F.A.Q.

Here are a few questions I get asked pretty often. If you want to ask me anything else, check out my Contact page for my contact info.

• Will you read my story?

  I would love to be able to read and give feedback on everyone's story. Sadly, between my job and my writing, I have barely enough time to read anything for pleasure, let alone for critiques. (I have written a long LJ post on why you shouldn't care that I won't read your story.) However, I do have these tips for you:
  

  • Correct your spelling, grammar, and punctuation. In your first draft, you can be sloppy. You should not be showing your first draft around. Anything you show someone from whom you want a professional opinion should be as professional as you can make it.
  • Read your story aloud to yourself. Not in your head. Out loud. Read it to a friend, if that will help. You'd be amazed at what sounds fine on paper but ridiculous out loud.
  • Write down in one sentence what your story's about. It can be a long sentence. For example: "Waterways is the journey of a young otter coming to grips with his newly realized sexuality." Or "Volle is about a young spy learning to think with his head as well as his sheath." If you can't do this, maybe your story needs to be more focused.
  • Read a lot more fiction. Not just online, not just furry, not just science fiction. By reading what other people are doing, you'll become a better writer.
  • Post your story online and ask for critiques. There are plenty of writers there who will be happy to tell you what they like and what they don't. None of them will be 100% right, but they will all be worth listening to.

• What tips do you have for a beginning author?

  Read. Write.

  Read. Never stop exploring new stories, new styles. Go back and re-read old favorites to see how your favorite authors achieve the effects you love. What is it about their descriptions, their dialogue, their characters that moves you?

  Write. Get your story out. Write that first draft. Go back and edit it. Don't be afraid of criticism, and don't take it too harshly when it comes. Keep writing. Keep writing. Keep writing.

  There are a few more tips at my Ten Things You Can Do To Improve Your Writing page.

• Can you sign my book?

  I appear periodically at conventions and usually have scheduled signing times there. If you see me wandering around and not particularly busy, feel free to come up and chat, and if you have a book I will likely be happy to sign it.

• I have a specific question about writing...

  By all means, send me a note! I love to talk writing.

• Will you write a sequel to "Waterways"?

  I am not ruling anything out, but none is planned at the present time. Kory's story has a definite arc and has--for the moment--reached an end. There will be other stories in the Forester Universe, and they or others from their story may appear in future books.

• Will you write a sequel to "Out of Position"?

  I have already written one!

• Will you write a sequel to "Isolation Play"?

  Yes, I am working on that right now. Hope to have it out in January 2013. There will be at least four and maybe five books with Dev and Lee.

• What's your next book?

  I have a Cupcake planned from FurPlanet tentatively for September, and probably the third Dev and Lee book will be after that. I also have an e-book coming out this spring with a human female protagonist meeting a werewolf and falling in love, so that might be of interest...

• Will you listen to my idea for a book / take a commission?

  I'd really rather not, not because I think it's not a good idea, but because I don't want to accidentally crib someone's idea in a future book. If we come up with the same idea independently, but you never told it to me, then you can just be happy we think alike. :) As for commissions, I won't say I never do them, but I only do them under extraordinary circumstances. If you can pay off my mortgage, then let's talk. :)

• Are your books available as e-books?

  My books are available on Amazon Kindle, Barnes & Noble Nook, Google Books, and on Apple's iBookstore. My publisher (Sofawolf Press) prefers to keep the books print-only for a certain period of time before releasing the e-book edition. You can always check when print and e-book editions are coming out at my Publication Dates page.

• Why don't your e-books have images?

  Currently, "Bridges," "Out of Position," and "Isolation Play" have images included. Most future releases should have them as well. This is because I own the text rights but not the image rights. I'm negotiating with the artists to be able to include images in the books, but it takes some work and re-formatting of books.

• I found a typo/formatting error in one of your books!

  Thanks! This happens, I know. Please send an e-mail with as much context as you can provide (PB/HC/E-book, page number (if print), surrounding text) to oops@kyellgold.com. I can sometimes correct typos and formatting in future editions and this helps me keep track of them.