Kathryn Nolan's Blog, page 6

My hottest book ever (like, for real) is on sale for 99 pennies!

You read that right - my hottest book everrrr and it’s on sale for 99 pennies in the US and UK through next week. One-click this filthy beauty and you’ll get:

 Insta-lust via the hottest one night stand ever

 Opposites attract to the max.

 A tattooed, punk rock goddess of a heroine who prefers combat boots to heels and ripped stockings to diamonds.

 A wealthy, polite and sophisticated British gentleman who cuts a dashing figure in a suit and really, really needs to unleash his secret and wicked desires.

 A romance novel that starts off as a smokin’ hot steam-fest but ends up being one of my sweetest and swooniest stories yet. And if you read NOT THE MARRYING KIND and haven’t read this book yet, it’s the story of Edward and Roxy! So that means a lot of Lou and Sandy Quinn, performances by the Hand Grenades, and Fiona!! (pre-Max).

Plus the STRICTLY PROFESSIONAL audiobook is live for preorder (click here) and will be released on August 31st! It’s whisper-synced, so if you own the Kindle edition you can pick up the audio for $7.49 - a steal! And I have heard snippets of Will Thorne as Edward Cavendish and let me tell you he is the perfect gravelly-sophisticated-elegant-filthy-growly voice for the role. I think you’re gonna love it.

99 pennies, you say?

Hello from the mountains!

I’m cartwheeling back into the real world (and the internet) after a week of hectic book deadlines. And my apologies — I was hunched over my laptop, furiously writing all day Friday and it wasn’t until I finally turned in my book and slept that I woke up on Sunday and went, “oh my god I forgot to send my newsletter!” 😂

After a couple all-nighters, some panic-eating of sour bright gummi worms, and a lot of incredible help from my gorgeous beta and sensitivity readers, Dean and Tabitha’s cute friends-to-lovers romance is on to the next stage!

It’ll come back in a week for scene/line edits, prose polishing and various story tweaks — so I’ll have to duck away again to give these two my full attention. But I’m officially in the wowza, I love the hell out of these two, stage of drafting. (Much better than the I want to punch you both in the face stage…)

I’m describing this sweet, cozy romance as ‘Parks and Rec’ meets ‘Rocky/Creed’ with a dash of Roy Kent for the Ted Lasso fans…😉

In personal news, Rob and I are loving living in the Catskills (see below for some mountain pics). Being surrounded by so many big trees, woodland streams and pretty wildlife is the perfect balm to my writer’s soul. Every morning we see deer, families of turkeys, tons of songbirds, blue herons, butterflies, groundhogs…(Walter is loving feeling like he is ‘hunting’ all of these things while on a tight leash). We feel incredibly grateful to be here. And in a couple weeks, it’s time for us to pack up and hit the road again. But you can catch us with our feet in a stream until then.

Out of the Blue is coming to audio!

EEEEEEK! I am so so sooooo happy to announce that OUT OF THE BLUE is coming to audio! The very kind folks at Podium will be producing Serena and Cope’s sexy, suspenseful love story and I couldn’t be happier to work with them again.

You will be the first to know when they’ve confirmed narrators and a release date. This beauty will be on Audible and whisper-synced as well!

That means you’ll hear scenes like this:

Her eyebrows shot up. We were one inch apart now and racing toward a dangerous temptation, the kind of impulsive act the two of us embraced when we were young and stupid. “Sorry, I didn’t realize that was an official way to dump someone.”

I closed the remaining distance. “I wasn’t going to wait around for you to officially break my heart after three months of silence.”

The truth tore from my throat—instead of sounding mad or arrogant, the words were saturated with my unresolved pain and unending want. It flipped the switch, let years of lust burn hotter than this argument, and what happened next was inevitable from the second I’d been handed that folder.

We reached for each other at the same exact time.

Serena grabbed my shirt and yanked as I scooped her back onto that island.

And I kissed my wife for the first time in four years.

This wasn’t our first kiss. There was no tentative tasting, no learning the shape of each other. I claimed her mouth with a barely suppressed growl as she wrapped her legs around my waist. She gripped my face, and I dove my fingers into hair I never thought I’d touch again. The feel of it, the smell of her, had me deepening a kiss that was already frenzied. Mangoes, saltwater, sunny afternoons on the beach. She smelled like home and tasted like my favorite memories.

She opened wider for me, tongue against mine. We didn’t come up for air, only bruised our lips as we pressed every inch of our bodies together. I bent her all the way back until her shoulders hit the island and her knees rose higher on my waist. This wasn’t a tender moment of reuniting lovers. This was a wild sexual frustration that demanded we submit. This was every unfinished disagreement, every dream and fantasy, every stolen glance and connection we couldn’t deny.

Will I see you at Indies Invade Philly?

