K.M. Jackson's Blog, page 39

Friday Goodness…

Thanks so much for making this a wonderful launch week. It’s been so exciting and tons of fun. Over the next few weeks I will be popping up in different spots all over the web promoting Through The Lens and telling you all about it as I go. Yeah, I’m sure you’ll be tired of me before long, but please hang in there, no worries between you all and the Jackster my head won’t get all that big. LOL.

But really, I can’t thank you all enough for sticking by me and encouraging me as I fought to make this dream come true. I actually do feel like I’ve won the crown this week!

You have all my love. Have a wonderful weekend!

 

K.M.J

aka

Me

 

P.S. Don’t forget to enter the contest and tell 2 friends! Thanks!

 

Image fm here

Your Wife Wrote What?

Good day folks. So last night I was cracking up as I watched as it started to really hit the DH that I was now published. While flipping back and forth between football and the DNC we were talking about the week so far and he turned to me and said, “So people have read the book? The WHOLE book?”

With the way he said it I couldn’t help but laugh. Finally those jitters and butterflies over people reading your words that I had been talking about was hitting him and hard. I think it may be because he was kind enough to tell some people at work about TTL and one women went and downloaded it right away coming back to comment on my dedication to him.

I just looked at him with what was probably a ‘duh dude’ face, but then I took in his nervous eyes and smiled. “Yep,” I said, “The WHOLE book. Hey, it was bound to happen one day.” Then he did that tight lip and run his hand over his forehead thing that he does and I wondered if a certain scenes were coming to his mind. I could practically feel his wheels spinning as he was probably second guessing if telling the folks at work was a good idea after all. Yep, it was funny to me.

Sweet pretty release day congratulations flowers fm the DH

Today I’m over at the fantastic Laura Simcox’s blog talking about Through The Lens, my hero and heroine and what a cheap date I happen to be (lucky DH).  Please stop on by here and see why.

 

Best,

Kwana

 

 

Hello My Name Is…

Happy Wednesday! Gee this week is flying by isn’t it? Today I’m hanging out with the Ladies In Red. The Ladies in Red Blog is the fantastic unofficial blog of the ladies of Crimson Romance. Please head on over there where I’m doing a Meet The Lady In Red  -K.M. Jackson (Me!) guest post. Just go on over, say I sent you, and pretend that I don’t over-share over here and you don’t already know all the answers to all the questions. Thanks!

 

Also have you entered my tell 2 friends contest yet? Well come on and get in there too!

Have a great Wednesday. You doing anything fab today? Me, I’m about to have my pipes snaked. Seriously, I’m about to have them snaked and no, the plumber is nothing like either of those guys from that naughty commercial. Oh well.

 

Best,

Kwana

Through The Lens release… The Remix!

So I’m a published author ya’ll, holla! Through The Lens is here. For better or worse. Gulp.

And with that I get to clean the clogged bathroom sink and say, “so I’m a published author ya’ll, HOLLA!” It still feels good to say it while I do it. And I do it with lots of attitude all sassy and Honey Boo Boo style while Jack gives me the crazy eye.

Thank you all so much for the well wishes yesterday. Please don’t forget to go here and enter my contest. It’s a good one!

This week you’ll get tired of me sending you to other places where I’m blog hopping but believe me you won’t be sorry. Not for the me factor, I’m ok, but once you get there please browse around and get to know these fabulous, maybe new to you blogs. They are all terrific and I think you’ll become instant fans as I am.

Today I’m over at author Synithia William’s blog talking about my how I became published and Through The Lens. Please stop on by and give it a read and a comment.

And Oh Boy, Through The Lens is Hanging with Bells. Bells has given Through The Lens it’s very first review! Trust me I was shaking as I read it. She is holding a contest today and giving away a copy of Through the Lens to the winner so please head over there and comment for your chance to win.

Thank you all so much again!

 

All the best,

K.M. Jackson

aka Kwana

Jumping Through!… Through The Lens release day & a contest!

