Katstiles

Paranormal, Horror and other fun stuff

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Alive and well on Pinterest

March 19, 2019 By Kat 2 Comments

What do you think of my new hairstyle? It’s hard to see, but I’ve got some magenta streaks in there…

Damn it’s taken me so long to figure out that Pinterest doesn’t totally suck! Here’s the thing – Pinterest, in the past, has had a reputation of being a site where housewives show off perfect easter chick cupcakes or some other magnificent and cute creation that results in me feeling like a shitty mother. So naturally, I avoided it like the plague.

But now that I’m part of an anthology that’s serious about marketing and promotion (it’s not even up for pre-order yet and we’ve all been spreading the word like crazy), I had to do a board for my upcoming included book. Lo and behold, I discovered it was kind of fun! I did my board the hard way, scouring the internet for pictures, but then when I realized most of what I wanted was already on Pinterest, I just started adding pins from there. I’ve created several boards now, and some of my pins are being saved!

I’ve created boards for Connected, Modified, and the anthologies I’m involved in, as well as some boards just for fun – super heroes, villains, hair styles, and horror. Check them out here: https://www.pinterest.com/katstilesauthor/

I’ll be posting more soon about the new anthology I’m involved in, we’ve got an awesome Facebook group with tons of prizes, polls, and other fun stuff!

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Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: author, books, pinterest, super heroes, urban fantasy

SPR gives Connected 4 Stars!

June 27, 2016 By Kat Leave a Comment

Just got my review back from Self-Publishing Reviews (SPR), and they gave Connected 4 stars! So excited, the review has a few negatives but most of it’s positive. The only thing that had me baffled was the typos – I thought I caught most of them.

Here’s the full review:

“Connected by Kat Stiles is an entertaining paranormal escape for young adult readers.

Emily is a high school student who doesn’t feel like she fits in. To make matters worse, Em discovers she has a special power. Fortunately, she isn’t alone and her best friend Roz has her own gift. Tommy, the boy Em likes, seems to be different as well. When people in their town start to die, Em, Roz, and Tommy join forces to find a murderer.

The theme in Connected is intriguing and inspirational for younger readers in a world that is becoming increasingly more disconnected. Em and Tommy are portrayed as outcasts right from the start, while Roz’s beauty sets her apart as well. Emily, at first, doesn’t see her ability as a positive:

I got enough strange looks from people without them knowing about my ‘gift.’ If they ever found out…I’d get the freak of the year award for sure.

However, the three of them band together and find strength through their relationship, which is a powerful message. High school, no matter if you’re a jock, loner, popular, or geek to name a few types, is a difficult time for everyone. And more than likely, most high school students feel alone at some point. Reading about three teens who discover something different and scary about themselves and turning to their friends for support is fantastic, and drives home the point to young readers that no matter what, they aren’t completely alone.

Each of the three main characters is unique, however the narrative is told from Em’s perspective. She’s a difficult character to pin down. Since she’s been bullied by classmates, she comes across as meek. Furthermore, Em’s sister and mother aren’t the most supportive. The reader wants to cheer Em on, however, she struggles finding her voice, which can be frustrating for readers who like to see more personal growth, even in the first book of a series.

The writing is straightforward and intended for a younger audience. There are some pesky typos that are distracting. Certain plotlines could have been tightened or cut to make for a more seamless and captivating read. While the book blurb and cover illustrate the paranormal aspects of the novel, the budding romance between Em and Tommy hijacks the story and dampens the excitement of the trio hunting a serial killer.

That said, the author does an excellent job of dangling enough plot elements for a future book or books in the series, such as the strained relationship between Em and her father. The mystery around the father is alluded to, but never fully explained and it seems that the author plans to explore the relationship more in depth in the next book.

Also, the reader may wonder how many more in the Texas town have special powers. Will Em, Roz, and Tommy have to fight off more evildoers who wield their gift for personal gain? It’ll be interesting to see how the author develops this aspect.

Connected is the perfect book for young adults who enjoy paranormal aspects coupled with a sweet romance. Stiles has crafted a novel that is intriguing and opens the door to what promises to be a thrilling series.” 4 Stars

And here’s the cool picture they sent:

YA Paranormal Romance, superheroes, super powers, book review, book rating

So I’m happy overall, and hoping this helps with the sales a little. 🙂

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Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: book awards, book reviews, books, indie author, YA Paranormal Romance, young adult, young adult fiction

Awesome Indie Book Sale – Michelle Madow

May 26, 2016 By Kat Leave a Comment

Just wanted to share this amazing deal with my blog readers: The Transcend Time Saga: Complete Box Set (Remembrance, Vengeance, Timeless) by Michelle Madow is on sale! You get all three books for only .99 cents. This sale is only for a week though, so check it out. I bought my copy 🙂

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Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: books, reading, ya, YA Paranormal Romance, young adult, young adult fiction

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