Snow White

Going forward, I will be releasing Snow White as a serial so it will no longer be a trilogy. These will NOT be chapter sized installments. Each volume will probably be about 40-70k words, or the size of a short to average sized novel. I actually originally planned the series as a serial (for those of you who have read the book, you’ll notice I wrote it in three parts: Mother, The Mirror, The Huntsman), but released it as a book so people could enjoy more of the story at once. However, after looking through my notes for book 2, I realized this method probably wasn’t going to work. Book 2 is really long, so it would probably be a while before I finished all of it. Also, the story gets very twisty, fast-paced, action-packed and cliffhanger-y, and I think that sort of craziness just works better with serials.

I’m bringing this up because I’m going to be re-releasing Poisoned as three books (Mother, The Mirror, and The Huntsman–you can see the new covers on the BOOKS page). If you have already picked up and read Poisoned, then do not buy these books! They are the same story; they do not continue the story. Poisoned will also still be available, but the name will be changed a bit. It’s now called: Snow White Volumes 1-3 (Mother, The Mirror, The Huntsman).

I’m really sorry if this is confusing and I hope I’m making sense. If you do accidentally pick up one of the “new” books and you’ve already purchased Poisoned, let the retailer know. Many retailers, including Amazon, let you return ebooks.

Fallen Angels #3 / My Illness

I am currently recovering from mono. This means that, unfortunately, for the past month I was too sick to do anything but sleep and watch Antique Roadshow (I watched other things too, but I’m not gonna lie…there was an embarrassing amount of Antique Roadshow). I am a month behind on my work and am now trying to balance getting enough sleep with catch-up. I do not have a release date for Fallen Angels #3 at this point, but I want all of you to know that getting this book out is my top priority and I am very sorry it’s late, especially since this book is really special to me. I love this book and can’t wait to share it with all of you.

I hope everyone enjoyed the holidays. I’m, unfortunately, still recovering. If you’ve written to me and haven’t heard back yet, it isn’t because I’ve ignored your feedback, or that I don’t care that you’ve taken the time to write to me. Neither could be further from the case. I’ve just been going through a lot and I’m trying to get everything back in order as I finish Fallen Angels #3.

The Snow White Trilogy, #1

But even though this holiday season has been insanely busy, I couldn’t be happier or more thankful. This last year was one of the best years of my life and it’s all thanks to you guys Also, I’m happy to announce that Poisoned (The Snow White Trilogy, #1), is finally out! It’s currently available on Amazon USA, Amazon UK, Barnes & Noble, Nook UK, Smashwords, and the iBookstore USA. Here is a really short blurb:

As the only person who can survive entering the poisoned woods without a gas mask, Snow White has dedicated her life to studying the poison and finding a cure. But when she saves a man who should never have been saved, she uncovers an evil more horrifying and destructive than poison.

**If you’re interested in reading Poisoned, please be aware that it has a cliffhanger ending**

Poisoned is also available from:
Amazon Germany
Amazon Canada
iBookstore Canada
iBookstore Australia
iBookstore UK

I know a lot of you are looking forward to Fallen Angels #3, and while I was my intention to have a double book release, I’m just not going to release a book before it’s ready. I’m currently still editing it and will finish and publish the book as soon as possible. I’m so excited to share the third book with you guys, and can’t wait to release it!

I also have another fun announcement! Author Elle Casey is celebrating her first year of self-publishing by graciously hosting a HUGE book giveaway! I am offering up 10 copies of After Eden and Poisoned, and there are tons of other great books up as well. Some of these books are books I’ve read and loved, like Tess Oliver’s Camille and Abigail Boyd’s Uncertainty (the second book in the Gravity series–and by the way everyone ,the first book, Gravity, is FREE on Amazon!). There are also quite a few I’ve been meaning to try out, like Shana Norris’ The Boyfriend Thief, Imogen Rose’s Initiation, and Dannika Dark’s Sterling. To enter and check out all the books, go to Elle Casey’s Indie Book Giveaway page!

It is available on YouTube here. Thank you Katnip78 for giving permission to share it The video uses a lot of clips from the

Now onto Poisoned and Fallen Angels #3. First, I want to apologize for these books taking so long. I really, really, really hate making you guys wait. As a reader, it’s hard for me to wait for new books from authors I like, especially if those books are in a series. I know a lot of you are looking forward to these books, and I wish I could give them to you right now. However, I’m just not going to release something until I know it’s the best it can be. Now onto some good news!

