Kimberly Kinrade's Blog, page 29

Get "Bits of You & Pieces of Me" FREE Today Only!

[image error]You read that right. Today only, "Bits of You & Pieces of Me" is free with rebate for Bestseller for A Day, an awesome promotional sponsored by the Indie Book Collective.

When you buy my book for 99¢ at the same time as  "A Walk in the Snark" by Rachel Thompson for 99¢ and go to our Bestseller for a Day website, you can apply for a rebate for my book. Two great books for one amazingly low price.

Your purchase also enters you to win $50 in Amazon Gift Cards!!

This is a one day deal to help Rachel rise to the ranks of bestseller for a day on Amazon. (And to help bump up my ranking as well!)

By supporting us with your purchase, not only are you getting two amazing reads, but you are supporting indie authors everywhere as we show the world that our books ROCK! (Because they do, read the reviews!)

So go on, read the details on Bestseller for a Day. Then go buy "Bits of You & Pieces of Me" & "A Walk in the Snark" on Amazon.

And no, you don't need a kindle to participate. Amazon has plenty of FREE Kindle Apps to chose from.

What are you waiting for? Need more convincing?

Read what others are saying:

"Kimberly Kinrade is a genius. Simply put. Bits of You & Pieces of Me is a work of literary art. "

~L.M. Stull

Author of "Memoirs of a Monkey" Spring 2011

Founder of Between the Lines book club

~~~

"This was as if Kimberly Kinrade had ripped out her very beautiful and eloquent heart and presented it in front of you. "

~Katie John

Author of "The Knight Trilogy"

~~~

"Part poetry, part confessional, part writers anthology, Kimberly Kinrade

obviously pours her heart and soul into this work. All of it mesmerizing!"

~Brick ONeil

Writer/Book Reviewer

~*~*~*~

[image error] Coupled with "A Walk in the Snark" by Rachel Thompson

"Crisp, cutting and caffeinated. A gem of a read."

Rebecca Tsaros Dickson

Author of I Could Tell You Stories and editor in chief of Indie Ink

"Rachel lends her trademark sardonic wit in full eBook format. A Walk In The Snark is her don't miss look at the relationship between men and women.

Liz Borino

Author of Expectations and founder of Lazy Day Publishing.

"A WALK IN THE SNARK" – a collection of Rachel's best stuff, should be at the top of your 'recommended readin' list for you and your guymanperson. Maybe it should even be a required reading "manual" for marriage. I'm pretty sure it could solve ALL the problems couples face, stop global warming and result in a true and lasting world peace. If nothing else it'll make you think, laugh, think, and laugh some more."

Daniel Audet

Author, The Writer's Road

What have you got to lose? Well, except sleep at night because you can't put down our amazing books! #sleepisoverrated!

Why We Stay…

[image error]I wrote of this once. In fiction. It was easier to speak in third person, hiding behind the characters I created. "When he choked her to near unconsciousness", I could protect myself with that invisible wall.

But it's time. To speak out. To use my name in telling my story. For myself. For others. Because I have the words to speak of it when so many others don't. And then the question inevitably arises…

Why do women stay in abusive marriages? This is what most people think, if they don't ask it outright. Hell, I STILL ask this question, as I have yet to come up with an adequate answer for myself.

The short answer is I don't know. But it's not why you think. How do I know? Because I stayed for almost 10 years. And it wasn't for any reason that most people imagined.

After all, why does a dying frog stay in a boiling pot of water? Because it takes time for the heat to be a true threat.

By then it's too late.

This is a post for Lifarre.com Please click here to read the rest and click LIKE to bring awareness to the subject of domestic violence.

Win an Ereader or $200 GC!!

I can't help it. I'm addicted to spreading the word about contests and cool stuff! And this time, the awesome Bibliophilic Book Blog is offering another great giveaway of an Ereader or $200 GC.

CHECK IT!

"I am going to start March, and hopefully my more frequent return to the blogging world (work permitting) by having another epic giveaway!

The usual in honor of bookmark day will run until April 5th. Anyone can enter (who is over the age of 13) Please follow when you enter if you don't already…but it is NOT a requirement, I would just love you to return.

