J. Kenner's Blog, page 74
November 4, 2013
#MostWantedMonday – all new excerpt from Wanted by J. Kenner
Welcome to another #MostWantedMonday excerpt as we countdown to the January 7 release of Wanted by J. Kenner, book one in the Most Wanted series of erotic romances that wilI be followed by Heated in May and Ignited in September!
The book is in production, and I’m doing galleys this week (checking for typos, last minute changes and the like)! So I’m spending more time with Evan, too!
Here’s this week’s snippet!
“No. No thinking, no rationalizing, and absolutely no saying no. I’m a man who gets what he wants, sweetheart, even if I have to take it. So that’s what I’m doing. Consider it my present to you. Hell, consider it a going-away present.”
“A present,” I repeated dumbly.
“One hell of a kick-ass gift,” he said firmly. “I’m the one taking responsibility. You’re not diving into the rush, I’m pulling you in with me. You’re not going wild, I’m just taking you along for the ride. No,” he repeated when I opened my mouth to protest. He pressed a soft finger to my lips. “This isn’t a subject for debate. It isn’t a question. For the next three weeks, we’re taking that fall together—all you have to do is surrender.”
“That’s just semantics,” I said, but I couldn’t help the flutter of bliss that was growing in my belly. A gift. Maybe. Just maybe…
“It’s not just semantics,” he said firmly. “It’s a shift in how we look at the world.”
I licked my lips, so very tempted.
“Come on, Angie. Fall with me.”
Want more Wanted? You can pre-order right now!
Amazon print
Amazon Kindle
Random House
Amazon UK print
Amazon UK Kindle
Barnes & Noble/Nook
iTunes
more retailers coming soon!
And pre-order buttons for Heated: A Most Wanted Novel are starting to pop up!
Amazon print
Barnes and Noble
More retailers coming soon!
Did you miss the New York Times and USA Today bestselling Stark Trilogy? Click here to learn all about it! And for Stark fans, a Stark novella is coming! Take Me will be available December 3, and you’ll even get to meet Evan Black in the story!
And yes, you can PRE-ORDER Take Me right here:
Amazon or Barnes & Noble (other retailers coming soon) – US
And, in honor of Take Me, I’ll be starting #StarkOnSaturday again on Saturday, November 2!
That’s all for now!
XXOO
J.K.
November 2, 2013
It’s #StarkOnSaturday! Here’s the first snippet from Take Me, a Stark Trilogy novella!
Wheee! We’re starting up #StarkOnSaturday!
Why? because it’s almost time for Take Me, an epilogue novella that follows the bestselling Stark Trilogy which began with with Release Me, continued with Claim Me, and concluded with Complete Me!
I’ve had so much fun spending more time with Nikki and Damien — I hope you all will, too! (And as an added bonus, you can meet super hot Evan Black, who is the hero of the upcoming Wanted, book one in my Most Wanted series!)
Without further ado … here’s this week’s snippet:
“You could never hurt me,” I say. “Not the way you mean.” We both know that there have been times when I have needed the pain—when I would have once again taken a blade to my flesh if Damien had not been there. But he is there, and he is all that I need now.
“Then what?” he asks as he gently lifts our joined hands to his lips. Softly, he dots kisses along my knuckles, and the sweet sensation distracts me.
“I don’t know.”
“I do,” he says, and there is such certainty in his voice that I feel calmer. “You’re a bride, Nikki. You’re nervous.” He presses a playful kiss to the end of my nose. “I think you’re supposed to be.”
“No.” I shake my head. “No, that’s not—“ But I go no further. Because the truth is that he may be right. Bridal jitters? Could it really be as simple as that?
“But there’s nothing to be nervous about,” he says, even as his hands go to my shoulders, even as he gently slides his palms down my arms, making the thin sheet drop away.
I am naked, and I shiver. Not from the slight chill in the air, but from the longing in Damien’s eyes. A longing to which I will so willingly surrender.
“What is it they say about marriage? That the bride and the groom are becoming one?” He trails a fingertip lightly over my collar bone, then down slowly, the touch butterfly soft, until he reaches my breast. “That isn’t true for us, baby. It’s not true because we already are one, you and I, and this wedding is just a formality.”
