The Kilenya Series

Author Interview by Diana Ault!

2011-11-16T07:02:00.000-07:00

This interview was a lot of fun! Diana is a sweet, awesome, and very supportive friend.

You can check it out here, on her blog.

I got my hands on a most amazing website ever--readers, beware! You're going to be seeing a lot more reviews of my books! I'm super excited. :-)

Oh, and also, we're putting together an eBook anthology of books 1 and 2 for people who don't want to purchase them separately. It'll have its own cover (which is going to be awesome!), will cost $1.99 (discounting both books), and will be ready in a month or so. Keep your eyes peeled! :-)

Jacob is Getting Attacked!

2011-11-15T07:50:00.000-07:00

On my blog, I posted a picture of an illustration James did for me (it'll be in the special edition of my first book). You have got to check it out. It's super creepy! Oh, and also, I put up information for my next book signing (this coming Saturday). Click here to see both.

Samara: A Kilenya Romance Has Been Published!

2011-10-24T10:06:00.001-06:00

To read the official announcement, please go here.

When Samara Oldroyd meets the most amazing guy ever, she's frustrated their conversation is cut short. Her wishes that they'll run into each other again come true when she meets her sister's new boyfriend. It's him! Eeek!
Inspired by the film Dan in Real Life, this novella will tickle you pink as Samara tries—in vain—to undo her crush.

Price: $1.99
Go here for Kindle
Go here for Nook
Go here for Smashwords (nearly every other eReader)

(This book won't be available in paperback/hardback format.)

For those of you who are interested, in exchange for an honest review, I'll send you the eBook for free (through Smashwords - it has a version for basically any eReader out there). Send me an email! ap AT andreapearsonbooks DOT com. Once I get your email, I'll send you the code for the coupon. After you've finished reading, let me know (via email) and I'll direct you back to this post.

Please put your review in all of the following locations (you can use the same review for them all. Don't include a description of the book in your review (except for blog reviews)):

Kindle
Nook
Smashwords
Goodreads

Thank you, thank you, thank you! And I can't wait to hear what you think! :-)

Read and Review The Ember Gods!

2011-09-14T07:28:00.000-06:00

I'm looking for people to read and review The Ember Gods, since many people (including friends and family. Le gasp!) haven't heard it's been released. I've had a bunch of people volunteer already (am looking for more!) and here's what I need you to do:

Email me, letting me know you want to help (ap AT andreapearsonbooks DOT com).

Once I've received your email, I'll send The Ember Gods to you in PDF. Read it, write your review. :-)

Here's where I need you to post your review:

Facebook, as a note and as a status

You can tag people in the note you think might be interested
Don't tag my personal Facebook account in your post

Your blog (if you've got one and don't mind posting your review there)
Twitter, Wattpad, etc. (if you've got accounts on them)

Once people have heard of The Ember Gods, they'll go to the purchase links (Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Smashwords, etc.), and will want to read reviews. These places are where I'm really needing you to put your reviews. You can use the exact same one in every spot - it doesn't matter if you copy and paste. :-) Here are links to those locations:

If you're interested in doing a giveaway on your blog, let me know. :-) I'm all for giving out free eBook copies to winners!

That's all! I'm so very grateful to all of you for your help! I can't wait to hear what you think of The Ember Gods! :-) Don't forget to email me if you're interested in helping out. :-)

Goodreads Reviews

2011-07-29T09:23:00.000-06:00

This review was written by Rachel on Goodreads. It's been so much fun to watch these reviews come in! Especially when they're by people I don't know. :-) (If you click on Rachel's name, it'll take you to her profile where you can see the original review.)

"The author must have an amazing imagination! This story is fascinating and will make you want to know more. It's a magical story that takes you to a strange world where you will meet makalos, lorkon, dusts, a rog, and so much more! It's the first book in a series and it sets up the story nicely. I liked the writing style and I can't wait to see more from this author."

Sigh. :-) And the reviews for The Ember Gods are looking awesome so far, too. Can't wait until that one comes out!

An Author Interview! How Fun!

2011-07-27T21:45:00.000-06:00

To see the the original (and check out Deirdra's totally awesome blog) go here.

