Wednesday 25 September 2013

WOW Wednesday: Wendy & Charles Siefken

Hi guys and girls! Welcome to WOW Wednesday. My sixth guests are the writing duo Wendy Siefken and her son, Charlie, whose pens have created Kai's Journey, a tale of zombies, werewolves, dragons and a young hero. Kai's Journey is now on sale for 99c/75pWhat's it all about, I hear you ask? Well, read on to find out more...



An awful mistake… an unlikely companion… 
Kai’s journey to save the human race!

Book blurb

After his father accidentally releases a killer virus into the world, Kai is left alone to battle the creatures it created. While fighting for his existence in the barren post-apocalyptic world, Kai runs into an unlikely ally in the form of a young woman named Clover. 

Fuelled by a flicker of hope, the two teenagers join forces with a rag-tag band of survivors in a heroic journey. Can the human race endure?



How Kai’s Journey came about

This is our first publication, with many more to follow. It started as a school project for my youngest son and now business partner, Charles Siefken, which grew into a desire to be published. Our publisher is Master Koda Select Publishing.

The book is a journey into the fantasy realm of what ifs. What if zombies took over the world? What if werewolves were real? What if dragons were really not from earth, but from another planet? I hope you enjoy this YA book. This book is ideal for a young reader who you might not want reading a book full of blood and gore. This novel doesn’t have that. It has a story without all the graphics of a battle. I hope you take a look and enjoy!


About the authors

Charles Siefken (1992-present) is a recent graduate of high school. This is his first book of many to be published. He currently resides in rural central Iowa, where he enjoys reading sci-fi books and playing video games, among other things. Christopher Paolini was his inspiration to become a writer.

Wendy Siefken (1966-present) is currently working from home full-time, writing stories and acting as a virtual assistant to those in need of an extra pair of hands online. She lives on a farm with her family, and enjoys reading, gardening and other activities with relatives and friends.

Wendy’s proudest moment

That moment when someone noticed us for the unique persons we are is etched in both of our minds. It was when the principal and teachers were getting together to have an Individual Education Plan for Charlie’s school year, and they realized he had written a book and published it as well. He had set up websites and actually sold books too. That was the day when one of the teachers, Mr. Kozak, was really impressed that we had come up with a cover, published it, and done the marketing and everything that went along with it.

Mr. Kozak had brought his laptop, so he went to the Amazon web page and looked at the book. He looked at the websites, as well as our Facebook pages. He asked Charlie what we had done, and I was so proud to listen to him tell the man all about our marketing and what worked best for us. Mr. Kozak and the other teachers were very impressed.

I did remind Mr. Kozak that since Charlie was still a minor at the time, for most of the process I had spearheaded the queries for agents and publishing houses. Together, we discussed the options available to us with each company that happened to contact us back and made our decisions. Finances played a very large part in what we could and couldn’t do. That is how we managed to stay out of quite a few of the vanity presses and other places that wanted money up front.

When the teachers and Mr. Kozak glanced at us with that look on their faces of ‘they really did it’, that was our moment – one of our greatest compliments.

Snippets from Amazon reviews

“The story is one of survival, but also zest for life – still finding happiness through the most difficult of times. 
It reminds me to appreciate what I have and to be grateful. This book is full of twists and turns, 
and just knows that you will enjoy it as much as I have. If I could give it 10 stars I would, 
but Amazon only allows for 5 stars… so Star, Star, Star, Star, Star!!!”
Bruce Goldwell

“This was an amazing story of zombies, werewolves and alien dragons, wrapped up with a love-story and a mystery ending that made me grumble! I’d love to understand more about the werewolves 
and what Kai was doing before he met Clover!”
Dominique Goodall

“Not only did I enjoy this book, my teenage daughter fell in love with it and Kai. 
I highly recommend it. If you enjoy zombies, surviving all odds, living with guilt and falling in love, 
you will enjoy this book. I can’t wait for more.”
Dawn

Where to connect with Wendy and Charles


Book links



 Thanks for reading - look out for another WOW writer next Wednesday!
Happy reading & writing! :) 

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