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Kyona Jiles on Winning Awards & Writing Fantasy Romance | What’s Kraken Interview
9 Plays1 day ago
In this episode of What’s Kraken, Jo sits down with Kyona Jiles, award-winning romance and fantasy author of First Death and Second Chance. They dive into her creative escape into writing, her early struggles with vanity publishing, and the resilience it took to turn setbacks into award-winning success. From dark humor in grief to building entire worlds filled with vampires, shapeshifters, and sexy FBI agents, Kyona brings honesty, laughter, and wisdom to the mic.
Check out Kyona's books here: https://amzn.to/46lvBDq
👉 Follow all our madness here: https://linktr.ee/Emptyhell
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🔑 Key Moments
- Opening riff – Jo pokes fun at mispronunciations before introducing Kyona.
- Origin story – Kyona shares how childhood contests and imagination led her to write.
- Family roots in fantasy – Dragons, unicorns, and a Wrinkle in Time set her path.
- Vanity publishing nightmare – How she got burned and the hard lessons learned.
- Award-winning redemption – From setbacks to winning both 1st and 2nd place in RWA’s Prism Awards.
- Teacher life vs. author life – Balancing the classroom with writing romance, suspense, and fantasy.
- Dark humor in grief – Her new project My Dead Sister transforms loss into a cathartic, witty narrative.
- Advice to younger self – Don’t try to fit in. Be yourself.
Recommended
Transcript
Intro
00:00:07
Kyona Jiles
No.
00:00:08
Jo
Hey, everyone, Joe here. Nope, wrong voice. Hey, everyone. No, real voice. Hey, everyone, Joe here. There you go Today, we've got Kiona, not Keona. Only an idiot would pronounce that Keona to the author's face.
00:00:21
Jo
Only an absolute idiot would do that. But we've got no one other than Kiona Giles, so the author of award, award, award, award winning, award alert. right right right Look at that.
00:00:33
Jo
First death. I love it. And also, not just a vampire series, but a little bit of a sexy man running series too. The
00:00:44
Kyona Jiles
Sexy man running series.
00:00:46
Jo
sexy man running. I love it.
00:00:48
Kyona Jiles
Always.
00:00:49
Jo
So you are a multifaceted romance and fantasy author. Who's an award-winning one? Sorry. The award-winning multifaceted romance and fantasy of author. How did you start writing?
00:01:04
Kyona Jiles
Escape.
00:01:05
Jo
Escape.
00:01:05
Kyona Jiles
Needing just, yes, escape. mean, I could say all the way back in elementary school, used to do like young writers contests. And so I had huge overactive imagination, only child.
00:01:14
Jo
Right.
00:01:20
Kyona Jiles
And so like making up stories and writing and telling. And so had a teacher, I think third or fourth grade that was like, let's send you to this cool thing.
00:01:30
Kyona Jiles
it I think it was the Wenatchee Valley College, community college, other so other fourth graders, fifth graders.
00:01:34
Jo
wow
00:01:37
Kyona Jiles
I was like, oh my gosh, people like my stories. And it kind of got the bug, the bug but I didn't decide I wanted to write a book until college. And I was like, I need something to do when I'm not all stressed out about this.
00:01:51
Jo
You know, something like easy, like, I don't know, macrame. No, how about writing a book? The easy way out.
00:01:57
Kyona Jiles
Right? I did try crocheting for a little bit.
00:01:59
Jo
The crochet, like, so many.
00:01:59
Kyona Jiles
I make um But I needed something to let all the voices in the head out.
00:02:06
Jo
Well, what you're saying actually resembles a lot of the writer journey from people i've I've interviewed, except that you're the only one that went to a community college area for, you know, it's the third or fifth grade.
00:02:18
Jo
We got hit with rulers instead.
00:02:18
Kyona Jiles
Yeah.
00:02:21
Jo
Come here, let me hear your story. Oh, why, Miss Richards, why?
00:02:25
Kyona Jiles
Right?
00:02:25
Jo
so
00:02:26
Kyona Jiles
That's wrong. That's not appropriate for school.
00:02:28
Jo
yeah you need it harder a yardstick we need to go meters no why so you early on were this person this creative force do you think being an only child and i self-admit this one as well do you think it helped because everyone else had siblings and you just had you that
00:02:51
Kyona Jiles
Right. I wonder that I do, because I actually ended up my parents got divorced when I was 10. And then all of a sudden i had a stepbrother and a stepsister. And I was like, I don't like you guys. I like the fake people in my head better.
00:03:03
Jo
Yeah, you're going running out of this today.
00:03:05
Kyona Jiles
And so, yeah, I do. Yeah, I can't control what you say and do. But those little people in here, I can see control.
00:03:11
Jo
a
00:03:12
Kyona Jiles
I think that's the other reason. Mm hmm.
00:03:14
Jo
I love it. And you weren't writing or maybe you were romance when you're.
00:03:20
Kyona Jiles
I don't think so, no.
00:03:20
Jo
are you.
00:03:21
Kyona Jiles
i did The fantasy stuff, though, I always remember my dad was big into, like, I mean, unicorns and dragons and and that, right? And so it's like, I always remember kind of that fantasy, that fantasy thing, that piece.
00:03:30
Jo
yeah
00:03:35
Kyona Jiles
And then it's funny, I ended up writing writing vampires and shapeshifters, and I haven't done my unicorns and dragons yet. So maybe that'll have to be my ah my next foray foray into some fantasy.
00:03:44
Jo
Boiler.
00:03:48
Jo
I love it.
00:03:49
Jo
And I love that it's family founded, meaning you got the inspiration from being around parents who read from being around parents who like fantasy.
00:03:58
Kyona Jiles
yes
00:04:00
Jo
And so you're like, Oh, this is a nice modeling. What was the first book that you read that was fantasy to remember?
00:04:07
Kyona Jiles
Oh my goodness. Wrinkle in time.
00:04:09
Jo
Wrinkle in time.
00:04:10
Kyona Jiles
Wrinkle in time. Yes. I think a teacher, I don't remember if it was my dad. Again, it was another one of those. I'm that Gen X. And so it's like when I think about being in the 80s and the TV shows, yes, see, the TV shows and the books and the things that we probably shouldn't have been.
00:04:22
Jo
yeah
00:04:27
Kyona Jiles
Ripped flowers in the attic, some Stephen King, right?
00:04:29
Jo
Oh, Flowers and Attic? No.
00:04:31
Kyona Jiles
But when you're 10, probably not.
00:04:32
Jo
Andrews, yeah.
00:04:35
Jo
yeah Well, that's okay. My first book that remember it was The Stand.
00:04:42
Kyona Jiles
Oh yeah.
00:04:42
Jo
I was like five or six. Should not have read
00:04:44
Kyona Jiles
Mm-hmm. No. Salem's Lot.
00:04:47
Jo
Say, never sleep again.
00:04:47
Kyona Jiles
Right? It.
00:04:49
Jo
Like, I'm closing all my windows just in case. I don't even have friends that come back to that, but just in case on this one.
00:04:54
Kyona Jiles
Right? Pet Sematary. I mean, it's just like...
00:04:58
Jo
Yeah.
00:04:58
Kyona Jiles
To have read, have read those. And yeah, Flowers in the Attic. I just remember like now I haven't read it as an adult because I'm afraid that if I go back and read it as an adult, I'll be like, what was I thinking?
00:05:12
Kyona Jiles
What were the adults in my life thinking?
00:05:13
Jo
What am I...
00:05:13
Kyona Jiles
Why wasn't anybody paying attention to what I was doing?
00:05:16
Jo
Where are my parents? Oh no, it's nice, it's about gardening. It's about gardening in an attic.
00:05:21
Kyona Jiles
Right, right? They're growing flowers.
00:05:24
Kyona Jiles
It's okay. Yeah, and i well and i'm a I'm a teacher now. I'm just starting my 25th year in education. So then I also kind of the the teacher in me is always like, no, let him read.
00:05:24
Jo
How bad could it be?
00:05:36
Kyona Jiles
And then the writer and the kid that was like going, oh, but they probably shouldn't be reading that yet. Yeah.
00:05:43
Jo
I'm reading, but not that, not that, not yet.
00:05:45
Kyona Jiles
Not that.
00:05:46
Jo
Do you get any parents?
00:05:46
Kyona Jiles
But I do my dad My dad was so big in my life with the fantasy and the sci-fi and reading.
00:05:49
Jo
Oh, that's good.
00:05:52
Kyona Jiles
He was always reading and he wrote songs and played the guitar, which I didn't pick up from him and I wish I would have.