So what can you win…let's see….AN EREADER or GC of your choice from the bookstore of your choice….ereader type can not be more than $200 and GC is the same. All you have to do it fill out the form, follow(hopefully) and sit back and wait for the results…there will be extra entries given on Bookmark Day on the 15th of March!"

So there you have it! Do I bring you great treats or what!!

Once Upon A Time There Was A Girl…

who believed in love.

But she did not believe in herself.

She was a romantic at heart. Where Disney was god and every story had a happily ever [image error]after.

Though life showed her no evidence that this was the way things worked, still she held onto the belief that her Prince would come and save her from the Darkness of her world.

With a kiss she would wake to magic and fairies and unicorns.

As she grew older she stopped believing in love, though she still believed in magic and fairies and unicorns. Love seemed too impossible to be true.

But still…somewhere deeper she clung to the notion that it could maybe exist.

And so she wed.

But what she thought was love turned angry and violent.

[image error]And so love became equated with fear.

It would take the girl many years to learn love and fear were not the same.

This is her story. Told in poems. Old journal entries. Essays.

About love. Writing. Life. Passion. Those things in life that animate our souls.

There is no beginning and end, only a telling of what she has learned so far.

She has learned to love. To fear. To hate. And then to love again. Through it all, she writes.

~Bits of You & Pieces of Me by Kimberly Kinrade

Buy it now on Amazon as paperback or eBook, on Smashwords in various eVersions.

Help a fellow author launch book with AWESOME contest!

[image error]Yes, it appears I'm ALL ABOUT THE CONTESTS this week! What can I say. I'm a selfless giver who loves to help fellow authors promote their work. (The wickedly fun goody bags and gifts have absolutely NO impact on my decision to blog about these contests. #seriously #yeahright What? I can't help it if they seduce me with free critiques and free books and free mugs with COFFEE! You see my dilemma?)

So, check out the details of this newest greatest contest from Linda D. Welch, author of "Along Came a Demon" & "Dead Demon Walking"

[image error]Whisperings fans call the series a blend of urban fantasy, paranormal romance, mystery and humor. I call it paranormal mystery with a splash of humor and dash of romance. To celebrate the release of book three, DEAD DEMON WALKING, here is a little contest which will net the lucky winners a few goodies, some of them provided by Whisperings personalities Royal Mortensen and Tiff Banks.

You could win: Winner:

* Exclusive – Royal's coffee mug.

* Royal's favorite organically grown coffee.

* Exclusive – Whisperings poster.

* Tiff's favorite made-in-Utah chocolates.

* Your choice of Gift certificate: $20.00 or £13.00 Amazon, or $20.00 Barnes & Noble.

* Dead Demon Walking T-shirt featuring a quote from the book, in your size. The T-shirt shown is a woman's baby-doll style, but they're available in a variety of styles if the winner is a guy or a woman who prefers something looser.

Two Runners-up:

* Gift certificate. Your choice of $10.00 or £6.00 Amazon, or $10.00 Barnes & Noble.

Click here to find out how to win this awesome goody bag!

Win A Critique: YA Style!

I stumbled upon this contest through one of my fav places to hang in the cyberspace. TWITTER! If you write Young Adult, this is a must see. Here are the deets!

Oasis for YA: Win A Critique

"We are so thrilled to have hit 300 followers on our blog, and wanted to do something to celebrate! We are offering one lucky winner the opportunity to have ALL 5 of us critique either their query letter or their first chapter. That's like getting 5 new critique partners in one fell swoop!

To enter you must be a follower of the blog (old or new, doesn't matter) and fill out the form below by midnight April 1st. You can get an extra entry for tweeting and an extra two entries for blogging about the contest. "

I for one think this is an awesome contest and I will be submitting THE RELUCTANT FAMILIAR for this critique. Probably the first chapter, rather than the query. I'm very excited. And to get YOU excited about my book: (Shameless plug? Why yes it is!)

[image error]

Shamed by her family.

A disgrace to witches everywhere.

Agnes must decide:

Is she a normal 13-year-old-girl, or the most powerful witch alive?

Because after a  seemingly chance encounter with a flea-ridden alley cat finds her bonded to a god and in possession of powers she has no control over, life is anything but normal.

As if that's not enough to upset a girl's day, a powerful ring has been stolen. And Agnes and Sebastian are the only hope for getting it back.

