More News

  I am really pleased to announce that electronic versions of my new book "Portsoy Woods" are now available for purchase at the following fine booksellers:


Amazon Store URL - https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01MRO40DO
 
BN Store URL - http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/portsoy-woods-jane-alexandra-krehbiel/1125132787?ean=2940156820924
 
Apple Store URL - http://itunes.apple.com/us/book/id1179246931
 
Kobo Store URL - https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/portsoy-woods






Of course, excellent quality paperback versions will always be available:


http://booklocker.com/books/8874.html


Happy Holidays to all !

The Cycles and Seasons of Being an Author

          

 
         I think the most exciting time as an author, is the time in which a book has been newly released. Most of us have worked hard to create a story, crafted telling that story and then worked for a couple of seasons in honing and revising that story. It can be tedious work.  Then, as it readies for market, it is time to hire someone to create a book cover. This is also important work as I always want a fair measure of input here because I realize that many times, the books I read drew me to them with their cover. There is also the matter of an author picture which should always be freshly taken for the back of your book.
                 After submittal, acceptance, any final revisions, etc. the book readies for release. This is the most exciting time for me. My favorite moment of being an author, is the moment in which I hold and page through the first copy of the new book that I have seen. Often this is sent to you by the publisher, but occasionally depending upon the publisher, it is not. Then, you might have to purchase one yourself. I liked opening and seeing exactly what the purchasers of my book would see.

                The next part does not thrill me, but it's extremely important. Authors need to promote their books in a myriad of ways. There are radio interviews, book signings, television interviews if you can get them, and bringing your book to the attention of the public in creative ways.  I don't enjoy this part terribly, but I understand its importance and I am committed to a certain amount of this type of work.  I am enjoying however, that with each day since the release of this book, it appears in more and more places over the Earth. First, it appeared on Amazon. Then Barnes and Noble online. Then Books-a-Million had it.  Bit by bit this book will find its way to book sellers, particularly those online, all over the world. This is very exciting.

                Of course, there is no time to rest on one's laurels, if there are any. A new book must begin. It must be outlined. People may need to be interviewed. Research must be done. Permission for pictures needs to be obtained, should you decide to use those pictures in the book. It could take a year or two for a new work to even near completion.

               And so, this is where I am. I am promoting my third book, and  first novel, which I feel is an important book.  I am in the early creation stage of a new one, although the vision for the new one is clear. Snippets of books which will follow call to me sometimes. If I am smart, I will write those thoughts down now. Managing all these seasons of creating books is not easy. Wish me luck !

Questions for the Author

Photo Copyright 2016 Woodwind Realm Publishing

 



These are the questions asked of me this week with regard to the new book Portsoy Woods
 Thank you to all who read the book in advance of its release and who allowed me to post their questions here.


Q.)    Is this book autobiographical ?

A.)   No.  Most authors of fiction take things they do indeed know something about and create a world which resembles our own world in some ways but not in others. A good author incorporates many people, many things, and many situations into a book. There may be parallels to real life, and there may not.A good writer should leave you wondering what is true in their book, and what isn't. Blurring the lines of reality is desirable.



Q.)  Why is the husband who is the main character an intelligence analyst ?

A.)  Living in Virginia, I know quite a few people who either work in intelligence analysis today, or who have in the past.  Some of them have mentioned the occupational hazard of becoming concerned for the safety of their families in the world, especially after years of reading concerning information regarding the security of our nation. I found this particular occupational hazard interesting and I wanted to explore it. 



Q.) I found several of the things that happened in the story upsetting. Why did you let those things happen to good people ?

A.)  Sometimes, in life, bad things happen to good people. In order to resonate and to interest readers, art must sometimes approximate life.  In this book, the characters are not subjected to strife for no reason. The lessons they learn and the ways in which they cope can be instructive for those of us who are enduring trials, similar and dissimilar, in our own lives. Reading fiction can be enjoyable sometimes, but it can also be instructive.
       From a Christian standpoint, God is always with us even in terrible circumstances,  From a humanistic standpoint, men and particularly women are more resilient than they realize. Resiliency is an aspect of human nature which interests me.



Q.)  Are the children in this book your own ?

A.)  No.  Although there are certainly elements of my children at certain ages in Kristin, Chloe, Hunter, MJ, and Amanda Jane, they are not my own.  I did homeschool my children, and one of my children did die unexpectedly, and this is where the parallels end.



Q.)   I wondered why there were not romance or sex scenes.

A.)  Michael and his wife have a normal life together. However, their sex lives do not relate directly to the challenges in the book, and so the focus was not placed on these. 


Q.)  Why did you wait several years before releasing a new book ?

A.)   I continue to do many things in life in addition to being an author.  Raising my family is the most important task my husband and I have undertaken.  Running a farm and then making money in a variety of ways continue and are important.  I do have a number of writing projects in process. Sometimes there may be a delay between books and sometimes there may be a short hiatus before the release of another.


Q.)   When do you find time to write ?

A.)   Much of my writing and almost all of the writing for this particular book occurred from about four in the morning to about seven thirty in the morning.  Later in the afternoon, I may have time to reread, rephrase, and revise what I said that morning.  Sometimes, at night after dinner, I will organize projects better and name chapters.


Q.)  Do you ever worry that you will run out of things to say ?

A,)   Not really.  There are always things which interest me that are occurring in the world. I am interested in seeing how people, particularly families, handle challenges. I hope my readers are also.

An Introduction to the Novel: Portsoy Woods

    
 

Copyright 2016 Woodwind Realm Publishing

  

Portsoy Woods, was written in 2015 and in 2016.  If all goes as expected, it shall be available for launch and sale in November, 2016.

          It is the story of a young intelligence analyst from Northern Virginia who convinces his wife that their young family with four small children, should relocate from the relative comforts and security of their suburban home to a large acreage tract in a very rural setting.  This is a difficult decision for them to make as it takes them from friends, family, and from good jobs with a negligible commute. The decision to relocate is certainly, at first, counter-intuitive.
          They relocate and find that even within their own state, a completely different rural culture and to some degree, different values exist in comparison. Their journey. their new friends and their learning is explored, as the economy and culture of the United States deteriorates. They also endure some personal losses, uncertainties, and disasters along the way.

            Although this book will probably attract those who are interested in preparedness, pre-emptive relocation, and survivalism, this story of family is about much more. It is about the value of flexibility, resilience, hope, faith, loss,  and charity for one's family and friends.

          This book is the third book written by Jane-Alexandra Krehbiel, and it is her first novel brought to market.