A Miracle Would Happen

Two miracles have happened.

One, I'm actually posting here again even though I've been failing to do so for about a month.

Two, I installed Internet Explorer 8 even though 7 was prettier. I resisted for as long as I could.

Now for some sad news.

One, my kitty died. His name was Clint and I loved him dearly, but he had FIP, and even though he'd astounded vets by rebounding four times, he just couldn't fight any more. I miss him. :(

Two, I think Philippa (my laptop for those who don't know) is reaching the age of retirement. She's been acting up lately and having all sorts of problems, so I'm planning on going computer shopping soon.

Let's see, what else has happened since I was last on here... oh! I totally revamped my blog layout for about the fifteenth time, but I really like it now! (That is to say it'll probably stay this way for a couple of weeks.) Still no date on Allegiance, which is frustrating to you and to me, but I hope soon I'll be able to shed some light on that for you. I'm about to think up a new poll, and my offer of posting the map of the Palace's first floor if there are over 117 votes stands. I'll probably think up something else as well because I owe it to you guys after having been gone for forever.

So.... yeah. This was a while ago, but I got to see my awesome big brother David in a show when he came through Milwaukee. The show was The Last Five Years, hence the name of this post. You should check him out. 'Cuz he's awesome. So there. Or rather, here:

David Andino!!!!

I think this post contains some of the laziest writing I've ever done in my life, but hey, who's judging? (Please don't judge me.) Anyway, I will be back, and hopefully with more frequency!

Oh wait -- I forgot to do poll results. Here they are:

Where does Narian's Allegiance lie?

8% With Hytanica, where he was born
6% With Cokyri, where he grew up
14% With whatever side gives him the best advantage
70% Wherever Alera is

Clear winner there!

Alright, NOW I can say I will be back. Adios! Love you all and happy holidays!

Cayla

Safe Returns: TeenVoices + Spain Cover!!

I am not dead. I've just been neglecting the call of the blogosphere, and I apologize deeply and truly to said blogosphere.

BUT, now that I'm back, I've got a bunch of cool news. First off, an interview I did with Teen Voices is coming out in their November issue, so subscribe or buy your copy when you get a chance! The magazine will also be doing a Twitter Giveaway of Legacy next week, so don't forget to stop over and become a follower.

There are three days left to vote on this month's Offkey Poll -- if there are more than 117 votes by then, I'll post the first floor map of the Palace! (But since the goal is admittedly a little far off, don't worry -- I'll keep the challenge open indefinitely.)

I also got to see the cover for the Spanish edition of Legacy, which I'm thrilled about. I posted it below -- be sure to check out the publisher's website and blog as well.

Roca Juvenil

Roca Joven

Thanks so much for stopping by, and I'll be back soon with poll results!

Cayla

Halloween Round Robin... Finally!

Yay!!! My website is working! I can finally give you a link to the pdf version of the Halloween Round Robin from the Facebook fan page. Thanks go to Joanna, Breezy, Melody, Sharlie, Chelsea, Cara, Alyssa, Drew, and Holly.

Halloween Round Robin 2009

Also, at long last I've thought up a "prize" for this month's Offkey Poll. Last month, there were 117 votes total, and if we exceed that number for the "Narian's allegiance" poll, I'll post the map of the first floor of the Hytanican Palace here on the blog. I have a hand-drawn, scanned-in version, as well as a wall-sized one with furniture and everything glued into the rooms and color-coordinated. (I'm a little obsessive compulsive I guess, but it was fun -- it satiated my inner interior designer!) I really hope the goal is met, but promise if it isn't that the challenge will remain open.

Some really exciting stuff is going on behind the scenes over here -- I wish I could tell you all of it! Hopefully I'll be able to soon. Just the other day I signed a whole pile of foreign contracts and they were sent out in the mail, so that was cool. Oh! I finished the rough draft of Redemption (Book 3) a few days ago and now the dreaded editing has begun. I'm actually starting to consider what I want to write next already, which is weird for me -- I've been completely immersed in Legacy world for over three years now!!

Anyway, thanks for dropping in, and I'll be back soon.

Cayla

Still Having Problems

Sorry everyone!! My website is still having problems that are preventing me from updating it, so I can't post the Halloween round robin yet.... grr.

Happy Halloween!

Boo!

I hope everybody has plans to watch scary movies and steal candy from their neighbors tonight! The Halloween round robin on the Facebook fan page was a success -- however, I am not having success posting it here. It's a pdf file so I have to put it on my website first then link to it from here, but as of right now, Network Solutions is giving me more of a trick than a treat today and won't let me edit my site. Anyway, hopefully by the end of the day this will be resolved and I can post the story as promised -- but if not, it will go up this week, and you can read what everyone came up with in the interim on the Facebook fan page by using the link in the sidebar.

My mom and my sister got in an accident last night when a ladder fell of a construction truck and hit their car, shattering the driver's window and blowing off the sideview mirror (which hit my mom in the head). Everybody's okay (except the cute little Kia... it's at the car hospital), but yesterday was a long one!!

Anyway, hopefully I'll be back today yet with the round robin. Until then, over and out!

Cayla

Guest Post at Tif Talks Books

Hi all!

