Indie Pride Day

 It doesn't seem to be a thing anymore, but I'm going to keep it going. Happy Indie Pride Day! 

It was many years ago that I self-published my first book, and far too long since I published my latest, but there are more to come! I promise! 

The fifth book in the Envious Series is in the editing and cover designing phase so I can't put a date on it. But it is coming! And next year I will likely have a lot of trouble trying to hold five books for this photo!

The world likes to push people toward self publishing with success stories designed to inspire you. They claim that writing is easy! You'll sell a ton of books right out of the gate! You just type, hit publish, and wham! You're an author. Eventually you'll even quit your day job. 

In reality, writing is hard. It takes work, time, focus and a constant stream of inspiration. And that's the fun part.

Sure it's easy to hit publish on the computer and watch your book listing appear. But the job of self publishing doesn't end with publication. Books don't just sell on their own. They have to be discovered. And in a world where 4 million books are published each year, there is a lot of competition for discovery. 

Self publishing can be frustrating, soul-sucking work. And in acknowledgment of that, we deserve a day to step back and exclaim, "Look what I made!" Take joy and pride in the great accomplishment it truly is. 

Happy Indie Pride Day!

Envious Free Days

 Great news, you can get Envious for free July 26-30th. And the rest of the series will be on sale!

Get your free ebook here:

US: https://www.amazon.com/Envious-4-book-series/dp/B0749X9XBT

UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Envious-Katie-Keller-Nieman-ebook/dp/B00INF6OMW

CA: https://www.amazon.ca/Envious-Katie-Keller-Nieman-ebook/dp/B00INF6OMW

AU: https://www.amazon.com.au/Envious-Katie-Keller-Nieman-ebook/dp/B00INF6OMW

IN: https://www.amazon.in/Envious-Katie-Keller-Nieman-ebook/dp/B00INF6OMW

Happy reading!

Travel Topic 1: Jetlag

 Okay, so jet lag is something worth mentioning. When you cross the Atlantic there is about a six hour time difference.  Google is full of useless tips in dealing with it. You'll swear to prepare for it. You'll promise yourself that you will work to get close to the schedule of your destination in the weeks leaving up to the big trip. You'll plan to go to bed early and get up early in effort to shrink the hour difference between home and your destination.

Let's just skip the theatrics. YOU WON'T. Life gets in the way. For me, I procrastinate most when it comes to going to bed. But really, the hardest part was getting everyone else on board. Overtime at work was piling on. And my husband ended up working a different schedule than usual, meaning he wasn't home by the time I planned to be well on my way to slumberland. And I wasn't going to sacrifice our time together for a little sleep.

My last ditch plan was to make sure to sleep through the entire flight. Okay, okay. Cue the mocking laughter. Yes. Sleeping on a plane is difficult. For one, the excitement of the trip beginning is like a shot of adrenaline that makes closing your eyes especially difficult. Then everyone on the plan is shifting around and chatting. Kids are crying or making loud declarations like "We're in the air! Up in the air!" Cute, but not when you're supposed to be sleeping. 

On cross-Atlantic flights they serve dinner. I ate before getting on the plane. Nice planning, I know. But when I smell food, I wake up and I get hungry. Doesn't matter that I just ate a steak salad big enough for two. Don't care that the food probably smells better than it tastes. My tummy gets grumbling and my nose honing in on scents. 

After dinner comes dessert. Then the attempt at sleep really begins. They give you a blanket, pillow and eye mask. It helps. So does a good neck pillow. But there's only about four hours before they will start serving breakfast. And of the four you'll probably only actually sleep for maybe two hours. 

But we arrived and I was fine! Perfect! Ready for the day. Lunchtime is when the exhaustion sets in. For me the only way through it was to keep moving. Sit when you just can't stand anymore, but keep it brief and start moving again.

It was about four days before I didn't feel the jet lag anymore. Oddly, my husband was fine. His ever changing work schedule helped him to adjust faster than me with my cemented eight to five routine.

So, yes, you will probably have jet lag. My advice is to keep moving, have dinner a bit early, and sleep in a bit the next morning. Do not reserve a table for 8:30pm! Do not schedule a 9am reservation at the Louvre for the next morning! But if you do, at least you'll have plenty of beautiful artwork and countless halls to keep you moving.

The "Travel Bug"

   Those of you who have read Envious Deception know that two of my characters talk quite passionately about a desire to travel. To visit new places, explore, and disappear into adventure of it. 

   I recently had an adventure of my own. While I have been to Europe before (three times actually), back then I'd always assumed I would return soon. I caught the “travel bug” and wanted nothing more than to immerse myself in the culture, art, and architecture of countless places. I had no idea how long it would take for me to return or how much things would have changed in that time, both for me and for Europe. 

