Amanda Hocking's Blog - Posts Tagged "amanda-hocking"

The first book in my new paranormal romance trilogy comes out Monday. Switched is set to come out on July 12th. This also happens to be my birthday, so every time someone buys one of my books, it's like a birthday present :)

I've also set up a fancy new site for Switched , and you can check it out here: Switched info. It has the first two chapters and a soundtrack for the book, with more fun stuff to come.

Starting on July 12th, I'll be having a contest to win copies of Switched , and I'll have the details posted then.

The description for Switched is:

When Wendy Everly was six-years-old, her mother was convinced she was a monster and tried to kill her. It isn't until eleven years later that Wendy finds out her mother might've been telling the truth.

With the help of Finn Holmes, Wendy finds herself in a world she never knew existed - and it's one she's not sure if she wants to be a part of.

I hope you check it out!

So, as I mentioned in an earlier blog, I've been working on Pinterest boards. I have a few boards up there, for things I enjoy like books, movies, tattoo ideas, travelling, etc. You can follow me over at www.pinterest.com/aehocking



But I also have Frostfire board where I posted inspiration pics from the book. It has a lot of cool stuff over there, like character inspiration, wardrobe ideas, locales, and even music. Honestly, it was so much fun to make. (As many of you may know, Pinterest can be super addictive).



If you love Pinterest or you're just excited about Frostfire , check out the board.



Follow Amanda's board Frostfire on Pinterest.

Frostfire  is finally here!!! Some people have found copies of Frostfire in bookstores, but today is the first official day that Frostfire  is released into the wild ebook, paperback, hardcover, and audio form. Here's a just few places where you can order your copy: Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and iTunes



For those of you that haven't heard of Frostfire , here's the description:




The first book in the new trilogy the Kanin Chronicles is set in the world of the Trylle. Hidden deep in the heart of a snow-covered wilderness lies the secret kingdom of the Kanin—a magical realm as beautiful as it is treacherous... Bryn Aven is an outcast among the Kanin, the most powerful of the troll tribes. Set apart by her heritage and her past, Bryn is a tracker who’s determined to become a respected part of her world. She has just one goal: become a member of the elite guard to protect the royalty. She’s not going to let anything stand in her way, not even a forbidden romance with her commander, Ridley Dresden. But all her plans for the future are put on hold when Konstantin—a fallen hero who she once loved—appears to be up to something dangerous...




Also, fun fact: the second book of the Kanin Chronicles - Ice Kissed - will be in May 2015 and the final book in the trilogy - Crystal Kingdom - will be out August 2015, so there's hardly any wait time at all between books.



If you've already finished Frostfire , or you just want to find out more about the world of the Trylle and the Kanin, here's some other fun things you can check out:



Read about the characters of Frostfire at Wattpad

Check out the inspiration board for Frostfire at Pinterest

Listen to the soundtrack for Frostfire

Watch the pronunciation guide and intro video for Frostfire

Find out more tribes and other troll facts at World of Amanda Hocking



For the post few weeks, I've been posting teaser quotes from Frostfire , and I thought since today's the pub day, I would finish the post with a few of my favorites ;)

One thing that's great about the internet is the ability to create bonus content for readers who want to know more, and especially with a world as extensive as in the Kanin Chronicles and the Trylle series, there's so much more I could go on and on about. (Believe me when I say I spent an insane amount of time developing histories and lineages and back stories that were never even referenced in the books).



For those of you that can't wait for  Ice Kissed or even if you haven't picked up Frostfire yet, here's some more content from the Kanin Chronicles.



At WorldofAmandaHocking.com, there's the a new pronunciation guide that just posted today. I did make a video a little while (which you can watch: here), but this one is written phonetically, and it covers words and names from the entire trilogy. Don't worry, though - there's no spoilers for Ice Kissed or Crystal Kingdom . You can read it: here.



I also wrote brief rundown of the five troll tribes from the Kanin Chronicles and Trylle series. In one of the books in the Kanin Chronicles, Bryn is reading from a Tracker Handbook, and in the back, it contains a quick overview of each of the tribes. It's so that in case a tracker runs into a member of another tribe while out in the human world following changelings, they know a few things about them and how to interact with them.



