November Kindle Vella Blog Hop

Hi Everyone!

I hope that you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving with your friends and family and wishing you all a wonderful holiday season.

Here are some great reads to enjoy and unwind with during this busy time 🙂

Genre: Family, Coming of Age

An Operator’s Daughter
 
Finding inner strength to overcome the obstacles of changing living situations and high schools, 17-year-old Ashton overcomes severe anxiety, fights back against sexual harassment, and attempts to rebuild a relationship with her grieving Navy SEAL Veteran father.

When her own budding relationship with a Special Warfare Operator begins to parallel her parents’ love-at-first story, she must decide whether the life she grew up with is the one she wishes to continue living into the future.

Laurie Anne Brandon’s writing draws upon her experiences as a military educational counselor, high school teacher, and years working in television production. She contributes to the Kindle-Vella anthology group called Vellains Florilegium which released a horror anthology, Season 1: Horrors of SinteTek Anthology, in October and will release a collection of short stories with the theme of life after death in December.
 
https://www.amazon.com/kindle-vella/story/B09HGM2GJX
 
Find her on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/laurie.brandon.12 (https://www.facebook.com/laurie.brandon.12)

Genre: Sci-fi/Fantasy

Forsaken Beauty and the Etherbeast

Kelsey Josephson

A bookish strongwoman longs for freedom.

A beast searches for a cure.

Together, they’ll break man-made curses.

After her own father sells her to the unscrupulous Ringmaster, Belle thinks she’ll spend the rest of her days performing cheap stunts while the Nuzaran masses gawk at her ether-poisoned body. A chance encounter with a beast by her solitary campfire changes everything. Can they find liberation or will the past consume them both?

I have a deep love for Universal Monster movies, all things related to Nikola Tesla, and iced coffee. The first two things fuel my creativity and the latter keeps me motivated! You can check my other works on my website: https://simplykelseyjo.com/

Genre : Romantic Fantasy

My Time or Yours: King’s Road Season One

By Elizabeth Ash

She crossed time to save him. She wasn’t supposed to fall in love. “I don’t want to leave you,” she whispers, and his eyes swirl with intensity as he gazes up at her. “I’ll be here when you return,” he says. “I promise.” Maybe he doesn’t hate her. Maybe he will forgive her. Maybe she won’t have to figure out how to live without him. She came to stop a war and save a kingdom. Now all that matters is saving him.

I live in the middle of the woods of the Pacific Northwest, where I keep a wary eye out for sasquatch. So far, he hasn’t revealed himself, but the trees around me are the inspiration for many of the forest scenes in my stories. https://www.facebook.com/ElizabethAshBooks/

A Forest of Stolen Memories 

By Callie Thomas

Genre: YA Fantasy/Sweet Romance

Celebration turns to disaster when a mysterious curse goes awry. A reminder that the Sorcerer’s prophecy still plagued the royal family. Roselyn’s memory is suddenly erased, leaving her panicked at the altar. Confused, she flees to the place the prince fears most–the enchanted Mistbrooke Forest. Danger lingers closer than she can imagine, forcing her to seek help from a dark stranger who may be the key to recovering her lost memories. Can she break the curse without breaking her heart?

Author Note:

A lot of inspiration for my forest descriptions comes from the tropical island where I’m stationed: Okinawa, Japan.

** Check out my Facebook author page: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorCallieThomas/

Genre: Romantic Comedy

FAKING IT WITH THE BACHELOR

THE BACHELOR meets MISS CONGENIALITY

After an Army vet who’s looking for love begins falling for the date planner of the reality dating program he’s set to star on, the show’s producers trick the jaded staffer into posing as a contestant for one night to save the show’s tarnished reputation. To keep her job, she needs this season’s star to find love. He needs her to give him her heart to get his happy ending.

What can go wrong when she gets a rose? Then another?

 I have four books out in my Bad Karma Special Ops romantic suspense series. Not only do I write Army heroes, I volunteer at the USO, but not singing and dancing (much.) I have a sense of humor and am not afraid to use it. I’m an extrovert writer and you can interact with me on Facebook and Instagram.

https://www.facebook.com/tracybrodyauthor/

https://www.instagram.com/tracybrodybooks/

Genre: Motorcycle Club Romance 

We Own These Streets 

A deadly accident. A fake identity only known by friends. And a truth that changes everything.

