Why I Love Khloe Alwell, and You Should Too

During my launch of THRIVE, I started the process of revamping - or rather rewriting - my Khloe Alwell series.

I fell in love all over again.

I had forgotten how rich and complex the books are. I forgot the nitty gritty of all the characters. I forgot how damn sexy the boys are. Like...really. I forgot how much I totally love Laran.

In talking with a friend about my love of Laran, she grinned.
"Have you ever heard Anne Rice talk about Lestat?" she asked, twisting her lips.
"No," I said, raising my brows.
"You talk about Laran the way she talks about Lestat. Like, you really love him." Her eyes sparkled and I grinned sheepishly.
"Laran is my dream man. If they ever did a TV or movie adaptation of these books, I might have problems. My marriage might be in trouble. I mean, I think I might fall in love with Laran. I might forget the poor guy was just an actor."

And it's true. But the other guys are nothing to sniff at. I mean, I love them all for different reasons. All my characters are family to me. But Laran is... something else.

And because I love him, love all of them, I had to publish a second edition. I didn't do the best job I could have when I first published these books, so I went back. Hopefully I'm doing my characters justice. I want readers to fall in love with Khloe. To hate her attackers, get angry with her, to bite their lips as she yearns, and to cringe as she tries to reject with grace. I want them to ache when Laran enters a scene. To grumble with Constantine. To saunter with Freyr. I want them to glow with Dani.

I want readers to get bloody and bothered and caught up.

This is why I am so pleased that second editions of THE BROTHERS and LOVERS AND RIVALS are now for sale on Smashwords (and soon after on all major online retailers).

If you haven't explored Khloe yet, I invite you dive in, see humanity as you've never seen it. Explore climate change in a way that you never imagined. See myth, faith, love, sex, and high school in a wild story of self-discovery and empowerment that shows what girls are made of - the stuff of legend.

THRIVE Book Launch Week 4: Burn Ships

Last week I got my final rejection letter for grad school.

Some people might give condolences, but I'm not sorry. I'm not because I also got another series of notices telling me I was not being considered for jobs. It felt like the go ahead...as in, the Universe dropped a piano to knock some sense into me,

It's okay Alexis. You are supposed to do this. If you don't effing do this, I'm going to make you. Love and Kisses, God/The Universe/Metaphysical Forces Everywhere.

Every other door closed. With every door closed except one, things get pretty easy. In fact, stupidly easy. In fact, I should drink a beer right now in gratitude.

And then there was another thing. As I reworked my KHLOE ALWELL series, I realized, I love these books. I mean, I would reread these books for fun...over and over...like I do Jane Austen, or Harry Potter. I mean, I'm not comparing myself to those writers, except to say I enjoy the story just as much. I mean, I'm reworking the heck out of these books. I was a hobbyist when I published them originally. I've grown tremendously since writing THE BROTHERS, but...

I love Laran. I love him. He is...my favorite. I mean, this guy seriously is the hot, snarky, punk I always wanted in a book. And I identify with Khloe - the girl who reluctantly accepts and embraces her power, to become something the world never expected, but always wanted. I love these books. Love. Them.

And I wrote them! Ha! And it's great if other people love them too, but I think...maybe...I just wrote them for me. And that's enough. The sexy, action-packed, snark is enough for me.

And as I realized that, while every other door closed, I filled with strength. Because suddenly, it didn't matter any more whether I sold ten books, or a hundred thousand. Suddenly, it didn't matter if people hated or loved my words.

I was meant to write. I was meant for this. I sailed across the sea, and as I reached the shore, those ships all burned. There are no bridges. There are only locked doors behind me. There is only one way forward - the word. My words.

The steps unfold before me, and I will take them with purpose - with faith - knowing it is my path, and it is right.

*************
LAUNCH PROGRESS UPDATE:

This past week was hard because I had some scheduling issues (in addition to the closed doors) and my computer was on the fritz. Christian got it back up and running, thankfully, but I now do daily back-ups so I won't lose any work. Read: I am going to have to replace my computer this year. Yikes.

