Meet Kristin Smith in this Debut Author Spotlight

1- What's your favorite song when doing karaoke?

Ooh, that’s a tricky one! I’d have to say either Hello by Adele or Skyscraper by Demi Lovato.





2- Can you share a story from your life that shows who you are as a person and why you are a writer?

When I was in fifth grade, my best friend of all time moved away to a different state. We were soul sisters—we’d been friends since kindergarten, she lived right behind me, and we both loved to sing. Needless to say, I was devastated. Wanting to do something that would show her how much her friendship meant to me, I decided to write a book. It was fiction, but it was based on our friendship, the characters modeled after us and people we knew. I wrote it out on paper, and then every day after school, I came home and typed it up on our old typewriter. Once it was finished, I had it bound and then gave it to her as a going away gift. I have no idea if she kept it or if it ended up in the garbage. We eventually lost contact. But the one thing that I realized was how much easier it was for me to convey my thoughts and feelings on paper, and how much I loved the art of storytelling. It was at that time that I decided I would one day become a writer.

3- Five boys! Any multi-births or do they all have their own birthdays?

Believe it or not, they all have their own birthday! Lol. No multiple births in this family!

4- What ignited your passion for writing?

Well, I’ve always loved to write, but when I was a young child, it was mostly poems and short stories. Life, of course, can be crazy, and raising five boys can be time-consuming, so writing really took a back burner for me. It wasn’t until I read the Twilight series by Stephenie Meyer that I felt this burning desire to create my own stories again. I guess I thought, “if she can do it with three boys, why can’t I?”

5- I see you did the smoothie challenge a few months ago. Do you often drink smoothies, and do you have a favorite?

I actually don’t drink a lot of smoothies, but I think my favorite would be a classic strawberry banana one. And by the way, the smoothie I was assigned to drink for the challenge was so disgusting! I can still taste it if I think hard enough! Yuck.

6- Do you have a fun story to share with us that illustrates a time when a benefit of being a published author came to light for you?

I do, actually! It was shortly after I announced on social media that I’d signed a contract with Clean Teen Publishing to publish Catalyst. A friend of mine, whom I hadn’t seen in years since they moved out of state, contacted me and said her twelve-year old daughter was so excited about my novel and wanted to do a school project about me. Turns out the project was about a modern-day hero! I was deeply surprised but so honored. She interviewed me, wrote a report, and then presented it to her class. And from what I hear, she got a good grade!
I think that’s the first time I realized the immense responsibility that comes with being a published author. We are examples to our young readers. They look up to us, even admire and respect us. Teens who read my work may be influenced by what I’ve written, whether good or bad. Something to consider.

7- Can you share a pic of your favorite scarf?

I sure can! I love the coral and beige colors in this scarf—perfect for spring.

8- Who is currently your biggest fan? What does that person love most (or "ship") about your debut novel?

Wow, that’s a tough one. I’ve had readers message me that they read the book in a day because they couldn’t put it down. Then of course, there’s my mom who keeps buying copies for everyone else, but still doesn’t have a copy for herself. But I think my biggest fan would have to be the young girl I was telling you about who chose me as her hero. Her name is Anna. She sent me an email when she finished reading Catalyst and said she was telling all of her friends about it. Those words are music to an author’s ears!
I’m not sure what Anna loves most about the book, but I had another reader tell me they love the relationship between Sienna and Trey.

9- Do you have a favorite chocolate (or chocolate recipe)?

For favorite chocolate, it would have to be Lindt Lindor milk chocolate truffles or Reese’s Peanut Butter eggs/pumpkins/trees, etc. It has to be the specific holiday version of the PB cups, because those have the perfect ratio of peanut butter and chocolate. Trust me, it’s true!


10- What emotions do you hope your book will evoke for the reader, and is there a particular scene you hope will resonate with readers?

I’m hoping it will evoke excitement in readers, as in they don’t want to put it down so they keep reading late into the night. There is a particular scene that occurs on the Gateway (which is equivalent to the modern-day Strip in Las Vegas) that I hope will produce water works—I know it did for my editor when she was reading it for the first time!

11- What is the most memorable trait or visual oddity of one of your characters?

Trey Winchester, the leader of the Fringe, has a tattoo of a tree on his arm, meant to represent power, wisdom, strength, and leadership. But this tattoo doesn’t sit on top of the skin like a normal tattoo, instead, it glows from beneath the skin. When Sienna meets him for the first time, she’s never seen anything like it.

12- The line in the book description: "young leader who’s too hot to be bad" -- I love that. Have you known anyone who fits that description?

Lol. We all love the bad boy, don’t we? No, I don’t think I’ve known anyone specifically who would fit that description. But I think the character of Trey is built in part by bits and pieces of guys I’ve known, but also from my complete imagination. He’s a rebel with a cause, and yes, he is hot!

13- Reading the blurb, it looks like you've created a whole new kind of diversity! Are there any certain currently-existing diversities you'd like to mention that we can look forward to in your book?