The guest post I wrote for Tif Talks Books has gone up -- here's the link if you want to check it out, and don't forget to become a follower over there:

You're Only as Young as You Feel by Cayla Kluver

Also, Facebook has been acting up, so the discussions on the fan page keep appearing and disappearing -- I haven't been deleting them! I encourage everybody who feels like it to start up their own discussion thread, and chances are I'll chime in (once Facebook starts behaving...).

AND, an interesting occurence! (I have a weird life, I've decided.) I just found out that there's going to be a reading activity about me in a series of textbooks that teaches English to middle schoolers in Latin America. Way cool, but WAY strange! I remember activities about people in my Spanish textbooks and now I'm one of them. :P Thanks to Richmond Publishing in Mexico City for the FYI, and for thinking I'm interesting enough to include!

Well, I think that's about it for now, so... I'll be back!

Cayla

Offkey Poll Results -- Narian's Character Sheet

Hi everybody!

There are a few hours left to vote on the favorite character poll, but since Narian has consistently been ahead, I feel it's safe to say he's the winner (and if by some weird happening he's not, I'll post the actual winner's character sheet too, savvy?). As promised, I've posted his detail sheet from my very old Legacy notebook (as well as a couple of pics of the notebook) below! This stuff was put together as I was creating his character, so a lot of things changed from this original "draft" of him to the person we see in the finished book. Also, you can see me lurking in the pics because I had to take them with my webcam (my older sister has her digital camera at school with her).

Just a couple things I'm going to make you read before I hand over the goodies: use the link in the sidebar to access the Facebook fan page, where in the discussions you can ask me questions and participate in the Halloween round robin. Also, I'm in the process of updating my official website, so it will include a video pronunciation guide for Legacy and some other fun stuff. For now, the video of me saying the names, etc., is up on the fan page. The MAIN CHANGE on the website is the new contact email for publicity inquiries: publicity@caylakluver.com.

Without further ado.....

Narian:

Physical Description
Steel blue eyes/sharp, intense, cold, unwelcoming
Smooth face/youthful glow
Seventeen years old
Height -- 5'10"
Thick dark blonde hair/bleached in places
Cut inch below his ears, haphazard bangs
Worldly face though young
Strong + muscular/lean
Athletic
Handsome

Personality Traits
Guarded/careful/deliberate
Very intelligent
Manipulative
Knows people + how to use them
Seems wordly and experienced
Observant + more judgmental (not critical)
Good at concealing his fears
Never been prisoner before (scared)
Emotional vulnerability
VERY well-trained
An "enigma"
Been taught to control his emotions
Intense

Hope you enjoyed, and I'll be back shortly with a new poll and (hopefully) a new prize of some sort!

Thanks for reading,

Cayla

Teen Trend Magazine + Tif Talks Books

Hello again all,

A couple of zippety-quick updates: a review of Legacy was published in the latest edition of Teen Trend Magazine, which you can check out here by flipping to page 32:

Teen Trend Fall 2009

I'm so excited and grateful to the magazine for doing this review! You can subscribe to Teen Trend or read more about them at their official website.

Another review of Legacy was done over at Tif Talks Books, where I will be doing a guest post in not too long -- I'll let you know for sure when and post a link once it goes up. 'Til then, see what Tif thought, and don't forget to become a follower!

Legacy by Cayla Kluver

Thanks a bunch to Tif, and I can't wait to do that post on your site.

A few other things: the Halloween round robin is going wonderfully over at the Facebook fan page -- stop by and don't be shy about participating! Also, I'm going to encourage you guys again to head over to StoryCasting.com and pick the actors you see as the characters from Legacy -- it's a ton of fun! I'm also receiving a bunch of courtesy bookmarks from them that I'll be handing out at signings, readings, etc.

StoryCasting: Legacy by Cayla Kluver

Anyway, that's about it for now -- thanks so much for reading!

Cayla

Halloween Round Robin and Storycasting

Hi all!

First things first, we've started up a Halloween round robin over on the Facebook fan page, and I really, REALLY encourage everybody to come over and participate! For those who might not know, a round robin is a story written by lots of people, in this case five sentences at a time. It's absolutely no pressure and a ton of fun. On the 31st, the completed story will go up here on the blog for you guys to read. Check it out, and get everybody you know to chime in!!!

Second, Legacy has been added to the database on StoryCasting.com so that I and all of you can pick out your favorite actors and cast the roles how you'd like to see them in a movie version. I cast mine this morning (though I'm still thinking about quite a few of the characters), and hope you have a blast casting yours!

StoryCasting: Legacy by Cayla Kluver

That's all for now -- be back later,

Cayla

WQOW and Fan Art

Hi all!

I'm super excited for a number of reasons -- first, I did an interview with WQOW TV-18, which you can check out here on their website:

In Person: Cayla Kluver

Both the three minute segment that was on TV and the full half-hour interview are up. Thanks so much to Steve for conducting the interview, and to Josie (my best friend) and Mrs. White (my epically awesome English teacher) for being involved!

Second, Joanna on the Facebook Fan Page drew some BEAUTIFUL fan art for Legacy that I'm pumped to share with you. Check it out!! The first one is called "Forbidden", and the second one is "Sisters".