Despite this, last week I finished:

• Patreon upload
• Blog posts
• Thrive & journal covers
• Updates to Thrive
• Revisions to journal
• Consulted with other authors about marketing
• Consulted with friends about marketing
• 100% revamped THE BROTHERS
• 30% revamped LOVERS & RIVALS
• Researched celebrity influencers
• Researched marketing campaigns
• Wrote out more marketing plans
• Divied up marketing elements
• Drew and edited novel artwork

This week I need to:

• Upload again to Patreon
• Write blog posts
• finish THRIVE updates
• talk to de facto editor about THRIVE updates
• Complete website
• Buy domain and hosting
• Upload revamped BROTHERS, description, & new cover
• 100% finish revamp of LOVERS & RIVALS
• revamp social media outlets (Facebook author page, Twitter, Patreon)
• finish social media cover photo promoting THRIVE

I'll let everyone know about updates, and definitely post website links etc as soon as it is up. I'm itching to get it done! If only there was more time in a day...

Climate Change and Haiyan

I feel prophetic, or psychic,...or at least really intuitive.

Let's go with really intuitive.

I'm in the midst of finishing my Khloe Alwell series and the last book is going to be full of all kinds of things - love, betrayal, war, politics, and prophecy. Beyond this however, it is about climate change and the effects humanity has on our environment. It's about the inevitable backlash we'll receive from natural forces - from Earth.

If there were Sidhe in this world, or under a veil somewhere, they definitely would have caused Sandy. They definitely would have caused Haiyan. And these would only be the beginning.

And the call of Filipino leaders to a council of action to address climate change is the kind of thing humanity needs to do, will have to do (and will do in my series) if there is to be any hope for us.

Who Caused Haiyan?

This post is written from Khloe's perspective about a current event that is a little too close to the premise of her saga. It's ironic I thought of this type of terror years before Sandy and Haiyan...

I was watching the news. I read it on my smartphone while waiting for Dani. I knew they had plans to destroy humans but I never thought it would get this bad. I saw Sandy and while my father caught those immediately responsible, it doesn't prevent things like Haiyan from occurring. We have to catch the ones pulling the strings if we want to avoid record wind speeds and death tolls.

Laran has ideas. Like him, I think those responsible are the same ones who killed his parents - the same ones who attacked me, and recruited Macha. And it's only going to get worse. If, as I suspect, there are Seelie and Sidhe colluding against reunification, there's only one solution.

You have to stop. You have to stop thinking everything can be thrown away. You have to stop using things that will only destroy land, water, and air. Stop now! Forget plastic. Forget industrial agriculture. Forget gasoline and constant electronic use. Forget GMOs. Forget fracking and mountaintop removal mining. Forget oil. Forget pesticides. Forget using anything that takes longer than five minutes of travel. Forget cities and computers. Forget clear-cutting and dams.

This time, this obscene industrialization and super technological age, is over. This is your last chance. If you continue, you risk your race's complete annihilation. I'm going to do what I can, but there are no guarantees. You have to do your part. If you don't take responsibility for your actions, for the destruction you've wrought, there's nothing I can do.

In the end,  it's your choice. You decide.

Happy Birthday Khloe or Happy Halloween!

SPOILER ALERT: I'm going to try to keep the spoilers to a minimum, but if you haven't read LOVERS & RIVALS and you like surprises, don't read the rest of this post.

It seems like just yesterday that I began Khloe's story. Now I'm working on the fourth book in (and conclusion of) her series. Wild!

Since today is Khloe's birthday, I thought I'd let you in on some questions that I plan to answer in book 4 (FAMILY, FRIEND, OR FOE):

1. How far off the reservation will Freyr go? Can Freyr be redeemed or will he just fade into crazytown?
2. What happened to Bruce Nichols?
3. Just who was masquerading as Lord Bran?
4. What's going on in the black out zone in Mag Mell?
5. Who is the reincarnation of Zeus?
6. Who visited Khloe in the fall during her lunch hour? Was it a vision of Ammon or was it someone else?
7. Just what do the unicorns and brownies know? What aren't they saying?
8. What actually happened to Laran's parents? Were their deaths connected to the prophecy somehow or just anti-Seelie sentiment?
9. How will Khloe and Laran unite the Otherworld? Can they convince humanity to change their ways or is humanity doomed?

I think that's probably enough to ponder. Any thoughts?  Leave a comment below!

LOVERS & RIVALS Giveaway!

Time to enter to win a copy of LOVERS & RIVALS! I'm giving away 3 copies leading up to a giveaway of BOOK 3 in the series - LILITH & AMMON! Check out the summary below and share with friends who love fantasy!

 

Going from eleventh grade botany to a Sidhe ruling council meeting isn't a typical course of events for most teens, but it's all part and parcel for Khloe Alwell.

Sixteen year old Khloe had her world turned upside down. Not only has she discovered the Otherworld and her heritage within it, but her family stands in the middle of the ancient and often violent division between Seelie and Sidhe. Now Khloe must struggle to learn the ways of her father's court, deal with heartbroken boys, navigate a strange relationship with her weapons instructor, and come to terms with the truth of an ancient prophecy. She will have to decide whether she will choose to go her own way, or follow her destiny as a leader of the Otherworld.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

The Writing Nitty Gritty

First of all, make sure you enter to win a copy of book 1 in the KHLOE ALWELL series, THE BROTHERS. You have nothing to lose, and a fun book to gain. Seriously.

Now that we've covered that and you have a second tab open in your browser ready to enter my giveaway, we can get on to business. And let me tell you - I have been busy.

Not only did I publish another book (BELOW THE BELT), upload a bunch of my ebooks to Goodreads (I'm going to set it up for you to purchase directly after reading a sample. To check them out, click my Goodreads widget in the sidebar!), but I also just completed my author interview on Smashwords. I probably should have asked and answered these questions myself a long time ago, but...I didn't. I don't have that much foresight. Luckily Smashwords does. I really recommend taking a look at my interview to learn more about the inner workings of my writerly brain. Then go ahead and browse the author interviews. I did that myself and found some really interesting stuff on there.

Smashwords authors are quite a wild mix. There are people like me who went straight to independent publishing and then there are people who came out of the Big Six publishing world to do something different (and every combination and iteration in between you can imagine!). It's also interesting to see the questions authors post and their specific paths (which vary greatly).

If you ever wanted to become an author (or just write a memoir), reading interviews of authors will be a helpful exercise. I guarantee it.

Now, if you've forgotten, let me remind you to enter my giveaway. Really. You should. Next week there will be a giveaway for book 2 (LOVERS AND RIVALS), followed by a giveaway for my brand spanking new book 3 - LILITH AND AMMON. You could win the whole series! But don't wait to enter - you have through Monday! Good luck!

I LOVE Sharing! or 3 in a ROW!

I have discovered something new about myself - I LOVE sharing my books with people. I don't mean talking about them. I mean, I'm an author. OF COURSE I like talking about them.

No, I mean giving them away.

I really love having book giveaways. They're fun. It makes me happy when I can tell someone they won a prize and I get to give them something they didn't know they'd get. Probably that puts a smile on their face (or at least that's how I imagine it) which puts a smile on my face.

How awesome is that?

Because I love doing this soooo much, I'm going to do a lead up to the release of LILITH & AMMON.

That means for the next couple weeks, you are going to be able to win a copy of each of the available KHLOE ALWELL books.

From TODAY through NEXT MONDAY you can enter to win THE BROTHERS.

The FOLLOWING WEEK you will be able to enter to win a copy of LOVERS & RIVALS.

