K.M. Jackson's Blog, page 18

I’m Coming Out!

Happy Friday! Well we’ve made it through another week. Thanks so much for the well wishes on my January cover for THREADS OF DESIRE.

I really appreciate it.

Here’s a little Friday Flashback to celebrate the end of the week and to give a hint and let you know that a little something something BIG is coming soon from KMJ!…. I’m coming out! To be continued….

 

 

 

 

 

All the best,

KMJ

Threads of Desire… Cover Reveal!

Cue the horns and grab your confetti the time is here! It’s the big cover reveal for my final book in my Crimson Romance self proclaimed Creative Hearts series called: THREADS OF DESIRE due out at the end of January 2014.

In this book we meet, Gabby the sexy, sassy and curvy fashion designer who just so happens to be the best friend to Samara my heroine from SEDUCTION’S CANVAS. Being a former fashion designer myself, I can’t wait to bring you into Gabby’s world.

And now a bit about THREADS OF DESIRE:

Sexy, fashionista Gabrielle Russell has been challenging Nick Ross most of his life and now is no exception. A top financial analyst, Nick has been dating his boss’s daughter and he’s on the fast track to turning his five-year marathon into a three-year sprint. But life throws him a curve and when he finds his perfect girlfriend curled up in a very un-zen like position with her yoga instructor. Faced with this awkward downward dog, Nick heads to the only place he can think of—his brother Steve’s place—only to be stuck face to hips, thighs, lips, just about everything with his roommate, Gabby. She’s the habit Nick just can’t shake. The one that got away and she won’t let him forget it. 

Gabrielle Russell is frustrated. She’s been banging it out for years as a curvy girl trying to make her creative mark the exclusive world of New York fashion and she’s hit a brick wall both personally and professionally. Now stuck in a dead end job designing jersey pantsuits for wannabe mafia wives while dodging the advances of her boss’s son, she doesn’t know how to get out of the hole she’s dug for herself. At least she has a bit of peace in the small apartment she shares with her childhood friend and roommate, Steve. 

Or she did until Nick Ross walked in. Mr. Perfection and her own devastation, the one that broke her heart and almost broke her spirit, and now here he’s back and looking for a place to camp out while he gets his life back on track. Well, she’s got news for him: She’s not the same girl she was all those years ago when just a look would send her heart stuttering. Okay, maybe she is, but now maybe it’s time the tables were turned on the unflappable Nick Ross.

 

 

And here it is…..

 

 

All the best,

KMJ

 

Cheers to Romance!

 

Happy new week! I can’t believe we’re now well into December, it’s feeling like the end of the year wants to go out on a quick flash instead of a slow burn. I wouldn’t mind a bit of a slow down right about now. Just to savor the end a little.

I had a wonderful weekend, heading into the city to meet with my RWA NYC chapter for our annual end of year holiday brunch which, as always was lovely and so much fun to relax with my old and new writerly NYC friends.  Well, this year’s brunch will be one that I will always cherish and never forget as I got the shock of all shocks when our wonderful president, Maria Ferrer stood to handle end of year business, announce the new board and then to finally announce the chapter’s member of the year, which I almost fell over when the name was called and it was … ME!

Talk about humbled and grateful. Writing is such a solitary career and for me to have found such a talented and supportive group of like minded friends and fellow colleagues that I can call on makes me feel truly blessed. I will cherish my RWA service pin always. Thank you RWA/NYC with all my heart!

And then to top it all off another fabulous thing happened this weekend when my 2nd book: Seduction’s Canvas was one of 12 Crimson Romance books picked as part of the Amazon Big Deal and are on sale from now until December 22nd for only $.99! Just click to the link on the right for Seduction!  Cheers to romance!

 

 

All the best,

KMJ

Oh yeah, I’m bad!

Happy New Week and Happy December! I hope all who were celebrating had a great Thanksgiving and a Happy Hanukkah. My Thanksgiving was lovely and full of Turkey and fun, though also quite full of my book 3 edits which I’m happy to report after a grueling process are now done and sent off to my editor.

This was a killer round that I times made me want to throw up my hands and throw in the towel. Thankfully I didn’t do that. I took that towel and cleaned my glasses with it, wiped my brow & rolled up my sleeves and got in there and got it done. Dreaming is easy but making it happen is gonna cost you.

Go me! I’m giving myself a high five for that one.  Who knows what the next round of edits will bring, but at this point I’m living victory by victory. So whoo hoo!

 

And congrats to Roxy for her win in Lena Hart’s giveaway. Roxy please send me your info so Lena can send you your prize! Thanks to all who entered

 

All the best,

KMJ

 

image from here

Writing the Secret Baby Novel- Meet Mikey! Because This Is Forever- Guest Post and a giveaway! with Lena Hart

I’m so happy to have my friend and chaptermate Lena Hart guest posting here today talking about her latest novel  BECAUSE THIS IS FOREVER and a fun romance  trope the secret baby! Please be sure to click on the raffle to enter her great giveaway! Take it away Lena!

 

Meet Mikey: Writing the Secret Baby Novel + GIVEAWAY

By Lena Hart

 

I have to admit, I never imagined I’d write a secret baby story. It’s a romance novel trope that’s been overdone and I just didn’t think I could write a unique enough story where the heroine would have a compelling enough motivation to keep her pregnancy from the hero.

But alas, I have written such a story and boy, was it a journey!