When Victor broke into Iris’ repair shop, she expected a profit raid, not an unknown racer fit for the pro-circuit. But their unintentional attraction provides a chance to get what they both want: a way out. When adrenaline remains the most addictive commodity in a corporate sponsored world, it’s hard to know who to trust and who is trying to sell you something. The race is on, but can they ever stop?

In addition to writing science fiction and fantasy, I always aim to infuse those genres with representation because I think stories become beautifully more complex and truer to life for it. You can check more about me at www.RoseSinclair.com or on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/roseoverchaos.

Genre: Romance

An Italian Christmas

Recently widowed, Casey Hargrove, returns to work in an attempt to get through the holidays without a constant reminder that she will spend it alone. Work isn’t exactly how she left it though. Lucas Santori, an Acquisition Consultant, has been hired to help sell the business. When the business is sold to an Italian company, Casey is offered an opportunity to spend the Christmas season in Italy.

Will her Italian Christmas be the fresh start she’s been looking for?

When I’m not writing, you can find me on my paddleboard or snuggling my chocolate lab. https://www.instagram.com/darling_davenport

Genre: Supernatural/YA

True Vision

Do the past, present, and future exist simultaneously? Is it really possible for Heaven and Earth to intersect?

Marcus Hanes is struggling to cope with the death of his grandfather, when he comes across a few of his vintage belongings. The items are an odd looking compass, a pair of reading glasses, and a journal. For sentimental reasons, he toys with the compass and suddenly finds himself facing in the opposite direction. Upon sharing the experience with his cousins, they discern that the glasses could hold power as well. What they discover next is a level of truth that will alter their existence forever. 

Writing about ordinary people who experience extraordinary things is my passion. To learn more about my other literary works, please visit the link below. https://linktr.ee/MHandy1

Genre: Fantasy

Elianora

Driven by her past to the very edge of the kingdom, Elianora vows to spend the rest of her life atoning for that day when her world was shattered.

But fate, as it turns out, is not done with her yet.

With a soulmate trying to win her heart and the threat of war looming on the horizon, will she be able to cling to her vow of atonement or will she end up taking a path that she never expected?

In addition to writing Urban Fantasy, one of the things I love to do is write fanfiction. You can check it all out here on my blog in addition to my original works.

https://theseekerfiles.wordpress.com/

Genre: Urban Fantasy/Slow Burn Romance A fast pace, Urban Fantasy tale with slow burn romance. Suggested age for reading is 18-up.

I never thought I’d be running the family business alone, but a freak hunting accident left Fenris, my Direwolf companion and me half-dead. Luckily, we pulled through, but my dad he didn’t make it. Now I am searching for the people responsible for his death while digging up the pieces of secrets he kept.

About the author: Adalynd Grayves is the name  and writing darker fiction is my game. When writing my stories, I like to take a pinch of monster, a dash of myth, and add a sprinkle of fairytales into the mix. I’ve been in anthologies in the past, but I’m currently working on publishing my first novel releasing  in 2022 ( official date TBA) and I  have my Kindle Vella serial out and ready to read now.  You can find all my links here:
https://linktr.ee/AdalyndGrayves

October Kindle Vella Blog Hop

Wow, the year is just flying by! I can’t believe that we’re at the end of October already.

So, because we made it through yet another month, treat yourself to one (or more) of these neat Vella stories.

Genre : Romantic Fantasy

Elven Heartbound by Elizabeth Ash

Born of elven magic. Bound to an elven prince.

All her life, Arisanna has been destined to wed the son of the elf king, and now the elves have come to collect. Nothing, however, goes as expected when the elves arrive to claim her. Despite their misunderstandings, Arisanna agrees to wed the aloof elf prince with whom she’s been heartbound since before her birth.

Is the prince as hard as he seems? Or is there more to him than meets the eye?

