Sunday 22 December 2013

Kandi Steiner: Christmas For Authors

This is my first time guest blogging, and I have to admit I sat down and racked my brain for hours trying to figure out what in the world I would blog about. I figured I could probably bore you with a Q & A about myself, have a character interview with my characters that you may or may not know by now, or I could possibly talk about all the books I like to read. I just wasn’t sold on any ideas, so I put off this post longer and longer until finally, three days before I had to turn it in, a good friend of mine asked me a simple question:

Why do you like to write?

It’s really simple, right? I opened my mouth, ready to tell her something unique and fun that could fit into one small quip. But then, nothing came out – it took me a minute to realize it, but I didn’t have words to explain why I like to write.
Some of my friends, once they found out I was writing my first book, asked me if I was doing it for the money. They all exclaimed, “Oh my God, you’re going to be famous!” I tried to gently tell them that I would be lucky if twenty people read my book, but they were all convinced I’d be a best seller by this time next month. But that’s not it, not even close. In fact, when I first set out to writing Tag Chaser, I debated selling it at all. I was just going to write it and share it with a few friends who I know enjoy the genre.
Well, then something happened. I had a friend from high school that I had kind of lost touch with, but she is really into the book scene and reads all the time. I always see her posting statuses about books she’s finished and loved, and so I reached out to her on a whim and asked if she would have any time to beta my book. She told me she was very busy, but she would definitely try to do what she could. So, I sent over my first six chapters that I had written at that point and went about my business.
The next afternoon, I got an email from Kellee, my friend. Her words literally brought me to tears, because she LOVED Tag Chaser and the characters that I had created. She told me specific parts that she loved, told me how she couldn’t wait to read more, and started asking me about what my marketing plans were.
Throughout the rest of the process, Kellee was a driving force and she was always putting the biggest smiles on my face. I would send her a few chapters and she would beg me for more. She would send me quotes or pictures that reminded her of the characters in Tag Chaser. We would talk for hours about giveaways we could do, hypothesizing about what people would think once they read it, and when my first paperback proof came in the mail I think she was more excited than I was.
It took me a minute to find the words to answer my friend who asked me why I like to write, but when I thought about Kellee, I knew that’s what it all came down to. I write for people like Kellee, people like me. The ones who love to bury their noses in a book for hours on end and dive into a different world. The ones who wait up until odd hours of the night just to be one of the first people to touch and read a new book in a series. The ones who are self proclaimed book nerds and proud. The ones who love a good story line, fall in love with people who don’t really exist, and fight til the death to defend their favorite books against the haters. That’s why I write. When someone finishes my book and emails me or finds me on my page to tell me how much they loved the characters or how it made them laugh or cry, THAT is why I write.
So, I put it as simply as I could to my friend.
“I write because I want to share the stories and characters in my head with the world, because I want to feel connected to people who I might not otherwise have even known. I write because the world reads.”
Below are the links to my book, and I would love nothing more than for you to check out Tag Chaser. But even if you don’t, please come connect with me on my Facebook page. Let’s chat about other books you love, tell me what should be on my Goodreads TR list. Hell, let’s talk about who stays up the latest to finish a book. In reality, we’re all in this reading and writing thing together – and I just want to give you all a story worth reading. :)


Kandi on Facebook: www.facebook.com/kandisteiner
Kandi’s website: www.kandisteiner.com

Buy Tag Chaser: 

Read what people are saying on Goodreads: http://bit.ly/19qHd2f


Tag Chaser
What People are Saying


“Tag Chaser is a heart-pounding and utterly captivating story of finding true love and fighting for it. One of my absolute favorite books.” – Kellee Fabre, beta reader


“A fresh, laugh-out-loud storyline. I didn’t want it to end.” – Tisha Carter, beta reader


“Have you ever read a book that made you forget to eat or use the bathroom?  Well, Tag Chaser is one of those books.” – MaRanda McCandless, Randa’s Reviews


“Tag Chaser is full of undeniable chemistry. Definitely a page-turner.” – Sasha Whittington, beta reader


“I’m a dude, and even I liked it. Tag Chaser is unexpectedly funny and romantic.” – Sean Brown, beta reader


“Fun, funny, and hot.” – Betsy Kash, editor



Sneak Peek:


“You look like an angel,” he says, grabbing my hand and pulling me back down with him instead of standing up. He pulls me on top of him and presses his forehead to mine, staring deep into my eyes. Slowly, he runs his hands through my hair and pulls me closer, inch by inch, until our lips are touching again. I swear his kisses could kill me, could take all of my life and I would still want them.
“I’m no angel, just like you’re no knight in shining armor,” I say, thinking back to Thursday night when we first met.
“Hmm, that may be. But I still think we could make a pretty good story together,” he smiles, kissing down my neck to my collarbone.
“Oh, you think so?” I laugh, letting his kisses blaze a fire down my body.
“It’s worth a shot, right? Who knows, it could be a fairy tale,” he says as he stands up, pulling me with him.
“Or a train wreck.”



Check out these teasers from Tag Chaser!





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