Kimberly Kinrade's Blog, page 28
May 7, 2011
You Never Know Until You Know
I never knew what it was like to be a mom, until I became a mom.
I didn't know the sweet heartbreak of looking into my child's eyes and knowing that now my own heart was no longer beating in my chest, but rather walking the world on its own.
I didn't know the boundless joy that could be had in one small smile.
The aching pleasure of hearing the word "mama" for the first time.
The powerful knowing of looking into my daughter's eyes and seeing God, seeing eternity.
I didn't know how hard it would be to change millions of diapers. To be puked on and pooped on.
I never knew how little all those challenges would matter because of the love that swells my soul at her every heart beat.
My mom always said I didn't know how much she loved me.
She was right.
I couldn't know that kind of love until I held it for myself.
Happy Mother's Day, Mom. Thank you for everything.
I love you.
May 3, 2011
And the WINNER is…
OK, you've probably all heard that I DID NOT win the final championship round. What can I say? I came out swinging against a kick butt opponent who made the day LOADS of fun!
We talked trash as we planned play dates at Starbucks on Facebook. #itsallgood
BUT! You still win! Everyone who commented during my two days of matches should have received an email with a free coupon for my book "Bits of You & Pieces of Me." (If you didn't, shoot me an email and I'll get it to you!)
But there's still another winner left. My goody bag is up for grabs, with a signed copy of my book, among other great prizes. Who will win this most epic treat?
[image error]Drum roll please…
And the winner is…
RANDOM CHICK
This awesome lady commented on several blogs (thus increasing her random chances of winning!) She has been emailed with the great news!
As a new contributing member of the Indie Book Collective, I was so excited to participate in this awesome contest. It brought me closer to my readers, and closer to other authors! Through all the fun loving smack talk, we had each other's backs.
So thank you all for your support and keep an eye on IBC for some more great contests and ways to win free ebooks, kindles, and more!!
April 24, 2011
The Underdog, REBORN! vs ANOTHER award winning author
This is me, rising from the ashes of "Underdog" into my new form! Champion!!
Last Wednesday I was the Underdog going up against John Sundman and his award winning cyber-punk techno-thriller novel of epic scariness, "Acts of the Apostle". But like Rocky, I prevailed! Rising from the ashes of my victory, like the legend of the Phoenix, I have been reborn a champion, thanks to all of you who bet on me against the odds and threw a punch against my opponent!
With copious amounts of exclamation points!, an arsenal of #hashtags and a plethora of comments, #Victorywasours!
Now you have a chance to back the Underdog, Reborn! My new opponent fights dirty with ANOTHER award winning novel! Ann Charles, author of the creepy, funny, and totally relatable (Not that I've been shot in the ass…) "Nearly Departed in Deadwood." #iknow #fabuloustitle #notjealousATALL is ready to rumble with some serious girl on girl action today #notTHATkind #Sheesh!
So why should you vote for me? (besides the #rockinghashtaguse?)
While my newly published book "Bits of You & Pieces of Me" has yet to win any awards, it has received rave reviews as being a work of epic genius and soulful, poetic beauty. You will laugh, cry and feel all the shades of pain and love that make up life.
~~~
Kimberly Kinrade is a genius. Simply put. Bits of You & Pieces of Me is a work of literary [image error]art. 5/5 stars
There are some stunning works of poetry intermingled between observational pieces and short stories. 5/5 stars
~~~
There's something here for everyone. Heart-wrenching poetry. Insightful essays on life and love. Painful reflections on domestic violence. Poignant short stories in horror, drama and even a zombie fantasy! (BTW, Ann does not have a SINGLE zombie in her book! #WTH? #anotherplusforme!)
For those who crave inspiration, enjoy the short story "The Minute" and rethink everything you thought you knew about time if you found a Minute hiding under your bed!
By voting for me, you bring awareness to domestic violence (It can happen to anyone, #trustme.) You fill the world with inspiration, and most importantly, you give a few misunderstood zombies their day to shine! #howcanyouresist!
And if you need more motivation, check out more rockin' reviews of "Bits of You & Pieces of Me"
You need to get a copy of this book today. ~Immortality & Beyond
We are voting by email this time, (You can read our smack talk at the IBC blog) so send your email to indiebookibc@gmail.com and tell them you vote for Kimberly "The Conqueror" Kinrade! You'll get a free ebook copy of my book and get entered into a championship goody bag give away where you could win
A self-care kit with bath salts, a scented candle and sponge, a gift card set and a beautiful pen and journal! AND a signed copy of my paperback book "Bits of You & Pieces of Me."
So come on, you KNOW you want that! (Don't worry guys, it's not overly girly, you will enjoy it too!)
LIKE my FB page (to the Right) and FOLLOW my blog (to the right) for extra points towards the goodie bag.
