Kimberly Kinrade's Blog, page 11
March 7, 2013
A Live Q and A with Kimberly Kinrade and Andy Gavin
For those who couldn’t make it tonight, here’s the recording of the live Q&A Andy Gavin and I did with fans as part of our week long Young Adult promotional. We talk about books, video games, movies, writing and more! Enjoy 
March 5, 2013
W*N an Amazon GC, time traveler watch and signed YA books!
[image error]This week, Andy Gavin, author of The Darkening Dream and Untimed and creator of the popular video games Crash Bandicoot and Jak & Daxter, and I are teaming up to hand out lots of fun prizes in a week long Facebook event.
Join us here, and enter daily to win Amazon gift cards, signed swag and more. On Thursday at 3 p.m. PST we will also be doing a live video Q&A with fans on Spreecast. I’ll update this post and all other social media sites with the link when we go live, so get ready with your questions and come on by. We’ll each be giving out signed copies of our books (Untimed and The Forbidden Trilogy) LIVE to two people who ask us questions.
In the meantime, here’s another big giveaway to enter that includes signed copies of our books, an Amazon gift card and a $250 time travel watch (travel at your own risk, result not guaranteed 
To learn more about Untimed, visit Amazon here.
To learn more about The Forbidden Trilogy, visit Amazon here.
March 3, 2013
Sign up today to get an early review copy of KISS ME IN PARIS
[image error]While I prepare for the launch of Seduced by Power, the final book in my bestselling new adult paranormal romance series (You can get Seduced by Innocence and Seduced by Pain on Amazon now by clicking on the covers to the right!), I’m also gearing up for the launch of a whole new series that I’m co-writing with the Sexy Russian Prince, AKA, my husband, Dmytry Karpov. (He also did the amazing cover you see here << Isn’t it gorgeous??)
This is the first contemporary non-magical series I’ve ever written, and it starts with Kiss Me in Paris. Now, it takes place in Paris, so maybe I’m lying when I say there’s no magic in it. After all, what could possibly be MORE magical than falling in love in Paris? Not much, if you ask me.
I want to launch this book in a BIG way. It’ll be a 6 part new adult romance series following the Deveaux sisters as they each travel the world and find love (and trouble) in all the right places, and there will be a spin-off series following the adventures of their cousin, Daring Deveaux, as she travels the world documenting alleged supernatural experiences with a hot British ghost hunter. (Wanderlust, the first in that series, will be out later this spring.)
Book 1, Kiss Me in Paris, is Winter Deveaux’s story as she sets her sights on falling in love in Paris so she can write the romance novel her heart is desperate to publish. But will a cowboy with a southern drawl sweep her away from the smooth talking men trying to seduce her? (17+ for sexually explicit content)
To launch this in the strongest way possible without delaying the launch to get reviews and such, we need your help. We need reviews, and people willing to read an ARC before the final proof is done to get reviews ready for the launch and help us spread the word.
To this end, I’m doing something I’ve never done before. I’m offering a FREE ARC (Advanced Reader Copy) to EVERYONE who signs up this month. EVERYONE. You can choose between a mobi (for Kindle) or epub (for Nook or Kobo). All we ask is that you leave an honest review on Amazon and B&N as soon as you’re able in exchange for the free copy. (And if you have a blog that you’d like to post on in addition to Amazon and B&N, we’d LOVE that, too!) This is going to be an honor system. I have no way of tracking how many of you review or don’t review, but I trust that unless you hate the book and simply can’t finish it, you’ll review it if at all able.
Maybe we’re shooting ourselves in the foot, giving out all these free copies instead of selling them at launch time. But you guys have been so amazing, I’m okay losing some sales to entice you to review early! Plus, I’m hoping you fall in love with this series and feel inclined to share the news with every literate being you know when it launches.
If you sign up, you’ll get two versions of the book. The first version will be just before launch, as we’re doing the final edit and proofing. This version will likely have typos and mistakes. If you read it fast enough and want to be a mini-beta reader and give feedback, we’d love to hear what you think! We just ask that you don’t judge us publicly for mistakes in this version! The second version we send out will be proofed, though we can’t promise it will be perfect. (Are any books ever truly perfect?) But it should be clean.
You can read both, or either one, whichever you prefer. Anyone who reads the early version and gives us feedback quickly will be thanked by name in the acknowledgements.