I am so so so excited to announce I will be signing at INDIES INVADE PHILLY again this year! My two favorite things: my hometown and meeting readers and author pals!

The event is November 13th here at the Convention Center and tickets will go on sale on June 26th. I’ve attended a few times and have to say, this is one of the most well-run and smoothly organized signings I’ve been too. Tons of space, awesome authors and amazing readers. They’ve taken every precaution, safety-wise, and if you’re wanting to learn more I suggest you join the Indies Invade Philly Book Signing Attendees group (click here).

I’ll be offering a preorder form probably in a week or so!

Of course if you attend, you’ll have to check out all the places mentioned in the Codex series (like Federal Donuts yummmmm). And if you see a group of extremely attractive private detectives searching for rare books, make sure you go introduce yourself…

Indies Invade Philly tickets!

My favorite LGBTQ+ books!

Oooooh baby, not only are these some of my favorite books featuring LGBTQ+ main characters, they are some of my favorite books ever. Click the link in each title below to be taken to the Amazon page!

WRITTEN IN THE STARS, Alexandria Bellefleur: F/F romance with a bisexual heroine (!!!). Dreamy, whimsical, funny, sweet as candy.

THE LADY’S GUIDE TO CELESTIAL MECHANICS, Olivia Waite: a dreamy historical F/F romance. Star-gazing, tender, sweet and emotional.

THE SCAPEGRACERS, Hannah Abigail Clarke: A lesbian teen witch does bad-ass magic with other bad-ass teen witches. This fantasy novel was funny and cool and witchy-as-hell.

GIDEON THE NINTH, Tamsyn Muir: One of my favorite books (and series) of all time. This sci-fi novel is about…well, it’s about lesbian necromancers exploring a haunted gothic palace in space (as Charles Stross described it). Hilarious, witty, weird and wonderful and some of the best writing I’ve ever read.

THIS IS HOW YOU LOSE THE TIME WAR, Amal El-Mohtar and Max Gladstone: An absolutely incredible fantasy novel about two time-traveling women from warring futures, falling in love through letters they exchange across time.

DREAD NATION, Justina Ireland: Zombies, but make it historical fiction! I read this book (and series) last year - read as in consumed them both in one sitting - because I’d never read anything as brilliant. Dark, humorous, funny and completely captivating.

UPRIGHT WOMEN WANTED, Sarah Gailey: A short, pulp Western novel about queer librarians resisting fascist forces. It’s next-level good.

ONCE GHOSTED, TWICE SHY, Alyssa Cole: This is such a sexy, sweet and emotional F/F romance - by an author who like…literally every book of hers ends up being a favorite.

XENI, Rebekah Weatherspoon: a marriage of convenience romance, with a bisexual, bad-ass heroine and a bisexual, plus-size Scottish hero. Seeing two bisexual main characters made this bisexual girl's heart so so so so happy! Sweet, tender, sexy.

Happy Pride!

Happy Pride Month from meee - a totally rad bisexual lady! 🏳️‍🌈
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It's June 1st - Pride Month - a time when we affirm, amplify and celebrate lesbian, gay, transgender, bisexual and queer folks; our non-binary and gender non-conforming friends, folks who are asexual, demisexual and so many other beautiful sexual identities and genders that can be permanent or in flux, static or changing.

Pride is not just a celebration for folks who are "out" to their communities - it's a celebration of everyone, out or not. 🌈
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For me, this month is about joy, celebration, visibility and community. It's about elevating and amplifying queer and gender-diverse voices -- and then doing that all year round.

It's also about gratitude, for the LGBTQ+ folks who paved the way, and especially to the Black and brown trans women who were integral to the Stonewall Riots and the modern-day gay rights liberation movement.
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Pride is also a political act -- because we know the fight isn't over. From housing discrimination, to hate crimes, to anti-trans legislation, the struggle continues. Those Happily Ever Afters we love so much on the page must be the reality for all the people we are celebrating this month, not just in a fictional world.
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So if you're an ally, there are so many things that you can do (year round): Respect people's pronouns. Financially support queer creators and art. Stand up against homophobia or transphobia if you see it or hear it.

Call the hell out of those elected officials - from the Equality Act on down to local ordinances, laws and policies can either transform the world for LGBTQ+ folks, or make it harder to live in. Oh and vote! -- even the non-sexy elections, like city council or local judges or school boards (I say "non-sexy" but you know I'm a politics nerd so I love 'em all!). You can make a huge impact with that ballot box.
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Onward to the celebrating of all love stories - the ones we write in romance novels, the ones we vote for and fight for, the ones we demand take up space in a world trying to make us smaller. Happy Pride y'all! 🏳️‍🌈

Out of the Blue is live!

OUT OF THE BLUE is live  and I have zero chill about it!

I know you have plans to spend the weekend with this scorching-hot, second chance bodyguard romance - so I won’t keep you long! Allow me to share just a few early reviews from my ARC readers that made me happy:

"I was absolutely swept away by this book!  I fell in love with Serena and Cope from the first page. Cope's cockiness, Serena's tender heart...everything about these two sucked me in and I couldn't put this book down." -What Emily Is Reading

Another gorgeous, swoon worthy romance from the pen of the talented Kathryn Nolan. Her writing is pure gold ...Out of the Blue has it all. Romance, intrigue, magnificent seascapes, and characters with whom I fell in love. -Alicia, Goodreads

I read this book in one sitting.  It's not because it's short. It's because I couldn't put it down and neither will you. -Paulette, Goodreads

^^^^ for an author, seeing reviews like this makes it all worth it. Every single time! Keep scrolling if you want to read an exclusive snippet or gaze lovingly at those biceps and blurb again. Or you can one-click this steamy, standalone romantic suspense novel right now and get to readin’. Free in KU btw!

Over the next couple newsletters, I’ll share more about Serena and Cope, their epic and passionate love story, and the inspiration and research that went into writing OUT OF THE BLUE.

But for now, I’m going to sip a few strawberry margaritas (look for that reference in chapters 22 and 23), put on Serena and Cope’s beachy playlist (find it on Spotify here) and dream of hot bodyguards and summer love…

xoxoxoxo,

Kathryn

Four words: Second chance. Bodyguard. Romance.

COMING MAY 14

There was no way I could protect her and my heart at the same time.

Cope McDaniels is known for two things: His cocky charm and his sterling reputation for keeping high-profile clients safe. Until a security job goes bad, and he suddenly finds his career on thin ice. Cope’s newest assignment comes with serious consequences - he’ll keep his job as long as he makes no mistakes.

Cope isn’t worried…until his new client turns out to be a beautiful blast from his past.

Big wave surfer Serena Swift loves the adrenaline of her sport. And the elite athlete hates being told what to do. That goes double when the orders are coming from the sexy bodyguard-in-a-suit who broke her heart.

But she doesn’t have a choice when a mysterious threat materializes and Serena’s sponsor saddles her with the last man she’d want guarding her body. She’d rather focus on her next surf competition, not on some shadowy danger or the arrogant ex who dared to get even hotter since their breakup.

Cope can’t stop butting heads with his new client. Just like old times, Serena refuses to play it safe, even when it’s clear she’s in peril. Now the intimacy of spending every second of the day by her side is wearing away at his self-control. He can’t afford to lose focus, but everything about the woman is a constant distraction.

Including the fact that their divorce was never finalized…

Author’s Note: One-click this scorching-hot bodyguard romance if you’re a fan of second-chance angst, sizzling sexual tension, thrilling action and mysterious danger set on the warm, sunny beaches of San Diego.

ADD TO YOUR TBR

Bohemian and Landslide get major glow-ups!

BOHEMIAN  and  LANDSLIDE  have new, gorgeous, beautiful covers! And BOHEMIAN is on sale for 99 pennies for the next few days in the US and UK ( click here )!

Both of these scorching-hot standalones feature opposites-attract couples in a forced proximity situation, set in Big Sur, California. BOHEMIAN and LANDSLIDE are the books of my heart. They are also major reader favorites!

calvin + lucia is that you? “He was a man dying of thirst in the desert. And I was the oasis.”

Calvin’s quiet, orderly life is thrown into upheaval when he inherits a bookstore in Big Sur.Once a place famous for poetry readings and bohemian rebellion, the shop now teeters on the edge of bankruptcy. Desperate to keep the doors open on his grandfather’s legacy, the broody new owner agrees to play host to a fashion shoot on the property.

But he never expected her.

With her long, blonde waves and perfect model body, Lucia is outgoing, wildly popular, and has her entire career mapped out. Women like her don’t go for guys like him. But there’s something magical and mesmerizing about an old book shop filled with famous love stories.

When a storm traps the entourage in town, these polar opposites can’t fight their attraction anymore – and their flirting for the cameras becomes a night of unforgettable passion. She’s unleashed something inside Calvin, and he’s unlocking her desires one by one. Without the eyes of adoring fans and the endless notifications of Lucia’s popularity, they explore a secret romance punctuated by starry skies and provocative poetry.

But a dirty-talking, bookish boyfriend has no place in Lucia’s glamorous life. And the career she’s worked so hard to build will never survive a permanent disappearance to a town without internet access.

Someone is going to get hurt.

Author’s Note: Opposites attract when trapped together in this scorching hot standalone. One-click for a broody, bookish hero with a dirty mouth and a funny, gorgeous heroine starting to remember who she is outside the limelight. Romantic add-ons include a quirky small town, secret love poems, outdoor sexytimes on the California coast, and a happily ever after that will leave you smiling for days.

