admin | Official Website for Author K. T. Rellen https://ktrellen.com Just another WordPress site Fri, 11 Dec 2020 18:38:59 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.5.4 183528255 The Chamber’s Hymn https://ktrellen.com/the-chambers-hymn/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=the-chambers-hymn Fri, 20 Nov 2020 14:15:34 +0000 http://ktrellen.com/?p=345 To Whom It May Concern,

The Chamber’s Hymn has an official release date. April 5, 2021. I hope you are ready to meet Hunzi X. This is the first book in a new political series that I am launching. Although it is a political thriller series it is not bogged down with political talk. It mainly features political characters who can’t seem to get out of their own way. I’m really excited for people to read Book #1 in the Hunzi X Series.

The Pre-Order Link will be available soon

Warmest regards,
KT

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Where Do I Stand….On This Day https://ktrellen.com/where-do-i-stand-on-this-day/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=where-do-i-stand-on-this-day Mon, 09 Nov 2020 20:50:34 +0000 http://ktrellen.com/?p=338 Today is November 9, 2020. It’s been a few days since the election was called in favor of President-Elect Biden and Vice-President Elect Harris.

I’m so glad that it is over at least for right now. I know lawsuits have been filed and nothing is official until someone is sworn in on January 20th. In all my years of voting I’ve never seen so much animosity between people surrounding an election. Democrats mad a Republicans. Republicans mad at Democrats. Independents mad at this side. This side mad at Independents. I think the whole lot of them are all fools.

So when people ask me where I stand, my simple answer is…..I stand where I’ve always stood, and that is on my own principles. I’ve never tied my life to a republican or a democrat. As a black man living in the United States I’d truly like to know a time period where my life was made better by either side. I grew up in a crime filled neighborhood. I didn’t choose to grow up there but that was where I was. That was my life. I don’t remember any democrats or republicans coming to lift me up by the bootstraps. I do remember being labeled as a poor welfare child by most people who didn’t even know me but labeled me as that simply because of the neighborhood I lived in. So I find it rather ironic that during the crack epidemic which affected black people disproportionately. Those black people were labeled criminals and thrown in prison. They were labeled lazy and all they want is for the government to take care of them. But right now, the opioid crisis is affecting white people, and suddenly these people need help. They aren’t labeled criminals. They aren’t thrown in prison. Millions of people have lost their jobs due to the pandemic. At one point they were making more money with the stimulus benefit than they were actually working, yet no one labeled them as lazy. They weren’t labeled as just looking for a handout.

Where do I stand? I stand no different than where I stood a few years back. Some people refuse to acknowledge that this country is not equal for all people. There is systemic racism that is alive in every sector of this country. But I reuse to allow how someone else feels about me stop me from doing what I need to do.

Where do I stand? I stand where I’ve always stood and that is doing what’s best for me and my family regardless of what political side is running the house, the senate and is the president. I’ve seen bad things when Bush was in office, when Clinton was in office, when a different Bush was in office, when Obama was in office, and when Trump was office. So if things have happened when both democrats and republicans have run our country why would I be rooting for one side over the other.

As it is my constitutional right, I vote each and every time during local and national elections. But I don’t wait for the politicians to tell me what my life should be. I don’t need a politician to tell me that. These politicians aren’t in my home. They aren’t sitting with me as I work to take care of my family. I have positioned myself along with the help of my family to make sure that we can take care of ourselves regardless of who sits in the oval office.

So where do I stand? I stand rooted in my faith and holding firm to the principles that have been instilled in me. My faith and my principles have carried me through 40+ years of life. The good, the bad, and the ugly that life has thrown at me. When something works, you keep on working it.

KTR

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No Debate. There Was Nothing Presidential About What I Watched Last Night. https://ktrellen.com/no-debate-there-was-nothing-presidential-about-what-i-watched-last-night/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=no-debate-there-was-nothing-presidential-about-what-i-watched-last-night Wed, 30 Sep 2020 14:53:33 +0000 http://ktrellen.com/?p=259 I was totally prepared to watch the first presidential debate last night. I expected to tune in and hear two grown people debate about how they would get our economy back on track, how they would deal with the pandemic, how they would make the Amercian people feel better.

I got none of that.

What I got instead was something that is hard for me to describe. There was bullying, name calling, over talking, rudeness, childlike behavior and the list goes on. It was embarrassing and left me feeling like we are really in trouble. I don’t care what side of the aisle you claim–I really don’t. What I saw last night was nothing more than a child trying to be heard and an old man trying to be heard. You can swap them out anyway you want. One struggled to make his point and one did an outstanding job in showing he has no point. Biden gets points for attempting to answer the questions from the moderator. Trump gets points for continuing to be exactly who he has always been. They howled at each other, snapped at each other, and claimed the other had no idea what they were talking about. But they didn’t actually debate anything.

