Kiana Lin's Blog

Surprised? Me too.

I acknowledge, I have not kept with some of my intentions for this website/blog of mine, and it's been over a year since I've written a singular post. For that, I apologize, but what a reason to take it up again! Today I want to chat about this newly released (today, in fact) book by my friend, Kim Patton.

But first, an admission: I am not a fan of faith books, memoirs, or much of any non-fiction genre. I know, it's pretty weird since I do end up editing/reading quite a few books in this category and–technically–poetry straddles the line of fiction/creative non-fiction. Regardless, ready for another secret?

I honestly bought this book because someone I consider to be one of my best friends wrote it and I wanted to show support and help her realize her dreams.

Let's be clear: I know Kim is an amazing writer. I've read her work before, we've talked writing and publishing extensively (it's how she won over my introvert heart), and she knows her stuff. I recommended her book and supported her from the jump because I believe in her and the writer/author she is. Just because it's not my typical cup of tea, I still knew that I could recommend Nothing Wasted as the well-crafted work it was/would be. (To be transparent, I was a beta reader for select sections she chose to share and a backer for her Kickstarter, so I had some inkling of her direction/the content.) All the same, I knew I would buy it, knew I would read it, and knew (because I love her) that I would be proud and enjoy it.

More truth: I love this book. And not just because I know it's hers.

I don't love this book because it feels like chatting with my friend over coffee and tea (coffee for me, of course, and tea for her) as we have before. Though it does. I don't love this book because I remember some of the stories in it and saw others first hand. Though I did. I don't love this book because I learned new things about my friend. Though it's true. I don't love this book because it's so Kim and I could hear whole sections of it in her voice and cadence in my head. Though I could. I don't love this book because I watched her strive for it from ideation to fruition. Though I did.

I love this book because it is a beautiful work that can stand on its own for everything it is and can do to be an encouragement in my life, personally, and (I'm absolutely certain) in the lives of others. I love this book because it is real and honest and not all fun and good times. I love this book for making me laugh and think and cry. I love this book because it is relevant and relatable (Which is saying something, since–while I love her dearly–Kim and I can be polar opposites with very little in common about our growing up years/stories.) and most of all: Hopeful.

As I said, I knew it would be well-written, and it is. Kim is a master at painting a picture and drawing you into the details. She is the queen of vignettes. She has themes and feelings that show through the entirety of the work in a way that paints the true ups and downs and cycles of life and struggle and faith. I started it almost immediately and then struggled to put it down when the real world called on me to fulfill my responsibilities. And I was fully reckless, knowing I had those responsibilities ready to knock on my bedroom door this morning, last night when I read the rest of Nothing Wasted until it was finished at 2 AM. So, yes, I am still not sure I'll be reaching for another memoir (Sorry, Kim!) anytime soon, but this book did make me consider that I might enjoy branching out just a bit more.

Today is a day that I've waited for and that I know Kim has been working so hard to make happen. I honestly couldn't be more proud of, excited for, and in love with the results she has achieved. Now, ready for me to actually talk about the details so you can go out and get your JUST RELEASED copy today? From the back (of what is a truly gorgeous cover):

Nothing Wasted: Struggling Well through Difficult Seasons by Kim Patton (with a foreword by Jenn Hesse)

Difficult seasons catch us off guard and make us feel like life won't ever make sense again.

On our worst days, it's hard to believe that God will guide us through the mess. Even on our good days, when we feel we have done all the right things, we may wonder:

Why am I working this job?

Am I making a difference?

How do I know the way to go?

Why can't I seem to be content?

In Nothing Wasted, we see how we mature in time. Like fog dissipating, we recognize how God is gently leading us through each season of our lives. We may be struggling, but we are moving forward.

Our faith is not unseen.

Our moments are not wasted.

All the pain that comes in these seasons does lead to a full, rich life, growing in relationship with God and others.