THEN...as if this wasn't enough awesomeness...you can enter to win a free copy of LILITH & AMMON (which is readable either as a prequel or book 3...however you're feeling at the time).

Yep. In a few minutes I'll upload THE BROTHERS giveaway and you can start entering! Woohoo!

P.S. I'm a little excited. :-P

Wordsmith, Silver tongue, or Quantum Maniupulator?

Halloween.
Sandy.
Full moon.

These things all happened at once - like something from my books.

It sends a shiver down my spine and a rush of euphoric butterflies through my gut.

Maybe it's a little arrogant to say this has anything to do with my books, but I can't help feeling like it's a bit strange. Three things that clearly relate to plot points in my books happened at once. It could have been kismet. It could have been coincidence. It could have been clairsentience.  We'll never know.

I'm going to take it as a sign.

You should too - and read them. ;-)

Character Bios: Lovers and Rivals, Laran

*SPOILER ALERT* Read Lovers and Rivals!

Yes, Ceres, Lugh, Myrddin, and all manner of characters are important, but Laran is key. Besides, I can't hold myself back any more. I just have to write about him.

Laran was named for the Etruscan god of war. I wanted a lesser known god name, but something that wasn't too far out there. Accessibility in Laran's case was important. This was especially true because he is Khloe's love interest. However it wasn't the only reason. I wanted Laran to be very Sidhe, but also a bridge to humanity and the Seelie. He is both of the forest and of the Sidhe.

The fact that he is the lord of his province and the lead trainer of the Sidhe military at 23 years old speaks to his prowess and power. We know from his conversations with Khloe, he wasn't meant to take over Kolmarden at such a young age. However as his parents are both dead, he ends up becoming lord anyway. Despite his youth, people follow him. He has a natural ability which allows all kinds of people to accept him immediately (Seelie, Sidhe, or human).

Even though he is well loved and tends to do the "right thing," Laran is kind of a bad boy. He is the only Seelie or Sidhe discussed to have a tattoo. He wears human band tees in the Sidhe court, and jeans around the veil. At a young age, he said he went to the human world to go to concerts of his favorite bands.

He's prickly, but he's also a gentleman. Unlike Freyr or Constantine, he doesn't feel the need to possess Khloe. He lets her be her own person, and relishes in it. Still, his over confidence irritates Khloe on occasion. It's what makes their dynamic so much fun.

P.S. I'm very excited to dig into Laran's abilities in book 4. In the mean time, you'll have to satisfy yourselves with the upcoming back story in Lilith and Ammon!

Character Bios: Lovers and Rivals, Toran

I have a special place in my heart for thunder gods. It's probably why I just watched Thor again, despite myself.

Of course, the name Thor is a little overplayed. So I decided to go with something different. Taranis was a little too much for me, especially considering as I had already decided on Laran for the love interest in Lovers and Rivals (Laran and Taran? Please!). However, a mixture of Thor and Taranis might work - thus, Toran. It also reminds one of torrents, which was along the lines of thunder gods.

That said, I didn't emphasize Toran's abilities in Lovers and Rivals. In fact, I haven't given him specific abilities beyond those commonly ascribed to Sidhe and typical god kings. There was no reason to until this point. However, fear not good readers! Book 4 is going to show more of Toran's abilities, as well as those of other characters like Laran (I get shivers just thinking about it).

Even though we don't delve into the prince's abilities, we do see what kind of person he is. Toran is a good brother and a good son. He is loyal to his family, his friends, and his people. Because of this, he is sensitive to his obligations as the heir apparent of the Sidhe. However, his relationship with Dani could throw a wrench in things, especially when combined with his sister's newfound destiny. Ultimately, we won't see how these things play out until we get to book 4 (still trying to figure out the working title...).

I'm excited.

P.S. If you want some additional reading fun check out Book 3 - Lilith and Ammon - later this year. Ask yourself, who is the previous incarnation of Toran?

Character Bios: Lovers and Rivals, Camulus

I decided I should finally start giving some character bios for Lovers and Rivals. In that vein, I started with an unusual choice (and one I didn't expect to even write) - Camulus Remicapra.

Every guy needs a best friend. For Toran, Khloe's brother, Cam is that man. Camulus is named for a Roman god of war, but a more obscure one than the well known Mars. I wanted a name that was a little more unusual but could be shortened to something accessible in the human world.

Even though Cam is human friendly, Camulus himself is a bit goodie-goodie and rarely ventures into the human world. Despite that, he would gladly do whatever Toran asked of him, even if it meant disobeying his father.

While Cam primarily plays Toran and Laran's foil, occasionally he acts as a foil for Khloe. In the castle garden, for example, when Khloe and Cam have a conversation, their interaction helps to show just how unusual Khloe really is.

Just as Leo or Julian are models of what it means to be Seelie, Cam is a model Sidhe. He contrasts starkly with characters like Macha, who he hates. Most importantly, however, he contrasts with Laran, who has a perverse love of human culture.

Idea Gurus - How I Came Up With "The Brothers"

*SPOILER ALERT* - It's not big, but it's there.

How does anyone get an idea?

I have no idea.

Really. And when it comes to my own, I can't remember.

According to a variety of personality and preference tests, I am a problem solver - a solution giver - the idea guru if you will. I come up with ideas the way a factory makes widgets. Granted, sometimes there is a problem with the machinery. Sometimes something doesn't get stamped correctly and it has to be melted down and remade. Other times it's the epitome of widgets. And I live for their creation. I do.

I'll be honest. The idea for the Grechs did in fact come from a set of three brothers who DO exist. But the Grechs are nothing like them, except they're beautiful and talented each in their own way. And Greek. Those boys are Greek. That idea was the beginning of the story. Originally I thought it was going to be their story, but it became something else entirely.

Khloe is, in many ways, me. But she's also very much not. They say that every character in a given book is a reflection of an author, and that is definitely true. I can't deny that. Khloe's outfit in the first chapter is based off an outfit I did wear in high school. And I did love those red pants. That's probably why I wrote them in. They were fantastic.

And anyone who went to Albany High School will recognize things about the high school Khloe attends. It is loosely based on that school - because when I was there, it was awesome. All of these things are true. But there are many other things that I came up with from other parts in my life. For example, the jazz band Khloe sings with is based on an experience I had in college. The costume shop is a combination of consignment and vintage clothing stores I've frequented over the years. The list goes on...

In the second book, Lovers and Rivals, I used my knowledge of British castles and continental palaces to create many of the spaces. Kolmarden is the tree house I always wanted. I've always loved the forest. For me the woods are a place of wonder and magic. It only makes sense that the perfect man for Khloe would live in the woods.

And speaking of Laran... Laran is the best parts of a punk drummer I once knew, and the gentleman every woman wishes was hers. He's a little dark for the average girl, and snarky like every perfect man should be. And no, I have never met a live human who could act the part. I imagine there are a few animators from Japan who could capture him perfectly however...

The characters and places in book 3, Lilith and Ammon, you have yet to meet. Frankly, I want to save describing them specifically for the completion of that project. However, I will say most of the people and places in this particular book are drawn from mythology. The way I treat a number of creation stories/myths could be described as irreverent. The story is a development of ideas that were glossed over in books 1 and 2. This is the forgotten history of Lilith and Ammon, and therefore Khloe and Laran (if this is confusing, read books 1 and 2).

I have a plan for book 4, and no, I have no idea what the title of that book will be. When I figure it out, I'll let you know.

Needless to say, from my characters to the premise of the story, to the development of the series generally, it's clear that ideas come from a lot of different places. They develop and change over the course of a writing project, no matter the writer. That's part of what it means to be a problem solver/solution giver. It's the pleasure and the pain of being an idea guru.

