Julie Kenner's Blog, page 55
June 24, 2014
What if Harry Potter had been a Girl? A guest post from Aaron de Orive, co-author of Blade Singer
I’m so excited for my friend Aaron de Orive! He and the awesome Martha Wells just published Blade Singer, a middle grade novel filled with swashbuckling adventure-y goodness!
To get all officially, here are their bios:
Aaron de Orive was a writer on Metroid Prime 3: Corruption, Star Wars Galaxies: An Empire Divided, Tabula Rasa, Anarchy Online, and Star Wars: The Old Republic. He is also the creator and author of the fantasy role-playing game SHARD: World of the False Dawn. Blade Singer is his first novel. Aaron lives in Texas with his wife, daughter, and two very spoiled terriers.
Martha Wells is the author of a number of fantasy novels, including The Cloud Roads, The Siren Depths, The Wizard Hunters, Wheel of the Infinite, and the Nebula-nominated The Death of the Necromancer. Her YA fantasy, Emilie and the Hollow World, was published by Angry Robot/Strange Chemistry in April 2013, and the sequel, Emilie and the Sky World, was released in March 2014. Two collections of Books of the Raksura novellas will be published in September 2014 and Fall 2015. She has had short stories in Black Gate, Realms of Fantasy, Stargate Magazine, and Lightspeed Magazine, and in the anthologies Elemental, The Year’s Best Fantasy #7, Tales of the Emerald Serpent and The Other Half of the Sky. She has essays in the nonfiction anthologies Farscape Forever, Mapping the World of Harry Potter, and Chicks Unravel Time. She has also written media-tie-in novels, Stargate Atlantis: Reliquary and Stargate Atlantis: Entanglement, and a Star Wars novel, Empire and Rebellion: Razor’s Edge.
Here’s a bit about Blade Singer:
Sure, Manny Boreaux wanted to escape his real world problems. But being trapped in the body of a goblin pickpocket wasn’t what he had in mind. Still, it’s kind of cool to be able to move like a spider monkey and go invisible. Unless you happen to work for an evil witch and her vicious gang of cutthroats. If they find out who he really is, they’ll turn him into minced pies!
Can Manny fool his fellow thieves long enough to find some allies? Can he thwart the witch’s scheme to assassinate a young king and ignite a terrible war? And will he ever find a way home?
And check this out! An awesome endorsement from Terry Rossio, one of the co-writers of Pirates of the Caribbean and Shrek!
And without further ado …. here’s Aaron:
“Daddy, what if Harry Potter had been a girl? Would it have changed the story?”
My nine year-old daughter, Elena, asked me that the other night. And it was a great question. Would the events in the Harry Potter series have played out any differently if Harry Potter had been Harriet Potter? Clearly who Harriet would have been attracted to while at Hogwarts and who she would have ended up marrying would have been different. But would the major beats of the narrative have remained exactly the same?
That got me thinking about gender identity in other popular middle-grade fantasy series. What would happen in those stories if the gender of the protagonist was switched? If Dorothy in the Wizard of Oz series had been a young boy, would the story have changed? If Percy Jackson had been Persephone Jackson, would it have been a completely different story? More to the point, would it have needed to be a different story?
Now to be fair, I’m not really someone who believes there are no differences between the sexes. Aside from the obvious physical differences, there are many differences imposed on us by our society, culture, and religion. That’s just a fact. Now I’m not here to advocate or condemn any specific gender-based structure. I just don’t know enough about that sort of thing. I’ll leave that to the experts. But what I do know is my daughter.
I’m extremely fortunate to be a stay-at-home dad and writer. This has allowed me to spend a great deal of time interacting with Elena. (She’s an only child.) Never having raised a girl before, and lacking any sort of manual, I’ve simply shared my own interests with her over the years. She’s therefore grown up with an appreciation for superheroes, Norse myths, Japanese kaiju, the Universal monsters, Hammer horror films, Star Wars, and Musketeer movies. She also digs faeries, and muppets, and Disney princesses, but truth be told, so do I. Well, maybe not so much the princesses.
If you ever met my daughter, you’d encounter a wonderful, bright, and creative little girl. She’s not at all what you would call a tomboy. She loves frilly dresses and bright pastel colors and ponies. But she also loves all the things I do, things that would typically be associated with boys. And this has given me a realization. When it comes to realms of fantasy and the imagination, the differences between the sexes seem to blur. They take a backseat to the adventure, and the story takes front and center. I’m not saying gender roles are not important in fantasy fiction. I believe they most definitely are. But I’ve come to realize that they can be much more fluid, often as speculative as the fiction itself.
And I’ve come to understand that’s a wonderful thing.
Thanks for dropping in Aaron!!!!!
How about you all? What do you think would have happened if Harry had been Harriet?
Where do you want to go next?
The Stark Trilogy and beyond ... bestselling, swoonworthy erotic romance. Have you been Damienized?
The Most Wanted series ... dark, edgy, sexy badboys. Need we say more?
Demon-Hunting Soccer Mom ... oh, come on. The series title says it all!
