Å·±¦ÓéÀÖ

Welcome and thanks for visiting! I like to write stories and hopefully you like to read them!Ìý Check out some of my books in the links above. I have two fantasy series: THE FAERIE RING and THE MIDNIGHT SPY along with several contemporary novels. More good things are comingÌý - so check back soon!

Hi Guys,

While I was visiting my daughter in London, we took the train up to Edinburgh, which was lovely! Edinburgh Castle sits on the hill overlooking the city and it is just fabulous!



There has been a castle on the rock since the 12th century and it has been used as a museum, a prison, and a war memorial, to name a few. Look how the castle is built to the very edge of the rock:



And of course - Edinburgh Castle is where The Stone of Destiny is housed (which is the inspiration for the Stone of Tara in the THE FAERIE RING series...) ÌýThe Stone is in the same room with the Crown Jewels of Scotland and no pictures are allowed. They have like 4 guards in there to make sure you don't take one (I tried! :-}) ÌýBut I did manage to get this:



Anyway - it was an amazing place to visit. How's this for a fireplace:



We found this awesome old cemetery and if you look through the trees you can see the castle in the distance.



As any good reader knows, JK Rowling lives in Edinburgh and wrote all the Harry Potter books in cafes around the city. Below is a shot of a street in Old Town that was supposedly the inspiration for Diagon Alley.



We also found an old funky bookstore (that was very much like Shakespeare & Co in Paris) where I made this delightful find - the British edition of the first book of the Harry Potter series: ÌýHARRY POTTER AND THE PHILOSOPHER'S STONE. Somehow there is a lovely synchronicity in buying this book in the city where it was created.

And finally, one can't go to Scotland without visiting St. Andrews, the birthplace of golf! ÌýHere is the famous bridge and then the not-so-famous - me and my daughter! :-) Ìý(Haha - I know I look slightly confused there - I was concentrating on taking the picture and smiling at the same time - obviously more than I could handle! blurp! :-)





That's it for now! ÌýDon't forget I have a new book out - UNWRITTEN - only $2.99 !

Hi Guys!
Exciting news!!! I have a new book coming out this week! Here are the details:

Alexis is at a turning point in her life and headed in the wrong direction�
Alexis West dreams of being an author, but so far, her only book is a binder full of rejection letters. To make ends meet, she works nights as a waitress at the exclusive Manhattan restaurant, ´¡²Ô³Ù´Ç¾±²Ô±ð’s on Madison. When French supermodel, Simone Bouchard and her handsome boyfriend, Oliver Beckett, arrive for dinner at ´¡²Ô³Ù´Ç¾±²Ô±ð’s one night, little does Alexis know they will get her fired before the evening is over.

Jobless, no book deal and fearing her parents will force her to move home and get a ‘real job�, Alexis finds herself sharing a taxi with Oliver Beckett—and once again disaster strikes—forcing Alexis to move home and face the past from which she ran away�

You can check it out on Å·±¦ÓéÀÖ here or buy a copy on !

Hope you enjoy and if you do - please post a positive review - thanks!

Kiki

Welcome to Prague! The most beautiful city I've ever seen! And for a fantasy writer - it is a dream! Ìý(The castle above was the inspiration for Walt Disney's Cinderella's castle.) Truly - it's like stepping back in time: winding, narrow, cobblestone streets, castles, bridges, ancient statues - the city is amazingly beautiful! Ìý





The astronomical clock, below, was built in 1410. ÌýIt is the world's oldest astronomical clock that is still operating. It measures the day, the month, the zodiac, the lunar cycle, the solar cycle, the seasons - I can't even remember what all it does! It's crazy, when you think about when it was built!



The clock tower was the inspiration for the Berjerac clock tower in my book, THE MIDNIGHT SPY. It was so awesome to see it in person!

There are SO many gorgeous vistas in Prague, it's impossible to capture the ambiance with a single photo. The very famous Charles Bridge below:




The picture above is taken from the Castle District looking back toward the Vltava River and Old Town.Ìý

Below is the gatehouse from the Charles Bridge to the Castle District (and my daughter, Carly.) For some reason, to me, it looks like the entrance to Diagon Alley. :-)





The streets are all cobblestones and the architecture is fascinating - why they call it the City of a Hundred Spires! St. Vitus Cathedral below.





Well, Friends, that's it for today. If you are planning to travel to Europe, Prague is a must-see destination. Fabulous! Perhaps my favorite city in the world (or what I've seen of it!)