So I wrote the overview for the series, but it was too lengthy and unnecessary to include in the actual series. But I still think it might interesting to readers who wanted to know more about the tribes and read an excerpt from the Tracker Handbook. You can read about the tribes: here. (There are spoilers for those who haven't read the Trylle series yet).



Royalty plays an important roles in the series, and I have facts about the current royalty of the five tribes posted at WoAH. You can read about the Kings and Queens: here. (Again, there are spoilers who haven't read the Trylle series yet).



For a more intimate look at Frostfire , I have posted character info at Wattpad. It gives a good introduction to the major and some of the minor characters in the series. You read more about the characters: here.



And of course, there is my favorite - the soundtracks for Frostfire and Ice Kissed are both up now. You can listen to the Frostfire soundtrack: here, and the Ice Kissed soundtrack: here. As far as bonus content goes, I do probably have the most fun making the soundtracks, but really, all of this was fun for me, and I hope that it's fun for you too.

Over the weekend, I was cleaning my office and reorganizing my notes. (When it comes to writing, I am an obsessive note taker.)



While I was going through my things, I came across my brainstorming sheet for titles of the Kanin Chronicles.



I knew right away that the series would be called The Kanin Chronicles, but naming the individual books took quite some time actually.



When I initially pitched the series to my publisher in early 2013, the books were called First Oath (which would become Frostfire ), Dark Marrow (which would become Ice Kissed), and Last Bastion (which would become Crystal Kingdom ).



It actually took me a very long time to come up with those names, but I wasn't completely in love with them. My editor Rose suggested changing them because they sounded more like high-fantasy titles, and since my books aren't high-fantasy, it didn't really suit them.



So the two of us spent a great deal of time trying to come with names. I always think it's interesting to hear what books and movies were almost called, so I thought I'd share with you some of the possible titles.




Book 1 - White Rabbit
Book 2 - Blue Blood
Book 3 - Black Heart or Black Knight






Book 1 - A Rabbit So White
Book 2 - A Heart So Blue
Book 3 - A Throne So Black






Book 1 - A Promise in White
Book 2 - A Betrayal in Blue
Book 3 - A Heart in Black



I was really going with colors there for a while. But then I also just threw singular names, the way I had with the Trylle and Watersong series.




Book 1 - Dynasty (which really is too 1980s soap opera to have ever worked)
Book 2 - Throne
Book 3 - Empire



And eventually, I just had words written down that weren't attached to any particular book:




Trothe
Liege
Betrayal
Treachery
Sedition
Covenant
Chicanery
Branded



Eventually, after much deliberation, we finally decided on Frostfire, Ice Kissed, and Crystal Kingdom, and I do think they fit the series best. What do you think? Do you have favorites?

The most common questions I get from people are writing and publishing. I usually try to keep it simple, because there's so much you can say on the subject, and not everything applies to everybody.

But since I've become obsessed (addicted) to Pinterest, I thought it might be fun to make a board with some of best pieces of advice I've found on every aspect of writing - from outlines and inspiration, to overcoming writer's block, to whether to self-publish or not.

So if you're an aspiring writer looking for advice, you should check it out. I really did compile the best advice I know - advice that has helped me, so it might help you too.

But remember - there is no one way to write a novel or to be successful. There are hundreds and hundreds, and you need to discover the path that works best for you.
 
Follow Amanda's board Writing Tips & Tricks & Other Helpful Advice on Pinterest.

I haven't been blogging as much lately, but that's because I've been busy working on some fun/exciting stuff that I will hopefully begin sharing with you next week. But I'll talk more about that when it's ready.

For now, I'm just here to tell you some good news about Ice Kissed .

According to the countdown on my phone, it's only 55 days until Ice Kissed  is out. It's been available for preorder in paperback and hardcover for awhile, but for some reason, ebooks aren't up for preorder until closer to the release date.

Apparently, it is now close enough to the release date, and  Ice Kissed  is now available for preorder for the Kindle and the Nook. (It's not up at iBooks yet, but I'm sure it will be soon). You can preorder it for the Kindle: here and for the Nook: here.

If you'er not familiar with Ice Kissed, here's more info. Ice Kissed is the second book the Kanin Chronicles, with the first book Frostfire  already out. It's a spinoff the Trylle series, and you can check out this blog: here for commonly asked questions on the Kanin Chronicles.