And if you want more Damien and Nikki, why not pre-order Take Me (coming Dec. 3) from Amazon
Barnes and Noble
Random House
BooksAMillion
iTunes
In the UK, you can grab Take Me here (more retailers coming soon):
And if you missed Release Me, you can snag your copy from your favorite retailers here:
Random House
Amazon (print)
Amazon (kindle)
Amazon United Kingdom
Barnes and Noble (print or Nook)
Books-A-Million
Kobo
iBooks
Indie BoundAnd, of course, you can get Book 2, Claim Me, from these great retailers:
Amazon
Barnes & Noble
Books-a-Million
Random House
your favorite independent bookseller
in the U.K. from Amazon
in the U.K. from Waterstones
in the U.K. from WH Smith
And here are the links to Book 3, Complete Me!
Amazon
Barnes & Noble
Books-a-Million
Kobo
Random House
iTunes
your favorite independent bookseller
in the U.K. from Amazon
in the U.K. from Waterstones
in the U.K. from WH Smith
More soon,
XXOO
October 30, 2013
Gotcha Day! Has it really been seven years?
Isabella, a few days after adoption. She’s number one!
Today in 2006 was “Gotcha Day” for my youngest daughter, Isabella, who was just about a week shy of her 3rd birthday that day.
Gotcha Day is the day that a family gets their adopted child. Adoption Day is tomorrow (Halloween, which shall always be my favorite holiday!)
At the time, I blogged about the adoption experience. It’s still there at http://redthreadchronicles.blogspot.com though the site is now glitchy (I can’t seem to fix it) and many of the links to pictures are broken.
And here she is now, just about a week ago in Charleston!
I thought I’d run the 10/30/06 post again, though, in honor of my baby girl, who is going to be ten years old (gasp!) in just a few days!
10/30/06
So, in all of these posts, I still haven’t posted about the actual Gotcha Day. Here goes.
We got up early and had breakfast. I barely ate, D ate a little, and C did just fine. Nerves don’t bother 5yos, I guess!
Then we got on a bus and you could hear the nervous excitement in the air. We’d thought that it was very close (I’m not sure why we thought that, but all of us had that impression) … but no. We drove for what felt like hours but was probably twenty minutes, then parked on the street in front of a nondescript building, next to a storefront that said “insurance.” Somebody made a joke that we had to buy insurance first, and someone else believed them, and there was much nervous tittering!
We stepped off the bus, and C asked where the babies were! We had to explain that they don’t get handed over in the street!
We headed inside and then up to the 7th floor, and we could hear babies crying – but they weren’t our babies! Another group had just got theirs.
We were led into a relatively small room (here’s the link to the Gotcha Pics again:http://homepage.mac.com/juliekenner/JourneyToIsabella/PhotoAlbum41.html
There, we waited. And waited. And waited some more. And, at the risk of TMI, can I just say that I REALLY wish there were western style toilets in the gov’t buildings in China? (And no, I didn’t make use of the facilities!)
We heard some more baby noises, but then Michael told us that the babies weren’t even in the building yet.
Sigh.
So we waited some more. C indulged in a wild game of “Toss Kitty” before we convinced her to take it down a notch, and then, finally, we heard a baby was coming! Catherine’s baby (not my Catherine, of course!) came first because her little boy was from Hefei, and then Shanna and Scott recognized Zongming and Debbie and Rick recognized and were handed Alana (LaLa)! Don and Catherine and I kind of peeked out the door and we saw one nanny with two little girls. I **thought** the taller was Chenchen, and Don said it was, so we tentatively said “Chenchen?” and the nanny nodded, and so we went out slowly – and she burst into tears! At that point, we gave her (and Chuanling, although we didn’t know it at the time) some space and the nanny took them to the potty.