Interview with Author Andrea Pearson

Deirdra: When did you first know you wanted to be an author?
Andrea: While I was serving a mission for my church (The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints). Two of my only outlets for expressing emotions were my journal and writing home to my family. I discovered a love for words and their meanings, especially while studying the Spanish language. :-)

Deirdra: What is your writing and educational background?
Andrea: Lots and lots and lots of professional/legal writing. I was a paralegal at one time and put together the communications the attorneys had with their clients. I also ended up editing letters for most of my bosses. I've only had a few writing classes, and they centered on professional and business writing.

Deirdra: What makes you passionate about writing?
Andrea: The feeling that comes to me when the words flow from my fingers. Seeing my characters come to life. Reading over something I'd written a year earlier, and getting giggles over things that were funny back then and still are funny now. :-) It's really neat. I'm still pretty new to it all.

Deirdra: What was the pathway like for you to get your first book published?
Andrea: Hard and Long, with a lot of disappointments. Similar to that of other authors. There were enough blessings and successes along the way to encourage me to continue, however.

Deirdra: Were you ever discouraged along the way? If so, how did you deal with it?
Andrea: I haven't been discouraged about writing for a very long time. Let's see. It's been about two hours now. Ha ha. :-) Writing seems to be a very emotional career choice. There are a lot of ups and downs. I talk to people close to me to get over it. People who've either been there and done that, and family members who believe in me.

Deirdra: What is your writing schedule like?
Andrea: Insane. Non-existent. :-) I really need to get it under control. I've found that most of my time is spent in marketing and promoting my book, and answering emails from people who've just finished reading The Key of Kilenya. I'm trying to figure out a better schedule. :-) Usually, I write and edit in the early morning hours or after the sun has gone down. I'm too tired in the afternoons to be really productive. :-)

Deirdra: Where do your ideas come from? How do you know the idea is good enough to write a book about it?
Andrea: I don't really know where my ideas come from. They just pop in my head at random times—while reading, while driving, while watching a movie, talking to people, reading articles in wikipedia, etc. The ideas don't usually have anything to do with what I'm doing at the time. I write it down and visit it later. If I'm still excited about it, it's usually not a bad idea.

Deirdra: Can you tell us a little about your book “The Key of Kilenya?”
Andrea: Yes.
Oh, did you mean now?
:-)
It's about a fourteen-year-old kid who has powers he doesn't know about. He finds a link to a different world, and when he gets there, he finds out the inhabitants (good and bad) know everything about him. The good ones want his help in retrieving a stolen key—the Key of Kilenya, and the bad ones want his powers. :-)

Deirdra: You are such a diverse writer. How do you keep your life and writing career organized?
Andrea: As I said earlier, I'm still struggling with this. :-) I'm a "project" person. I tend to focus on one thing at a time until it's either completed, or I'm ready for something new to come along.

Deirdra: How many beta readers do you have review your manuscript before you send it to your editor?
Andrea: As many as possible. I find that larger numbers of beta readers will show me trends I wouldn't have noticed (or paid attention to) had only one person commented on the thing. My Stats class, while brutal, taught me much. :-)

Deirdra: What do you hope readers will get from your books?
Andrea: Enjoyment. I don't write to teach, I write to entertain. Of course, I hope they'll want to read more of my books, but I think that's every writer's goal.

Deirdra: What kinds of inspiration do you use during your story creation periods?
Andrea: Music, suger-free gum, and a full tummy. :-) These three things are what I require in every step of the process to keep the juices flowing. Also being physically active really helps. My husband and I go hiking every week and we brainstorm ideas while hiking.

Deirdra: Who has made the greatest difference for you as a writer?
Andrea: Oh, that's a good question. It's the first one I'm actually having to stop my writing to think over. (Good job!) Hmmm. Aside from family (that's a given, I think), I'd have to say Tristi Pinkston and Jenni James. Jenni for always going before me, learning how things work, then teaching me what will stop my progression and what will further it (and always being right). And Tristi for being an outstanding friend during all my good and bad times. She knows more about me than most anyone. Not only is she my editor, but she's my mentor and support, too. Dang! You've got me crying on this one! I've been very blessed to know these two wonderful ladies.