If they succeed, they will each get their heart's desire.

But if they fail, death will be their only reward.

SNEAK PEAK:

A scratchy tongue licked my face. Pressure on my chest, heavy but not unpleasant. Fur. Memories trickled into my befuddled mind. With memories came pain. Shooting pain. Mind-numbing pain. The ground shook. No, wait. Was I shaking? That seemed more likely than the alternative, my rational mind argued.

Understanding eluded me. Like trying to put together a complex puzzle without the box as a guide. I couldn't see what shape my mismatched thoughts and senses were making. I dreaded the experience of opening my eyes, but suspected it was necessary if I wanted to avoid spending my life in a dirty alley. I was still in the alley, wasn't I?

My hands brushed the ground around me. Yes. It felt like it. The weight on my chest purred. Oh. My eyelids peeled themselves back reluctantly. Large silver eyes bore into mine with an expression that was out of place on an animal. A mixture of annoyance, resignation and gratitude. Odd.

But not as odd as…

You're finally awake.

The voice that broadcasted itself into my mind was male. Slightly British sounding. Haughty. And…cat-like.

Cat-like? No. That can't be. Unless I'm dreaming? Yes. That made more sense. I hit my head, I reasoned, and am now pulling bits of my real life and my fantasy life of Narnia into my unconsciousness.

You are not dreaming, unfortunately, said the voice with more than a little condescending.

Not that I'm not quite grateful for your fortuitous intervention, mind you. But really, did you have to be so dramatic about the whole thing? A little over-the-top if you ask me.

I groaned. The cat was, in fact, talking. Albeit in my head. And this wasn't a dream. Too much pain for a dream, for one. And the level of clarity and mundane chronology also argued for reality. I sighed. Not a great day for me. I still didn't understand what I'd done.

You really have no idea what you've done do you? The cat asked, clearly appalled.

Click here to read more!

The Reluctant Familiar – sneak peek

[image error]A scratchy tongue licked my face. Pressure on my chest, heavy but not unpleasant. Fur. Memories trickled into my befuddled mind. With memories came pain. Shooting pain. Mind-numbing pain. The ground shook. No, wait. Was I shaking? That seemed more likely than the alternative, my rational mind argued.

Understanding eluded me. Like trying to put together a complex puzzle without the box as a guide. I couldn't see what shape my mismatched thoughts and senses were making. I dreaded the experience of opening my eyes, but suspected it was necessary if I wanted to avoid spending my life in a dirty alley. I was still in the alley, wasn't I?

My hands brushed the ground around me. Yes. It felt like it. The weight on my chest purred. Oh. My eyelids peeled themselves back reluctantly. Large silver eyes bore into mine with an expression that was out of place on an animal. A mixture of annoyance, resignation and gratitude. Odd.

But not as odd as…

You're finally awake.

The voice that broadcasted itself into my mind was male. Slightly British sounding. Haughty. And…cat-like.

Cat-like? No. That can't be. Unless I'm dreaming? Yes. That made more sense. I hit my head, I reasoned, and am now pulling bits of my real life and my fantasy life of Narnia into my unconsciousness.

You are not dreaming, unfortunately, said the voice with more than a little condescension.

Not that I'm not quite grateful for your fortuitous intervention, mind you. But really, did you have to be so dramatic about the whole thing? A little over-the-top if you ask me.

I groaned. The cat was, in fact, talking. Albeit in my head. And this wasn't a dream. Too much pain for a dream, for one. And the level of clarity and mundane chronology also argued for reality. I sighed. Not a great day for me. I still didn't understand what I'd done.

You really have no idea what you've done do you? The cat asked, clearly appalled.

"Duh! That's what I've been saying…er… thinking!" I finally spoke out loud just to see if I could. It came out more like a croak.

"I don't even have any magick. I'm not a proper Witch. I couldn't have done anything!" I explained.

The cat laughed a sarcastic sort of laugh.

"Yes, ok. So glad I amuse you. Now can you kindly get off me? I can't breathe."

He hopped off my chest gracefully and paced as I slowly lifted myself to sitting position. World spun. Stomach flipped and flopped. Head pounded. Not fun.

What could have possibly given you the idea that you have no power my dear girl? That is the most ludicrous thing I have ever heard!