When they came back, we tried again, by CC was having none of it. Then Catherine needed to go to the potty, so off she and I went (SHE has no qualms about the facilities!!) and when we came back, the nanny still had both girls. We talked to her a bit, and then told Dan and Carla that we were pretty sure Chuanling was in the hall with the nanny and Chenchen. Somehow (Michael, maybe, I truly don’t remember) we ended up back in the little room, and I was handed a VERY upset little girl. She screamed and cried and wailed and did the boneless thing, but I held her and cooed to her and told her (in poor Mandarin, that she probably couldn’t understand b/c my pronunciation sucks and I’m not doing an Anhui dialect) to not cry and not be afraid, that I was her mama and that I loved her. I sang her a couple of little songs in Chinese, too, and offered her candy, which was rejected (surprisingly, she doesn’t have much of a sweet tooth, at least not for chocolate; she likes gummy life savers and these orange gummy things we bought at Disney … too bad they’re all gone!). Of course we’d been expecting this (and prepared for much worse!) so D and I weren’t upset by the screaming, and even Catherine pretty much understood. I was happy to see how attached she was to her nanny. And for the record, she is absolutely precious! We got eye contact pretty quickly, and those big brown eyes just melt your heart!
Anyway, after a bit, we had to sign some papers and then we all headed out. By that time, she was teary-eyed but not screaming, and on the drive home the tears would start and stop. Chenchen is the oldest in the group, with, I believe, Chuanling next by about 6 months. She didn’t fall asleep on the bus, though I know ZongMing did, and I’m not sure about the others, but it sounded like they did.
We all headed up to our room, with orders to report to the 6th floor lobby in a few hours to finish paperwork for registration the next day. In the room, I proceeded to sit on the floor with her in my lap for about an hour. She cried and sniffed and cried and sniffed and finally calmed down a bit. I wanted to get her clothes off and into something clean and fresh, but she was having none of that. At one point, I did get the top layer off (she was a sweaty mess!!) but she held onto it for dear life and later held on to her shoes the same way. Clearly, these kids lose their clothes if they let go of them, and there was just no way to communicate that clothes were now plentiful (and clean and pretty!).
It was about noon, though, so we ordered room service, and when the food came, we were blessed with a happy kid who had clearly never seen so much food in her life. Honestly, it about broke my heart how much she ate – and that she would pick and eat the bits that fell on the table, too. She ate at least as much as D and I did, and we finally decided we had to cut her off b/f she ate herself sick. So we got a cookie and distracted her with that while D took the food tray away and put it in the hall.
After that, she was okay with me changing her clothes (yay!) and I bagged up the old stuff. She had the same shoes, though, because that’s all we had, not knowing her size to buy before hand. She was wearing split pants under the outer pants, and so I figured she was potty trained and put her in panties.
I put her in a darling dark purple outfit, and she really seemed to love it (thank you Kathleen!). Then Don went to get the biscuits she’d had with her at Gotcha, and she and C and I were on our own. I put her on the bed to look at toys, and she squatted and peed. Oops! Clearly my idea of potty training isn’t the definition over here!
So, off to the bathroom we went, which worked out well because she got a sponge bath. She’s clearly been eating enough, if not plentifully, because there’s a bit of fat on her, and her skin and skintone are good. (And for those wondering, the bites are healing with the antibiotic cream, so I’m thinking NOT scabies! Yay!) About the only thing boo-boo wise was the bites around her ankles.
We changed into another purple outfit (see pictures!) and she was getting into this princess thing! The maid (bless her) brought us a fresh comforter and duvet.
The kids all seemed to be doing well when we met in the hallway. Chenchen and Chuanling are friends, although their interaction is interesting to say the least! They grin huge grins and sort of cry out for each other. Carla and I weren’t sure at first if they were friends or enemies! I think they were friends and rivals, though, vying for the attention of the same nanny. That first day, they traded toys, and the grins were so big they HAD to be friends, but it really is a hoot watching the two of them together!
After the paperwork, we headed back to our rooms for more hanging out with babies!
Now, I must sleep, as it’s 11 and we have to be up at 5:30 to have time to get the kids ready and have breakfast before the SWI trip tomorrow. Cross your fingers for us. I’ve never heard anyone post that they regretted taking their kid back to say bye-bye, and I really don’t want to be the first!! Everything I’ve read so far indicates that in CC’s age group it’s a good thing as they understand “goodbye” and also the nannies can tell them that we’re good parents and love them and that they want CC to love us, too. The downer is that it’s a 2 hour drive each way. Dramamine is in our future tomorrow. Hopefully, potential carsickness is the only downside. We’re praying it goes smoothly!