Deirdra: What’s your secret to making the characters in your books come to life?
Andrea: I have this potion I spread on my monitor. It works wonders. Kidding. :-) I like to take note of how people around me act and what they say. I pay attention to their weaknesses and strengths and make sure I implement the appropriate ones where my characters are concerned.

Deirdra: What authors do you admire, and why?
Andrea: I know he's not in my writing "genre," but Michael Crichton is the very first to come to my head. He's been one of my favorite authors for a long time. He really knew how to grip his readers. And I love logical, scientific type books—he excels at that. Next, J.K. Rowling, for starting at the bottom of the totem pole and making it so incredibly high up, maintaining humility through it all. I can't stand arrogant authors. :-)

Deirdra: What is your favorite snack to have while you are writing?
Andrea: My husband (he he. Kidding. :-) Hey, I'm still a newlywed. :-)), sugar-free gum, a bottle of water, mints, and the occasional toasted English Muffin with butter. :-)

Deirdra: Besides writing what other talents or hobbies do you have?
Andrea: Art! I strongly lean toward the artsy side. Here, actually, you can watch a video of me showing my hobbies and interests (go here).

Deirdra: What words of advice do you have for other writers who desire to have their manuscripts become books in print?
Andrea: Edit, edit, edit! But don't over edit or you'll remove yourself from the writing. I did that at one point (you can ask Tristi. We had to go back several versions in my manuscript to find the right one). There's a fine line, and it took me a while to learn it. It's different for everyone. Also, learn as much as possible about the publishing world – Indie publishing (going at it on your own, like I am), or traditional. If you don't understand traditional publishing thoroughly, don't go the Indie route. (A lot of writers self-publish because they're afraid of rejection or because they don't want to put the work into finding representation. I don't recommend doing this.) Make sure you know where you want to be. Set goals and achieve them. :-)

Deirdra: What are you working on now?
Andrea: Book two in the Kilenya Series.

Deirdra: Where can our readers go to find your books and order them?
Andrea: http://kilenyaseries.blogspot.com/

Deirdra: Any final words you would like to share?
Andrea: Yes. Let's see. Shark. Purple-greenish. Living room couch. Lotion. Din. Pizza delivery boy. And . . . I think that's about it. :-)

A Couple More Reviews

2011-07-15T20:41:00.000-06:00

I love getting reviews - it's exciting, nerve-wracking, and fun all at the same time. :-)

To read the original reviews, go here (Kindle).

Rhonda Lynne Bingham:
The Key to Kilenya is a great read. I felt invested in Jacob Clark by the end of the first chapter and had to read on. The book moved along at a great pace. I read it with my 14 year son and 11 year old daughter and they both loved it. Andrea Pearson did a great job creating another world. Her descriptions and character development were clear and easy to follow along. We are anxiously waiting for the series to unfold. You won't go wrong buying this book. It's for all ages & gender.

The following is a review my dad posted (also on Kindle, and yay for family!):

How can I start?

I LOVE this book. Well, except for one problem I found: It is too short. But being a YA fantasy with a target audience of 12+, which I fall into being in my late 50's, I guess the length is something to be expected.

I have been involved in the writing of this book since nearly the beginning, or at least the beginning of the physical copy when the first drafts were done. I've been a beta reader, and doing that was very cool because I got to watch the book grow from a finished concept, to a finished young-adult fantasy.

The story grabs the reader from the beginning, which has been one of my major complaints with other books. I want to know why I'm reading a book when I start, not 5 chapters into it.

For instance, I love the Fablehaven books by Brandon Mull, but the first one started slow for me. The Key of Kilenya doesn't start slow.

I heartily recommend this book for these reasons:

1. It starts fast
2. It has a main character just about any young (or old) person can relate to
3. It is an easy read with a story-line that makes sense (from a fantasy point of view)
4. It has zero profanity or sexual innuendo
5. It has real families and characters showing families that care for each other
6. It brings the past and present together demonstrating that the author knows where the series is going. It also doesn't make you wonder about some of the main points. She explains things so you understand enough to want more.