The most challenging part of writing the secret baby story: the “research”. This was a struggle for me—and a learning experience—because, not only did I have to learn to be a mother of an overly energetic 4-year old boy, I also had to get into the mind of said 4-year old. I don’t have any children of my own and don’t have much exposure to young children so writing about Mikey, my hero and heroine’s son, took a bit of Googling, ease-dropping, and quite a bit of people-watching.

During my online and field research I got to learn the dynamics of what eventually became Mikey. I learned that the average 4-year old speaks their minds—to the point of tactlessness—that they are picky eaters, occasionally demanding, and are a potential danger to themselves. Though some of my research came from watching the mothers on the bus or train, I have to give many thanks to the Mommy-blogs and YouTube videos that provided me with more insight into the mind of a toddler then I would have probably never gotten elsewhere.

The snippets I read and video clips I watched convinced me that there is little exaggeration needed when writing toddlers. They are truly natural-born entertainers. My heroine, Mia, certainly had her hands full with her chatty, energetic son and though I didn’t put in everything I gleaned from my online and field “research”, just having the knowledge made it seamless for me to channel the patient and occasional sternness my heroine needed in handle her son.

Ultimately, what I’ve learned about writing this story trope is that it’s one of those classic storylines that readers not only enjoy but can also connect and relate with. Yes, it’s a trope that may present little originality but like apple (or sweet potato) pie during the holidays, it never gets old. It’s a trope that introduces circumstances centered around some truth and I believe that provides a sort of comfort and familiarity to readers who enjoy reading about family and second chances at love.

I enjoyed writing Mia, Nate, and Mikey’s story—despite the mental and emotional rollercoaster this family put me on. And now I’m more than ready to take on the challenge of writing my next “Mikey”.

What do you love about the secret baby novel? Leave a comment and one lucky winner will be selected to win 1 of the 5 secret prizes. Prize and winner will be announced on December 1st.♥

a Rafflecopter giveaway



 

Lena Hart writes sensual romances with a hint of mystery and suspense. Her bestselling debut novel, BECAUSE THIS IS FOREVER, was released October 2013. To learn more about Lena and her work, visit www.LenaHartSite.com or find her musing out loud at www.scatblogging.blogspot.com .

 

More about “Because This Is Forever”:

Read the excerpt | Watch the trailer

 

Purchase here:

Amazon | B&N | All Romance eBooks

 

Thanks so much for being here today Lena!

All the best everyone and best of luck!

 

KMJ

 

Business Time

Happy Friday and Happy Weekend! Good for us making it through the week. Though you know me when I’m in deadline mode weekends mean nothing and it’s business time and not in the HA HA way, but in the get down to business and get these edits done way.

That’s ok. The weekend are for everyone and business is what you make of it. Enjoy!

 

All the best,

KMJ

 

image from amandaonwriting.tumblr.com

 

Press Pause

 

 

My weekend:

write,

edit,

write,

edit,

edit,

edit,

pause to refill

church &

this perfection:

Edit

now back to editing as deadline looms. What’s your week looking like?

All the best,

KMJ

Flipping the Script

I have gotten my edits back from my lovely editor on my final book in my Crimson trilogy and to say my head is spinning right now is a huge understatement. I have to keep cleaning my glasses to see the black left on the pages through all the red at this point (yes I know a necessary evil but still, WAAAA!). So to that I will be a little MIA for a bit while I clear the fog in my brain, try to flip colors and turn my frown upside down to bring some order and control back to this story. See you on the other side and I hope your week is fantastic.

 

All the best,

KMJ

 

 

Image from Amanda On Writing Tumblr

 

 

Persistence

Yesterday I met with my buddies, The Knitsters for the 1st time in a long time. It was wonderful to step  out of the Bat Cave and into the light for a few hours and it was also great to pick up the knitting needles again after being away from them for so long.

In anticipation I bought some new heather gray yarn in order to start on shawl that I had been admiring my friend knitting with a beautiful open weave stitch that was a step up from my usual knit/purl action.

I cast on the 97 stitches and got to the point where I needed some help so I got my friend to show me the steps in the stitch that I didn’t know. Here’s how it went: K1*yfwd, k3tog,yrn,P1,rep from*

No you’d think I’d be able to count, pay attention, and get that pattern but, um, no. My 1st try and I ended up off by 20 stitches. My 2nd try and I ended up off by 3, my 3rd try and I was off by 1. Yes people it took me 4 tries and this was no small scarf, I was casting on 97 stitches with each go, but after 4 times I finally got the row right and was so pleased with myself.

I think this says something to my never give it spirit (or just shows I’m loopy). Now I have to turn this attitude back toward my writing but remember to move away from the keyboard at times and bring it back to the needles.

Have a great weekend and I hope you try something new or an old fave this weekend.

 

All the best,

Kwana

 

Being Jack

I had to give Jack a bath yesterday as well as the rest of the house since he got up high and got into the dangerous leftover Halloween candy. I swear having Jack around is like having a very bad teen. I’m thinking I may finally need a liquor cabinet with a lock to keep the bread and chocolate away from him. Yep, he got into it all and ended up sick all over himself and the house. Nope, things have not been fun for the past few days. Not fun at all. But, thankfully we’ve made it through fresher and cleaner.

And I’m glad to see in the end he’s thinking about his actions. Or maybe he’s plotting his next mission. Who knows?

 

 

All the best,

KMJ