ZYLA & KAI Preorder Campaign + ARC Giveaway

Hello! Today I am popping into your inbox with fun news. The ZYLA & KAI preorder campaign is live!

If you submit proof of pre-order or library request to KForestPreorder(at)gmail(dot)com, you will receive a 5”x7” art print, sticker sheet and bookmark. If you’d like a signed and personalized copy of ZYLA & KAI, you can preorder from my local indie, Inkwood Books. If you’d like a signed bookplate along with your copy and swag, you can preorder from The Ripped Bodice. This campaign is US only (sorry! I’m paying for shipping myself and international shipping can be expensive) and ends June 6, 2022 at 11:59pm EST or while supplies last. If you pre-order from The Ripped Bodice, you’ll have to do so by May 27th in order to receive pre-order swag with your copy. All details of the campaign can be found here on my website: https://www.kristinaforest.com/zyla-kai-preorder-campaign.

Ana Latese illustrated the art print and sticker sheet and she did such a wonderful job. Zyla and Kai meet while working at amusement park and a large chunk of the book takes place in that setting, so I wanted the art print to show them in that environment. Each sticker image has something to do with the story as well. There’s a ticket to Sailor Joe’s Amusement Park where they work, a Ferris wheel because some key conversations happen between them on a Ferris wheel, the Eiffel tower because Zyla wants to go to fashion school in Paris, a football because Kai likes football lol, and a purple heart because the cover is purple and this is a story about love :). I discovered Ana’s work by searching the #illustratingwhileblack hashtag on Twitter and Instagram. You should definitely check her out!

The bookmark was designed by Diana Sousa. Diana has designed every bookmark for each of my books and they always look so beautiful.

The signed bookplate, which you can *only* get by preordering from The Ripped Bodice, was designed by yours truly. I’m basically a graphic designer now.

Pre-orders are important for authors because they let our publishers know that there is a demand for our books, and the more books that sell, the better chance we have at securing future book deals. I definitely understand the thrill of walking into a bookstore and finding the exact book that you’re looking for on the shelves. And I also know how wonderful it can be to simply browse the aisles and then pick up a book that sounds interesting. If that’s how you prefer to buy books, there’s absolutely nothing wrong with that! But a plus about pre-ordering is that the day a book publishes, it shows up on your doorstep like it’s been dropped off by a book fairy and you can start reading right away! And in this particular case, you’ll get some cute swag as a heartfelt thank you from me. :)

Finally, I promised an ARC giveaway to subscribers. I am always on the hunt for book recommendations. Last weekend I read the first seven books in Ruby Dixon’s Ice Planet Barbarians series. Yes, you read that right. I read seven books in one weekend. They were that entertaining! So, to enter the giveaway, comment below and tell me the name of a book you’ve recently read and loved or a book that you’re looking forward to reading this Spring. That’s it! I’ll pick a winner tomorrow (Monday, April 24th) by 7pm EST! Next month I’ll be back, and I think I’ll be sharing the first chapter of ZYLA & KAI, so be on the look out!