And other things I can't think of...

Get this book. You won't be disappointed.

Book Sales for June, 2011

2011-07-13T20:37:00.000-06:00

If you're not sure why I'm posting this information, check out my blog post here (it will lead you to this blog again, so don't worry about losing your place).

June Book Sales and Downloads for The Key of Kilenya:
The Key of Kilenya was published on June 28, 2011. By the morning of June 30, 2011, 760 free downloads had been made. I'd only intended for 200 people to get a free copy of the eBook, so even while I was SUPER excited, I scrambled to lift the book to $0.99. I'd say 760 pretty much covers the ARC's (Advanced Reader Copies) any publisher would send out. :-)

Official sales for the month of June:
25.
Total downloads (both free and at the $0.99 price):
785.

(Note for authors: it's totally and completely normal for your book sales to drop after you raise the price. Don't be alarmed or discouraged! Unless, of course, you raised the price too high. :-))

July Booksales:
For the month of July, The Key of Kilenya had 53 sales. This includes the print version (released July 28, 2011, 5 sales) and the ebook version (Kindle, Nook, Smashwords, etc.).

SO AWESOME! I'm so happy the sales didn't drop to only a couple per week, which can sometimes happen with new authors. We rely a lot on people spreading the word, and I'm learning I've got some very loyal readers. Thank you so much for your help and support! I really appreciate it. :-)

August Booksales:
The Key of Kilenya had 70 sales for the month of August. Yay! It's going up! :-)

Update on the print version of my book:
My good friend, BJ Rowley, is typesetting it for me. He has typesetted many, many books before, and I've seen the draft. It is absolutely beautiful! We should have it finished by this weekend and to the printers by Monday. Which means it'll be available for purchase (through Amazon) in a couple of weeks. I'll be sure to make the announcement when that has happened.

This version will not contain any illustrations, unfortunately. James Curwen and I decided not to include them in the first edition, since we didn't have the necessary time to put them all together. There have been so many requests for the book that we wanted to get the first edition out as quickly as possible. We've decided we'll most likely release a special edition of the book in March or maybe in a year complete with illustrations and other fun stuff. :-)

And that's all. :-) Thank you all so very much for your support! I really, really appreciate you for telling your friends/family about my book. :-) It has been especially rewarding and exciting to get emails and messages from readers, saying how much they enjoyed The Key of Kilenya. If you feel comfortable, please post a review on Kindle, Goodreads, Nook, or Smashwords. I'd love you forever if you posted your review on all of them. :-)

Another Review! How Exciting!

2011-07-02T13:59:00.000-06:00

You can read the review below, or go here for the original.

Review on gather.com by Connie C.

As a reader, I just never know what to expect when reading an authors first book. The Key of Kilenya by Andrea Pearson was advertised to be similar to other young adult (YA) fantasy books that I had enjoyed. Since the author was offering this book for free at Smashwords for a limited time, I thought it was worth my time to read this book.

I was not disappointed with this YA fantasy. On page 1 of the 215 page story, I was taken from the extreme past to the present in a smooth yet unexpected move. Just a few short pages later, I was thrown into another world that was filled with danger and unexplained things occurring at an alarming pace. I found myself feeling the fear and confusion of the main character. I found the story easy to follow and exciting from page one to the last page. Like other fantasy stories, I had read, it was unpredictable.

The author has a rare talent to keep the reader interested while making them wonder what is going to happen next. The author has a wonderful imagination and quick with words that that that imagination to the mind of the reader as they are drawn into a world of make believe. I felt like I was in the another world and was in danger as much as the character was. I enjoyed the experience of being thrown from modern life to a world where danger comes from all sides.

This book is the first of a six part series and I find myself anxiously awaiting the next book.

I am impressed with this author and will be adding her to my list of authors to keep up to date on.

I rate this book a 5 star in strength of characters.

I rate this book a 5 star for the story line and the interest level.

I rate this book a 4 ½ on the ending. I know it is the first of six but I hate waiting to find out more. I wish the story had been longer than the 215 pages

I believe this author will go far and I recommend this book for youth as well as adults who enjoy a well written, exciting and easy to follow fantasy book.