I just want to point out the detail on the frame behind Alera and Miranna in "Sisters". I'm so humbled by the work Joanna put into these drawings. If anyone else has fan art, please do not be shy about sharing. I would love to see what you've come up with -- it's exciting and such an honor for me.

Well, I think that's about it for now -- thanks for stopping in!

Cayla

Book Tour, Etc.

Hi everybody,

Lots of stuff to tell you about, so I'll try to do it concisely! First things first, thank you SO much for all the votes on this month's Offkey Poll. Remember, the winning character's detail sheet from my old notebook will be posted here on the blog, and I really hope you all enjoy checking it out!

We're starting to drum up some tentative talk about a book tour, and as long as nothing's been firmed up, I thought I'd give you guys the chance to let me know where you want me to come. If you'd like to recommend a library, bookstore, or your school (I'll be doing readings, Q&As and signings all in one), just post in the comments below. OR (this would be really helpful!), ask whatever establishment you're thinking of to send an email to editor@forsoothpublishing.com. That way we can get talks underway, make sure they know about the book, and hopefully get some stuff set up!

On that note, there have been some changes on the publicity front -- Amazon is no longer working with WaggenerEdstrom, which means I have to say goodbye to my publicists Mariella and Natalie, whom I absolutely LOVE. Just want them to know that they've made every interview and bit of travel a pleasure, and I'm SOOOO sad to be parting ways! (This is also why, for the time being, I've reverted to the old publicity email above. I'll update when things have settled.)

I've added some stuff to the blog, which you may have noticed -- at the top, I'm putting "Quotes of the Moment", which is just a fun thing for me to do. I'm one of these people who for some reason will get a line from a movie or a quote from the president stuck in my head instead of a song, so I've provided an outlet for myself! Anyway, if any of you ever have the same problem, feel free to share your quotes of the moment here as well.

If you scroll down the sidebar, there's also now a search box so you can more easily browse through my posts (the results will show up at the top of the page so you have to scroll back up to see them, but still); and there's a link to my Facebook Fan Page, which I find I keep referencing here (I'm about to again).

People on the fan page -- you rock! People reading this who aren't a part of the fan page -- you should come on over! Everybody's welcome, and we honestly have a blast there just chatting and bouncing ideas around. The discussion tab has a place where you can ask me questions, as well as a place to talk about your favorite characters (or your least favorite ones!), thanks to Joanna. Feel free to start your own discussions too and be a part of the family. That's how I think of it, and uber thanks go to everyone who participates over there.

Now on to a sad topic: I'm a hopeless animal lover, and in doing some research today, I found out that in October 2008, my local animal shelter was forced to euthanize 112 cats and dogs. Some of them were sick or old, but most of them just couldn't find homes. Animals are innocent and loving and they need us. Please help them by adopting today!!

Thanks so much for reading,

Cayla

Quick Update

Website is a-go. Hooray!

www.caylakluver.com

Thanks for dropping by,

Cayla

Allegiance and Ouch

Well, my cat bit my foot. And it hurts. A LOT. But I shall carry on, just like those wayward sons in that Kansas song.

Anyway, part of the reason my injured foot hurts so badly is that I spent the entire day cleaning and going up and down stairs. My family is sort of doing a spring cleaning thing, except its fall and this is the first time we've mucked out our house in half a decade. I'm busy going through my room, and am finding all sorts of worthless things from years past that I for some reason want to keep. Like a tacky neon guitar-shaped wall clock. And a copy of "The Stupidly Scary Stories", which my friend Lisa and I wrote way back in elementary school. And (I couldn't believe this) the dvd of my older sister's sophomore year high school play, for which I was the student director (which meant I got to tag along with my mom, the director, and snap orders at a bunch of kids who were older than me). Anyway, it's been something of a bonanza... of garbage. Which reminds me, the first season of Bonanza is out on DVD -- if you haven't seen it, BUY IT. It's classic and you won't regret it.

On to book business, some of you may have noticed that my official website, www.caylakluver.com, is down at the moment. I'm trying to get this fixed as quickly as possible, and hope (hope) to have it running again tomorrow. Cross your fingers the information didn't get deleted somehow because I don't have it saved anywhere. Gulp.

Also, I've recently been getting a lot of questions about Allegiance, the second book in The Legacy Series, so here's what's going on. I've had the manuscript finished for several months, and it has been sent to my foreign publishers for translation; however, there has been a bump here and there in negotiating with my US publisher, and that's why there is no publication date currently available for the book. I promise Allegiance is on its way, and that I will keep you guys up to date on all the info I have.

Okay, now back to random things: who else is psyched about the new season of Supernatural? I'm a dork at heart, I know, but I LOVE that show, and would very willingly marry Dean in Vegas.

Anyway, I'll be back again (just like in that Beatles song).

Cayla

Eastwick

I was told by Darren Criss of StarKidPotter to blog about this (through YouTube, not personally!), so I'm going to! Everybody should check out the ABC show Eastwick. He'll be appearing on the October 7th episode and subsequent ones, and since he's totally awesome, you all should watch the pilot on ABC's website and blog about it too! Also, if you haven't heard of Darren Criss and the rest of the StarKid Team, check out their YouTube channel and watch A Very Potter Musical and Little White Lie. Brilliant, brilliant stuff.

Anyway, that's all for now! Back in a bit,

Cayla

Vote For Your Favorite!

