LUW Updates: CoF Wins Silver Quill!

So I attended the annual League of Utah Writers over the weekend. To be honest, this past six months has seen me slack on my writing a lot. I keep trying and meaning to put my shoulder back to the wheel, but life keeps getting in the way. It really is just a matter of priorities on my part, but I haven't been able to give myself enough push to really get back into the right frame of mind. The conference was just what I needed in that area. (You can look forward to writing posts inspired by the classes I attended at the conference over the next couple of weeks. ;) )

Anyway, I didn't enter anything into the regular contest this year. I usually do, but the deadline was back in June and it just snuck up on me this year. I didn't have anything to submit, or any time to prepare anything by the time I realized the deadline was looming. Instead, I just entered my two published novels. Dark Remnants didn't win anything, but Citadels of Fire won the Silver Quill (second place, with the Gold Quill being first) in the adult category. 

Citadels of Fire with Silver Quill sticker, plus the award itself.

I was so honored and happy to have won something. It was a great conference, and I had tons of fun networking with new authors and reconnecting with some I hadn't seen in a while. CoF winning was just icing on the cake. 

Emily Yonkers (this year's president) even said they were working on putting the winning books on the League's website to sell, which I was very pleased about. :D

And, as I put on Facebook last night, us JFP authors really cleaned up! Jolly Fish Press is my publisher for Citadels of Fire, and all the JFP authors have a really good camaraderie going. No less than four of us won published book awards last night. (I think at least one of the two top quills in each category went to a JFP author!) So yes, we totally kicked butt! 

From left to right, Eric Bishop (Gold Quill for adult lit), Johnny Worthen
(Gold Quill for YA lit), me (Silver Quill for adult lit), and Lehua Parker
(Gold Quill for Children's Lit). How cool are we? 

Plus, the wonderful Johnny Worthen (another JFP author who's having a positively breakout year) was the keynote speaker, won one of the quills for his YA novel, and won writer of the year. I love Johnny. He's so full of positive energy that you can't help but smile when you hang out with him. His keynote speech brought down the house. Most of us were falling out of our chairs laughing. He was just that entertaining. 

Johnny giving his uproarious and inspiring keynote address.

Overall, I really enjoyed the conference. It was so much fun! I even sold a handful of books. (Yea!) I feel rejuvenated and inspired to plow through my editing (there are two different books I'm working on) as well as keep writing my current WIP (book 3 of Interchron). 

I also want to get more involved in the League again. As with my writing, I've really slacked off the past few months. Since I moved into my new place (5 mos ago, now. Where does the time go?) I haven't visited the Clearfield chapter. I mean to do that now. Even though they're just monthly meetings, I think they keep me on task with my writing. 

Sweet Author Elsie Parks and Yours Truly

More winners! Eric Bishop, Johnny Worthen, me, Lehua Parker, and
Christine Haggarty, who also taught an awesome class on writing fight scenes.

How about you? Have you attended any great writing events lately?

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2014 St. George Book Festival and Other Announcements

Happy Monday, Everyone! 

I hope you're all gearing up for a productive and prosperous week. 

For today, I'm just doing some announcements. The fall, as always, will be a busy one for me, as I'll be attending plenty of conferences and bookish events.

August 30 I have an author signing at the Hastings in Harrisville, Utah. It's a modest little place, but the Hastings company is always willing to support local authors, so I do my best to help them out in return.

September 12-13 is the League of Utah Writers' annual conference. As of right now, I'm not presenting that I know of. Just going to socialize, network, and learn lots of new things from some phenomenal presenters. It's being held in Layton, Utah this year, which is like ten minutes from my house. (Yea!)

October 4 is an author signing event also hosted by Hastings, but it will be a whole slew of local authors coming together for the same event. More details to come as it gets closer.

October 24-25 is the 2014 St. George Book Festival. I'll be attending as a Keynote/Guest Author and running one of the workshops on the 24th. Very excited for this one as I've never attended before.

