Kate Kelly's Blog

Post-Thanksgiving Check-in

 Here we are again. I completely forgot about the blog thing again. It's at the top of my Google Chrome; you'd think I would remember to write more frequently.

I'm currently working on Book 3 - Shadows in the Forest - and my goal is to have it finished by the end of January so my beta readers can read it over the course on February and I can do proper edits and have it published in, hopefully, early March. It would coincide right along with the time I'd be getting out of quarantine, and what better way to end quarantine than to have two books written and published?

Lofty goals, I know. Especially considering how slow this third book is in coming. I'm only just over the 58,000 word mark today and my goal is to at least be 59k words in by the time I wrap up today. I have two scenes I need to get through.

Book 3, Shadows in the Forest, is a more complex story. There are a lot of forces at play in this third installment of the Abernathy Series. Our sarcastic Detective Ali Rivers is forcibly promoted (Jerry, too!) while working to solve two murders. This story is considerably darker than the first two, just to give fair warning. There's a lot more blood and Ali ends up the target of at least one murder attempt. Luckily, she has people watching her back, notably dependable-yet-mysterious Daniel. We get to learn more about his past in this story, albeit most of it still shrouded in secrecy.

As I'm in the middle of this story, it's a bit hard to give much of a synopsis - especially considering I haven't quite figured out the ending just yet. Suffice to say, one man is murdered in a field via a broken neck, and another man gets sliced-and-diced to bits in a cargo container in another field.

I hope everyone reading this had a wonderful Thanksgiving. I hope everyone took time to remember what we're thankful for this year.

Alas, I've got to get back to writing. I've taken enough time off between Thanksgiving and today. Have a wonderful weekend!

Lessons in Quarantine

 Okay, y'all. I know I've really - reeeeeally - fallen off the blog wagon. There are a multitude of reasons why. One, I genuinely spaced on even having a blog. I know that sounds insane, but it's the truth. I completely forgot about my blog's existence. I know that doesn't sound very good, but if anything, honesty is key.

Two, I've been quarantined since mid-March. See, if I catch this lovely coronavirus, I'm pretty much guaranteed to die (yay, terrible lungs!), so I've been under strict orders to stay the heck at home. Sounds great, I'm sure, but it's been a complete life change for me. I can't go into work to get mail, file paperwork, etc - my husband has to do that for me. I've had to convert my job into a remote position. I've basically been in a weird fight or flight response for the last 6 months. My quarantine has also been extended until - bare minimum - March 2021. A whole year stuck at home.

Three, I've also written and published my second book in my Abernathy series! I worked really hard on it and it was released Labor Day weekend. It's available on Amazon and Barnes and Noble, so please feel free to get your copy today! In book 2, Heir Apparent, the town matriarch - Mrs. Abernathy - has been murdered in her own home and it's up to Ali and Jerry to find the murderer. Unfortunately, family secrets are at stake and the family isn't exactly forthcoming. Everyone has secrets, obviously, and secrets aren't secrets if everyone knows about them.

Quarantine has treated a lot of writers differently. Some people have flourished under the lockdowns and limited social gatherings. They've been able to wrangle the time to push out work on their books or art. Other people have completely shut down, their creative processes coming to a halt under the pressure they've been under. And then there are people like me, who've had a mixture of both. My writer's block has definitely been worse - last longer and requiring more forethought - but I've also written and published a book in six months, so obviously I figured stuff out in the end.

So, no matter where on the quarantine creativity scale you find yourself, it doesn't matter in the end. As long as you keep at it and do your best, you shouldn't feel pressure to finish things on the same timeline as you would pre-COVID-19. Things are more challenging and stressful. Things aren't normal and it's okay if that means you're not writing with the same intensity or progress as you were. As long as you try and you keep at it, that's what's important.

I really hope my readers have been well. I really hope everyone's been taking care of themselves. And I'm sorry for falling off the blogging wagon and shirking a responsibility. I'll be more mindful.

Heir Apparent is FREE Sept 10-14 2020!! on #Kindlehttps...

 

Heir Apparent is FREE Sept 10-14 2020!! on #Kindlehttps://t.co/Fadc4lqVhU
Follow Detective Ali Rivers in the second installment of the Abernathy Novel Series. Following the trail of a murderer of the matriarch of the Abernathy family and uncovering town secrets! pic.twitter.com/xTur4aqL7p

— Kate Kelly (@Kate_in_KC) September 10, 2020

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Heir Apparent is FREE Sept 10-14 2020!! on #Kindleh...

 

Heir Apparent is FREE Sept 10-14 2020!! on #Kindlehttps://t.co/Fadc4lqVhU
Follow Detective Ali Rivers in the second installment of the Abernathy Novel Series. Following the trail of a murderer of the matriarch of the Abernathy family and uncovering town secrets! pic.twitter.com/xTur4aqL7p

— Kate Kelly (@Kate_in_KC) September 10, 2020

Heir Apparent : Abernathy Novel 2

 

HEIR APPARENT IS NOW AVAILABLE AT AMAZON.COM
Secrets. Everyone's got them. No one wants them revealed.
My friends have secrets, my blind dates have secrets, and sometimes it feels like I'm the last person to find things out.
My name is Detective Ali Rivers and it is my job to uncover secrets when you're murdered. When my town's "First Family" matriarch is found butchered in the family estate, my partner, Jerry, and I are on the case to find the killer.
Point is, secrets can be deadly, and it's my job to find the truth.
Book 2 in the Abernathy Novel Series

New Book Suggestions From Independent Authors

"Suggest a Book" April 19th, 2020 Read and Review a Book TodayStories of crime, mystery and suspenseGet these books fast! This promotion ends May 16th!BooksContact OrganizerStart a Virtual Book ClubLadies Night: Chick Lit Virtual Book ClubGet these books fast! This promotion ends June 2nd!

New Books for the Quarantine Lifestyle

A Corpse at the Castleby R.B Marshall

A royal castle. A murder. Only one witness: a horse
Horse trainer by day, I.T. consultant by night, Izzy Paterson is a classic nerd who’s better with animals than humans.

But when a body is found at the feet of a prize stallion in the queen’s summer castle in the Scottish Highlands, Izzy—and her new friend Craig—are in the wrong place at the wrong time, becoming suspects in the murder.

In the race to clear their names, Izzy has to employ all her horse whispering and computer hacking skills. Can she piece together the clues in time to stop the mysterious killer from striking again?

:: Readers of Molly Fitz, T E Kinsey or H Y Hanna should enjoy this entertaining Scottish story, the first book in the Highland Horse Whisperer cozy mystery series. Grab your copy of A Corpse at the Castle today, and experience spring in the Scottish Highlands for yourself!




Whispers of the PastBy Cora Clark

When Octavia Hanes, who is struggling from memory loss, returns to her childhood home in the remote town of Roseberg, Sweden, she begins suffering from horrible hallucinations.

Desperate to find answers, she seeks comfort in the arms of her old friend Hayden, who still lives just on the other side of the creepy lake where she nearly drowned at age ten.


As she slowly tries to uncover what the hallucinations mean, she realises the accident on the lake may have never been an accident after all, and the house holds terrible secrets someone desperately wanted her to forget.


Why did she lose her memory after the accident? What had happened in the house? Was her family life really as happy and loving as she has been told?


Convinced that she is in fact uncovering important memories, not going mad, Octavia must face her biggest nightmares to get to the bottom of the missing pieces of her life.