Poisoned is almost done. Right now I’m rewriting the last two chapters (as to why I have to rewrite them…well…that’s another post). After I finish, I will send the complete book out to be proofread one last time, make my final changes, and then hit publish. Unless something goes horribly wrong, the book will be out really soon and definitely this month. Seriously. If it takes any longer I’m going to go insane.

Some of you are probably wondering why Poisoned isn’t done yet. Well…it’s because the book is twice as long as I thought it would be, and by far the longest book I’ve ever written. Unfortunately, I didn’t realize this was going to be the case until I finished editing it. Which brings me to Fallen Angels #3. It pains me to say this, but I am slightly behind where I thought I’d be at this point. A lot of this has to do with Poisoned becoming a much bigger book than I thought it would be. However, I will do everything I can to get Fallen Angels #3 out this year. I know a lot of you are looking for a release date and I just don’t feel like I can give one yet. However, I can say that I am insanely excited to release this book. It might be a little early to say this, but I think it might end up being my favorite out of the series (so far), and I can’t wait to hear what people think of it!

Before I give everyone an update on Poisoned and Fallen Angels #3, I want to let you know that due to an error/mix-up, After Eden is FREE right now in the Amazon UK store (link: http://www.amazon.co.uk/After-Eden-Fallen-Angels-ebook/dp/B004WX1BNG/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1349666292&sr=8-1). So…if you or a friend lives in the UK and is interested in checking out the Fallen Angels series, now might be a good time. I have no idea how long it will be free, and I have no control over how long it will be free. It might be a week or a few hours. After Eden is no longer free in the Amazon UK store. If you’re in the UK and upset that you missed this unintended sale, send me an email (katherinepineauthor (at) gmail (dot) com).

I wanted to let you all know about a contest I’m running with a group of indie authors. The top prize is a Kindle Fire and tons of free books! (Other prizes include a free Kindle and…tons of free books!)

There are a variety of ways to enter, such as: “liking” us on FB or “following” us on Twitter. However, you get the most points by reading and reviewing our books, so those of you who have already read After Eden have a head start. You get 5pts per site (like Amazon and Goodreads) you leave an honest review at–so if you were to leave the same review of a book on B&N, Amazon, and Goodreads you’d get 15pts.

The contest page that lists all the ways you can enter is here. You can find the list of qualifying books here. To get points, you must document what you do in Rofflecopter (which, with the legal disclaimer, can be found on the Kindle INDIEpendence Day homepage.) Contest ends July 7th! Good luck everyone

Alright, now that I’m done talking about the contest, I thought I’d give everyone a quick update on Fallen Angels #3 and Poisoned. Poisoned is so close to being done, and I’m incredibly excited to release it. It will definitely be out this summer. Fallen Angels #3 is coming along very well, but due to some unexpected personal issues, be looking for that book later on in the fall (like October/November). I’m really sorry to keep everyone waiting. I can’t even tell you guys how excited I am to release that book. So much happens and changes and…well…I’m looking forward to hearing what you guys think!

Thank you all for your support and kind words. I think I’ve said this before (like, uh, over 10 times), but it’s just so true I feel like saying it again: Writing books and sharing them with people has always been my dream, but I never dreamed it would be this incredible, and it’s all because of you guys. (And that sounded much more eloquent and far less cheesy in my head).

So, in closing, I hope all of you are enjoying your summer. I’ve read some awesome books that I’m going to be blogging about soon, and if anyone has book recommendations for me I’d love to hear them

I struggled with whether I should publish this book or sit on it because I was worried that fans of the fallen angels series would think I’d lost interest the series or was “wasting writing time” by focusing on a different project. That can’t be further from the truth. I’ve been dying the write books 3 & 4 of the fallen angels series since I started, and, in all honesty, this book isn’t eating up “fallen angels writing time” because I always write two books at once. When I started to write seriously, I realized that while I couldn’t force myself to write faster (I’m slow, and a book always takes me 6-12 months to write), I could double my output by working on two stories at once (I always “burn out” on a story after a few hours, though it takes longer for me to “burn out” from writing). In general, the two books I work on are really different, which brings me to my next point.

Poisoned is very different from the fallen angels series. It’s still a YA fantasy, and there is plenty of romance, but the book is written in a different voice. It’s darker, more violent, and less funny. Because of this, I’m going to try something different with Poisond’s release.

A lot of you have told me that you want to see sample chapters of the books I’m working on, even if what you read is not exactly what ends up in the final, published version of the book. In fact, that’s probably the most common request I get from readers. I’ll be honest–the mere thought of doing that absolutely terrifies me–but…I think it’s a cool idea so I’ve decided to try it. I’m posting the first part of Poisoned online so fans of the fallen angels series can “try out” this new series before anyone else.