I stammered. "Well, I just have never had any. Everyone else got a gift. Something they could do. I didn't. And I saw hundreds of the finest cats in the Pacific Northwest, and nothing. Not one little tiny flicker of bonding. So everyone assumed…" my voice trailed off as I relived the last two years of brutal tests and experiments.

For my family to have an Ungifted child meant they would lose everything. Their standing in the Council. Their work for the Magistrate. Our money. House. All of it. It was the worst fate for a Witch family. Worse than if I had died at birth. I was not unaware of this. Ever.

Which is why I had tried so hard to please them. I didn't want it. Any of it. I would have much preferred to be left alone. But I couldn't give up if it meant my family would lose it all because of me. That didn't seem right. Though trying to be someone I clearly wasn't so we could live in a huge house seemed wrong on some level too. I just didn't know what the right answer was. Maybe there wasn't a right answer. Maybe the world was made up of grey. Like my new friend here.

Startled, I realized I was actually having a conversation with this cat. In my head. I began worrying about my sanity again.

The cat sighed. It was a funny sound coming from him.

This is precisely why I've no interest in being attached to a witch. He spit the word out like it was a vulgarity. They are so enamored with their own selves and their political machinations. It really is entirely too human for my taste.

It hit me then. What he said. What it implied. What it meant. I felt dizzy.

"Wait. Are you…um…no. Are you saying we bonded? That YOU are my Familiar? And…I have magick?"

You're not very bright are you? Pity, that. I thought the least the Fates could do if they were to stick me with such an unfortunate circumstance would be to give me a clever Witch-girl with whom to amuse myself. This could get tedious very quickly.

He sat regally as he spoke. Tail swishing behind him. Silver eyes gleaming.

Yes, scrawny one. We have bonded. And yes, you are most definitely full of magick. Brimming with it. There's that at least. Not unexpected though. Only very powerful magick could bond with the likes of me.

You know I've only recently come back to this world after much time away for… well…let's just say for personal reasons. I remember you earth people being much smarter. It seems this polluted air has indeed killed off some genetic brain matter. For if the Witches around you can't feel your power from acres away, then they are dim-witted indeed!

I was magick? And bonded? Oh gods be damned. That was…well…that wasn't possible. Was it?

I screeched and nearly kicked the cat as I stood.

My head pounded in panic and pain.

"My parents are going to KILL me! I've bonded to an alley cat. They will never forgive me. Ever."

He hissed and his hair stood on end.

An alley cat?? Of all the…my girl, I will forgive this transgression this once, what with your inherent inferiority and recent strain, but never again. I am neither alley bred, nor am I entirely a cat, per se. Certainly I am not a Being to be scorned or trivialized as your tone of voice implied. Why, in my glory days the Pharaoh himself raised offerings to…

His voice droned on as I picked up my dropped book and gave myself a once over. Did I look different? I couldn't tell. But I did feel…funny somehow. Then I noticed the birds. They were lying on the pavement in a triangle. Still as stone. Dead.

Bile rose up in my throat.

I couldn't bring myself to kill a spider. I didn't even eat meat. I refused to condone the killing of animals for my food if there were other options available.

And I had just ended the life of three birds. Using magick. Do No Harm. My first act as a Witch and I broke our most sacred covenant. Could this day get any worse?

Well, as it turns out, that's not a great question to ask yourself. Trust me.

Tears burned my eyes. I swiped at them impatiently and looked at the cat. My Familiar. My constant companion for the rest of my life. What had I done?

The Reluctant Familiar – sneak peak

[image error]A scratchy tongue licked my face. Pressure on my chest, heavy but not unpleasant. Fur. Memories trickled into my befuddled mind. With memories came pain. Shooting pain. Mind-numbing pain. The ground shook. No, wait. Was I shaking? That seemed more likely than the alternative, my rational mind argued.

Understanding eluded me. Like trying to put together a complex puzzle without the box as a guide. I couldn't see what shape my mismatched thoughts and senses were making. I dreaded the experience of opening my eyes, but suspected it was necessary if I wanted to avoid spending my life in a dirty alley. I was still in the alley, wasn't I?