So, if you're anywhere in or around Utah and can possibly make it to any of the events, I'd love to meet you! Of course I'll post reminders as the fall draws near. Have a great week, Everyone! Get out there and take steps toward your own success!

What events do you have lined up for the fall?

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Citadels of Fire Launch is Finally Here!!!

More than five years after finishing my first full-length novel, dozens of query letters and lots and lots and LOTS of revisions later, it's finally going to be published, courtesy of Jolly Fish Press!

Citadels of Fire, Book 1 of Kremlins will release May 27, 2014. You can pre-order it by clicking the Amazon button below.

The launch party will be at the Layton, Utah Barnes and Noble at 1:00 pm on May 31st. I know most people who read my blog don't live in Utah, but if you're in the area, consider yourself invited. The launch party will be a blast and I'd love to see you! 

I haven't decided whether I'm doing a virtual launch party or not yet, but I'll keep you posted. Of course I can use all the help I can get spreading the word once it's out, so stay tuned! If anyone's willing to give me an honest review, I'd be happy to give you a free ecopy of the book. If anyone's interested, let me know! 

Citadels of Fire, Book 1 of Kremlins

In a world where danger hides in plain sight and no one aspires to more than what they were born to, Inga must find the courage to break the oppressive chains she’s been bound with since birth. 

As a maid in the infamous Kremlin, life in 16th-century Russia is bleak and treacherous. That is, until Taras arrives. Convinced that his mother’s death when he was a boy was no mere accident, he returned from England to discover what really happened. While there, he gains favor from the Tsar later known as Ivan the Terrible, the most brutal and notorious ruler ever to sit upon the throne of Russia. Ivan allows him to take a servant, and to save Inga from a brutal boyar intent on raping her, Taras requests Inga to stay in his chambers.

Up against the social confines of the time, the shadowy conspiracies that cloak their history, and the sexual politics of the Russian Imperial court, Inga and Taras must discover their past, plan for their future, and survive the brutality that permeates life within the four walls that tower over them all, or they may end up like so many citizens of ancient Russia: nothing but flesh and bone mortar for the stones of the Kremlin wall.

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A Couple Quick Notes!

Good Monday Morning, Everyone! Just a few quick notes from me today. 

I found out a few days ago that I'm moving! It's actually very exciting. We've been wanting to get into a bigger place and we found a great one. We can start going over on the 15th, but probably won't get completely moved until Easter weekend. Because of that, my posts over the next couple of weeks will probably be spotty. 

I have a few pre-written posts, but not many. I'll try to keep up on lists and recaps, but probably won't do any that require a great deal of thinking. So, if I'm a bit absentee, that's why. Once we're all moved in, I'll be back to my regular schedule, though.

In the meantime, make sure to check out my Epic giveaway, which is still going on. The grand prize is a Kindle Paperwhite!

Have a great week, Everyone! :D

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Announcements: LTUE + Citadels of Fire ARCs Available!

Happy Monday, Everyone!

I hope you all had a safe, fun, and productive weekend. I was super-busy, but I still managed to get some stuff done. 

I have two announcements today:

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1) The LTUE Conference is at the end of the week--Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. I'm going to be there for sure on Friday, and I was planning on Saturday, too, though that may change between then and now. (My work schedule is suddenly up in the air.) But, if you're going to be in the Provo/BYU area, come on over and join us. I've never attended before but I hear it's an amazing conference and I'll be at the mass autograph signing on Friday. I'd love to meet you! (Visit this website for more info!)

2) My historical fiction novel, Citadels of Fire, which is slated for release in May of this year, now has ARCs available. I'd love to send a free, digital copy to anyone who'd be willing to give me an honest review. My publisher, Jolly Fish Press, is also putting together a tour. 

Below is a letter (also generated by my publisher) with a link to sign up for the tour if anyone is interested. Below that is the Goodreads description of the book.  If you'd like an  ARC, email me at lkhillbooks@gmail.com with what version you'd prefer (mobi, epub, pdf) and I'll be happy to send it to you.