Happy Gotcha Day, sweet baby girl!
Hump Day books from Dee Davis, Shelly Thacker, Tina Russo, Lauren Royal, E.M. Abel, Marilyn Brant, Edie Ramer, and a Romance Super Bundle boxed set!
Please enjoy these tantalizing Hump Day books!
Set Up in SoHo (The Matchmaker Chronicles)
The Matchmaker Chronicles continue… An inelegant fall, a ride to the rescue and a substantial shove from a not so fairy godmother.
Connect with Dee Davis at her website!
Forever His: A Time-Travel Romance (Stolen Brides Series)
New audiobook edition of the beloved time-travel romance, named “one of the best romances of the year” by the Detroit Free Press
See more at Shelly Thacker’s website!
Nothing can stop destiny…
Find out more at Tina Russo’s website!
Amethyst (Jewel Trilogy, Book 1)
Regularly $4.99, now free for Kindle, Nook, iBooks and Kobo!
Don’t forget to visit Lauren Royal’s website!
New Adult Contemporary Romance about self discovery!
See more at E. M. Abel’s website!
A coming-of-age romantic mystery — new release!
Don’t forget to visit Marilyn Brant’s website!
Christmas at Angel Lake (Rescued Hearts)
25 cents from every CHRISTMAS AT ANGEL LAKE book sold will go to the Washington County Humane Society in Wisconsin!
And visit Edie Ramer’s website!
Romance Super Bundle (Contemporary Romance, Romantic Suspense & Historical Romance Boxed Set)
Ten full-length romance novels by your favorite authors for 99 cents!
J.K. here: Want to chat with me about the Stark Trilogy, demons, or anything at all? Leave on message or hang around for conversations at our brand new forum/message board! You'll find it all right here: KennerForum.com
P.S. - Did you hear the news? Complete Me debuted at #2 on the New York Times bestseller list and #3 on the USA Today list! More important, it's not the end! I'm writing an epilogue novella due out December 3. I'll post a pre-order link for Take Me as soon as I have one!
P.P.S - Don't forget to subscribe to my newsletter so you never miss a thing -- and so that you're in on the monthly contests we're starting! (And if you leave a snail mail address, you'll receive goodies, too! What a deal, right?)
P.P.P.S. And why not scroll down and share the post? After all, sharing is sexy!
XXOO
--J.K.
October 28, 2013
Danger and desire — #MostWantedMonday excerpt from Wanted by J. Kenner
Welcome to another #MostWantedMonday excerpt as we countdown to the January 7 release of Wanted by J. Kenner, book one in the Most Wanted series of erotic romances that wilI be followed by Heated in May and Ignited in September!
We’re getting really close to release day! The copyedits are returned, galleys coming my way today, and that means that advance review copies will be going out soon. Woot!
Here’s this week’s snippet!
“I’m still a bad bet, Angie, and for all the same reasons.”
“You haven’t told me those reasons.”
“No. I haven’t. And I don’t intend to.”
I eyed him, certain that I knew. This was all tied up with Kevin’s allegations. He was involved in some sort of criminal shit, and I’d be lying if I didn’t admit I was curious—and intrigued. There was sweet temptation in the danger, and I licked my lips, wondering if I should press the point. If I should ask him what he was mixed up in. If I should press for details about his crimes, both now and five years ago. But I kept my mouth shut. That kind of talk might push him away—and I was selfish enough not to want to go there. I wanted the reality of the man in my bed, and the fantasy of his wild and dangerous side was just an added perk.
“If you’re such a bad bet,” I said instead, “then why did you give in at all?”
He brushed his lips over mine. “You said it yourself. No commitment, no future. Just you and me and this one weekend. Dammit, Angie, do you have any idea how long I’ve fought the urge to touch you? For that matter, do you have any idea how close I came to breaking my word after that damned alley? I meant what I said—you’re my goddamned Kryptonite, and you have totally destroyed all my defenses.”
Want more Wanted? You can pre-order right now!
Amazon print
Amazon Kindle
Random House
Amazon UK print
Amazon UK Kindle
Barnes & Noble/Nook
iTunes
more retailers coming soon!
And pre-order buttons for Heated: A Most Wanted Novel are starting to pop up!