00:05:56
Jo
Really?
00:06:00
Kyona Jiles
And so, yeah, so just writing and reading and being creative has just always been a part of my life.
00:06:06
Jo
So they nurtured it.
00:06:07
Kyona Jiles
Yes, very much so.
00:06:09
Jo
That's great. Did you read them your stories or is kind of like, no, just go write.
00:06:13
Kyona Jiles
I think I remember more like I would write them and give them to him. And so it kind of makes me wonder again, when I became an adult, I'm like, did he really read them knowing my dad?
00:06:22
Jo
the
00:06:24
Kyona Jiles
Yes, I'm sure he did.
00:06:26
Kyona Jiles
But like there was never any don't do this or critique or anything negative. And I just think that's so important when parents can foster that in their kids.
00:06:31
Jo
Okay.
00:06:36
Jo
it It is. It is. And I'm i'm thinking of a lecture from Lancaster of all places where if your kid hums a song and it's not quite the song you think it is. The minute you say that's not how it goes, you then kill the creativity forever.
00:06:51
Kyona Jiles
Oh, 100%.
00:06:52
Jo
Yeah. So that your dad not saying, well, the dragon can't do that to a squirrel.
00:06:54
Kyona Jiles
huh Yeah.
00:06:59
Jo
What's wrong with this one?
00:06:59
Kyona Jiles
Tell me more. Keep going.
00:07:01
Jo
Yeah.
00:07:01
Kyona Jiles
Tell me more.
00:07:02
Jo
Exactly.
00:07:02
Kyona Jiles
Right? So yes, I think that 100%.
00:07:04
Jo
the the Absolutely.
00:07:05
Kyona Jiles
one hundred percent
00:07:07
Jo
Now, that is explaining the fantasy part about the romance.
00:07:15
Kyona Jiles
You know, I've reflected on, again, that idea. I think it's kind of that that control thing. It's like being able to create this perfect relationship, perfect world, perfect, right?
00:07:30
Kyona Jiles
Perfect, whatever perfect actually is.
00:07:31
Jo
Yeah. Huh.
00:07:32
Kyona Jiles
And then I laugh because I'm of a pantser. Yeah. As far as I don't, I don't like write timeline. I just sit down and I go and the characters just tell me and I'll have what I think is an idea.
00:07:43
Jo
Yeah.
00:07:47
Jo
Exactly.
00:07:48
Kyona Jiles
Again, this perfect, I'm being a control freak and I'm in charge. And then it doesn't happen. The story just like, wait, where why did that happen? Where did that come from?
00:07:58
Jo
Right. And the way to do And for those are wondering what pantsing versus outlining is, read Stephen King's on writing.
00:08:04
Kyona Jiles
Right, I'd be flying by the seat of my pants.
00:08:07
Jo
Flying by him. And some people are, I know people who outline so well, they have to put in small gap words and the book's done. i am also a pantser for the most part.
00:08:19
Jo
And I think that helps with character driven stories. so You say you don't know where they're coming because they're real people in your head and real people do weird things.
00:08:24
Kyona Jiles
Yeah.
00:08:27
Jo
They don't always go as planned.
00:08:27
Kyona Jiles
Exactly. Exactly. But yeah, the romance, I think just that idea. Plus, I write what I love to read. I love to read romantic suspense. Because again, even though it's fiction, but it's kind of that fantasy idea, right? Like, again, I'm, oh my gosh, the sexy FBI agent is going to save my life. And right, that's never going happen in real life.
00:08:51
Jo
But that you never know.
00:08:52
Kyona Jiles
I mean, okay, I hope. I hope there's no serial killer chasing me or doing anything like that.
00:08:54
Jo
Bones.
00:08:57
Kyona Jiles
Nobody wants. But again, it's just kind of that fantasy, being able to escape escape the stress and the pressure of real life and and entertainment. It's 100% entertainment, right? Just that that shut off the brain.
00:09:14
Jo
No judgment.
00:09:14
Kyona Jiles
Movies, watching movies and being able to do that, that too, right?
00:09:16
Jo
Yeah.
00:09:17
Kyona Jiles
Have that there and that fantasy piece.
00:09:20
Jo
Absolutely. And that is the big maybe jump from our generation to a different generation. We are the generation that went on planes with books.
00:09:29
Kyona Jiles
Yes.
00:09:29
Jo
Everyone after us always had a device in their hand or the movie screen.
00:09:32
Kyona Jiles
Something.
00:09:33
Jo
Yeah. So you're saying your escape is, yeah.
00:09:35
Kyona Jiles
Yeah. And books, it was.
00:09:37
Jo
You're making what you want to see as art. You're making what you want to read.
00:09:40
Kyona Jiles
Exactly. See? Yes, you get it No.
00:09:44
Jo
Yeah. And that is very powerful because that means you're always going it doesn't feel like a chore to you. It's exciting. What's your writing schedule like?
00:09:54
Kyona Jiles
so when it's school but Because I'm so busy during the week, I try to carve out some hours on a Saturday or a Sunday. Summertime, because I get my two months off in the summer.
00:10:07
Kyona Jiles
I try to write in the summer and just sort of get get the things going. But then I find myself like I want to decompress and I end up reading more than I write.
00:10:17
Jo
right
00:10:17
Kyona Jiles
So I kind of had, I had more gaps between my my publishing and my books than I would like. Because again, real world, real life, the job that pays the bills.
00:10:26
Jo
It's all good. It happens that way. How long does it take you from start to finish of a first draft? Just curious.
00:10:32
Kyona Jiles
Right? First draft, when when i was really able to just sit down and write, i I knocked out First Death in like four months.
00:10:44
Kyona Jiles
That first draft of of First Death was four months. But then it took like another six months of and edit, edit, edit, revise, revise, revise.
00:10:44
Jo
Not bad.
00:10:55
Jo
Right.
00:10:56
Kyona Jiles
Because it's never, you always keep finding things to to change or add or do.
00:11:01
Jo
Yes, absolutely. Absolutely. And did it pay off for you that first step taking that long to edit and edit and edit? Did it pay off?
00:11:09
Kyona Jiles
Right? Yes. Putting that time and that energy and well, and I'll be honest.
00:11:10
Jo
No.
00:11:14
Kyona Jiles
So Outrunning the Hunter when was the very first one that I did. And it was kind of one of those, i'm I'm writing this story. I want to get it out there. And I was in my mid-20s and I got sucked into vanity publishing because didn't even know what it was.
00:11:32
Kyona Jiles
Right. It was bad. It was lesson learned. It was like, here's my advice to anybody who's, who's writing or wants to write, slow down, take your time.
00:11:42
Kyona Jiles
Don't get sucked in by the, oh, we're going to publish your book.
00:11:44
Jo
yeah
00:11:46
Kyona Jiles
Cause they're probably lying to you. There it's just like, don't get sucked into
00:11:51
Jo
We'll publish your book. If you gave us 10 grand, we will publish your book.
00:11:53
Kyona Jiles
Exactly. Right. The vanity publishing.
00:11:55
Jo
And we'll keep your rights.
00:11:55
Kyona Jiles
And it's like, and even for me, luckily it wasn't that it was, oh no, we'll publish your book. But then as soon as I signed this contract and agreed to do whatever, I like lost all the ability to do anything with it.
00:12:07
Kyona Jiles
And so, because they were, and and I don't even know the company isn't in business anymore.
00:12:07
Jo
yeah
00:12:12
Kyona Jiles
Thank goodness. But like this idea, okay, they were just making money because of course I'm going to buy my copies of the book to sell to others.
00:12:19
Jo
Yeah.
00:12:20
Kyona Jiles
Right. Right.
00:12:21
Jo
Yeah. It's a profit business for them.
00:12:22
Kyona Jiles
And so that's, that was it. And it was, it was crap. It was crap. Like I, after I was so embarrassed to think that there's a version of outrunning the hunter out there that was basically kind of this first draft because I cause i got sucked into the vanity.
00:12:35
Jo
I have the version behind me right now.
00:12:38
Kyona Jiles
you?
00:12:38
Jo
was going to bring it out, but now I feel bad about the whole...
00:12:40
Kyona Jiles
aye no I know have, I have it too. I kept it to remind myself. I kept it to remind myself.
00:12:46
Jo
Did you?
00:12:48
Kyona Jiles
Here's the totally crappy...
00:12:48
Jo
I went Oh my God. What the heck is that?
00:12:54
Kyona Jiles
They didn't give me any any say in the cover. They didn't give me... and and it was just... So I keep this to remind myself it's it's a marathon, not a sprint.