A Psychological Thriller with a Romance-Suspense Twist




The Trouble With DemonsBy Sheena Austin


Michelle always knew the head cheerleader who stole her boyfriend was demonic. She just didn’t realize Janice was an actual demon. And that’s not even the most interesting revelation of Michelle’s eighteenth birthday—also, coincidentally, prom night. She also learns that she is a half-angel warrior. And nothing could make for a more satisfying birthday-prom than sending that demon cheerleader straight back to hell. Then she discovers that her parents didn’t die when she was 16, after all. They’re alive, and they need her help. What else is a half-angel warrior to do? She heads out to kick some demon ass. Lucky for her, she’s also got her best friend Jonathan by her side. But there are still things she doesn’t know—not only about this hidden world she’s discovered, but about Jonathan himself. And those things could kill her if she isn’t careful.

£0.99 copy of Still Waters Run Deep

Stuck Inside? Need Something to Read?£0.99 (57% OFF Regular Price)16 March (8 AM GMT) - 23 March (12 AM GMT)


ernie 5.0 out of 5 stars  Kate Kelly seriesReviewed in the United States on January 31, 2020
Format: Kindle EditionThis gal and the other characters are a riot. The mystery twists and turns, suspense and a little romance make it impossible to put down.



R. Swainey
5.0 out of 5 stars  Nice easy read with likeable main character.Reviewed in the United States on February 20, 2020
Format: Kindle EditionVerified Purchase
Nice easy read and a good story. Several likeable characters, including the bad guy, make the book flow from chapter to chapter easily.
Laughed at several moments in the book and really felt Ali's awkwardness as things keep piling on for her.
Can't wait for the second book in the Abernathy series.


My name is Detective Ali Rivers and my last date, which was already the stuff of nightmares, turned worse than I thought possible. I was on a horrible blind date (set up by my mother - long story) and got interrupted by going to a dead body in an alley in my city of Abernathy, Tennessee.
Next thing I know, a detective from another city is trying to take over my case (hell no), and instead I'm forced to have him on my team to solve the murder. Our case leads us to a ruthless, violent biker gang president who decides I'm the girl for him, a boxer, and a confidential informant who is a lovable stoner kid too honest for his own good.

While I'm trying to keep my mom's matchmaking machinations at bay - albeit poorly, our investigation's list of suspects are turning into victims. Chasing a violent killer in my city of Abernathy is difficult work, but someone's gotta do it.

1 Week 99¢ Mega-Sale from Story Origin

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I Saw What You Didby Tim KizerView Retailers
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Book Suggestion March 6th, 2020

Finding Tranquility: A Love StorybyLaura Heffernan


On September 11, 2001, Brett Cooper checks into a flight to go on an interview for an unwanted job, in a city where he doesn't want to live. All to make his wife happy. He loves her, but he's not happy in his marriage. Or in his body, really. As boarding begins, Brett panics and gives his ticket away. When the plane strikes the World Trade Center, he realizes that he's been given a second chance to live the life he always wanted. Brett disappears into the chaos, hoping to figure things out. With help from some new friends, Brett begins to transition into Christa. A tragedy sends Christa further north to Canada, where she builds a new life. For eighteen years, everything is peaceful and easy until Jess reappears. 



Jess used her husband's life insurance to go to medical school. When she discovers that she's actually not a widow, it throws her entire future into question. Making matters more complicated is the discovery that all of the love Jess held for her spouse is alive and well. Christa and Jess must figure out what the future holds for them--if Christa has a future at all, with the reemergence of the missing Canadian woman whose identity Christa "borrowed".


Can love conquer all, or is it sometimes better to let go?










My Best Friend and My Odd Side Job: A Sweet Friends to Lovers Romantic Comedy (Trouble in Love Book 1) Kindle EditionbyJessie Cal

Best friends. A fake date. A real kiss. And a disastrous wedding.

On the verge of burning out due to juggling multiple odd jobs--including working as a wedding stopper--Faye Stensen finally gets a call from her dream job in the fashion industry. But not as a fashion designer. Instead, they want her to stop a wedding. And not just any wedding. No. It's the wedding of her best friend's boss. The same wedding which she agreed to be her best friend's fake girlfriend. Oh, boy. Now, she must figure out a way to further her career without ruining her best friend's future. Or their future together