Kayla Woodhouse Needs YOU!

Can you imagine Uncle Sam with his finger pointed at you? Well, just imagine it's me, Kayla, pointing at you... Yes, we need YOU!!

Would you like to be part of our research for RACE AGAINST TIME?


Well, here are some questions that we need your input on:

-How would you react if you had just witnessed a murder?
-Now put on your imagination caps and imagine you are 13-years-old and witness a murder?
-What are your favorite dog names?
-What do you know about sled-dog racing in Alaska? Have you heard of Sprint racing or only long-distance like the Iditarod?
-Do you know how many letters the North Pole, AK post office receives for Santa each year? (You really need to know this one!)

Signing off for now - be watching for more research questions on this blog as we write!

God Bless-
Kayla

Mismatched Socks...

Kim here: My amazing friend and full-time assistant, Lori, wrote a blog post for you all since we're in the trenches editing.

Lori here: As you probably know, I will do pretty much anything to help the Woodhouses out, which happens to include... laundry. So, yesterday, betwix all the craziness I let Kim know that something was totally wrong with this house. She just laughed, and asked, "what?" I replied, "I only found four socks that don't match." Kayla piped up and said, "No..." she pointed to her feet, "Six!" (Kayla likes to wear socks that don't match - LOL)

We all needed something to laugh about. You see, line edits are in progress. Kim, Kayla, and editor, Karen are all clicking away on the keyboards. Having only read 2/3 of the original manuscript, I can tell you the plot thickens and I just learned that I had the "bad guy" all wrong! And now that the edits and line edits are almost done, I can't wait to find out how and why I was wrong. :)

You see, I may work for authors but they never let on... even to me!
What I do know is how busy they are! Always something to do betwix the house, writing, swimming, school, PR, marketing, meals, and so much more. Like your lives, there is always something that needs to be done.

So stop matching those socks - even slip on a mismatched pair (it'll make Kayla smile) and get ready for the book's release in March.

Until next time, and wearing my mismatched socks, simply because laundry always needs to be done... Lori

Research, Research, Research...

Kim here:
My great friend and author, Camy Tang, made a comment on twitter yesterday about research, "Can I just say, I LOVE MY JOB! Where else can I have a legitimate reason to look up how to do a proper triangle choke hold?"

It's true. As authors, we have so much fun doing research. Like when we went to the Grand Canyon and I asked a ranger, "So... how many people die here every year?" The ranger didn't even blink at the question, but several people around us looked at me as if to say, "why is this sweet looking mom with her two kids in tow asking a question like that?" I, of course, told them I was an author and doing research. I do write suspense, you know. :) And found out there's an entire book written on the subject. Death in the Grand Canyon. Huh, imagine that. And yes, I bought it.

Anyway, we love research. Even when I've sat on the phone for hours asking questions, taken thousands of pictures, my eyes have blurred from staring at website after website, and then have gone bloodshot from reading book after book...

Research is awesome. It takes a lot of time, but wow, does it make your stories sing! I even have to admit that sometimes I get distracted doing research. I'll be writing a scene and just have to check on one little minute detail and off I go - getting lost in the world of information.

I agree with Camy. I love my job. Now I think I'll go look up that triangle choke hold thingy she talked about - you never know - I might need to use it in a book someday...

Book Cover for NO SAFE HAVEN!!!!!!!!!!

WOOHOO!! Check out our amazing cover for Book #1 - No Safe Haven - releasing March 15, 2011 from B&H Publishing Group!

We're Ba-aaaaack!!! Alaska update #1

Whew! I don't think I will ever catch up. Ever. Again. LOL
I've taken a little break from "social media" to get a breather and regroup (and recover from the crud I picked up on the way home.) :)

The kids and I are back from our incredible trip to Alaska - it was full of breathtaking scenery, tons of research, great friends, and our amazing editors/friends Karen Ball and Julee Schwarzburg. So, to give you a little teaser, I'm going to share a few pics and a little about our trip...

We arrived in Anchorage and I had several speaking engagements and radio interviews. These first two pictures are from an incredible school - Grace Christian - in Anchorage, where the kids were amazing and SO much fun.





About a week into our trip, we were joined by Karen and Julee. The first day we headed down the Seward Highway (one of the most beautiful drives in the world) and snow followed us the whole way! But it was beautiful!



After breathtaking Alaska weather, we headed toward Trapper Creek up the Parks Highway as we chased "The Mountain" - (I'll explain in a minute) - This picture is outside our cabin in Trapper Creek.



Chasing "The Mountain" - is attempting to get as close as you can to Denali (Mt. McKinley) the highest mountain in North America, and "seeing" it. Denali in native Athabascan means, "The High One" - and true Alaskans only refer to it by its original name. (There's a LONG story behind that one...)

