Julie Kenner's Blog, page 107
December 5, 2012
Blog Hop! Week 24 of The Next Big Thing
“Ninety-nine percent of the wives and moms in the country will identify with this heroine. I mean, like who hasn’t had to battle demons between car pools and play dates?” Jayne Ann Krentz, New York Times bestselling author
This blog hop is like a game of tag. One author posts and tags a few other authors who link back to their website the next week and tag five new authors. If you follow the blog hop long enough, you’re bound to find some books you’ll love!
I was tagged by Niecey Roy. You can learn more about her book Fender Bender Blues on her website www.nieceyroy.com.
This blog hop includes ten questions to help you learn more about an author’s current book or work in progress:
1: What is the title of your book?
I literally just uploaded the digital re-release of CARPE DEMON to the various sites (Amazon, Nook, Smashwords)!!
(I also have a brand new book, RELEASE ME, coming in January! But this hop is All About Demons)
2: Where did the idea come from for the book?
I don’t usually know the answer to that, but this is one book that has a very specific origination. I was trying to think of an idea for my next romance series, and I wanted to do something paranormal, with alpha males (I know, how unusual, right?). I figured the men could be demon hunters (I wanted non-vamp heroes).
At the same time, I was trying to come up with a chicklit idea … but I was a new mom and wanted to do something other than the struggling 20 something. Like, maybe, a soccer mom.
Ponder, ponder …
And then bam! The two ideas smashed together like a Reese’s Peanut Cup: A demon hunting soccer mom.
And, woot! Kate Connor was born!
3: What genre does your book fall under?
(sub)urban fantasy. Or paranormal mommylit
4: Which actors would you choose to play your characters in a movie rendition?
I think Reese Witherspoon or Jennifer Garner or Jennifer Aniston for Kate would be awesome! As for Stuart … dunno. For Allie, Miranda Cosgrove would have been great, but she’s too old now for a 14 year old. Hmmm
5: What is the one-sentence synopsis of your book?
A retired demon-hunter turned stay-at-home-mom is called back into action when a demon crashes through her window, disrupting the tidy suburban life she’s built.
6: Will your book be self-published or represented by an agency?
The book was originally published by The Penguin Group (Berkley for trade paper and Jove for mass market). I’m excited to be doing the digital re-release!
The film and audio rights are still repped by my agency (and the book is in development as a feature film with 1492 Pictures! Heard good news recently, so fingers crossed!
7: How long did it take you to write the first draft of your manuscript?
It wrote fast! About three months.
8: What other books would you compare this story to within your genre?
At the time, the book was pretty unique. Folks have said I started the paranormal mommy lit genre (if there is such a thing)! Out there in pop culture land, it’s like Buffy the Vampire Slayer … but grown up!
9: Who or What inspired you to write this book?
See above, about how I came up with the idea. Basically, my life inspired me. New mom … all those parent-related demons!
10: What else about your book might pique the reader’s interest?
I’ve been thrilled by the fan and reviewer reactions to the book (and the series). Here are some awesome reviews.
“I LOVED CARPE DEMON. … It was great fun, wonderfully clever.”—Jayne Ann Krentz, New York Times bestselling author
“This book, as crammed with events as any suburban mom’s calendar, shows you what would happen if Buffy got married and kept her past a secret. It’s a hoot.”—Charlaine Harris, New York Times bestselling author
“I welcome the novels that decide to be utterly over-the-top and imagine paranormal and superhero lives for their chick- lit heroines. Take Carpe Demon …” —Detroit Free Press
“Sprightly, fast-paced . . . readers will find spunky Kate hard not to root for in spheres both domestic and demonic.”—Publishers Weekly
“Smart, fast-paced, unique … a blend of sophistication and wit that has you laughing out loud.”—Christine Feehan, New York Times bestselling author
“Tongue-in-cheek . . . fast pacing and in-your-face action. Give it a try. Kate’s a fun character and keeps you on the edge of your seat.”—SFReader
“Ms. Kenner has a style and delivery all her own . . . fun and innovative . . . [Carpe Demon] shouldn’t be missed.”—Fallen Angel Reviews
“You’re gonna love this book! A terrific summer read with lots of humor and crazy situations and action.”—Fresh Fiction
“This book was so much fun to read. I highly recommend this exceedingly entertaining read!”—Midwest Book Review
“A fun netherworld thriller that readers will treasure.”—The Best Reviews
“A+ … I am very ready for the next installment in Kate Connor’s life.”—The Romance Reader’s Connection
“Kenner scores a direct hit with this offbeat and humorous adventure, which has an engaging cast of characters. Car pools and holy water make an unforgettable mix.”—Romantic Times
Here is a list of authors who will be joining the hop for week 25 on December 12th. I hope you’ll visit their blogs next week and learn more about their books. Maybe one of them will become your new favorite author!
