BlogBloghttp://www.catherineknepper.com/blog/2012-05-09T13:55:58ZSquarespaceDouble Time!http://www.catherineknepper.com/blog/2012/5/9/double-time.htmlCatherine Knepper2012-05-09T13:48:12Z2012-05-09T13:48:12ZOh boy, I and a zillion others have been waiting for this book for a long, long time, and it's finally here!  Jane Roper's Double Time: How I Survived -- and Mostly Thrived -- Through the First Three Years of Mothering Twins is now available.  The book covers Jane's struggles with infertility, her pregnancy, her experiences with postpartum depression, and all the hilarious hijinks of raising beautiful twin girls Elsa and Clio.  I preordered a copy and it's supposed to arrive at my local book store today.  I can't wait!!  

Want a preview?  Watch the excellent book trailer here.

]]>Celebration with Above + Beyond Cancer...and More!http://www.catherineknepper.com/blog/2012/5/3/celebration-with-above-beyond-cancerand-more.htmlCatherine Knepper2012-05-03T16:07:14Z2012-05-03T16:07:14ZThis post isn't strictly from the world of writing, but it's for a very worthy cause, and I happen to know that it's sparking all manner of writing projects, so here's my plug for Above + Beyond Cancer's upcoming gala and fundraiser.  If you're in the Des Moines area, please join the Above + Beyond folks for a celebration at West End Architectural Salvage at 6 PM on May 18th.  There will be food, live music and lots of amazing people with amazing stories to share.  I'll update a bit later on ticket information when it becomes available.    

But the other big news from Above + Beyond is that applications for their fall program to Mount Kailash is officially open!  Executive Director Charlie Wittmack and Founder and Chairman Dr. Richard Deming, Medical Director of the Mercy Cancer Center, will be leading a group of cancer survivors, caregivers and advocates on a journey around Mount Kailash.  They've already led expeditions to Mt. Kilimanjaro and Mt. Everest, which have been life-changing events for all involved.  I recently attended a reading at Drake University given by two Kilimanjaro trekkers, and found both their accounts profoundly moving.  If you're a cancer survivor, caregiver or advocate, please consider joining Above + Beyond in their quest to "reduce the burden of cancer by mobilizing cancer survivors and caregivers into communities of advocates who will promote and campaign for policies, practices, and programs that prevent cancer and improve outcomes for those diagnosed with cancer" [source: A + B web site].  You can check out the web site for ways to support A + B's mission and get involved, and if you're interested in applying to participate in the journey to Mount Kailash or you know someone who is, the application can be downloaded here.  

]]>New Release: Cecilia Velasteguihttp://www.catherineknepper.com/blog/2012/4/28/new-release-cecilia-velastegui.htmlCatherine Knepper2012-04-28T17:38:52Z2012-04-28T17:38:52ZCecilia Velastegui recently released her second novel to rave reviews.  Traces of Bliss has been honored as a 2012 National Latino Book Club Book of the Month pick.  It has also been praised by Kirkus Indie Reviews, the US Review of Books, and Foreword Clarion Reviews, which awarded the book its highest rating of five stars.  

Many well deserved congratulations to Cecilia!  Traces of Bliss is available through Amazon, and don't miss the beautiful book trailer for Traces of Bliss, too.

]]>More New Work from Clients!http://www.catherineknepper.com/blog/2012/2/14/more-new-work-from-clients.htmlCatherine Knepper2012-02-14T18:22:41Z2012-02-14T18:22:41ZFirst-time fiction author T. E. Baker has a new thriller out, She Blew into the Room.  Hopefully this will be the first of many Ben Slade mysteries.  

Former client G. S. Johnston, featured here previously, has released his second novel, The Skin of Water, as an e-book.  Check out his web site for more information, and make sure to review these books on Amazon or goodreads. 

Congratulations to Tom and Greg!  

]]>The Year in Reviewhttp://www.catherineknepper.com/blog/2012/1/16/the-year-in-review.htmlCatherine Knepper2012-01-16T21:04:28Z2012-01-16T21:04:28ZOver two weeks late, here is a roundup of 2011 by the numbers:

-       Manuscripts line edited: 10

  • Of those, 7 were novels, 2 were memoir, and 1 was a business book.
  • Of those, 8 have been published or are under contract.  (The remaining two are being revised by the clients.)

-       Book proposals written and consulted on: 1

-       Book proposals edited and consulted on: 2

  • All three are still in progress, and all three are so amazing I can’t wait to send them off to agents.  One is days away from submission.  Wish us luck!

-       Synopses written or edited: 3 (all for novels)

-       Manuscript evaluations written: 11

  • Of those, 10 were for novels, one for memoir.