Oh, and while everyone will get a free ARC, we’ll also be giving 5 lucky people postcards signed by myself and Dmytry as an extra perk!
And you know me, when the book launches, there will be more giveaways!
Add Kiss Me in Paris on Goodreads here.
February 19, 2013
A Gathering of Tales: The launch of a short story subscription experience!
[image error]I first fell in love with short stories after reading Neil Gaiman’s short story collections Fragile Things and Smoke and Mirrors. (If you haven’t read them, I strongly suggest you do! Mad genius, I tell you!)
In the last few years, I’ve been writing more short stories. Several went into my first book, Bits of You & Pieces of Me, which is a collection of stories, essays and poetry about love, loss and life.
I’ve also published several stand-alone short stories that you can find on Amazon. Recently, my husband, Dmytry Karpov, and I read an article about an author who started a short story subscription site to offer his fans short stories all year long delivered via email, for one low annual price. We loved the idea and, after putting it out there to see if our fans might be interested (yes, you were!), we moved forward with the idea.
I’m very excited to announce the launch of A Gathering of Tales, our new short story subscription site that gives you the first read of short stories written by myself and/or Dmytry–delivered straight to your email!
How does it work? Well, it’s all explained here, but the basic idea is you pay your fee, (all three levels of membership get you all the stories. The patron and diamond members get added giveaway bonuses with diamond getting the most, including free swag and their name and website link on my website.) then sign up for our newsletter. Once you confirm your sign up, you will immediately receive (in your welcome email) a link and password to a secret page where you’ll have access to Bits of You & Pieces of Me, Sapphire Eyes, Eye of Newt and Son of Destiny.
That’s a huge sign up bonus, right off the bat! This page will also be updated as short stories are emailed out, so you’ll always have an archive of stories you’ve been sent.
As more and more members sign up, we’ll send out more and more stories, until we reach 3 per month. BUT, we’ll also have bonus stories from other highly esteemed authors from time to time, and other fun perks as our numbers increase. We’re committed to making this an awesome experience for you.
Bottom line? Sign up, give it a shot, get your friends involved, and let’s have some fun with this! If you want to sample a short story of mine, Only Forever is free on Amazon for the next few days. Go grab it and see what you think.
Here are a few other perks: Fans of the Forbidden Trilogy and the Seduced Saga will get first read of stories of their favorite characters, sometimes months before they’re published elsewhere.
The first NEW story will go out early March. It’s called Forever Home. Here’s the blurb:
Girl meets dog. Girl looses dog. Girl gets dog back.
It’s that kind of love story.
When 14-year-old Corinne loses her best furry friend to illness, nothing can console her, until she falls in love with the picture of a sad-looking golden retriever who’s about to lose his life in a high-kill shelter.
As she and her family jump through hoops to try and save Barker, fate intervenes to give them the happily ever after they both deserve in the most unexpected way.
Sign up now and be the first to read this heartwarming story.
For those who know me, you know that I love to spoil my fans. While we can’t release details yet, I will definitely be doing my best to spoil the subscribers of A Gathering of Tales. Your support means the world to us, and we want to give you all the best experience possible!
For those new to my work, I’m an award-winning, bestselling author of 13 books and multiple short stories, and I love my fans to death! Browse through my website, come hang out on my Facebook page, check out my Amazon page and read some samples and reviews, and maybe that will convince you that this could be a blast!
What kinds of stories and/or genres would you like to see in A Gathering of Tales?
Don’t forget to check it out at A Gathering of Tales.
February 16, 2013
A happily ever after inspired by real life plus FREE books!
Today my parents celebrated their 33rd wedding anniversary. The story of how they met had always captured my imagination, and the love they have shared over the last 33 years has inspired me to keep believing in love even when love let me down in the past.
They are the reason I write about happily ever afters, and the reason I’m now living my own with my soul mate.
To honor their marriage (and as an additional gift to my mother, who celebrated her birthday today as well), I’ve written their story, part fiction, part fact, and I’m giving it away for FREE for 5 days starting Sunday, February 17th, 2013.
[image error]Only Forever is a short story inspired by my parents romance. (This one is a no-sex romance, because ew! I can’t write about my parents having sex!!) Here’s the official product description:
One Girl + One Boy + One Pair of Bellbottoms = True Love
Her life fell apart after her ex-husband came out of the closet and admitted to being gay, leaving her to raise two young children alone.
