KATHERINE D. GRAHAM, USA TODAY BESTSELLING FANTASY AUTHOR - OFFICIAL WEBSITE
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Big Writing Decisions

9/5/2022

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I have some big writing decisions to make in the coming weeks.

A couple weeks ago, my newsletter subscribers got a sneak peek at a big project coming in 2023.

This project has huge implications for me as a writer, including:

-Branding decisions (what genres I have found myself in love with and wanting to write the most in over the coming year)
-Release schedule decisions 
-Decisions about whether to self-publish or traditionally publish, primarily
-And decisions about how I am going to balance my life with my writing in general.

I plan to publicly announce more about my secret project in late October/early November 2022, but if you'd like to stay in-the-know early (and hear more writing news), come join my newsletter HERE. I'll send you a free book for signing up, and you'll be one of the first to know what big writing decisions I end up making. 

​Thank you all for being a part of my writing journey! 

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A Week In The Life Of A Full-Time Editor/Author

4/12/2022

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This week on YouTube, I'm sharing a week in the life of a full-time editor/author! 

Day one's video is already up HERE.

Life as a full-time editor, a mom of two toddlers, a writer, a Reedsy Reviewer, and a wife keeps me on my toes, but I love it. I can't wait to share a glimpse with you!

Subscribe to my YouTube channel HERE for notifications when new videos pop up throughout the week this week, and feel free to drop me questions on those videos or in the comments here on this post.

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2022 Alphabet Reading Challenge - Indie Authors Only

1/14/2022

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Now that you've seen my 5-star rated reads from 2021, it's time for me to share my 2022 alphabet reading challenge - indie authors only!

An alphabet reading challenge can be set up many ways, but in my case, I follow the suggestions my mother gave me in high school. For this challenge, the suggestions are:

-Only choose authors you've never read work from before.
-Use the first letter of the author's last name (organized like the library system)
-Pick one book per letter of the alphabet (26 books total)
-*My bonus for 2022: Only pick indie authors.*

This challenge is in addition to traditionally-published books and new books by indie authors I already love that I plan to read in 2022. 

The goal of it all?

To find new authors I love, and support indie authors in the process. 

So, without further ado, here are my picks for 2022:
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The Assassin of Grins and Secrets 
​
by K.E. Andrews
Epic Adventure Fantasy
(Read More)

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Needlework 
​
by Bekah Berge
YA Fantasy
(Read More)

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The Saltwater Heir
by Cassidy Clarke
Fantasy

(Read More)

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She Awakens
by 
Caitlin Denman
YA Adventure Fantasy
(Read More)

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Hunted
by Rhian Edwards
YA Paranormal Fantasy
​(Read More)


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The Crown's Inheritance  by Cristen J. Faulkenberry
YA Fantasy
(Read More)

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Sentinals Awaken 
by Helen Garraway
Epic Fantasy
​(Read More)

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The Sapphire Eclipse
by Amy Hart
YA Paranormal Fantasy
​(Read More)

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Feathers of Snow 
by Alice Ivinya
Fairytale Retelling
​(Read More)

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Unholy Warrior
by Rebecka Jäger
Dystopian Sci-Fi
​(Read More)


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Elevated by
Daniel Solomon Kaplan
Sci-Fi
(Read More)

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Halos
by Amber Lambda
YA Fantasy
​(Read More)

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Snow and Red 
by Eileen Mueller &
A.J. Ponder
YA Fantasy
(Read More)

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Guiding Light
by Noelle Nichols
Fantasy Short Story
​(Read More)

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Logical Magic
by Nicole A. Oliver
Science Fantasy
​(Read More)


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King of the Underworld
by V.L. Peters
Paranormal Romance
​(Read More)

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Rust-Kicker
by Daniel M. Quilter
Middle-Grade Fantasy
(Read More)

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The Maven Knight
by Matthew Romeo
Sci-Fi
​(Read More)

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Elements of Power
by Kate Stoessel
YA Fantasy
(Read More)

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Guiding Gaia 
by Tish Thawer
YA Fantasy
(Read More)


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Rise of the Red Harbinger
by Khalid Harbinger
Epic Fantasy
​(Read More)

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The Ice Queen 
by Elena Van Peborgh
Paranormal Fantasy
(Read More)

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Prince of the Fallen
by M.H. Woodscourt
New Adult Fantasy
​(Read More)

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Heir of Blood and Secrets
by Linda Xia
YA Dystopian Mystery
​(Read More)

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Stormfire
by Jasmine Young
YA Fantasy
​(Read More)

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The Leviathan King by
Andy Zambrano 
Thriller
​(Read More)


So there it is: my list for the 2022 alphabet reading challenge - indie authors only. 

Have you read any of these? 

Are any on your TBR list? 

Let me know in the comments!

Want to keep up with my reading challenge and other featured indie author news throughout 2022? Sign up for my newsletter HERE to stay in-the-loop, and I'll send you a free copy of Splitting Dusk: A Splitting Worlds Novella as a bonus!

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Dealing With Loss... As A Writer

10/4/2021

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I lost one of my most beloved family members this week. A family member who shaped many of the core characteristics of who I am since I was a child.

Loss of a loved one is impossibly hard in so many ways and for so many reasons. Dealing with loss... as a writer... has far more impact than I realized, though.

And while the impact is brutally painful, and the reality is that my perfectly controlled worlds will never be carried over into the plain of existence I currently inhabit, the impact of a loss on me as a writer shows me positive sides as well.

 Experiencing loss makes us human. The never-ending struggle with grief following the loss of a close loved one is exhausting, but it's one that most of us battle through. 

Some days will be better than others. 'They're in a better place,' some say, and yes, in this case I personally agree, but I'm not here to argue religion. "They're not in pain anymore," others will do their best to console, and yes, you know they're right, too. 

But where do we, Fantasy readers, often turn when societal norms seem to fail us?

If you're like me, you turn to books.

Books where characters struggle with life, death, love, loss, and more in richly-detailed glory.

Why is that?

Because the writer poured a piece of their soul into those pages. We find in their words a connection to someone else who at the very least imagines a pain similar to our own. We know someone in this world exists who understands us, who can truly imagine what it is like to be in our shoes. 

And those scenes, the ones that really mean something to us as readers, don't happen on accident. 

They are born out of the raw reality of the writer's own soul. They represent the heartaches and joys, the highest highs and soul-crushing lows of their progenitor. 

So while writing is the last thing, emotionally-speaking, that I feel like doing right now, it is, perhaps, the best thing to do. I'll take a pause, work through the emotions and the memories, and then pour those emotions into scenes which may one day be read by others seeking the same comradery and escape that I seek as I read today. 

Hold your loved ones a little tighter the next time you see them. Each day is a gift. And gifts are all the better when shared with those we love. 

Are you new to my writing/self-publishing journey? Check out my about me blog HERE

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Self-Publishing Savvy? Or Self-Publishing Struggling?

9/29/2021

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Are you self-publishing savvy? Or self-publishing struggling? Or, quite honestly, slipping back and forth between the two?

Yesterday I had the great privilege of speaking with AutoCrit Editing about not only my personal self-publishing journey with The Vow That Twisted Fate, but also about the self-publishing process overall.

There are so many different approaches to self-publishing (or "indie" publishing), that I humbly share my experiences as a fellow beginner "indie" author with the hopes that it will provide clarity for other writers in my shoes. 

While most of my blogs are brief and related to my projects and supporting other authors in the indie author community, the response from yesterday's live was too overwhelming to leave at that. 

Here are the key points that I discussed on my live with AutoCrit:

1.) Writing inspiration (in my case, a dream hijacked my 2016 NaNoWriMo - National Novel Writing Month - plans) & my mentor, Lindsey (owener of Of Ink and Pearls Publishing)

2.) The five levels of editing (developmental edit, line edit, copy edit, proofread, galley proof) + Beta Reading & Self-editing using AutoCrit.

3.) Distribution Platforms (KDP, Barnes & Noble Press, Ingram) and Formats (AudioBooks, Print, etc.) as well as formatting/cover design

4.) Timelines (from revisions to print); what I wish I'd done sooner and why

5.)  Budget (how much did it cost me to truly self-publish and what that went toward - overview)

6.) Reviews (trade reviews and reader reviews, what I did to set up review tours, and post-launch marketing)

7.) Marketing in general (*still navigating this part myself* - From pre-orders to Amazon bestseller to post-launch slow-downs)

I'm embedding the full video to the left if you'd like to watch it yourself and hear everything we discussed. You can also watch the replay directly on YouTube HERE.

While yes, I do work with AutoCrit at this time, I had already completely finished The Vow That Twisted Fate (using their software) and had it ready to release before I came on board as their developmental editor. 

For that reason, I am truly grateful for the money-saving, headache-relieving role that AutoCrit played in my self-editing process. 
For that reason, I am truly grateful for the money-saving, headache-relieving role that AutoCrit played in my self-editing process. 

If you have any questions at all, or comments about your own experience self-publishing, feel free to drop them in the comments; I love hearing your feedback!

If you would like to try AutoCrit's self-editing software for yourself, you can do so by signing up for their Free Forever membership HERE.

Want to read the finished version of The Vow That Twisted Fate? It is on sale for only 99 cents (e-book) or $10 (paperback) on Amazon now thru October 4th 2021, so grab your copy today HERE.
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One Year Author Anniversary

6/24/2021

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Today I've been doing some reflection. It's my one year author anniversary. At least, it was around this time last year (it's hard to tell an exact date at the end of June 2020) that I embarked on this incredible journey. So why not just claim today? 