Check back - more pictures coming soon! We're back to London tomorrow and then on to Edinburgh!

Hi Guys!

Exciting news in Kikiland - I'm headed to Prague next month! Yes, THAT Prague - the City of a Hundred Spires. Castles and cobblestones, baroque buildings and gothic churches - a faerie tale city! (Which you know I love! :-)



And the location of the fantastical, amazing, beautiful astronomical clock that was the inspiration for the Berjerac clock tower in THE MIDNIGHT SPY! I can't wait to see it in person!



My daughter is studying abroad in London so I am going to visit her. From there we are going to Prague and then to Edinburgh, where, as some of you might know, the Stone of Destiny is housed - (better known as the Stone of Tara in THE TORN WING.) The Stone of Destiny is the coronation stone used to crown the kings and queens of England since 1301.

So - check back next month and I'll be posting about my trip! Who knows? Maybe there will be a new story set in Prague or Scotland coming out next year.....

And don't forget about my GIVEAWAY over on Å·±¦ÓéÀÖ - I'm giving away signed copies of all my books - see below to enter.



More soon!
~Kiki

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Å·±¦ÓéÀÖ Book Giveaway


The Faerie Ring
by Kiki Hamilton

Giveaway ends May 25, 2017.

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at Å·±¦ÓéÀÖ.

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Å·±¦ÓéÀÖ Book Giveaway


The Torn Wing
by Kiki Hamilton

Giveaway ends May 25, 2017.

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Å·±¦ÓéÀÖ Book Giveaway


The Seven Year King
by Kiki Hamilton

Giveaway ends May 25, 2017.

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Å·±¦ÓéÀÖ Book Giveaway


The Faerie Queen
by Kiki Hamilton

Giveaway ends May 25, 2017.

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Å·±¦ÓéÀÖ Book Giveaway


The Midnight Spy
by Kiki Hamilton

Giveaway ends May 25, 2017.

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Å·±¦ÓéÀÖ Book Giveaway


The Last Dance
by Kiki Hamilton

Giveaway ends May 25, 2017.

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Hi Guys!

I'm giving away signed copies of ALL my books over on Å·±¦ÓéÀÖ! Check it out by clicking on the links below:


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Å·±¦ÓéÀÖ Book Giveaway


The Faerie Ring
by Kiki Hamilton

Giveaway ends May 25, 2017.

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Å·±¦ÓéÀÖ Book Giveaway


The Torn Wing
by Kiki Hamilton

Giveaway ends May 25, 2017.

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Å·±¦ÓéÀÖ Book Giveaway


The Seven Year King
by Kiki Hamilton

Giveaway ends May 25, 2017.

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Å·±¦ÓéÀÖ Book Giveaway


The Faerie Queen
by Kiki Hamilton

Giveaway ends May 25, 2017.

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at Å·±¦ÓéÀÖ.

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Å·±¦ÓéÀÖ Book Giveaway


The Midnight Spy
by Kiki Hamilton

Giveaway ends May 25, 2017.

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Å·±¦ÓéÀÖ Book Giveaway


The Last Dance
by Kiki Hamilton

Giveaway ends May 25, 2017.

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Good luck!
Kiki

Ìý Ìý *Puget Sound with the Olympics in the background. Photo by Kiki Hamilton 2017

Snow covered mountains are my thankful thing for today!

What's yours?

Kiki

Ìý ÌýÌý
Ìý Ìý Ìý Ìý*January skiing at White Pass, Washington. Photo by Kiki Hamilton 2016

Happy New Year!!!Wishing you happiness, health and joy in the upcoming year!

One of my goals / resolutions, (whatever you want to call them), is to be thankful every day this year - for the little things (like a sunny day) and the big things (like newly published books)! And I plan to be posting a lot of them here - to send them out into the Universe so they expand and multiply!

So for my thankful thing today - I took a hike through a park with a beautiful river and two waterfalls hidden in the very center of the town where I live. It was about 37 degrees out and my iphone quit working after a couple of pictures but here you go!Ìý

I am thankful to go hiking in this beautiful space with my daughter and her college roommate, Emily, who is visiting from Pennsylvania, (but who I didn't get a picture of because my phone quit!) Nature's beauty makes me feel renewed and inspired! Enjoy!