NOTE TO PARENTS:
This book is geared for youth ages 12 through adults. You do not have to worry about your child reading a lot of violence, s*x or cussing. It is a great book for youth. The author uses Impressive, high quality values in her writing.

Thanks to Connie for the great review! :-)

- Andrea

I'm Being Featured on Gather.com!!

2011-07-02T13:51:00.000-06:00

I'm being featured for a Q&A on gather.com! I'm so super excited! If you'd like to follow along, here's where it'll be.

Update:
We've finished the Q&A, but you can go and see the questions asked and what my answers were. :-)

- Andrea

My First Official Goodreads Review!

2011-07-02T13:45:00.001-06:00

You can read the review below, or go here (to Goodreads) to read it.

I'm so excited to present to you my first "official" Goodreads review!

Reviewer: Heidi
Jun 30, 2011
Recommended for: teens, young adults and those who like fantasy/science fiction
Read from June 28 to 29, 2011

I actually can say that I enjoyed this book. It surprised me. I saw it on Facebook that a cousin of one of my friends had written a book. This book was available on smashwords.com for free. I thought, meh... I have a lot of time to check out books that might be potentially used at Paradigm or that my students would use. I think this book is a keeper.

Jacob is a regular 14 year old boy, but he does have some great talents in basketball. His older brother Matt is a football star. He also has a younger sister, whose screams lead him to find wolves attacking her in his backyard. He tells Matt to get her inside (their parents on on a vacation and the neighbor is "looking in on them") and leads the wolves away from the house into the forest nearby. He is surprised to find an area that he isn't familiar with. He ends up escaping the wolves only to be attacked by another creature that looks somewhat like a bear. After running and freaking out he ends up meeting a race of creatures called Makalo. These Makalos are similar to humans and have magic abilities... at least some of them do. They have had problems since the end of a large war. These people are the protectors of "The Key of Kilenya" which has been stolen by the bad guys: the Lorkon. The Makalos seem to know all about Jacob and expect him to help them/go find the key of Kilenya. He doesn't agree but tries to return home, which leads to another wolf attack and the harm of several Makalos. After seeing the destruction and realizeing the wolves are not going to allow him to return home, he agrees to help. I think he is taking this whole other reality thing really well. I would have been like, you are all crazy, and I must be dead or wounded and passed out by my house. The character is very believing which seems strange for a "normal" earth teen. The rest of the book describes the journey that Jacob and his Makalo friend Akeno with some smaller beings (September and Early).

I love the Harry Potter references, as a typical teen has most definitely become familiar with the book. The book isn't necessarily a cliff hanger, but it does set up the sequel nicely. I wonder how many books will be in the series.

My one critique of the writing and editing is on page 34 of 215 on my Nook color .epub file. There is a sentence at the bottom that needs fixing. "He wasn't as fast a runner as Akeno and Jacob, though, and when heard scuffling start, Jacob stopped, knowing the Makalo was in trouble." That needs some help... Other than that, the reading style flows and does give a nice light, easy read for adults. I'm sure that teens would enjoy this and I will put it in my recommendations to my students.

Hope you enjoyed the review as much as I did! Oh, and I resolved the typo she mentioned.

- Andrea

Wow - I can't believe this . . .

2011-07-02T13:33:00.000-06:00

The book was only published yesterday, and already I've got more than 750 downloads! We'd only intended to give out 200 or so free copies of The Key of Kilenya, but I'm totally fine with this number. :-) I'm so excited and thrilled that people are wanting to read my book! We've bumped the price of it to $0.99 where it will stay for as long as I have control. :-)

You can purchase the book via my The Key of Kilenya tab up above.

- Andrea

Success!

2011-07-02T13:30:00.001-06:00

We uploaded the book last night to Smashwords! Can't wait to see what everyone will think of it! I'm a little nervous, too, actually . . . I really hope readers will enjoy it and share it with other people. :-)

- Andrea

Welcome!

2011-06-30T19:04:00.000-06:00

Welcome to my site! I'm so excited to share with you everything about The Key of Kilenya and the Kilenya Series! I'll be posting reviews and all other information here I deem worthy. :-)