The second book in the new trilogy set in the world of the Trylle will be out May 5, 2015

Bryn Aven refuses to give up on her dream of serving the Kanin  kingdom she loves. It's a dream that brings her to a whole new realm…the glittering palace of the Skojare. 

The Skojare people need protection from the same brutal enemy that's been threatening the Kanin, and Bryn is there to help. Being half Skojare herself, it's also a chance for her to learn more about her lost heritage. Her boss Ridley Dresden is overseeing the mission, but as their undeniable attraction heats up, their relationship is about to reach a whole new level--one neither of them is prepared for. 

As they delve deeper into the Skojare world, they begin to unravel a long-hidden secret. The dark truth about her own beloved Kanin kingdom is about to come to light, and it'll change her place in it forever…and threaten everyone she loves.

As you probably know, I've gotten really into Pinterest, and you can follow me at www.pinterest.com/aehocking if you'd like. With the countdown for Ice Kissed continuing (only 33 more days until it's released into the wild!), I thought it would be fun to create a dream cast for Ice Kissed. 

It's not exactly perfect - Emily Browning's eyes are much lighter than how I'd pictured Ember's, for example - but they're all pretty close to how I envisioned the characters.

The great thing about books, though, is that everyone can picture characters differently, and I would love to see how you guys envision the cast. If you'd like to add your own ideas for the cast of the Kanin Chronicles, follow my Pinterest board, and I'll add you to it, so you can pin your dream cast. Or you can just check out the board to see what other people think.

Follow Amanda Hocking's board Dream Cast for Ice Kissed on Pinterest.

As you may have seen in yesterday's teaser quote, Konstantin Black returns in Ice Kissed. (Spoiler Alert: If you haven't read  Frostfire , be aware of potential spoilers in this post).







Kit Harington as Konstantin Black in my dream cast



At the end of  Frostfire , Konstantin left Bryn Aven reeling - once again. Growing up, Bryn admired Konstantin deeply. He was an elite member of the Kanin guard, champion of the King's summer games, and a hero to the people. (It also didn't hurt that his steel grey eyes, crooked smile, and unruly black curls made him incredibly handsome). Though she hated to admit it even to herself, Bryn had a very serious crush on him.

Bryn's admiration for Konstantin came crashing to a bitter end when he tried to assassinate her father, and his motives for the seemingly unprovoked attack still elude her. Then, after four years on the run, Konstantin makes a dramatic return in the beginning of Frostfire, hunting down changelings that Bryn has sworn to protect.

Throughout Frostfire, Konstantin makes several startling confessions that lead Bryn to believe that everything is not as it seems with him, but it all ended in a brutal confrontation in the Skojare palace - not with Konstantin, but with Kanin's most hated enemy, Viktor Dålig. And all of that only leaves Bryn angrier and more confused than ever.

As Bryn explains in an excerpt from the upcoming  Ice Kissed :

"Viktor Dålig had beaten me, that was true. The sight of him had been like encountering a ghost, and I’d been in shock, so he’d been able to get the best of me. That didn’t mean I hadn’t wanted to stop him, but it had been my fault for letting myself be caught off guard, even for a moment.

But Viktor had wanted to kill me. When he’d smashed my head into the stone, he’d been trying to execute me – I knew that with absolute certainty. But he hadn’t succeeded, and I had a feeling that I had Konstantin Black to thank for being alive.

Run, white rabbit, as fast and far as you can, he’d whispered when I came upon him in the dungeon. Even though he’d been escaping, he’d looked so defeated then – his gray eyes soft and mournful, his entire body sagging, his olive skin going pale beneath the shadow of his beard. Konstantin hadn’t wanted me to get hurt."

The big Frostfire giveaway is still underway, so you should enter for your chance to win one of five Grand Prize packages and one of fifteen Runnerup Prize packages. (It's called Runnerup, but it's still pretty sweet.) If you want to enter, go: here. 

A new giveaway has also started today, this time for the UK Editions of Frostfire and  Trylle: The Complete Trilogy . It's open internationally, because I think the UK covers are lovely, so I wanted to give everyone a chance to get their hands on them. If you want to enter, go: here.


I'm going to be adding more giveaways throughout the month, so be sure to keep checking the Giveaways & Contests button on the main page of www.HockingBooks.com