I live in the middle of the woods of the Pacific Northwest, where I keep a wary eye out for sasquatch. So far, he hasn’t revealed himself, but the trees around me are the inspiration for many of the forest scenes in my stories. https://www.facebook.com/ElizabethAshBooks/

Genre: Urban Fantasy/Slow Burn Romance

A fast pace, Urban Fantasy tale with slow burn romance. Suggested age for reading is 18-up.

I never thought I’d be running the family business alone, but a freak hunting accident left Fenris, my Direwolf companion and me half-dead. Luckily, we pulled through, but my dad he didn’t make it. Now I am searching for the people responsible for his death while digging up the pieces of secrets he kept.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B097DBXGWF

About the author: Adalynd Grayves  is  the name  and writing darker fiction is my game. When writing my stories, I like to take a pinch of monster, a dash of myth, and add a sprinkle of fairytales into the mix. I’ve been in anthologies in the past, but I’m currently working on publishing my first novel releasing  in 2022 ( official date TBA) and I  have my Kindle Vella serial out and ready to read now.  You can find all my links here:
https://linktr.ee/AdalyndGrayves

Genre: Non-Fiction

Building Your Readership by LaShaunda Hoffman

The hardest part about promoting a book is finding your readers.  Inside this book I share 10 ways to start building your readership.  Each episode gives you tips and action steps you can implement after each episode.

https://amzn.to/2Xg1JsK

Hello I’m LaShaunda Hoffman. I’ve promoted books for 20+ years. I started an online magazine – Shades Of Romance and it taught me how to build a readership.  I’m currently working on my first women’s fiction book.  I’ve been enjoying this journey on Kindle Vella.    

You can find me on Facebook, Instagram, Clubhouse and TikTok.

http://lashaundahoffman.com

Genre: Dystopian/Steampunk/Sci-Fi

Beneath Gehenna

After an alert goes out to the paying members of the disaster bunker known as New Eden, residents find themselves trapped between two vastly different worlds: one that preys on trauma and one that creates it. Now, a newly wealthy yet troubled man and his new friends must find a way to live with the Hell they bought or return to the Hell which remains.

https://www.amazon.com/kindle-vella/product/B09CZK57GP

Benjamin ran with scissors when he was five. He now writes, paints, uses sharp woodworking tools and plays with glue. Sometimes he does these things at the same time. You can read more at https://www.bxwretlind.com/ where he writes blog articles focused (mostly) on writing.

Genre: Sci-Fi/Fantasy

Forsaken Beauty and the Etherbeast by Kelsey Josephson

A bookish strongwoman longs for freedom.

A beast searches for a cure.

Together, they’ll break man-made curses.

After her own father sells her to the unscrupulous Ringmaster, Belle thinks she’ll spend the rest of her days performing cheap stunts while the Nuzaran masses gawk at her ether-poisoned body. A chance encounter with a beast by her solitary campfire changes everything. Can they find liberation or will the past consume them both?

I have a deep love for Universal Monster movies, all things related to Nikola Tesla, and iced coffee. The first two things fuel my creativity and the latter keeps me motivated! You can check my other works on my website: https://simplykelseyjo.com/

Genre: Fantasy

Fight or Flight: A Cinderella Tale of Court Intrigue

Who doesn’t love a Cinderella story?

However, the stories never tell of what happens after the Prince finds his Bride and Cinderella finds her ‘Happily Ever After’. What should be a happily ever after for Alyssa quickly becomes a game of survival as she tries to navigate a hostile court and those who are eyeing her position next to the prince.

Will she manage to win the game or will the strike of midnight only declare the beginning of her doom?

In addition to writing Urban Fantasy, one of the things I love to do is write fanfiction. You can check it all out here on my blog in addition to my original works.

Home

Genre: YA Dystopian

Death Date

People tell you to live life to the fullest. Take your time. Don’t make rash decisions. I should have listened. Maybe it would have made a difference. Tomorrow is my eighteenth birthday. A day that’s supposed to be special. Eighteen years old means adulthood. Life is just starting. That’s how it used to be, years ago. Before our new society formed. Instead, I face uncertainty. My past sways the outcome. On this birthday, I will receive the most important gift. The gift of the date I will die. 