Ready to get your copy? Here's a link to the Kindle/print versions on Amazon:

https://www.amazon.com/Nothing-Wasted-Struggling-Through-Difficult/dp/B0CJLL2C1Z/ref=sr_1_1?crid=383ME3L86PEBX&keywords=kim+patton&qid=1698159551&sprefix=kim+pa%2Caps%2C211&sr=8-1

Happy reading!

I'm all for rating books I love so that others can enjoy them, authors get that encouragement, and truly good books get a boost. But I haven't been much of a "reviewer" since middle school. Recently, though, I read an ARC (advanced reader copy) in exchange for an honest review. I'm really glad I took the time to think about a book critically like this, because it really does add to the reading experience as a whole–especially when it comes to poetry. That's right, I'm about to give you a review of a poetry book!

I can't tell you how long I've been waiting for this opportunity . . . I've always wanted to be a beta reader/receive an ARC (even though I've gotten beta readers for my books and sent out proofs as ARC's before), but I've never done it. Until now. I jumped at the opportunity when the author of A Kudzu Vine of Blood and Bone, Tristan Tuttle, reached out for readers. And I read the book quickly–poetry books aren't usually too word-count-heavy, after all–then I had to sit with it for a while. I put off writing this review because I wanted to find the words to do this work justice.

I gave it some time. I reread several poems, let the phrasings and feelings linger . . . Then finally settled in for this.

I'll start out by saying I'm pretty picky when it comes to poetry (wonder why?). I will read cliché stories, books with plot holes, sub-par writing, and love it: But I have weirdly high standards for the poetry I consume. Now that that's out of the way–I really enjoyed A Kudzu Vine of Blood and Bone. What I admire the most about Tristan Tuttle's style is the amount of emotion she is able to pack into each piece and the way she calls forth similar feelings in the reader (A.K.A. - me, lol!). This book is Tristan Tuttle's debut collection and really is a cohesive and moving work. If you're a poetry fan, then I sincerely encourage you to give this book a try. The e-book version is available now for pre-order on Amazon here:

https://us.amazon.com/gp/product/B09SM3WPDM/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_hsch_vapi_tkin_p1_i0

And you can get your copy on April 18th of this year!

I'll also be getting the print version ASAP, for rereading purposes and so it can live on my bookshelf with that gorgeous cover displayed.

If you want to get more updates and follow her journey, you can find the author of this book on Instagram @tristantuttle as well as sign up for her emails. Happy reading!

HEaR is all set to be released this weekend. Are you ready? Have you gotten your pre-orders in? Because I am all ready for you to have the chance to read it! In fact, I'm a little too ready, probably, since I want to dedicate this post to something beyond book number three . . . Is it too soon to talk about other projects that are in the works? No? Great!

As I've mentioned before, I have a pretty packed publishing schedule for this year. The current plan is to release 1 book each quarter in 2022. All of the books are written (though we've learned I will re-work a manuscript even a month before publishing, so they still might get beefed up a bit), but they are each at different stages of editing and such. Even so, after HEaR, the next release isn't actually going to be full-scale book and you shouldn’t be waiting two more months either.

Have you ever heard of chapbooks?

Here's a quick rundown in case you haven't: Chapbooks are short collections of poetry that usually are around sixty poems or less. As you may know, poetry has never been a particularly popular genre of books, so publishers have long been wary of accepting manuscripts. And historically, back when printing was so expensive, that rang even more true. So what did poets do? They made chapbooks. By hand. And lots of them. In fact, you could say that poets have a very long legacy of self-publishing and distributing their work for themselves.

Thus far, all of my manuscripts have been safely out of the chapbook poem count, but I decided to try something. As I’ve been promising for a while now, I would like to get my newsletter going and I wanted something to give to those who subscribe. (Bribery is also a historically accurate motivator. ‍♀️) So I started working on a chapbook. It’s not finished yet, but I’m enthusiastically thinking it will be completed before February is done. While it won’t be a physical book, it will be a short ebook that can also serve as an intro of sorts to my style.