Before I give you the links, I want to say a few things. First, this isn’t my final draft. Certain parts, (especially the beginning, and chapters 6 & 8) will probably change by the time I publish the book. Also, I love getting feedback from readers, so if you want to comment on the story, please do! (You can send me an email, leave me a comment, etc.)

Alright, is this post long enough yet? Yes? Well, those of you who have stuck around are welcome to check out the first part of Poisoned right now here on Wattppad, here on my Katherine Pine website, or you can download it here for free on Smashwords (in mobi, doc, epub, pdf format). Again, if you only want to read the final, completed book, don’t click on the links!

One last thing. I just looked over this post and I realized I hadn’t even told you what the book was about yet! Well, I’ll give you a hint: There is a big blockbuster movie coming out in a few days, starring “that chick who’s in Twilight” (as some of my guy friends say), that I absolutely will not be going to see (even though it looks awesome), because I don’t want to know if Hollywood’s take on one of my all-time favorite fairy tales was better than mine! So if you’re seeing Snow White and the Huntsman this weekend I hope you have a great time, but don’t tell me if you liked it better than Poisoned

As for Book 3, I’m working hard on it right now. I’m not sure when it will be done, but I it’s very unlikely that the book will be available before this summer, and my best guess is that the book will be done sometime this fall. Even though I’m an author and I know how long it can take to write a book, I’m a very impatient reader. When I finish a book in a series, I want the next one right away and it’s hard for me to wait. So, for those of you who are readers like me, I just want to tell you that I understand how you feel and I’m writing as fast as I can.

I’m excited (and a little scared!) to share Book 3 with everyone. This book is very special to me because it contains the scene that inspired me to write the Fallen Angels series. For me, each book starts with a scene that is so powerful that it makes me want to write the rest of the book just so I can have that scene. I’m certainly not the only author who works this way. I think I remember reading an interview with Stephenie Meyer where she said that the scene that made her want to write Twilight was the one where Bella and Edward are in the middle of a field, and he was torn between wanting to kill her and kiss her (I don’t know if he was sparkling in her mind, but I hope so!). I also think that one of my favorite indie authors, Tammy Blackwell, mentioned the scene that made her want to write Destiny Binds is the one where Scout and Alex are making out in the back of his trailer while his brother is in the next room, and Alex says: “I never said that I was your destiny, Scout, just that you were mine.”

So what is the “special scene” in Book 3? Well, I can’t tell you guys because it goes way, way, way, way, way into spoiler territory, but let’s just say that I’m excited to hear what everyone thinks about it When I think of the Fallen Angels Series, this is the scene that immediately comes to mind, and it’s the scene I’ve been wanting to write since I started the books.

Lastly, I want to apologize to everyone who has sent me an email or left a comment on my blog, facebook, or twitter, and is still waiting for me to respond. I’ve been insanely busy working and writing, and as a result my inbox is a nightmare. However, when I get back home next week (I’m currently visiting family and don’t have reliable Internet access), I will respond to everyone. I truly value your time and, as an author, there is nothing more encouraging than hearing back from readers.

Thank you everyone, and I hope it was worth the wait! Happy New Years!

It’s Christmas morning and I just finished uploading Beloved Purgatory to Smashwords and Amazon. I’m having some difficulty getting the book on B&N right now for some reason so it probably won’t be on sale there, but if you prefer to read epub you can download the book in epub format from Smashwords

Beloved Purgatory will be on sale for $0.99 on Amazon and Smashwords for 48 hours (don’t worry, if you’re outside the US the book should be available for the same amount of time–the book will show up later and the sale will end a later). If you’ve subscribed to my blog and have missed the sale, send me an email (katherinepineauthor (at) gmail (d0t) com) and I will give you a download coupon for Smashwords. Even if you hate Smashwords, still send me an email and we will work something out. This is my present to those of you who have been patiently waiting for book 2, and I hope it lives up to your expectations.

Thank you all for your kind and encouraging comments, your patience, and your support. This has been an unforgettable year, and it was all because of you

Someone sent me an email the other day asking me if I’d died, which made me realize that this update was long overdue. I’m happy to announce that book 2, Beloved Purgatory, is on its way. It is finished. I’ve edited it and partially proofread it. All that I’m waiting for now are comments from my final proofreaders. Once they arrive, I will make changes (all those “guardian angles” need to be “guardian angels“) and publish the book ASAP. I’m really excited to share this book with all of you. So far, my beta readers have all ended up liking it more than After Eden, and I hope you guys like it too.