It's Hard to Be ADD - A Writer's Dilemma

It would be easier to be boring. It would be easier to have a single interest - like the snowy plover or Havana Brown domesticated cats or something equally narrow and limited.

Yes, that would be easy.

But no - instead I have an active, curious and hyper-creative mind. I'm not bragging - I'm annoyed.  I'm annoyed because these aspects that are useful and valued by culture generally are the very things that give me so much trouble. Dear reader, you may wonder how such things could plague a writer.

Yes it is true that I rarely get writer's block. I rarely get writer's block because I have the opposite problem. I have TOO MANY things to write. I have about twenty ideas for books going in my head right now, and I have about three I have to finish before I can even start these other ideas. It's annoying. I can't write fast enough. I can't get interested in the things I should be writing because my ideas floating around my skull are much more interesting. But of course, I can't really write those because I have to finish the things I've already started.

I have half of Lilith and Ammon written and half of a science-fiction project written. I know what is going to happen in Lilith and Ammon, but the science-fiction project is still fumbling around in my head. And then of course, I have my Apex saga Legion project which needs to be finished before both of those. Honestly, I only have a few pages left on that one, which means it will be relatively painless to complete (Yes Chris - it is literally a few days away!).

Happily, I just uploaded James: The Rollins Pack to Amazon. That has taken much longer than I would have liked, but at least it's up within six months of finishing the manuscript. Of course, I also have pipe dreams of writing the other Rollins brothers' stories - Jeremiah, Andrew, Frederick and Charles. They call to me, begging me to write about them. I've even had requests from my first draft readers to have a story written about Sybil, their mother.

It's a problem. Perhaps this is a good problem to have as a writer, but still - it's a problem. So, I struggle to remain focused. This is why the rest of my writing today will be devoted to Legion. Once finished with that, I will complete my personal science-fiction project (you're going to LOVE IT!). Then I'll get back to Lilith. Then we'll see about some of these other ideas. I'm hoping to get close to ten books up this year. 2012 is already half over, but the closer to ten I can get, the better it is for me as a writer. That's the magic self-published author number - ten.

I'll let you know how that works out when I get there.

In the mean time, wish me luck and help me stay focused!!

Honing Your Voice - Spreading Your Message

J.R.R. Tolkien and C.S. Lewis both understood that fantasy is an excellent way to communicate morality. After all, why else would myths exist across the world? Joseph Campbell would tell us stories are the traditional way ideas are communicated. Consider why Jesus' parables still reside in the front of society's mind? Why would Aesop's fables still be published after thousands of years?

I recently read a blog post about the five important rules every author should follow. One of them had to do with the reason for anyone writing in the first place.

I have always been told to find the one thing that I would do regardless of being paid. Working for love rather than money doesn't constitute work - rather it is a calling. This blog post I read suggests a calling is not enough to be a successful writer. This makes sense - after all, just writing because you love it doesn't mean you will get any readers. If you write for love, rather than some goal, there is no need to have readers. However, what is the point of writing if no one reads your work?

It's a bit like a tree falling in the middle of an isolated forest. If no one hears it, did it really happen? If no one reads it, was it ever written?

This got me thinking about my own goals in writing. Why do I write? What is the message I want to communicate through my writing? Obviously there are different messages for different books. Some of them are responses to the conversation of various genres, characters, and scenarios. Others have broader goals - discussing the issues of climate change, war, gender roles, and the obligations of those with power. These are the real reason why I write - the messages I want communicated.

The form these messages take is my voice. That said, my voice changes from one novel to the next. Let me explain. Many who know me will say my character Khloe has many similarities to myself. Well, if Luke is George, then yes, Khloe is me. Except of course, this isn't exactly the case. Each character is a composite of various people and experiences I've had over the course of my life. Their motivations and experiences are therefore different than mine, or any other person I've met or known. This composite, usually framed in the first person (my preferred point of view), is the voice that speaks the message. There is something personable and accessible when interacting with a character from their perspective. Yes, third omniscient certainly allows for greater maneuverability in writing, but first lets a reader get into the main character's head. It is more like a dream - the reader sees everything through this character's perspective. It also makes it easier to keep everything consistent when writing from a set perspective with set motivations.