And, best yet, it’ll be free!

I’ve been hinting and teasing about this for a while now, but I figured now is as good a time as any to break the news. So keep an eye out around the end of February and you can get both a free chapbook and subscribe to a cool (hopefully) newsletter in one go. And, yes, the name of the ebook is Ariadne. But I’ll explain that title choice another day . . .

For now, you’ll have to settle for my old new book (just kidding, I love this book and I hope you will too!), HEaR which is set to be released this Sunday. Get your pre-orders in now by clicking this link: https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/173632554X/ref=dbs_a_w_dp_173632554x

It's the first book of the year! Well, almost. February 13th is both super close and so far away . . . So! To help the time pass, here are some things you need to know about HEaR.

HEaR has been on quite the journey to get from my mind to your hands. Though I originally wrote and assembled this book four years ago now, I actually tried making a couple iterations waaaay before that (which might technically make this my first book?). Then I made a draft two for a perfectly fine book because–after books one and two came out–I had written more pieces that seemed to slot in there so nicely. Then, I added even more last December. That's right: Less than two months before my set publication date! All leading to the creation of a third draft of my third book. (Those child-number-three vibes are strong! And I'm a third child, so I can say that.)

So why not just move the publication date back? Well, a couple reasons.

First, I have that rather intense publication schedule all mapped out for 2022, and I do NOT want to put everything off track. I want to start off strong and build the momentum this year. And secondly, I really, really wanted this book to come out on Galentine's Day. HEaR is a tribute to and celebration of sisterhood and women and so that particular "holiday" seems fitting, no? (PS - I'd like to think that HEaR would be a decent Galentine's gift for your girls, so maybe look into that if you need ideas. Just sayin'!)

HEaR really is for the many women and girls in my life, here and gone and forthcoming. It's for them it's about them, it's because of them. And it's likely to step on some toes. It very much may not be for everyone (though what is, honestly?), and I wouldn't be particularly surprised if–out of the books I'll have out thus far–it's the one that people don't quite get. I'm ok with all of that. I believe in writing for readers in the sense that it's powerful to relate and build community on common ground, but I also believe that writing is a form of art. And, sometimes, that means doing things for me, though I still hope that HEaR is able to strike a balance between the two.

It's the book I have been waiting the longest to show readers. It's the one I feel has the most cohesive "message" of the first three collections. And it's just something I'm really proud of owning from start to finish. I can't wait to share it with you and HEaR your thoughts!

HEaR is available now for pre-order in both print and ebook format, so grab your copy today!

,https://www.amazon.com/HEaR-Kiana-Lin/dp/173632554X/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=

I recognize that I'm almost a whole month late, but HAPPY NEW YEAR! I hope that things are already off to great start for you, but if 2022's not everything you hoped it would be: There's still plenty of time. And, speaking of plenty of time . . .

I realized that I haven't put up a blog post since last August. I'll tell you–2021 took me for a ride (as I'm sure many of you could also say)–and 2022 is still delivering some of those earthquake aftershocks. The good news is that I currently am able to jump back into blogging and working on some of the super fun and definitely-not-at-all-mind-numbing marketing tasks that indie authors get to tackle.

While I haven't been focusing on blogging at all for months now, I have been focusing on writing still, so there's plenty of stuff coming up this year. For example, my next book, HEaR, is actually all set for publishing and is coming out next month! I'll update you on that more another time, but I will say that pre-orders are already open for the ebook versions. (I'll post a link for you below, so definitely check that out!)

In other news, I've decided on a pretty aggressive publishing schedule for 2022. Like, a new book every quarter kinda aggressive. While also editing and designing each book. And working on the meta data and marketing. And writing new books. And other life stuff. So hopefully I'll be keeping up with the blogging (definitely better than I did last year), though I'll ask for a bit of grace if I do fail in that arena.

One thing I'm hoping to get going in the next month or so–and definitely will be made a priority in the grand scheme of indie chaos–is the email newsletter I keep mentioning. I apologize for dropping the ball on that, but I wanted to really get some good ideas for content so that it will (hopefully) be a worthy read for you all. Maybe there will even be some goodies included for subscribers. Who knows?! (But, seriously, who knows? Not me!)

And on that note, I do, in fact, have goodies! If you follow me on Instagram, you'll get a sneak peek at some poems from HEaR. And if you're not already following me on Instagram, you may want to start: More poems will be coming up every Wednesday until HEaR goes live! So check out the @creativeinklin account on Instagram, and get your ebook pre-order here:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09R3VYDLH

Until next Wednesday!

Yeah, I know . . . Puns. But other than that, how’s your week? Mine’s been a real mixed bag and I’m adjusting to a lot of changes in my life, so this is going to be a simple post. We’re covering (I’m not sorry!) Indelible’s cover.

If you’ve been following my journey for a bit, you might actually recognize the drawing. (Reduce, Reuse, Recycle!)

As you may or may not know, I do blackout poetry and have for about four or so years now. About two years back, I blacked out a piece and drew a picture that was meant to be reminiscent of one of my first poems featuring a flower.

September 2017

June 2019

I think I want to maybe do another rendition of this every couple of years, just periodically to see how my style will continue to evolve. (Which means it's about time for another picture in this vein with–hopefully–better poetry.) But back on track: I really loved the finished drawing, though I had no particular plans for it–save posting it on Instagram. It wasn't until over a year later that I really thought of it again.

When the title for my second book came to me, I knew I wanted one of my blackout pieces to be on the front. In fact, of the first three books, this was the cover that actually came together first. The word "indelible" has a lot of different feelings and connotations to me, but permanent markers are always pretty high on the list of word associations. And since nearly all of my pieces are done with Sharpies, it made sense. This picture was really the only one that stuck out to me as a contender. The clean space, the texture, even the symbolism all made it my first choice.

Fun fact that I thought I mentioned about Inkling (but seems to shock people when I tell them), I did the font for the title myself. And the same goes for Indelible. I'm actually terrible at writing print, because I taught myself when I was in middle school. Up until then, I had only been instructed in and almost exclusively used cursive. It's definitely what I prefer to use, and–if I get distracted and don't make a concentrated effort–I will often switch back to using cursive even if I start out with print. So I decided to have some fun with that for book two.

And now my little book cover is out there in the wider world and I'm so excited to share it with you.

What do you think? Want to see it in person? Order your copy of Indelible now:

https://www.amazon.com/Indelible-Kian...

Second books are funny things. My feelings about Indelible seem to be sort of like those that are exaggerated and made into jokes on sitcoms about middle children. (Which, ouch, middle child here . . .) I love it, I made it, I'm proud of it, but–honestly–I'm more excited about the next couple of books.

I'm excellent at selling my work, can't you tell?

That all being said, I do want to take a moment and sort of give an appreciation post about Indelible, the work I put into it, and the poems that can be found within. Sharing on social media has been a bit limited in comparison to how much I was posting about Inkling, though I think part of that is due to the fact that Indelible is a shorter book. I kinda have felt that I've been making too much of it available. Even so, here's what I think you should know about it.

Like page numbers! (I'm only kind of kidding. Due to many complaints about my first book, the second got numbers.) Anyway! Similar to Inkling, Indelible is separated into three sections: Shallows, Sinking, and Deeply. Since this is a book more focused on love experiences, I think you can see where this might be going. Shallows is the shortest part of the book, comprised of the lighter, bubbly sort of feelings associated with new love. Not my forte, thus the brevity. Sinking tackles a whole other aspect of love–when times are tough. It's composed of darker pieces and even slightly longer poems. From there we flow on to Deeply, which focuses on love that comes out on the other side of hardship. There really isn't a lot of feel-good poems in the book, but I still get a sense of satisfaction when I come to the end of it.

I think I have weird feelings about love and romance. I like mundane things, tiny details, quiet moments, and triumph after a struggle. I like vulnerability and will work through all the mess to get to whatever is at the core. I love real and I believe that's obvious from the pieces inside Indelible. As I said before, it's not romantic poetry or love poems the way some might associate with those terms, but I still believe it fits best into those categories. One of my favorite pieces from the book encapsulates those notions quite nicely, I think:

It's not the flash, pop, or sizzle

That you'd imagine.

Begin in love is more like the reverberation

That rumbles through your chest

And resonates in your being.

It's that pressure and release

Coupled with a suffusion of lightness and joy

That you can't quite properly explain.

It's wonder and excitement–

No matter how many times

You've experienced it.

It's a bewildering and settling feeling of contentment

When the night is over

And you walk off

Into the dark and the unknown.

It's the expectant and untouchable aspects

That make love

Feel like fireworks.

So there you have it, a few things to know about book 2, Indelible. If you haven't checked it out yet, what are you waiting for? Click the link below and get it today:

https://www.amazon.com/Indelible-Kiana-Lin/dp/1736325531/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=indelible+kiana+lin&qid=1628696138&sr=8-1

I love weapons: Weapon making, weapon history, weapon usage, etc. I'll be intrigued and give a decent listen to someone talking about just about any such topic. I'm just not a huge fan of ranged weapons, mostly because you can either lose your main source of defense and constantly have to retrieve it or you will have to reload and eventually run out.

Maybe it's part of my views on sustainability, maybe it's just my personality, but I hate replenishing . . . Anything. I like when something can get worn in, can keep being used until it just falls apart, and then–when there's absolutely no other choice–I will consider finally replacing whatever it was with the exact same thing. And I'll also likely repurpose the scraps. The problem is that creatively only kinda sorta works that way. But not really.

Creativity has this remarkably elastic and moldable quality that lends itself well to recycling. There are a lot ways to keep your creative spirit going, even have it running for years on just a little spark. But without a renewable source, even creativity can and will run out. I generally fall in the category of sustaining creative drive over the course of a few years by writing at whatever pace the words come, changing up projects, brainstorming with writer friends, learning new ways to express myself, and finding things to inspire me. But even I eventually hit that wall.

I didn't actually realize what seem to be my creative sources, until I was looking back on what actually precipitated me taking each step forward. Ends up, it's a mix of family and home. Being with my people and in a place that challenges and stretches me while also refreshing and comforting me in ways that I just don't get when I'm elsewhere. But it took me years to figure it out. Years to recognize the patterns and to properly acknowledge those who gave me the courage to create and try new things and let others witness those choices.

I had the opportunity to relive that this year: To refresh, recharge, and reload. To see and thank people who played vital (if unknowing) roles in me deciding to write, pursuing creativity, and sharing my work with the wider world. To be immersed in home and adventure and familiarity. I'm so thankful for the time, for prioritizing, and for being able to seize the chance. I'd actually been in such a rough spot creatively–prior to that trip–and I didn't even realize how debilitating it was for me. But being back to reality and seeing what I've started and how far I've come and where I'm going, I've started to really take in those subtle changes that are still revitalizing my creative spark.

I'm still slower than I'd like, but I'm writing again (Hello!) and feeling that creative vision taking over more and more of my headspace. So while I'm not quite ready for my next shot, I'm at least sure the creativity gun is reloaded.

It's time for an update, since it's been a while.

I know I talked about some exciting stuff in the last blog then disappeared for two or three-ish months. That was due to several different things going on in my life and even some traveling, but I intend to do better. So what's been going on/what's the plan?