Hola all,

After consulting with some truly awesome people over on my Facebook fan page, I've decided to make this month's "favorite character" Offkey Poll a little more interesting.

So here's the scoop. Whichever character has the most votes when the poll closes will have their character sheet (from way back when I started Legacy) posted here on the blog. The sheet includes physical characteristics and personality traits, and I'll also try to get a picture of it inside my story notebook (my sister's camera is the only one we have that works and right now it's at college with her...). Anyway, if this is something you're interested in, spread the word and get everybody you know to vote!!

Even more exciting news: the audiobook version of Legacy has finished recording, and I got a look at its packaging design, which is AMAZING. I also received a super nice note in the mail from Anna Chlumsky, who voiced the audiobook, so I want to give her a shoutout and a big internet hug.

I feel like there was something else I intended to say in this post. ... But I can't remember what it was. Welcome to the world of Cayla.

Anyway, thanks for dropping in, and I'll be back shortly!

Me

Foreign Deals and Offkey Polls

Hey everybody,

I'm back with some updates and fun stuff! I announced a lot of this on my Facebook fan page, but I can't remember how much of it made it over to the blog, so I'm posting it all here just to make sure.

Legacy has now been sold in one, two, and three-book deals to Vietnam, Turkey, Taiwan, and France, which is exceedingly exciting. I feel like a broken record thanking these people so much, but gratitude once again goes to Taryn Fagerness, foreign rights agent extraordinaire, and my own agent, Kevan Lyon. I also want to thank all the foreign publishers who are taking an interest -- I'm thrilled to have been given the chance to work with all of you, and to soon be able to see Legacy in so many different languages!!

As you may have already noticed, I renamed my blog "Offkey" (instead of "Cayla's Author Blog", which, let's face it, was really boring). The new name has some personal significance for me, but in truth, this is the story behind it: it started off as "Offbeat" because, well, I'm what you might call a free spirit. From there, my younger sister suggested "Offkey" because I love singing so much, and apparently offkey is usually what I am. Thanks, Kendra. :)

If you look in the sidebar, you'll see that I've started up polls again! When I was promoting the self-published version of Legacy, I had a new poll here every month, but I stopped when the Encore deal came about. Now that the hardcover edition has been out for a while, I think it'd be great to return to getting feedback from and interacting with readers that way.

I also want to (again) remind anyone who might have an interest that I'm still answering questions on my Facebook fan page (check the discussion tab). Head on over!

Other than that, I've been writing Redemption like crazy, and I finished the last round of edits I'll be doing solo on Allegiance this week. I did a little Snoopy dance in celebration.

Thanks so much for stopping in!

Cayla

Time For Kids; New Website

Hi all,

The new website is live and running! Check it out:

Cayla Kluver Official

I reorganized some stuff and changed the layout, so I'm pretty excited!

On another exciting note, I did an interview with Time For Kids which has now gone up on their website:

Meet Cayla Kluver

Enormous thanks go to Vickie An for doing the interview with me!

I think that's about all for now. Be back in a bit!

Cayla

I'm Back (Finally!), Plus Another Giveaway

Hey everybody,

At long last, my internet is working! After several attempts to fix it ourselves, we finally called to have somebody come out, and MAN did it have problems. Anyway, it's up and running now, and I can sleep comfortably again.

News: Beth's Book Review Blog is doing a giveaway contest of Legacy in hardcover (as opposed to ARCs), so anyone who has an interest should definitely head over and enter! The contest started September 8th, and ends September 30th -- winners will be announced October 1st.

Giveaway: Legacy by Cayla Kluver

Thanks a bunch to Beth for hosting the contest!!

As a side note, anyone else who is doing a Legacy giveaway or has heard about one should let me know -- I love to blog about them!

Also, something SUPER IMPORTANT: Thank you, thank you, thank you to everybody who has commented here over the last week and a half (or there-abouts). As I said, my internet has been flukey, and I haven't been able to respond individually to you guys. But I really appreciate everything you've said, and I hope you keep coming around! I've also been working on revamping my website with a new design and updated material, so keep an eye out for that, and I'll be sure to blog as soon as it's up and running.

Legacy received a major review from the Miami Herald while I was cut off from the web, but I wanted to share an excerpt from it with everybody. It was so amazing to hear that Legacy is receiving that kind of coverage. Here goes:

"Legacy follows the joys and dramas of a young girl navigating her way out of the safe harbors of childhood and into the uncertain and difficult waters of adulthood. Only Alera is a princess and heir to the throne of her homeland, so while some of her difficulties are commonplace (having to deal with amorous young boys) others are exclusively princess problems (facing the threat of an arranged political marriage). ... The first in a trilogy, Legacy is simple but effective, succeeding largely on the author's ability to craft a sympathetic and human character in Alera. ... A thoroughly entertaining read, Legacy shows a lot of promise, for Kluver and her princess."

A thousands thanks to John Williford, who wrote the review.

Another review was posted at BrimfulCuriosities.com that I appreciate ENORMOUSLY. Read it here:

Legacy by Cayla Kluver - Book Review

I think that's about it for now -- like I said, I'll let you know the minute the new website goes live, and love to everyone who stops by here.

Cayla

New Review, Plus Giveaway Winners!