00:13:07
Jo
Yes.
00:13:08
Kyona Jiles
Slow down. But I still, I look at it and I like, cringe.
00:13:14
Jo
so That's a very great cover for a science fiction post-apocalyptic doomsday.
00:13:14
Kyona Jiles
I cringe.
00:13:20
Kyona Jiles
right?
00:13:21
Kyona Jiles
Right? And I don't get it. I don't know what it's supposed to, what it's supposed to be. and I was like, that's, that has nothing to do with, and they didn't care.
00:13:21
Jo
it's that it screams romance.
00:13:28
Jo
Because they outran the hunter.
00:13:32
Kyona Jiles
And that was that kind of lesson learned, right?
00:13:32
Jo
No.
00:13:34
Kyona Jiles
Of they don't care because I was going to buy books and sell them to other people and put this crap out there.
00:13:34
Jo
No, there's five more books. Yeah.
00:13:41
Kyona Jiles
And yeah, so it's been, It's been revised twice. I'm happy, very happy with what it is now.
00:13:48
Jo
Yeah.
00:13:49
Kyona Jiles
But then it's hard because when I i republished this in 2024, but the first time I wrote it was 2007. So it's like, it's so outdated when when you think this this version...
00:14:05
Jo
Yeah. Well, Rachel and Chandler get together.
00:14:08
Kyona Jiles
Right, right. Exactly. Yeah, what's going on here?
00:14:11
Jo
right.
00:14:12
Kyona Jiles
Everybody was on a break. And so, yeah, it's just or the technology, right? That it wasn't like carrying cell phones around with you in 2007, 2008. Not everybody did that.
00:14:22
Kyona Jiles
and
00:14:23
Jo
No, they're like this big.
00:14:23
Kyona Jiles
And if you did, it was a flip phone.
00:14:25
Jo
Yeah.
00:14:26
Kyona Jiles
Right. It wasn't the computer we carry around in our pockets now. So that that's my I just think my lesson to myself and to anybody like slow down.
00:14:30
Jo
No.
00:14:37
Kyona Jiles
It's a marathon. It's not a sprint.
00:14:39
Jo
Yeah.
00:14:39
Kyona Jiles
If you're just trying to publish to make money, which I'll be honest, I was in my mid twenties and going, oh teaching. Is this really what I want to do for the rest of my life? This is hard.
00:14:50
Kyona Jiles
Well, I could write a book and I could become rich and famous because that's what everybody thinks happens.
00:14:52
Jo
I will be the next.
00:14:53
Kyona Jiles
But no, because you know, you're 10% royalties. Yes. Yes.
00:14:58
Jo
Right. Right. and And that's the thing, like, especially back in the day for vanity, that they still exist. This, which is weird because Kindle exists, you know, KDP exists.
00:15:04
Kyona Jiles
yes
00:15:08
Jo
You just upload your cover yourself and save yourself a couple of grand. But it's like, you'll be the next big star.
00:15:12
Kyona Jiles
Yeah, anything.
00:15:14
Jo
All we want is your rights in all languages across the world, every medium, and we will never give them back to you ever, ever, ever, ever.
00:15:19
Kyona Jiles
Yeah.
00:15:21
Kyona Jiles
Right.
00:15:23
Jo
And plus two grand. Thanks.
00:15:24
Kyona Jiles
And to yeah, and don't forget to pay us pay us for this privilege of getting your
00:15:24
Jo
like what What? Because the, you know, the covers that we have the same, that book covers probably reused in 16 different books. You know that, right? Just the titles changes.
00:15:36
Kyona Jiles
Right? There is a piece of me now. I wonder what the technology now, right? Where you could take your cell phone and scan something. I should, I should like scan it and be like, do the search and see how many other books.
00:15:42
Jo
Like, like, huh, that's, that's the tricky one.
00:15:47
Kyona Jiles
No. Right? But no. And I think, I think again, getting older, learning, but no, to write the stories, it's just about me telling my stories and having fun.
00:15:53
Jo
Yeah. yeah
00:16:00
Kyona Jiles
And if someone else loves it, awesome. And if they don't, that's okay too.
00:16:06
Jo
Well, that's, the and from what i understand, people are not just liking them, they're loving them. So that's a good problem to have, you know, and you're having first death and second chance.
00:16:15
Kyona Jiles
a good problem to have.
00:16:18
Jo
That's your vampire series, right?
00:16:20
Kyona Jiles
Yes. Yes.
00:16:23
Jo
I love the book cover. How much input do have on the book covers for those?
00:16:28
Kyona Jiles
Oh, the covers. So I, when we first set out, course, Rachel and Sean, amazing, at Book Whisperer.
00:16:29
Jo
Yeah.
00:16:35
Jo
Book Whisperer.
00:16:36
Kyona Jiles
Yep, Book Whisperer. And so they were like, We were looking at some different things. We played with some different cover ideas. They were amazing. We had some, was like, no, that's not working. That's not working.
00:16:47
Kyona Jiles
And it was like, let's take the people. We had some with people and it just didn't fit. And they're like, let's, and we gave artistic freedom. Sandy Robb some books. He did my covers, Sandy.
00:17:00
Kyona Jiles
We gave him some artistic freedom as well. And so when he came back with this, just this heart and those thorns and and it was just like,
00:17:06
Jo
Yeah.
00:17:08
Kyona Jiles
Oh, it's perfect. It's perfect.
00:17:08
Jo
Perfect.
00:17:10
Jo
Yeah.
00:17:11
Kyona Jiles
And so with the fact of being able to brainstorm together, me having final say, but again, I'm, I'm an artist. I wanted the cover artist to have some freedom too.
00:17:20
Jo
Right.
00:17:20
Kyona Jiles
And so when we gave him some background and here's some, here's kind of what's going on in there. And then when he, the fact that we were doing it together on second chance, when he added the swords and it was just like, he came up with that.
00:17:33
Kyona Jiles
And it was like, Sandy, it's perfect. Like, nope, go take it.
00:17:35
Jo
Absolutely. And that's the greatest thing. You know the books are related because the cover art is relatable to each other.
00:17:40
Kyona Jiles
Yeah.
00:17:43
Kyona Jiles
Mm-hmm.
00:17:43
Jo
And it's simple because it works with the imagery. It's not crowding out what anything's like. Nothing's going to turn you off. It's all eye-catching. And if you're passing through a shelf, you're going to book one, book two.
00:17:55
Jo
i'm like, yes. Right?
00:17:58
Kyona Jiles
Yeah.
00:17:59
Kyona Jiles
And so I'm... i'm
00:17:59
Jo
And I love it.
00:18:00
Jo
And I'll have to ask. Did Rachel send you anything afterwards? Like a small...
00:18:08
Kyona Jiles
You, after our emails...
00:18:10
Jo
Yeah, did she send you...
00:18:10
Kyona Jiles
or the initial email, nothing.
00:18:12
Jo
Did she send you like a gift? Anything? else I mean...
00:18:15
Kyona Jiles
Oh, when the for being published.
00:18:17
Jo
Yeah.
00:18:18
Kyona Jiles
They sent me Italian cookies.
00:18:21
Jo
hope those...
00:18:23
Kyona Jiles
I, box, I'm like, this package showed up and I'm like, what? Because since they're in Italy and the box showed up and I opened it, I was just like, oh, cookies, any sugar. I'm i'm so bad. Sugar is my downfall.
00:18:37
Kyona Jiles
And I opened this package of cookies and it was a variety. And of course it was, oh, I have to have a bite of every one so I can see which one I like best man.
00:18:41
Jo
Oh my god.
00:18:44
Jo
Right, exactly.
00:18:46
Kyona Jiles
I probably look like cookie monster when I got done because yes, and my husband doesn't really do sweets and he's kind of why. And I'm just like, and I had crumbs on my shirt, on my face.
00:18:56
Jo
shit, I almost killed myself.
00:19:00
Kyona Jiles
I was like, at this point, I wasn't even celebrating that the book had been published. I was just more like cookies, cookies, cookie. It was, it was ridiculous. I should have, if, if I would have known, i would have like had him in the corner, like recording me.
00:19:09
Jo
Oh my god.
00:19:14
Jo
Recording it.
00:19:15
Kyona Jiles
Or a picture. Yeah, something because I was like, the cookies, that's all that's all i cared about. And then I was like, and how do how do I keep getting these cookies, since I don't live in Italy?
00:19:26
Kyona Jiles
And now they're like, well, you have to come visit us. And I'm like, oh, darn.
00:19:30
Jo
Oh, like, write another the book. That's all we're saying. You know, write a book, get a cookie. No, but that is, that is absolutely amazing. really is.