Anyway, we chased the mountain from Anchorage, (hundreds of miles away), because the mountain was "out." But sadly, by the time we got to Trapper Creek, it had draped itself in clouds once again.

Karen and Julee were very fortunate though... Many, MANY people come to Alaska and never get the opportunity to see Denali, but as you can see below - we chased him down and we saw hundreds of views of this massive mountain.


Josh and Kayla had a blast posing for pictures and telling Karen and Julee all about their favorite parts of Alaska.



Did you know that Denali is actually the tallest mountain in the world from base to top? Everest beats it because of elevation...



In the picture above, we're still a good 50 miles away from Denali. In the foreground, you see Karen and Julee hiking up to a lookout point (during the summer, that's actually a parking lot they'd be standing on). Isn't it amazing how massive the mountain is? And it's surrounded by other massive mountains...

Stay tuned, more pictures and Alaska fun facts coming in the next blogs...

Off On Another Adventure...

Alaska here we come!
Be watching for pictures and updates as Kayla, Josh, and myself take a research trek back up to our beloved Alaska with editors Karen Ball and Julee Schwarzburg. I'm SO looking forward to learning and growing as a writer under these two amazing women.

Now that No Safe Haven (first draft) is done, we're havin' a ball working on the details for book #2. Lots more details to come, but we are excited to share our writing journey with you all.

So... Stay tuned! We'll have LOTS to share with you all in the next few weeks...

From Kayla's Perspective #2...

God works in mysterious ways. He creates us each unique and different for His own special purposes. When I was younger, I had no clue that I would become the youngest-published-full-length-novelist ever. (Try to say that ten times fast!)

Writing is an adventure, let’s just get that straight right now. But I wouldn’t trade it in for the world. By pursuing what you want to do, you learn, you grow, and you laugh your head off. Plus, if you’re like me, you get grumpy sometimes. (LOL)

Each week I learn new things. For example:
-This week, I learned about the “uh ohs” in author intrusion when writing in first person.
-When you write on the computer, it helps to use the synonym thing-a-ma-bob and the spelling correcting whatcha call it.
-Don’t write when you’re about to fall asleep.
-And always get a good book (as a reward) to push you toward finishing your goal, (such as Isle of Fire by Wayne Thomas Batson), even if your goal is 15,000 words for over the weekend.
-I’m a weird person and listening to music while I write helps me think.
-It especially helps me block out the click-a-tick-a-boom-boom of the keys as I type.
-Of course, I use my headphones so I don’t drive Mom crazy by listening to End of the Beginning (by David Phelps, the best singer EVER) over and over and over and over and over (etc).
-It’s fun to write blogs too. I love coming up with stories for my blog, Dragon Claws, Dog Paws, Swimming Laws. . . I mostly love to get ideas back from other kids.

But I’ve got to admit that I didn’t know what to write about for this blog. But thanks to our friend Mrs. Lori (whose son Austin home schools with us) I decided to kind of wing it and see what happened as I wrote. {pats the computer} (I’m not trying to offend you little blog post, please don’t take that the wrong way.) But thankfully, God gave me the words to type. (Smile.)

As you probably know I’m only twelve, (and am NOT going to turn thirteen, we’re going to skip my next birthday. Thankfully. LOL) and I’m kinda new at this whole writing thing, (That will explain it, if you're bored) but I promise to get better.
Eventually.
Hopefully.
Maybe.
Anyway.

I guess you could say that the theme-thing of this blog is write, write, write, re-write, re-write, re-write, and re-write some more until God says its good.
Well, we’ve got to go do school, (not sarcasm; I LOVE school! It’s fun!) So. . .
Adios and see ya!-Kayla

From Kayla's Perspective #1

Note from Kim:
As we dive into this new year and new stories, Kayla and I are blogging about our writing-together-adventures. I'm already behind (thanks to a lovely sickness I started my year off with) - so bear with me, as I try to catch you up. If you are reading this on my website kimberleywoodhouse.com then Kayla will be blogging on Tues. and I will be blogging on Thursdays about this fun adventure. (Other blogging will continue there as well.)If you are reading this on our website together kimberleyandkaylawoodhouse.com this is what our blog is about. And don't forget that Kayla has her own website and blog for kids over at kaylawoodhouse.com

Now I'm going to hand it over to Kayla - my 12-yr-old, amazing daughter.
Thanks for stopping by!
Kim


From Kayla's Perspective #1--
Howdie and Welcome!

My mom and I love to write, but the problem is that when my brain starts to work, I can’t stop it! First I think about a tree, then a bird, then a song, then a pool, then the tree starts to talk to the singing bird that’s in a pool and . . . wait. Wasn’t I talking about something else? Oh yeah!

Things get a little crazy around our house with school, swim team, and writing, but it’s always fun. I don’t know how my mom does it, but she seems to make me laugh at any time of the day. (Or night!)

