Kayla Frost's Blog: Kayla Frost's Blog

Hi Everyone! I have a few updates to go through...

1) I'm really excited to announce that the audiobook for Escape Reality is finally here.

It has been a long journey to reach this point. There was a queue for the voice actors' time, but they were so worth the wait! Noah Michael Levine and Erin deWard bring my book to life in a duet style, and I could not be happier with their work on this project. :)

Note: duet style means that Noah and Erin both read together in the chapters. They are able to act off of each other as if it were a play and are able to cover an impressive vocal range, with Noah handling deeper voices and Erin covering the higher vocal range. It is a really neat way to bring the characters to life, and I hope you enjoy their work as much as I have!

If you are interested, feel free to use the audible link below: https://www.audible.com/pd/B09C6NBWMZ...



2) I know that I've been rather quiet on social media platforms lately, but I have a very good reason for it. I've been focusing on writing. The sequel is well underway, and I can't wait to share it with you!

3) I had a fun interview with a BookTuber. Steve Talks About Books & Stuff sat down with me on a call, and we had a blast talking about Escape Reality.
Check it out here: https://youtu.be/YVwHLES_92w

All together, life is super busy right now, but I'm still pushing to make content. I really do appreciate all of the amazing support people have shown me, and I will keep you updated on the upcoming releases.

Thank very much,
Kayla Frost

The last few months have been fantastic. I could not be happier about the response my book has gotten thus far. The writing and reading communities have been awesome groups to be a part of, and the party is just getting started. I am over 30k words into Escape Reality’s sequel and am working hard to get new content out.

Image is of Col. Mills in Escape Reality.


Sale:
Escape Reality will be only $0.99 for this week only. So, be sure to grab a copy while the sale is going. It starts 3/14 and ends on the 3/20.

Updates:
1) My first editorial review can be read at Reader Views’ website here:
https://readerviewsarchives.wordpress...

2) Escape Reality’s audiobook is officially on its way! I now have a contract with an amazing couple of voice actors to narrate my book in duet form. What I mean by a duet is that the male voice actor will say all of the male lines and narrate the male sections, and vice versa. They can play off of each other’s acting to make each scene more realistic, and I am totally thrilled that I’ve found two experienced actors that are excited to take my project on. I’m hoping to have the audiobook out by summer, but I’ll keep you posted!

3) I have just started an indie-focused BookTube channel. You can check out my first video here: https://youtu.be/73NLes0duc8

The first video was an introduction to my channel and an Indie Spotlight Review on Sufficiently Advanced Magic by Andrew Rowe. My next Indie Spotlight Review will be on The Lure of Infinity by Stan C. Smith.

Thanks for reading and have a lovely day. :)

The following image is of Stevy's tools in Escape Reality


My life as a indie-author so far. (A How-To Guide)

This writer’s life was not one that I thought would be easy. However, I have found that the writing bit is the easiest part. :)

These are the 13 steps I took to publish Escape Reality.
1. First, you have the idea.
2. Next, you follow through on the idea.
3. Then, you finish your manuscript.



Presto, you have now finished the easiest part of publishing a book. Congratulations. What comes next, you may ask? Well, editing over 100k+ words, of course.

4. You do two full rounds of editing the manuscript. Word by word and sentence by sentence, you edit it.
5. Next, you hire a professional copyeditor to go through and find all of the things you missed.

Okay, now what?

6. Another round of editing, of course. Who do you think goes through the copyedits?

Is that the end? Are you publishing now? Nope.

7. Beta-readers! Who do you pick? How many should you use? These are good questions, and for this book, the answer was 3 people with different backgrounds.

Well, that certainly covers a lot of ground. So, are you ready to publish? Not just yet.

8. Time to build a website, create a mailing list, and work on social media platforms while the Beta-readers are reading.

Okay, you have the feedback from the Beta-readers. Now what?

9. Another round of editing, of course. The readers have compiled notes.

“Yay, the finish line,” says no one.

10. Now that we have a fully edited manuscript, it is time to format it for the ebook and paperback editions using Kindle Create.
a. Oh, have you not learned how to use Kindle Create, watched YouTube videos on how to make use of the Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP) website, and read up on what is required in the front and back matter of the book for both formats?
     i. If yes, continue and have a gold star for being your best nerd-self.
     ii. If no, pause here and go do that.
b. I’m just going to assume you already made the cover:
     Step 1: Take pictures of your hand, and choose the coolest.
     Step 2: Sketch an outline of your hand.
     Step 3: Print out medical diagrams of the bones and tissue structures that hands contain.
     Step 4: Imagine what those structures would look like combined, and add that to the sketch.
     Step 5: Draw all of the cool Cyborg stuff that the main character (i.e. Edith) has in the book.
     Step 6: Scan the drawing into a computer and digitize it bunches.
     Step 7: Rework the image until it looks right, and then do it again with feedback.
c. Cover and formatting = finished.

So, you have the finished manuscript and cover versions for both the ebook and the paperback. A big-shot now, eh? Incorrect.

11. Can you press the big, scary upload button on KDP, set your price (plus a few other settings), and schedule your book’s release?
a. If yes, yay!
b. If no, take a breath and try again. You can do it. I believe in you.
12. It’s alive! Well, it’s live on amazon at least.

Congratulations. You have just finished the second easiest portion of the indie author experience. What’s behind door number three?

13. Marketing! (Insert dramatic and scary music here.) Don’t ask me how. I’m still figuring it out. 0.o

Step 13. The scariest, most infinite of steps. It never ends, and even when you start at step 1 for the next book, know that step 13 looms above, begging for continuous attention. Focus on writing. No, focus on marketing. Hmm…why not write a blog instead of either? Focus.

Wait a minute.. You’re an engineer. So, be sure to do lots of that in parallel with steps 1 - 13. Good luck!

Hi Sci-Fi community,

I know that it is hard to make time for Indie-Authors with all of the amazing stories being published by bigger names. So, I figured why not do a small giveaway on amazon for those who are interesting in reading indie Sci-fi.

Amazon Free Book Duration: 12/14/2020 -12/16/2020 (PST)



Escape Reality is a Sci-Fi Thriller filled with cyborgs, genetic experiments, and vast alien civilizations clashing in the distant future. It is a dark story told from multiple character perspectives, but Escape Reality starts out with Edith landing on a mysterious prison planet.

Amazon Link: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08NZ3RDPC
Goodreads page: Escape Reality

Meet Edith and Tekrin:


Meet the Tech Squad: