Take the Knockout Girl personality quiz!

If you've ever related to the characters from my Knockout Girl series, now's your chance to find out just how alike you are to them! Take the 2-minute quiz below to find out. Feel free to share your result on your favourite social media platform!

I would love to hear feedback on this quiz. If you liked it enough, I'll probably make more for my other serieses, so please let me know. Happy reading!

- Natasja

IOL Awards 2019

As you already know, I have recently won two Indie Originals Literature awards - one for Best Young Adult Novel and one for Best New Author. They were both for Knockout Girl, and I'm so proud that something I worked so hard on was noticed in such a big way. The feedback I got from them was this:

"The story is immediately engaging, with a strong, authentic voice. Great, accessible, fluid style with compelling immediacy, and the pacing is excellent. Characters and relationships are well-developed, interesting, and true to the age. Additionally, Elli makes for a smart, funny, engaging protagonist with a singular perspective. The boxing element feels both fresh and completely organic to the story world, leading to a triumphant climax and a toucing, satisfying ending."

And of course, I have to say a huge thank you to all of the people who support me and help me through each and every book I write and publish. You guys make it all worth it and definitely push me to keep publishing more. You know the Knockout Girl Series isn't finished yet, and I still have more* for you in the future.

In the meantime, check out the other indie author winners! There are some cool people in this list and their books look really great! These winners will stay up for a whole year, but for anyone who's interested in entering their contest for 2020, submissions open in September. I will also point out that they have a competition for filmmakers and musicians, so there's lots of cool stuff to check out!

Thank you for being a part of my journey!!

- Natasja

*Yes, there's still more news coming about Cherry. Just keep a lookout for it.

News - The B-Boy

Mark your calendars for August 8, 2019! The B-Boy will be coming to Amazon in paperback, ebook, and Kindle Unlimited. It is the official sequel to Knockout Girl and Standup Guy and I'm super excited to share the blurb and book cover with you today.

Now that high school's over and he's left his life as a bully behind, Red finally has the time to focus on what he wants: boxing. For as long as he's able, that's what he'll do.

Zara's passion for dancing is rivaled by none, but her dreams are shattered when her dance partner sprains his ankle weeks before their showcase. With no other options, Zara's friend and Red's cousin suggests they team up.

Now Red has a tough decision to make: stick to what he's always known or find the courage to love something new?

When I started writing Standup Guy, I had no idea that Red and Julian would become such good friends. Nor did I realize that Red would have his own story to tell. I love a good redemption story and I was happy to see Red grow up and grow out of old habits. But he still has a hard letting go of his tough-guy image - that is, until he meets Zara.

Zara is sweet and talented, and she's just as dedicated to dancing as Red is to boxing. She ends up being the perfect person to bring him out of his comfort zone while also showing him that his worth goes far beyond his muscley facade.

You'll still get to see Elli and Julian before they head off to university as well. While they're preparing for a more academic life, Red and Zara share a bond of wanting to dive straight into their careers as a boxer and dancer. I think the way they help each other out is beautiful and I hope you'll all feel the same way, too. 

And don't forget - My Brother's Best Friend/Learning to Sing Like a Girl is coming June 29!!

- Natasja

PS. I haven't forgotten about Cherry. More about her later...

More Books, More Hugs

So, two weeks ago I announced that Standup Guy is now officially available on Amazon (in paperback, ebook, and on KU). If you read and enjoyed Knockout Girl, then you definitely won't want to miss this super satisfying conclusion. If you have not had a chance to read Knockout Girl, no worries! But when you're finished, please leave me a review on my Goodreads page  or on Amazon (and I'll love you forever and ever!) 

If you've read Standup Guy, you'll have noticed I left you with another first chapter to a new book. Don't worry! I don't have an official release date for that one right now, but I do plan to publish it sometime this summer. If you would like to keep updated on anything new I'm coming out with, I've just recently started a mailing list. I likely won't send out too many things but if you want to join, click here or click on the "subscribe" tab above.