00:19:41
Jo
Now, for
00:19:42
Kyona Jiles
Did it really freeze again this time? i lost you, Joe. oh
00:19:45
Jo
Oh, we're back. Don't worry.
00:19:46
Kyona Jiles
are we back? Oh, okay.
00:19:47
Jo
Yeah.
00:19:47
Kyona Jiles
I was afraid.
00:19:48
Jo
You were lost in cookie thought. You were lost in cookie thought.
00:19:49
Kyona Jiles
I was in cookie thought and my computer freaked out. Okay. Sorry about that.
00:19:53
Jo
The cookie is like, oh, I heard you say cookies.
00:19:53
Kyona Jiles
My internet. Okay.
00:19:56
Jo
No, no computer.
00:19:56
Kyona Jiles
We're good.
00:19:57
Jo
Wrong type of comp computer.
00:19:58
Kyona Jiles
Wrong, wrong, wrong cookies.
00:19:58
Jo
I'll make sure my computer doesn't hear me.
00:19:59
Kyona Jiles
Wrong cookies.
00:20:00
Jo
Wrong cookies.
00:20:00
Kyona Jiles
No. So the cookies. And now my, my goal is to, uh, yeah, save up and, and maybe go do Indie Uncon in.
00:20:08
Jo
Oh, I hear that's going to be a huge thing next time.
00:20:11
Kyona Jiles
Oh, I just seeing the social media stuff.
00:20:12
Jo
Yeah, yeah.
00:20:14
Kyona Jiles
I'm like, okay, I could combine this idea of getting to travel somewhere exotic for me because I'm in Washington state boring.
00:20:15
Jo
Right? Right.
00:20:22
Kyona Jiles
And so like, okay, Italy, who doesn't want go to Italy? So yeah, I'm hoping India and con is in my very, very near future.
00:20:25
Jo
right
00:20:31
Jo
Well, I hope so. i wasn't at the last one. I was at one previously that, and it'll be great to catch that. But if anyone doesn't know what Indian Con is, you should go check out the Book Whisperer and then check out their ind Indian Con.
00:20:42
Jo
It is a great place for writers to get together and talk about the business end of it. And you can meet, I've met so many people from the business side there that changed the way I thought about doing books.
00:20:57
Kyona Jiles
That's so cool. Yes.
00:20:58
Jo
which i think would be a huge benefit for you. and And just to meet them in person, meet, you know, Sean and Rachel and, you know, on Spike and Danny and everyone else I'll probably forget.
00:21:06
Kyona Jiles
yes
00:21:08
Jo
Just to meet them in person and just go like, thank you. And of course, while you're there, you can buy those cookies.
00:21:15
Kyona Jiles
And I could get cookies and I could probably have even other cookies and they'd be fresh and they'd be wonderful.
00:21:20
Jo
Oh, absolutely. No, it's,
00:21:21
Kyona Jiles
And I do, i just want to also say, cause if anybody does go out check out the book whisperer, because I was just talking about vanity publishing, there's a difference between paying somebody to just publish your book.
00:21:33
Jo
Yeah.
00:21:34
Kyona Jiles
and paying somebody to help you do all the things you don't know how to do. And I think that's the other maybe little piece of advice that I would give anybody who, you know, I did the queries, I sent the things out, I have, I kept all the emails, the 207 rejection letters, right?
00:21:46
Jo
Yeah.
00:21:51
Jo
Yep.
00:21:53
Kyona Jiles
And like you said, okay, yes, Amazon, Kindle, the whole thing, KDP, but if you have somebody, if you have a good story, and you have somebody who who can help guide you where to go with that story, then again, you have artists, you have creatives, and you're paying people for their services and their time.
00:22:04
Jo
Yeah.
00:22:13
Kyona Jiles
You're not paying somebody to publish your book. And so just like you pay a cover artist, and you pay an editor, and all those things, and and invest that money.
00:22:16
Jo
No.
00:22:20
Jo
Yeah.
00:22:23
Kyona Jiles
That's that other thing to people I'd say like, save that money it does cost money because you want it to be the best product that you're putting out there to consumers
00:22:31
Jo
Yeah. Absolutely. And you are absolutely a thousand percent on Book Whisperer. I have, I'm not sponsored by Book Whisperer.
00:22:42
Kyona Jiles
me either
00:22:42
Jo
They didn't send me no, yo, you didn't even send me cookies. Rachel, you didn't send me cookies. What the actual, no, wait, come to think. oh wait, she did send me cookies. Damn it.
00:22:51
Kyona Jiles
oh
00:22:52
Jo
remember now. So I was just trying to get more cookies. That's all it was. I'm like, wait a minute.
00:22:55
Kyona Jiles
that's all was.
00:22:55
Jo
Yeah, she did.
00:22:56
Kyona Jiles
It's okay.
00:22:57
Jo
So if you go there and you're, You know, you you need your book out in an audience. You only get one first impression, really.
00:23:09
Jo
Except for you, because you've got the...
00:23:09
Kyona Jiles
Yeah, I know, right? I'll just go ahead and do that multiple times.
00:23:13
Jo
Yeah, but you know, enough time got between it.
00:23:13
Kyona Jiles
That's okay.
00:23:15
Jo
It was fine. that was fine. And you get this audience and they will edit things that you didn't see. They will make the typesetting. Typesetting is important. Your book covers are important.
00:23:26
Jo
All these things that we take for granted are absolutely dire and important.
00:23:26
Kyona Jiles
So important.
00:23:30
Kyona Jiles
Yeah.
00:23:30
Jo
The story is important, but without the cover and fault, the typesetting and without the Facebook ads and stuff like that. Good luck.
00:23:38
Kyona Jiles
No one ever sees it. How do you get it into the hands of people?
00:23:39
Jo
Yeah.
00:23:41
Kyona Jiles
And that's, and again, paying somebody for their services and their expertise when that's not something that I know how to do, then 100%.
00:23:46
Jo
Expertise. Yeah, absolutely.
00:23:48
Kyona Jiles
Yes. Yes.
00:23:50
Jo
And they're good people too.
00:23:51
Kyona Jiles
yes
00:23:51
Jo
Like, honestly, that they're like friends at this point.
00:23:54
Kyona Jiles
Agreed.
00:23:54
Jo
Right.
00:23:55
Kyona Jiles
Agreed.
00:23:56
Jo
And how much reception did you get when you won? What award did you win? Which award was this?
00:24:03
Kyona Jiles
Okay, so RWA, Romance Writers of America, they have a sci-fi paranormal chapter.
00:24:08
Jo
Nice.
00:24:13
Jo
Ooh.
00:24:13
Kyona Jiles
And so that was kind of, that was what I i entered. um actually entered both First Death and Second Chance, I got first place and second place.
00:24:22
Jo
Are you kidding me?
00:24:23
Kyona Jiles
No, there. So did get it first place and second place.
00:24:24
Jo
What?
00:24:26
Kyona Jiles
And so just I mean, really, for the idea, like, even, you know, my family, they were like, yay, but they're not really readers. So nobody's you know theyre like, what's Romance Writers of America?
00:24:35
Jo
Yeah. RWA. Because
00:24:37
Kyona Jiles
And I'm like, okay, yeah, never mind. And so, you know, it's kind of one of those if you're not in the industry, and that sounds so weird. but, but like, no one really knows.
00:24:47
Jo
I'm in the industry today.
00:24:49
Kyona Jiles
Right.
00:24:49
Jo
Yeah.
00:24:49
Kyona Jiles
I'm like, if you're not in the industry, yeah exactly.
00:24:52
Jo
Me and Muffy are going to have
00:24:55
Kyona Jiles
they get my, so it's like, okay, I'm obviously I'm super excited. I'm honored. i was, I was over the moon. Cause anybody is when you win an a award, but then it's like, okay, now onto the next, keep writing, keep doing your thing.
00:25:07
Kyona Jiles
Keep life goes on.
00:25:08
Jo
but Good luck. ah Could Could you bring back the Starbucks when you come about? Thanks a lot. I'm like, what?
00:25:14
Kyona Jiles
Right. Yeah, okay, it's over.
00:25:15
Jo
And the laundry's in a dryer. Thank you.
00:25:17
Kyona Jiles
Yeah, and I got my cool little award, and it had the other, the Prism Award, and, and so, and yeah, they are, that's being mailed to me.
00:25:17
Jo
like
00:25:20
Jo
Oh, nice.
00:25:22
Jo
Oh, wow.
00:25:25
Kyona Jiles
I haven't gotten that yet.
00:25:26
Jo
Yeah.
00:25:27
Kyona Jiles
I would didn't have my award to show you. and They did the award ceremony in Niagara Falls, and I didn't go. So it was kind of one of those, so they'll they'll mail me, mail me my award, but, but yeah, I mean, just to be able to,
00:25:40
Jo
them. Throw in the falls. Look at there.
00:25:44
Kyona Jiles
I know. I'm like, how big is it? Where do I have it? Can I carry it around with me for a while like a baby when it shows up?
00:25:48
Jo
There's two of them. I can put them on each other.
00:25:51
Kyona Jiles
I like it.
00:25:51
Jo
They're earrings.
00:25:51
Kyona Jiles
I like it. it So it was it was kind of one of those, okay, that's so cool. And I was all excited. And then it's like, okay, next day keep writing.
00:26:02
Jo
but that's That's really interesting because it's It's got to be humbling to win. to to First of all, you beat yourself, which is weird.
00:26:13
Jo
but It's awesome and weird. like It's like Sophie's choice for a book and they're both like, we both live? I don't know.
00:26:17
Kyona Jiles
You're first place and second place. There we go.
00:26:19
Jo
i Third place got to be like, really? The same person?
00:26:23
Kyona Jiles
i know, I kind of, there was a little bit, I was like, hmm, I wonder if I were in that situation that the same author wins first and second.
00:26:23
Jo
Twice?
00:26:30
Kyona Jiles
And I'd be like, no, okay, that's cool.
00:26:32
Jo
yeah Well, technically, that means the person who got third place only lost to one person.
00:26:32
Kyona Jiles
That's cool.
00:26:37
Kyona Jiles
Very good point. I should reach out to them and be like, hey, let's ah ah let's talk.
00:26:43
Jo
Let's collaborate today.
00:26:44
Kyona Jiles
Let's collaborate.
00:26:45
Jo
But that's exactly it. You won the award, which is an amazing milestone. Rachel, I think she texted me. I'm like, like oh, look at, you know, she was just showing me their stuff. I'm like, oh my God, good for you. was really excited.
00:26:57
Jo
And i was wondering how you handle it it because some people are like, i won the award. They go on no more writing tours. We're done. Drop the microphone. We're like, okay, tomorrow I need to do new book three.
00:27:08
Kyona Jiles
Right. I need to get writing and I need to do things. well and I think for me, maybe it's just because I've been doing it. Like I said, you know what? 2007 or whatever. In 2009, I've been just kind of writing has always been just like secondary.
00:27:19
Jo
It's only two years ago. Yeah.
00:27:23
Kyona Jiles
i mean, I'm an author, but I don't consider myself an author.
00:27:24
Jo
yeah
00:27:28
Kyona Jiles
I'm a teacher. and so it's like my my world revolves around school and my students. And it's like writing is just kind of this fun little hobby I do.
00:27:39
Kyona Jiles
And even like my family and friends, I've got a few readers, but not a lot. So then they're even like, oh, cool, you write books. I, you know, I mean, they don't really, nobody, nobody's like running around patting me on the back and that's okay.
00:27:54
Kyona Jiles
and and so it's just kind of like, oh yeah, i write these stories in my free time and, and yeah, I don't know.
00:28:01
Jo
You say that now.
00:28:02
Kyona Jiles
So it is, it's, i know how I know how much work it takes to write a book, but I don't really ever get to interact with anybody else who knows that.
00:28:08
Jo
Yeah.
00:28:14
Jo
but I think that's it. that that That really is it because i can see the amount of work you put in these four books and I can see the pain that you went with through the first one.
00:28:15
Kyona Jiles
Yeah.
00:28:27
Jo
And how much that...
00:28:28
Kyona Jiles
Lessons learned.
00:28:29
Jo
yeah you It's kind of weird because you could have just gave up after the first one going, crap. You know? Meh.
00:28:37
Kyona Jiles
Yeah.
00:28:37
Jo
But you kept going and you made an award-winning, two of them, books. Back to back.
00:28:43
Kyona Jiles
Okay. When you put it that way, see, now you are, you're getting me all like, uh, like, no, I'm, I'm a writer.
00:28:47
Jo
There you go.
00:28:50
Kyona Jiles
I'm an author.
00:28:50
Jo
You are a writer.
00:28:50
Kyona Jiles
I'm a writer. Right.
00:28:51
Jo
Yeah.
00:28:51
Kyona Jiles
And, and I forget that because I'm a wife, I'm an aunt, I'm a teacher, I'm a friend.
00:28:59
Jo
That's an Alanis Morissette song.
00:28:59
Kyona Jiles
i may, right.
00:29:01
Jo
Sorry, we can't do the full lyrics. We'll get sued.
00:29:02
Kyona Jiles
I could.
00:29:05
Jo
but Okay. Have you said you're a teacher? That's great. I have a question. Is anyone during the, I believe they still have these, parent-teacher conferences going, so, yeah, about my kid.
00:29:10
Kyona Jiles
Yes.
00:29:16
Jo
Yeah, yeah, sure. He's good. but So about your book, could you autograph this?
00:29:22
Kyona Jiles
You want to know what's funny? I think this probably the other thing. So I've taught third through eighth grade and language arts teacher.
00:29:28
Jo
Nice.
00:29:30
Kyona Jiles
So I might, while I'm talking to the students and do things, I might be like, so I write stories, I write books, whatever, but because they're not appropriate for my kids, I don't talk about my stories and my books at school every once in a while. And then it'll like, there will be a teacher that doesn't realize, like, again, I'm a teacher. So everybody assumes you write kids' books.
00:29:55
Kyona Jiles
No, I work with teenagers all day. I need to kill people in my stories. um And so every once in a while, there will be a teacher that will be like, so did you know, this is so-and-so, because my books are published under my maiden name.
00:29:59
Jo
And drain their blood.
00:30:11
Kyona Jiles
And so that's another bit of separation, right?
00:30:14
Jo
Yeah.
00:30:15
Kyona Jiles
Yeah.
00:30:15
Jo
So not like...
00:30:15
Kyona Jiles
And so there will be a teacher will be like, oh, so and so writes books. Do you read them in class? And I'll just look at the teacher and be like, well, you obviously don't read. And I'll pull them aside and be like, no, they have sex and murder and violence. We don't talk about those at school.
00:30:31
Kyona Jiles
And then they're kind of like chastised and all these. So, it yeah. And so I'll say, yeah, I do write stories.
00:30:36
Jo
But...
00:30:37
Kyona Jiles
And I'll tell my kids when you're 18. come back to me, I'll give you, I'll give you books. I've had five former students, remember,
00:30:46
Jo
Really?
00:30:47
Kyona Jiles
and they've reached out to me one I ran into at the grocery store and I'm like yep I'll get them for you and this last couple of years with the new with the new books coming out they reached out to me at school and they're like you said and I'm like absolutely i will give you books and they're like you will so yep I've had i've former students that remembered and I said when you're when you're an adult come back and I will give you the books and you can read them
00:30:52
Jo
wow.
00:31:08
Jo
Yeah.
00:31:12
Jo
That's amazing. i I was wondering how many of those students were like, Man, what she writes must be really filthy. We can't look at it.
00:31:20
Kyona Jiles
I did have one. I did have one student charge. She's like, okay, this is so weird because I can hear your voice while I'm reading it, but it's so inappropriate for what I know about you.
00:31:31
Kyona Jiles
It's kind of weird me out, but I still love it.
00:31:32
Jo
does not compute. It does not compute.
00:31:34
Kyona Jiles
Exactly. And that's how I feel.
00:31:35
Jo
Yeah.
00:31:37
Kyona Jiles
It's almost like this leading two lives, right? I don't, I don't talk about my writing at work because it's not technically school appropriate.
00:31:44
Jo
Right.
00:31:47
Kyona Jiles
Yeah.
00:31:48
Jo
Right. No, absolutely. And and the the business end might be and the craft might be, but the subject matter, I agree. There there has to be limits and, you know, they're not getting limits on the internet. They have to get them somewhere.
00:32:00
Jo
Yeah.
00:32:01
Kyona Jiles
Right. And I don't want to add to any inappropriateness that the the teenagers might might come across. So, yeah, so it is. I think it's been I've been reflecting on it, really.
00:32:11
Kyona Jiles
I mean, it's like, oh, I'm not I'm the author here, but then I'm everything else over here.
00:32:17
Jo
Yeah.
00:32:18
Kyona Jiles
And they're not I'm not that one person until maybe I get to the point that writing can just be my job. And maybe.
