Today I'd like to welcome author Rae Knightly to the blog. As we typically start these off, why don't you tell us a little about yourself.
Hi! My name is Rae Knightly and I’m the author of The Alien Skill Series, a
science-fiction adventure story for middle-graders (and the young-at-heart). This
is the story of Ben Archer, a twelve-year-old boy, who witnesses the crash of
UFOs and is entrusted with an alien power.
I have so far published three books:
Ben Archer and the
Cosmic Fall, Book 1
Ben Archer and the
Alien Skill, Book 2
Ben Archer and the
Moon Paradox, Book 3
The series regularly hits the top 100 in Amazon teen
science-fiction and is a 2019 Author Academy Awards finalist, with 9000 copies
read since 2018. It is recommended for fans of Percy Jackson, A Wrinkle in Time
and Harry Potter (though we are in the scifi realm, not the fantasy realm).
I live near Vancouver, on the west coast of Canada, and the
beautiful settings here have inspired part of Ben’s story. I have lived in
different countries, such as Belgium, Mexico, Scotland and Arizona, and am
fluent in four languages. In fact, I have a master’s degree in translation (those
who have read the series will understand the pun!)
First I have to say, I really like the cover for Book 1. Can you tell us a little about Ben and the other characters in your series?
Ben Archer is a twelve-year-old boy who must learn to
understand and live with an alien power which was entrusted to him, whether he
likes it or not. Across the story, Ben becomes more confident and accepting of
the alien skill, and learns of its meaning and importance for the survival of
the human race.
Mesmo is an alien man and the only survivor of the UFO
crash. Although the destinies of boy and alien become intrinsically linked, one
question hovers above their unlikely friendship: why did aliens come to Earth
in the first place?
Laura Archer is Ben’s mom. She is a single mother who is
intent on protecting her son, but also struggles with her growing feelings for
Mesmo, who she suspects should not be trusted.
Bordock is Mesmo’s arch-enemy. He is a shapeshifting alien
who infiltrates the group of government agents looking for the alien and the
boy.
Inspector James Hao, a government agent, is hot on Ben and
Mesmo’s trail, but is he being misled by one of his own colleagues?
Sounds intriguing. I have two boys who are sure to love this series. Will you share a short excerpt with us.
(Extract from Ben Archer and the Alien Skill, Book 2)
“Do you want to talk about it?” Mesmo asked.
“Talk about what?” Ben retorted. He stopped to face the tall
man. “You know what I want to talk about? I want to talk about the skill. You
see, I don’t want it. I want to be normal again. I want to be me. So I’ve
decided I want you to take it back!”
Mesmo frowned. “We did talk about that. I told you it is
yours now. It is a valuable gift…”
“It’s not a gift!” Ben almost yelled. Pedestrians turned to
look at them, so he lowered his voice. “It’s not a gift. You can refuse a gift.
But this one was imposed on me. I had no choice.”
They walked on in silence, then Mesmo said, “I don’t know
why you struggle with it. All you have to do is learn to control it. I could
teach you…”
“Stop!” Ben snapped. “Just…stop.” He stepped away from the
protective bubble into the swirling snow, leaving Mesmo staring at him.
With a few strides, the alien man caught up with him again.
“Why do you fear it so?” he asked.
“Why?” Ben exclaimed, waving his gloved hands at him. “Jeez,
do I have to spell it out to you? Maybe its because my hands are glowing? Maybe
it’s because I’m slowly losing control of my own thoughts? Or maybe because
it’s turning me into a freak, that’s why!”
That's great. It's already leaving me with so many questions and wanting to know more.
Can you tell us what else you are working on? Are there more books on the way in The Alien Skill Series?
I have currently finished the first draft of books 4 and 5
in The Alien Skill Series, which are called Ben
Archer and the World Beyond and Ben
Archer and the Star Rider. I will now plan book 6, Ben Archer and the Toreq Son.
Lots of exciting new adventures coming in 2020!
What brought about the idea for your book?
I used to spend three hours in heavy traffic on my way to
and from work. This was a very boring time for me. One day, I ended up behind a
dirty, white van, unable to switch to any other lane. I stared at the peeling
letters on the back of the van for miles, trying to figure out what the random
letters M-E-S-M-O stood for (I never did find out).
So, right then and there, I decided to create a story about
Mesmo.
There are many story ideas that I would like to explore. But,
back then, I figured I would start with something ‘easy’, such as this Mesmo
character. Little did I know, that this one simple idea would turn into six
books!