   I know this isn’t technically the purpose of this blog, but it is mine and as a woman who is quickly approaching that hill everyone always talks about, I no longer care to follow silly self-imposed rules like that. So the next few posts will be mainly about my trip, what I got wrong, what I got right, and what I wish I knew before I went. Hopefully this helps someone out there who is planning the biggest trip of their life. And also me, as I plan for the next big trip which will hopefully be very soon.

As always, happy reading! And happy travels!

Envious - Free Book Days

Free Days

Free Envious days are coming up again! November 4th through 8th Envious will be free on Amazon. Be sure to add it to your wishlist and calendar so you don't miss out.

Envious is the first book in a mixed genre series. Forbidden love, mystery magic, and probable insanity. Envious is angsty, cutting, and addictive.

Do you believe in reincarnation? 

ENVIOUS

Book 1 of The Envious Series

"May not even death stop my heart from seeking to free my love."

I have dreams, visions of past lives, that haunt even my waking hours. My past lives are filled with danger, deceit, and fleeting moments of love. And they are beginning to rule every moment of my present life.

Since meeting Eric at college, they have only grown stronger. They are telling me something I cannot ignore: that he belongs with me, not Aurora, my best and only friend. She is everything that I am not: beautiful, popular and kind. But something isn't right about her.

My visions warn me not to trust her. They show me fantastical, impossible, and terrifying things.

Trusting in my visions could cost me everything, but ignoring them could cost my life.

Review Highlights for Envious by Katie Keller-Nieman

"WOW, and WOW again! Great novel from a new young writer with a stunning imagination...The story will twist and turn you Like vines around a tree.. you're not sure which tendril will take you next." MaryAnn Breedlove, The Kindle Book Review

"Excellent and engrossing...Every so often, you come across a book whose story is so enveloping that you look up from reading to see that hours have passed without your knowledge. Envious, by Katie Keller-Nieman, is that book." Kelly Smith Reviews

"This book is so perplexing and consuming! Sandy's story fascinates me and I honestly can't stop thinking about it." Blue Eye Books

"This novel in my opinion is a genuine, well thought out story, well written, where the author shows off her skill as a brilliant writer that would easily match those of the most famous author's of this genre." Phillip Curwood, Author of Arabella, A Picture of Beauty

"The author writes beautifully and with amazing detail. The story had me biting my nails and wondering what the next page held." Avid Reader

The News Media Needs to Change, and Syrup Told Me So

I dont often get up on my soapbox, but this needs to be said:

This is why America is split. This is why we have become two sides screaming at each other without resolution. It is the news media and we must call on them to change their ways.

We rely on the news, whether in article or broadcast format. We go to them to be informed because that's all they do, 24 hrs a day, is spit out information to the world. And as we weed through the fake news to the reputable sources, we are still left adrift with partial information and vague answers. Why? Why give us only half the story? Is it because the other half is too shocking? Is it because the reporters are too lazy to find it? Or are they too rushed to be the first to announce it?

  I overheard that Aunt Jemima was changing its name and replacing the illustration on the bottle. These people thought it was ridiculous that even syrup was now considered racist, so first I searched to find if what they said was true. It was. But why? The article I read stated that the syrup had racist roots, but gave no indication of what those roots might be, insinuating that it was because making syrup was a subservient role. That answer didnt sit well with me so I checked another news source. Their information was just as vague. Finally, on the third try, I found an article that actually explained! Imagine that! Being given knowledge by a news source, not just fear, annoyance and confusion.

This article described the shocking history. I was informed that "Aunt Jemima" was a slave song, sung in performances by people in black face depicting happy, dancing slaves. Knowing this, who could possibly disagree that, yes, syrup can be racist and it needs to change?

This is not the only case where the media has caused outrage and dismissive responses with their lazily researched, rushed to post news. What kind of world do we live in where the news we turn to for unbiased information is what pits us all against each other? It is time for that to change. It's time for the media to understand that they have a responsibility to print and post and broadcast the whole story, not half, not just a catchy headline, but a fully researched and informative news story.

If you would like to read the article for yourself, the link to NPR is below. Here's to being well informed!

https://www.npr.org/sections/live-updates-protests-for-racial-justice/2020/06/17/879104818/acknowledging-racial-stereotype-aunt-jemima-will-change-brand-name-and-image

Envious Book Trailer Release

I have some very exciting news.

For a long time now I've been wanting to have a book trailer made for Envious. I sorted through ideas, got the software I needed. After much trial, error, and learning, I have now finished my Envious book trailer!

I'm thrilled to share this with you. It's been a long arduous journey to completion but I think you'll appreciate the outcome.

Enjoy!