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My Books
Rehearsal began as a single scene
inspired by a real band back in my early teen years. That written
scene got lost, but the story kept growing in my head. Finally, in
1996, I began writting it, on notebook paper with pencil and stored
in a binder. I wrote it by scene, one here and one there as they
came to me, and later began to fill it in. As it filled in, it grew
exponentially. In 2006 when I published book one, Rehearsal: A
Different Drummer, I had 4 books planned, a serial starting in
1974 and running through 1980. But it kept growing. There are 4
books out by now, but I'm pulling them to do
rewrites/additions/edits with new covers. And the serial/saga will
extend to at least 8 books. It's definitely a niche reader
story with plenty of subplots, family issues, and deep characterization. There
is a sequel in progress and a possible prequel down the road.Many of
my shorter books relate back to Rehearsal in some way, even though
they aren't technically part of the series.
For more info, see
Rehearsal: The Series
(The site needs updating; fair warning.)
The gallery: Finishing Touches and
Final Strokes
FT trade paperback | FT & FS trade
paperback combined
| FT eBook | FS eBook
Finishing Touches (2004) is the story of Jenna, a young widow with a
new baby who had dabbled in her art passion for years before getting
married to an artist whose popularity overshadows her passion. With
an overbearing mother trying to pull her into a more "upscale" world
via potential suitors and her long-time best friend making overtures
despite being married, Jenna struggles to return to herself and her
own passion.
Final Strokes (2013) finds Jenna in Chicago living with her artist
boyfriend and taking care of her two children. Now working within
the art field at a job she loves, she finds herself again at a
crossroads when they have different visions of the future.
Story behind the Story: Finishing Touches has some autobiographical
elements. The young artist who doesn't feel up to "real" artist
standards of those around her. The fear of becoming a single mom
with a small child (my daughter was still a baby when her dad went
to serve in Desert Storm). And the small town in central Illinois
was taken from my own hometown outside Peoria that still doesn't
even have a stop light since there's no need for one. And like
Jenna, I attended ICC. All of the rest is purely fictional. I get
along with my mom very well. :)
I wrote and published this one over four years, in between working
on Rehearsal. It was my first published book.
Finishing Touches was released as separate print and eBook editions.
Final Strokes is available separately as an eBook and is included
within The gallery in print.
More Info
Off The Moon |
Moondrops & Thistles
trade paperback | hardcover
Off The Moon is the story of Ryan Reynauld, a young pop singer at
the top of the charts, cocky in appearance but battling stomach
issues from nerves and hard living. Dodging his bodyguard and
friend, Daws, he darts up to a New York skyscraper across from where
he's supposed to be working and finds a young woman standing on a
window ledge. Narrowly able to pull her in, he is left with the
decision of what to do next.
Story behind the Story: This one actually started with Katie. The
plan was to explore a young girl's unwillingness to talk to people
and her reasons behind it, other than social phobia/social anxiety
disorder. I built the story around her character in the beginning,
but someone who is that unwilling to talk would also be unwilling to
share her story easily. And Ryan's own issues started to take more
dominance than only as an antagonist. So I let him tell the story
and show how hard it can be to help someone open up and let others
in, especially while fighting your own battles.
More Info
trade paperback | eBook | hardcover
Readers of
Off The Moon loved Daws and asked for more of his story. Therefore:
Moondrops & Thistles. Set 9 years before OTM, it's the story of Fred
Dawson (Daws) before he became Reynauld's bodyguard. A highly
respected SGT, Daws serves in Desert Storm, saving the life one of
his men in a daring/foolhardy rescue, but soon after loses his
captain and feels partly responsible. Being sent on leave to regain
his bearings, he goes home to NYC and runs into Deanna, a fiery
advertising admin trying to advance against the odds. Both
struggling with personal issues and wary of relationships, their
instant spark quickly grows.
The Story behind the Story: Daws is a tribute to my own Desert Storm
soldier. Deanna deals with a lot of the issues I did during our
career Army life. I have never been on Fort Drum so any details
there are research-based but fictional.
More
Info
Protect the Heart
trade paperback
Protect the Heart is a story of those who served, but also
of those who took care of the homefront. Abraham, an artist who
works in wood, leaves his father on his own when he's called to
serve. Maura takes care of her ailing father and volunteers at a
hospital while looking after young women left on their own with
children. Introduced by a mutual friend, their correspondence
provides a light neither would have expected. A sweet romantic
historical.
The Story behind the Story: PTH is set in my husband's home area of
southern Idaho, near the great Snake River, and the cover photo is
one I took many years ago from a bridge. The story is partly a
tribute to my great uncles Hal and Max, who served in WW2. One of
them came home a highly decorated pilot. The other, also decorated,
went down in Japan. His brother found the remains of his plane when
visiting a girl who would become his wife.
More
Info
Stanley: A Raindrop's Story
paperback | hardcover
Stanley is a little raindrop who always finds the hardest
spots to land. He wonders why his path feels so much harder than
that of his friends until he learns the value of hard lessons.
Stanley is my one children's book so far, although I have ideas for
others. It was inspired by my military kids and my grandpa, the wise
raindrop's namesake. Started as a simple home-printed project for my kids and
nieces and nephews, its popularity spread until I decided to put it
in actual print. It has been given as
gifts to adults facing crises and used by missionaries. The
paperback illustrations are quilt squares pulled from the quilt Mom
made for the story because she was so taken by it. The hardcover
illustrations are my own paintings.
More Info
Art Journals
Thoughts & Sketches paperback | My Story (So Far) hardcover
The art journals are part of my quest to encourage
creativity and personal journaling. Filled with my own artwork,
Thoughts & Sketches is aimed at adults, a coloring journal not as
intricate as most, with space to write and prompts to get you
started. Gates & Gardens, featuring flowers, pollinators, and pretty
gates, is the first of a planned collection. The next to come
features music and dance.
My Story (So Far) is aimed at young people, with a growth
tree(chart), pages to list favorite things, and some prompted story
space at the end. Included are images that can be colored with
pencils, gel pens, or crayons. Markers not suggested. A keepsake
hardcover.
(This book is currently only available through me, since my
publishing company decided not to accept journals with blank pages.
I will fix that and republish as soon as possible. I do have stock
available and will personally sign them!)
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Visit my
pen name
Ella M. Kaye
for contemporary romantic lit fic with mental health issues.
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