Protector Superhero series ... fun, flirty paranormal romance.
The Blood Lily Chronicles ... dark, sensual urban fantasy.
The Shadow Keepers ... edgy and sensual paranormal romance
Devil May Care ... who will the next ruler of Sin City be?
The Phoenix Brotherhood ... dark, dangerous, sexy ... and immortal.
and more stories to come ...
Looking to meet JK?
Got a question for JK?
You'll find contact info and FAQs here!
June 23, 2014
Tyler and Sloane from HEATED by J. Kenner on #MostWantedMonday
A quick and dirty Most Wanted Monday today. Why? Because I’m madly packing for Book Bash and a few days at Disney!
HEATED was a great erotic suspense-ish Romance – you will definitely fall in LOVE Tyler Sharp ☺
Now I can’t wait to read INGNITED ♥ Cole ♥ (BJ’s Book Blog 4.5 Stars)
But I love this teaser image from BJ’s Book Blog, and though I would share it! Enjoy!
And if you haven’t jumped into the Most Wanted series, come on in … the water’s fine!
Don’t Miss Any of the Books in the Most Wanted Series








June 22, 2014
Super sale and Chapter 1 of California Demon on #SoccerMomSunday
If you haven’t grabbed copies of the first five book in my Demon Hunting Soccer Mom series for just 99 cents, now’s your chance! This sale is only lasting a week!
And here, for Soccer Mom Sunday, is the entire first chapter of CALIFORNIA DEMON!
Chapter 1
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.
I’d been drawn back into active duty after a demon attacked me in my kitchen, setting off a whole chain of events that (as you can probably guess) pitted the forces of good against the forces of evil in one final, cataclysmic battle. Sounds like a movie ad doesn’t it? But it’s true. And after the battle was over, I had to admit that I missed being involved in something big. Something important.
Not that cheerleader tryouts and potty training aren’t important. But, well, you know what I mean.
At any rate, I agreed to pick up where I left off, and suddenly I found myself with not one, but two full-time jobs: Level Four Demon Hunter and Stay-at-Home Mom.
And I’m here to tell you that those two jobs don’t exactly go together like oh, say, peanut butter and jelly. Why? Because the demon-hunting thing is a great big secret. I work for a supersecret arm of the Vatican known as Forza Scura, and one of the first rules is utter secrecy. Nobody knows. (Well, nobody except my best friend Laura, but every rule deserves an exception, don’t you think?)
Unlike most working moms, I’m cut zero slack by society. If Carla Corporate serves frozen dinners three nights in a row, no one bats an eye. After all, Mommy’s got a big presentation coming up.
But me? I’m expected to at least make an effort at cooking. (And I do try, really I do, but I think I lack the haute-cuisine gene. Or even the short-order gene, for that matter.) I don’t even get to enjoy any of the perks that might otherwise go along with my demon-hunting career. Like, “Sorry, Officer, I didn’t realize I was speeding. But sometimes we Demon Hunters are in a hurry. Safety of mankind. Fate of the world. Good prevailing over the forces of darkness. You understand.”
Nope. Doesn’t work that way. And in order to make my two lives jibe, I end up telling a lot of little white lies. And sometimes, they backfire on me.
Which goes a long way toward explaining why I was spending a Friday morning in December precariously balanced on an ancient wooden ladder in the media room at Coastal Mists Nursing Home, a few feet of silver garland draped over my shoulders, a staple gun holstered in my back pocket, and my two-year-old playing snooker with the Christmas tree ornaments on the rug below me.
A few months ago, this place was crawling with demons. (Okay, maybe that’s a slight exaggeration, but there were at least a half dozen walking around in their geriatric disguises, acting like they owned the place.) Since such a situation was beyond unacceptable, I’d gone in to clean the place up. Not unlike Marshal Dillon, really. Except I didn’t have a cool white hat or little silver star.
What I did have was a lovely arsenal of lies (along with the more practical tools like holy water, wooden stakes, and a kick-ass stiletto knife). And I have to say that I did a hell of a job. After only a few short months, Coastal Mists was demon-free. For that matter, many of the administrators and doctors had vanished into the night. Not demons, but human facilitators who’d been seduced by the promise of power, wealth, whatever. A too-common tale, and one that had transformed a run-of-the-mill nursing home into a demon factory.
I, however, had shut that down.
Now the place that had once been a depressing breeding ground for the undead was a pretty cheerful establishment, complete with HBO, Cinemax, and a state-of-the-art plasma television with a sound system that made my husband drool.
But did I get to cross Coastal Mists off my to-do list? Free up a little time for grocery shopping, carpooling, and other miscellaneous family chores? No, I did not. Because in order to infiltrate Coastal Mists in the first place, I’d had to concoct a cover story. And mine was volunteering.
The demons might have been eradicated, but the responsibilities weren’t. So in addition to cooking meals for my family, I was now delivering meals to the bedridden. In addition to reading Dr. Seuss to my toddler, I was now reading Zane Grey to men who probably remembered the Wild West. In addition to potty training my kid, I was now … well, you get the idea.