'Wait,' you may say, 'Have you literally only been writing a year?'

Allow me to clarify. 

I've been writing my entire life; since grade school with crayons and construction paper and squiggly misspelled words. I've even released a couple flop books; ones I wrote in college and released unedited and unpolished. 
​
In all that time, though, never once did I actually consider what I was doing to be more than dabbling in a hobby. Even when I self-published my first two YA books (the ones that flopped), I never expected anything to really come of it. I was young; I didn't know what I was doing, and I believed that the only way to make a living or be a 'real' author was to be traditionally published. 

And yet here I am, celebrating my one year author anniversary. 


'What's the difference?' you may wonder. Or maybe you're rolling your eyes and ready to walk away from this weird woman's blog. 

The difference, for those who have made it this far, is that one year ago today I claimed being an author as an identity. Writing is a career. Technical writing or writing for entertainment are both important. But an 'author' is a title, a noun to describe oneself. 

A year ago today I moved past the mental roadblock of  'I'm just a writer' (meaning I was just a person who also wrote), and accepted that
writing is just a part of who I am. The Katherine D. Graham without writing, without expressing the dreams and stories inside, had something missing in her life. She felt unseen. Her dreams didn't matter.

I must thank my amazing husband, Jikyo, for being the one who saw me floundering a year ago and told me he believed I needed writing in my life. That I was a better person when I wrote regularly. And that my books were special (which meant a lot coming from the man who easily tears fiction novels apart). 

So here I am, one year later, on my one year author anniversary. And here's the key highlights of what has changed:

-I've embraced who I am as an author.
-I am happier and more motivated.
-Two novellas, Splitting Dusk and Down Falls The Queen are now avaialable..
-My debut Epic Fantasy Novel, The Vow That Twisted Fate, comes out in just a couple weeks (July 9th 2021).
-The Vow That Twisted Fate has already received awards.
-I am so humbled and honored to be a part of an amazing author community on Instagram and Facebook that I couldn't be here without.
-My amazing mentor Lindsey Teske has walked me step-by-step through being a writer into becoming an author.
-And I have writing dreams for the future!

If you are reading this and feel stuck, whether it's wanting to pursue writing or something else, please know that your dreams are worth pursuing. Don't wait for Monday. Don't wait for tomorrow. Embrace the challenges to come and the unknown. And become. Become who you are meant to be.

Want to follow my writing journey? Subscribe to my newsletter (and receive a free novella) HERE.

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Favorite Places To Write: In Bed

5/14/2021

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It's been a while since I posted about my favorite places to write, so I thought it'd be great to show another one of my favorite places to write: in bed. 

I have been a night-owl my entire life. As a child, reading in bed when the house was quiet was the time I stoked my imagination for the days to come. I am also known for my uncannily vivid (although far-fetched) dreams--yes Uro, if you're reading this I do remember the 'burritos crawling away'.  X-D 

One key piece of advice my mother gave me was to keep a journal nearby with recollections of the most vivid dreams I had when I awoke--good and bad. As I grew older, more and more of the most unique stories I envisioned were ones I jotted down laying there in one of my favorite places to write: in bed. 

If you're interested in reading more about some dreams that turned into novels I am publishing:

-Check out my debut Adult Epic Fantasy Novel: The Vow That Twisted Fate HERE.
-Check out my Kritinia Series: Shadow Child Novel HERE.
-Learn more about Spitting Dawn, a full-length novel in my Splitting Worlds series HERE.
-You can also see all my favorite places to write posts by following me on Instagram HERE.

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Meet the Woman Who Made Me An Author: My Mentor, Lindsey Teske

4/13/2021

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Lindsey Teske
Of Ink And Pearls Publishing

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Today I'd like you to meet the woman who made me an author: my mentor, Lindsey Teske! 

Lindsey is the owner of Of Ink and Pearls Publishing, an ALli (Alliance of Independent Authors)-approved self-publishing services provider and mentor with a heart of pure, selfless gold and the knowledge to tame the largest publishing lions. 

The path to publication is not a solo journey. I learned the hard way after flopping two books I wrote in college and self-published without editing them correctly or marketing them (or even getting a decent cover for one of them) that publishing was NOT a mountain I can scale on my own. 

And thus after weeks of research (and debating whether to self publish, indie publish, or traditionally publish my books), I was finally able to meet the woman who made me an author: my mentor, Lindsey Teske. 