My hands brushed the ground around me. Yes. It felt like it. The weight on my chest purred. Oh. My eyelids peeled themselves back reluctantly. Large silver eyes bore into mine with an expression that was out of place on an animal. A mixture of annoyance, resignation and gratitude. Odd.

But not as odd as…

You're finally awake.

The voice that broadcasted itself into my mind was male. Slightly British sounding. Haughty. And…cat-like.

Cat-like? No. That can't be. Unless I'm dreaming? Yes. That made more sense. I hit my head, I reasoned, and am now pulling bits of my real life and my fantasy life of Narnia into my unconsciousness.

You are not dreaming, unfortunately, said the voice with more than a little condescending.

Not that I'm not quite grateful for your fortuitous intervention, mind you. But really, did you have to be so dramatic about the whole thing? A little over-the-top if you ask me.

I groaned. The cat was, in fact, talking. Albeit in my head. And this wasn't a dream. Too much pain for a dream, for one. And the level of clarity and mundane chronology also argued for reality. I sighed. Not a great day for me. I still didn't understand what I'd done.

You really have no idea what you've done do you? The cat asked, clearly appalled.

"Duh! That's what I've been saying…er… thinking!" I finally spoke out loud just to see if I could. It came out more like a croak.

"I don't even have any magick. I'm not a proper Witch. I couldn't have done anything!" I explained.

The cat laughed a sarcastic sort of laugh.

"Yes, ok. So glad I amuse you. Now can you kindly get off me? I can't breathe."

He hopped off my chest gracefully and paced as I slowly lifted myself to sitting position. World spun. Stomach flipped and flopped. Head pounded. Not fun.

What could have possibly given you the idea that you have no power my dear girl? That is the most ludicrous thing I have ever heard!

I stammered. "Well, I just have never had any. Everyone else got a gift. Something they could do. I didn't. And I saw hundreds of the finest cats in the Pacific Northwest, and nothing. Not one little tiny flicker of bonding. So everyone assumed…" my voice trailed off as I relived the last two years of brutal tests and experiments.

For my family to have an Ungifted child meant they would lose everything. Their standing in the Council. Their work for the Magistrate. Our money. House. All of it. It was the worst fate for a Witch family. Worse than if I had died at birth. I was not unaware of this. Ever.

Which is why I had tried so hard to please them. I didn't want it. Any of it. I would have much preferred to be left alone. But I couldn't give up if it meant my family would lose it all because of me. That didn't seem right. Though trying to be someone I clearly wasn't so we could live in a huge house seemed wrong on some level too. I just didn't know what the right answer was. Maybe there wasn't a right answer. Maybe the world was made up of grey. Like my new friend here.

Startled, I realized I was actually having a conversation with this cat. In my head. I began worrying about my sanity again.

The cat sighed. It was a funny sound coming from him.

This is precisely why I've no interest in being attached to a witch. He spit the word out like it was a vulgarity. They are so enamored with their own selves and their political machinations. It really is entirely too human for my taste.

It hit me then. What he said. What it implied. What it meant. I felt dizzy.

"Wait. Are you…um…no. Are you saying we bonded? That YOU are my Familiar? And…I have magick?"

You're not very bright are you? Pity, that. I thought the least the Fates could do if they were to stick me with such an unfortunate circumstance would be to give me a clever Witch-girl with whom to amuse myself. This could get tedious very quickly.

He sat regally as he spoke. Tail swishing behind him. Silver eyes gleaming.

Yes, scrawny one. We have bonded. And yes, you are most definitely full of magick. Brimming with it. There's that at least. Not unexpected though. Only very powerful magick could bond with the likes of me.

You know I've only recently come back to this world after much time away for… well…let's just say for personal reasons. I remember you earth people being much smarter. It seems this polluted air has indeed killed off some genetic brain matter. For if the Witches around you can't feel your power from acres away, then they are dim-witted indeed!

I was magick? And bonded? Oh gods be damned. That was…well…that wasn't possible. Was it?

I screeched and nearly kicked the cat as I stood.

My head pounded in panic and pain.

"My parents are going to KILL me! I've bonded to an alley cat. They will never forgive me. Ever."

He hissed and his hair stood on end.