Also—and this was a big “also”—as much of a time drain as my Coastal Mists activities were, the truth was that I needed to keep a presence there. The nursing home had a high mortality rate (that’s just the nature of nursing homes), which made it the perfect breeding spot for any demonic leader looking to get a toehold in San Diablo.
It had happened once. I didn’t intend to let it happen again.
On that particular day, my best friend Laura and I were helping decorate the place for Christmas. We’d brought Timmy with us for three reasons, the first being totally selfish: mommy guilt. Although I’d enrolled Timmy in day care—and although he actually seemed to enjoy it—my guilt level was high enough that I only took him in when absolutely necessary. Like when the Legions of Hell descend on the neighborhood. Or when I need to buy new clothes. Trust me. I’d rather slay fifteen demons with a toddler at my side than take the munchkin shopping for the perfect outfit to wear to one of my husband’s politically motivated, deathly dull cocktail parties.
My second reason originated from a more altruistic place: The folks at the nursing home absolutely adored the little bugger. Makes sense. They didn’t get that many visitors, and even fewer from the preschool crowd. Besides, as toddlers go, mine is practically perfect. Not that I’m biased or anything.
Finally, I’d brought Timmy along because today was Family Day at my daughter Allie’s school. As soon as Laura and I were finished with the decorating, we were going to pack up Timmy, swing by the bakery to pick up the PTA-mandated two dozen cupcakes, and head over to Coronado High School where we would do our best not to embarrass our freshman daughters by mentioning boys, grades, teachers, boys, television, politics, boys, movies, food, or any other potentially disastrous subject.
Laura concentrated on trimming the tree while I stapled garland to the archway, trying my best to drape it artistically but failing miserably. Martha Stewart, I’m not. Below me, my little boy entertained the elderly by abusing the Christmas ornaments, rummaging in my purse, singing “Jingle Bells,” and demonstrating his well-developed skill at blowing raspberries.
I carefully lined up a twist of garland, pulled the trigger on the staple gun, gave the garland a satisfied tug, then checked my watch. Not quite eleven.
“Why don’t you go on, honey? I can take care of hanging the rest of that.”
The suggestion came from Delia Murdock, who’d just celebrated her ninety-first birthday. She was standing at the base of my ladder, one hand on the frame, ostensibly holding it steady. As a general rule, the woman spent her life listing slightly to the left, and there was no way I was letting her climb a ladder.
“We’re not in any hurry,” I lied. “Are we, Laura?”
Laura stared at me as if I was insane because, of course, I was. We were due in the school’s gymnasium—cupcakes in hand—in exactly one hour and fifteen minutes.
“Five minutes,” I said as I descended the ladder, then dragged it to the next archway. “The girls will understand if we’re a teensy bit late.” Another lie. Allie had reminded me of this command performance at least three times a day for the last two weeks. She’d left reminder notes on my bathroom mirror, on the coffeepot, and on my steering wheel.
Apparently Family Day is a big enough deal at the high school to overcome the typical teenage mortification that comes from having a parent nearby. And I knew that if I arrived late, there would be hell to pay. I deal with hell every day. And believe me, the fire-and-brimstone variety is a lot more palatable than what my fourteen-year-old is capable of dishing out.
Laura looked dubious, but didn’t argue, so while Bing Crosby crooned on about White Christmases, I ker-chunked the stapler in time with the music, speeding up considerably when Bing faded away and “Jingle Bell Rock” blasted out from the media-room speakers. Behind me, I could hear Timmy counting (“one, two, free, four, six …”) as Mr. Montgomery burst out with “atta boy,” and “smart as a whip, that kid.” My heart did a little twisting number. I have great kids, and today my mommy pride was working overtime.
The tightness in my heart increased, as it so often did when I thought of the kids, especially Allie. Tim has his daddy, but Allie and I lost Eric, my first husband, to a brutal mugging five years ago. And although I’m happily remarried and wouldn’t trade Stuart for the world, not a day goes by that I don’t feel the loss, like someone had taken a cookie cutter and stolen an Eric-shaped piece of my soul.
The shrill ring of my cell phone jarred me out of my melancholy. I steadied myself on the ladder with one hand, then pulled my phone out of my pocket with the other. Stuart. I frowned, fearing I knew what he was calling about.
“Don’t tell me you’re not coming.”
“Are you kidding? Of course I’m coming. Allie’s been bugging us about this for weeks.”
“Oh,” I said, feeling a bit guilty for doubting him. I had cause though. My husband was about to formally announce his candidacy for county attorney, and his days (and nights) had been filled with all manner of schmoozing, politicking, and fund-raising. The kids and I had gotten the short end of the scheduling stick on more than one occasion.
Being a wonderfully supportive wife, I tried not to let it bother me. Some of the time, I even succeeded.
“So,” I said, trying again. “What’s up?”
“Just reporting in,” he said. “And I wanted to see if you needed me to get anything for you. The cupcakes? Eddie? Ibuprofen for a migraine?”