Anyone who has spent time researching the self-published author scene knows to be wary of "vanity publishers" (although I'm sure that route may work for some). When I saw Lindsey's website for Of Ink and Pearls Publishing, I was initially wary because she herself had many high-priced self-publishing packages. That concern faded when she offered not to sell me a package (with many more packages repeated for future books), but to mentor me and teach me the process side-by-side so I have the experience and tools I need to do all of it on my own for future books. 

Lindsey could have easily kept charging me thousands of dollars on every book just to make herself money and keep me in the dark. Instead, she chose my long-term success over her financial gain. That kind of character in a professional today speaks volumes to her character, and I can never recommend or thank her enough!

You cannot spend any amount of time speaking with Lindsey without seeing the true passion and heart she has not only for publishing, but also for lifting up indie authors. There's a sparkle in Lindsey's eye when she listens to my dreams and hopes for my book. Genuine excitement when I meet my goals and pass milestone radiates from her even over a virtual meeting. She guides my rabbit-trails back to the main train track, and keeps me focused on the many, VERY MANY next steps. 

I've gone to Lindsey's mentoring sessions feeling elated from success and she celebrates with me, then helps me plan the next steps to blaze ahead. I've also spilled my doubts, my struggle with imposter syndrome, and my exhaustion in the process with her, which she empathizes with genuinely while managing to re-light the passion I have for my book and this process. 

I began my mentoring sessions with Lindsey back in October 2021. In that time I have:

-Discovered my brand 
-Found my ideal readers & what we have in common
-Rebuilt my website (with some help from my amazing husband as well)
-Gone from no Instagram account to an Instagram account of over 1,750 followers--fellow indie authors and readers combined.
-Launched an e-mail list (having not had one before) that now almost has 250 of the most AMAZING people who are interested in my books
-Marketed my professional side as a content editor (and gotten hired as a contractor for an editing company)
-Launched The Vow That Twisted Fate to advance readers, book bloggers, reviewers, and YouTubers for 16 ratings on Goodreads averaging 4.8 stars so far
-Launched The Vow That Twisted Fate and Down Falls the Queen: A Splitting World Novella, for pre-order

And SO MUCH MORE. 

A good mentor is worth more than words can ever say. Lindsey is more than a guide and a professional. She is the woman who helped me capture my dreams and make them a reality--making me an author. There is no price tag to be placed on that.

Not a day goes by where I am not thankful I had the opportunity to meet the woman who made me an author: my mentor Lindsey Teske. If you're reading this, Lindsey, I hope you know that I appreciate all you've done for me, and that I'm now on the path I only ever dreamed I could be. Thank you for making me an author!

If you are a fellow author looking for a genuine and reliable mentor, or if you think you'd like to know more about this writing adventure for yourself, please send Lindsey a message! I know she'll take great care of you. You can find her website HERE. 

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Professional Beta Reading Panel Guest Speaker at SaS Con

2/27/2021

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I'm not going to lie, I am both nervous and excited to announce that I will be a professional beta reading panel guest speaker at SaS Con tomorrow (February 28th). 
SaS Con is a virtual convention for creatives (artists, authors, poets, and more) that is FREE to RSVP for HERE. The panels will all be virtual on Discord, so anyone can join in.
If you're curious about the differences between a professional beta reader and a casual one, you should definitely come check this panel out! I hope to see you there!

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The Review That Made Me Cry on Valentine's Day

2/14/2021

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Happy Valentine's Day! I'm taking a minute aside to write this up, because I want to tell you about the review that made me cry on Valentine's Day. 

When I woke up this morning, I was greeted by the very first review and rating of The Vow That Twisted Fate, written by one of my advanced readers. Here is the review:
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The review that made me cry on Valentine's Day may not seem like much more than a glowing review to you, but it means all the world to me! This is my first-ever five-star review!

This review is the one I've been holding my breath for after my two flopped self-published books from 5 and 7 years ago--before I researched and learned how to proceed correctly in the self-publishing process. It is my first personal five-star review after 10+ years of helping others prepare their own books for publication by beta reading (which I now do professionally). 

The review that made me cry on Valentine's Day has given me the realization that I made the right decision in putting my work out in the world again. That others would care about my work. And that we all start somewhere, but our early failures do not define us. 

If you are a reader, please know that the time it takes you to write a review for your favorite indie/self-published author means the world to us. It's better than almost any gift. And if you're a writer reading this, you should know that writing is an art. One day at a time, one learning opportunity at a time, we will continue to improve our craft. Things I have learned in this process include:

-Be patient.
-Be open-minded.
-LEARN from the critiques you receive, don't take them personally.
-Realize when you need help (editors, proofreaders, beta readers, formatters, etc.) AND ASK for it.

I can't wait to see what the rest of the writing community is putting out there! Would you like to add The Vow That Twisted Fate on Goodreaders? You can do so by clicking HERE. 
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    • Duets of Dusk and Dawn >
      • The Slayer Queen
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