Check ‘em out!
And don’t forget about my holiday contest!
For the rest of this month, you can use the Rafflecopter widget below to enter for a chance to win a $25 gift certificate! (if the widget is wonky, try refreshing the page)
December 4, 2012
Fab new YA out today! Happy Release Day to Emily McKay for The Farm
Woot! It’s Release Day for The Farm by Emily McKay! Congrats Emily!! I was lucky enough to snag an early read of this dystopian vampire YA, and trust me when I say you do not want to miss this one!
Are you a fan of dystopian fiction? Vampires? What’s your favorite dystopian YA?
And don’t forget to enter my holiday contest!
December 3, 2012
“My name is Kate Connor … and my second adventure is on the Nook!”
“My name is Kate Connor, and I’m a Demon Hunter.
It feels a little odd saying that. For the last fifteen-plus years, I’ve been a retired Demon Hunter, my hunting responsibilities traded for the equally dangerous, if not as dramatically compelling, duties of a stay-at-home mom to my teenager and toddler. And no, I’m not exaggerating the danger factor of mommy-dom. Infiltrating a nest of vampires at dusk might be a tad on the treacherous side, but it’s nothing compared to telling a fourteen-year-old that she’s not allowed to wear eyeshadow. Trust me. I know of what I speak.”
Yes, yes! I’m so psyched! Kate and California Demon are now on the Nook! Check. It. Out.
Has The Walking Dead reached out and grabbed you, too?
Awesome post today for you guys about one of my favorite Twitter topics, The Walking Dead. Kim Griffin’s a total fangirl, as you can tell from her blog at TheFitnessMoms! So read on for some zombie goodness!
I’m thrilled to be posting on Julie’s blog today ~ thanks, Julie! When she mentioned The Walking Dead, I just about jumped out of my chair because the show is one of my current obsessions.
The Walking Dead starts off in it’s first season with a drop dead sexy sheriff (Rick) meandering through a slew of abandoned cars and what appeared to be a war zone. It’s obvious he’s looking for something when he happens upon a little girl walking in bunny slippers and carrying a teddy bear. He calls out to her a few times, “Little girl.” Finally, she turns around ~ revealing that she is a zombie.
Rick kills her.
Cue theme music.
From that short scene, I was hooked.
Fast forward a couple of seasons ~ we’re now in Season 3 ~ and have learned that there is a full blown zombie apocalypse. Technology is gone and nobody knows how many humans have survived.
One thing is true in the show ~ through all the rotting, flesh eating zombies and the running for your life scenes, the base for the entire story is the same base for any story and life in general ~ the people, their basic needs and their relationships. They still need food, water, medicine, shelter, connection and love. These needs drive the entire show. We see that in the midst of all this chaos, they find love, they make friends, and they find the evil that still exists in mankind.
One other thing we know ~ everyone is infected.
Infected. How could this be possible?
Well, if you’ve ever had the chicken pox, you know it’s possible because that’s only one example of a virus that sits inside you forever until it decides to rear it’s ugly head in the form of Shingles.
Yikes, I know.
The talk of a zombie apocalypse has grown tremendously since the beginning of the show ~ so much so that people are not only preparing for it, they are expecting it. What makes a normal rational person believe such a crazy unbelievable thing?
Consider this ~ every couple of years, a new virus pops up, seemingly out of nowhere ~ affecting human bodies in some expected and unexpected ways. Bird flu, Ebola and Bubonic Plague, to name a few.
Where do these new viruses come from? We don’t know, exactly.
Some scientists theorize that they could be coming from newly explored (and destroyed) parts of rain forests and other undisturbed places in the universe.
The more we explore or destroy those areas, the bigger the chance that we stir up viruses which may lay dormant and harmless.
Who knows what they will do?
Maybe, just maybe, one of them will turn on a part of our brain, after death, that craves human flesh. It is possible.
…and if it happens, I want Rick and Daryl in my group.
Do you watch The Walking Dead? If you could pick 2 people from the show to be in your zombie fighting group, who would you choose? Do you think a zombie apocalypse is possible?
Thanks so much for guest blogging today, Kim!
You can learn more about Kim Griffin at her blog, or give her a shout-out on Twitter or check her pins on Pinterest!
And in bonus news, I’m running a holiday contest! For the rest of this month, you can use the Rafflecopter widget below to enter for a chance to win a $25 gift certificate! (if the widget is wonky, try refreshing the page)
Sometimes, you’ve just got to say ‘what the f–k’
I am not one to live dangerously. I don’t zip in and out of traffic. I always wear my seatbelt. I toss deli meat after the expiration date. I don’t skydive, with or without a parachute. And I absolutely, positively, don’t visit websites that come through my spam filter.
But Twitter, ah, Twitter …
That’s me, today, over at The Whine Sisters, talking about the temptation to click on those damned Twitter spam links …
December 2, 2012
Songs of the Season: White Christmas (with Santa and the Reindeer!)
I love this! The vocals (by the drifters) and especially the cartoon by Joshua Held.
(I’ve got a bunch of favorites! I’ll be sharing them periodically as we countdown to Christmas and the New Year!)
November 30, 2012
Hot Holiday Blog Hop featuring Release Me … including early reads and a gift certificate!!
Follow the hop for the chance to win lots of great prizes including early reads of Release Me!
I’m super excited to be ringing in the holiday season with a fabulous blog hop sponsored by Romance at Random.
Lots and lots of awesome bloggers (including some other authors) are participating from December 1 to December 10, so you’ll get lots of looks at new authors and new books … not to mention a chance to win early reads of Release Me and even a $25 gift certificate to the retailer of your choice!
I’ve been thrilled by the feedback on Release Me from the early reviewers, so many of whom have fallen for Damien Stark and who love Nikki’s spunk! You can read the opening of Release Me on Scribd here (and I’ll be posting some steamier excerpts soon … just to tease you!).
Read, enjoy, enter the Rafflecopter, and then hop on over to the participating sites!
And thanks for stopping by!
And here are the links to all the participating bloggers. Have fun:
Make Your Book Reader-Worthy
Thank goodness Shelly Thacker walks her own path, otherwise she might be a forest ranger instead of a national bestselling author giving us all sorts of fabulous books to read!
Not sure what I’m talking about? Check out her bio!
As NaNoWriMo wraps up, I’m thrilled to have Shelly guest-blogging today with wonderful insight into the revision process and why it’s so crucial to the quality of your book … and your future sales! Check it out!
When I first jumped into the e-publishing world in early 2011, there was a “gold rush” mentality among authors. The ebook bubble would soon burst, everyone said, so you had to move fast if you wanted to get in on the bonanza. Forget about revising your book. You barely had enough time to get the file converted and click that Publish button. Upload now! Quick, before you miss out!
Today, writers have calmed down a bit. The digital bubble hasn’t burst. Kindle, Nook and tablet sales are breaking records worldwide. Ebooks are clearly here to stay. And so, as NaNoWriMo http://www.nanowrimo.org/ draws to a close for another year, I think this is a good moment to revisit a time-honored question: how much should you revise your book before you publish it?
My answer can be summed up in three words: Take Your Time. The temptation to just dash off a draft and click Publish can feel overwhelming—but it’s no way to launch a successful career.
You need to make your book reader-worthy. And that takes as long as it takes.
