Erec Rex hits Japan!

I just got the Japanese versions of the first two Erec Rex books from Japan - they are beautiful! There are only a few English words, like Erec Rex on the covers and my name on the backs, and the title pages in English inside. Luckily I know someone from Japan who translated a bit for me. It sounds like the story inside is the same (well, except for a few words like "howl" changed to "the sound a wolf makes," I guess things that don't translate directly.) But the titles are different! The title of Book One is The Magic Eye of the Dragon, and Book Two is The Birth of the Dark Prince. Wow - that's a change!! It actually may read The Arrival of the Dark Prince - it wasn't clear.

The books are SO beautiful - more than you can tell from the pictures. They're big, too, and they have dust jackets over soft covers. I love the art! This is Book Two - The figure in front with the eyes coming out in his face is obviously Baskania - but such a cool looking Baskania! I love the way his long fingernails are poised around Erec Rex. Notice Erec's hair - straight in front, and curly in back...!

This is Book One - check out Bethany's outfit!! It's hard to see here, but there is an awesome dragon curved around behind them. They're holding a scepter - very cool!!


Can't wait to see the art from more countries as it pops up! Here is the Thai version, they used the same artist as the American version. It looks SO cool, I love it -

Hello Thailand!

Where to start?
So much has gone on since my last blog. Maybe that's why I haven't posted for a while! I had an excellent trip to Arizona, but more of that later. That was such a great journey that it deserves it's own post. So now I'll talk about something really cool that has been really fun . . .


A live webcam interview in Thailand!
As you may know, Erec Rex is coming out in many countries around the world, which is so exciting! One of the cool things is getting to meet some great people in other countries. For example, I got to do a live interview in Thailand, via a webcam, during the release / launch of Erec Rex at the Bangkok Book Fair! Because of the time difference, it was from 2:00 - 3:30 AM here, so I was a bit out of it, but it was still a blast.

A new Erec Rex website
The Thai publisher put up an awesome Thai Erec Rex website that you should really check out. I love the opening page - wow!! The flash and graphics are great, and even though I can't read the language, it's still fun to see and look for the few English words that pop up here and there.

The Bangkok Book Fair
I am so amazed and impressed with the release of Erec Rex in Thailand. All I can say is, I want one of those scepters! They had a picture of the Erec Rex cover set up so people could take their picture as Erec in front of the cover, holding a scepter. The scepters were exactly like the one on the book cover - that was incredible. Check it out here.

Even more . . .
The people dressed up as Erec, Bethany and King Piter were so cool, too! Erec actually has one green eye, and hair that's straight in front and curly in back. Bethany's dress is patched like in the book! I love it.


So for now, sweet dreams. If I ever get back onto Eastern time it will be a miracle.
Enjoy!!
Love,
Kaza :}

My First Con...!

The Con Experience...
I spent the weekend at my first fantasy convention - it was a local one here in Cincinnati, called Millenicon. Overall, I met some really great people, and had a lot of fun. This picture was me on a panel with Steven Barnes, who has written for TV quite a bit as well as novels, and Tobias Buckell who just won a Nebula award - very cool!


It was a fun weekend, and I always enjoy new experiences. I even heard my first Filk music - always something new!
I'll be going to Marcon in Columbus this spring as well, and I'm sure some more in the future...

Love and kisses,
Kaza

A fun interview from Kelly Parra!

Hot and Fresh of the wire...
Kelly Parra, author of Graffiti Girl and Invisible Touch, did a fantastic interview of me on the website she shares with YA author Tina Ferraro. It was really fun! I loved that her question about "sharing a typical writing day" was one she asked other authors. It was fun for me to look through her other interviews and compare. But I got jealous when I saw that Meg Cabot writes in bed all day, and has a husband who is a chef downstairs sizzling up lunch and dinner for her when she wanders down into the kitchen. Sounds like some writer's fantasy...

I'm getting ready to turn Book Three, The Search for Truth, in to my editor next week, and am polishing the last few details. I've been hearing a lot from my Thai publisher lately, too, who wanted me to write a letter to my Thai readers. I can't wait to see copies in the other languages soon!!