The book takes place in a futuristic society where the wealthy choose genetic modification for their children. So you have the wealthy, genetically modified teens, and then you have Sienna (the main character in the story) who is considered to be a “normal” girl because her parents decided to let nature decide the characteristics of their child (the reasons why they did this are forthcoming in this novel and the next). So yes, there is a bit of diversity there, and on Sienna’s end, there are feelings of not being good enough, especially compared to her peers.

14- As a reader, what most motivates you to buy a new book to read?

I think there are several things actually. If someone recommends a book to me, then I’m all over it. Also, I’m active on Instagram and love interacting with other readers to see what they’re reading and what’s hot right now. I discovered Six of Crows this way! And lastly, but probably the most important, I’m a cover snob. Sometimes I’ll buy a book simply because of the cover and the back jacket blurb. Which goes to show that you CAN judge a book by its cover!

15- There's a lot of DIY crafty goodness on your Pinterest boards. Are you into crafting and do you have a pic of a project you're especially proud of making?

Ahh, yes, I LOVE Pinterest! I also love planning parties (when I can find the time) so most of my “creations” stem from that particular outlet. Here are a few pics of a couple parties I’m especially proud of.
Octonauts Birthday Party
Dr. Seuss Baby Shower

16- What was the deciding factor in your publication route? (Clean Teen Publishing)

I actually received three offers of publication, with Clean Teen being my top choice. I knew they were the right home for Catalyst because of their reputation, their savvy marketing skills, and their all-around awesomeness. And I haven’t been disappointed! They are an amazing group of women to work with, and it truly feels like I’m part of a family. The other authors are fabulous too, and I love the camaraderie and willingness to help each other promote. I feel like I won the lottery when Clean Teen offered me a contract to publish Catalyst! It has been the best experience.

17- Anything else you would care to share about your book and yourself?

Catalyst can be found in Barnes & Noble bookstores nationwide, coming in December, so I’m super excited about that! Look for it on a shelf near you!

Book Synopsis:

Too pretty.
Too smart.
Too perfect.


In a crumbling, futuristic Las Vegas where the wealthy choose the characteristics of their children like ordering off a drive-thru menu, seventeen-year-old Sienna Preston doesn’t fit in. As a normal girl surrounded by genetically modified teens, all of her imperfections are on display. But after the death of her father, everything she's ever known and loved changes in an instant.

With little skills to help provide for her family, Sienna clings to the two things that come easily—lying and stealing. But not all thief-for-hire assignments go as planned. When a covert exchange of a stolen computer chip is intercepted, she becomes entangled with a corrupt government official who uses her thieving past as leverage, her mother as collateral, and the genetically modified poster boy she’s falling for as bait.

In order to rescue her mother, there may only be one option—joining forces with the Fringe, an extremist group, and their young leader who’s too hot to be bad. Problem is, these revolutionaries aren’t what they seem, and the secrets they’re hiding could be more dangerous than Sienna is prepared for. In the end, she must be willing to risk everything to save the one thing that matters most.

Catalyst is a thrilling adventure of danger, romance, intrigue, and deception.

Goodreads

Barnes & Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/catalyst-kristin-smith/1123761371?ean=9781634229982

Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/ca/en/ebook/catalyst-62

Author Bio:
Kristin Smith writes young adult contemporary and science fiction novels. When she’s not writing, you can find her dreaming about the beach, beating her boys at Just Dance, or belting out karaoke (from the comfort of her own home). Kristin currently resides in the middle-of-nowhere North Carolina with her husband and five incredibly loud but extremely cute boys. To read more about her obsession with YA novels or her addiction to chocolate, you can visit her at kristinsmithbooks.com.

Website: kristinsmithbooks.com
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/15184285.Kristin_Smith
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KristinSmithAuthor/
Twitter: @SwordsStilettos
Blog: http://swordsandstilettos.blogspot.com/

Crow's Rest Book Trailer, and the Making Of

Today's the day that I get to share my book trailer for Crow's Rest! Since I made this video myself, I wanted to give a little behind-the-scenes info on the images.

But first--the book trailer! And make sure you have the volume on; you won't want to miss the soundtrack.




Hope the trailer entertained and intrigued you! You can find pre-order and Goodreads info on Crow's Rest here.

These are all my images, by the way, which saved me a tremendous amount of licensing fees. I did end up buying a program to give the whistling of my original song a little reverb, and then bought some stock audio of the crows, so the entire trailer cost me $3.89!

First off, once I had the script finalized, I knew I wanted to set the mood and place the story into its setting. To open the trailer, I used a few photos set in the Sierra foothills town that inspired Crow's Rest--and its haunted Castle. Here's another look in case they went by too quickly:

This is taken from the town cemetery, looking towards the Castle

This is an interior shot of the haunted Castle--which was abandoned for years after it did its duty as a boys' reformatory--and the perfect shot to accompany "Rumors that strange happenings are on the rise"

The exterior of the Castle, with one of the turrets that helped earn it its nickname (it was more properly called the Preston School of Industry when it opened in the 19th century)

With the setting established, I moved on to the characters: Avery, Daniel, and the corbin. The shots with the (human) models were actually taken as test photos for a possible custom cover shoot, and I didn't want them to go to waste--and I think they work really well here.

