...and Halloween isn't the only reason why.

Dear friends,

Things have gotten weird.

Maybe it's because we celebrated Halloween last night and it left me with a creepy-crawly feeling.

Or, maybe there's something more.

We're heading towards the end of the year and everything just feels so... unusual. Are we heading into a second COVID-19 wave? Will we be able to celebrate Christmas like we've done for as long as we can remember? And, for those of you who are in the US, will you be able to safely celebrate Thanksgiving? Will world leaders lead us to a safer, happier 2021?

I feel like life is tugging at the carpet under my feet every time I try to settle in. I do quite well in a stable, foreseeable environment filled with calendars, post-its and to-do lists. But lately I keep having to dump my post-its and to-do lists in the garbage and start over with every upheaval that 2020 is bringing us, and it's become quite exhausting.

It's not very good for the creative mind either, which, in itself, is like trying to keep a butterfly on a leash.

So, I must confess, writing has been tough in the past weeks and I almost gave up.

Almost.

That is, until I learned a powerful lesson.

This lesson came from none other than Ben and Mesmo themselves. I thought of my characters - my 'superheroes' - and I realized: what kind of a role model would I be, if I gave up? The consequences would be drastic! They would cease to exist! Their world would fall apart. All their heroic deeds would be meaningless.

Needless to say I felt ashamed, especially knowing that Ben and Mesmo would never give up, no matter what hardships they faced.

And so, I owe it to my characters to be as brave as I can be. This month I'll redo my calendars, post-its and to-do lists; and I'll write with renewed determination - no matter how weird and difficult things might get.

Goodreads Giveaway - WIN A BOOK!

On a more cheerful note: are you on Goodreads?

I'm asking, because I'm running a giveaway there.

To celebrate the US Thanksgiving, and to celebrate the fact that The Alien Skill Series has sold over 10,000 copies, I'm giving away 3 autographed books of Ben Archer and the Cosmic Fall.

To enter, simply head over to the link below and add the book to your 'to read' list. The contest ends on November 20th when Goodreads will pick the winners (US only).

CLICK HERE:

https://www.goodreads.com/giveaway/show/313802-ben-archer-and-the-cosmic-fall

Goodreads Choice Awards 2020 - VOTE FOR BEN!

The Goodreads Choice Awards are under way.

Some kind souls among you have tried to add the Ben Archer books to the awards (I can't do that, only readers can), and they've told me Ben Archer and the Star Rider is the best candidate.

I'm up against very tough competition, so if you would like to support Ben Archer and the Star Rider, please head over to the link below, scroll down, type in the name of the book in the "Write-in Vote" section, then click on vote.

https://www.goodreads.com/choiceawards/best-childrens-books-2020

The Star Rider needs at least 40 votes to get to the next round!

What's up in the neighbourhood?

Although my writing has taken a hit, October turned out quite nice.

My family and I had our first little vacation in two years. We headed over to Whistler, enjoyed good food and went for hikes around lakes and mountains.

We also managed to get our pumpkins from the pumpkin patch, and although we didn't go trick-or-treating this year, we had fun carving the pumpkins, making Halloween-themed cakes and eating lots of candy.

We've also enjoyed watching the salmon spawn in our neighborhood streams, under beautiful autumn leaves.



November 2020 reading list

(click on image for more information)

AEGIS: Catalyst Grove: The Aegis Series, Book 1 by Nathan Roten

All Graham wanted was to understand and control his mysterious powers, but he never guessed it would have left him kidnapped and tied to a chair.

For many nights in Greenwood Orphanage, visions of his loving parents flood the dreams of 15-year-old Graham. But the dreams quickly dissolve into haunting nightmares. Just when Graham thinks he will escape the darkness of his mind, he wakes up to find his possessions hovering in the air all around him before they crash to the floor. 

Graham thinks he’s a danger to his friends, and in an effort to control his unexplainable power and protect those around him, he goes in search of the one man who may hold the answers. That is until he finds himself captured by Aegis, bound, with his head shrouded in a black hood. Nightmares seem the least of his worries now.

What is this group called Aegis and what do they want with him? With Graham’s power becoming more unpredictable with each turn of events, he questions whether knowing the truth is worth risking everything—even his own life. 

The AEGIS Series is a Children’s Action & Adventure / Fantasy Saga following Graham's journey to discover the origin of his rare and uncontrollable powers. Any fan of the underdog story or a coming of age tale where the odds are stacked up against the unlikely hero will want to pick up a copy of the AEGIS Series.

Epicenter by Andy Briggs

SOME THINGS ARE BEST LEFT UNDISTURBED...

A major earthquake strikes Los Angeles and brings with it a wake of bizarre killings. Seismologist Michael Trent and LAPD detective Alana Williams are brought together to investigate – but nothing can prepare them for what they uncover…

Across the city something is emerging from beneath the earth – leaving a swathe of carnage.

Martial law is declared as the military battle the unknown threat. Trent and Alana find themselves trapped between a hard line general and invaders ready to trigger an earthquake that will not only take out California – but the rest of the world…

Explosive action, high-octane pacing and razor-sharp plotting will take you on a roller-coaster adventure.

RYB by Nicole Adrianne

No memories. No weapons. No chance of survival...

Greta wakes up in a tunnel surrounded by soldiers, with nothing to her name but a red uniform and a sharp mind. The only thing she knows for sure: she needs to think fast if she's going to survive.

As Greta searches for a place to hide from the fighters, she notices bizarre details in her world. Are trees supposed to have secret panels? And why is the war zone next to a perfectly manicured suburb?

When Greta puts on a blue uniform and hides among the enemy, she learns they're not the monsters she expected. Their warmth and gentleness seem out of place in the battle-scarred city.

But Greta's charade can't last forever...

The Changeling by J.M. Jablowski

A shape-shifting spy is sent to assassinate a prince.

Remember Rule #1.

Changeling and his team of spies have been sent on a mission to infiltrate the Sylvanian castle and assassinate Prince Griffin, putting an end to the royal family's reign of terror. Changeling is the perfect man for the job too, because of the alien tech in his hand that allows him to take on the appearance of anyone he touches. 

But not all is as it seems.

All the best,

Rae Knightly