Exciting news Masters and Apprentices! RUNE OF THE APPRENTICE will be made into an Audible Audiobook! 

I can’t begin to describe how happy this makes me. I have heard so many times, "I just don’t have time to read and really wish RUNE was an audiobook!" Well, folks, your wish is my command! Inkshares has done a wonderful job of making it all happen and I am so excited hear, Aleksi, Nataraja, Domadred, Beck, and all the other exciting characters of RUNE OF THE APPRENTICE come to life! HUGE shout out to Adam Gomolin for locking the deal down. Thank you!Also, as many of you know, I just got back from The DOTA2 International Convention and Championship. TI6 was awesome!  (Congrats to team Wings on their epic victory!) As promised MONTHS ago, I ROCKED the Antimage Cosplay, mohawk and all! My brother and I had a great time and you can view the pictures directly on Instagram HERE to get captions and info about each shot! Or for those who don’t like Instagram, there is a full gallery uploaded at the end of this post.

To view all of the pictures on my website click HERE:  goo.gl/Y1yowU

Hello everyone ~ 

Work continues on "The Children of the Forest." I wanted to take this opportunity to apologize for the extended length of silence. When I renewed my focus on this project back in February, I made the difficult decision to restructure much of the original novel. That means entire subplots, characters, and even parts of the original premise were changed drastically or removed altogether. 

Since passing the threshold to enter into Inkshare’s Quill collection, I’ve been working nonstop on the novel, design of the book itself, and more. CotF has always been a passion project for me, and I want to make sure that when the time finally comes, and the novel is in reader’s hands that it’s as incredible as I believe the world and story is capable of being. 

Given the extended waiting period, I’ve updated the Inkshares page with fresh versions of the novel’s opening 4 chapters. Check them out, leave feedback if you’re so inclined, and keep an eye out for more updates as we inch our way closer to the project’s completion. 

P.S. ~

Oh yeah, and while I’m here, enjoy a sneak-peek at the next beautiful design from my favorite artists, Ellie Yong ~ enjoy!

Yesterday, A Beast Requires pushed past 60 backers, and now 61 amazing people are behind me and my dream of making the world laugh their asses off. This is fantastic!

I’m taking a moment away from my notes on world building, which have been meticulously curated from bar napkins and legal pads, to talk about a few projects that I’m head over heels for. 

I love She is the End. Like, really love it. Like, holy crap I am anxiously awaiting my beta copy so I can sink my teeth in and revel in the universe A.C. Weston has created. A space opera with a kick ass female protagonist, this is a book you need to read, and need to own. Currently it’s taking pre-orders on Inkshares.

My excitement for Terminus grows every day, as the setting tickles the inner workings of my brain. A world where technology enables us to talk to the dead? Yea, the premise alone sold me, and Jaye Milius’ writing blows me away. This is some seriously good science fiction, and right now it’s 44 backers short of meeting it’s light publishing goal. This book needs to be out there.

I wish I had known about Lucky earlier,. In a relatively short time I’ve become addicted to Cassandra "Lucky" Luckenbac, and need to see where this story goes. This book reads like an 80’s action sci-fi, and totally hits me in my nostalgia feels. Plus, I’m a sucker for a good conspiracy, and RH Webster looks to have crafted herself a doozy. The campaign ends in 15 days, so now is the time to jump on board and grab this book for a steal of a price.

Hello Cape’s Side Readers!

Here we are with under 20 days remaining! Unbelievable! Feels like yesterday I click the green button and made the campaign LIVE!

There isn’t enough space in these update messages to thank every person that has helped me along the way. The support given by friends, family, and the people here on Inkshares has been unbelievable and I am forever grateful.

With 19 days to go I wanted to do a bit of a throwback, of sorts, with a sketch from a chapter in the book. I won’t get away any specifics on it as it happens later on, but a friend of mine drew it and I really like it. I did post it in an update previously, but that was in March. I can’t believe we are already in mid August!