Don't misunderstand - I wouldn't suggest everyone write in first person constantly. Only the perspective in which we write has goals, reasons, and motivation in itself. All writers have to ask themselves - why am I writing this way and not another? What is my purpose? What are my goals?

Then, once these questions are answered for one piece, we have to ask them again for the next, and the next. A writer's work is never done. There is always more to do, to perfect. There is always more to say. We are, in fact, a group of voices that never shut up.

Thank God for that.

LOVERS AND RIVALS is Now on Smashwords!

BOOK 2 is here digitally! It's time to join Khloe on the second leg of her adventure! Download a sample of the book for free, and then buy the rest to read what happens next!

For the moment this book is only available digitally through Smashwords, though I expect it to be distributed through other venues shortly.

Thanks to everyone who slogged through this process with me! In some ways it was shorter than Book 1, in others it was longer! *sigh*

Look forward to some character bios coming soon to this blog!

New Year, New Genre? - A Writer's Goals for 2012

I've been hemming and hawing about this post. Last year I made some grandiose goals that were impossible to reach, and I knew they were, but I made them anyway. Because of what I learned in 2011, I feel better equipped to tackle 2012. Of course, a lot of things have changed since last January.

Since January 2011,

1. We moved from Hayward to Bakersfield.
2. Christian and I were apart for 2 months during the summer.
3. We sold our house in Phoenix.
4. I published The Brothers in digital and paperback formats.
5. I finished writing Lovers and Rivals as well as an unrelated book, James: The Rollins Pack.
6. I also began Lilith and Ammon, book 3 in the Khloe Alwell Series, as well as novelized the majority of the first script of The Apex Saga, Legion.

 All in all, I feel pretty successful in what I was able to do considering some of the life changes that happened this past year. I feel this way despite not having reached my stated goals.  So I guess the question is, what's on the docket for 2012? Well, quite a lot is happening actually.

1. I will publish both James and Lovers and Rivals in the next couple months (both as ebooks and paperbacks).
2. I will co-write at least two scripts for The Apex Saga.
3. I will likely finish Lilith and Ammon, hopefully publish it, and get started on book 4 of Khloe.
4. I expect to work on, if not publish, book 2 and 3 of The Apex Saga.
5. I'm hoping (if I can find the time, and depending on how James is received) to write a sequel to James' story from the perspective of Jeremiah, his older brother.
6. I will play badminton more or less every Sunday afternoon.
7. I'm going to get totally awesome at Zumba 2 for Wii.

This might be a little ambitious, but I think I can do it.  The reason I'm being so intense about my writing is because I have read, time and again, having more books out is better. The reason for this is because you appear more serious as well as having more ways for potential readers to get hooked on your stories. It's a good thing I'm so prolific.

In any case, I hope you'll all follow along on my super intense writing journey during 2012.

The Brothers: Character Background on Khloe

You may be wondering, why have I waited to talk about the leading lady until now? The series is the Khloe Alwell Series after all. You'd think I'd want to talk about her first.

Khloe is a complicated girl even in the first few pages of The Brothers. I remember my first reader thought the narrator was a boy up until her name and physical attributes were described. This sounds at first, like it may be an insult. But in genre fiction, having your main character be "boy-like" is a backhanded compliment.

I picked the name Khloe because I wanted a name that had definite roots to mythology (it is a secondary name for the goddess Demeter), but I wanted her to blend into the human world. While the spelling and the name might not be the most commonplace, it is certainly believable. When we first meet her, we don't know what her family's history is, what her ethnicity is, or why her parents behave the way they do. She, like the reader, is completely in the dark. Her name and the fact that she is at the same starting point as the reader makes her accessible.  Her last name, Alwell [ALL-well] comes from the Anglo-Saxon meaning "holy spring" or "holy well."  I chose this to give her more of the mixed ethnicity that is common in the U.S. but also to represent her own mixed heritage (as far as any Seelie know) which is Arcana (Greek) and Dannan (Celtic).