This was actually the first full-length novel I ever wrote and I'm super excited for it to finally see publication. Thanks for all your support, guys! It means the world to me.

Have a fantabulous Monday! 

Dear Blogger,

When considering the history of our world, there are few periods more brutal and majestic as that of medieval Russia. Filled with murderous Tsars, terrible wars, and towering kremlins, a well-written story set in this tragic yet beautiful time and place is exactly what readers didn’t know they needed. 

Citadels of Fire is the answer, and there has never been a historical fiction like this. 

Written by L.K. Hill and releasing May 27, 2014, Citadels of Fire is a powerful account of the reign of Ivan the Terrible. The story is experienced through the eyes of a palace maid and a foreign boyar who must discover their past, plan for their future, and survive the brutality that permeates life within the four walls that tower over them all, or they may end up like so many citizens of ancient Russia: nothing but flesh and bone mortar for the stones of the Kremlin wall. 

I’m confident this story will intrigue and entertain you and your readers, so I’d like to request your review and/or endorsement. 

Should you be interested, a printed or electronic Advance Reading Copy of the book is available for your review. The eARC is available as a pdf, mobi, or epub file. Please let me know which format you prefer.  

We also invite you to participate in the Citadels of Fire Blog Tour. The tour will last from May 20th, 2014 to June 20th, 2014. Should you be interested, visit https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1Uj3lu54ikyw3jPsH7cuP-dYcXGumpsBrBu8tvQPDE8Q/viewform and fill out all the necessary information. We will provide a blog tour banner, giveaway, and additional information on the book (including a press kit) as the tour nears. 

Thank you for your time. I look forward to hearing from you. 

Regards,D. Kirk CunninghamHead PublicistJolly Fish Presskirk@jollyfishpress.com801-380-4503

In a world where danger hides in plain sight and no one aspires to more than what they were born to, Inga must find the courage to break the oppressive chains she’s been bound with since birth. 

As a maid in the infamous Kremlin, life in 16th-century Russia is bleak and treacherous. That is, until Taras arrives. Convinced that his mother’s death when he was a boy was no mere accident, he returned from England to discover what really happened. While there, he gains favor from the Tsar later known as Ivan the Terrible, the most brutal and notorious ruler ever to sit upon the throne of Russia. Ivan allows him to take a servant, and to save Inga from a brutal boyar intent on raping her, Taras requests Inga to stay in his chambers. 

Up against the social confines of the time, the shadowy conspiracies that cloak their history, and the sexual politics of the Russian Imperial court, Inga and Taras must discover their past, plan for their future, and survive the brutality that permeates life within the four walls that tower over them all, or they may end up like so many citizens of ancient Russia: nothing but flesh and bone mortar for the stones of the Kremlin wall.

View on Amazon     View on Goodreads

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Author of the Month Feature!

Hey Everyone!

Just a quick announcement today. Donna of A Novel Gathering is featuring me as February's Author of the Month! Yippee!

I'd love it if everyone would hop over to view her opening post. We'll be doing some other things as the month progresses, and I'd love to see you all there. 

You can also head over to my other blog to check out tips on how to run a great KDP Promo!

Happy Monday! Reach for the stars today!

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It's Monday! What does YOUR week look like? (And NaNo Updates)

Good Monday Morning, All! I hope everyone had a safe, wonderful weekend. I was quite busy, though happily, I managed to accomplish plenty of work and also play a little. My sister and I did some early Christmas shopping and tons of holiday planning, but we also saw not one, but two films Yea! I don't think I've been to the movies since the summer. The last thing I remember seeing in the theaters was The Great Gatsby, and that was quite some time ago!

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Anyway, this post is just to say good morning, wish everyone a great week, and also say that my posts for the rest of the month will probably more sparse than usual. I don't think I mentioned it at all last week, but I"m participating in NaNoWriMo. I had a fairly normal posting schedule last week, but that's only because I wrote up most of last week's posts days before NaNo started. Now, I'm in the thick of it, already behind on my word count, and the holidays are coming at us faster than I can believe.