I have some more really exciting stuff planned for this year, including a redesign and re-release of My Best Friend's Brother/The Summer I Turned into a Girl. Take a peek at the unofficial new cover:

Before I sign off, I just have to say how incredibly grateful, proud, and happy I am for all of the people who have helped me along my self-publishing journey. As I always say, there is no such thing as "self-publisihing." Whether you helped with the actual writing, editing, or design process, or you just "liked" my posts in support, or you were just there to say "Tasja, calm down, everything is okay," then I want you to know I will never be able to adequately express my grattitude. I hope we stay friends for a long, long time and that someday, I may be able to repay you.

Thank you! Here's a virtual hug (physical ones can be given to those within hugging distance).

- Natasja

News - Standup Guy

Those of you who have read Knockout Girl (and I'm assuming that's all of you) know that I left you with the first chapter of a planned sequel. Well I'm happy to officially announce that, if all goes to plan, I'll be publishing Standup Guy sometime this month. A little about the book:

Best friends, Elli and Julian are back and this time, they'll be fighting in a huge boxing tournament with an even bigger prize. Julian struggles with his new identity as both and academic and an athlete while fights for equality...and true love.

Things get rough for Julian with his focus split between school, boxing, and Cherry. When a poor decision causes him to almost ruin his friendship with Elli, he must decide: is his dream worth the risk?

Elli's boxing team struggles for the attention they deserve from the school, so she steps up and puts everything she has into saving her team. Can she depend on Adrian for his support when he seems too preoccupied with partying, looking good, and playing hockey?

 With Elli and Julian each fighting for what is true and good, there's a lot more at stake than just a championship.



Happy reading!

- Natasja

Two Thousand and Nineteen

It's that time of year when people start looking forward to the new year and make resolutions. I never used to make a lot of resolutions in the past, but I enjoyed holding myself accountable to the resolutions I made last year. Let's take a peek:

1. Three books to finish writing.
2. One book to write for nanowrimo.
3. An entire series, consisting of eight books to edit.

Yup. That's what I said I'd do. What did I actually do?

1. I only finished two books. But...
2. I did write a new book for nanowrimo (after going back and forth about not knowing what to even write and I did it in 12 days, so I'll take it!)
3. Well, I'm still slowly making my way through this. One of the books is fully edited and could probably be published at any point, but I'm not ready for that. The others are getting there.
4. I published a book this year! It wasn't in my resolutions list, but who cares? It's a huge accomplishment for me!


 And now for 2019's resolutions!

1. Two books to finish writing.
2. Publish at least two books this year. (I say at least, because I think I can squeeze out three, but I'm not sure.)
3. Finish editing that series!

Here's to a great 2019 for everyone!!


- Natasja

News - Knockout Girl - Part 2

The great thing about self-publishing is that I could literally be sitting on my couch in my pyjamas and a sweatshirt under a Paw Patrol blanket doing this right now and you'd never know it! (You totally do now though, don't you?)

The thing about "self"-publishing is there is no such thing. So, I wanted to say a HUGE thank you to all the people who helped me get Knockout Girl out and into the hands of readers! If you ever answered any of my ridiculous questions, if you read my book and made suggestions/corrections, if you were just there during my darkest times of self-doubt, please know how very much loved you are. I cannot express this enough - there is no such thing as "self"-publishing.

Having said that, my latest self-published novel is now available on Amazon!

And here's a list of links for you to enjoy:
Facebook
Instagram
Goodreads
Amazon

 

How to Make a Book in 7 Steps

I've had a few people ask me about my experience either writing or self-publishing a book. I'm not exactly an expert on either of those things, but since the question is about my experience and not my expertise, let me lay it out for you.

Spoilers on screen

Step 1: Write a book! I know, I know, sounds easier said than done. But this is by far the best part of the process. Obviously. I feel like that goes without saying. I'll do a post on the writing process at some point.

Step 2: Edit the book! Not the most fun part of the process, especially if you have a hard time looking at your own work critically. This is where it helps having a best friend who's a copy editor. I'm just saying. (If you don't have one, find one and feed him/her coffee and sushi. Should do the trick.) Seriously though, edit the book at least a million times before you let strangers read it. I'll do a post on self-editing tips later.