Labour Day is close at hand, and that is when Cape’s Side Bay takes place & the campaign comes to an end!

https://www.inkshares.com/books/cape-s-side-bay

Enjoy your day, your summer, and everything in between (hopefully pre-ordering Cape’s Side Bay fits in there)!

James

Good Morning Sweethearts! 

I hope that you all are doing well and that you are having a wonderful summer!  I have a few exciting updates that I wanted to share with you all as the publication date gets closer and closer! 

Over the last few months we have seen independent, as well as corporate bookstores purchasing copies of How to Get Run Over by a Truck. With this push from these bookstores (as of today) we have pre-sold 2,450 books! Which is unbelievable! So unbelievable in fact, that when I got the email saying that over 2,000 books had been sold I threw my phone across the table at my friend Tommy and immediately started to cry (are we sensing a theme with how I handle good news?!)  

We have also seen more reviews of the book start to come in that I would love to share with you: 

"Katie McKenna has written an incredibly moving and insightful journey through her horrific medical trauma and painful rehabilitation. In courageously confronting her brokenness she reminds us of the inestimable value of faith, family, friends and a remarkable sense of humor. Her narrative emerges as a constant reminder that compassionately listening to the patient is the primary instrument of healing. This book should be required reading for all professionals who work in the field of medical trauma and rehabilitation."

Leo J. Shea III, Ph.D. Clinical Associate Professor of Rehabilitation Medicine NYU-Langone Medical Center

"Gripping, honest and full of humor, I couldn’t put Katie McKenna’s How to Get Run Over by a Truck down. At times I felt like I was listening to Katie recount her story as we shared a glass of wine, as it was incredibly personal and very real. Her clever blend of honesty and humor encourage the reader to reflect on their own approach to overcome challenges in their own life. She gives you perspective and strength by sharing her story." 

Sarah Lowell Harmon, LMHC, Wentworth Institute of Technology 

"How to Get Run Over by a Truck is one of the funniest, bravest memoirs I’ve ever read. I think we all wonder what would happen if we had to start over. Here is how one woman did it -- rebuilding her body and life by force of will and personality. It reminded me how humor truly is an act of grace."

  --John Freeman, editor of "Freeman’s" and author of "How to Read a Novelist." 

I cannot tell you how honored I am to have such incredible people take the time to read this book, and to  have such lovely things to say about it! 

The final piece of news that I have is that the book launch party for "How to Get Run Over by a Truck" will be on October 4th from 7:00 - 9:00, and I would be delighted if you could join us! Here are the details: 

KGB Bar 

85 East 4th Street

New York, NY 10003

There will be readings, a brief Q& A with me, and some time to talk afterwards! I hope that you can join us! 

Thank you again for your incredible support! None of this would have been possible without you!

Heart,

Katie 

I apologise that I have not updated you all sooner as I was away on holiday last week. Sadly to say that I had returned home to an email to say that Soulblade had not reached its funding goal, but I’m not giving up that easily...

I’ve decided to try and enter my book into the Geek and Sundry Contest...(Once I find out how exactly), yes you’ve heard me right. It would be the first ever contest I would enter into. Hopefully I would see the love and support you have given me before to help me achieve this unique opportunity. I will update you all once I have entered but you will be happy to know that I have resumed selling pre-orders once again, so please show your wonderful support once again.

Hey gang! Inkshares is letting all of the Dragon-nominated books do a flash sale between now and the end of the month. Me and the rest of the published Sword & Laser Shelf is .99 in ebook until DragonCon.

You - probably- already have my book, but this is a perfect time to complete your set with my shelf-brethren.

The Life Engineered – by J.F. Dubeau

An Unattractive Vampire – by Jim McDoniel

The ebooks are DRM free of course - and sent to you in both .epub and .mobi.

This is, of course, part of promoting ourselves towards The Dragon Awards - have you, uh, have you -- voted for...for anyone..in particular...yet?