Death Date | Kindle Vella (amazon.com)

In addition to writing YA Dystopian, I also write YA Fantasy. You can check out more about my projects on Facebook-  https://www.facebook.com/authorbysimpson/ and on Instagram

Genre: Urban Fantasy

Not Your Angel

Two worlds, two wings, and one big problem ex…

With the return of her childhood ex-boyfriend, Silana and her family must stop pretending to play normal and embrace who they really are in order to save the world from a disastrous past love eager for new worshippers. The only problem is that Earth already believes in angels.

About The Authors: Some friendships never die. This co-written story is by two life-long friends! Follow one of the authors on instagram @RoseOverChaos for more bookish friends. https://www.instagram.com/roseoverchaos

Genre: Coming of Age, Family and High School Drama, Romance

An Operator’s Daughter

When jettisoned into dysfunctional family and new high school, 17-year-old Ashton must overcome severe anxiety and fight back against sexual harassment, while attempting to rebuild a relationship with her grieving Navy SEAL Veteran father. She questions whether or not history should repeat itself while seeking her own happiness when her own budding relationship with a Special Warfare Operator begins to parallel her parents’ love-at-first-sight story as told within the pages her mother’s journals.

Laurie Anne Brandon writes based upon her experiences as a military academic counselor, high school teacher, years of working television production and as an alpine ski instructor. She lives with her husband, three cats and golden retriever in suburban Western Washington.

Find her on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/laurie.brandon.12

Genre: Mystery/Suspense/YA

The 7^th Whistleblower

Claire, a journalism student at Brunston University has stumbled onto quite a few secrets about B.U.s alumnae. Outing the culprits might not only destroy the guilty, but take down the innocent as well. Travel with Claire Richardson as she navigates a sticky trail of clues that will ultimately force her to choose between what is good and what is evil.

The 7th Whistleblower | Kindle Vella (amazon.com)

Every since I was a young girl I absolutely loved watching Mystery and Suspense movies with my mother. The art of a story unfolding to reveal the larger picture inspires me to create characters whose curiosity pushes them to find the truth. 

Visit my Link Tree for more info on current works @ https://linktr.ee/MHandy1

I hope that you find one of these amazing stories to your taste 🙂

Happy Saturday!

The Great Kindle Vella Experiment…

Is, well, not going so great.

When I first learned about Kindle Vella, I was very excited. A whole new way to engage with readers, sign me up! What Kindle Vella promoted was stories, but told in installments. Now, I know that I’m dating myself slightly here, but one of my favorite things growing up was getting to read the next installment of the story in our local newspaper. They were little mysteries, would probably be considered quite easy by today’s standards. But the anticipation of waiting for the next week’s paper to find out what actually happened, that anticipation was so, so sweet.

I think that is one reason that I’ve been drawn to fanfiction as well. Instead of readers having to wait until the entire book has been written, rewritten, edited, proofread, sent to the printers, and finally released, now they can discover the story along with the writer. This especially works well for my writing style, considering that I’m a Discovery Gardener when it comes to writing. (If you’re curious what that is, check out my post on that: https://theseekerfiles.wordpress.com/2020/06/03/how-i-write/ )

So when I learned that there was a platform where I could share my original works in installments, I was instantly intrigued. After a little bit of research, I discovered that Kindle Vella offers the first three chapters free to Vella readers before they have to pay tokens to read further chapters. Even better, because who wants to spend money on a story that they don’t like. This way, readers can get a feel for the writer and the story before deciding whether or not they want to go any further. Very nice!

Excited to get started, I carefully looked over my current WIPs, picked my most developed one, Elianora, and got to work. Vella was very easy to use and to set up and I quickly had four chapter uploaded. I had a few readers stop by, two even decided that they liked my story enough to keep following it and four thumbs up. Sweet, it’s not much, but it’s a start, right?

Well, then life happened, I had a relative get very sick and family ended up taking priority over writing for a while. Still, writing is the core of my being and I love sharing stories with other people. So now that life has settled back down, I picked myself up, sharpened my pencils, and settled back at my desk to write.

On September 15th, I decided that I was going to write and share 5 stories. 3 would update Monday, Wednesday, and Friday while the other 2 would update on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Because I’d made a timed commitment, life decided to get crazy on me, so I didn’t manage to update the story every day that I intended, but I still managed to get four out of five up and updates happening at least 2-3 times a week. It wasn’t perfect, but it was a start and I was very proud of it.