No need to Labor, it’s release day for THROUGH THE LENS! Bells, whistles, confetti, hooray!!! I tell you if I were younger and a little more limber I’d be doing back flips right now. But since I’m not then I won’t. But trust me in my heart, past the nerves and the constant feeling of nausea, I’m doing a triple back handspring right now.

I hope you all are flipping and bouncing right along with me. I also hope you all stop flipping and download it this very week. Heck, this very minute. Let’s make Through The Lens an instant bestseller! Remember that old Faberge commercial? You tell two friends and so on, and so on and so on…  We’ll do one of those chains. I love going retro and it would seem telling my age.

 

So to get the ‘and so on’ party started I’m holding a contest. The winner will receive: Their choice of a $25.00 Amazon or Barnes and Noble gift card, a lovely shawl to ward away that early fall chill  in the air, and  a lovely picture frame to cherish the next moment they capture Through The Lens.

In TTL, Mika and Ale, though they have known each other for quite a long while, start to see each other with a different view. Tell me has this ever happened in your life?

So what are the rules for contest entry?

Leave me a comment saying what you have looked at with a new view.
For a 2nd entry Tweet the message: “Get a new view contest #ThroughTheLens by K.M. Jackson @kwanawrites http://amzn.to/NMladw & http://bit.ly/RBUU5v ” and then come back and let me know it was sent in the comments.
For a 3rd entry follow me here or on my official Facebook author page here and  leave a comment here letting me know that you are part of the team.

Please be sure to leave an email address where I can get back to you if you are the winner if you don’t have follow back capabilities. Thanks so much.

Sorry but the contest is only open to residents in the contiguous United States.

Winner will be chosen by Random.org on

All entries must be in by  midnight EST Friday the 14th.

 

Thank you all so much. Really, happy can’t begin to tell you how I feel today. All your encouragement and support over the years on ye old blog meant so much to me. I hope you enjoy Through The Lens and the books that follow.

And now the shameless plug…

THROUGH THE LENS can be found on Amazon, Barnes and Noble and on  iTunes

 

All the best, with all my heart,

K.M. Jackson aka Me!

Just a Nugget

I hope you are enjoying your holiday weekend. Today I’m happy to say that a snippet from THROUGH THE LENS is featured on Denyse Cohen’s site in her Dialogue Nugget Sunday feature. Denyse is another Crimson author and the author of One Hot Wonder which is available now from Crimson Romance. You can head over to her blog here to see more about One Hit Wonder and to read a Nugget from THROUGH THE LENS. Have a great day!

 

Best,

Kwana

 

image fm here

Winding Down…

Summer is winding down and early in the morning you get that hint of Fall chill in the air. What’s Jack up to? Well right now he’s just watching me and the rest of the crew spin around like winding tops, bumping and bouncing off the walls and each other as we ready the DD to go back to school and get ready for THROUGH THE LENS to come out on Monday. Yes, it’s pretty hectic around here with so much to do. Many t’s to cross and i’s to dot. The Jackster may be feeling a little lost in the shuffle of it all. But no worries come meal times he sure makes his presence known.

Have a wonderful weekend and don’t Labor too much. Stop by here on Labor Day for THROUGH THE LENS fun!

 

Best,

Kwana

The Next Big Thing… Who Me?

Everyone who follows me here on ye old blog knows how much I love a tagging game. Ok, stop making that face people. A girl can turn a new leaf. But really, this one was fun. The lovely Synithia Williams author of You Can’t Plan Love tagged me in this cool The Next Best Thing Game. The Next Big Thing? Wow, what a lofty name for a little game, but ok here goes… I’m in!

You ARE America’s Next… oops wrong show.

 

 

 

Here goes for real now…

What is the working title of your book?

Through The Lens

Where did the idea come from for the book?

It’s hard to remember but most likely a pretty busy day and I may have been craving an escape so I decided I’d write one. I also have a love and past history with fashion so it all just sort of came to me.

What genre does your book fall under?

Contemporary Romance/ Multi-Cultural Romance

Which actors would you choose to play your characters in a movie rendition?

