Name: Kiana Krystle What you Write: YA fantasy Agent: Naomi Davis Why BookEnds? I really admire BookEnd’s commitment to inclusivity and their attention to author care. Naomi truly demonstrates dedication to their work as an agent and I knew I would be in good hands with them as soon as we had our call due to their diligence, passion for my story, and thoughtfulness.
What book do you wish you had written, and why?
STRANGE THE DREAMER hands down. Laini Taylor’s prose is absolutely gorgeous and I aspire to write as lush and lyrical as her. The love story is just so whimsical and her characters are incredibly dimensional and raw. I would love to claim her literary genius!
If you’re not reading or writing, what would we catch you doing?
You can find me by the sea or at the beach with my partner, having picnics in the botanical gardens with friends, dressing up and pretending to be a Disney princess, attending the ballet, or going to tea.
Where can readers find you on the web and social media?
You can find me at https://www.kianakrystle.com/ or @kiana_krystle on Instagram and Twitter.
What’s the last book you read?
Rebel Rose by Emma Theriault! I absolutely loved it.
If money were no object, what would be your dream writing location?
A fairy cottage by the sea or a castle in Europe with my writing group (The Finer Things Club).
What’s your favorite quote about reading or writing?
This quote isn’t directly about writing, but it always inspires me to write:
“Isn’t it splendid to think of all the things there are to find out about? It just makes me feel glad to be alive–it’s such an interesting world. It wouldn’t be half so interesting if we know all about everything, would it? There’d be no scope for imagination then, would there?” -L.M. Montgomery, Anne of Green Gables
What’s your favorite piece of writing advice you’ve received?
My college professor, Anne Galjour, told me that “in order to create a visceral reading experience, you must unlock the limbic system with taste, touch, sight, smell, and sound.” Because of that, I always aim to keep my writing as descriptive and alive as possible.
What excites you most about joining the BookEnds family?
I started out as a literary fellow to Emily Forney at BookEnds, so I’m really excited to be on the author side of the agency as well. I loved learning about the behind the scenes of BookEnds and because Emily is my first mentor in the industry, I will always feel like this place is home.
What advice would you give to other authors in the query trenches?
Author, Kim Chance, always used to say the quote, “Dreams don’t work unless you do,” which stuck with me all throughout my time in the query trenches. The only person capable of determining whether or not your dreams come true is yourself. The second you stop working is the second your dreams go away. Yes, half of querying is about finding the right person at the right time, but the other half is about putting in the effort to reflect and revise and try again. My biggest piece of advice is reminding yourself that you are 100% capable of living your dream life.
What was the most important question you asked when interviewing agents?
What about my story and writing resonates with you?
How did you know your book was ready to submit?
Honestly, some may say I rushed into the query trenches because of the overwhelmingly positive response my book received after its first draft. I only revised for two weeks before sending my book out to betas. Five out of ten readers read my entire novel in only one sitting. The rest only had positive things to say. I was so confident in my book that I wasted no time throwing it out there. However, I was soon faced with multiple rejections. I did end up pulling my fulls and queries to revise at one point, but I don’t regret submitting when I did. The reason being is that my first draft was actually the one that opened the door to six offers. As soon as I pulled my fulls, something magical happened and I realized the story of my heart was good enough all along. While I will still be doing a significant revision, I am thankful I trusted my instincts and queried when I was confident enough to.
Name: Kiana Krystle
What you Write: YA fantasy
Agent: Naomi Davis
Why BookEnds? I really admire BookEnd’s commitment to inclusivity and their attention to author care. Naomi truly demonstrates dedication to their work as an agent and I knew I would be in good hands with them as soon as we had our call due to their diligence, passion for my story, and thoughtfulness.
What book do you wish you had written, and why?
STRANGE THE DREAMER hands down. Laini Taylor’s prose is absolutely gorgeous and I aspire to write as lush and lyrical as her. The love story is just so whimsical and her characters are incredibly dimensional and raw. I would love to claim her literary genius!
If you’re not reading or writing, what would we catch you doing?
You can find me by the sea or at the beach with my partner, having picnics in the botanical gardens with friends, dressing up and pretending to be a Disney princess, attending the ballet, or going to tea.
Where can readers find you on the web and social media?
You can find me at https://www.kianakrystle.com/ or @kiana_krystle on Instagram and Twitter.
What’s the last book you read?
Rebel Rose by Emma Theriault! I absolutely loved it.
If money were no object, what would be your dream writing location?
A fairy cottage by the sea or a castle in Europe with my writing group (The Finer Things Club).
What’s your favorite quote about reading or writing?
This quote isn’t directly about writing, but it always inspires me to write:
“Isn’t it splendid to think of all the things there are to find out about? It just makes me feel glad to be alive–it’s such an interesting world. It wouldn’t be half so interesting if we know all about everything, would it? There’d be no scope for imagination then, would there?” -L.M. Montgomery, Anne of Green Gables
What’s your favorite piece of writing advice you’ve received?
My college professor, Anne Galjour, told me that “in order to create a visceral reading experience, you must unlock the limbic system with taste, touch, sight, smell, and sound.” Because of that, I always aim to keep my writing as descriptive and alive as possible.
What excites you most about joining the BookEnds family?
I started out as a literary fellow to Emily Forney at BookEnds, so I’m really excited to be on the author side of the agency as well. I loved learning about the behind the scenes of BookEnds and because Emily is my first mentor in the industry, I will always feel like this place is home.
What advice would you give to other authors in the query trenches?
Author, Kim Chance, always used to say the quote, “Dreams don’t work unless you do,” which stuck with me all throughout my time in the query trenches. The only person capable of determining whether or not your dreams come true is yourself. The second you stop working is the second your dreams go away. Yes, half of querying is about finding the right person at the right time, but the other half is about putting in the effort to reflect and revise and try again. My biggest piece of advice is reminding yourself that you are 100% capable of living your dream life.
What was the most important question you asked when interviewing agents?
What about my story and writing resonates with you?
How did you know your book was ready to submit?
Honestly, some may say I rushed into the query trenches because of the overwhelmingly positive response my book received after its first draft. I only revised for two weeks before sending my book out to betas. Five out of ten readers read my entire novel in only one sitting. The rest only had positive things to say. I was so confident in my book that I wasted no time throwing it out there. However, I was soon faced with multiple rejections. I did end up pulling my fulls and queries to revise at one point, but I don’t regret submitting when I did. The reason being is that my first draft was actually the one that opened the door to six offers. As soon as I pulled my fulls, something magical happened and I realized the story of my heart was good enough all along. While I will still be doing a significant revision, I am thankful I trusted my instincts and queried when I was confident enough to.
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