Uncle Tam is the caretaker for an historic cemetery, so Avery and Daniel spend a lot of time hanging around tombstones

The corbin picture is actually of a rook in Ireland--we definitely don't get these birds around here! But the crows that flock around my garden won't hold still for pictures, and I loved this ones's soulful expression.

For the trailer, I added a little violet to his eye color and cropped in tight on his face

 For a photo to depict the passage to Faerie, it was no contest--this lovely view is of the Stourhead Estate gardens, taken from inside the grotto

And the next one is the ruins of Kilcatherine church, which date back to the 7th century

That cheeky raven pic is from a trip to Bryce Canyon, but this post is already rather long so I'll skip adding that one! I just wanted to give you all an idea of what you can do with images that might already be in your photo collections, and that you don't need to spend a lot. For the links on the Power Point tutorials that helped me create this book trailer, see my post from November 24 here on Operation Awesome.

Making a Book Trailer in Power Point

I've just spent the last week and a half or so making a book trailer for Crow's Rest, and I wanted to share a video that was really helpful. My first attempt at the trailer used my own video footage (which means it's free, and no rights and permissions to get hung up later) but I wasn't completely happy with that. It felt too disjointed, since some of the footage ended up being more metaphorical than actually illustrative of the script.

So I looked around for some tutorials on Power Point (I'd never used the program before) and found this video very helpful


It walks you through animation, transitions, and even adding narration, in an easy-to-understand tutorial. He also includes instructions on how to format your presentation so that when you export it as a video, you'll have an HD-quality YouTube video. Even if you are familiar with Power Point, you may find some tips and tricks in here that you didn't know.

I watched it once, and then dived into my own slide show, and referred back to this video a few times when I got stuck. The process wasn't nearly as intimidating as I thought it would be, and if not for my creative perfectionism that led me to endlessly tweak the script and image choices, it would likely have only taken me a few hours to create a book trailer using this method. And now that I'm more familiar with it, I could see using this technique to create some vlogs or videos for schools to use.

I also wanted to share another tool that I used to create an original soundtrack for the trailer; it's an app called LoopStack. There are other, similar apps out there, but this one was free to try on Android (you pay $1.99 to unlock more expanded features, but it's still a bargain) so I gave it a shot. Pretty easy to use, once you get the rhythm of it.


I encourage everyone to give a try on a trailer for their book--working on the script alone makes you look at your story in a completely different way. Even if you never share it with anyone (we'll be doing a reveal on mine soon), it will definitely help you visualize elements of your story and characters in a new media.

A Post Covering Covers

I went to Westercon a few weeks back and attended quite a few panels, including one on the evolution of cover art. Despite the fact that the presentation could have benefited greatly from visual aides (I find it hard to believe that they couldn't find anyone at a geek con who could create and play a slideshow), it spawned some discussion of how the great book covers manage to straddle the line between  placing a book firmly within its genre, while standing out among other similar titles.

And while no one on the panel claimed to know the secret of finding that cover art sweet spot, one of the recommendations was to look at a lot of covers in your category/genre and get a sense of which ones make you pick up the book. I think this is particularly crucial with self-published books because you're already up against a perception that the writing and editing might not be up to par.

More and more readers are willing to give self-published books a chance, but the cover is seen as a reflection of how much time and effort the writer put into the book as a whole. Amateurish, poorly-designed covers are often a sign that the author wasn't willing to spring for a professional editor or book designer either. If you don't have a background in graphic design, there are so many people out there working on a freelance basis that there's really no excuse for grabbing your nephew's drawing off your sister's refrigerator and slapping it on your book.

But before this post gets too long, back to that advice to look at a bunch of covers--this has become a lot harder now that there are fewer book stores with sections to browse. You can certainly do a search for your genre on Amazon or Barnes & Noble and check out covers that way, or wait for Kate Hart to do more YA Book Cover Infographics, but I wanted to point out a few more helpful sites.

The Book Designer does a monthly roundup of e-book Cover Design Awards and though they are subjective critiques, what I find particularly helpful is that they include information on the designer. So if you like a particular cover, it's easy to do a search and get in touch with that artist/designer about what you'd like to see on your book.

And Design Observer spotlights 50 outstanding book covers; you can see winners and nominations for 2011 and 2012 on their site. The winning book covers going back even further are in the archives of AIGA. The individual artists and designers also comment on what the assignment was and why they went with that particular artwork, which can be a mini-seminar on the evolution of book covers in itself.

If you know of anymore sources for book cover design ideas, feel free to leave them in the comments. Or maybe give a shoutout for your favorite cover! This is one of my favorites: