Julie Kenner's Blog, page 31
November 1, 2018
JK Recommends… Nov. 2nd
Welcome to JK Recommends… the weekly recommendations for all your weekend reading needs for all the book lovers and avid readers out there!!
Wow. This is one of those weeks where you wish there was NOTHING else to do but read. Doesn’t that sound like a little slice of heaven? Which book would you start with? Me, it’s a hard choice as they are all from wonderful authors that I love, but I think this is a Muffin Top kind of weekend. I’m writing–and have been writing!–some pretty intense books lately, and a curl-up-with-wine-romantic-comedy sounds like just the thing, and Avery Flynn is sure to make you smile.
XXOO
JK
Haunted Be The Holidays – Heather Graham
The Boy I Grew Up With – Tijan
The Darkest Star – Jennifer L. Armentrout
Dirty Sexy Bastard – Laurelin Paige
Dangerous Exes – Rachel Van Dyken
Who did I miss… what was your favorite release this week? Comment below…
Come back next FRIDAY for more of my recommendations!!
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October 31, 2018
Writers’ Corner: Do your research
It’s Halloween, so today’s blog is a short and sweet one.
Originally, I had a much longer plan to write about characters, but then I stumbled across something that got my back up in a book I’m reading … and it sparked the need for a Don’t Do This post.
What did I see? Well, it’s really a question of what I didn’t see: I didn’t see evidence that the writer of a bestselling book did research. Research on something key to the story. Research on something that would have been so, so, so easy to find, either online or with one simple phone call.
I’m not going to call out the book. Suffice it to say that it’s a book that was traditionally published with a lot of pre-publication support by the publisher and has had a long shelf-life on the bestseller lists. And this isn’t a situation wherein the author intentionally changed things up (for example, creating an investigative agency specifically so that the book didn’t have to conform to the rules of the FBI, or “inventing” a gizmo that the government secretly uses but doesn’t actually exist). No, this mistake is a basic one at the heart of a sporting activity. Something that one call to an instructor in that sport could have fixed. One visit to a storefront specializing in that activity.
And yet it’s clear from the mistakes in the story that the author did neither of those things. These weren’t intentional adjustments of reality to serve the story. They were simply mistakes.
So, writers: Don’t do that. Do your research. Mistakes happen, sure. But if you put in a little bit of time and effort, they’ll happen a heck of a lot less.
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October 25, 2018
JK recommends… Oct. 26th
I’m starting something new on the website. Every Friday I’ll be posting Weekend Read recommendations. These are books that I’ve either read or that have been recommended to me by a trusted source, or books from my auto buy authors! I’ll link through in the newsletter to remind you, but you’ll want to be sure and check my blog on Fridays for the post! Today, we’re posting early to get the ball rolling, so you can get a peek at this week’s recommendations…
Angel Payne’s Conquered – Amazon
Meghan March’s Reveling In Sin – Amazon
Kristen Proby’s 1001 Dark Nights Novella, Tempting Brooke – Amazon
Kristen Ashley’s Loose Ends – Amazon
Gena Showalter’s Shadow And Ice – Amazon
Jennifer Probst’s A Brand New Ending – Amazon
Come back next FRIDAY for more of my recommendations!!
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October 24, 2018
Scenes, Sequels, Causes, and Effects
Therefore…she found the treasure!
But … she forgot to draw the map!
I’ve been on a craft kick lately, as in I’ve been attending a lot of workshops, watching a lot of videos, reading books on craft, etc.
Partly because I’m actually writing some short books on various aspects of craft (yeah, you’ll hear more about that later!), and so it’s a good way to get into that headspace. But mostly because craft is the architecture of story, the piers and beams, concrete and rebar, that keep your story from falling over and trapping your poor characters under a pile of rubble.
Also, even after 100+ books (holy freak that sounds like a lot), I constantly learn something new that I can apply to a current project. More than that, thinking about craft gets the juices flowing, and inevitably some new story concept will come to me in the process.
Craft is sort of like riding a bicycle. You can just learn. And what you learn will become ingrained. Get your story-telling chops and you’ll be able to hop on and start pedaling and come up with a solid, satisfying story. But if you want to really kick it up, you’ll want to understand more about what you’re doing and why it works–you’ll want to dig deeper into cadence and power and all that good stuff. You’ll want to grow and push yourself. (Why, yes. I did recently set a cycling goal…funny you should ask.)
When I first started writing, one of the first books I read was Scene & Structure by Jack M. Bickham, a title that never sticks with me because I always think of it as Scene & Sequel, because the concept of stuff happening after a scene was one of those things I sorta kinda innately got … but when I read that book, it was an aha moment. There’s a scene in which stuff happens. And as a result other stuff happens. Pretty basic, right? Cause and effect.
But you would be surprised how many times an author will write a story where something happens. And then another thing happens. Then something else. Almost as if the author (or screenwriter–you see this a lot in unsatisfying movies) has checkbox style list of set pieces and is dutifully going through and marking Xs.
But here’s the thing: Stories aren’t about a string of events. Stories have movement. Stories have choreography. Forward motion toward a goal (and obstacles along the way). And that motion is driven by action followed by reaction. A scene, then a sequel. A cause, then an effect.
That’s how I’d thought of it for the nineteen years of my career. And I stand by that analysis. But I recently saw a very short video of Trey Parker and Matt Stone speaking to a class, the creative minds behind South Park, and I absolutely love the way they summed it up. Simply. Brilliantly. What did they say? Well, basically, if your story is “and then” you need to go back to the drawing room. You want your story to be full of “therefore” and “but.” Seriously, check out their video. (Really. It’s not even three minutes. Go on. I’ll wait.)
I absolutely love the simplicity of their explanation of this aspect of story structure. And thanks so much to (one of the White Collar co-creators) for sharing the video.
And you know what? That’s how I want my life & career to be, too. Not a random string of events. But forward motion.
Don’t you?
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October 20, 2018
Another peek at Lost With Me and Damien Stark!
Just a few more days until more Damien Stark in Lost With Me!
Here’s another peek for you!
“Hurry,” I beg, because this isn’t about making love. This is about sex. Connection.
About need and fear and loss and escape.
Escape. God, yes. Right now, that’s what I need from Damien, and I whimper in frustration when he takes his time sliding over me, his cock right there at my entrance, but not inside me. “Please,” I beg. “Take me. Take me hard.”
For a beat, he looks at me. Then he grabs my hips and tugs me down the bed. I gasp when he flips me over, the orders me onto my knees, my head down, my forehead on the mattress.
He’s behind me, his hands on my breasts, gripping me so tight it’s almost painful, and I close my eyes, relishing his touch, wanting exactly this. To be used. To be his.
He pulls one hand away long enough to slide his fingers over my core, readying me before thrusting his cock hard and deep inside me. Then he’s bent over me, his chest to my back, and he’s thrusting hard inside me, the entire bed moving, hitting the wall, probably echoing through the whole damn house. But I don’t care.
This is what I need. What I crave.
This. This connection. It’s what will give me the strength to survive. I know that. And Damien knows it, too.
Grab LOST WITH ME here:
Amazon http://jklinks.co/lost_amz_aff
iBooks http://jklinks.co/lost_ibooks
Kobo http://jklinks.co/lost_kobo
B&N http://jklinks.co/lost_nook
GPlay http://jklinks.co/lost_gp
And be sure to follow me on Goodreads and Bookbub —and subscribe to my newsletter!
— so that you never miss a thing!
The post Another peek at Lost With Me and Damien Stark! appeared first on JKenner/Julie Kenner.
October 19, 2018
Damien Stark coming Tuesday! Here’s a peek!
We’re getting close to more Damien Stark, and I’m so excited!
You can pre-order LOST WITH Me here:
Amazon http://jklinks.co/lost_amz_aff
iBooks http://jklinks.co/lost_ibooks
Kobo http://jklinks.co/lost_kobo
B&N http://jklinks.co/lost_nook
GPlay http://jklinks.co/lost_gp
And be sure to follow me on Goodreads and Bookbub —and subscribe to my newsletter! — so that you never miss a thing!
“I’ll see you at home,” he says, taking another step back, and this time I don’t mourn the distance. On the contrary, I need it. Distance and time if I’m going to pull myself together by the time I get to Santa Monica.
I turn, taking his hands as I look into his face. It’s the first time I’ve looked straight at him in days, and I revel in his beauty. The raven-dark hair. His dual-colored eyes, one black and one amber. That lean, muscled body that seems to have been designed for a tailored suit, but looks damn perfect without one.
But it’s not his looks that make him so compelling. It’s his bearing. His confidence. As if there’s nothing in the world that he wants that he can’t have. Including me.
The thought makes me smile, and as always, I’m struck as much by the beauty of this man as by the love for me reflected in his eyes. “I’m glad you came.”
“But I didn’t,” he says, managing to keep a straight face.
I bite back a laugh, then flash him a stern look. “Mind out of the gutter. You know what I mean.”
“I do,” he says. “And we’ll take care of my interpretation later.”
I flash a coy smile. “Is that a promise?”
He hooks a finger under my chin, his eyes locked on mine. “Baby, it’s a demand.”
The post Damien Stark coming Tuesday! Here’s a peek! appeared first on JKenner/Julie Kenner.
October 15, 2018
One Week To More Damien!
“What are you doing now?” he asks.
“Other than talking to my husband? I wrapped up a phone meeting with Abby right before you called. At the moment, I’m just enjoying my view.”
“What a coincidence,” he says. “So am I.”
I picture him standing in front of the floor to ceiling windows that make up one wall of his penthouse office at Stark Tower. His body long and lean, his midnight black hair gleaming in the morning light. A modern gladiator in a tailored suit surveying his domain.
“You’re so damn beautiful,” he says, and it takes a minute for my mind to shift gears. He’s not looking out his window. He’s looking at me.
I turn, putting my back to the ocean so that I can see inside the bungalow. But he’s not there, and when I frown in consternation, his low chuckle ripples over me.
The security cameras.
Deliberately, I turn so that I’m facing the one mounted at the corner of the roof. I tilt my head and rest my hand on my hip. “Aren’t you supposed to be running an empire?”
“It’s on today’s agenda. Right now, I’m getting in the mood for some world domination.”
He stresses the last word, and I stare boldly into the camera. “In that case, Mr. Stark, I look forward to seeing you this evening.”
I’m thrilled that it’s almost time for more Damien Stark! I’m so excited about this super-sexy, deeply emotional book that puts Nikki and Damien up against their greatest fear and biggest challenge yet.
You can read the entire first chapter on my website right HERE!
Trust me that you don’t want to miss this one! You can pre-order the book here:
Amazon http://jklinks.co/lost_amz_aff
iBooks http://jklinks.co/lost_ibooks
Kobo http://jklinks.co/lost_kobo
B&N http://jklinks.co/lost_nook
GPlay http://jklinks.co/lost_gp
And be sure to follow me on Goodreads and Bookbub —and subscribe to my newsletter! — so that you never miss a thing!
The post One Week To More Damien! appeared first on JKenner/Julie Kenner.
August 28, 2018
Please Me, a Stark Ever After 1001 Dark Nights Novella is AVAILABLE NOW!
Be sure not to miss Please Me, a new Stark Ever After novella chock full of secrets, sex, and all the sensuality you come to expect in a Stark story!
Remember, Please Me is a 1001 Dark Nights novella, which means that the digital version is offered exclusively on Amazon for ninety days. But never fear, after three months, it will be available at iBooks, Nook, and all the other retailers!
Each day with Damien is a miracle, each moment with our children a gift. And yet I cannot escape the growing sense that a storm is gathering, threatening to pull me away, to rip us apart. To drag me down, once again, into a darkness to which I swore never to return.
I have to fight it—I know that. And I am waging the battle with of all my heart. But it is Damien who is my strength, and we both know that the only way to push away the darkness is for him to fold me in his arms and claim me completely. And for me to surrender myself, once again, to the fire that burns between us.
**Every 1001 Dark Nights novella is a standalone story. For new readers, it’s an introduction to an author’s world. And for fans, it’s a bonus book in the author’s series. We hope you’ll enjoy each one as much as we do.**
The post Please Me, a Stark Ever After 1001 Dark Nights Novella is AVAILABLE NOW! appeared first on JKenner/Julie Kenner.
July 10, 2018
Grab the final MAN OF THE MONTH installment, WALK THE LINE is out now!!
WALK THE LINE is out now! Meet Brent, the hot single dad…
Elena is too young for me, not to mention she’s my boss’s daughter and my babysitter.
That’s beyond complicated. And I’m not even looking for a relationship—but I can’t deny the attraction that sizzles between us.
I need to ignore it. A single dad, all I want is to take care of my little girl, do my job, and enjoy my friends. Anything more is asking for complications I can’t afford. Asking to be hurt again.
Trouble is, I want her, too. And when our flirty sparks turn to flames, I give in to temptation. Our secret fling is scorching hot, better than I’d even imagined.
But secrets get out, and I could lose my job and my reputation.
And I’m starting to realize she’s the one thing I’m not willing to lose.
Amazon – http://amzn.to/2yjgOur
iBooks – http://apple.co/2yixnXH
Kobo – http://jklinks.co/walk-kobo/
Nook – http://jklinks.co/walk-nook/
Google Play – http://bit.ly/2KXmXmQ
Start the Man of the Month series HERE
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June 26, 2018
Meet Griffin Blaize! LIGHT MY FIRE is out now!!
Meet Griffin Blaize from Wicked Grind!!
I don’t do relationships.
I’ve lived my life hiding my scars, revealing myself only the in the scripts I write and the characters I voice.
Few people know the real me. I’m too careful. Too afraid of getting burned all over again.
Enter Beverly Martin. A movie star. A woman so beautiful and caring she makes my heart ache. She says she wants me—and her touch almost makes me believe that a girl like her could love a man like me.
But being with her would mean letting the spotlight of fame shine on me, too. And I’m not sure I can do that—even if walking away means losing the woman I love.
Amazon – http://amzn.to/2z3tLWB
iBooks – http://apple.co/2xACRsT
Kobo – http://jklinks.co/light-kobo/
Nook – http://jklinks.co/light-nook/
Google Play – http://bit.ly/2yKXDfk
Also check out Griffin in Wicked Grind
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