00:32:26
Jo
You know what? You've got two series on your hands right now. i think you were getting to that point soon.
00:32:34
Kyona Jiles
Thanks, Joe.
00:32:34
Jo
I think it happens it happens sooner than you think, believe.
00:32:37
Kyona Jiles
Right? And just being able to to dream a little bit, right? Be realistic and and the job that pays the majority of the bills. But hey, it's out there. I can do this.
00:32:48
Jo
Absolutely. And I will mention one, only one other thing on the content-wise.
00:32:54
Kyona Jiles
Yes.
00:32:54
Jo
The more you say this, because we both kind of grew up around the parental advisory things, that made you want to buy the book more. So every time someone listening to this show hears, this is definitely not for people under 18.
00:33:07
Jo
You know, everyone from like 16 and above are now Googling your book.
00:33:12
Jo
Where is it now?
00:33:13
Kyona Jiles
I want to read this now. She said it was inappropriate for school.
00:33:16
Jo
Inappropriate. Give me 12 of these. That's all I want. And that's a trick. We just want people to read. Like, that's a trick.
00:33:23
Kyona Jiles
Right?
00:33:23
Kyona Jiles
that That's my other thing too. I think just having grown up that way and then becoming a teacher, I'm also just the thing of, I'm just like, read, just read.
00:33:23
Jo
Like, just
00:33:31
Jo
anything
00:33:32
Kyona Jiles
Audiobooks, listen to books, read books, whatever.
00:33:33
Jo
right
00:33:34
Kyona Jiles
But we need more people reading.
00:33:37
Jo
I'm so glad you said audiobooks is reading because lot of people are like, no, you're listening.
00:33:39
Kyona Jiles
is.
00:33:40
Jo
I'm like, no you're listening to a book.
00:33:42
Kyona Jiles
Yeah, and you're comprehending. and doesn't matter if you're reading it and comprehending it or you're listening it or comprehending it.
00:33:44
Jo
Yeah.
00:33:47
Jo
Absolutely.
00:33:48
Kyona Jiles
One of my favorite things, my eighth graders, is reading The Hunger Games. and all these kids that tell me that oh i don't read it i don't do whatever and i read the hunger games to them do the voices do the stuff walk around the room and like hear all these teenagers that are all like apathetic whatever i don't care and we do the hunger games and every single one of them are just sucked in and like that that right there i'm like we need more of this
00:34:00
Jo
Yes. Yes.
00:34:14
Jo
Very cool.
00:34:19
Jo
Absolutely. We need that love because love of the arts made you who you are today.
00:34:25
Kyona Jiles
Yes.
00:34:26
Jo
And that's brilliant. That's absolutely brilliant.
00:34:27
Kyona Jiles
And I want to share it.
00:34:29
Jo
Absolutely. What are you writing on now? which Which book? Do you write them concurrently or do you do one than the other?
00:34:31
Kyona Jiles
So i do, i write at the same time, skin, kind of like how I read. You're in a different mindset, right?
00:34:39
Jo
Right.
00:34:39
Kyona Jiles
So I am working on the third um running book. And so kind of bringing things back together. Here's another, I'll admit, mistake I made because I wanted. I left, running out of time, the second book on like this major cliffhanger.
00:34:53
Kyona Jiles
And then life kind of happened and got in the way. And I'm like, I shouldn't have done that. I should again, lessons learned, right? I should have had book three ready to go before I did, you know, book one and two.
00:35:00
Jo
right yes but that's the
00:35:07
Kyona Jiles
So i'm I'm working on the third running series. So again, got the romantic suspense and and CIA agents and the things. And I am working on the third vampire and shapeshifter book.
00:35:19
Kyona Jiles
And so it's kind of like, okay, am I in the mood for romantic suspense? Am I in the mood for vampires and shapeshifters?
00:35:25
Jo
brilliant
00:35:26
Kyona Jiles
And then I actually have another ah ah project I'm playing with. This is totally new for me. Sean and Rachel encouraged me with this one. I lost my sister suddenly last summer.
00:35:37
Jo
I'm sorry.
00:35:37
Jo
Yeah. Great.
00:35:38
Kyona Jiles
And yep, that's, i'm again, getting getting through things.
00:35:41
Kyona Jiles
She was only 49. And so just kind of this unexpected, well, she didn't really have anybody in her life. We shared a dad he had already passed away.
00:35:51
Kyona Jiles
Her mom had passed away. And I kind of got this with her niece and two other half sisters who are in different parts of the country, just trying to like clean up things and take care of things.
00:36:00
Jo
right
00:36:03
Kyona Jiles
And somehow I ended up with Sean and Rachel just laughing about like the absurdity of just the dark humor of dealing with all the things. And I said, actually, I kind of started writing it like just to to get it out there. And then the next thing I knew, it turned into this. OK, yeah, someone's sister died and they had to deal with it. But I'm like, it was more dark humor. And I'm like.
00:36:24
Kyona Jiles
Sean and read it, like, write it, call it My Dead Sister, write it. And I'm like, I, so I have 40 pages.
00:36:32
Jo
Really?
00:36:33
Kyona Jiles
I have 40 pages of the start of a dark humor novel titled My Dead Sister, about just the, the, yeah, the, the humor, trying to find the humor in a situation that just knocks you off your feet.
00:36:37
Jo
nice
00:36:48
Jo
Yeah. Any sequels?
00:36:49
Kyona Jiles
And right. And I'm just like, okay, can I do this? Can I do this? don't know. So we'll see. So I'm playing with that, which is just because I don't even read dark humor.
00:36:59
Kyona Jiles
So I don't even know what that sounds like, what that looks like.
00:37:05
Jo
trust Trust your art.
00:37:05
Kyona Jiles
Yeah, so.
00:37:06
Jo
Trust your art and then hand it off to Rachel and Sean and then they'll mold it if need be.
00:37:12
Kyona Jiles
Right, and that's what they told me too. So I'm so i'm playing i'm playing with that when i and at times I sat down and I'd be typing and I'd be crying and cause there would be like something that was a legitimate like phone calls with the police and phone calls with the biohazard creat cleanup crew.
00:37:14
Jo
Yeah.
00:37:26
Jo
Yeah. You're
00:37:30
Kyona Jiles
and then And then I'd have the other things, the the conversations we have with dead people. I don't think it's just me. like typing that out, right? To be like the, and now I'm stuck here cleaning up your mess once again because you're dead.
00:37:44
Kyona Jiles
And what am I supposed to do about this?
00:37:45
Jo
you're dead.
00:37:46
Kyona Jiles
and And then I think, and she would laugh because she would love that I'm using this to write a book. because that's what we would share with each other is books and music.
00:37:53
Jo
There you
00:37:56
Kyona Jiles
And, and so, yeah, so it's really, it's, it's kind of weird to say it out loud that I'm, no, I'm trying to figure out, cause I know there's other people who who have had to deal with that similar idea, right.
00:38:08
Kyona Jiles
Of, of having you lose somebody suddenly and how do you process that and what do you do with it and how do you take care of all the loosens that need to be cleaned up without losing your mind.
00:38:08
Jo
go. Good.
00:38:17
Jo
Yeah. Yep.
00:38:20
Jo
Yeah, and if anyone's never gone through this, it's a lot of administrative work. Like, how many get 12,000 death certificate copies just in case says everything in the world's ass to make are you sure he's dead? Like, yeah, he's dead.
00:38:34
Kyona Jiles
Seriously, seriously.
00:38:34
Jo
Like, poking him right now.
00:38:35
Kyona Jiles
And the paperwork or talking to the person on the phone with the bank.
00:38:35
Jo
He's dead. Yeah.
00:38:39
Kyona Jiles
That was the other one. Like, well, I can't tell you what's in her accounts. And I'm like, nobody's using it. She dead. I, I, what are you, what do you mean?
00:38:46
Jo
Yeah.
00:38:49
Kyona Jiles
You can't tell me where you're not going to get paid anything unless you give me something. so, yeah, you're right. The paperwork and the phone calls and the weird questions and the,
00:38:56
Jo
Yeah.
00:39:00
Kyona Jiles
Yeah. And then thinking you're okay. And then a piece of mail shows up with their name on it and tears.
00:39:06
Jo
Absolutely. Dude, I got one this year from 2019. It was a bank saying, well, you know, if you don't claim this money, it goes to the state. I'm like, dick, he's dead.
00:39:16
Jo
How many more times I can say this?
00:39:17
Kyona Jiles
Dead. Uh-huh.
00:39:18
Jo
He better be dead. He was burned.
00:39:20
Kyona Jiles
Yeah.