I am also sorry that it has taken longer than I expected, and I want to make it up to all of you. That is why I’m going to offer Beloved Purgatory for $0.99 for a short period of time (the regular price will be a few dollars more). I haven’t decided how long the sale will last yet, but it should be long enough for everyone who has been waiting for it to pick it up before I change the price. Also, the day the book goes on sale I will announce it on my blog/twitter/facebook, and send an email out to my mailing list.

This Thanksgiving, I had a lot to be thankful for. When I first published After Eden, I didn’t know if anyone was going to read it or like it. Since I was publishing it on my own, I wasn’t even sure people would be able to find it! But somehow all of you did. Writing a story and sharing it with others has been a dream of mine since I was a child. That dream has come true, and it is all thanks to you.

Thank you for taking a chance on a new author, visiting my website, “friending” me on twitter and facebook, leaving comments on my blog, recommending my book to others, loaning it to friends, and leaving reviews on Amazon, Goodreads and Barnes & Noble. Your kind words and support mean so much to me, and I was thankful for all of it this Thanksgiving.

Finally, here is the cover for Beloved Purgatory. It may change a little before next week, but probably not by much. Oh, and it won’t be as blurry as it is right now, either. WordPress loves to blur my covers!

The Understorey (The Leaving Series) by Fisher Amelie
I’ll be honest, the prologue (or should I say the prelude to the prologue?) kind of turned me off. Fellow readers, if the first, you know, 3 paragraphs or so of a book doesn’t hook you, that doesn’t automatically mean the book is bad. Alright, it could, but in this case it just meant that I was being ridiculous. Why? Who knows. Maybe I was jealous of Amelie’s gorgeous cover, or her awesome name. In any event, MJ recommended it to me in the comments of my other indie book post a few weeks ago, so I decided to give it another shot. I am so glad I did. This book is incredibly hard to put down, and sometimes the characters feel so real it’s almost scary. Everything–the writing, the character development, the plot–feels natural and effortless. But don’t take my word for it–check out the 13 or so 5-star reviews on Amazon. Oh, and that prologue that initially threw me off? I am now SO WORRIED about what is going to happen next even though nothing too bad has happened yet just because of it…and that’s what I call great writing

Deep Blue Secret (The Water Keepers, Book 1) by Christie Anderson
Somehow, I came across this blog post by Anderson and found it so honest and inspiring that I picked up her book. I’m so glad I did because this book is just lovely. The writing is evocative and thoughtful, and the mysterious romance between the leads is elegantly executed. Sometimes you just get a feeling deep in your bones that a book is going to be amazing, and I’m definitely feeling that now.

In the Cold Light of Tomorrow by K. A. McDicken
This one isn’t a ya book. I met Kath through twitter and liked her immediately, and no, not because she said she enjoyed my book. Kath is generous with her time, kind and considerate to everyone, funny, and tough. If you don’t believe me, check out her blog! Anyways, I’ve been looking forward to reading her book for a while, and I’ve  finally started. It’s a fast-paced, thought-provoking, murder mystery, post-apocalyptic novel about human (and animal!) mutant survivors–and no, it’s not like X-men. I don’t have anything against X-men, but this book is pretty different. The mutants feel very real, and Kath’s world building is just fantastic.

Ain’t No Sunshine by Leslie DuBois
Get ready for your heart to break. This book is intense. Really, really intense. The story takes place in the south during the 1960′s, and focuses on the forbidden love between of Stephen, a white boy, and his best friend, the African American girl who lives next door who has always been there for him. Their love is beautiful and sweet, and exists in a world where everything is against them. These two must face racism, abuse, murder charges, and a devastating family secret. I haven’t reached the end, and I’m praying that they make it.

Providence by Jamie McGuire
I’m thinking of making an “Recommended Angel” list soon, and so far it looks like Providence is going to secure a spot on it, which really shouldn’t be surprising considering it’s by the same person who brought us Beautiful Disaster.

Bright Young Things with Bonus Material by Anna Godbersen
This one isn’t an indie book. The description describes it as Gossip Girl meets The Great Gatsby, and I think that’s pretty accurate. It’s also pretty amazing that I picked up the book after it was compared to those two stories. I have pretty ambivalent feelings towards Gossip Girl (I’m familiar with it but wasn’t really intrigued enough to read the books or seen the TV show), and my hatred of The Great Gatsby is legendary. But all of that doesn’t matter. What does matter is that this book is beautifully written and completely seductive. Do yourself a favor and read the first paragraph, sigh because it’s amazing, read it again, and then go ahead and download the book from Amazon because….RIGHT NOW IT’S FREE!!!