And you know what happened?

It’s been twelve days now and I have not had a single view. Not a single person has read any of the stories that I’ve published. It’s kinda funny, actually, because if anything, this has only made me more determined to succeed.

I don’t know where I’m going wrong, but I’m going to share my process here so other writers trying to use Vella can maybe learn from my experience/mistakes. And hey, maybe a reader will trip over this post and decide to give my stories a chance, so you never know.

First, Content:

I am not a great writer, certainly not an epic writer on the level of Tolkien or Rowling, but my fanfiction readers and those who have read my books tell me that I create a good story that helps entertain them. They also give me feedback, which I love because I believe that it makes me a better writer.

What I love to write is Fantasy, with my books being heavily Urban fantasy. These four stories that I currently have up definitely lean more into just the fantasy category. I decided to go with a broad range, so I have one playing with the myth of Atlantis, a Cinderella type tale, a magical war, and a humorous one dealing with a character being Isekai’d.

Second, Appearance:

I have the feeling that this is where I’m falling short. I’ve put on pretty shiny cover pictures, carefully summarized, and then tagged with seven tags in what I think best describes the stories. Maybe they’re not being picked up because I’m not marketing them right.

I should probably do deeper research into exactly what my target audience is and what tags they search to find stories like mine. (Scribbles quick note and puts it where I can easily see it again).

Third, Marketing:

I put these stories up thinking that Kindle Vella readers would be willing to check out new content simple because where it’s a new platform, there is limited content. However, I’m beginning to realize that a lot of people are simply not even aware of Kindle Vella. It’s not something that you see on tv or hear about on the radio. Even in reading groups, I see very few mentions of it, if any.

Not only that, but stories available on Kindle Vella are growing by leaps and bounds, mine might be getting just lost in the shuffle. So I need to make people who already like my writing and writing style aware that I’m using this platform and what this platform actually is.

So, In Conclusion:

I still have a long way to go before I figure out Kindle Vella and its algorithm.

I need to do a lot of market research (I got excited about sharing my stories and jumped in with both feet, so now I need to do a bit of backtracking, lol)

I’ll need to further examine the variables, like posting times (will I get more views if I post in the morning or the evening) and how many times a week is the optimum amount.

Still, I think it will be worth it in the end and I’m not giving up here. I’ll keep posting about my journey and my process 🙂

Hope you’re having an amazing Monday!

~ A slightly discouraged yet very stubborn discovery gardener

P.S.

If you wanna check out my stories, I’ve included the links below.

Daughter of the Sea: https://www.amazon.com/Daughter-of-the-Sea/dp/B09GS1D4D1/

Elianora: https://www.amazon.com/Elianora/dp/B09BDJTCYZ/

Fight or Flight: https://www.amazon.com/Fight-Flight-Cinderella-Court-Intrigue/dp/B09GFCQX7Q/

I was Isekai’d: https://www.amazon.com/I-was-Isekaid-now-what/dp/B09GK3L297/

It’s Friday Night!

So it’s Friday night, also known as the start of the weekend.

However, the world has changed. Due to Covid-19, things are no longer what they once were. Instead of going to see a movie or get a dinner with friends, we’re told to stay at home and social distance from each other.

So tonight, I’ll be attending a virtual karate class for half an hour and then I’ll probably settle in and write some more. Then, if I hit my writing goals by a reasonable time, I’ll go wild and treat myself with a book that I’ve been wanting to read as I’m rereading the series since the newest book came out and so that I can be ready when the latest book comes out in November of this year (The Guild Hunter series by Nalini Singh. A mature read but I love her depth of world building.)

So what are you doing this Friday night in a world that is different from just a few months ago? I’m honestly curious. And would you have gone out before on a Friday night or typically stayed in?

Happy Friday!

Extras:

Here’s a snippet from my writing today on Book 4: In Search of Pack:

Spreading her magic out to about fifteen feet around her in all directions, she made sure that she lessened the signature so that it was nearly undetectable. Only a very, very strong sensitive or someone looking for it specifically would be able to find it. Then she started working her way towards the warehouse complex. She made sure to keep her walk a mixture of determination and insecurity. She was a good girl, so what was she even thinking going to this place. But she really needed this place, needed it badly enough to through a lifetime of morals and scruples away to come seeking it. What then, could she need so badly?

