Connecting readers with authors of clean fiction.
Welcome, Kyle!
Kyle Robert Shultz began writing in his early teens after being bitten by a radioactive book. As a Christian, he strives to write fiction that is entertaining and wholesome, but devoid of overt “messages” or agendas. He lives in the wilds of southern Idaho, removed far enough from civilization to keep humanity safe should any of his rough drafts break through the electric fence. Aside from writing, his other passions are worship music, digital art, horseback riding, and raising miniature sheep.
A Little About
The Beast of Talesend
Private eye Nick Beasley lives in a world where fairy tales ended a long time ago – where zeppelins now soar the skies instead of dragons, and where the first automobiles have taken the place of flying carpets. He’s made a name for himself across the Afterlands by debunking fake magicians and exposing fraudulent monsters. This is the modern age, after all. Magic and monsters are long gone.
At least, that’s what Nick believes. Until he gets magically transformed into a monster, that is.
The only person who may be able to help Nick is Lady Cordelia Beaumont, one of the last enchantresses in the Afterlands. But in order for her to cure him, they’ll have to retrieve a powerful artifact from a ruthless crime lord – who is also Cordelia’s father.
The fate of the Afterlands lies in the hands of a runaway enchantress and a monstrous ex-detective. What could possibly go wrong?
Author's Rating: Mild PG-13 for some violent content and scary scenes (on par with the last few Harry Potter films or a standard Doctor Who episode in intensity). However, there is no sexual content or profanity in the book, and the violence is not gory.
At least, that’s what Nick believes. Until he gets magically transformed into a monster, that is.
The only person who may be able to help Nick is Lady Cordelia Beaumont, one of the last enchantresses in the Afterlands. But in order for her to cure him, they’ll have to retrieve a powerful artifact from a ruthless crime lord – who is also Cordelia’s father.
The fate of the Afterlands lies in the hands of a runaway enchantress and a monstrous ex-detective. What could possibly go wrong?
Author's Rating: Mild PG-13 for some violent content and scary scenes (on par with the last few Harry Potter films or a standard Doctor Who episode in intensity). However, there is no sexual content or profanity in the book, and the violence is not gory.
Ten Things You Should Know
About Kyle Robert Shultz
1. At what moment did you feel like you could say, “NOW, I'm an author?”
Honestly, this was never something that just "happened" for me one day. I tend to be extremely critical of my own work. Self-critical writers can go on forever seeing themselves as rank amateurs pecking randomly at keyboards, unless they decide to deliberately think of themselves as authors. That's what I had to do, even though it didn't feel right at first. Jack London once spoke of inspiration as something you have to go after with a club. The same goes for self-confidence, in my opinion.
2. What is one of your favorite/go-to writing resources?
My all-time favorite writing book is Plot and Structure by James Scott Bell. I go back to it frequently, partly because Bell explains successful plotting better than anyone else I've consulted, and partly because the book contains a series of extremely helpful brainstorming exercises to overcome writer's block.
3. Do you write using a keyboard, pen and paper, or both?
I usually brainstorm and outline with pen and paper, then use a keyboard for the actual writing. Longhand is my favorite way to write, but sadly, my handwriting is terrible.
4. What project are you working on now?
I currently have three works in progress: a prequel, a sequel, and a spinoff short story for my debut novel, The Beast of Talesend.
5. Have you always liked to write?
Though storytelling has always interested me, I don't think I genuinely discovered the true joy of writing until I reached my late teens and began getting serious about it as a career.
6. What book are you currently reading?
The one at the top of my (insanely long) TBR list is A Time to Die, by Nadine Brandes. I'm really enjoying it; Brandes is brilliant.
7. Do you write/read every single day?
Yes, one or the other. I try to make sure I don't neglect either for too long. My writing tends to suffer if I don't get my head out of my own stories and into somebody else's every once in a while. On the other hand, it's easy to lose momentum if I let my writing fall by the wayside.
8. Do you have any furry writing buddies? (Or scaled or feathered?)
My Great Pyrenees dog, Zoe, is my writing mascot. (And the one who usually ends up distracting me from writing the most times in the course of the day. But I still love her.)
9. Do you have any other creative outlets besides writing?
Music, mainly. I work with the worship team in my local church as a keyboardist and singer, and I write praise and worship songs of my own. I also enjoy dabbling in digital art. I'm not extremely proficient in it yet, but I would like to get there someday.
10. Who are your 3 favorite characters in your book(s)?
The "A-Team" of my Beaumont and Beasley series, introduced in "The Beast of Talesend": Nick (a private detective trapped in the form of a monster), Cordelia (an enchantress who works with him to investigate magical phenomena), and Crispin (Nick's younger brother, who's basically a totally-inept Harry Potter). I've put so much time and effort into these characters that they feel like real people to me. Which is going to make things somewhat unpleasant if I ever have to kill any of them. *checks outline for Book 2* Uh-oh...
Honestly, this was never something that just "happened" for me one day. I tend to be extremely critical of my own work. Self-critical writers can go on forever seeing themselves as rank amateurs pecking randomly at keyboards, unless they decide to deliberately think of themselves as authors. That's what I had to do, even though it didn't feel right at first. Jack London once spoke of inspiration as something you have to go after with a club. The same goes for self-confidence, in my opinion.
2. What is one of your favorite/go-to writing resources?
My all-time favorite writing book is Plot and Structure by James Scott Bell. I go back to it frequently, partly because Bell explains successful plotting better than anyone else I've consulted, and partly because the book contains a series of extremely helpful brainstorming exercises to overcome writer's block.
3. Do you write using a keyboard, pen and paper, or both?
I usually brainstorm and outline with pen and paper, then use a keyboard for the actual writing. Longhand is my favorite way to write, but sadly, my handwriting is terrible.
4. What project are you working on now?
I currently have three works in progress: a prequel, a sequel, and a spinoff short story for my debut novel, The Beast of Talesend.
5. Have you always liked to write?
Though storytelling has always interested me, I don't think I genuinely discovered the true joy of writing until I reached my late teens and began getting serious about it as a career.
6. What book are you currently reading?
The one at the top of my (insanely long) TBR list is A Time to Die, by Nadine Brandes. I'm really enjoying it; Brandes is brilliant.
7. Do you write/read every single day?
Yes, one or the other. I try to make sure I don't neglect either for too long. My writing tends to suffer if I don't get my head out of my own stories and into somebody else's every once in a while. On the other hand, it's easy to lose momentum if I let my writing fall by the wayside.
8. Do you have any furry writing buddies? (Or scaled or feathered?)
My Great Pyrenees dog, Zoe, is my writing mascot. (And the one who usually ends up distracting me from writing the most times in the course of the day. But I still love her.)
9. Do you have any other creative outlets besides writing?
Music, mainly. I work with the worship team in my local church as a keyboardist and singer, and I write praise and worship songs of my own. I also enjoy dabbling in digital art. I'm not extremely proficient in it yet, but I would like to get there someday.
10. Who are your 3 favorite characters in your book(s)?
The "A-Team" of my Beaumont and Beasley series, introduced in "The Beast of Talesend": Nick (a private detective trapped in the form of a monster), Cordelia (an enchantress who works with him to investigate magical phenomena), and Crispin (Nick's younger brother, who's basically a totally-inept Harry Potter). I've put so much time and effort into these characters that they feel like real people to me. Which is going to make things somewhat unpleasant if I ever have to kill any of them. *checks outline for Book 2* Uh-oh...
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