These are my top reads of the year! What are yours?

The Bone Season, The Poppy War, The Darkening, Fourth Wing, and A Deadly Education are series. And yes, I’ve read them all.

Best,

Kathleen

Greetings All,

It’s finally happened! My literary agent, Alicia Brooks at JVNLA sold my YA gothic horror!

I’m so excited to be sharing this with everyone🥰

Kathleen

Greetings All,

I haven’t been online much since the beginning of the month due to having emergency eye surgery to repair a detached retina. My vision is blurry and poor in the surgical eye and since I am legally blind in my other eye, I can’t see well. The eye is supposed to heal in six weeks and I will hopefully get my vision back! Meanwhile, I am listening to audible books for entertainment.

Keep a good thought for me! I hope to be back online soon!

Best,

Kathleen

Greetings All,

It’s almost the new year so I thought I’d recap 2022, both highs and lows.

First, the lows: health issues continue which has been so frustrating and difficult to deal with. This is my biggest issue and one I hope to improve in 2023.

The highs: getting an agent tops the list and having my young adult feminist Frankenstein reimagining book on sub! Here’s hoping it finds a home in 2023!

As far as writing goes I am editing a young adult Fae and a YA gothic horror inspired by The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.

I did watch shows I enjoyed: Shetland, The Chelsea Detective, My Life is Murder, The Sandman, Wednesday, Miss Scarlet and The Duke to name a few.

I joined Tik Tok! Find me on there as authorkathleea2

My cat continues to bring me joy.

Getting a mug warmer gifted to me for my tea also brings me joy.

Reading is still one of my favorite pastimes to do! I read 60 books this year. Faves include:

Here’s hoping 2023 brings you joy, happiness and all you want!

Kathleen

Greetings All,

I’ve been querying for *cough* years.

I’ve been writing since I was eight years old and wrote a book of poems I carefully hand copied, made an orange construction book jacket, punched holes in the side and tied it with red ribbon. I made ten of them to give away as holiday gifts.

Fast forward to age 15 when I published my first poem about…what else? Cats. I continued to write and publish poems before attempting short stories and at age 17 I wrote a Jane Eyre inspired full length novel.

I kept writing and in 2005 got a Master’s in Children’s Literature where I concentrated on writing young adult novels. For my Master’s thesis I worked with a professor (thank you, Dr. Cross RIP) who helped me edit and revise my book, WITCH HUNTER (available on Amazon/Kindle/B&N).

WITCH HUNTER

I published books as an independent author but kept hoping I’d find an agent.

So into the query trenches I went.

Many books later I wrote three young adult gothic horror novels and found my niche! I still write YA fantasy, YA contemporary, YASF, YA historical and even have a MG historical and a couple of picture books! But YA gothic horror is my fave.

After rewriting and heavily revising one of my gothic horror books I started querying it in November 2021.

Stats: number of rewrites: a million?

number of fulls/partials: 3 for this round

number of queries sent: 100+

I queried my current agent in October and got a full request right away! Once she read she offered representation and I accepted!

It’s been a long road to this point but perseverance and determination are in my DNA so I didn’t give up!

Happy Dance!

Best,

Kathleen

Greetings All,

So the big news is that I signed with a literary agent!!! I am so thrilled to be working with Alicia Brooks at the Jean V. Nagger Literary Agency! Woo hoo!

Best,

Kathleen

Greetings All,

My critique partner and good friend, Vanessa Lanang has a book out today!

If you like young adult fantasy with magic, dragons and a dragon slayer with heart, check it out!

Meet and Greet:

Best,

Kathleen

Greetings All,

It’s been a while so here’s an update.

I moved in July and am almost unpacked. I just have to put posters/pictures up. Here’s one already up.

I’m still querying literary agents and writing. I just finished a middle grade historical set in the 1960s that’s about identical twins and their plan to get the hottest British band in the world to come to their small town. Of course plans don’t always work. It’s lighthearted and fun.

My cat likes the new apartment and figured all the boxes were for her to climb on.

Toffee in a box

I joined Tik Tok! If you want to follow me on there I’m: @authorkathleea2

I have vids about my books too and I’m doing a spooky story prompt for the entire month!

That’s a short update!

Best,

Kathleen

Greetings All,

I got my COVID booster almost two weeks ago and I am still feeling tired. Had a sore arm for a couple of days. And a headache two days after. Hope my energy returns soon!

Putting up another episode of WHEN THE WOLFSBANE BLOOMS on Kindle Vella.

Hope your week is going good!

Kathleen

Greetings All,

Happy Lunar New Year for those who celebrate!

I can’t believe I spent the entire month of January dealing with COVID symptoms! I still have a bit of congestion but otherwise am feeling so much better. Thank goodness I was double vaxxed!

Still putting up episodes of my Kindle Vella story, SINFUL SWEETS. Look for episodes 19 and 20 at the end of the week.

I’m still in the query trenches hoping to find an agent for my YA gothic horror.

Working on revising a dark YA contemporary I hope to finish in a couple of months.

My kitty cat has had a swollen eyelid where she scratched herself but it’s better today.

That’s my update for the beginning of February!

Hope everyone is staying safe and well!

Best,

Kathleen