Latest News and Headlines

Kimberly Novak

Hello friends! Bella and I have fun updates to share!

Production News

The final approval for print and distribution was signed on Wednesday, July 13th, and I received a congratulatory email on 7/20 outlining next steps. The current status is to wait patiently while Trilogy works behind the scenes to upload the files digitally. ( 3-4 week process) Once complete, I will be contacted with a release date, instructed on sales process, and purchase advance copies!

Marketing Updates

Volunteer opportunities are open for participation on my social media marketing team. Once the book is available, your involvement will include posting on your social media outlets, blog posts on your websites, and word of mouth. I will provide you with everything needed to help spread the news. A few reviewers are needed and required to write a note or two, which I will post on this website. Volunteer to review and receive an advance copy! Reservations are required to review the book and will be taken in the order received. Don’t miss out on this fun opportunity! Click here to let me know you are ready to help!

A new blog post recently published on outofthechrysalis.com

May my living reveal God’s Goodness

New articles published this month

Check out the Contributing Author Articles tab (or click below) for new articles published this month.

Stay tuned for further updates and opportunities for advance copy give aways!

Blessings,

Kimberly

My Heart Is Full!

Kimberly Novak
Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com

I am thrilled to share my membership with Inspire Christian Writers. If you are a writer, blogger, or simply want to interject God into journaling, then you need to check out this group!

This article describes God’s influence and my personal journey into Christian Writing. Upon being asked to submit such an article, my heart filled with joy as I recollected the spirit-filled moments. I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I delighted in the remembrance of where God has taken my life and how He has filled my heart.

Click the link below for my debut post. Additional posts will be shared on the Contributing Author Articles tab.

https://www.inspirewriters.com/creating-gems-of-inspiration-all-for-gods-glory/

As always, comments and suggestions are welcome! God Bless!

Bella Update: Page Design Completed

Kimberly Novak

Hello friends! I thought I would give a quick update. I have approved the final draft of the page design for Bella’s Beautiful Miracle. Even more exciting news leaves us only needing to finalize the cover. I would love to approximate when the book is ready for release, but for now, only God knows.

In the meantime, I am going to gift you another teaser and a quick note about the page design process and how I made my edits.

Upon completing the illustration process, the designer uploaded the manuscript and illustrations into a book format. This stage used Adobe PDF, and we went through three passes back and forth before I was satisfied with the layout. As I’m typing this, it doesn’t sound like much work. However, time played a huge role. There is a standard ten-day turnaround each time the publishing company passes the document to me. I was diligent in making my edits within a business week. Still, adding ten days gave 15 days between each pass. Choices of font type, size, and margins were affected throughout this stage. A special shout-out of gratitude goes to my Facebook friends who voted on favorites for the title and subtitle font.

The photo shown here gives you an idea of what the pages looked like as I received each edit. If it looks blurry, then I formatted it correctly! I can’t give away too much about how that chapter begins…you’ll have to wait for the book release!

Illustration and text copyright Kimberly Novak 2022

Spoiler Alert!!!

I don’t want anyone straining their eyes to read beyond the blur; here is a little teaser for you. I am planning several more updates leading up to the release date. In addition to future updates, I will also take volunteers for a social media marketing campaign. If you are interested, please reply or click here to contact me via a contact form.

illustration and text copyright Kimberly Novak 2022

I hope I have done my job and made you a little impatient for the rest of Bella’s journey. I promise that I am equally anxious and ready to embark on the release of Bella and her friends. Not to mention all of the blessings, caves, and hidden surprises you will find as you travel with her. 

Many Blessings,

Kimberly

Bella’s Beautiful Miracle – Illustration Update

Kimberly Novak

Hello! I am very happy to share that we are one illustration away from the final versions! When they say publishing a book is like awaiting the birth of a baby, they are not kidding. This process though fun has also been somewhat stressful. The icing on the cake is seeing where we are now as compared to the day God planted the seed.