For Mika I had a Nia Long from her Love Jones days in mind and for Ale, he has gone through a few stages and many actors, first there was the actor Kamar de los Reyes who played Antonio Vega on the now defunct soap One Life to Live and more recently the ultra hot William Levy.

What is the one-sentence synopsis of your book?

Mika Walters is a normal woman working in the not so normal world of New York Fashion, as the long time assistant to photographer Alejandro Vargas she’s tired of being the girl in the background and is ready for Ale to finally view her with the same passion as he does his photographs.

Will your book be self-published or represented by an agency?

It will be published by Crimson Romance and available in ebook form everywhere September 3rd.

How long did it take you to write the first draft of your manuscript?

I did a rough 50,000 words of this book during a NanoWrimo month then I put it away for a long while. After picking it back up and looking it over I realized  it was a mess and it took a long time to finish the last 10-15,000 words. It then took extensive editing to turn it into a story that made what I hope is some sense.

 What other books would you compare this story to within your genre?

The thought of comparing my book to anyone’s makes me nervous. I will say I’d love it if I can give the reader a feel good heartwarming story that makes them smile.

Who or What inspired you to write this book?

What always inspires me to write all my books is the need to get the character’s story out there. In this case with Mika and Ale I wanted to show the difference between how others see us and how we view ourselves.

What else about your book might pique the reader’s interest?

Well, the fact that my hero, Alejandro has been described as hot may pique the reader’s interest. To get that note totally made me smile.

Thanks so much for tagging me Synithia. And now I’m passing the fun along. Let’s see… who should I snag? I’ll go with Suleikha Snyder, Laura Simcox, Megan Caldwell and Heather Rodney-Diaz. Have fun ladies!

Best,

Kwana

 

 

 

 

The Reluctant Deb: An interview with author Becky Lower

Howdy folks, today I’d like to welcome another fantastic Crimson Romance author, Becky Lower to ye old blog. Becky has written a fantastic historical (you know how I love my historicals!) called THE RELUCTANT DEBUTANT.

Before we get to the questions here is a bit about THE RELUCTANT DEBUTANTE:

In 1855 New York, Ginger Fitzpatrick has absolutely no interest in taking part in the newest rage in America – the Cotillion Ball. Instead, Ginger would rather be rallying for women’s rights – at least until she meets her brother’s best friend from St. Louis, a dark mysterious man named Joseph Lafontaine, who ignites her passion and makes her question if love and marriage is such a ridiculous notion after all.

What she and the rest of New York’s high society don’t realize is that Joseph is half Ojibwa Indian, and therefore, totally unsuitable for marriage to a fine, cultured young lady.

In this Edith Wharton meets Julia Quinn tale, a young woman rebels against high society and opts for a life in which she creates her own set of rules.

Welcome Becky! Thanks for being here today.

Thanks, Kwana. I’m honored to be your guest.

Firstly I love that your book is written in 1855 high society. What made you go back there?

Why did I choose to write about New York City in 1855? I didn’t. It chose me. Let me explain.

I love Regency romances. Gobble them up. Julia Quinn is an all-time favorite, as is Tessa Dare, Lisa Klepas and Stephanie Laurens, to name a few. I think I’ve exhausted all the Regency books in the library by now. The balls, the lavish gowns, the intrigue, the push to find a suitable partner, the Dukes—it’s all so rich and fascinating. But I’m a home-grown American girl, not interested in learning all the trappings and protocol of English society in the detail necessary to write decent Regencies. I wanted to learn more about my own country. My “Aha” moment happened when I heard about a young ice skater, definitely an over-achiever and someone who had wealthy parents willing to accommodate her various diversions. She skated at the highest international levels, was set to attend Harvard in the fall, and she had just made her debut into society at her Cotillion ball. I hadn’t thought about the Cotillion as an American tradition, but I had friends who went through it when they were teenagers, so I began pumping them for information. And doing my research.