-       Short projects done under consultation hours, such as editing for short stories, essays, or query letters, or general advice on publishing matters such as author platform and pitch: 7

-       Ghostwriting projects: 1 (a short memoir intended for the client’s family)

 

And here are the genres I worked with in 2011:

-       literary fiction

-       commercial/general fiction

-       historical fiction

-       experimental fiction

-       thriller/suspense

-       satirical fiction

-       memoir

-       business

-       true crime

-       religion and spirituality

 

Clients currently on the waiting list: 6

 

What an incredible year!  Thank you so much to everyone who chose to work with me and who referred clients my way.  I have the best job in the world.

]]>Events with "Lady Leader" Mary Stierhttp://www.catherineknepper.com/blog/2011/11/29/events-with-lady-leader-mary-stier.htmlCatherine Knepper2011-11-29T13:27:44Z2011-11-29T13:27:44ZMary Stier, former President and Publisher of the Des Moines Register and now founder of Mary Stier Connects, has published a fabulous new book called Lady Leader: 10 Ways to Play in Big Boy Business.  Based upon her 25-year career in the male-dominated newspaper industry, Lady Leader is a distillation of some of the most important lessons Mary learned as an executive in a Fortune 500 company.  (And it includes some hilarious personal stories, too.)

If you're in the Des Moines area, shop locally and pick up Lady Leader at The Book Store or Beaverdale Books.  Better yet, meet Mary and get an autographed copy of the book at one of Mary's upcoming events:

December 6, 7 PM: Central College, Cox Recital Hall: Q&A, book signing, presentation

December 9, 12 - 1 PM: Lunch and Learn series at the Des Moines Public Library: Bring a brown-bag lunch and hear Mary share insights from the book.  (I'll be there!)

December 12, 6:30 PM: Book signing at Beaverdale Books

Check back at Mary Stier Connects for future events.  

]]>Yes Ma'amhttp://www.catherineknepper.com/blog/2011/11/21/yes-maam.htmlCatherine Knepper2011-11-21T12:41:08Z2011-11-21T12:41:08ZHusband Tim is out of town, there’s no kindergarten or preschool starting Wednesday, the in-laws arrive Thursday, and the children and I are sick.  I have an incredible amount of work to do—thrilling, wonderful, rewarding work—but three nasty colds under the above conditions has got to be Mother Nature telling me to ease up.  So I’ll be taking the week off to recuperate and spend time with family.  (Hopefully the latter won't cancel out the former.)  Happy Thanksgiving to all.  I’ll see you on the other side.

]]>New Fiction from Paula Morrishttp://www.catherineknepper.com/blog/2011/8/31/new-fiction-from-paula-morris.htmlCatherine Knepper2011-08-31T10:35:22Z2011-08-31T10:35:22ZGreat news: Paula Morris's second YA novel DARK SOULS has been published and is now available in hardover or as en ebook.  Paula is an award-winning author of many books, and you can see a full listing at her web site.  I read and recommended her first YA novel, RUINED, on this blog previously.  The novel was so good, in fact, that I devoured it in one sitting, so I can't wait to get my hands on a copy of DARK SOULS.  Read an excerpt here, or purchase the book through Amazon here.

]]>A Must-Seehttp://www.catherineknepper.com/blog/2011/6/17/a-must-see.htmlCatherine Knepper2011-06-17T12:02:20Z2011-06-17T12:02:20ZOne of the most difficult things for many authors today, published or not, is the big beast Promotion.  Countless great books go unnoticed simply because they don't receive adequate PR, and many, many aspiring nonfiction authors can't get their book proposals signed for lack of the infamous "author platform."  Carolyn Parkhurst, writer of such novels as The Dogs of Babel and the new The Nobodies Album, has found an excellent means for getting the word out.

]]>Ever More Successhttp://www.catherineknepper.com/blog/2011/6/9/ever-more-success.htmlCatherine Knepper2011-06-09T13:47:35Z2011-06-09T13:47:35Z
Former client G. S. Johnston has published his gorgeous novel Consumption as a Kindle edition.  When I read this book I was immediately captivated by its masterful prose and its vivid evocation of place.  The description from Amazon captures it nicely: "In its witty dissection of middle class ideals and aspirations, G. S. Johnston's CONSUMPTION is a heart-rending, provoking novel about the nature of long-term friendships. With beautiful prose, arresting characters, and intriguing setting, Johnston evokes the cities of Hong Kong and Sydney and immerses the reader in a world that is as beautiful as it is painful."
Don't worry if you don't have a Kindle.  You can download the book as a Word or .pdf file as well.  And at only $2.99, it's a steal.  
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