There was no debate winner last night I don’t care what the polls show. The winner should have been the American people. We should have clearly seen someone who cared about what we want. How we feel. Biden may have come the closest to showing that but I have serious questions about him and his health. There were several times where he mumbled over his words;, forget what he was saying and repeated himself; lost his thought in the middle of his thought; and really made me ask if he is healthy enough to even handle the demanding job of being the President. Then there is Trump. I know who that man is, I know what that man stands for. He won’t let you not know because he tweets it enough, he says it enough, even when he isn’t asked the question. But what really stood out to me is the fact that when asked to directly denounce white supremacist, the President of the United States, said “Stand Back and Stand By”.

POTUS, the leader of the free world, said “Stand Back and Stand By”. As a black man, this didn’t come as a surprise to me, because I’ve always known that the President Trump does not care for black people, no matter how many times he says, “I’ve done more for black people than anyone except maybe George Washington”. But to hear him say “Stand back and Stand By” it confirmed that he truly does not care about me, my wife, my children, my friends, my community.

I turned off the debate as they were putting up the polls. I didn’t need to read them to know what they were going to say. I think they needed to add one more category.

Despicable.

I’m sure that number would have been higher than 69%.

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Enough Already! Mystery Boxes Are Coming. https://ktrellen.com/enough-already-mystery-boxes-are-coming/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=enough-already-mystery-boxes-are-coming Mon, 28 Sep 2020 21:44:34 +0000 http://ktrellen.com/?p=123 As I think about all the books I plan to write, an idea hit me, that I thought would be a great way for me to offer things in-between book releases. The KTR Book Boxes are coming. Every month the team will curate a special box that will be spectacular. So spectacular that you are not going to want to miss it. Each month will be different, so you definitely don’t want to miss out when they start dropping. It will always include an autographed copy of the latest book.

In addition to an autographed copy, we’ll be sending you some custom made treats. It could be anything. It could be book related to a new release, it could be something just created from my mind. You will have to stay tuned to find out when the first box is going to be available.

We’ll also be teaming with several author friends so they can throw some things in the box, and we may slip a few items from some companies that we have relationships with.

STAY TUNED!

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Check Out The Brand New Cover https://ktrellen.com/check-out-the-brand-new-cover/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=check-out-the-brand-new-cover Mon, 28 Sep 2020 18:08:09 +0000 http://ktrellen.com/?p=120
A Hunzi X Prequel

Ta DA!! What do you think of the cover for the first Hunzi X , THE CHAMBER’S HYMN, which will be available as a free download April 5, 2021. What do you think this book will be about? When I see this cover I want to run to the nearest courthouse and see what’s going on. I hope it makes you want to do the same.

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Update https://ktrellen.com/update/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=update Tue, 22 Sep 2020 23:25:00 +0000 http://ktrellen.com/?p=137 I have officially finished writing what will be the prequel for the Hunzi X Series. It took me a little longer than I thought it would to write this story. I really had to take some time and think about the background of the main character. There were some things that I added, but then I decided I would drop those things piece by piece so I had to go back and delete certain things. I want you the reader to get to know the character through each book release.

In the meantime I am going to put this manuscript to the side for a few days so I can reset and then pick it back up with some fresh eyes before I turn it in to the editor.

I can’t wait for you guys to read this prequel. I hope everyone is taking care and staying safe.

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I’m Just Letting Myself Go. https://ktrellen.com/im-just-letting-myself-go/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=im-just-letting-myself-go Mon, 07 Sep 2020 13:04:00 +0000 http://ktrellen.com/?p=255 I’ve come to the realization that I am embracing the pandemic-quarantine with full fashion. Including the fact that I am no longer being fashionable. Since I’m not going anywhere I don’t feel the need to get up and get dressed. So my go-to-outfit of the last months have been basketball shorts, ankle socks, and slides (slides are sandals for the unhip). Now I can not explain why someone who does not play basketball has so many pairs of basketball shorts (I will not reveal the number), but I’m sure they were on sale somewhere (I hope).

But the reason why I say I’m just letting myself go is the other morning I caught myself in the mirror and I did not like what I saw. I haven’t had a haircut in months (my gray is really showing). I’ve put on a few pounds that I’m now trying to get rid of. I think my desk is getting closer and closer to the refrigerator.

What is happening here?

Who else is letting themselves go? Come on I know I’m not the only one.

P.S. – the 11 pounds I had lost before the pandemic, I’ve gained back. I’m scared to actually think about how much more I’ve gained.

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Black People Have Crime Stories To Tell https://ktrellen.com/black-people-have-crime-stories-to-tell/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=black-people-have-crime-stories-to-tell Wed, 02 Sep 2020 12:36:00 +0000 http://ktrellen.com/?p=252 As a Black Man and author who writes in the mystery/thriller genre. I need to say this for the people in the back who might not be able to hear. Black People Have Crimes Stories To Tell. Shall I repeat it? Black People Have Crime Stories To Tell. Mystery and crime writing is not exclusive to white people but you would think it was because of the lack of attention black mystery and crime writers get. You would think that this isn’t something that would need to be said and if you think that you would be wrong. It needs to be said and that is why I’m saying it.