GABE AND JOSIE’S GLOW UP “Gabe was making me break my rules. Every single one.”

Beneath the brawny chest of bearded, man-bunned Gabe Shaw beats the heart of a romantic.The bartender is confident the love of his life will stroll through the doors of his bar and fall head over heels for him and the town of Big Sur. But what’s a man to do when it’s lust at first sight?

Makeup artist Josie Torres never spends the night. And she doesn’t believe in second dates or grand romantic gestures either.Falling in love? She knows better now. All she needs are her tools of the trade and the wild adventures that Los Angeles has to offer…and the occasional sexy fling. Like the one she decides to have with the mountain man bartender after hours on her photoshoot.

The attraction is electrifying and terrifying when Gabe sets his mind to breaking down her walls. Josie is used to loving ’em and leaving ’em. But when a storm strands her in Big Sur, her hard-and-fast rules are no match for his seduction.

There’s only one problem. He wants her to stay, and she needs him to let her go.

Author’s Note: A steamy standalone romance about two opposites who keep accidentally ending up on dates. One-click if you love a hero who’s ready to tie the knot and a heroine who won’t be tied down. Sexy Add-ons: Insta-lust that turns into so much more, a quirky small town, long hikes through the redwoods, late-night dirty dancing. This love story comes with a guaranteed Happily Ever After.

Earth Day 2021!

This Thursday is Earth Day 2021! 

I’m sure there will be all kinds of advocacy. education and action steps promoted next (and if there are, I often share those sorts of things in my Instagram stories!) but I wanted to share a few of the more personal environmental actions I enjoy doing.

It’s no secret that transformative climate justice in our lifetimes will take wide-scale change in our societies at every level, but I’ve always been a big believer in working towards big, structural changes at state and national levels, but also personal changes at a more micro-level. It all helps move the needle towards protecting the earth, since there is no Planet B. 💜

Since Rob and I are so dedicated to our outdoorsy, nomadic lifestyle (which includes spending the majority of our time in local, state and national parks as well as hiking trails, campsites and nature reserves) we decided two years ago to begin making much more active decisions in our personal lives that reflected our climate justice values — if we were going to spend all of our time enjoying the beauty of this earth, we felt like it was important to be doing as much as we could to protect it. The idea of “saving the planet” can seem so scary and impossible, but small changes and adjustments can be more sustainable and joy-giving over time. And I should mention - Rob and I are certainly not perfect (we’re only human!) and really there’s no goal of perfection here, more like trying our best to do good when we can.

Below are a few of those small changes - and please reply with any of the sustainable, earth-friendly actions you like taking. I love learning!

Low waste and plastic-free alternatives: We’ve been slowly working toward a more low-waste lifestyle and really loving it! We recently started composting (we use Bennett Compost, which is a Philly-based company) and it’s really helped us reduce the amount of trash we throw away. A new sustainable retail shop called Good Buy Supply just opened in our neighborhood and I’ve been goin’ a little wild with it 😂 (oh, and they do ship if you see anything you like and live far away!) Right now I’m appreciating their metal straws, bulk cleaning sprays and detergent, and bulk shampoo and conditioner. I also started using beeswax food wraps as a replacement for tinfoil and they sell dish brushes that replace sponges. A year ago I would have been like “um wtf is a beeswax wrap” but now it’s all I use 😂

Sustainable and/or second-hand clothing: I recently discovered that Patagonia has a used clothing site called Worn Wear - and I scooped up a lot of hiking clothes/work-out clothes/gear that’s gently used and more affordable than their full-price stuff. New spring clothes I got from ThredUP, an online thrift store (everything was really affordable and the clothing I got is in super good condition). And obviously, I’m a big fan of Wholesome Culture - their clothing is ethically manufactured, printed on demand, made using sustainable materials and shipped in recycled packaging. Like, half of the cute shirts I own are from Wholesome Culture (omg please sponsor meeeee 😂)

Climate Justice educators I follow: There are so many amazing climate justice educators doing some incredible teaching right now. A (very short) list of folks I’ve learned a lot from that you can follow on Instagram (also, note: a lot of these educators post their Venmo or Cashapp handles in their bios so you can pay them for the incredible services they provide 🌱) : @browngirl_green, @greengirlleah, @intersectionalenvironmentalist, @queerbrownvegan, @cerowastecindy, @sheexplores, @outdooradvocacy

Also, everyone’s favorite vegan lady billionaire, Luna da Rosa, will be “taking over” the Hippie Chicks on Earth Day! I figured I’d invite her, since you know she’ll want to share the vegan recipes she cooks for Beck (that he secretly loves). Join the Hippie Chicks if you’re not a member yet!