Author Guest Post: Kimber An + Sweet Bytes Giveaway

Today of my blog, I'd like to welcome Kimber An!

*applause*

She's going to tell us about her new novel:

Sweet Bytes, Book Three, The Ophelia Dawson Chronicles! 

Going All The Way By Kimber An

Okay, that’s a loaded phrase.

It can mean a lot of things.

I stand upon the third book in the Ophelia Dawson series and there are five books, which means Sweet Bytes is the middle book, the pivot on which the series turns.

What does it mean?

One, the entire series going all the way to publication - that was in question in August. My previous publisher declined Sweet Bytes. I assumed self-publication was the only way it’d see the light of day, but my buddies at Fabulously Young ePubs (http://fabulouslyyoungepubs.blogspot.com/) encouraged me to ask around. And Noble YA (https://www.nobleyoungadult.com/) picked it up.

Two, going all the way on the plot - conflict after conflict makes a weak series. I’ve loved other series long enough to know, you’ve got to go all the way. Luke Skywalker must learn Darth Vader is his father and then he must defeat and redeem him to bring the Star Wars saga to a satisfying conclusion.

Three, the heroine goes all the way to her edge, this one’s hardest. My instinct is to mommy-coddle Ophelia. If I don’t let her go, she can never reach her greatest potential and the series will fizzle and die. But, how far is far enough? And how far is too far? The Villain would like to rape her (he’s so twisted, he thinks its love) but is that too far in Young Adult? Would it assassinate the Heroine if I let the Villain get away with it? Or, would it force her to dig even deeper and come back even stronger?

“That which does not kill us makes us stronger.”

Four, okay the fun one, the Heroine goes all the way with Hero in the lovemaking department. Ophelia’s true love is Adrian, always has been and always will be. She empathically bonded him to herself in the very first book when she was only sixteen. Technically, I can let them go all the way once she turns eighteen and she comes of age in the next book, Blood, Dark and Sweet. For some YA, that’s a no-no and understandably so. Lovemaking has life-altering consequences, even when morality is not an issue. YA authors need to handle it carefully in their stories. At Noble YA, the readership is older though, eighteen to twenty-four. Adrian and Ophelia are a bonded couple. That’s practically married, according to the Borean Empaths. Once they’re grown up, what’s to stop them?

Well, the plot for one thing. It’s gotta work for the whole story, and the whole series. I think of the whole series as one big story, as a matter of fact.

One thing’s for sure, I’ve already promised a Happily Ever After. I can make that promise because the series is done in my head, so, actually, I already know the answers to all the above questions. I’m just not telling you! Mwa-ha-ha! ;)

Sweet Bytes is due out October 17th. Please comment to enter a drawing for a free copy. There will also be a Grand Prize to celebrate the event, something really cool and Alaskan.

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Here’s the Sweet Bytes blurb-
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Ophelia’s escape from Martin, an Addicted Newblood, came at a terrible sacrifice. Adrian, the boy she loves, is now infected and hunted like vermin.
As her new Protector, Tristan Li represents the Oldblood determination to destroy Adrian, along with all the Newbloods, addicted or not.
In her grief, Ophelia hates everything about Tristan, until his subtle strength empowers her to resist being turned into a vampire by the High Prefect.
As Tristan helps Ophelia harness her empathic ability, his need for redemption rings in her heart. Her own strength grows, along with her passion for freedom.
The veil of mourning lifts.
The evil of Martin returns.
Ophelia seizes ownership of her destiny.
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Thank you! And a big thanks to Dottie for having me here today.

Kimber An
www.kimberan.com

Kimber would like to giveaway a copy of her book, Sweet Bytes, so please remember to comment!!