An alley cat?? Of all the…my girl, I will forgive this transgression this once, what with your inherent inferiority and recent strain, but never again. I am neither alley bred, nor am I entirely a cat, per se. Certainly I am not a Being to be scorned or trivialized as your tone of voice implied. Why, in my glory days the Pharaoh himself raised offerings to…

His voice droned on as I picked up my dropped book and gave myself a once over. Did I look different? I couldn't tell. But I did feel…funny somehow. Then I noticed the birds. They were lying on the pavement in a triangle. Still as stone. Dead.

Bile rose up in my throat.

I couldn't bring myself to kill a spider. I didn't even eat meat. I refused to condone the killing of animals for my food if there were other options available.

And I had just ended the life of three birds. Using magick. Do No Harm. My first act as a Witch and I broke our most sacred covenant. Could this day get any worse?

Well, as it turns out, that's not a great question to ask yourself. Trust me.

Tears burned my eyes. I swiped at them impatiently and looked at the cat. My Familiar. My constant companion for the rest of my life. What had I done?

Magic, Wonder & Love

[image error]To remake something, you first have to unmake it.

To reset a broken bone, you have to re-brake it.

I'm being remade even as we speak. It's tricky to make long term plans when each minute is reshaping itself into something new.

To self-publish my next novel or not?

To homeschool or go public with my kids?

To cry or not to cry?

All I can do is stay in these moments and allow myself to stay open to these shifting tides, trusting that all is well and my world will be remade into something more glorious than I can even imagine.

My first book "Bits of You & Pieces of Me" was another major reshaping. It chronicles A Dark Night of the Soul that I moved through into this newest version of myself. It took a decade. (The journey, not the book!)

Now my shifts are faster, more subtle, more dramatic (can something be both of these at once without contradicting itself?) And I am awakening to the true me of my own heart's mystery and longing.

It's great fun, and a little terrifying and full of releases and crying spells, but mostly it is satisfying. I know I'm heading in the right direction. I feel the swells of wholeness holding me close as I see that I am not alone.

I am not incomplete.

I am not even broken.

Only the illusions are breaking, like glossy bubbles I mistook for something solid.

So I keep writing. Keep breathing. Keep loving. And keep living the brightest version of my life I know how to live.

For in this practice, staying mindful of my life's intent, I know I am moving mountains and catching rainbows, even if I can't always see them.

INTENT:

I author my world in Magic, Wonder & Love.

My words to live by.

My North Star and guiding light.

What is your intent? What do you use to chart the path of your life and stay true to that direction?

A Tale of Two Women

[image error]This is the story of two women, as the title implies. The consequences of paths chosen. The final form of experiences that shape us.

A Life Lost

A woman once lived who born many sorrows. Scars marred the flesh of a life lived in pain. Love had left her beaten and broken, with children to support and an empty wallet and future.

Her body ached under the strain of stress. Each step forward met her with hills and traps and impossible challenge. She had no help. No support. No one but her own dwindling ability to see her life in light and hope.

The mundanity of her existence brought on herself an existential crisis of disconnect. The rinse and repeat cycle of never-ending demands of hearth and home wore her down, breaking what little was left of her spirit.

Haunted by demons of the past, hounded by demons not yet met, the nevermore and evermore left her little peace.

She was a soul without rest.

A Life Lived

A woman once lived who born many sorrows. But also many joys. The pain of past horrors alchemized in her soul, revealing a transformation of consciousness and form.

Love pushed through the tar that might have trapped her in pity and poor choices. Each step forward greeted her with unexpected triumphs and unimagined turns.

Hope and happiness filled her life, with the laughter of her children as a guide to each new magic. Through growing strength and independence she found a will to create and relate.

[image error]The calming routine of her family focus left her free to explore the interior landscape of her own imagination. She created worlds and wonders and thrilled in the joy of awakening to pleasures of beauty and the fire of life.

Deepened by the scars of her past, she reveled in the present and welcomed what was to come with wonder and awe.

She was a soul without limits.

The Choice

Choose a life. Choose a path. We think we have no choice to change the form our life takes. That circumstances beyond our power have conspired to move us from one point to the next.

Not so. We are both. We are all. My story is told with pain and with hope. I am the life lived, or the life lost. I am that which I choose to perceive.

Both women are one. Both women are me. Only I can choose how to tell my story. Only I can choose how I interpret my world.

An excerpt from "Bits of You & Pieces of Me."