So...if I'm a bit absent over the next few weeks--less commenting, less interaction, and the like--that's why. I may do simple, paragraph-long posts each day to give updates on NaNo and other small things, but that's all. For right now, I have 7,405 words written. A bit behind, as you can see (I should have roughly double that by now) but I hope to get caught up this week. Wish me luck! So, everyone have a great week, good luck to everyone participating in NaNo, and wish me luck as well!

Cheers! :D

Anyone else doing NaNo? How's it going?

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Launch Day Report + Guest Post

Hello Fantasia-Loving Readers!

Yesterday was the Release Date and Launch Party for Quantum Entanglement and it went great! If you want to see the results and winners, just pop on over to the Interchron Facebook page. Special thanks to all those who dropped by, commented, or otherwise participated! It was tons of fun!

I worked all day, though, and as a result, I'm a little burnt out today. But no worries! I still have links to send you to. :D

I'm guest posting over at Mad Hatter Reads about The Science of Time Travel! If all you lovely readers could pop on over and leave your comments there, I'd really appreciate it! :D

Thanks so much! And happy hump day! :D

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It's Monday! How's Your Week Looking?

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Happy Monday! 

I hope everyone had a great weekend. I'm still not caught up on everything, but my weekend was great just the same!

I attended the League of Utah Writers' annual conference. I love going to it every year. There's just something so great about being in a room with hundreds of other struggling writers who totally get what you're going through and have many of the same goals. There's so much positivity and building up. So great!

It feels something like a think tank of masterminds, even if most of the writers attending are still amateurs. 

This year, I got to be instructed by industry greats Maxwell Alexander Drake and the amazing Gerald N. Lund. I learned so much and had such a good time!

Okay, onto other things.

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The Dark Remnants Giveaway has ended. The winners are thus:

3 E-copies of Dark Remnants: 

1) Lexxie Lin
2) Robyn Jones
3) Roxxie

Autographed Print Copy: Cristina Arpin

$25 Amazon Giftcard: Amanda Ludwig

Congrats to the winners! And thanks so much to everyone who entered my giveaway!

Finally, if you haven't yet, check out the final review on the blog tour over at Girl in the Woods Reviews. I'm also guest posting on My Book Musings, and I'm being interviewed over at Reese's Reviews. 

Also, over at my other blog, Musings on Fantasia, my tour for Quantum Entanglement, Book 2 is starting. Head over there to follow that one for my newest dystopian fantasy novel!

Have a great week, everyone!

What's your Monday look like?

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My Monday Looks Crazy! How's Yours?

Happy Monday, wonderful readers! So just got a few quick things today:

1) This week I'm super busy trying to finish up review copies of Quantum Entanglement and get them out, as well as keep prior commitments I'm behind on. I've had some life issues lately--relatives have suddenly needed help moving, I've gotten very sick, my sister got married a few weeks ago (still recovering over here) and this past weekend I spent two days selling books as a massive, well-attended vendor fair.

All these things are actually very good, but they've all combined to put me very behind schedule. I have some guest posts scheduled for the Dark Remnants blog tour, so make sure and drop by for the links, not forgetting to enter the Giveaway. Other than that, I may be somewhat absent on the blog this week. By the end of the week, everything should be back to normal, though.

So, please bear with me and I'd really appreciate your support by dropping by my guest posts and tour stops.

2) By the way, the vendor fair I went to was called Peach Days. It's an annual tradition in Brigham City, Utah, which is about twenty miles north of where I live. Something like 50,000 people visit Peach Days every year and I sold somewhere between 50 and 60 books in two days. A new record! So exciting! Yea!

3) Finally, please hop over and visit Rebecca at Vicariously! who will be doing a book review for Dark Remnants today.

Thanks so much for all your wonderful support  and have a great Monday!

Have you entered the Dark Remnants Giveaway yet?

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Need More Traffic to Your Blog? I have New Releases on the Way!