There are black patrol officers, black detectives, black FBI agents, black Secret Service Agents, black forensic scientist, black medical examiners, black judges, black lawyers, black private investigators, black people in all areas of law enforcement. So if all these jobs have black people then why wouldn’t there be stories that reflect all of these people? Why wouldn’t readers want to read these stories that feature these people who work in these areas?

You’d think by now that publishers, journalists and the media-at-large would throw marketing budgets and provide outlets for writers of color. But today, crime writers are still predominately white-led. Men and women of color don’t seem to rate a mention unless it is a mention by the same men and women of color who are mentioning themselves.

We know crime. We can write crime. We can string together an interesting plot with plenty of twists. We can have law enforcement officers chasing criminals across several states. We can write psychological thrillers. We can write the stories that readers will want to read.

So KTR, what exactly are you saying?

I’m saying that we have stories to tell.

I have stories to tell.

Stories that I will continue to write.

Stories that will always feature black people in various roles.

Crime stories.

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I’ve Finally Committed Myself…… https://ktrellen.com/ive-finally-committed-myself/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=ive-finally-committed-myself Sun, 30 Aug 2020 08:32:00 +0000 http://ktrellen.com/?p=95 Now I know what you may be thinking from reading that title. But I hate to disappoint you but when I say I’ve finally committed myself I am not speaking of rolling up to one of those places where there put you in a straight jacket and leave you in a room to your thoughts. Though, my wife at times may want me to be committed to such a place, it is not happening at this point. No, what I’ve committed myself to is finally getting the first four books in a series completely written and ready for publishing.

Committed To Completing One Series

Over the years I’ve bounced between several series ideas. What I worked on for that particular moment was largely dependent on how I was feeling at any particular stage. Lately, with what the world has been going through, I’ve found myself focusing on a series that has more of a political edge to it. Part of the reasoning I found myself concentrating more on this series was due to all of the racial unrest happening across the world.

The main character in this political series is a fixer. And right now as I watch the news cycles, twitter feeds, and Facebook postings, I want to fix things. Fix things in a way where the people who throw back All Lives Matter whenever someone says Black Lives Matter. Fix things when someone says Make America Great Again (still haven’t exactly gotten a answer as to when America was great for everyone). Our country is in turmoil right now and it needs fixing.

I know writing a book that is meant to entertain might not be the solution to a lot of the systemic issues we are faced with today but in my own small way I’m able to write about a world that I imagine my children will live in. The character in this world fixes issues that directly affect those in his world. If only it was that easy.

But as the title suggest. I’ve finally committed myself…to focusing on just this one series. Tomorrow is a new day and with a new day comes a new opportunity to commit myself to do something else.

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Why I Feel So Strongly About The Passing Of Chadwick Boseman https://ktrellen.com/why-i-feel-so-strongly-about-the-passing-of-chadwick-boseman/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=why-i-feel-so-strongly-about-the-passing-of-chadwick-boseman Sat, 29 Aug 2020 20:21:27 +0000 http://ktrellen.com/?p=86

When I watched the movie Black Panther with my children and the millions of other people across the country who set records by marching out to the movie theaters in drives to see this film, I asked myself why this movie was so important at this time. The movie was important because it wasn’t just children who were inspired – the film came at a time when awareness of the importance of diversity and representation on screen was growing.

As a writer who is constantly working to bring awareness of the importance of diversity in the publishing industry, I was excited for Black Panther, for a lot of reasons but the ones at the top of the list include:

  • The movie featured a majority Black cast, which is unusual in Hollywood.
  • The director, Ryan Coogler, is a black man.
  • The representation of positive black people throughout the movie was something you rarely see throughout a full-length feature film.

So the recent announcement that Chadwick Boseman had passed stirred something inside of me. It was something that I had only felt when iconic superstars like Michael Jackson, Prince, Whitney Houston, and Luther Vandross had passed away.

When we lost those iconic voices I felt the loss because each one of those individuals had shifted the culture of music in their own way. They had left behind a musical legacy that will stand the test of time. Each time I happen to hear a song from one of those artist I get emotional because their music makes you feel something. I fell the same way about the passing of Mr. Boseman. Before Black Panther was released I can not remember a time where I was excited to see a superhero movie. I’m the biggest Spiderman fan, I have been since I was a child. But not even your neighborhood friendly Spiderman could get me to pay for a movie three times.

Black Panther gave me hope. Chadwick Boseman gave me hope because he understood the responsibility he was undertaking as he prepared to play a character in a movie that people across the world were waiting to see.

Thank you Mr. Boseman. Thank you for inspiring me to create characters that hopefully will one day be brought to life from pages in a book to a screen.

May you rest in peace. You will be missed.

Rest in Peace King T’Challa

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