She passed some of the lookouts and knew that she was heading in the right direction, although she pretended to be oblivious of their presence. They were doing their best to blend into the scenery and her looking at them would’ve raised some serious alarm bells. Nope, not what she wanted to do. So instead she monitored each on until she was out of range, making sure that she glanced around enough for an average person outside of their comfort zone.

As she walked, she found herself relaxing into the persona, almost as if it was another role that she had picked up. This was familiar, this was something that she could do. Just sitting around had driven her up the wall. So even without backup, someone out there who wanted to kidnap her and find something, and her leg sore and achy, she felt more herself than she had in days.

(c) Katie Holmburg

(There is no guarantee that this will make it into the final cut of the book, but it’s always fun to share tidbits. Let me know what you think.)

Here’s another fanfiction of mine, a one shot from The Hobbit with a female Bilbo lead

Dealing with Dragons

https://archiveofourown.org/works/23138608

Happy Friday! We are strong together!

K is for Kinesiology

So what exactly is Kinesiology?

 

“The study of the principles of mechanics and anatomy in relation to human movement”

Source – Merriam-Webster dictionary

 

Now, you may be asking yourself what exactly does this have to do with writing? Please be patient and bear with me, it will all make sense in the end.

 

A little over a year ago, I started a journey. I was looking for a place that taught Tai Chi, looking for a way to get more fit in a low impact way. Although there was only one place that taught Tai Chi in my area, I decided to investigate the other dojos as well. It’s a good thing that I did because the place that taught Tai Chi was a very narrow minded place and did not fit at all with my principles and morals.

 

So I walked into this dojo with little to no idea of what I was doing, only a dream of wanting to learn martial arts since I was a little girl. It was a welcoming place and I felt instantly at home. Despite having no idea what I was getting myself into, I signed up and started off on my martial art journey of learning Kenpo Karate. Thankfully, I was very fortunate with the dojo I joined. The teachers are incredible and there is a culture of responsibility and kindness there. It is taught as self defense and they make sure that you know what will happen if you have to use it as well as ways to avoid having to ever use it. After all, the best self defense is to get out of danger before it even starts, right?

 

So what does this have to do with writing? When I first started Kenpo, I just wanted to do the cool choppy thing. I am not a fighter and I have never been in a physical altercation (except for with my brothers, but that’s just sibling stuff so it doesn’t count). So, like in Kung Fu Panda, I was looking for a level zero.

 

I am like Po, lol https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dWo0dm16wLY

 

For the first month, I was totally lost. However, I persevered and gradually things began to fall into place. And this is where kinesiology comes into play. As I started learning the different techniques, I also started learning cause and effect. If I hit here, a person would most likely react this way. If I block a blow, I’ll have to be ready for the second punch or kick because most people won’t just hit you and then wait for you to hit them back. This then turned into freestyle sparring. I often didn’t have time to fully execute techniques, so I learned how to break them down and use the pieces to get the results I needed. If I needed to get more space from my opponent, I could do a, b, or c. If my opponent favored a certain type of move, this is how I could deal with it. It became like a giant chess game or unraveling a mystery and I adored it.

 

So the genre I write tends to be action/adventure under the broad heading of fantasy (I like to create my own worlds, although the Seeker Files do include magic and supernaturals, so it is fantasy). However, despite my love of the genre, I have trouble writing fighting scenes simply from my lack of experience. They just sounded stiff. So imagine my surprise when I was writing one about half a year after a started karate and it just flowed. I was half shocked, half thrilled, and totally ready to write even more. I hadn’t realized how much I had subconsciously learned and how important it was to know exactly how people act/react in a fight.

 

I have been learning Kenpo for about a year and a half now. Unlike when I first walked into the dojo, I know exactly what I am getting myself into. I also readily admit how little I truly know and that it’s going to be the journey of a lifetime to ever truly master it. But that’s ok, because like writing, it’s a passion that I will never abandon.

 

So what is something in your life that has translated into your writing?