Today’s readers are smart, savvy consumers who aren’t shy about voicing their opinions. If they see weak dialogue, lame characterization, sloppy technique, or pointless plot twists they won’t just complain to you about it, they’ll complain to the whole book-buying world. You’ll wake up to find your book plastered with negative reviews. On Amazon. On Barnes & Noble. On Goodreads. On review blogs. Ebooks live forever—and so does bad word-of-mouth.
In this new digital world, authors still build careers the same way they always have: one book, one reader at a time. If you want to become a successful novelist, you need to start building a following right from day one. You need to publish novels that will get people talking, reviewing, blogging, Tweeting, Liking, sharing. Only your best work will take you there.
If you don’t give readers a book that’s worthy of their money, time and attention, someone else will.
So take your time. Revise, edit, then revise some more. Make sure your book will build your career, not kill your career. Your readers deserve the best you can possibly give them, so give them nothing but your best.
Authors, has the digital revolution changed the way you approach revisions?
Thanks again to Shelly for stopping by!Shelly’s paranormal and historical romances have won numerous national awards and lavish praise from Publishers Weekly, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, The Detroit Free Press, and The Oakland Press, who have called her books “innovative,” “addictive,” “erotic” and “powerful.” Her latest release, Timeless, about a stolen bride swept away to a mysterious island paradise, is currently on the Nook paranormal romance and Kindle historical fantasy bestseller lists.
Be sure to connect with Shelly at:
Website: www.shellythacker.com
Blog: http://shellythacker.blogspot.com/
Facebook http://www.facebook.com/AuthorShellyThacker
Twitter: @shellythacker
Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/shellythacker/
November 29, 2012
When the dead stay silent (and other gripes about dialogue)
A little too closed-mouthed, Michonne???
I’ve become a total fangirl of The Walking Dead, but even total fans can have the occasional gripe and, yeah, I got one.
Minor spoiler alert for what follows! So beware if you read on!
For a show wherein the characters take a lot of time talking about their feelings instead of, oh, fortifying their perimeter and making a plan for where to meet if a herd comes through and they get separated (Season Two, I’m looking at you), those same characters are quite adept at not relaying legitimate information for no reason I can see other than that the screenwriters don’t want it revealed at a particular moment.
Rick’s big secret from the CDC doctor I sorta get. But Carl not mentioning the swamp zombie? They’ve set him up to be impulsive, but not stupid.
I can even forgive that, but Rick not telling Lori exactly what happened with Shane? (And then Lori getting all bent out of shape about the whole Shane thing even though she’s the one who sat Rick down and said that Shane was dangerous? Um, hello?). For folks who spend a lot of time chatting, they managed to talk around the important stuff rather than about it.
But the one that really got me was in Season 3, this last episode. There’s Michonne, who’s witnessed Merle taking Glenn and Maggie. She’s heard that Merle is looking for his brother. She can see that Merle knows Glenn. She knows that he has lost a hand.
So what does she do when she gets to the prison? She entirely and completely fails to mention that Glenn and Maggie were taken by a one-handed man who actually knew Glenn and who was looking for his brother. Why? Because the screenwriters willed it to be so. (And no, I don’t buy that it’s because she’s so close-mouthed naturally; she did tell some information–such as what they said about how to reach the prison–and relaying the rest only strengthens her position that she should be treated as an ally, not a prisoner.)
That’s the kind of thing that pulls me out of movies and books, because it’s so contrary to the way the characters would actually behave. “Just say something!” my husband and I will scream at the TV. “Why the hell doesn’t she (or he) just say X?”
I get that it’s hard as heck sometimes to move the story forward in the way you want it to go if you have to reveal certain things that another character knows. (You also see this in books where you’re in the murderer’s point of view, but he/she never things anything damning. Uh, really?) It’s worth working on those scenes, though, to make the characters feel more real and the scenario more believable.
Here’s the thing, Walking Dead writers: I love the show. I love the characters. But let the characters do the talking and keep the writerly manipulation invisible. Please, please, pretty please!
What about you? Did those scenes bug you, too? Did you notice or just go with the flow? Do you get irritated when you see the writer’s fingers in a book or movie or tv show?