The roots of the Cotillion as a way to introduce well-bred young ladies into society and to their potential husbands was imported to this country in 1854, the brainstorm of a relative of John Jacob Astor, Annie Schermerhorn. It began as a masquerade ball, but by 1855, had become de rigueur for all wealthy females of marriageable age. As I began to set my stage for the series, I discovered the decade leading up to the Civil War was chock full of historic events—more than enough to craft a series around. The war may not have begun until 1861, when shots were fired on Fort Sumter, but the fighting began many years prior to that. Not only was there the question of slavery, but also the fight for women’s rights was beginning. Amelia Bloomer livened up New York in 1855 with her protests in the streets. And there was the whole western expansion, with wagon trains departing from St. Joseph and St. Louis, MO every spring. It was an exciting time for our raw and wild country, and I’ve tried to portray the women and men who tamed it in an appropriate vein.

The more I dug, the more I found to enrich the story—not only for Ginger and Joseph in The Reluctant Debutante, but in my second book, The Abolitionist’s Secret, due out in December, through Crimson Romance. That book deals with the Underground Railroad in New York City and how one evening’s events changed the life of my heroine and hero forever. My current work in progress is set in St. Louis and details the wagon trains that originated from there every spring.

Have you always enjoyed historical romance?

I loved the Little House On The Prairie series when I was young. My first contest win, when I was 12, was about Tom Dooley’s hanging. And, I wrote a screenplay for Bonanza that same year, resulting in my first-ever rejection letter. I’ve already let you know I love Regencies. So, I guess the answer is, yes. I’m not that much of a cowboy person, but give me a fur trapper or a gold digger any day.

I enjoy a spirited heroine. Did you have a specific inspiration for Ginger?

I didn’t have one specific person in mind as inspiration for Ginger. I like to think of her as the embodiment of several people who were leaders in the feminist movement—a bit of Gloria Steinem, a bit of Muriel Siebert—the first woman to own a seat on the New York Stock Exchange, which didn’t happen until 1967, by the way, and maybe a bit of me.

Any advice for the budding historical writer?

Find a time period you’re passionate about and write the best story you can. You can also educate your reader while you’re telling your story, which is a hidden benefit of writing historicals. By weaving in bits of actual history into my stories, by plunking my characters down in the middle of the action as events that shaped our country unfolded, I like to show how these milestone events impacted the lives of everyday citizens. The movie “Titanic” showed the very real disaster through the eyes of Jack and Rose, two of many aboard ship during the voyage. The moviegoer walked out of the theater with a better understanding of the class structure adhered to on board ship, and how both Jack and Rose chafed against the boundaries imposed upon them by society. You can read about it in history books, but it doesn’t become alive until you see how it impacts the lives of everyday people. That’s what I’m trying to do with my books.

What can we look for next from you?

My next book is due out in December, also from Crimson Romance. It’s called The Abolitionist’s Secret and is the second in the Cotillion Ball Series. It’s about Ginger’s younger sister, Heather, who unintentionally becomes an abolitionist when she helps a slave escape the clutches of the slavemongers chasing her. Freedom of all slaves then becomes her passion, which puts her in conflict with her beloved’s way of life, since he is from a southern plantation.

Where can we find you on the web?

My website and blog can be found at http://www.beckylowerauthor.com/index.html

Thanks so much for being here. It was pleasure.

Thanks for hosting me. It’s been fun. Great questions.

Best,

Kwana

Imagining a Hero…

Happy Tuesday! I got the most wonderful tweet from someone who had read an advanced copy of Through the Lens and she was now seeing the super hot, hip shaking William Levy in her mind for my hero Alejandro.

I can’t tell you how happy that made me since, though William wasn’t my original image of Ale, he was one of the many that came to mind when I was imagining the ultra hot photographer. So with a thanks to my lovely tweeter I will leave you today with this.  Warning have your fans ready.

 

And now for more Super for your Tuesday… Through the Lens is now available for Pre-order on the Nook too and you can get it here ! Woo to the Hoo Ya’ll!

T-minus 6 until Through The Lens!

 

Best,

Kwana

 

Images and video fm here