Is he an incredible man or what? I mean, how many husbands actually commit their wife’s PTA obligations to memory? Or volunteer to pick up their daughter’s pseudo-great-grandfather despite the fact that—truth be told—the two men really don’t get along that well? I figure not many, and I’m lucky that one of the few belongs to me.
“Eddie’s taking a cab,” I said, figuring both Eddie and Stuart would thank me for that one. Eddie’s a retired Demon Hunter who’d recently taken up permanent residence in my life and temporary residence in my guest room. Due to a misunderstanding that I never bothered to clear up, my family believes that Eddie is Eric’s grandfather. Just one of those little Forza-related obfuscations that makes my life so interesting.
The cupcake question required a bit more consideration, but in the end I declined that offer as well. I love my husband, but I don’t trust his taste in pastries. I may not be able to cook worth a damn, but I can shop with the best of them. As for the painkillers, I’ve learned to carry my own supply.
“You’re sure?” he asked, when I told him he was off the hook.
“Totally. All you have to do is show up and you’ll be golden.”
“No problem there,” he said. “Clark’s got a potential contributor waiting to meet me in his office, but that’s the only thing on my plate. After that, I’m heading to the school.”
Clark Curtis is my husband’s boss. He’s also the lame-duck county attorney who favors my husband to step into his shoes. When I’d met Stuart, he’d been slaving away as an underpaid government attorney in the real-estate division with no political aspirations whatsoever.
Clark, however, had seen some potential, and had plucked my husband from relative obscurity and thrust him into the political limelight. Great for Stuart, not so great for me. Selfish, maybe, but I’m not crazy about the trappings of political wife-dom. And I’m really not crazy about the sporadic hours that my newly politicized husband has been keeping.
All of which meant that the mention of Clark didn’t exactly send ripples of warm, fuzzy confidence racing through my body. The opposite, in fact, and I kept my grip tight on the ladder as I closed my eyes and breathed deep, weighing what to say. Now wasn’t the time for a spousal tiff, but at the same time, a tiff would be small potatoes compared to Allie’s silent, sulky disappointment if Stuart didn’t show. Finally, I settled on diplomacy. “Just don’t lose track of time.”
“I won’t,” he said. “I know my priorities.”
“Okay,” I said, but not entirely comforted. I started to say more, but my attention was grabbed by a rousing chorus of “Na-KED baby! Na-KED baby! Naked baby! Naked baby! Na-ke-ed ba-A-A-A-BEEEEEEE,” screeched more or less to the tune of the “Hallelujah Chorus.” For this, I have no one to blame but myself, and I twisted around on the ladder with a sense of dread coupled with amusement. Sure enough, my kidlet had managed to strip off his shirt, his pants, and his Pull-Ups.
I said a quick good-bye to my husband. He’d either make it or he wouldn’t; and if he didn’t, then he’d be getting the cold shoulder from both of the females in his life. In the meantime, I needed to focus on the younger male in my life.
He was marching in a circle, not a care in the world, his little legs pumping in time with the song that was blaring out of his mouth. Mr. Montgomery and the others were laughing so hard that I was tempted to call the nurse; I really didn’t want my son to be the catalyst for a spate of coronaries.
I watched for longer than I probably should have—What can I say? He was cute—then put on my stern face and said, “Timmy!”
He clamped his mouth shut, but his eyes were wide and innocent. “I sing, Momma!”
“You certainly do,” I said. I glanced over at Laura for support, but her entire face was flushed with laughter, and the little Santa ornament that dangled between her fingers trembled with evil glee.
So much for a little help from my friends.
I focused on keeping a firm expression. “The singing is fine, sweetie. But we wear clothes when we’re in public.”
“Not public. Inside!”
I swear, the kid was going to grow up to be a lawyer. Like father, like son.
“Yes,” I said, infinitely patient. “We are inside. But we wear clothes inside, too, don’t we? At home and at school and at mass.”
“And the mall,” he said.
“Exactly,” I said, completely proud. “And right now, you’re inside and have to put your clothes back on.”
My little boy wasn’t listening though, too fascinated with his own nakedness. I sighed and moved farther down the ladder, leaving the last bit of garland hanging like a sad tail from the middle of the arch. Apparently, I’d been wrong about the demons having left Coastal Mists. My own little devil was prancing away right there in the media room.
Before I reached the floor, Laura held up a hand, stopping me. “I’ll get Timmy dressed. You hurry.” She tapped her watch. “Cupcakes, remember?”
Timmy, meanwhile, was racing around the area rug, launching himself at the residents, who were laughing and egging him on. I had a sneaking suspicion a few had given him some chocolate. They might as well have passed him crystal meth; the effect couldn’t have been any more pronounced.
Laura saw where I was looking, and cut me off before I could protest. “He’s not even three, Kate. I can handle it. I have one of my own, remember?”
Except hers was now fourteen and dressed herself. Even so, I nodded. I knew better than to argue with Laura; she’s the woman who’d successfully returned outfits to Nordstrom despite the huge 75-percent Off, No-Return, Clearance-Final-Sale signs plastered all over the store.