Hi Everyone!

Today, I'd just like to make a couple of announcements and make sure everyone is up to speed. The end of this year is going to be insane for me. For the past six months I've been working tirelessly (That's a lie. I often nap in the middle of the day.) on several different projects and several of them will come to fruition throughout the fall and winter months.

Hopefully some time next month I will be putting out a short novel--not quite short enough to be considered a novella, but shorter than what I usually write--of the crime drama/thriller genre. I'm going to put out a series of these shorts in preparation for The Botanist, which will release next spring, courtesy of Jolly Fish Press. This shorts series will be called Street Games. 

In September, I'm hoping to put out Quantum Entanglement, book 2 of Interchron. This is the dystopian sequel to Persistence of Vision. I'm still waiting on the cover design for this one, so I don't have an exact date yet.

In October, Citadels of Fire, Book 1 of Kremlins will be released. This is my first historical fiction novel to hit the market.

After that, I may (depending on what I can get accomplish amidst all these releases) try to get book 2 in the Street Games series out before Christmas as well. We'll just have to see. 

So, I'll keep everyone updated, but I'm going to need all the promotional help I can get. Generally I'm willing to hand out free ebook copies to my blogger buddies in exchange for honest reviews, so if any of these sound like something you'd like to review, or if you want to do something else to help with the blog tours, please let me know. (Contact me at lkhillbooks@gmail.com)

If you're just a reader and would like to be notified when each of these releases happen, make sure and join my email list (right sidebar) so I can let you know. (Incidentally, you get a free short story when you join my email list. :D)

Happy Monday, Everyone! 

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Book Signing Update + Announcements

So maybe this is stating the obvious, but Barnes and Noble is definitely the place to do a book signing! I've done several signings over the past couple of months and each time I've only sold a handful of books--like less than five, with three being the golden number. When you're an unknown author, that's just the way it goes, and I'm always grateful for any sale. Then, on Saturday, I went to the B & N in Layton and sha-zam! I sold like a dozen books in under two hours! Can everyone say boo-yah!

It occurred to me that it's probably because, in other places there are books, but also other things. If people come in to Hastings to rent movies, they are often reluctant to plunk down money on an extra, unforeseen purchase. I get a lot of requests for digital copies in those cases. But when people walk in to B & N, they're there specifically there to buy books--so my sales are much higher. Yea!

As for the next events, I'll be presenting a workshop for the Write for the Heights conference on 5/4. My topic is 'The Big Opening,' as in, the big opening of your story. I'll also be presenting to Wasatch Writers, a chapter of the League of Utah Writers on 5/13. At that event, I'll be talking about traditional vs. self-publishing. Both will be held in Utah, but if anyone wants to attend, just email or comment and I'll give you details.

Anyone else had any awesome, successful bookish events lately?

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3 Tips on Writing Historical Fiction + Announcements

ANNOUNCEMENTS

I hope everyone had a great Easter! My only announcements for this week are that I have two signings near the end of it.

1) Thursday, 4/11 I will be signing/selling books at the Ogden Hastings store from 3 to 5 pm. 

2) Friday, 4/12 I will be signing/selling books at the Barnes and Noble in Layton, Utah from 1-3 pm.

If you're local, come on in and see me, even if you don't buy anything. I'd love to meet you!

3 Tips on Writing Historical Fiction

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Thank You, Thank You, Thank You! + Announcements

Oh so many orders of business today!

First off: Thankyou Thankyou thankyou thankyou thankyou thankyou thankyou...a million times thank you to all those who participated in my Persistence of Vision blog tour. It's officially over! There may be a few later reviews and posts that we couldn't fit into the official tour, and I'll post them as they come, but the tour, for all intents and purposes, ended last week. The book is doing relatively well for a debut novel, and I know it's because so many supportive, enthusiastic bloggers were willing to feature me. So, thank you so much! I really appreciate it. More than I can say. Thank you. Thank you. Okay, one more time and I'll stop. THANK YOU!!!

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