The winner will be announced on the Indie Book Blog Talk Radio show on Tuesday at 4:30 PST and I might even be on the show for the LIVE announcement with my opponent!
[image error]Thanks for making me champ once. Let's do again #forkeeps!! #yahbaby #bringit
Kimberly "The Conqueror" Kinrade
Don't forget to send that email and tell your friends! indiebookibc@gmail.com
April 19, 2011
The Underdog vs. The Giant in an Epic Cage Match #authorstyle
This is me, the Underdog (aka Rocky!), facing off against a giant. Only I'm a girl. And cuter.
Get your bets in now for the cage match of the century!
We are going to take John Sundman DOWN! #thatwouldbeyou
Which author will win this round in this Blog Tour de Force and earn a chance at the Championship with the most relevant comments on their blog?
(BTW EVERY comment receives a FREE ebook! shh)
If you favor the underdog, then you've come to the right place. And who doesn't want to see the underdog rise in victory at that last moment? Sweat soaked, bloody and holding the trophy! (Ok, maybe no sweat and blood, cuz, yuck, but I'm all for trophies!)
Sure my opponent has like 9 gazillion amazing reviews on Amazon about his book.
Sure it took me three days before I was willing to use my computer, or phone, or microwave again after reading his award winning, riveting techno-thriller of mass scariness, Acts of the Apostles.
But let's not forget that the recently published "Bits of You & Pieces of Me" is already getting stellar reviews of its own.
Kimberly Kinrade is a genius. Simply put. Bits of You & Pieces of Me is a work of literary art. 5/5 stars
There are some stunning works of poetry intermingled between observational pieces and short stories. 5/5 stars
~~~
This is a soul-wrenching book of love, heartbreak, abuse and survival. The poems, short stories and essays will leave you changed forever. #Ihope
And if soulful brilliance isn't enough, there are prizes too!
1: Comment here for a free ebook copy of "Bits of You & Pieces of Me" . That's right, every relevant comment gets a free ebook, just for throwing a punch at my opponent! #woot (No e-reader required, btw. #truestory)
2: Pick your favorite review my sponsors are just a post click away! And were foretold before this epic battle!> of "Bits of You & Pieces of Me" and comment there for a chance to win my epic championship goody bag. Oh, but there's a catch! You must comment with the phrase "I have loved and lost and still I live!" in order to qualify. (US Residents only please.) Email me that you have commented to be entered!
3. LIKE my Facebook Author page , follow this blog and send others over to comment and LIKE to receive extra points. (Shoot me an email w deets! kimberly.kinrade at gmail.com)
3. And did I mention the KINDLE! EVERY relevant comment counts as an entry toward your very own, brand new, fully loaded with all 12 books from this tour, KINDLE!
So COMMENT, COMMENT, COMMENT and let's show the big boys who the true CHAMP is! #thatwouldbeme #Youknewthat #right?
And remember, this isn't about who's book is best. This is about the MOST COMMENTS! It's just a friendly, innocent #polisheshalo cage match to the death. #errr #notdeath #disregard
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See? WAY cuter than Rocky! #lesssweatytoo
~Kimberly "The Conqueror" Kinrade
P.S. Send a friend through tweets, facebook and more and get EXTRA entries for the KINDLE. Just email indiebookibc@gmail.com with the details and you'll score!
Blog Tour de Force Sponsors of Epicness
Tomorrow I will engage in mortal combat with author John Sundman. Much is on the line (and online! lol) as we fight for the most comments on our blog.
Our wonderful sponsors have made this cage match the most epic of all times!
So, to earn extra points for goodies, books and a fully loaded KINDLE! Check out their links and comment on your favorite review.
Oh, but there's a catch! You need the special phrase with which to comment in order for your entry to be valid. And you can't get that unless you come back to my blog tomorrow!! #Imsneaky
But here's a sneak peek at the sites who make this possible!
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April 18, 2011
My Unbreakable Heart: Baby Steps
[image error]I knew I was dreaming. But this wasn't unusual. I almost always knew when I was dreaming. And I could usually manipulate my dreams. Well, most of them.
Except for the special dreams.
I'd had the special dreams since I was a little girl. Sometimes I'd have the same dream every night for a year, then 'it' would happen and the special dream would stop. Usually 'it' wasn't something good. Like my grandmother falling and ending up in a wheel chair, or my grandfather dying.
But on that night, the special dream was full of life. Literally.
I was pregnant. With a daughter. A beautiful little girl who would change my life. I saw into her chocolate brown eyes (none of my girls would get my blue) and it felt like looking into the eyes of God. When I woke up my heart was pounding and I knew this was no ordinary dream.
Click on my post with Lifarre.com to read the rest & join me Mon, Wed & Fri at this awesome Women's Network site as I write a 10-part series on Domestic Violence and the life I created on the other side of that journey! Please LIKE, RT & post comments on both sites to help bring awareness!
April 15, 2011
My Unbreakable Heart: Nights of Insanity
It was 10 p.m.[image error]
He still wasn't home.
Dinner was cold. I was fuming.
This was our date night. He was due home at 7. His phone went straight to voicemail. I felt impotent and powerless. Not feelings I enjoyed all that much. #understatement
We'd only been married a few months and already our lives were tail-spinning out of control. We fought all the time. I was miserable. He was distant and hard.
I couldn't figure out where the misstep was. How had we gone from madly in love to just mad in such a short span?
In abject defeat I laid on the couch crying while the candles on our kitchen table melted to nothing
The door creaked open at 2:30 a.m. My eyes were nearly swollen shut from tears of self-pity. He stunk of cigarettes and alcohol. And he had that look. The look that speaks of hard liquor more than the smell and the uneven footsteps. The glossy eyes and lag in fine motor expressions. No amount of over-enunciation could wipe away the evidence that he was drunk off his ass. Again.
All the tears I had shed in my first few lonely months of marriage boiled to the surface, spewing out me in rage and hate.
Click on my post with Lifarre.com to read the rest & join me Mon, Wed & Fri at this awesome Women's Network site as I write a 10-part series on Domestic Violence and the life I created on the other side of that journey! Please LIKE, RT & post comments on both sites to help bring awareness!
April 14, 2011
The most EPIC Cage Match of all times!
Are you ready to RUMBLE!!!!!!!!!
[image error]Starting April 18th, get ready to lay your bets #akacomments as the best of the best authors go at it #sotospeak to compete for your comments in a Blog Tour de Force to rival all blog tours! Win books, goody bags, prizes and even a fully loaded KINDLE!
The smack talk has begun. (John Sundman is going DOWN baby!)
Fighting gloves are on! (Mine are red of course, to hide the blood!)
And excessive use of exclamation points has commenced.
Now it's time to GET PUMPED!
And swing back here April 20th to double the love on my blog as I show the world that the Underdog can take the day in this championship battle!
April 13, 2011
My Unbreakable Heart: Til Death Do Us Part
[image error]"Marry me?" he begged, his eyes so sincere and adoring.
I sat on the edge of his bed, still reeling from the cinematic horror I had just witnessed.
How could the two towers be gone? I wondered. All those people? All those lives? People I knew. I was supposed to have been in New York. I could have been in those towers.
"Kimberly?" his voice pulled me back to him.
"Hmm?"
"Marry me," He repeated.
"We are getting married," I reminded him, holding up his dog tags that hung around my neck. My engagement ring.
His pay and our whirl wind courtship didn't allow for fancy jewelry. I didn't mind. It was romantic. Exciting. Just like him. Our chemistry was nothing I'd ever imagined, let alone had. Soul mates, I'd thought. Destiny.
My friends and family questioned my sanity. I was more educated, worldly, liberal. A feminist. He did manual labor and was in the National Guard.
But I saw things they didn't. He was well-read, brilliant in his own way. He was kind and sexy and made me laugh. When I looked in his eyes I saw my future. I couldn't yet see the pain he would cause me.
Click on my post with Lifarre.com to read the rest of this post & join me Mon, Wed & Fri at this awesome Women's Network site as I write a 10-part series on Domestic Violence and the life I created on the other side of that journey! Please LIKE, RT & post comments on both sites to help bring awareness!
April 11, 2011
My Unbreakable Heart: The Beginning of the End
[image error]"Does anyone have a cigarette?" I asked, standing outside an Irish Pub in my California hometown. I was on summer break from my college studies in New York at Sarah Lawrence. Full of life, ideas and the sure knowledge that I was indestructible.
I wasn't proud of my recently acquired smoking habit. But in the theatre-land of New York, you couldn't beat 'em so you might as well join 'em. It felt unnatural to drink without a cigarette now, on the rare occasion that I drank at all.
"I don't have an extra, but you can share this one with me." The man who spoke was handsome with dark hair and eyes to match. I felt a stirring in my body and reached to accept the cigarette, inhaling deeply.
Such an innocuous beginning. I wasn't meant to be there that night. I didn't like bars. Or drinking for that matter. I was there at the insistence of a friend. He was there to honor the death of a friend. It was only meant to be a fling before I jetted back to my hard-earned life in New York.
I often wonder who I would have become had things been different. Had my friend and I gone out the night before as planned. Had I not given in to my craving for a cigarette. Had I worked harder to find the extra funds to cover my increased tuition that Fall.
I wonder what different roads were open to me. How a one-night-stand turned into an almost 10 year nightmare.
This is how.
Click on my post with Lifarre.com to read more & join me Mon, Wed & Fri at this awesome Women's Network site as I write a 10-part series on Domestic Violence and the life I created on the other side of that journey! Please LIKE, RT & post comments on both sites to help bring awareness!