I watched, impressed, as she gathered up Timmy’s clothes, then gathered up Timmy. He started to struggle, but then she flipped him over, holding tight around his waist, as his head bobbed somewhere around her knees. His protests morphed into squeals of delight, and she marched past me toward the ladies’ room, shooting me a look of smug triumph as she went.
I turned back to the task at hand, hurrying since we still had to pick up the cupcakes on the way to school, and knowing the extreme wrath that awaited me if we showed up late.
From my ladder-top vantage point, I could see through the wide windows to the cliffs in the distance. I could even see part of the ocean, billowing and churning, the sun’s rays sending miniature rainbows flying each time the froth burst against the beach.
I love California. The weather. The beach. Pretty much everything. But as I stapled garland to the thickly painted wood, I realized that I was craving the white Christmas that Bing so convincingly crooned about. I made a mental note to buy hot chocolate, whipping cream, and some fluffy red-and-green throws. We might not be getting a blizzard this year, but at least I could crank up the air conditioner and wheedle Stuart into lighting a fire in our rarely to never used fireplace.
I was trying to justify a crackling fire despite the seventy degree weather, when I noticed that some of the residents who’d been in the media room were heading down the hallway toward the glass doors, where a uniformed man stood with a cardboard sign, a red gimme cap slung low on his head. I couldn’t read the sign or hear what he was saying, but since the residents were queuing up, I assumed they were heading out.
“Where are they going?” I asked.
“Hmm? Who, dear?” Delia answered.
I pointed down the hall, almost losing my balance in the process.
“Ah, hmm. I think they’re going on that school field trip.”
“Which school? The high school?”
“Oh, yes, the high school.” Delia frowned. “I never did finish high school. Daddy didn’t think an education was fitting for a woman.”
While I was pondering that little bit of insight into Delia, Jenny rounded the corner, clipboard in hand and a crease on her brow. Jenny’s a candy striper, a little ditzy, and almost as tuned-in to the Coastal Mists gossip as Delia.
“Mrs. Connor!” she said, looking up at me waving wildly. “Wow. You’re doing a great job.”
I inspected my work, and decided that Jenny’s standards were way too low.
I was just about to ask Jenny if the bus really was going to the high school when Nurse Ratched stomped up, took Jenny by the elbow, and pulled her aside. I aimed a comforting smile in Jenny’s direction. I’d been on the receiving end of Nurse Ratched’s displeasure, and it really wasn’t pretty. (In fairness, I should add that Nurse Ratched is really Nurse Baker, and as far as I can tell, she’s not the demon-aiding sycophant I originally presumed. But I still don’t like her.)
Nurse Ratched has one of those gravelly voices that’s almost impossible to ignore. I liked Jenny, though, and it didn’t seem polite to bear witness to her dressing-down. So I tried to keep my mind on other things, doing everything short of sticking my fingers in my ears and humming.
Didn’t work. No matter how good my intentions, I couldn’t help but hear a few snippets. A good thing, too, considering the subject of their conversation. Good in that it clued me in to the possible presence of demons. Bad for the exact same reason.
The conversation I overheard went like this:
“Jenny, I’m tired of having this same discussion with you. You have got to concentrate. I can’t have you mixing up the patients.”
“But—”
“No buts. There is absolutely no way Dermott Sinclair got on that bus. Which means your field trip list is wrong, and we have one resident unaccounted for!”
“No, we don’t! It was Mr. Sinclair. He even told me to leave him alone!” Jenny’s chin quivered and her skin had turned all blotchy, but so far the tears weren’t rolling.
Nurse Ratched sighed and put her arm around the girl. “Jenny, think. The man had a heart attack. He’s been in a coma for three months. He’s been conscious for less than two days. So how could he possibly have the strength to have gotten up and walked onto that bus?”
That one seemed to stump Jenny, and I had to bite back the urge to raise my hand and shove it high into the sky.
That’s me, the prize pupil. But what could I say? I knew the answer, or, at least, I knew an answer. And it wasn’t pretty.
Dermott Sinclair was a demon—and he’d just climbed aboard a bus aimed straight toward my daughter’s high school.
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Where do you want to go next?
The Stark Trilogy and beyond ... bestselling, swoonworthy erotic romance. Have you been Damienized?
The Most Wanted series ... dark, edgy, sexy badboys. Need we say more?
Demon-Hunting Soccer Mom ... oh, come on. The series title says it all!
Protector Superhero series ... fun, flirty paranormal romance.
The Blood Lily Chronicles ... dark, sensual urban fantasy.
The Shadow Keepers ... edgy and sensual paranormal romance
Devil May Care ... who will the next ruler of Sin City be?
The Phoenix Brotherhood ... dark, dangerous, sexy ... and immortal.
and more stories to come ...
Looking to meet JK?
Got a question for JK?
You'll find contact info and FAQs here!
June 21, 2014
A #StarkOnSaturday quote and contest!
“Maybe you aren’t as smart as you think you are, Mr. Stark.”
“Nonsense. I’m fucking brilliant. Or haven’t you heard?”
There’s still time to enter to win a signed copy of COMPLETE ME at Bedroom Bookworms’ contest!
