Amanda Hocking

As you may have noticed, this is my new website – www.HockingBooks.com. The old blogspot did a great job, but I wanted a new way to connect with readers. In order to have new content on my old blog, it just felt so cluttered and messy, and now I think I’m able to streamline, so things are prettier and easier to find.

Today is the official launch day of the new site, but I plan on unrolling new content throughout the next few weeks, so it’ll be more of a month-long event with LOTS of giveaways, contests, trivia, excerpts, and much more.

So right now, feel free to explore, but now there’s a lot more fun stuff coming up.

I have some fun news! Within the next couple weeks, I will be moving to a new website. (Well, I’ll be sitting at my house, but all my info will be moving).

This old blog has served me well during it’s tenure, but I felt limited by the things I could do. I wanted a cleaner, more dynamic site that would allow me to post more content and to better engage with the people who read my books.

The new site isn’t quite done yet, but it’s almost there, and I am so excited because it is SOOO pretty and so fun! You’ll see soon. It really is very cool, and I’m VERY excited to have something so fancy.

I plan on leaving this blog up, as an archive for my older blogs, since it would be too cumbersome to move them all over. I’m also still getting hits older blogs, and I want people to still able to find the things they’re looking for.

But starting shortly, all my new posts and everything will be at the new site. I can’t wait to unveil the new site, and I’m counting down the minutes.

I just wanted to let you all know about the changes that are coming, and with the release of Ice Kissed only 50 days away, I’m beginning get the promotion underway. I have lots of giveaways, contests, teasers, trivia, quizzes, and just all sorts of fun things coming up.

If you haven’t yet and you’d like to, here are some places you can preorder Ice Kissed:
iBooks – for ebook 
Barnes & Noble – for paperbook, ebook, hardcover, & audio
Amazon – for paperback, ebook, hardcover, & audio
Target – for paperback 
Waterstones (UK) – for paperback

I haven’t been blogging as much lately, but that’s because I’ve been busy working on some fun/exciting stuff that I will hopefully begin sharing with you next week. But I’ll talk more about that when it’s ready.

For now, I’m just here to tell you some good news about Ice Kissed.

According to the countdown on my phone, it’s only 55 days until Ice Kissed is out. It’s been available for preorder in paperback and hardcover for awhile, but for some reason, ebooks aren’t up for preorder until closer to the release date.

Apparently, it is now close enough to the release date, and Ice Kissed is now available for preorder for the Kindle and the Nook. (It’s not up at iBooks yet, but I’m sure it will be soon). You can preorder it for the Kindle: here and for the Nook: here.

If you’er not familiar with Ice Kissed, here’s more info. Ice Kissed is the second book the Kanin Chronicles, with the first book Frostfire already out. It’s a spinoff the Trylle series, and you can check out this blog: here for commonly asked questions on the Kanin Chronicles.

The second book in the new trilogy set in the world of the Trylle will be out May 5, 2015

Bryn Aven refuses to give up on her dream of serving the Kanin  kingdom she loves. It’s a dream that brings her to a whole new realm…the glittering palace of the Skojare. 

The Skojare people need protection from the same brutal enemy that’s been threatening the Kanin, and Bryn is there to help. Being half Skojare herself, it’s also a chance for her to learn more about her lost heritage. Her boss Ridley Dresden is overseeing the mission, but as their undeniable attraction heats up, their relationship is about to reach a whole new level–one neither of them is prepared for. 

As they delve deeper into the Skojare world, they begin to unravel a long-hidden secret. The dark truth about her own beloved Kanin kingdom is about to come to light, and it’ll change her place in it forever…and threaten everyone she loves.

The most common questions I get from people are writing and publishing. I usually try to keep it simple, because there’s so much you can say on the subject, and not everything applies to everybody.

But since I’ve become obsessed (addicted) to Pinterest, I thought it might be fun to make a board with some of best pieces of advice I’ve found on every aspect of writing – from outlines and inspiration, to overcoming writer’s block, to whether to self-publish or not.

So if you’re an aspiring writer looking for advice, you should check it out. I really did compile the best advice I know – advice that has helped me, so it might help you too.

But remember – there is no one way to write a novel or to be successful. There are hundreds and hundreds, and you need to discover the path that works best for you.

Over the weekend, I was cleaning my office and reorganizing my notes. (When it comes to writing, I am an obsessive note taker.)

While I was going through my things, I came across my brainstorming sheet for titles of The Kanin Chronicles.

I knew right away that the series would be called The Kanin Chronicles, but naming the individual books took quite some time actually.

When I initially pitched the series to my publisher in early 2013, the books were called First Oath (which would become Frostfire), Dark Marrow (which would become Ice Kissed), and Last Bastion (which would become Crystal Kingdom).

It actually took me a very long time to come up with those names, but I wasn’t completely in love with them. My editor Rose suggested changing them because they sounded more like high-fantasy titles, and since my books aren’t high-fantasy, it didn’t really suit them.

So the two of us spent a great deal of time trying to come with names. I always think it’s interesting to hear what books and movies were almost called, so I thought I’d share with you some of the possible titles.

• Book 1 – White Rabbit
• Book 2 – Blue Blood
• Book 3 – Black Heart or Black Knight

• Book 1 – A Rabbit So White
• Book 2 – A Heart So Blue
• Book 3 – A Throne So Black

• Book 1 – A Promise in White
• Book 2 – A Betrayal in Blue
• Book 3 – A Heart in Black

I was really going with colors there for a while. But then I also just threw singular names, the way I had with the Trylle and Watersong series.

• Book 1 – Dynasty (which really is too 1980s soap opera to have ever worked)
• Book 2 – Throne
• Book 3 – Empire

And eventually, I just had words written down that weren’t attached to any particular book:

• Trothe
• Liege
• Betrayal
• Treachery
• Sedition
• Covenant
• Chicanery
• Branded

After much deliberation, we finally decided on Frostfire, Ice Kissed, and Crystal Kingdom, and I do think they fit the series best. What do you think? Do you have favorites?