His life was stagnant, engaged to a woman he didn’t love as he wondered what tomorrow would bring.
When fate intervenes to show them their destiny, the biggest surprise is fate’s chosen catalyst: A pair of bellbottoms.
Inspired by a true love story, Only Forever will have even the coldest skeptic believing in happily ever afters.
***
This short story is a contemporary romance inspired by the true story of how the author’s parents met and fell in love. There is no explicit sexual content in this story. It is suitable for anyone who still believes in love and happily ever afters, or anyone who would like to believe again.
***
According to my parents, 80% of the facts in this story are true, and 100% of the emotions are true. I really only care about the emotions. That’s the point of fiction, isn’t it? To tell the truth about the human experience.
A few parts that are true:
The honey and flour, though it was actually vaseline and baby powder. (Curious yet?)
The pants, and actually I’d forgotten a part of the story that actually made it even more amazing and unbelievable.
The friend’s nickname. (You’ll understand when you read the story.) And no, I have no idea where that name came from, neither does my dad.
The lemon yellow Triumph Spitfire. My dad was actually THAT cool once? Epic.
The love. That’s all true.
I hope you enjoy this story of true love. Real love. Lasting love. I’m a product of this love, and I couldn’t be happier as I live my own happily ever after and write those happily ever afters for my characters.
As an EXTRA bonus, my new adult paranormal romance, Seduced by Innocence, is FREE until Monday to celebrate the launch of the sequel, Seduced by Pain. (Since these books do not feature my parents, they do have sex–though my mom has threatened to read them, so that might be almost as bad.) Oh, and check out the cover for Seduced by Power. Pretty, huh? It will be out in March, so hurry and get caught up!
So, go forth and grab two romance titles for FREE! I’d love to hear what you think, so please leave a review if you have a chance! Thanks! Here’s to your happily ever after!
Get Only Forever FREE on Amazon.
Get Seduced by Innocence FREE on Amazon.
Get Seduced by Pain for $3.99 on Amazon.
All caught up and need more reading? Try my YA paranormal adventure/romance Forbidden Mind, or get the best deal with the whole series in The Forbidden Trilogy.
February 13, 2013
“Twilight meets Beautiful Creatures”– A New Adult Erotic Romance Just in Time for a HOT Valentine’s Day!
What fans and critics are saying about The Seduced Saga:
“Twilight meets Beautiful Creatures” ~ A Simple Mom on Amazon
“Sexy, sweet, suspenseful! The story line is great, the sexy scenes are honest, and the characters are wonderfully conflicted. Kimberly Kinrade knows how to tell a story and weave it together flawlessly.” ~Jennifer Novotny “Irelynkiss”
“An intriguing paranormal twist of a Romeo and Juliette story. I was hooked within the first few pages.” ~ Josette Schaber “Josette Evanlea”
“True love at its finest.” ~Stephanie Mayfield
***
Seduced by Pain is now live on Amazon! The sequel everyone’s been waiting for is ready just in time for an early Valentine’s Day treat.
ABOUT THE SEDUCED SAGA
Rose Wintersong didn’t have an ordinary upbringing. Raised in what most would call a hippy commune, but what is actually a powerful coven of witches, she never questions the life fate chose for her.
Until she meets Derek O’Conner.
Derek challenges everything Rose believes and forces her to see the secrets hidden beneath the whitewashed walls of her idyllic country life.
Rose knows she should walk away, that the sexy martial arts instructor is bad news bred to create discord in her tight community… but the animal magnetism between them is impossible to fight.
Caught between the passion of first love, and the steady beat of the life she’s always known, Rose must choose between the innocence of her youth or the pleasures of womanhood–but lost innocence comes at a price, and Rose harbors a dark secret that could destroy everyone she loves–including Derek.
Pick up your copy of Seduced by Innocence and Seduced by Pain now on Amazon!
Join us on Facebook for a giveaway of a signed print copy of Seduced by Innocence.
Scroll down to enter a giveaway for a custom rose pendant and signed swag!
February 8, 2013
Fast, Free and Flawless: Readers Can’t Have it All
[image error]The nature of the publishing industry is in a constant state of flux, which is awesome for writers in many ways. It means we have more options than ever for getting our work published. But, there are also downsides.