And be sure to check out the page over there, too, for lots of awesome Damien Stark teasers and quotes! (The one I featured above is one of my favorites!)
If you haven’t read the Stark Trilogy, don’t miss out!
Release Me
Random House
Amazon (print)
Amazon (kindle)
Amazon United Kingdom
Barnes & Noble/Nook
Books-A-Million
Kobo
iBooks
Indie Bound
He was the one man I couldn’t avoid.
And the one man I couldn’t resist.
Damien Stark could have his way with any woman. He was sexy, confident, and commanding: Anything he wanted, he got. And what he wanted was me.
Our attraction was unmistakable, almost beyond control, but as much as I ached to be his, I feared the pressures of his demands. Submitting to Damien meant I had to bare the darkest truth about my past-and risk breaking us apart.But Damien was haunted, too.
And as our passion came to obsess us both, his secrets threatened to destroy him-and us-forever.

Claim Me
Amazon
Barnes & Noble
Books-a-Million
Random House
Indie Bound
Amazon UK
Waterstones
WH Smith
For Damien, our obsession is a game.
For me, it is fiercely, blindingly, real. Damien Stark’s need is palpable—his need for pleasure, his need for control, his need for me. Beautiful and brilliant yet tortured at his core, he is in every way my match.I have agreed to be his alone, and now I want him to be fully mine. I want us to possess each other beyond the sweetest edge of our ecstasy, into the deepest desires of our souls. To let the fire that burns between us consume us both.But there are dark places within Damien that not even our wildest passion can touch. I yearn to know his secrets, yearn for him to surrender to me as I have surrendered to him. But our troubled pasts will either bind us close . . . or shatter us completely.
Complete Me
Kindle/Amazon
Barnes & Noble/Nook
Kobo
iBooks
Books-A-Million
Indie Bound
Random House
Amazon UK
Waterstones
WH Smith
Our desire runs deep. But our secrets cut close.
Beautiful, strong, and commanding, Damien Stark fills a void in me that no other man can touch. His fierce cravings push me beyond the brink of bliss—and unleash a wild passion that utterly consumes us both.
Yet beneath his need for dominance, he carries the wounds of a painful past. Haunted by a legacy of dark secrets and broken trust, he seeks release in our shared ecstasy, the heat between us burning stronger each day.
Our attraction is undeniable, our obsession inevitable. Yet not even Damien can run from his ghosts, or shield us from the dangers yet to come.

Take Me
Kindle
Kindle (UK)
Barnes and Noble
Random House
BooksAMillion
iTunes
Kobo
I’ve long dreamed of my fairy tale wedding, but it wasn’t until I met Damien Stark—who captured me with his kisses and undid me with his touch—that I began to believe it was my destiny.Though we both carry secrets and scars, our shared passion heals us, binding us together. We have surrendered to each other completely, and our mutual ecstasy is the brightest light in my life.But darkness still snakes through the cracks in our armor. Ghosts from our past have moved in, bringing fresh pain that cuts deep and threatens to destroy everything we hold dear.Damien is my anchor to this world, and I am his. But if we are going to keep each other, we have to fight the shadows of our pasts to move forward into our future.
Where do you want to go next?
The Stark Trilogy and beyond ... bestselling, swoonworthy erotic romance. Have you been Damienized?
The Most Wanted series ... dark, edgy, sexy badboys. Need we say more?
Demon-Hunting Soccer Mom ... oh, come on. The series title says it all!
Protector Superhero series ... fun, flirty paranormal romance.
The Blood Lily Chronicles ... dark, sensual urban fantasy.
The Shadow Keepers ... edgy and sensual paranormal romance
Devil May Care ... who will the next ruler of Sin City be?
The Phoenix Brotherhood ... dark, dangerous, sexy ... and immortal.
and more stories to come ...
Looking to meet JK?
Got a question for JK?
You'll find contact info and FAQs here!
“The tallest glass of ice water was not enough to cool me down after this fire ball of a read.” – Grab your copy of Raising Hell now!
“The length of Raising Hell is short, but its impression is long lasting. I am still walking around with a naughty smile on my face from the depictions of Ms. Kenner’s mind.” – Night Owl Reviews
So thrilled with this lovely Top Pick review from Night Owl reviews of Raising Hell, the first story in the Devil May Care series (with Dee Davis)
“The heat from the fires on Hell added smoking, sizzle and pop to this erotic paranormal narrative. I became gluttonous for the tingling sensations and mouth-watering, sinfully rich sensuality.”
Be sure to grab your copy of Raising Hell … and all the books in the series!
RAISING HELL
Kindle http://amzn.to/1hzymDU
Kobo http://bit.ly/RlAQME
iBooks http://bit.ly/1gylRnP
Smashwords http://bit.ly/1m1p5rd
Where do you want to go next?
The Stark Trilogy and beyond ... bestselling, swoonworthy erotic romance. Have you been Damienized?
The Most Wanted series ... dark, edgy, sexy badboys. Need we say more?
Demon-Hunting Soccer Mom ... oh, come on. The series title says it all!
Protector Superhero series ... fun, flirty paranormal romance.
The Blood Lily Chronicles ... dark, sensual urban fantasy.
The Shadow Keepers ... edgy and sensual paranormal romance
Devil May Care ... who will the next ruler of Sin City be?
The Phoenix Brotherhood ... dark, dangerous, sexy ... and immortal.
and more stories to come ...
Looking to meet JK?
Got a question for JK?
You'll find contact info and FAQs here!
June 20, 2014
A DEMONICALLY DELICIOUS SALE! 99 cents or Free Demon Hunting Soccer Mom series – Limited time only!
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. (From California Demon)
Don’t miss this Summer Blow-Out Sale!
99 cents or FREE for the first 5 of my Demon Hunting Soccer Mom Series!
HURRY! This is a limited time offer!
CARPE DEMON — FREE!
Kindle http://amzn.to/1vo1Ryk
iTunes http://bit.ly/16Z7cQ7
Smashwords http://bit.ly/16BmhHo
CALIFORNIA DEMON – 99 CENTS
Kindle http://amzn.to/OMgOsL
iTunes http://bit.ly/1dMkMsQ
Smashwords http://bit.ly/1uIw7Rg
DEMONS ARE FOREVER – 99 CENTS
Kindle http://amzn.to/ONWffF
iTunes http://bit.ly/1nQCjIK
Smashwords http://bit.ly/TcKyBj
DEJA DEMON – 99 CENTS
Kindle http://amzn.to/Q4pfB4
iTunes http://bit.ly/OKT3l3
Smashwords http://bit.ly/1ssiDgI
DEMON EX MACHINA – 99 CENTS
Kindle http://amzn.to/1kV7y0M
Nook http://bit.ly/HdRAzD
iTunes http://bit.ly/OKVGUb
Smashwords http://bit.ly/1nS7gtj
PAX DEMONICA – NEW RELEASE! JUST $3.99!
Kindle http://amzn.to/1gXwukK
iTunes http://bit.ly/1oUJvRx
Smashwords http://bit.ly/1jX3ezo
Where do you want to go next?
The Stark Trilogy and beyond ... bestselling, swoonworthy erotic romance. Have you been Damienized?
The Most Wanted series ... dark, edgy, sexy badboys. Need we say more?
Demon-Hunting Soccer Mom ... oh, come on. The series title says it all!
Protector Superhero series ... fun, flirty paranormal romance.
The Blood Lily Chronicles ... dark, sensual urban fantasy.
The Shadow Keepers ... edgy and sensual paranormal romance
Devil May Care ... who will the next ruler of Sin City be?
The Phoenix Brotherhood ... dark, dangerous, sexy ... and immortal.
and more stories to come ...
Looking to meet JK?
Got a question for JK?
You'll find contact info and FAQs here!
June 19, 2014
One week only Demon Hunting Soccer Mom series 99 cent BLOW-OUT SALE!
“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 (on Carpe Demon)
“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
Yup! I’m about to head off to DisneyWorld, and since I’m in a happy mood, I figured I’d share the joy!
So for one week only, five — count ‘em — FIVE titles are only 99 cents (and you can still snag book 1, CARPE DEMON, for free!)
And be sure to grab the newest release, PAX DEMONICA, for the low price of just $3.99!
CARPE DEMON (free!)
Kindle http://amzn.to/1vo1Ryk
iTunes http://bit.ly/16Z7cQ7
Smashwords http://bit.ly/16BmhHo

CALIFORNIA DEMON – 99 cents!
Kindle http://amzn.to/OMgOsL
iTunes http://bit.ly/1dMkMsQ
Smashwords http://bit.ly/1uIw7Rg

DEMONS ARE FOREVER – 99 cents
Kindle http://amzn.to/ONWffF
iTunes http://bit.ly/1nQCjIK
Smashwords http://bit.ly/TcKyBj

DEJA DEMON – 99 cents
Kindle http://amzn.to/Q4pfB4
iTunes http://bit.ly/OKT3l3
Smashwords http://bit.ly/1ssiDgI

DEMON EX MACHINA – 99 cents
Kindle http://amzn.to/1kV7y0M
Nook http://bit.ly/HdRAzD
iTunes http://bit.ly/OKVGUb
Smashwords http://bit.ly/1nS7gtj

PAX DEMONICA – JUST RELEASED!!!
Kindle http://amzn.to/1gXwukK
iTunes http://bit.ly/1oUJvRx
Smashwords http://bit.ly/1jX3ezo

Where do you want to go next?
The Stark Trilogy and beyond ... bestselling, swoonworthy erotic romance. Have you been Damienized?
The Most Wanted series ... dark, edgy, sexy badboys. Need we say more?
Demon-Hunting Soccer Mom ... oh, come on. The series title says it all!
Protector Superhero series ... fun, flirty paranormal romance.
The Blood Lily Chronicles ... dark, sensual urban fantasy.
The Shadow Keepers ... edgy and sensual paranormal romance
Devil May Care ... who will the next ruler of Sin City be?