Hey all,

The winners of the giveaway contest on LaFemmeReaders have been announced -- check it out here:

Winners of Legacy by Cayla Kluver!

Thanks so much to those who entered, and to Eleni over at LaFemme for hosting the contest.

Liz, one of the winners, has posted a review of the book on her blog, for which I'm SUPER thankful -- Liz, you made my day. Thanks so much! :)

Legacy by Cayla Kluver

I encourage everybody to subscribe to and follow both blogs, and to recommend them to all of your friends!

Be back in a bit,

Cayla

Get Legacy for FREE!!

Hi again,

Here's the link to my guest post on the Kindle Blog: Legacy.

All this week Legacy is FREE on the Kindle -- get your copy here!

Thanks for dropping in,

Cayla

LOTS of Updates

Hey all,

Well, it's been a while since my last post -- I haven't had internet, and it's kind of frightening to realize how much I rely on it. Quitting cold turkey = no fun at all.

I have a whole slew of stuff to share, but first I'm going to start with a story.

My older sister left for her senior year of college on Sunday, so of course my mom drove her to school to help her move in, which was an all-day project. My younger sister and I stayed home, and while she was watching Buffy the Vampire Slayer, I decided to go out on the deck and enjoy the sun while I worked on Redemption. Her episode finished, Kendra came out to join me -- shutting the door behind her.

Naturally, us Kluvers (bright as we are) have only one house key. And naturally, this one house key was on my mom's keychain, in LaCrosse.

At first, Kendra and I thought we'd just hang out and wait for Mom to get back. I didn't have my cell phone with me, so it seemed the logical option. The minutes dragged by, turning into half an hour, then an hour, and then, sure enough, it started to get HOT outside.

Now, my mom was a basketball player, she holds the record in Minnesota for some track thingy, and my older sister, though she has no great interest in sports, is duly coordinated and capable. Kendra and I both missed out on that gene. Our attempts at resourcefulness saw us carry the wicker bench from the front porch and set it up the long way below the pantry window, which my mom had fortuitously left open that morning before she'd left. Kendra steadied it while I climbed on top with a reasonably pointy stick, which I used to poke several holes in the screen. I ripped the rest of it off and pushed the window up as far as it would go.

Utilizing my mad skills, I jumped up and squirmed through the opening, wheezing as the sill bruised my stomach (still got the marks!). Needless to say, it was not my most graceful moment (especially since I ended up with one leg inside and one foot still hanging out the window), and Kendra remains busy bemoaning the fact that she didn't have a video camera to record my ordeal. (I considered leaving her out there.)

At any rate, we survived, but trust me when I say this is something that would only happen to me and my little sister. (My mom wasn't happy about the screen.)

Anyway, now for the REAL updates, which are bountiful:

I did an interview with Stan and CV in the Morning on B 93.3FM -- thanks to everyone who made that possible!

I also did an interview with WUWM Milwaukee Public Radio "Lake Effect", to which you can listen here: Lake Effect Thursday, August 27. I'm about 20 minutes in. Thank you to Mitch Teich and everyone involved in the program!

Lauren Nemroff was responsible for a wonderful, much appreciated posting about me on Omnivoracious, which you can read here: Meet 16-Year-Old Author Cayla Kluver. It includes some exclusive content (pics of my notebooks, etc.). It's pretty cool, and like I said, I really appreciate it!

An AMAZING review of Legacy was written by Bailey Shoemaker Richards for Helium. Check the whole thing out here: Book reviews: Legacy, by Cayla Kluver. For now, here's an excerpt:

"Anyone who says teens can't write should meet 16-year-old Cayla Kluver..... Legacy is filled to the brim with wit, powerful writing and a spell-binding story. ..... Kluver's writing is impressive, fluid and focuses heavily on social customs and deep, complex characters; the skill of the writing and the resulting story make Legacy one book that any fantasy fan should pick up at the earliest opportunity."

Thanks SO much to Bailey; this review means a ton to me.

Also, the Q&A on my Facebook Fan Page discussion board is still going on -- feel free to hop in and ask me something!

I have a few more things coming up, notably a guest post on the Amazon Kindle blog, to which I will link as soon as it goes live. Until then, snatch up that bottle of shampoo, pretend its a microphone, and unleash your inner rockstar.

Cayla

(I just drank a Caffe Mocha from Panera, and it was very, very caffeinated, so I'm bound to unleash my inner rockstar in just a bit.)

The Blogger Girlz Review

Hey all,

The Blogger Girlz wrote a wonderful review of Legacy on their site -- check it out and don't forget to subscribe to the blog!

Book Review: "Legacy" by Cayla Kluver

Thanks for dropping by, and love to Ella and the rest over at The Blogger Girlz.

Cayla

WEAU-13 -- Plus Remember the Giveaway Contest!

Hi everybody,

I've had an amazing couple of days since Legacy's release, and have been hopping all over the place, but I just wanted to update you on a couple of things.

First of all, I did another interview with WEAU-13, and the piece turned out great -- I really want to thank Meghan Kulig and Dwayne, as well as Judy Clark, for organizing it and filming it and doing such an amazing job. Here's the link to watch the clip that was on TV, as well as read the online article:

Teen author releases book through Amazon.com program

I also wanted to remind anybody who wanted to enter of the giveaway contest on LaFemme Readers for three advance review copies of Legacy, deadline August 30th (the winner will be announced on the 31st)!

