Dear ,

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Welcome to 2024! I hope you had a good time - whether you partied with hundreds of people or received the New Year in your pj's from the comfort of your home.

Let's try to get some good things going this year.

Exostar winner

For starters, DANIEL from WALES (UK), is the winner of a hardcover copy of EXOSTAR. Thank you, Daniel, for participating in the “Ask Rae Knightly anything”-contest! Congratulations!

----Daniel, I emailed you on December 15th. Please check your emails, or contact me. :) ----

Your questions

Next, let's delve into the questions you sent me.

I got messages from Oklahoma, California, New Mexico, Wisconsin (USA), Wales (UK), British Columbia, Winnipeg (Canada), Lithuania... Very cool! Also, I didn't mean to pry when I asked for your age but was curious how old my readers were. It was fun to see ages ranging from 11 to 64! Some of you wanted me to share your questions in this newsletter because you wanted to get to know each other. Others will receive a private reply, as requested. It's all good. I appreciate your participation!

Here we go:

1. CONNIE from Oklahoma, USA (64)

About Connie:

I am disabled. Reading and audiobooks are at the center of my life. I love learning something new everyday. I am young in spirit and love to laugh with friends.

Rae:

You're the best, Connie! I love your spirit!

Connie's question:

What about you that makes you love to write?

Rae:

As an only child, I grew up reading a lot of books and telling myself stories to keep myself busy. Internet didn't exist back then. There were no smartphones, iPads, TikTok, etc. to entertain me, so I had to rely on my imagination. I've always found it extremely fun to observe a normal scenery and then place something fantastical in the middle of it. Stories add a touch of magic to real life and make it even more exciting than it already is. Also, fictional characters get to go on all the adventures we wish we could go on in real life. At least this way we get to accompany them from the safety of our home!

2. OLIVER from California, USA (12)

About Oliver:

I love to play legos and dream of being a Nasa Flight Mission controller when I grow up.

Rae:

I can't wait to hear about your future adventures as a Nasa Flight Mission controller, Oliver!

Oliver's question:

Will you have any new books in 2024 and what is your favorite snack?

Rae:

Yes, I'll have new books out in 2024. POLESTAR (The Lost Space Treasure Series, book 3) is already up for preorder and I'm planning on publishing book 4 in 2024 as well. I've got lots and lots of projects that I want to work on and wish I could write them all at once! But writing a good story takes time, so for now I'll focus on POLESTAR.

My favourite snack... Do I have to pick only one? Uh-oh. That's going to be tough! Ha-ha! I guess the answer is almonds. I know that sounds boring but almonds are good for the brain and I'm trying to make healthy choices. That said, if I'm not careful, I'll catch myself snacking on Lindt chocolates. I'm definitely a chocolate fan rather than a cookie monster.

3. JERMAINE from LITHUANIA (32)

About Jermaine:

I was in the United States Air Force and later moved abroad. Now I live overseas and have my own homestead/farm.

Rae:

It sounds like you need to write a book about your fascinating life, Jermaine!

Jermaine's question:

Who is your favorite character from your books and why?

Rae:

Gosh, I had to think about your question for a minute. I think I'll go with Ben Archer. He has a soft spot in my heart because he's the one who showed me the way to becoming an author. He's also been around the longest and we've grown together from the start. While I was trying to learn to manage my writing skill, he was learning to use his alien skill. He helped me stay grounded so that he could go on wild adventures. He taught me what it means to be a hero and how to make the right choices. I suspect that many of us might feel a little piece of his innocence and wonder in us.

That said, I need to add that villains are fun to write, too! I've got this villain that has been asking for a spot in my books for a long time - so much so that he almost feels like a real person. He'll have to wait for his turn, though!

4. DANIEL from Wales, UK (11)

About Daniel:

I'm distantly related to Sean Connery.

Rae:

No way! That's such a cool fact! Sean Connery is a legend!

Daniel's question:

At what age did you start writing?

Rae:

I started writing when I was twelve. Unfortunately, I wasn't very good at it back then, but the story ideas I jotted down still inspire me today and when I run out of inspiration, I know I can always go back to my childhood notes. I wrote my first full book 30 years later, in 2018 (Ben Archer and the Cosmic Fall). Better late than never, right?

Also, when I was fifteen, my class had to write a 2-3 page story for English. My teacher liked mine so much she asked me to read it in front of the class. Except, it was about 10 pages long and took a whole hour to read (maybe my teacher wanted a break?). By the end of it, my throat was dry and my classmates were half asleep. But then I got to the big reveal at the end and everybody was like, "Wait... what??? That's awesome! Can you read that again?" That's when I suspected I might have stories to share that others might like.

5. Anonymous

Interesting facts shared by Anonymous in answer to my previous newsletter:

You asked about dinosaurs--  Did you realize that now that we have DNA we know the birds are dinosaurs, and the meteor impact that "froze the globe" also reduced oxygen levels enough that the large dinosaurs could not breathe, but if you own a parakeet, you own a dinosaur, and the dinosaur is central to Thanksgiving? 

Rae:

Those are mind-boggling thoughts! Thanks for sharing. I didn't know about the reduced oxygen, but am interested in the research going on at the Chicxulub Meteor Crater in Mexico.

Find each other

In the messages I received, I got the feeling that some of you would like to find each other.

I'm not sure how to do that, but here are some ideas:

• On Instagram, you can search and follow the hashtag #benarcherfans. Comment on the images that pop up or post your own image with the hashtag. By checking the comments, you'll be able to find each other.
• Otherwise, I created a Facebook group for you to chat in. It's meant for you, not me, so I'm not going to post anything or leave comments in it. I don't know if it will work, but it's there if you want it. We'll see what happens.
• Or maybe you have another idea?

Book news

• I'm honoured to announce that EXOSTAR is still a contender in The CIBAs 2023 GERTRUDE WARNER Book Awards for Middle Grade Fiction and has moved on to the Short List.
• The Knowledge Seeker spent most of December in the company of The Hunger Games and The Giver on the Amazon US website.
• In fact, The Knowledge Seeker sold close to 1,300 copies in December alone!

January 2024 reading list

The Girl Once Known by R.M. Demeester

Mira Harris is caught in a personal tug-of-war. Her mother's disdain, her estranged father's unexpected return, and her compulsive need for order clash with one another. When she connects with Joseph Oliver, it seems she might have found an ally who understands her. However, Joseph carries his own baggage, making Mira question whether she can truly trust anyone, including herself.

After Mira becomes the victim of a hit-and-run—an incident seemingly linked to her troubled past—she is forced to confront every relationship, lie, and act of betrayal to determine who intended to harm her. Through this process, Mira realizes she'll never see life the same way again.

All the best!

Rae Knightly