I love listening to the random everyday incidents that lead to incredible stories. What got you into writing?
I was an avid teen reader. Fortunately, my school was
located near a library, where I would hungrily browse for my next adventure. Susan
Cooper, Lois Duncan, Monica Hughes, Terry Brooks, Paulo Coehlo and Victor Hugo
inspired me to create my own stories, but it took me another thirty years
before I felt confident and mature enough to publish them.
Publishing your own work can be terrifying, because you are
putting a piece of yourself out there for the world to see. You have to brace
yourself for good and bad comments. I decided to publish, the day I realized I
didn’t need to please everybody (an impossible task). All I needed to do was
find target readers who would enjoy my stories.
Telling stories is my skill, and it is now my turn to take the
avid reader on an adventure, one that may inspire some to become an author themselves,
one day.
Who designed the artwork for your cover? Or did you
design it yourself?
Finding the right book cover designer is a crucial step.
There is a book cover designer fit for every author and book genre. It is
important to find the right one.
In my case, I ran a contest on 99designs. I offered $500 to
the winner of the best book cover design for my series. I expected 50
submissions, and instead, received over 80. This led to a very tough choice. So
I posted 4 options on Facebook groups for science-fiction readers and asked to
vote for their favourite cover. A clear winner rapidly emerged. This has been a
winning strategy and money well spent.
That sounds like a great idea. It is hard finding the right fit for each author. We all have our own vision and finding someone who can match that can be tricky.
What was your biggest challenge when writing? Did you have
any writer’s block? If so, how did you work your way through it?
I struggle with writer’s block. Sometimes it takes me months
to get back into the story, which can be quite frustrating.
However, I’ve learned not to pressure myself. If I can’t
write, it probably means my mind needs a break. I mustn’t worry, my imagination
hasn’t run away, it has simply gone into hibernation mode.
I go for long walks, get the oxygen flowing to my brain,
listen to inspirational music and, sometimes, magic happens and a major plot
twist lands in my lap. Just recently, I had a massive lightbulb moment, when I
realized two separate series I’m working on have the same origin. And, Bang! I
had the seed to a very interesting sequel called The Great War of the Kins (available on my website).
Stories are like slow-dripping coffee, they need some time
to gather flavour and strength. So, thinking of it like that, writer’s block
can be a positive thing.
Do you have people read your drafts before you
publish? How do you select beta readers?
When you self-publish, you need to find a team of dedicated
people who will help you deliver a quality product.
I obviously didn’t have this for my first book, and the
reviews let me know I was doing something wrong. Fortunately, after several
months, I garnered enough interest and grew a big enough list of followers
where I was able to find extremely dedicated beta readers who have done an
excellent job in pointing out plot flaws or weird story twists.
I have also found experienced editors who have helped me get
rid of nasty spelling mistakes and muddled punctuation marks - among other
horrors… And, ta-daa, reviews went from three to five stars.
Beta readers, arc readers, editors, fans… all these valuable
people are crucial for the success of a story. The Alien Skill Series would not be what it is today, without their
help and support.
What advice would you give someone who is considering
publishing? Should they consider traditional or self-publishing?
In my humble opinion, there is no right or wrong between
traditional or self-publishing. However, I strongly recommend avoiding vanity
publishers.
I opted for self-publishing because I had no idea if anyone
would be interested in my work. As an emerging author, I honestly didn’t think
I’d get a deal with a traditional publisher (lesson learned – do not
underestimate yourself).
If you self-publish, be prepared to spend a ton of time
promoting your work. Understand that you are shouting for attention in a crowd
of self-published authors. You MUST find your target readers. They are hungry
for your books. Ask yourself: who are my target readers? How can I reach them?
What genre do I write in?
There’s no point promoting a children’s book about dinosaurs
to romance readers. There’s no point in me offering my middle-grade adventure
story to hard-core military science-fiction readers. Know what you are
offering, and who would benefit from it.
Find your followers, treat them well, they are your fans and
they love to hear from you. Use all social media platforms extensively. Find
authors in your genre, promote each other, lift each other up. They are not
your competitors. They have a platform of readers who would love your book, and
you have the same to offer them.
That's good advice. Thanks so much for sharing with us today, Rae. Find out more about The Alien Skills Series and Author Rae Knightly at the links below.
Happy Reading!!
Author website:
http://www.raeknightly.com (subscribe
to receive my newsletter on upcoming releases and to read the prequel
The Great War of the Kins for free)