Step 3: Beta reading! This is a part of the process I discovered last year. A beta reader is someone who reads a mostly-polished unpublished mauscript and gives their impressions. Think of them as guinea pigs. Nice guinea pigs, who volunteer a lot of their own time for free to help you out. Don't forget to be nice back to them.

Step 4: More editing! At this point, you might opt for a professional edit if you didn't already do that in step 2. I've personally never had a professional edit done because I have so many editors, teachers, and writers in my life helping me out. But if I ever do that, I'll share my experience of that, too.

Look! A cover ^

Step 5:  Do you have a cover? If you feel comfortable enough designing one yourself, I say go for it! I used Canva to design my cover for Knockout Girl and I love it. I also got a lot of good feedback from it which is super important, too. What I didn't love was putting the front cover together with the back cover and I did have to have a lot of help with that. Again, helps to know people who may be good with photo editing programs. Oh! Don't forget that you're going to need an awesome back-of-cover blurb. This blurb might be repeated in a lot of places (such as descriptions online) and it's your audience's first introduction to the story.

Step 6: Have you formatted your interior? This is just as important as having a good cover because no one wants to open what looks like a great book to find garbage formatting inside. You can find a lot of tips online for how best to lay out a book, what fonts to choose, how you want everthing to look. And most self-publishing companies, such as Kindle Direct Publishing, will give you a template to use which is a life-saver. KDP will also check over the manuscript (and cover) you upload to make sure everything is in place. Again - and I can't stress this enough - knowing people who are good at these kinds of things truly helps. Alternatively, you can find paid services for book interiors and exteriors.

Step 7: Upload everything. Hit enter. Watch yourself get richer. I mean, I'm half-serious but actually I find this part pretty easy after all the rest is done. I'm publishing through KDP and everything is pretty clear. You set your price (dependant on how much you want to earn in royalties), upload your manuscript and book cover, and then away you go. It's published! Yay! You are officially an author.

Did you notice anything missing from these steps? If you said "Yes, where's your marketing plan?" then you're correct! The reason I didn't include marketing as one of the steps is because marketing is kind of just this ongoing thing that you always have to think about. Writing a book? Post about it! Looking for betas? Post about it! Did you make an awesome cover? Post it everywhere for the world to revel in its glory! Are you set to publish/have you published it? P.O.S.T. I.T. Marketing is important and I'm not great at it or in any position to be giving advice. But I'm always learning new things to try and I hope that means I'm getting better at it. Just remember - you're awesome, your book's awesome, and you need to let everyone know.


Thanks for coming along for the ride with me, folks! And don't forget - Knockout Girl is out this Wednesday, October 3rd!

- Natasja

News - Knockout Girl

October 3 ^

"My life has always been absolutely beautiful. Amazing. Perfect. Floating in the salty ocean, lying on endless sandy beaches, school, surfing, boys, beach parties, night dips. Everything has always been exactly as it should be. Until one day it all came crashing down.

Picture yourself—not on a boat on the river—lying on a towel, stretched out on white sands, the sound of the ocean waves calming you as a breeze filters through your salt-tangled hair. The palm trees sway back and forth, offering you occasional shade from the hot rays of light.

Then you leave forever, because the next day you’re on a plane bound for Canada in the dead of winter. And you just keep wishing that you’d wake up back in the real world. You keep wishing that you never had to leave. But you do. The stupid plane keeps heading farther and farther north.

Obviously this story is about me, and not you. But you get the idea."

Thus begins Elli's journey in my new novel called Knockout Girl. You've already read about it (if you haven't, click the link), and you've been treated to the cover reveal through my social media. So I'll keep this short and sweet.

If all goes as planned, Knockout Girl will be released as a paperback and an ebook on October 3, 2018 on Amazon. I'm going to try to give some more updates and maybe a few more excerpts before then, but for now, mark your calendars! This is a story you won't want to miss, I promise.

- Natasja

Me, Myself, And All The Other People In My Head

A post about character creation and how good characters will take over an entire project.

First off, let me just say that I do not "base my characters on people I know." To do so would inevitably land me in a great deal of trouble, especially if I kill the character you thought was written after you. If a character happens to share a certain trait with you, this is either coincidence or I might just like that thing about you. This applies to everything I write, with the exception of two short stories I wrote for two very special people in my life.