Lately, I’m seeing more and more reviews (on a variety of books on Amazon) where readers are saying that a book should be free, not because of the quality, but because they don’t want to have to pay for ebooks, especially if it’s from an independent author or one signed with a small press.
At the same time, fans are demanding more books faster from authors, and are becoming more critical of typos and editorial errors.
So basically, many readers want their books fast, free and flawless.
Well, that ‘aint happening. Ever.
Now, don’t get me wrong, I know not all readers are like this. I have awesome fans that patiently waited for the Forbidden Trilogy to come out over the course of a year, and fans who overlook the occasional typo, or who are happy to pay for my books, so this isn’t about them or my work specifically.
This is a rant about people who have become so accustomed to FREE books, thanks in large part to the KDP Select program from Amazon, that they are demanding this from everyone, but still expect the books to be well-edited, well-formatted, with pro cover art and written and published quickly so they can keep reading about their favorite characters.
I do understand. The economy is tight, and I’m not inclined to pay $15.99 for an ebook, especially when there are excellent books for far less, but I don’t think books should be free, or priced so low that it’s impossible for the author to make a living on those books.
And books will never be flawless. Even traditionally published books that go through a year of editing and formatting and pre-marketing come out with flaws. I’m not saying indie authors should be lax in editing, or put out work that is sub-standard, because quality really does matter. I know there are a lot of books out there that are in desperate need of editing and professional cover art.
[image error]But here are a few facts that I wish readers understood better.
1: It’s expensive to publish a book. It costs real money to hire a professional cover artist, editor and formatter. All in all, this process can cost thousands of dollars PER BOOK! And that’s not including the expenses we have in marketing our own work. When an author chooses to become their own publisher, they are taking on the responsibilities and expenses of a publisher. If they are published through a small press, that publisher must cover these expenses. Either way, a book HAS these expenses regardless of who published it, so the price shouldn’t be weighed differently for ‘Big 6′ books as compared to indie or small press books.
Here’s a short list of what it takes to put out a pro book:
A: Content editor: 1k or more
B: Line editing: 2k or more
C: Proofing (To catch those pesky typos that linger like lice): several hundred dollars or more
D: Cover art: A few hundred dollars or more
E: Interior formatting: Another few hundred dollars
F: Marketing: a few hundred to a few thousand dollars
This is PER BOOK! And given that it’s harder than ever to gain exposure for our work, how fast do you think most authors recoup their money? Now, how fast would they recoup it if they gave their books away for free? Or even left it at 99cents forever? Even at $2.99 it takes A LOT of sales to break even.
2: Fans want books out faster, and authors can’t make a living putting out a book or two a year. This is the truth: it often takes an author having 7-10 books or more out before they can even START to make a living. Now multiply that by the amount each books costs to publish professionally, and you can see that it’s a lot. Also, this means writing fast, or taking over a decade to make it. Most of us don’t have a decade, so those of us who can, write fast. This means considerable expenses back to back to launch books, and it also means we sometimes miss things.
When I was with a publisher, I had an excellent content editor and one of the best line editors, but still I paid out of pocket for proofing when my book was done. And guess what? With three editors and considerable self-editing, a friend of mine STILL found typos in a 140k word book. I’ve resigned myself to the fact that no matter what I do, those pesky typos linger like bad lice. I do my best with each book to get solid editing, but things slip through, especially when you’re working fast. But if I didn’t work this fast, I wouldn’t be able to make a living on my writing. What’s a girl to do?
3: There’s no such thing as a flawless book. See point two on this.
At the end of the day, if readers want quality books that are well-edited, well-formatted and have professional looking cover art, then they need to accept the fact that they have to pay for books. I’m not sure why this is such a hard concept to grasp. If I gave my books away for free, I wouldn’t be able to afford to write.
Some of my books have been discounted or free in the past, usually the first in a series for a specific marketing effort, but it’s not something I could do with all of my books permanently!
My pricing philosophy is flexible, but generally I charge 99cents for short stories, $2.99 for novellas, $3.99 to $6.99 for full length books and $9.99 for omnibus editions. Sometimes the prices for a first book in a series is lower, and depending on who my publisher is, I might not have a choice about the pricing, but this is what I feel is fair for the amount of work that goes into something.