The Phoenix Brotherhood ... dark, dangerous, sexy ... and immortal.
and more stories to come ...
Looking to meet JK?
Got a question for JK?
You'll find contact info and FAQs here!
June 18, 2014
Hump Day books from Karen Sandler, Elle Thorne, Terry Odell, Stella Graves, Kathryn Shay, Jordan K. Rose, Kelly Boyce, and Paty Jager!
Please enjoy these eight new Hump Day books, including some sexy, some science fiction, and some suspense!


Rebellion (Tankborn Trilogy Book 3)
Enslaved by their genetics. Oppressed by their creators. Fighting for their humanity. The Tankborn trilogy rushes to a thrilling conclusion.
See more at Karen Sandler’s website!
Breaking Jessica’s Rules: Pleasure of Discretion
What happens when sex messes up love, or does love mess up sex?
Be sure to visit Elle Thorne’s website!
Dangerous Connections (Blackthorne, Inc.)
Computer Nerd Meets Cartel Lord – a best-selling Action Adventure Romantic Suspense!
More at Terry Odell’s website!
Priced to 99 cents June 17-22!
Connect with Stella Graves at her website!
Someone To Believe In (The O’Neils Book 1)
Now Free! First book in the beloved O’Neil Series.
Be sure to visit Kathryn Shay’s website!


Prim & Proper (An Eva Prim Novel)
New Paranormal Romance!
Visit Jordon K. Rose at her website!
A Scandalous Passion: Book 2 (The Sins & Scandals Series)
Book 2 in The Sins & Scandals Series!
More at Kelly Boyce’s website!
Adventures of Isabella Mumphrey-Box set: Isabella Mumphrey Adventure Series
Birthday Bash $.99 Box Set Sale! June 15th-30th!
Don’t forget to visit Paty Jager’s website!
Would you like to submit your book to be included in our Hump Day feature? Click here for more information!
June 17, 2014
FAB stuff planned for Authors After Dark! Are you signed up?
I am participating in SO much awesome stuff at Authors After Dark in Charlotte in August … I hope some of you are coming!
I’ll post even more details later, but right now, suffice it to say that I’m participating in no less than THREE parties! I’m a co-sponsor of the Leather & Lace party Friday night which is going to be freaking AWESOME (more details soon), and I’m sponsoring a table at the Sins & Virtues ball (I’m Temperance….ha!) and I’m one of the co-hosts for the Paranormal party!
Random House is sending some books for some lucky attendees, I’ll have all sorts of swag, and we’ll get the chance to hang out!
And it’s not just me … so many of your favorite authors (and mine … fan girl moment!) will be there, too!
So if you haven’t registered, get with it! We want to see you in Charlotte in August!!!
Register or get more information here at the Eventbrite page or at the AAD website/blog.
Where do you want to go next?
The Stark Trilogy and beyond ... bestselling, swoonworthy erotic romance. Have you been Damienized?
The Most Wanted series ... dark, edgy, sexy badboys. Need we say more?
Demon-Hunting Soccer Mom ... oh, come on. The series title says it all!
Protector Superhero series ... fun, flirty paranormal romance.
The Blood Lily Chronicles ... dark, sensual urban fantasy.
The Shadow Keepers ... edgy and sensual paranormal romance
Devil May Care ... who will the next ruler of Sin City be?
The Phoenix Brotherhood ... dark, dangerous, sexy ... and immortal.
and more stories to come ...
Looking to meet JK?
Got a question for JK?
You'll find contact info and FAQs here!
J. Kenner on writing erotic romance
I wrote this article for the Romance Festival, and I thought I would share it here! Enjoy!
J Kenner: Why I Love Writing Erotic Romance #Romance14
I’ve been writing sexy romance novels since the beginning of my career, mixed in with women’s fiction, urban fantasy, and all sorts of other things! But it wasn’t until recently that I spiced up my repertoire – and began to cross the line from sexy to erotic romance.
So why do I enjoy writing erotic romance? A lot of reasons, and it may not be the ones that you expect. I do love that women have become more open about their sexuality and that we’re reading sexy books – gasp – out in public (both on e-readers and in print form for all to see!). I love that women are owning their desires and not being shrinking violets, and that sexuality is now something that is talked about openly and not whispered about.
Click here to read the rest of the article at the festival site!
Where do you want to go next?
The Stark Trilogy and beyond ... bestselling, swoonworthy erotic romance. Have you been Damienized?
The Most Wanted series ... dark, edgy, sexy badboys. Need we say more?
Demon-Hunting Soccer Mom ... oh, come on. The series title says it all!
Protector Superhero series ... fun, flirty paranormal romance.
The Blood Lily Chronicles ... dark, sensual urban fantasy.
The Shadow Keepers ... edgy and sensual paranormal romance
Devil May Care ... who will the next ruler of Sin City be?
The Phoenix Brotherhood ... dark, dangerous, sexy ... and immortal.
and more stories to come ...
Looking to meet JK?
Got a question for JK?
You'll find contact info and FAQs here!