I never thought that choosing Bella’s eye color would be more difficult than actually writing the book. It might sound silly to some, but I found by going to God in prayer on these simplest of decisions made them more palatable. Not to mention the many times I texted my support line for their input! To those who witnessed the agony of blue vs green, I thank you!

Today, I find myself in yet another pause, as I await the final version and then take the pen and give the approval to set them in stone! I figured, why not show you some of the work that has been done over these last 4 months. It gives me something constructive to do, and also provides a treat for my wonderful readers – You!

This first grouping is a set of 4 illustrations all on the same scene. Notice the subtle and not-so-subtle changes that evolved in the revision process.

Version 1
Copyright Kimberly Novak
Version 2
Copyright Kimberly Novak
Version 3
Copyright Kimberly Novak
Final Version – Copyright Kimberly Novak

As you can see from the illustrations, I decided to take a different viewpoint and the payoff was beautiful!

At first, I was convinced that the process between each revision was painstakingly long. However, with God, prayer, and the guidance of the Holy Spirit, the time in-between was creative. This allowed my mind to really focus on the scene I was trying to portray. It also gave me a chance to go back and re-read the chapter, ensuring I was on the right track!

This next set of before and afters brings a smile to my face and a tear to my eyes! I’m sure that my reaction is because I know the story and where this is heading, I hope you can get a sense of the emotions Bella is feeling as she and Mira travel in this scene.

Version 1 Copyright Kimberly Novak
Final Version Copyright Kimberly Novak

I have given you a lot to review in this post, and I hope that your interest has kept you scrolling! So, let’s go with one more set of illustrations to show off how brilliant the designer is with color!

Version 1 Copyright Kimberly Novak
Version 2 Copyright Kimberly Novak

And there we have it, your illustration teaser! I welcome your feedback! All you have to do is give it a thumbs up or thumbs down using the buttons below or leave a reply.

Blessings,

Kimberly

Meet Bella

Kimberly Novak

Bella, a beautifully colored caterpillar, enjoys time in the forest surrounded by her family and friends. One day, Bella endures a storm, so forceful that it whisks her away on an amazing adventure. One in which, friendships, light, and love rain down like blessings from the sky!

The image is the first draft of Bella before any changes or revisions. Keep scrolling and enjoy just a snippet of Chapter One.

Chapter One – Bella’s Storm

Hoping God heard her cry, she took in one more deep breath and closed her eyes as tight as possible. At the same time, a big gust of wind forced Bella to snuggle tighter against her leaf. As the thunder clapped and the winds circled, Bella hoped the tree would not let her go. The force of the wind was more than she had ever felt before. All at once, Bella’s leaf broke loose, forcing her into the air, through the park, and into the Royal Forest. Panicked and having lost complete control, Bella closed her eyes and cried until the storm and Bella finally came to a stop. At that moment, Bella feared everything she knew about herself was gone.

The storm stripped Bella of not only her colors but also her faith and self-esteem. All that made Bella the vibrant, cheerful caterpillar everyone knew her to be was lost. Eventually, Bella slowly uncurled her body and hesitantly opened her eyes. It was hard for Bella to see because there was a bright light surrounding her. Bella focused her eyes the best she could, but all that she could make out was that nothing was familiar. Exhausted, Bella whispered, “Where am I?”

“You are with me,” an unknown voice quickly responded. “I’m down here, underneath you.”

Just then, the place where Bella had landed began to move. “Oh, no,” exclaimed Bella. “I’m moving again. I don’t think I can survive another storm!”

“Relax,” replied the voice. “You are okay. You have landed safely with me.”

Bella could not imagine what she could have landed on that could be talking to her. Puzzled, Bella rolled over and positioned herself to see what was underneath her. As Bella lowered her face, the fog from the light began to move away, making things much clearer for Bella. Looking back at her were two large eyes, and attached to the eyes was a………

Okay friends, what do you think Bella landed on? Respond in the comments section.

Text and photo copyright 2022 Kimberly Novak