00:39:21
Jo
He's cremated. They'll be quite horrifically of me to not have him dead at this point.
00:39:25
Kyona Jiles
See, this is why it could be a book, because dark humor.
00:39:27
Jo
like but
00:39:28
Kyona Jiles
And then I wonder, oh, wait, is this just a Gen X thing? Is this just me doing Stephen King, VC Andrews mixed with real life?
00:39:31
Jo
It might.
00:39:35
Jo
Maybe, maybe because it was like. Thank
00:39:40
Kyona Jiles
So, yes, so I got lots of things in the work.
00:39:41
Jo
God. Yeah.
00:39:43
Kyona Jiles
I'm glad you asked, because by me manifesting it out there into the universe, it means, darn it, now I got to sit down and write it.
00:39:45
Jo
That's great.
00:39:51
Jo
I want to read it. I want to read it.
00:39:52
Kyona Jiles
Okay.
00:39:53
Jo
And when when we coming out, when we're doing these, where can we find first death, second chance, outrunning the hunter, running out of time?
00:39:53
Kyona Jiles
Okay.
00:40:03
Kyona Jiles
So they are all available on Amazon, print, Kindle, Kindle Unlimited.
00:40:07
Jo
The Zahn.
00:40:09
Kyona Jiles
And I'm actually in the process of working with somebody to at least right now, we're starting with First Death because of the award winning audiobook. i'm I'm working on getting an audiobook of First Death.
00:40:20
Jo
Nice.
00:40:21
Jo
Love it. I want a sexy voice.
00:40:22
Kyona Jiles
So yeah.
00:40:24
Kyona Jiles
So yeah. So people, right?
00:40:25
Jo
I want the sexiest, dirtiest voice for that book ever.
00:40:26
Kyona Jiles
Has to be It has to be. It's vampires and shapeshifters.
00:40:29
Jo
Yeah. Oh, man.
00:40:31
Kyona Jiles
So yes, so everything is available on Kindle Print, Kindle Unlimited.
00:40:32
Jo
Love it.
00:40:36
Kyona Jiles
I've got all my social media handles where I like to share memes and fun stuff. and
00:40:42
Kyona Jiles
And And um let's see. So I've got Facebook, Twitter slash X. What are we supposed to call it now? I actually, I have a TikTok.
00:40:42
Jo
Work when you find on socials.
00:40:50
Jo
Yeah.
00:40:51
Kyona Jiles
I don't do a lot of videos, but I did get sucked into TikTok.
00:40:54
Jo
Did Rachel make you do TikTok?
00:40:56
Kyona Jiles
No, no, no.
00:40:57
Jo
No. Oh, man. She like forced me at gunpoint to do TikTok.
00:40:59
Kyona Jiles
Right.
00:41:02
Jo
I didn't know English people had guns.
00:41:02
Kyona Jiles
like yeah I should do a TikTok. Rachel, send me some more Italian cookies and I'll do a TikTok eating cookies like Cookie Yeah.
00:41:07
Jo
like I would subscribe. i would subscribe. It's like, oh, man, I miss those. miss I miss those.
00:41:13
Kyona Jiles
so Blue Sky. Good. Yeah. Instagram.
00:41:16
Jo
Blue Sky. That's right.
00:41:17
Kyona Jiles
I'm out there.
00:41:18
Jo
We met in Blue Sky. So it's all Kiona.
00:41:19
Kyona Jiles
Yeah. Kiona.
00:41:21
Jo
cut Did I just say Ki?
00:41:22
Kyona Jiles
It's OK.
00:41:24
Kyona Jiles
It's OK.
00:41:24
Jo
Dang it.
00:41:25
Jo
I'm going to edit that out.
00:41:25
Kyona Jiles
My, I got tell you, my orthodontist was 107 when I was in fifth grade and he called me Kiona the entire four years I had my braces, Kiona the entire time.
00:41:25
Jo
No, i I'm not going to edit it out. Kiona.
00:41:36
Jo
guy
00:41:36
Kyona Jiles
And then it became a joke. My stepdad, everybody calls me Kai. And my stepdad started calling me Ki because it was just, he was 107. He couldn't remember my name, even though he saw me once a month, but that's okay. I'm used to it. It's all good.
00:41:48
Kyona Jiles
It's all good.
00:41:49
Jo
No one's called you Kaiki. Kaiki?
00:41:50
Kyona Jiles
No.
00:41:50
Jo
Ki-Kai? Ki-Kai?
00:41:51
Kyona Jiles
Kai, Ki, Ki, Kai. Not yet.
00:41:54
Jo
Ki-Ki-D. Oh my god.
00:41:56
Kyona Jiles
Oh, we can do a Kiki.
00:41:57
Jo
Elton John song.
00:41:58
Kyona Jiles
Kiki. ki Elton John and Kiki Can have, see, our 80s are showing.
00:42:00
Jo
Yeah. We know your joint acts when we remember.
00:42:06
Jo
I can't remember the song.
00:42:06
Kyona Jiles
Joe, this has been, right? What did they, we'll remember after we get done.
00:42:09
Jo
Yeah, but oh, that that's the Elton John song.
00:42:10
Kyona Jiles
This has been so much fun. Thank you for visiting with me.
00:42:13
Jo
So it's all... Sorry, I got lost track of the... So it's all your name. For the Instas and the weather Twitter Xs and the blue skies and the Facebookings.
00:42:24
Kyona Jiles
Yep. Kiona Giles, all there under Kiona Giles and considering Kiona's pretty unique, think most of the time you just start typing the Kiona and I pop up.
00:42:32
Jo
Yeah.
00:42:35
Jo
Pop up. So K-Y-O-N-A-J-I-L-E-S. That's my eye test for today. Thank you.
00:42:43
Kyona Jiles
there we go.
00:42:44
Jo
And we just pop them up blue sky. How do you like blue sky? Because it's kind of like newish, but still.
00:42:51
Kyona Jiles
Right. It's been it's been a bit of a learning curve, like figuring out when you like different things and having things come come back to you. So I'll I'll scroll and I'll be like, OK, I kind of like this.
00:43:03
Kyona Jiles
And then I don't want to get stuck into like doom scrolling everything. So I don't spend as much time.
00:43:06
Jo
Yeah.
00:43:09
Kyona Jiles
I'll post my things in the morning. And then go do my normal work day. And then I'll come back at the end of the day, maybe like during my workout or something. And I'll check, check my different handles and see if anybody commented if I need to check in with anybody.
00:43:23
Kyona Jiles
But yeah, so it's like it has been kind of new. But yeah, so I've got the Facebook, Instagram, Threads, X, Blue Sky, TikTok. Probably too many.
00:43:34
Jo
Well, or not enough. And that's the thing. We never know which one your audience is going to be at until you do the research in your audience. Only way we can do that research is be on them.
00:43:43
Kyona Jiles
Yeah.
00:43:43
Jo
You can kind of get the background research like, but yeah, because see what sticks.
00:43:43
Kyona Jiles
Yeah. And I will say, yeah threats Threads and Blue Skies seem to do maybe a good job of connecting more book people with book people.
00:43:54
Jo
They do. They do.
00:43:55
Kyona Jiles
It's not quite as random as the others. know, like I open X and you never know what it's going to be.
00:44:01
Jo
It used to be good.
00:44:02
Kyona Jiles
It might be a book something. It might be a political thing. It might be a movie something.
00:44:05
Jo
Yeah.
00:44:05
Kyona Jiles
it the Yeah. Whereas Threads and Blue Skies seem to kind of get, no, I'm a book person. give
00:44:12
Jo
Yeah.
00:44:13
Kyona Jiles
Connect me with other book people.
00:44:15
Jo
Yeah. The threads and blue sky have been great for ahm no longer on threads, as I say this, but have been pretty decent for books. Twitter used to be.
00:44:24
Kyona Jiles
Yeah.
00:44:25
Jo
And even when it changed to X, it still was for a while. And then it just kind of like the QA just went out.
00:44:30
Kyona Jiles
Yeah, i think so too. It's like, i don't know if the algorithm just didn't see And that's what I wonder with with threads and blue sky, like they're newer.
00:44:34
Jo
just yeah it's
00:44:38
Kyona Jiles
So maybe the algorithms better.
00:44:39
Jo
i'm still learning yeah and then you'll have you know book grant mean your covers are popping so instagram probably could be a good one for you as well and and tiktok yeah that's my bane tiktok's my bane one day
00:44:40
Kyona Jiles
Whereas it, yeah, X just seems like it's all over the place.