As you know, I love to get notes from Readers - so if you have questions - send them to me!! I can be reached a multitude of ways - check out my

Recently, I received a note from Iris, who asked in part:

"Dear Kiki, I love your books. How did you create the world of the Midnight Spy? Where are the languages coming from? Or how did you develop them? Did you take Nostradamus quatrains and change them for the purpose of the story? Thank you very much!" Iris
Thanks for the questions Iris! THE MIDNIGHT SPY was actually the very first book I ever wrote. If you're a writer, you know first books often spend their lives hidden in the depths of your computer, regarded as part of the learning process and never meant to see the light of day. ÌýWell, let me tell you - the first version of this book was exactly that!

Nica wasn't even the main character - she was a very small, side character in a very different story. But I kept writing and Nica kept whispering in my ear, insisting that her story be heard, so I re-wrote the story. And re-wrote the story. And re-wrote the story. AT LEAST seven times I completely re-wrote the entire story. Start to finish. Painful...but necessary. With each version, the story got clearer and I began to know the characters better and they started to reveal their secrets.

The world developed as I wrote - the countries of Jarisa, Sartis and Ajeratauk became real in my head and each had their own particular features.

The languages are made up, with characteristics for each so one can differentiate between countries. For instance, I wanted the language of the Narsgededon forest people to be very lyrical, so a lot of the words are sectioned and end on vowel sounds.

As for the quatrains, Nostradamus' work was my inspiration but each of those quatrains in THE MIDNIGHT SPY are original and written for the story. ÌýHere's an example from the book:
“Beware a battle provoked by rageÌýÌýÌýÌý Unprotected by the golden cageÌýÌýÌýÌý A single blow through the eyeThe serpent and bear both shall die.
This prophecy tells of the deaths of Montemier, known as the wild bear because of his temper, and his nephew, Pontfial, who was called the viper for the method in which he used his sword.ÌýMontemier’s nephew was involved in a dalliance with the ruler’s young wife.Ìý Montemier was so angry when he found them out that rather than follow the typical protocol of a joust, where he would wear protective gear, including his famous gilded helmet, he attacked on the spot.Ìý The young Pontfial defended himself and stabbed Montemier through the eye, killing him instantly.Ìý The ruler’s ministers were so outraged they hung Pontfial without a trial.And thus, the serpent and the bear both died.Ìý In the story, the pages were written over five hundred years before the event.
Anyway, I hope that answers some of your questions! To learn more, click over to Ìý
Book Two, THE MIDNIGHT DECEPTION is coming soon so check back often!



Thanks for visiting!

Hello Witches, Wizards and mostly Muggles,

It's not often that I GUSH about a book. That I love a book so much I read it over and over. Ìý(The only unfortunate part of becoming a writer is that I read like a writer now and it changes how you experience a book...) but THIS book is worth gushing about!

Are you a writer? ÌýAre you a reader? If you are one or the other or both - you will also LOVE this book because it is fascinating. And incredibly insightful. And analytical and simply brilliant. The author, shows you Harry's world in ways I guarantee you were completely oblivious to when you read the books.

(AWGHP) appeals to me on two levels:Ìý

As a Reader:
I am a HUGE HP fan and absolutely loved the books and loved sharing the adventure with my daughter. ÌýAs with any Potterhead, we spent hours discussing the clues and who was good and who was bad and what was going to happen next. ÌýIt was so much fun. ÌýAWGHP takes you, the reader, by the hand and walks you through the books, pointing out clues, diversions, red herrings - things we all saw and read but didn't put together until JK Rowling allowed the story to unfold - sometimes three and four (or six) books later! Ìý AWGHP allows you to relive the HP story with new appreciation.

As a Writer:
The HP books are what inspired me to start writing. Until I read HP AND THE SORCERER'S STONE I had forgotten what it was like to be so completely immersed in a book that you were in another world, and believed in magic and could fly! What AWGHP does for me as a writer is to show me the incredible techniques and forethought that Jo Rowling put into her series in SO. MANY. WAYS. Ohmigosh - how can one person be so clever? Character development. Worldbuilding. and the Mysteries. So many mysteries that no one could figure out. Honestly, I've wondered many times how JKR learned to be such a master storyteller. BUT the amazing thing is that S.P. Sipal has identified these techniques; provided example after example to show us the brilliance of JK Rowling's writing with a brilliance of her own. ÌýThe analysis is truly amazing - and so much fun to read.

AWGHP is one of those books you can pick up, fan the pages, and start reading anywhere in the book - and it's fascinating. And incredible. And inspiring.