When the fellow students in your school can suck all the water out of your body or perform psychic sex in your head, bad takes on a whole new meaning. Is Jeff Mean bad enough for SVA? I’m thrilled to say that King of Bad is a #1 bestseller for Whiskey Creek Press!

What’s next for your writing? Are you working on a new story?

The second book in the Super Villain Academy series is under contract with Whiskey Creek. I’m finishing a contemporary young adult that I like to say is a cross between National Treasure and Wuthering Heights. And finally, I’m writing a Concord Chronicles novella. This will be Frank’s story, which will make more sense after you’ve read Beware of the White. All I can say is, sigh, “Ah, Frank.”

What advice do you have for other authors?

Read a lot from the genre and age range you want to write for. Never stop reading books, magazine articles, graphic novels written for that target audience. Read the good and read the bad, and learn from it all.

Anything else you want readers to know?

Feed an author, buzz their book. With everyone online these days, it is so easy for readers to share their favorite books. They don’t have to be eloquent writers and leave lengthy professional grade reviews, just share their opinion in a one line review on Amazon or the publishers website or even share the link with their facebook friends and say, “What a fun book!” Your friends value your opinion and sharing it is GOLDEN for that author.

Where can readers find you and your books?

I’m online all the time (blushes). So whenever someone wants to talk books, they can find me on Facebook, Twitter, or send me an email. All of my contact information and the blurbs, buy links and companion materials for my books can be found on my website: www.kaistrand.com.