Kaylene Winter's Blog, page 16
July 1, 2020
STRONG SEXY HEROINES
When I set out to create the LTZ world, it has been vitally important to me to spend a lot of time developing layers to my female characters.
It’s critical.
As women, we are often put in boxes. We are sexy. Or smart. Or sassy. Or bitchy. Or cold. Or – well insert any adjective you like.
The thing is, we are all of these things at times.
Romance worlds are fantasies – and in the LTZ world, Ty & Zoey’s love story starts out as the ultimate female fantasy. You go to a rock show. The lead singer picks you out of the crowd and it turns out he’s your soulmate. The end.
NOT!
Zoey is beautiful, for sure. She’s smart and once she sets her sights on a goal stops at nothing to achieve it. She’s also unapologetically sexual. She loves Ty with her whole soul. She’s extremely resilient. But she’s also a bit of a martyr and her high emotions – at least in the beginning – lead her to make choices that she stubbornly adheres to until it doesn’t work for her anymore.
Like all of us, Zoey is flawed. But her flaws make her human and lovable. Unforgettable.
Who is your favorite literary heroine and why?
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June 25, 2020
RELEASE DAY!
June 26, 2020 is my very first release day! Which means that I’m officially a published romance novelist.
The experience of writing Ty & Zoey’s story has been an evolution. From “can I really do this” to “I’m doing it” to “I did it” …and that was just the beginning! The respect I have for self-published authors has gone up dramatically after learning how to interact with Amazon, GoodReads, BookBub, establish social media and all of the other things that go into letting people know about your book.
Rather than devolve into those details, why don’t I tell you about Ty & Zoey.
Ty, to me, is my absolute embodiment of the lead singer fantasy. He’s gorgeous, of course (just look at him!) but he’s smart, outrageously talented (without any ego), kind, considerate and has overcome a terrible childhood through sheer grit and determination to succeed. Yet, he’s flawed. It’s not that easy to trust that someone loves you when you’ve never really known love. It’s even worse when the person you open yourself up to smashes your heart to pieces, and you don’t understand why.
Zoey’s physical beauty is secondary to her selflessness, inner strength, confidence and intellect. She’s not insecure, but she’s self-aware enough to know that she isn’t the typical girl that most extroverted musicians would be attracted to. When she and Ty fall in love, her devotion to Ty and her willingness to put his needs above hers cause ripples in their lives for years.
Ty & Zoey fell in love at first sight and knew they were meant for each other. Their love story is about growing up, trust, accountability, forgiveness and ultimately…redemption. I hope you love them as much as I do.
The post RELEASE DAY! appeared first on Kaylene Winter, Author.
June 19, 2020
Why are Rock Stars So Damn Appealing?
My first “rock star” crush was Shawn Cassidy. He personified everything I wanted in a guy at that age: long, golden floppy hair, bright toothy smile, tight jeans, a sweet demeanor. I didn’t really know much about boys, but I knew I liked him.
By my teens, I graduated to David Lee Roth – still the long blond hair but this version of rock perfection wore assless chaps, spandex and paraded around the stage like sex personified. I loved him so much, Van Halen posters literally wallpapered my walls (yes, I still have them).
Around that time was when my first germ of an idea for Tyson Rainier took root. In my teenage fantasy, me and my friends met a band and all of the band members fell in love with each of us one by one. Sound familiar? It is now known, in the world of contemporary romance, as “Rock Star Romance” and the trope of my first series beginning with Endless.
As release date approaches, I thought I’d ponder why so many women dream about rock stars. Why are women willing to do anything to meet them? Why does the thought of a gorgeous musician writing a song about us make us swoon? Why is the ultimate fantasy to have a famous rock god fall in love with us?
All I know is that my absolute FAVORITE romance books are always about the rock stars. Even after I’ve travelled with them in vans, herded them like cats to get to a show on time and have watched them go through terrible personal traumas and addictions. None of the “realities” compare to a good old fashioned fantasy.
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June 15, 2020
Truth is Stranger Than Fiction!
One of the side effects of having such a cool job was that any creative output for myself has been sidetracked. I’ve always been artistic and tend to delve into whatever medium makes me happy. I’ve drawn and painted giant murals for my friend’s children’s rooms, made elaborate tapestries, crafted beaded jewelry, sewn handbags, and designed and created stained glass windows.
But nothing has been as fulfilling as creating the world of LTZ. Aside from the novel I wrote at 15, which has been the inspiration behind this new career as a romance author, Endless is my first foray into fiction writing.
I love the story of Ty and Zoey, probably because it is a throwback to my dream of marrying a rockstar when I was a teenager. It is my 15-year old girl teenage fantasy come true. The gorgeous, tortured rocker falls in love at first sight and would do anything to be with the girl he loves. She sacrifices herself so he can realize his dream, and in turn she discovers herself and her strength.
Truth is sometimes stranger than fiction, and while I didn’t marry a rocker in real life, I spent many years working with guys like Ty, Zane, Connor and Jace. For nearly 20 years I’ve been happily married to the sweet, tough Irish guy that fell in love with me at first sight and has been by my side for all of our crazy adventures whole-heartedly. Endless wouldn’t have happened if he hadn’t encouraged me to write it, and patiently watched me slave over my laptop every evening.
I hope you love Ty and Zoey and Endless. Limitless is up next, which is the story of wild adventuress Alexandria (Zoey’s best friend) and hunky drummer and social media guru Jace.
May 6, 2020
Truth is Stranger Than Fiction
Writing has been my bread and butter for many years. I have a cool job, I work with cool people. My days are filled with helping people realize their creative dreams, whether it’s launching a new product, developing new technology, or rolling out a new streaming content channel.
One of the side effects of having such a cool job was that any creative output for myself has been sidetracked. I’ve always been artistic and tend to delve into whatever medium makes me happy. I’ve drawn and painted giant murals for my friend’s children’s rooms, made elaborate tapestries, crafted beaded jewelry, sewn handbags, and designed and created stained glass windows.
But nothing has been as fulfilling as creating the world of LTZ. Aside from the novel I wrote at 15, which has been the inspiration behind this new career as a romance author, Endless is my first foray into fiction writing.
I love the story of Ty and Zoey, probably because it is a throwback to my dream of marrying a rockstar when I was a teenager. It is my 15-year old girl teenage fantasy come true. The gorgeous, tortured rocker falls in love at first sight and would do anything to be with the girl he loves. She sacrifices herself so he can realize his dream, and in turn she discovers herself and her strength.
Truth is sometimes stranger than fiction, and while I didn’t marry a rocker in real life, I spent many years working with guys like Ty, Zane, Connor and Jace. For nearly 20 years I’ve been happily married to the sweet, tough Irish guy that fell in love with me at first sight and has been by my side for all of our crazy adventures whole-heartedly. Endless wouldn’t have happened if he hadn’t encouraged me to write it, and patiently watched me slave over my laptop every evening.
I hope you love Ty and Zoey and Endless. Limitless is up next, which is the story of wild adventuress Alexandria (Zoey’s best friend) and hunky drummer and social media guru Jace.
The post Truth is Stranger Than Fiction appeared first on Kaylene Winter, Author.
