Friday, March 6, 2015

Secret Project Reveal!

Yep, I’ve got a big surprise today! I’m finally revealing the secret project I’ve been alluding to for the last couple of months.

*drum roll*

My secret project is an Ilyon Chronicles prequel novella called Half-Blood that features Jace during his life before Resistance!

Summer2015 copy

About the Novella
The gasps and murmuring grew. Though some were hardly more than whispers, clear words reached Jace’s ears—dangerous, monster, animal, soulless. He tried to back away from their accusing eyes, but the collar pulled hard against his throat and held him in place.

For all his years as a slave, Jace has known nothing but the hatred people hold for his mixed blood—one half human, the other half the blood of a race considered monsters. Always, he is the outsider and quickly learns it is better to keep to himself. But, when his volatile ryrik blood leads him to do the unthinkable, he is thrown into a world of violence and bloodshed.

Forced to become a gladiator, Jace finds more and more of his heart dying as his master works to break down his will and turn him into the monster everyone believes he is. When a stranger interferes with his master’s harsh punishment, Jace’s world is upended again. But with it comes the possibility of hope that has long since died. Could the man possibly hold the key to escaping the hopeless darkness that is Jace’s life? Is there such a thing as life beyond the cruelty of slavery?

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Excited yet? :D I sure am. I’ve wanted to share more of Jace’s life before the series began for a long time. All those years in slavery are what shaped him to be what he is. I never thought it would turn out to be a novella though. I originally planned to write a short story starting just before he met Rayad and show the meeting from his point of view. I had little bits of it written for well over a year. Then, a couple of months ago, I was talking to my mom, and we both thought it would be cool if I wrote the short story and offered it for free as a way to get new readers into the series. That’s how I ended up working on it. What I didn’t plan on was how I would be flooded with ideas once I focused on the story. I kept going back further and further into Jace’s life until, before I knew it, I was starting the story when he was a six-year-old boy. From there, it grew into a 35,000 word novella that starts out with adorable little boy Jace and goes all the way until shortly after he and Rayad reach the farm.

I’m quite pleased with how it turned out and plan to publish it sometime this summer. I’m very eager. It’s definitely a sad story, but the end has a tone of hope that I think is a good lead in to the main series. You can expect to see the cover within the next couple of months. I’m very excited to share that too. So, is the secret as good as you hoped? ;)

And now, something I just have to share. I woke up to a most wonderful surprise this morning. You may remember me gushing over Chasing the Lion by Nancy Kimball (my review). It’s my all-time favorite historical novel. Nancy is an amazing writer. Well, a few days ago, she let me know she was reading Resistance. Talk about exciting and terrifying all at the same time! She finished it yesterday and posted her review. I am quite speechless at the moment. To have one of my favorite authors not only read one of my books, but give it such a glowing review is something I’ve only ever dreamed about. All I can say is how thankful and amazed I am for where God has taken me and my books after all these years.

7 comments:

  1. Jace!

    That review. Wow. That's amazing.

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  2. Yay!! I can't wait to read it! Hopefully it will sustain me until the next book ;) And how exciting!! I can't imagine how awesome it would be to have one of your favorite authors read your own book! Haha, maybe I'll find out if I ever do finish my book and you read it... ;D

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  3. This is amazing! I can't wait for its release!! I am currently reading Resistance and love every page so far. Your style is fantastic, and I can hardly wait to finish and move on to the next. :]

    Well done! and keep up the good work!!

    Blessings,
    Sarah
    sarah-plainandaverage.blogspot.com

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  4. Can't wait!!!!!!!!!!

    And that is a lovely review! How exciting! :D

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  5. Aaaaahhhhhhh!!!!!!!! I'M SOOOO EXCITED!!!!!!!!! I can't wait!!!!!
    Keep up the great work Jaye L. Knight!!!!!!

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  6. Can't wait to read Half-Blood!!! It's going to be amazing to delve more into Jace's life, and see the happenings that shaped him!

    So excited for you, Jaye! :-) This is so cool!

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  7. I am SO SO excited!!! I can't wait to read it!!

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