Well, for starters, this year has been pretty topsy-turvy for me. There have been a lot of substantial changes in my life and will likely continue to radically shift in the coming months as well. I'll admit that my mental and emotional health has been pretty poor since January, though I'd like to think that I've grown quite a bit and made credible progress to this point. That, however, is one of the reasons the blog, social media, and other writings and updates have been slow going or non-existent: That and the fact that I was able to spend two weeks visiting family and celebrating. It did mean that internet was pretty spotty and definitely contributed to my slacking.

Since being back though, I realized that my mental/emotional health wasn't all that needed sprucing up. I initially had only planned on taking new author photos, but got a bit carried away. So, the website–as you can probably see–got a decent refresh too! On the outside. The inner-workings though? I got started and then got carried away. All the things you don't really notice or care about on someone else's website got a major overhaul, so hopefully things are easier to navigate, look better when viewed on mobile devices, and are more current with what's coming and how far we've come.

So what is to come?

Hopefully, I'll actually get started on the newsletter very shortly. I've been putting it off for at least a year now, so there really aren't any excuses left other than I'm rather nervous about it. I've got plans, though, which means it's just a matter of getting over myself and enacting them. Additionally, I decided to do a reworking of the entirety of book 3, because I clearly didn't have enough on my plate. Now I'm having to get everything in order and polished up if I plan on making my publishing goal of releasing it early next year. (And you're not getting too many more spoilers on that yet!) I also, luckily, have book 4 pretty much all set up and ready to go, so 2022 will be a year with 2 more full-length poetry books that I'm excited to share. And, of course, I'm still writing. Books 5 and 6 are both being written or edited right now, though I think by the time I'm ready to publish them they will both have undergone a similar makeover as book 3, so who knows. I'm also hoping to revive some projects that I've buried or neglected and maybe shake some things up.

All this to say, I'm sorry for the absence, I'm back on track, and I couldn't be more excited about what's coming next . . . Thanks for checking in, and make sure you scout out what's changed on the site, sign up for the impending monthly newsletter, and follow along on my social media pages for updates and to chat!

. . . To the release of Indelible, that is. 26 more days, to be exact, and I'm feeling a little weird about this one, I gotta be honest. While it's a shorter book (only 98 pages to Inkling's 120), I feel like this one is maybe more "out there" for me.

Firstly, romance is something I am absolutely terrible at: I don't recognize it, am very bad at receiving it, and positively abominable at creating it. So while it's a book about love, I'm not sure that Indelible can accurately be described as romantic poetry. The pieces inside are from a wide range of loves that I've experienced in life, and they're kind of about the course of those relationships over years and years–some of the poems are even covering the pain/growth from my experiences with love, family, and friends.

Which is why I'm not sure it should be considered a romance book and it's definitely not "light" reading, though it is short. I'm not sure I have or ever will write something that's angst-free or even mostly light, so that's a bit of a heads-up for anyone thinking that maybe this book will be different from Inkling in that regard. (Though Inkling is my least angsty work so far, and I was very surprised the first time someone referred to it as "dark poetry." )

I swear, I'm not trying to scare you away from Indelible! I just want to make sure that I'm giving an authentic presentation of the book so that readers can choose to get into it or avoid it without false pretense. I worked hard on this book (just like the others) and it's something I want to find its way into the right hands, to someone who will appreciate it.

So what else can you expect in the next few weeks?

Well, like I said, it's a short book, but I heard the complaints about Inkling and made a choice for the print version of Indelible: You get actual page numbers, though I'm still not much for naming my poems . . . Like last time, I'm going to be adding some prints to my RedBubble shop, so keep an eye out for some sneak peaks. I'm also thinking of having a giveaway of Inkling before the release happens, which means you might want to stay tuned. Additionally, my actual newsletter will be starting soon, so sign up for that if you haven't already.

And last, but certainly not least, Indelible is already available for pre-order on Amazon Kindle and Kobo, so go get it now!

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0942CXQ33/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i1

https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/indelible-28