While I think $15 is too high a price for an ebook, the $5.99 to $9.99 price range seems fair to me, whether for an indie author, small press author or traditionally published author. This gives enough of a profit for all the people involved to get a fair pay for their work.
Writing a book is hard work, and a decent book gives readers hours, and sometimes days and weeks, of entertainment. Why are so many people willing to pay $10 to see a movie for two hours, but won’t pay the same to read a book?
For many of us, this is a career. This is how we pay our rent and feed our kids. I couldn’t write as many books as I do and still work a job to pay the bills, and I’m not alone in this.
Now, please understand, this post was not inspired by any attack on me personally (so loyal fans, no need to light the torches and grab the pitch forks–though I love your loyalty!). It’s the general feeling in the air, the comments I’ve seen in reviews from many authors. It’s this attitude that everyone is entitled to books for free or, at least, 99cents.
Perhaps people don’t understand what it takes to write a book, or perhaps they are misinformed or uneducated about how much money and work it takes to actually publish a professional quality product. I’m not sure, but I do hope that this shifts soon.
You might get a book fast and free. You might get a book fast and high quality (but nothing is perfect). But as a long term publishing strategy, it’s quite impossible for any author to give you all three all the time.
And I just want to thank my fans for all of your support! You guys are the best.
What do you think? Do you think books should always be free or super cheap? What’s the max you’ve ever paid (or are willing to pay) for an ebook?
February 4, 2013
Are Romance Novels Realistic? One Romance Author’s Take
[image error]Boy gets girl.
Boy loses girl.
Boy gets girl back.
My dad explained the mechanics of this popular plot device to me when I was a kid. He said every movie ever made followed it.
While I’m sure that’s not true of EVERY movie (The Hobbit?), it’s pretty much true of every romance novel.
So if they’re so predictable, why then are they so popular?
After the launch of Seduced by Innocence, my new paranormal romance series, I was talking about the genre with a friend of mine who writes more fantasy and sci-fi based books. While he liked Seduced by Innocence, he didn’t quite get the romance genre in general.
“They just don’t seem to be based on real relationships,” he objected. “In real life, you have conflict and compromise and ups and downs. In these novels the other person is perfect and there’s never any doubts and it all works out in the end.”
Well, yeah! That’s kind of the point, right? When we read (or write) romance, we’re looking for wish fulfillment, for soul mates and alpha males to sweep us off our feet. We want the happily ever after and the love that’s unstoppable against all the odds.
He pointed out that there were probably a lot of problems in my first marriage, things that heralded the end.
“Sure there were. But that marriage ended in divorce. That’s not what makes a good romance! Romances based on real life are called literary fiction.”
I said the last in jest, but it’s mostly true. If you’re looking for slice of life fiction that explores all the grey areas of love and life and deals with the problems and pitfalls of romantic love, you’re not likely to find that in a romance.
While the couple in a romance usually have something working against them, there is still a feeling of fate and eternal love at work, pulling them together.
This is the love of fiction.
Or is it?
Later this year, I’ll be releasing my first contemporary romance novel called Confessions of a Splintered Heart. While not actually based on a true story, the idea of this book is inspired by my epic romance with my husband. You can read more about our journey to love by clicking on Writing in Love and reading some of the posts. We used to have a blog together, but found that we enjoyed spending time together more than writing blogs together. Go figure!
What is interesting about this, is that for the book to work, we had to add conflict and reasons for our characters to be apart, whereas in real life, it wasn’t nearly as difficult. Yes, we had to overcome an age difference, and yes, we lived in different countries when we met and had to deal with skeptical family and friends and the logistics of actually, physically, being together, but we NEVER DOUBTED for one second that we were meant to be.
Now, years later, we still don’t have a single doubt. We are happily married, raising three children and writing books together. We spend nearly 24 hours a day together, and he’s an integral part of the process for almost all of my books. We also co-run Daring Books Design & Marketing, where we manage a team that works with authors on design and publicity efforts.
We’ve overcome a lot, but all the conflicts were external. We’ve never had any internal fear or doubts about the epic and forever nature of our love.
We are like a romance novel, an unbelievable story that people chalk up to fairy tales. We’re that couple people tell to get a room. (Seriously, he was kissing me at the mall the other day and some old lady told us this. We weren’t even getting hot and heavy!)
We’re living the fairy tale.
So maybe romance novels aren’t so unrealistic after all.
Either way, I’m so excited to share with you the fantasy of getting swept off your feet by the perfect man, because I live that every day with my sexy Russian Prince, and I want you to experience that as well—whether it’s with a sexy surfer who can control minds, like in Forbidden Mind, or with a hot martial arts expert who can shapeshift into a wolf, like in Seduced by Innocence.
Later this year I’ll have some fun contemporary romances as well, in addition to Confessions of a Splintered Heart. Watch for Kiss Me in Paris and a whole Kiss Me series! For historical fantasy romance fans, you won’t want to miss the launch of Sunrise & Nightfall, co-written with the sexy Dmytry Karpov, and for urban fantasy fans, stay tuned for Blood of the Fallen, also co-written with Dmytry Karpov. Whether romance is the primary storyline, or secondary to something else, all of my YA and adult books have love and romance in them, because I’m a sucker for happily ever afters.
Are you?
[image error]Enjoy this cover reveal of book 2 in the Seduced Saga, Seduced by Pain, and join us on Facebook for a Valentine’s Day party to celebrate the launch! To gear up for this event, scroll down to enter a giveaway of a custom made rose pendant like the one worn by Rose in Seduced by Innocence, and signed swag! If you’re not already a subscriber to my newsletter, be sure to sign up because I will give away the novella version of Sunrise & Nightfall to ALL of my subscribers, when it launches, along with other goodies!
January 29, 2013
Is the U.S. a Candy Culture?
[image error]“It’s a prime ingredient in countless substances from cereal to soup, from cola to coffee. Consumed at the rate of one hundred pounds for every American every year, it’s as addictive as nicotine — and as poisonous.
It’s sugar.”
This is the beginning of the product description for a book called “Sugar Blues“, by William Dufty, inspired by the crusade of Hollywood legend Gloria Swanson.
It is “the classic, bestselling expose that unmasks our generation’s greatest medical killer and shows how a revitalizing, sugar-free diet can not only change lives, but quite possibly save them.”
I read this book years ago, and for a long time I removed sugar from my family’s diet. But,[image error] when my marriage fell apart, when I lapsed into other health problems (due to extreme food allergies I didn’t know I had at the time), and when I became a single mother supporting three children, I resumed my old diet.
Years later, I’m now in a happy, stable marriage, with an amazing and health-conscious man. I work from home as a full-time author, and our family has been put on a special diet called the GAPS diet to heal our bodies of the food allergies and digestive symptoms most of us suffer from.
Our six year old has Irritable Bowel Syndrome and eczema, symptoms from multiple food allergies only recently diagnosed. Our 8 year old also has IBS for the same reason, and an addiction to sweets that stems from these problems. I too have food allergies, digestive problems, and struggle with my weight.
The GAPS diet is designed to cure this over time, to heal the dysbiosis (leaky gut syndrome) that is causing our problems, and this diet requires a strict adherence to NO SUGAR, no starch (including all rice, potatoes, wheat etc.), no processed foods. It’s a diet high in vegetables, meats, fermented foods, nutritious broths and fruits.
This change in lifestyle has been challenging to two writers who aren’t fond of cooking, but for the sake of our health, we’re doing it.
The biggest challenge has come from outside our home.
It seems everywhere our children go there are adults determined to push candy and sugary treats at them. It’s really quite stunning!
[image error]We recently had a well-intended neighbor come by with giant bags of gummy bears (GIANT BAGS) for our kids, and argued with us when we politely declined. We finally had to tell him that our doctor has forbade that, and we are all on a special diet.
At the grocery store today, an elderly employee trapped me and another woman with two children in the bathroom (literally trapped us, she blocked the door with that big mop bucket they use), while she pushed candy into the children’s hands without even asking the mother. I was glad my kids were with my husband at the time.
At school, our kids are rewarded for academic achievement and good attendance with such things as ice cream socials, candy treats when they reach reading targets, and pizza with the principal. Now that there is a doctor’s note on hand with the school that our kids can’t have any food not directly provided by us, our children are excluded from these events and feel left out and saddened that their achievements are no longer celebrated.
As Valentine’s Day approaches, we have even considered keeping them home from school that day so they don’t have to spend the day warding off offers for candy and treats from their classmates.
We do what we can from home to give them yummy things (strawberry ice cream made[image error] from raw milk, frozen strawberries and raw honey, and dried mangos, honey bread made with coconut flour and more) but we can’t always send them with special treats on days like those, because we never know ahead of time when they will be.
