We’re one month away from my book’s release! It’s packed with fantastic creatures, wilderness survival, and a character’s journey to discovering where she belongs. Also, it’s an Ugly Duckling retelling, and the finale takes place at Christmas.
Here’s a snippet of the first chapter (Note: This isn’t the fully edited version.).
Of course my book has a setting. I would describe my setting (and characters) as whimsical, magical, and wintry mostly. Readers will tour cities and towns and the woodlands in between.
It also takes place during the 1990s, so how do I make it look like it? I have human teenagers say phrases like:
“Not.”
“Da bomb.”
“Whatever.”
“Take a chill pill.”
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.
I’m back with more character bios, and I have to share the villains in my story. Every good story has to have conflict, and Starlight is up for some major conflict with dogs within and outside her family.
By the way, this book is Book 1 in my series called “Wonder Around the Corner.” It’s a series of fairy tale retellings set in both an urban and woodland world, and this story is a retelling of the Ugly Duckling.
You may have seen that I have a middle grade book coming out this December. It’s Starlight, the story of an arctic fox who, after being ostracized by her own adoptive siblings, finds out where she belongs.
During the next several weeks, I’ll be sharing bios of my prominent characters. First up is, of course, my main character.
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.
You may have already heard about the Summer Bash hosted by Beyond the Bookery. It’s an online party where you can explore different authors and potential favorite reads. There’s even a giveaway to win cool stuff, like BtB releases, highlighters, and fun goodies like a possible crocheted bookmark.
And guess what? You’ll get a chance to win your own copy of Of Dangers and Dreams (featuring my dire wolf story)!
Remember when I told you I have a story about a fox that makes light for the Northern Lights?
I found a publisher for it! It’s going to be the same publisher that did my “Friend of the Dire Wolf” novella. This new book, called Starlight, is fit for a middle grade audience who loves fantasy and fairy tale retellings.
You may have heard the sad news, but author friend C.E. (Connie) White left this world in April after an intense fight with cancer. She is with the Author of Life now, so cancer didn’t win the battle, but let’s pause to remember her as a thought-provoking storyteller and a serious, die-hard follower of Jesus.
K.A. Ramstad 