00:44:57
Kyona Jiles
Right? and I get sucked into the take puppy videos and then of course I end up on the teacher things and then there's the writing stuff and the oh yeah all over the place.
00:45:07
Jo
Yeah.
00:45:08
Kyona Jiles
All over the place.
00:45:09
Jo
Absolutely. But this part of the game being an author in 2025, welcome to social media.
00:45:13
Kyona Jiles
Yes.
00:45:14
Jo
It's new PR agent.
00:45:16
Kyona Jiles
Yes, it is.
00:45:17
Jo
and
00:45:17
Kyona Jiles
It is. Got to navigate and figure it out.
00:45:19
Jo
And it's...
00:45:20
Kyona Jiles
And you just put it out there. And like we're just saying, the algorithm, sometimes I'll have something on TikTok that will get 100,000 views and maybe, ah ah you know, 50 likes or something.
00:45:33
Jo
Yeah.
00:45:35
Kyona Jiles
And then I'll put something else out the next day and nobody sees it. like can It's just like, whatever.
00:45:40
Jo
you you're at the mercy of You're at the mercy of couple million people doing the same thing.
00:45:44
Kyona Jiles
Uh-huh.
00:45:45
Jo
Trying to get that social media buzz going.
00:45:45
Kyona Jiles
Uh-huh. Doomscrolling.
00:45:47
Jo
Yeah. So I asked this of all of my guests.
00:45:50
Kyona Jiles
Yes.
00:45:50
Jo
What is your social instrument? No, kidding. Don't actually. I did have one person start that out. I cut them off after the first three. I'm like, no, no kidding.
00:45:59
Kyona Jiles
No.
00:46:00
Jo
I didn't delete it because I want to make sure they knew was a bad thing. No. What would you give advice if you can go back in time and i give advice to younger you? And I mean like 18 and below.
00:46:12
Kyona Jiles
Yeah.
00:46:12
Jo
What advice would you give?
00:46:15
Kyona Jiles
Don't worry so much about fitting in. Be yourself.
00:46:21
Jo
Yeah.
00:46:22
Kyona Jiles
that Because, again, learning as I get older, 50s coming up, that nobody cares. they don't care as much as we think they do when we're teenagers or kids.
00:46:36
Jo
yeah oh my right
00:46:40
Kyona Jiles
We're so busy thinking everybody's watching us that we forget they're also like, of thinking about themselves. And so if I, if I could, and again, teacher brain, because I also try to tell my students this when it's like the end of the world, when something bad happens, right?
00:46:52
Jo
right
00:46:56
Kyona Jiles
Like nobody probably even noticed that about you because they were too busy looking at themselves.
00:47:02
Jo
Yeah.
00:47:03
Kyona Jiles
No.
00:47:03
Jo
You think people, they don't notice that. Yeah, no this one hasn't like internalized everything for the last, you know.
00:47:09
Kyona Jiles
Yeah, especially now with cell phones, right? and And so it's just like the kids, it's like, no they're they're not paying attention what you're doing because they're over there making their stupid TikTok dance video.
00:47:12
Jo
Oh my gosh.
00:47:19
Kyona Jiles
And so, but I think, yeah, if I could tell younger me, like, don't worry so much about fitting in, just be yourself. Because I think of like being the weird kid and I was okay with that until like hitting teenage years.
00:47:26
Jo
Brilliant.
00:47:32
Kyona Jiles
And then all of a sudden being like, oh wait, i I don't dress the same as everybody else. I don't. And oh, I need to do this to fit in. And I need to.
00:47:40
Jo
yeah
00:47:40
Kyona Jiles
And and yeah, it's not it's not all about fitting in. It's about finding who you're supposed to be.
00:47:48
Jo
I think that's great. And that's pretty Gen X when we all probably run preteen teen, the pressure to fit in. And then little bit after that, you're like, what am I doing?
00:47:58
Kyona Jiles
yeah
00:47:58
Jo
you Then the X-Gene cops up like, oh yeah, no. What the heck?
00:48:02
Kyona Jiles
I don't care.
00:48:03
Jo
I don't care what anyone thinks. What's wrong with me?
00:48:05
Kyona Jiles
Right.
00:48:06
Jo
I was wearing what now?
00:48:06
Kyona Jiles
Right. And their genes, I know.
00:48:07
Jo
Guess jeans? Yeah, they're jeans. Great. $85 came or had from 10.
00:48:11
Kyona Jiles
I was like, I don't get I don't understand.
00:48:13
Jo
You know, yeah, that's but that's brilliant.
00:48:13
Kyona Jiles
i don't, but then even like you just, you said it. And then I think to that Gen X, like them finally getting to that point of, I don't care of what anybody thinks or does or whatever you do your thing, I'm going to do mine.
00:48:23
Jo
Yeah.
00:48:25
Kyona Jiles
But then that also goes back to like, when you asked me about winning the award, it was kind of that thing. The email came in and I was like, Yay!
00:48:33
Jo
Yeah, that absolutely.
00:48:34
Kyona Jiles
No. And that was it.
00:48:37
Jo
but That's exactly it. Because we put out so much of not caring about praise or what people said about us.
00:48:43
Kyona Jiles
Yes.
00:48:44
Jo
Even when we get awards, it's kind of like, yeah, cool.
00:48:47
Kyona Jiles
ah ah Whatever.
00:48:48
Jo
What's for dinner?
00:48:49
Kyona Jiles
Nobody cares.
00:48:51
Jo
Yeah. like as we've Yeah, we didn't get everything that we were still working through in therapy. But all those things.
00:48:58
Kyona Jiles
Yeah, all those things we're working through in therapy. Mm-hmm.
00:49:01
Jo
And writing is part of therapy.
00:49:01
Kyona Jiles
100%.
00:49:03
Jo
Now, I want to say thank you so much for sitting down.
00:49:03
Kyona Jiles
Oh.
00:49:06
Jo
i had a lot of fun. And I can't wait to read your newest book coming out. All three of them, apparently.
00:49:14
Kyona Jiles
Right?
00:49:14
Jo
I'll read them all three at once.
00:49:14
Kyona Jiles
I write when I finally get those.
00:49:16
Jo
so
00:49:18
Kyona Jiles
i don't know. I gotta to get my i gotta to get my act together and I gotta get writing. I'll be honest, I haven't August, oh god, what is it? Yeah, I haven't typed a word this month.
00:49:29
Kyona Jiles
which I hate saying out loud, but it's also accountability. My brain was already like, oh my God, the back to school meetings are going to be starting.
00:49:32
Jo
no
00:49:35
Kyona Jiles
And instead I'm like, yeah, but not yet. I could have been writing for the last three weeks instead of was just stressing about going back to school and reading books to avoid reality. And so no, I need to get, even though I said I'm a pantser flying by the seat of my pants, I have been playing with ideas of like, maybe I'll print, because again, more Gen X things, I'll print a calendar, write in it.
00:49:44
Jo
Yeah. well
00:49:57
Jo
Yeah.
00:49:58
Kyona Jiles
I need to write it down.
00:49:59
Jo
Well, mine's over there.
00:49:59
Kyona Jiles
Accountability.
00:50:00
Jo
I'm like, where did my counter? Yeah.
00:50:01
Kyona Jiles
Where's my calendar?
00:50:03
Jo
yeah
00:50:03
Kyona Jiles
like, if I print a calendar and I write down the days I actually do some writing, hold myself accountable instead of just like, oh yeah, I did some stuff at the end of July.
00:50:10
Jo
Yep.
00:50:12
Kyona Jiles
Nope, I need to i need to hold myself accountable. And so this will be my this will be my push to do that.
00:50:15
Jo
That's...
00:50:19
Kyona Jiles
So Joe, I appreciate.
00:50:19
Jo
Absolutely. And you'll get it through. you get it through. And don't worry.
00:50:22
Kyona Jiles
Yes.
00:50:23
Jo
i have faith in you. And as an artist, I know if you put it off too long, those voices get louder and louder.
00:50:31
Kyona Jiles
They do. Yes, they do.
00:50:33
Jo
There's only one way out.
00:50:33
Kyona Jiles
They do. Write it down!
00:50:35
Jo
And it's through. That's dang right.
00:50:37
Kyona Jiles
write it down!
00:50:39
Jo
Well, it's been fun. It's been fun. It's been fun. So thanks, everyone. And as I'm trying my Paul Harvey, sir as we all bid you good day. I still can't get it.
00:50:49
Jo
Bye, everyone.
00:50:50
Kyona Jiles
good.
00:50:50
Jo
yeah Thank you.
00:50:51
Kyona Jiles
Haha.