How are we to raise healthy children in a society that is determined to poison them with sugar?
Do you think the term poison is too strong? That I’m overreacting and that a ‘little sugar never hurt anyone?’ I strongly recommend you read Dufty’s book. I’ll be rereading it now that I’m ready to embrace this change so completely.
Sugar is truly a poison that is deadly to our culture, and yet we peddle it to children as if it’s harmless.
When did it become okay for strangers to shove candy at kids without getting permission from the parents?
When did schools become so obsessed with this need to reward our kids for every good deed with buckets of sugary treats?
When did things like bread and soups start requiring sugar in them to sell?
The U.S. has become a candy culture, or maybe more accurately a sugar culture. It’s a unique challenge to live counter-culturally and raise kids at the same time.
I love our children’s school in many respects, and I know they mean no harm to any of the children, but I believe we need to start instituting healthier choices in our schools and homes.
We need to start demanding that sugar be taken out of food.
We need to research the devastating effects that sugar is having on our culture, and look at how sugar has destroyed nations in the past (read the book!).
I want to raise my children in a way that promotes health, vitality and life. It shouldn’t be this hard to decide to eat healthy in this country, and it saddens me that my kids, who are quite happy with the food they get at home, feel so out of place when they eat healthy at school.
What are your thoughts? Have you noticed any of this? Do you have rules about how much sugar your kids eat? What are your school’s policies on food and treats?
January 28, 2013
Pick up your copy of Seduced by Innocence and get a bonus book FREE!
[image error]The day has finally come! Seduced by Innocence, my long-awaited New Adult Romance (Paranormal) has finally, FINALLY, launched. I couldn’t be happier or more excited!
To celebrate, I’m doing a few fun things.
First, I’m having a party on Facebook where all week I’ll be giving away swag and fun stuff to celebrate. You can join us here.
Second, I’m having ANOTHER giveaway, because I just love my fans and I love giving you stuff. So read to the bottom for my latest giveaway, it’s a good one!
Third, I’ve decided to launch the book at a $2 discount right out of the gate, to thank you all for your support in generating a lot of buzz about this series early on! So, for 24 hours, you can get Seduced by Innocence for just $1.99! In addition, if you send your Amazon proof of purchase to kimberly.kinrade@gmail.com, you’ll get ANOTHER one of my ebooks for FREE!
That’s 2 books for under $2!
Choose from any of my published work, excluding The Forbidden Trilogy Omnibus Edition, which is actually 3 books. You can see a list of my books to the right (as book covers), or hop over to my Amazon page and check them out here.
ABOUT SEDUCED BY INNOCENCE
Their passion will destroy them.
Only true love can save them.
[image error]“Liquid fire poured into me, filling me with the intimate sense of him as he leaned in to claim my lips with his own. I reached for him, needing him closer, but my arms couldn’t close the distance between us, which grew wider with each hitched breath. So close to finally feeling something real, something carnal and deep, I cried out in frustration, dropping my hands as he disappeared. My cries deepened into a frenzy of panic and my eyes flew open. I clutched my blanket and stilled myself to calm my racing heart.
Just a dream. Always just a dream. “
Rose Wintersong didn’t have an ordinary upbringing. Raised in what most would call a hippy commune, but what is actually a powerful coven of witches, she never questions the life fate chose for her.
Until she meets Derek O’Conner.
Derek challenges everything Rose believes and forces her to see the secrets hidden beneath the whitewashed walls of her idyllic country life.
Rose knows she should walk away, that the sexy martial arts instructor is bad news bred to create discord in her tight community… but the animal magnetism between them is impossible to fight.
Caught between the passion of first love, and the steady beat of the life she’s always known, Rose must choose between the innocence of her youth or the pleasures of womanhood—but lost innocence comes at a price, and Rose harbors a dark secret that could destroy everyone she loves—including Derek.
Submit to the Seduced Saga as Derek and Rose face their future while unraveling the mysteries of their past.
Look for these books in 2013. (New Adult Romance/Paranormal)
January 28, 2013 -Seduced by Innocence
February 14, 2013 -Seduced by Pain
TBA-Seduced by Power
TBA- Seduced by the Sea (Ocean’s Story)
Get it on Amazon today!
