Just as a story has to have conflict, there also has to be sidekicks. Friends. Family members. Acquaintances. Mentors. Any kind of ally. The purpose of the sidekick is to encourage the main character to keep going or to think differently about the world.
Here are the friends my main character, Starlight, makes in my upcoming book.
Hi, Summer Bash guests! Party crashers are welcome, too.
For those of you who followed me for a while, you may already be familiar with what I write. However, let me share more about my writing journey by answering Who, What, Where, How, and Why questions.
WHO am I?
I’m K.A. Ramstad (of course), a creator of fantasy and fairy tale retellings. I write for children, middle grade, and teens, and you’ll see me write a review on a picture or middle grade book every once in a while.
Beyond the Bookery’s Summer Bash is coming to Facebook. It’s your chance to win a free copy of Of Dangers and Dreams. That’s right, it’s F-R-E-E.
On June 30, you’ll see a special post by me at 5:00 PM MST. You’ll see how I got into writing, tips on how to be a better writer, and more of a sneak peek of my upcoming middle grade book Starlight.
Writing a search-and-rescue story? Imagining a mountain-climbing expedition? Looking for ideas on how to write an adventure story and make it as plausible as possible?
Check out this article on Hannah Ruth Johnson’s site, where guest M. Liz Boyle shares tips on research and character development.
Another feature of a good story is tropes. Before you give tropes a bad rap, they actually can be handy. Readers have different expectations for the books they read, and tropes can help you meet those expectations.
In an old blog post, I mentioned the tropes I would be having in my fairy tale retelling.
Little Red Riding Hood Retelling
Dire Wolf Character
Young Teens
A Crush on a Prince (Who Can Fly!)
Talking Animals
Found Family
Here’s more I’m adding:
Character With Physical Disability
Confronting Bullies
Mad Scientist
I changed the look of my website banner.
I felt like I needed a more distinctive look. So, with a little magic of Canva, I edited a different Unsplash photo
Are you a sci-fi author? Author Joseph Ficor shows that you can create a map of your planet’s diversity of climates. It’s helpful for both you and your reader, and it doesn’t have to be complicated.
I’m sure you’ve heard the expression “thick skin,” especially if you’re a writer and listen to advice on dealing with critiques on your stories. Mentors tell you, “Have a thick skin,” or in other words, “Don’t let what they say wreck your spirit.” At least, I think that’s what they mean. But should we simplyContinue reading “Develop a Thick Skin? Maybe? Maybe Not?”
Hi, all. Thought I’d give you an update on my stories. You’ve probably heard of my work-in-progress, The Galdur Snow Dog. If you haven’t, here’s the link to an old blog post that describes the book. Anyway, I submitted my proposal for this book to another publisher, and I’ll see if they’ll give it aContinue reading “There’s Always Tomorrow”
Hi, all. Anyone wrote a fairy tale retelling (or planning to)? There’s a submission opportunity for a novelist who wants to contribute to fairy tale collections. It’s perfect for any Christian writer (fantasy, historical romance, or contemporary romance) who knows a thing or two about the fairy tale genre. Thank you, Liv Blogs Again, forContinue reading “Wrote a Fairy Tale Retelling?”
K.A. Ramstad 