3 ARC Book Giveaway of Legacy by Cayla Kluver

Other than that, I have been plugging away like mad on Redemption this week, so it is slowly but surely getting written! I've realized it's going to be hard to say goodbye to these characters once I'm done with it, but I'm also really excited to explore other projects. I'm also thinking about ways to spice up this blog... I've changed the layout a couple of times (forgive me, I just figured out how!), and I'm thinking of doing some kind of poll/quote of the week thingies. I shall contemplate and hopefully return with good ideas! If anyone has suggestions, by all means, do share.

Thanks much for stopping in,

Cayla

Pub Date and The Blogger Girlz!!

Hey guys,

First of all, got to get this off of my chest...

Legacy comes out in an hour and a half!!!!!!!!

Whew. Okay.

I'm obviously extremely excited, and again SO thankful to everyone and everything that helped me get here -- I'd copy my acknowledgments from the book into this post except I can't find them. But I want to thank David and Ace from ECP right now especially. And my mom, of course. She's my everything (I was about to say she's the reason I exist, but that seemed a tad too literal...).

Now for more news, I just did an interview with The Blogger Girlz over at their blog, so here's the link:

TBG Author Interview: Cayla Kluver

Much love to the lovely hosts over there. Keep in touch!

I'll be back again,

Cayla

Chick Lit Teens Review

Hey all,

Here's the review Chick Lit Teens did of Legacy:

Legacy by Cayla Kluver

Thanks much again to everyone over there, and everyone over here!

Cayla

More Interviews!! (Plus Meet My Mom!)

Hey guys,

New interview posted on Chick Lit Teens -- thanks so much to the host! Check it out here:

Chick Chat: Cayla Kluver

Also check out parts 1 and 2 of my Today Show interview with WEAU-13, which I did with my mom. Loads of thanks to the anchor Judy Clark!

Today Show Interview: Cayla Kluver

I also just got back from Milwaukee where I taped two radio interviews, and I'll be back in a bit to let you know when they air and on what stations.

One more note -- Legacy comes out on Tuesday!! Order it online or ask for it in your favorite bookstore!

Thanks much for stopping by,

Cayla

LAFemmeReaders Interview

Hey all, the interview I did with LAFemmeReaders has been posted if you want to check it out!

Author Interview: Cayla Kluver of Legacy

Thanks!

Cayla

LaFemmeReaders -- Legacy Giveaway!

Hey guys!

Exciting news -- LaFemmeReaders is doing a 3-book giveaway of Legacy! The deadline for entries is August 30th, so check it out if you're interested. LaFemme has also done a review of Legacy, and I'll be doing an interview over there shortly, so keep following!

Legacy Book Giveaway

Legacy Review

Thank you SO much to Eleni, who manages the blog.

That's all for now,

Cayla

The Morning Blend Video

Here's the video of the interview I did this morning live on Milwaukee's The Morning Blend -- check it out!

Cayla Kluver Interview

Thanks so much for visiting, and I'll be back soon.

Cayla

The Morning Blend

Hi all!

Just thought I'd let you know that I'll be on The Morning Blend in Milwaukee tomorrow (Monday, July 27th), 9-10am. Check out their website!

Thanks for stopping by,

Cayla

Vacation

Hello!

I've been on vacation this past week with my family and my best friend, but before I get into our adventures, I just wanted to let you know that the Q&A on my fan page (I'm answering questions) is still going on; check it out!

Cayla Kluver on Facebook

Anyway, we were vacationing on a lake, so of course we did all kinds of lake-things: tubing, kayaking, pontooning (is that a verb?). We didn't go skiing because several of our troupe are a bit accident-prone (including me), and we thought it might be risky -- plus it was really cold most of the week... in July. Gotta love the midwest. ;)

Whatever we suffered due to the weather, going to the David Cook concert in Duluth more than compensated! It was just my older sister, my best friend, and me, and even though I got sick partway through and ended up dragging Josie out into the hall (sorry!), it was tons of fun. NEEDTOBREATHE opened for David and they were AMAZING -- Josie bought their cds at the merchandise counter while I was wheezing in the corner and David was closing the show in the auditorium. Here are some pics!

I'll be back soon -- until then, thanks much for stopping by!

Cayla

Ask Me a Question

Hi everyone!

I'll be gone for a week on vacation, but I thought I'd let you know that over the next couple weeks on my Facebook fan page I'll be answering some questions -- pop on over if you have one!

Cayla Kluver on Facebook

Thanks!

Cayla

JJTalk

Hi all!

Just thought I'd let you know that I'll be on JJTalk with Dawson Vosburg tonight at 7:30 central time -- tune in live here:

http://www.blogtalkradio.com/Dawson-Vosburg/2009/07/10/JJ-Talk-with-Cayla-Kluver-Author-of-Legacy

You can follow the link to hear the playback as well if you missed out!

Thanks much for stopping by, and I'll be in touch again soon.

Cayla

Interview with Stacey Cochran!

Hi all!

I just completed an interview with Stacey Cochran for OnlineBookReview.org, and it's up on YouTube for anyone who wants to see it!