Love y'all!
Kaza

Beautiful Re-views

Here's to Reviews!!


Ka-blam!
I've been looking online and realized there are a few more reviews out there that I have not mentioned here before. They're all lovely, and give me giant smiles when I read them. So I'll share:

The Writer's Notebook has a great review of Monsters of Otherness posted. This fantastic site also has a review of The Dragon's Eye, which I mentioned before, and a "Best of 2007" book list where Erec Rex came into more winning slots than any other book - which I loved!! This site is chock-full of helpful information about books. Check it out!

Stephanie's Confessions of a Book-A-Holic asks if you Want a Little Magical Adventure? I was lucky to be a guest of Stephanie's blog on my cyber-tour, so I was happy to see her great review. Stephanie still wins in my book for Most Beautiful Blog - you have to see it...

Holly Parry of Meridian Magazine posted a great review titled Books for Boys
that was really sweet. Holly is a top-notch reviewer, and I was lucky she chose Erec Rex to read!

Of course it was Awesome when The Book Trolley reviewer, Robbie Fisher, put a review of Erec Rex on that famous site! I had to love that. Since it was a Harry Potter site, he did a great job describing that it's NOT Harry Potter, (something that continually needs to be explained!) and points out Erec Rex's merits in a very well put-together review. Thanks!

TCM Reviews is an interesting site with a short, sweet review of Monsters of Otherness by Ranaa Tasneem. It looks like a professional site for book reviews. An incredibly nice review from beginning to end -- with the small exception that the reviewer seems to think I'm a man! Oh well, that's life with a weird name like Kaza!!

Last but not least, Katie's Reading did a really good review of The Dragon's Eye back in November, but I don't think I mentioned it here. I love any reviewer that says one of the books we should all be reading is Erec Rex: The Dragon’s Eye! This was a highly detailed and wonderful review - thank you, Katie! I hope you were able to read Monsters of Otherness!

I'm waiting for notes from my editor on Book Three - The Search for Truth. This one is my favorite - can't wait 'til it's out!

Love, love, love,
Kaza :}

(Public domain image created by NASA and the European Space Agency. Hubble material is copyright-free and may be freely used on the condition that NASA and ESA are credited as the source of the material.)

What can ONE Author Do?

What can ONE Author Do?
James Dashner, Author of The 13th Reality, may have the answer to that!

I am proud to say that my new friend and fellow fantasy author, James Dashner, is doing something that makes me smile. He found a charity that is trying to "make poverty history." Who can't like that idea? And he is going to donate all the royalties he makes from the first week of sales of his new book to The One.

Here is James - check out his new book, The 13th Reality, new in stores now! I'm in the middle of reading it, and am happy to say it's great!!


By the way, James,
You aren't the only one who can do this! I'm going to look into similar things to do as well. I'm all for making this world much, much, better, but if every one of us doesn't do it, who will???

Love and Hugs,
Kaza

The Amazing Kaleb Nation

It's been a little while
since I posted here. Writing The Search for Truth got me off track completely, but I'm back in the real world finally ... for now!

Kaleb Nation
So before I'm lost again in the next book I write - I've got a lot to talk about. This post is dedicated to a great guy, a brilliant, talented individual who I am glad to know. Did I say he's talented? He's not only the mastermind behind my website, but he also composes music for fun when he's not writing novels (his first hopefully to come out soon,) hosting online radio shows, doing art and design work, and just starting college - in case that wasn't enough on its own!

Kaleb made this amazing video about the first Erec Rex book that I'm happy to share with you:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EHvopiire70
Check it out! I love it, and Kaleb is so funny.



He's also done another really funny video about "What College Guys Eat," that I loved -- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G8ITVV1etfM

You might also want to look at Kaleb's blog, too, at http://kalebnation.com/blog/
Who else could have created a huge controversy from one of his many tongue-in-cheek entries about what it's like to be chosen as the lead actor in the upcoming Stephenie Meyers flick? (He's not, actually, before I start that up again!)

I'm glad to know you, Kaleb, and may we someday meet in person!

By the way, I just found this sweet video someone made about Erec Rex on YouTube!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NY7kHDgL7bY&feature=related

Love and hugs,
Kaza