So that’s the end of my list. Think I’m reading enough books at once?

Also, I want to take a moment to thank MJ and aricmitchell for recommending so many great books. I’m looking forward to going through all of them once I finish these.

1. Zuma Zuma
In my opinion, Zuma Zuma was the best dance group in the entire competition, period. They were also the best acrobatic group. The best trick group. The best pole dancers. The best…well, you get the idea. Their choreography was always interesting, and I was very aware as I watched them that if something went wrong they could end up seriously injured or dead. So why did they go home??? WHY????? I don’t know, but I was so sad to see them leave. I truly think they should have been given a Vegas show.

2. The Kenetic King
Watching the Kenetic King preform was one of the most suspenseful experiences I’ve ever had watching TV, which is funny once you learn what he does. He bombed during his first live show in LA. Oh, it was so sad, and though I hoped people would vote him through so he could get a second chance, he ended up going home. Luckily Piers brought him back and he rocked it. I would’ve “woohoo-ed” so hard if you’d one, Kenetic King!

3. Geechy Guy
Alright, I loved J. Chris Newberg, and his Roast of Piers Morgan during the Wildcard show was one of the better roasts I’ve seen and made me laugh so hard that my eyes started tearing up (seriously, how could people vote him off after that?). Still, Geechy Guy was my favorite comic on the show. How can you not love someone with “so many jokes it’s not even funny?” I was sad to see you leave, Geechy Guy. I would have loved it if you’d won the whole thing.

4. Echo of Animal Gardens
Alright everyone, it’s a parrot that tells jokes and sings better than at least half of the other singers in the competition. How did Echo not go through? And why was Echo never brought back? The cute factor there was through the roof, and I, for one, would love to see an animal win the AGT

5. Landon Swank
I just love watching magic tricks. I actually thought that all of the magicians on AGT did a wonderful job this year, but I’d be lying if I didn’t say my favorite was Landon Swank. He always preformed interesting (and sometimes intense) illusions, and didn’t distract the audience with a sparkles, dancing ladies, and other gimmicky stuff. He also built his own props, which I think helped make his magic unique. I am so happy that he made the top 10 and hope that he gets into the top 5.

6. Smage Brothers Riding Shows
Alright, they brought their grandma to LA so they could jump over her with motorbikes. I’m not kidding. These guys are just crazy, and totally deserved to make the top 10…which they did! Yay! I’m cheering for you guys to get into the top 5!

7. Landau Eugene Murphy, Jr.
Landau is my favorite singer in the entire competition. Usually. Sometimes my favorite is Lys Agnes. Maybe she should be there instead of…damn, it’s hard to pick one singer! Though there are a ton of good ones in the top 10, these two are my favorites. Lys Agnes has a haunting, rich and unique voice, and Landau is just fun to watch. He’s this really down-to-earth, soft spoken guy who washes cars and can sing like Frank Sinatra. I normally don’t root for the singers in AGT, simply because there are already so many competitions that cater to them (like American Idol or The Voice), but I can honestly say that I would be happy to see Lys or Landau win. Good thing they’re both in the top 10!

8. Charles Peachock
I’ve never seen anyone play piano by juggling. Yes, he dropped one of the swords during his Wildcard performance, but it didn’t ruin the act for me. I mean, he’d just juggled a flaming chainsaw and was balancing swords on his face. Peachock made juggling beautiful, dangerous and artistic, and I was so sad to see him go.

9. Professor Splash
There were many awesome danger acts this season, but I think the most iconic performer was Professor Splash. It was so gut-wrenching to see an older man being hoisted 30+ feet in the air and dive into a kiddie pool or a pool of fire. Professor Splash has dedicated his entire life to diving. I know he had more in store for us and would liked to have seen it.

10. Captain and Maybelle
America just doesn’t like sideshow or circus acts, which is too bad because they are some of my favorites. Yes, it is sometimes difficult to watch Captain and Maybelle perform, but you can’t deny that they are unique. I mean, I’ve never seen a guy swing pots form his eyelids before. What else can I say? They were a superb act and I wish they’d remained in the competition.

And of course, the Honerable Mentions:
Summerwind Skippers (my second favorite dance group this year that dances with jump ropes); Yellow Design Stunt Team (an awesome group of older guys that do bike tricks); Frank Miles (a “danger act” that never failed to get my heart racing); Steven Retchless (a male pole dancer who could really dance); Miami Allstars (my third favorite dance act that actually did make it to the finals!); Lys Agnes (also in the finals); and, of course, the comedian J. Chris Newberg.

So, those are my picks. Who do you think I’m crazy for not including?