Here's the link (because I can't figure out how to embed it, haha): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Amz3u3T4pBU

Thanks for dropping in, and thanks so much to Stacey for doing the interview with me.

Cayla

More News

Hi everyone!

A lot of exciting things have been going on over the last couple of weeks, so I thought I'd share some of them with you.

First off... foreign deals! Thanks to my phenomenal agents, Taryn Fagerness and Kevan Lyon, terms have been settled with Germany (Piper), Italy (Sperling), and Greece (Psichogios) for two and three book deals. I'm incredibly excited and may actually have the opportunity to travel to Germany next fall (of 2010). Now I'm busy composing thank-you notes to all the foreign editors -- I'm so thrilled to have been given the chance to work with them.

I've also been very involved with the production of the English version of Legacy -- getting to see interior artwork samples for chapter headings, taking a look at the work of the artist who is doing the maps (AMAZING -- check out www.betsyhillman.com/kirk for samples. Go to www.guildedquill.com for an idea of what the interior art will be like -- I'm absolutely in LOVE with this woman as well). In addition, I've been listening to some possible narrators for the audiobook version!

Another point of interest: I've finally decided that the name of the third book in the series will be Redemption. I went through a lot of possible names, but none of them fit for one reason or another -- this one really seems to sum up the book and flow with the other two titles, so once again, I'm very excited.

Thanks so much for stopping by!

Cayla

AmazonEncore -- Amazing News!!

Hi everyone:

This is the most exciting day of my life to date!

For the last few weeks, I've had to be pretty tight-lipped about everything that's been going on, but now I can say that I have signed a deal with AmazonEncore, selling the publication rights for Legacy. The new edition will be released in hardcover on August 18th, 2009!

Contract negotiations wrapped up excellently in April, thanks to Kevan Lyon, my literary agent, who is now one of the most fantastic people I know. She has already done more for me than I would ever have expected, and I often wonder how there are enough hours in the day for her to get done all that she does! I've met with the people who will be handling the book at Amazon, all of whom are geniuses; some revisions to the novel (clean up stuff mainly so it can be sleek and shiny when it's re-released in hardcover on August 18th) are being made with the help of an editor; and today, a national press release went out, which you can read here. It announces both the AmazonEncore program and my book, which they have chosen to be their launch title.

New cover art has been designed by Melcher Media, the interior layout concepts are fabulous, and I'm flying high. The new edition of the book is available for preorder on Amazon, where you can get a look at the cover, a couple of interviews with me (including a video one!), and the new prologue and first chapter. Here's the link: Legacy, AmazonEncore Edition.

I also have a new website: www.caylakluver.com, which has a lot of additional and supplementary information (press and rights contacts, bio, FAQs, etc.).

It's been a fantastic ride from when I first started writing, to struggling for an agent/publisher, to self-publishing, to signing with Kevan and Encore and ending up where I am now. I am so thankful for everyone who has been there to lend a hand (or hold mine) through the process, and who bought the original edition of Legacy, which has now been pulled from the market and will never be heard from again. Sad, but ultimately a good thing! I am also, of course, immensely grateful to Encore for taking a chance on me.

Thanks so much again to all of you out there -- I'm having the time of my life, and will be sure to keep you updated!

Cayla

Poll Results

Quick poll results:

Should Tadark really be an Elite Guard?

10% Well he passed the training so he must be qualified
31% He may have the skills, but his disposition is totally wrong for the job
58% No! Tadark is the picture of incompetence and someone made a horrible mistake admitting him to the Guard.

...Poor Tadark. :) Thanks to everyone who voted!

Legacy's Anniversary

Hi all!

Just wanted to quickly let you guys know that today is the one-year anniversary of Legacy's publication! And we actually have nice weather for once here in Wisconsin! So all in all, a good day. :) I'll probably go out to eat tonight with my family and maybe a few friends to commemorate (did I spell that right? I'll come back later and check) the occasion. Thanks for dropping in!

Cayla

Poll Results

Here they are!

Do you think King Adrik is a good father?
4% Yes, he's responsible and reliable and good to his children
70% He's not perfect, but he does his best within their society's expectations
25% No, he's selfish and manipulative, and horribly unfair to his daughters

Thanks to everyone who voted! (And it'll be interesting to see how opinions change after Allegiance....) New poll is up!

There's really nothing new to report in terms of what's going on with the books, but I can assure you that things are happening, and I'll let you know what they are as soon as I'm able. Thanks so much for stopping by,

Cayla

Reader Views Awards

Hi everybody!

Some quick exciting news: Legacy won first place in the Reader Views Literary Awards for young adult fiction! Click here to check out Reader Views' website.

Another bit of EXCEEDINGLY exciting news, which has already been announced on my official website, is that I have signed with a literary agent, Kevan Lyon. I've been working with her for a couple of weeks now, and couldn't be happier -- people always talk about having a "super agent", and now I finally know what they mean!

That's all for now, so thanks for dropping in,

Cayla

Back Again

Hi all!

It's been a while since my last update, mostly since not much has been going on. I've been doing a few more school visits, with some more still coming up -- it's been a load of fun so far! The biggest news remains the launching of my Official Website, which you're welcome -- encouraged! -- to visit. There you can find the easiest ways to contact me with questions, comments, or to arrange signings and visits, as well as some frequently asked questions and the like. Please feel free to drop by!