Khloe [klo-EE] is mature for her age. She is independent, opinionated, and self-assured, even though she's not always as confident as her exterior may suggest. She is after all, still 15 at the beginning of the first book. She's a little above average height, and by everyone else's account, a beautiful woman - though she herself doesn't see it. Her life has not been the easiest up until this point, with her mother always away, and her biological father completely absent, she only has her academic stepfather on which to rely. Because she has moved around so much, she doesn't form attachments, not even to her stepfather, because caring would be too painful. The only person she has any real connection to is her mother, who disappears for six months each year.

It is only when she meets the Grechs that things start changing for Khloe. She discovers more about her parents, the Otherworld, and herself. She begins to form attachments, though they are hesitant. Except of course, she supposedly forms the strongest of all, which is both terrifying and amazing all at once for our heroine.

Things will continue to morph and change for Khloe as the story progresses, and she has quite a lot waiting for her in Book 2, Lovers and Rivals.

Lilith and Ammon - Jacket Summary

Okay, so I've been talking a lot about this book and I thought I would give you a sneak peak into the prequel/sequel to The Brothers. Now you'll understand perhaps why it has to be read third, even though it takes place before Book 1.

It has been the most fun to write thus far because of the nature of the story and the movement of perspective. I think this also makes it fun to read (but I'll let readers be the judge on that point). Keep in mind, this is just a first go round of a jacket summary, but still, it gives insight. Enjoy:

Khloe Alwell, a sixteen year-old Otherworlder raised as a human must reunite the Seelie and Sidhe, the two halves of the Otherworld, if humanity and the planet is to be saved. At the heart of the division under the veil is a story of forbidden loves, betrayal, jealousy, and shadows of things to come.

Over the millennia, the story of Lilith and Ammon was distorted, fact became legend, legend became myth, and many pieces remained locked in the memory of those long dead or forgotten. Khloe, the hope of the Otherworld, finally having accepted her destiny, gains access to the untold tale of her ancestors through her dreams. As she dreams, she learns the truth about what really happened to Lilith, the nature of Lilith's relationship with Ammon, and just how tangled good and evil can become.

Follow Khloe as she discovers how the Seelie and Sidhe became divided, and how love, even after millennia of denial, can still conquer all.

Prequel or Book 3 - What Do You Do With a Strange Book

I've been going back and forth. How can you have a prequel that has to be read third in the order of a series? How do you title such a strange book? When it has to cover the lifespan of a character, does it move the series from young adult to adult?

The working title, 'Lilith and Ammon,' is enough for now. But these other questions do have to be answered. I feel this book is very much a stand alone as well as informing readers why Khloe's life has gone how it has.

Many say you can't have light without dark, and there is something to that. The three books that follow Khloe however are meant to have happy endings. Things are meant to go the 'right' way, even if the characters aren't sure what that would mean.

However, the reason this is able to be so is much darker. After reading the first two books, you know Lilith and Ammon's fate. But, you don't know the true story. So in an effort to clarify, this book is being written. It is also useful because things will tie together in a way they hadn't previously. Some themes and situations may come back from earlier books, while hinting at things that will occur in the conclusion.

Honestly, I am incredibly excited to write this. The perspective in this book is much more complex. Simultaneously, I know Lilith and Ammon's fate, and the tension that I must build in the book - which is painful. It's not difficult, except that it is painful.

However, I am glad there is still the conclusion to the series to be written, which will be lighter and more action packed. Phew.

I'm telling you this so you understand why I may be a little down for the next couple weeks as I write this. It's in my thoughts constantly. At least I know what I'm getting myself into...

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