Author Interview: L.G. Keltner

Last week I said I would take a break from talking about my next book. By now that book probably seems to be a bunch’a bull to you since I keep putting off the release date. But it is with great pleasure to have my guest blogger, L.G. Keltner, talk about her Self-Help 101 series of novellas of which two are already out.

Credit: L.G. Keltner

What inspired you to write the Self-Help 101 series?

I was inspired to write the first novella in the series, Self-Help 101 or: How I Learned to Take Over the World Through Tolerating My Family courtesy of an odd combination of factors.   I’d been contemplating the nature of self-help books, and I listened to the Pinky and the Brain theme song.  I only intended to write one novella, but then my husband said the fateful words.  “You could make a series out of this.  Each book takes place on a different holiday.  Imagine doing the 4th of July.”  Within a minute, I knew I’d dedicated myself to this expanded project.

How many books are going to be in this series when it’s finished?

There’s going to be a total of five altogether.  Here’s a list of all of them.

Self-Help 101 or: How I Learned to Take Over the World Through Tolerating My Family

Self-Help 101 or: How to Survive a Bombardment With Minimal Injury

Self-Help 101 or: How to Select a Costume to Help You Deal With People

Self-Help 101 or: How to Successfully Dodge Resolutions and Suggestions for Self-Improvement

I’m also going to release a compilation with all four novellas, and it will be called Self-Help 101 or: How to Make the Transition Into Adulthood With Minimal Stupidity.  In addition to the four novellas, this compilation will also include a bonus short story Self-Help 101 or: How to Make the Most of a Date With Your Socially Awkward Valentine.

How much of the series is written so far?

The first two novellas are out in the world, and I’m currently wrapping up the rough draft of the third.  I’ve also started the fourth one, but I don’t have much done yet.  Only a couple of pages, actually.  The rough draft of the bonus Valentine’s Day story is finished, though.  Which makes sense, right?  That bonus story isn’t due to come out for quite some time yet, but it’s written.

What is the most enjoyable part of working on this series?

Part of the fun of writing the Self-Help 101 series has been taking ordinary situations and highlighting the ridiculous.  Dani’s family has its problems, but in many ways they’re regular people.  Fortunately for writers, regular people are perfectly capable of doing bizarre, unexpected, and sometimes downright dangerous things.  People are capable of discarding rationality in ways that boggle the mind.  I wanted to showcase that in a fun way, and it’s been an enjoyable experience.

What is the most challenging part of writing this series?

The most challenging part is definitely the schedule I set up for myself.  I want the four novellas out by the end of 2016 and the compilation with the bonus story out before Valentine’s Day 2017.  That’s a tight schedule, especially since I have a family and daily obligations that demand a lot of my time.  Still, it’s good to know that I’m capable to setting difficult goals for myself and meeting them.

Title: Self-Help 101 or: How to Survive a Bombardment With Minimal Injury

Author: L.G. Keltner

Genre: YA/holiday/humor

Length: 25,000 words

Cover Art: L.G. Keltner and Jamon Walker

Release Date: June 28, 2016

Blurb:

Book 2 in the Self-Help 101 series

Dani Finklemeier has self-published her guide to taking over the world, but she still isn’t rich.  Now she’s eighteen, still babysitting for money, and looking forward to starting college in the fall.

Of course, she has to survive a 4^th of July outing with her family first.  That’s a challenging prospect considering she has to be in close proximity with a group of cousins known as The Fallible Four.  As if that weren’t enough, she also has to deal with the fallout of her parents learning more about her relationship with her boyfriend Seth than she ever wanted them to know.

The good news is that, if she survives this holiday, she’ll have plenty of material for another self-help book.

Bio:

Credit: L.G. Keltner

L.G. Keltner spends most of her time trying to write while also cleaning up after her crazy but wonderful kids and hanging out with her husband.  Her favorite genre of all time is science fiction, and she’s been trying to write novels since the age of six.  Needless to say, those earliest attempts weren’t all that good. 

Her non-writing hobbies include astronomy and playing Trivial Pursuit.

You can typically find L.G. lurking around her blog, on Twitter, or on her Facebook page.

Purchase Links:

Ebook-

Amazon

Barnes & Noble

Kobo

iBooks

Smashwords

Print-

Amazon

CreateSpace

Add it on Goodreads.

Thanks, L.G., for being here with us today and discussing your awesome novella series!

Next week, we return to my single short story book, “Circa Sixty Years Dead”, the cover art for it and more!

Until then . . .