We’ve also discovered that I love the word “S. . .L. . .O. . .W. . .L. . .Y”. My coach, (Coach Tristan), even said that we were being too “S . . . L . . . O . . . W” one day when we were swimming. Made me think of all the times I used the word.

And I love to use the same word over and over again. I do that a lot. :) Mom says that she does that too, but I don’t believe her. (She’s the perfect writer!)

I also love writing “duhn duhn duhn duh!” moments, they’re really fun, especially when mom is brainstorming (She can create one of those moments out of thin air. Probably just to say, "duhn duhn duhn duh") Whew! Let me tell you this: It’s an adventure!

Writing is so much fun, I love it. But there are sometimes when I feel like Mike Goobian from Meet the Robinsons when he said:
“Look what I found! It’s a stick! Now what did you find?”
In other words, my stories are ridiculous, everyone else's are wonderful.

My writing is nothing compared to Mom’s, although she would never admit that. :)
I love our crit group partners as well, they’re great. And funny. And I'm learning A LOT.

Ms. Carrie was the finder of my Slowlys. And the Dark Darkness. But that’s a whole other story. Maybe someday we’ll tell you THAT one.

Hmmm. I was just thinking. . . . What if the singing bird talking to the tree who was in the pool had a pet elephant named Buttercup, who had a cousin monkey named Ter, who had a sister donkey named Shish-Kabob?! That would be one big family tree!

Well. Sigh. I guess the singing bird talking to the tree who was in the pool who had a pet elephant named Buttercup, who had a cousin monkey named Ter, who had a sister donkey named Shish-Kabob will have to wait. Right now my mom and I are writing suspense Alaskan style, maybe next time it can be the animal kingdom.
Adios!-Kayla
kimberleyandkaylawoodhouse.com
kaylawoodhouse.com

A New Year, A New Adventure, A New Blog...

Well folks, I can hardly believe that it is Jan. 1, 2010. Anyone else feeling old?
As we start this new year, I'm inviting you to join us on a new journey...

Most of you know that Kayla and I will be writing a three-book series for B&H Publishers. The first one is set to release in 2011. Now - we are going to be sharing with you our 'travels' on this publishing road. All the craziness, all the laughter, all the tears, all the deadlines, goals, research, plotting, brainstorming, and celebrations. (Well, we're not giving away secrets of the books - you'll have to read them - but we are welcoming you in to this little corner of our lives.) Ever wondered what it was like to write a novel? Ever thought about how it would be to write as mother and daughter? What about the fact that we homeschool, the kids have swim-team six days a week... when and where do we fit in writing? All this and more I'm sure will be chatted about here. :) We welcome your questions and comments, encouragement and prayers.

For those of you who have been reading on http://kimberleywoodhouse.com - my blog will still continue with these posts from Kayla and me on Tues. and Thurs. - but this is a new blog http://kimberleyandkayla.blogspot.com that will also be on our new website http://kimberleyandkaylawoodhouse.com so there are lots of ways to find us! We look forward to hearing from you and hope you enjoy the ride.
With abundant joy,
Kim

Howdy! My name is Kayla R. Woodhouse, if you’ve read my mom’s blog, you’ve probably heard ALL about me. LOL

Mom and I are writing a series together set in Alaska. The "peoples" say that I will be the youngest-published-full-length-novelist ever. (Don’t worry, I freaked out too.) By the way, did I mention that I'm 12?

Now, I'm joining her in the wonderful fun of blogging. Just to warn you, I am a HUGE goof ball (it runs in the family, corniness runs deep through our veins!) If you don’t like humor, you don’t have to read my blog. :) In all seriousness, I hope you are touched by what we share here.

As you may know, about three years ago I had to have brain surgery. That was when I really started to read A LOT. Ever since then, I have loved books, and that love of books grew into a love for writing.

My brother and I were always coming up with stories and had already made 78 “episodes” of stuffed animal stories. I was always jotting down ideas and making up characters in my head, but I'd never really thought of becoming an author until my mom was offered a book contract for Welcome Home: Our Families Journey to Extreme Joy. She'd been writing since before I was born, so writing had always been part of out lives. But it was when we took a trip to the Grand Canyon that I came up with what I thought was my first 'slightly' good story. (Mom will tell you that I wrote lots of good stuff before this, but this is where I felt it all started.) I was surprised when my mom was amazed at my writing, and from then on - I wanted to get better and learn more. Mrs. Karen Ball, (a super-cool person who encouraged me to write when I was 10) offered to look at my stuff. Again I was amazed when she said she liked it and eventually, my mom and I were offered a three book deal, (while I was having Swim Team practice at the Olympic Training Center of all places!)

I hope that you will have fun reading my “oh so wonderful” blogging as my mom and I write and share our stories with you.
God Bless!-Kayla