Now that I've finished my disclaimer, I can say that, yes, of course you're in my stories! Because you're a part of me, and I'm a part of each and every one of my characters. In order for you to properly enjoy a book, the characters have to feel like real people. Which means they have to have real emotions, reactions, traits, mannerisms, etc. And who better to base those things on than you?

Anyone who knows me and my writing knows that I don't write books. I write characters who happen to do interesting things. Almost all of my stories have started with at least a couple characters with interesting personalities and histories. Sometimes they become so realistic that they start doing things on their own and the next thing I know, I'm in the middle of a plot without a paddle!

 If you love a good character-based story and have a little extra time on your hands, I'm now in the midst of having Knockout Girl beta read and you are welcome to do so as well. Just click here to let me know!

- Natasja

Hello and Other Things

As you can see from my last blog post, two years ago I joined nanowrimo. I did actually win in 2015, then in 2016, and again this year. I've had a few questions about what I've been writing the last couple of years and the answer is:

The Onepian Chronicles

I call the genre of this series "light sci-fi," or a space soap if you will, because it centres around real human beings doing real things, except they have space ships, live on different planets, and it's set far into the future. It's a little like Star Trek, but without alien races and a little less technical. Each book focuses on the story of a new set of characters that have been previously introduced, so they read well as stand-alones but are part of a bigger overall story arch. The series is nowhere near ready to be published (or even read by people who don't love me unconditionally). I mean, one of the books isn't even finished and two or them don't have titles. (Contact me if you want to take a crack at that.)

Other than that, I've been working on perfecting another young adult novel called Knockout Girl. This book is very dear to me as it's one of my favourite books I've ever written. Elli, the first person narrator, is witty and sarcastic and at least half-full of teenage angst. But she's got a good heart and genuinely wants to see her friends succeed. Currently Knockout Girl is going through some rounds of beta reading and last touches, after which I plan on self-publishing again.

Of course, none of this is possible without the help and support of my amazing friends! Writing a manuscript is one thing. But having it edited and read over and over again and then publishing it requires a lot of work and is hard to do with a small group of people, let alone by yourself. So just know that I appreciate each and everyone one of you lovely people.

- Natasja

Knockout Girl

I've spoken a lot in the past about a book I have called Less Than Perfect. It's a book I wrote a few years ago that I hope to one day have published (either traditionally or self-published). However, I've been rethinking it and reworking it and it's just not ready to go anywhere yet. But that's okay! I have plenty of other books and today's post is actually about one of those.

Knockout Girl is a new young adult novel that I finished writing a few months ago. It's about a girl named Elli who is forced to move from Hawaii to Toronto in the dead of winter. Although she's rather resistant at first, she makes friends with Julian, who she discovers is being used as a punching bag for the school's boxing champion, Red. Elli quickly realizes the only way to get this guy off her friend's back is to beat him at his own game. With the help of a cute jock, a sweet tattooed loner, and Elli's burnt out boxing champion uncle, she and Julian enter a boxing tournament where Julian will have to face his bully in the ultimate showdown.

Why I love this story so much is because, for starters, Elli is hilarious. She's moody, sassy, and generally unhappy with her life, which somehow comes across in the funniest of ways. Once she learns that living in Canada is not the end of the world, however, she becomes a pretty good friend to Julian. (Just friends.) Julian is a perfect counter-part to Elli's narration - he's calm, cool, and collected. He's smart and and a self-admitted loner. But he's also compassionate to Elli's plight in having to be the new girl in school and in a new country.

This story isn't just about bullying or how two people learned how to beat someone up. It's a coming-of-age story about finding friendship in unlikely places and having courage in the face of adversity. I don't want to give away the ending,* but I will say that before Julian even fights Red, he's already won in the eyes of his peers.

So there it is! This story is already being sent around a little bit. With a few minor tweaks, it would be ready for publication. If I can't find a publisher or agent who wants to take it on, I'll do it myself, because I really believe in this book. (My mom says it's great, so obviously it is.) No matter what, I'll see this manuscript turn into a book.

- Natasja

*Interested in finding out what happens? Ask about being a beta reader.