I've got poll results for you as well, for: Are London and Cannan secretly good friends?

19% Yeah, all that bickering is just for show
11% No way! The Palace is definitely too small for the both of them
69% They're not good friends, but there is a mutual respect between them

I'd probably have to side with the 69 percent myself -- thanks to everyone who voted! The next poll (Do you think King Adrik is a good father?) is up!

Thanks so much for dropping in,

Cayla

Oh! One more announcement: it's my older sister's birthday today! Happy Birthday, Cara!!!!

Cayla Kluver Official

Hi all! Some mildly exciting news -- I've set up a temporary homepage for myself separate from this blog (I say temporary because I plan to get a professional site designed at some point). It's got my bio, some FAQs, information on Legacy and Allegiance and other projects in the works, and a page for writing tips, among other stuff. Check it out: Cayla Kluver Official.

Thanks for stopping by!

Cayla

Appearances

Quick reminder: I've started an author Facebook page; feel free to friend me. See the post before this one for more details.

Anyway... hello everyone! I just got done with a very exciting and new experience -- I spent this past Thursday and Friday at Fall Creek Middle School here in Wisconsin, talking to seventh and eighth grade English classes about writing and publishing (with an emphasis on revisions -- for teachers who might like me to come speak to their students, I'll include in a little greater detail the things I covered at the end of this post). I had so much fun, the groups were great, and they asked some excellent questions. So I just want to give a shout-out to them, and their teachers, who made me feel so welcome and made this an experience I definitely want to repeat. Thanks a bunch, you guys!

Some more news: Legacy was reviewed by Bobbi Carducci, the director of the Young Voices Foundation, for About Families. Please check out both of the links! Here's the review:

"Legacy is the story of conflict surrounding the life and destiny of seventeen year old Princess Alera of Hytanica. Alera is a young woman of independent nature, struggling to live in a world where women exist to serve men. As princess, it is her duty to marry the young man her father has chosen for her; a man who suits the King but not his accomplished daughter.

"Just as Alera is about to give in to her father, she meets Narian, a teenage Cokyrian boy, who tells her of a land where women are respected leaders who choose their own mates. Alera wants to know more about this new way of thinking and about the boy who challenges her to think for herself. Unfortunately an alliance between them could spell doom for Alera and all of Hytanica.

"Ultimately, Alera must decide where her true destiny lies.

" 'At some point, the choice you will face is whether to carry out your duties or live your life.' "

"Legacy is the first novel written by a talented young writer I believe will have a long writing career. At the age of fifteen, Cayla Kluver has created a fantasy adventure story that will appeal to readers of all ages. I recommend that you Buy the Book!"

I was really heartened by this review, and so thankful toward Ms. Carducci once again.

Now for teachers: basically what I do at these kinds of workshops is read an excerpt from the book (Legacy), hand out a packet with some supplementary materials for what I plan to cover, then go through a timeline of the writing and publishing process, including a bunch of physical examples such as industry standard rejection letters from literary agents, uncorrected proof/galley copies of the book (bound manuscripts for review services), book covers before they're bound, and an amusing example of what can go wrong in the printing process. Once I've completed the timeline, I go back and elaborate on the importance of editing and revising, including major changes that were made between the first and final drafts of Legacy, and some general tips that apply to any form of writing. Then I take questions with however much time remains. If this is something you would be interested in for your own students, please send an email to editor[at]forsoothpublishing.com to make arrangements.

Thank you so much for visiting!

Cayla

Facebook

Hi everybody, just a quick little update. I've started an official author Facebook page, so if you have an account there feel free to add me as a friend. Just search 'Cayla Kluver' -- my profile picture is the book cover of Legacy. It's a really easy way to contact me, and I'm always happy to answer questions about my writing or about writing in general (I've recently started doing some writing workshops in schools and have found that I really enjoy it).

Aside from that, I'm about ten thousand words into my next writing project, about which I can't at this point say too much. I've had a really good couple of weeks that have inspired me to write, write, write -- so thanks to everyone who's responsible (you know who you are)!

Another random thing -- if you've never heard of Boyce Avenue, you should check out their music on YouTube. I just discovered them this week, and I think they're absolutely awesome.

Thanks for visiting!

Cayla

Young Voices Foundation

Hi everybody!

A few little announcements -- Legacy was recently named Book of the Month by the Young Voices Foundation! In their own words: "Young Voices Foundation is a 501 (C) (3) educational non profit dedicated to creating a life long love of the written word in young people. Each month the foundation selects one book to present to a young reader. Book selections are made based on the quality of the writing, message, and the ability to inspire, mentor and educate readers. Your book meets all the criteria."

I found this to be such a great honor and opportunity that I had to share! They're really a wonderful organization, and they host writing contests for young people if anyone out there would like to check them out. To visit their website, just use the link above!

Also, I've got results for last month's poll (Can London be trusted?).

53% Yes, he clearly cares about Hytanica
3% No, he's too mysterious
43% I'm not sure, but I like him anyway

Thanks to everyone who voted, and next month's poll (Are London and Cannan secretly good friends?) is up!

Come back and visit soon!

Cayla