Kris Trudeau's Blog

Join Kris at the Central Canada Comic Con and take in all the sights and sounds of this amazing convention. In between visits with William Shatner and Tia Carrere, stop by the TimeShift booth and get a signed copy of the book people are calling, “fun, exciting and leaving me wanting more.”

Learn more about the event, or visit the C4 website.

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The cover of TimeShift was nominated for an ebook cover award, and received an honourable mention. While it didn’t win the number one spot of the 157 fiction entries, the contests adjudicator praised the cover as “solid” and that it “communicates eeriness” and that the type was “handled very well.”

You can see the feedback on the www.thebookdesigner.com website (you’ll find TimeShift about halfway down the page,) as well as the other amazing covers and the winners of that month’s contest.

Thank you to the judges who painstakingly pore over all of that amazing work.

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In the book, there are various settings that have been inspired by real locations. Here are some of those locations.

This lovely riverside trail is one of Winnipeg’s downtown gems. This trail follows the Assiniboine River from the iconic, historic Forks (where the Red and Assiniboine Rivers meet; the hub of trade and living for over 6,000 years,) and ends not far past the Legislative buildings. Having lived in downtown Winnipeg for a couple years, I have traversed this trail many times.

While in this pic, the trail appears to be under construction, likely due to springtime flooding, a note that also made in the book, it is usually a gravel path.

This path was the inspiration for the scene where Riley and Owen are attacked by a gang of thugs. After leaving a restaurant, they are attacked by a gang of thugs as they meander down this path, returning to their hotel. As a proud Winnipegger, I must say that the inspiration from this scene ended at the scenery, not the attack. However, unless your Riley and you can kick anybody’s ass, care must always be taken whilst walking around any city at night.

In the book I reference a lakeside location where the teams luxuriate on their days off when the weather is nice. At this hangout, there is a tall cliff, off which many of the team members take turns jumping into the lake.

The inspiration for this scenery came from a location at Laclu Lake in Northwestern Ontario, on which my family has had a cabin for quite a few generations. This spot is a popular location for thrill seekers.

While I have only jumped off the six- or eight-foot ledge, (yes, yes, insert jibes and comments about chickens here,) my brother, seen here, frequently jumps off some of the highest points a person can do, without causing themselves bodily harm.

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I was lucky enough to be featured on a special edition of the Mike and Rob Show! Be sure to check out their other episodes on YouTube!

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July 19, 2016 marked the official launch party for TimeShift. The weather was lovely, the turnout was great. See some pics from the event!

The post Book Launch Party – Courtenay, BC appeared first on TimeShift -  .

Originally featured in the Comox Valley Record, July 20, 2016

It all started with a dream.

That’s how the idea for Kris Trudeau’s new book, TimeShift, came together.

Originally from Starbuck, Manitoba (about a 25-minute drive from Winnipeg), Trudeau moved to the Valley five years ago. A web designer/graphic designer by trade, she admits she never did any “real writing” prior to sitting down and creating her novel – a book six years in the making.

“I have ridiciously vivid dreams. One dream was really good; I got out recipe cards and started storyboarding,” she explains of the book which features four different storylines set in 2097.

The novel explores the world of time travel and artifical intellegence which follows three teams and the tasks they have to undertake.

Not one to be detered from a challenge, Trudeau completed the book, and faced the reality of self-publishing.

“It’s so much more of an uphill battle. There’s also a stigma attached to it too.”

So what did Trudeau do?

“I started a publishing company.”

Laclu Publishing (named after a lake on the Manitoba/Ontario border – Lake of the Woods) printed 200 copies of Trudeau’s book right before Christmas for family and friends.

“I always say, ‘What’s the most impossibly difficult way to do soemthing?’ Let’s do it,’ ” she added with a laugh.

With her experience as a designer, she created and designed the book cover, and admitted she never truly suffered a case of writer’s block.

“I did have the story unravel a couple of times, but with the sci-fi/fiction genre, it’s a little bit more forgiving.”

Following more edits and proofs, Trudeau is formally launching her book locally this week, but has a distribution plan in mind for the Island and online sellers.

She admits one of her biggest challenges was meeting new people – especially when she moved to the Valley.

“I didn’t really know anyone, so with lots of networking, I started getting my name out there.”

The networking paid off for Trudeau in her new home on the Island. In addition to writing her book, she continued her work through her business – Halftone Pixel – and was selected as one of the Comox Valley’s Top 40 Under 40 in 2014.

In 2015, she mentored a student from North Island College’s business program, and was a finalist in the Island’s Top 20 Under 40 Business and Community Awards.

“It’s incredible when people tell me they enjoyed the story and the characters,” she said. “To spend time reading the novel – something I created – is one of the biggest thrills.”

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Originally featured in the Comox Valley Record, July 18, 2016

Comox Valley author Kris Trudeau explores the world of time travel and artificial intelligence in her debut novel, TimeShift.

This cross-genre page turner has been described as a “unique mix of wit, wonder and excitement,” with “lovable, robust characters, imaginative gadgets and unexpected twists,” that is “difficult to put down.”

While the novel touches on timely topics such as the perils of introducing artificially intelligent beings into society, as well as the consequences of a societal mentality that places innovation and discovery ahead of the ethical debate of its impact on the greater good, Trudeau explains that the novel is not a heavy read.

“I wanted to create a futuristic setting with captivating technology rather than developing an alternative reality that forces the reader to envision a completely different world. This opens the book up to action, drama and mystery lovers.”

While the book is rich in Trudeau’s vision of the future, it’s the main character, Owen Taylor, who keeps the futuristic elements easy to imagine with his present day perspective. Owen, in 2016, is recruited for a 185-day operation by a group of people from 2097, who are sent back in time to alter elements of the past so as to re-write history, saving 2097 from artificially intelligent robots rising up against their second-class role in society.

Response to the novel has exceeded Kris’s expectations.

“Readers are expressing a lot of excitement about the story and I often get asked when the movie is coming out,” she said.

“What thrills me most is many of these readers have never picked up a sci-fi novel prior to this. I’ve had several readers send me two or three emails raving about the book. The idea that my story has created this much entertainment for people has been extremely gratifying.”

The novel is available in both ebook and softcover on the official TimeShift website, timeshift-novel.com, the Laughing Oyster Book Shop in Courtenay and the Collective Studio + Store in Cumberland.

Trudeau has donated several copies to the Courtenay, Comox and Cumberland libraries.

Join the growing number of TimeShift fans at the official book launch party on July 19, 7 p.m. at The Grotto, 477 5th Street, Courtenay. Hear Trudeau talk about the novel’s evolution and pick up a signed copy. Shift your summer into high gear with this hot new read, straight from the Comox Valley.

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Listen to Kris talk about TimeShift on 97.3 The Eagle.

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Save the date! Join us on July 19th  in Courtenay, BC at The Grotto, 286 Fifth Street.

Stop by for a drink and listen to Kris talk about the evolution of the process taken to write TimeShift.

The post Official Book Launch Party: Courtenay appeared first on TimeShift -  .

Save the date! Join us on July 19th  in Courtenay, BC at The Grotto, 286 Fifth Street.

Stop by for a drink and listen to Kris talk about the evolution of the process taken to write TimeShift.

The post Official Book Launch Party! appeared first on TimeShift -  .