Amazon print
Barnes and Noble
More retailers coming soon!
Did you miss the New York Times and USA Today bestselling Stark Trilogy? Click here to learn all about it! And for Stark fans, a Stark novella is coming! Take Me will be available December 3, and you’ll even get to meet Evan Black in the story!
And yes, you can PRE-ORDER Take Me right here:
Amazon or Barnes & Noble (other retailers coming soon) – US
And, in honor of Take Me, I’ll be starting #StarkOnSaturday again on Saturday, November 2!
That’s all for now!
XXOO
J.K.
October 25, 2013
Doing a workshop at #ninc13 – great fun talking about soc...
Doing a workshop at #ninc13 – great fun talking about social media!!
Brought the kids with us to the #ninc conference in Myrtl...
Brought the kids with us to the #ninc conference in Myrtle Beach. Stopped first in Charleston, though. I mean, gotta have the ice cream!
October 23, 2013
Hump Day books from Dee Davis, Julianne MacLean, Monica Burns, Deb Marlowe, Libby Fischer Hellmann, Karen Kelley, Kate Hewitt and Cathryn Fox in a Love in Disguise boxed set!
Please enjoy these fantastic Hump Day books!
A Match Made on Madison (The Matchmaker Chronicles)
Uptown Emma helps elite to meet! The story of a matchmaker, a no holds barred bet, and the unwelcome fact that sometimes love has a mind of it’s own.
Don’t forget to visit Dee Davis’ website!
The Color of Destiny (The Color of Heaven Series)
New from USA Today Bestselling author Julianne MacLean – An emotional tale of how love and destiny can intersect in ways we never imagine.
See more at Julianne MacLean’s website!
Two Shades of Seduction 2 Book Box Set
Box set of two full-length stories, featuring men skilled in the ways of seduction and older heroines strong enough to resist them, just .99cents for limited time.
Find out more at Monica Burn’s website!
An Unexpected Encounter (Half Moon House Novella 1) (Half Moon House Series)
New Historical Romance Novella!
And please visit Deb Marlowe’s website!
With over 30 5-Star reviews in less than 2 months, Havana Lost is a 3-generational saga of the same family, set largely in Cuba.
Find out more at Libby Fischer Hellmann’s website!
Forbidden Magic (Forbidden Series)
New Paranormal romance!
Don’t forget to visit Karen Kelley’s website!
Discounted price on new women’s fiction by bestselling romance author!
See more at Kate Hewitt’s website!
Love in Disguise (7 Book Romance Boxed Set)
New Boxed Set for only $.99!
Connect with Cathryn Fox at her website!
J.K. here: Want to chat with me about the Stark Trilogy, demons, or anything at all? Leave on message or hang around for conversations at our brand new forum/message board! You'll find it all right here: KennerForum.com
P.S. - Did you hear the news? Complete Me debuted at #2 on the New York Times bestseller list and #3 on the USA Today list! More important, it's not the end! I'm writing an epilogue novella due out December 3. I'll post a pre-order link for Take Me as soon as I have one!
P.P.S - Don't forget to subscribe to my newsletter so you never miss a thing -- and so that you're in on the monthly contests we're starting! (And if you leave a snail mail address, you'll receive goodies, too! What a deal, right?)
P.P.P.S. And why not scroll down and share the post? After all, sharing is sexy!
XXOO
--J.K.
October 21, 2013
Evan Black – “the slow burn of sin and seduction” in an all new #MostWantedMonday excerpt from Wanted by J. Kenner
Welcome to another #MostWantedMonday excerpt as we countdown to the January 7 release of Wanted by J. Kenner, book one in the Most Wanted series of erotic romances that wilI be followed by Heated in May and Ignited in September!
I’m happy to say that I’ve been getting enthusiastic thumbs-up from from beta-readers!! I can’t wait until the book is available to everyone! I’m so excited for this new series!
Today’s image is a quote from the book. Thanks to Dana – @smuttastic on Twitter -who pulled a few favorite quotes when she did a beta read!
As those of you who follow me on Facebook know, I’ve been balancing deadlines with travel. So sorry for the delay in getting this post up! I’ll make it up to you by posting a few bonus excerpts throughout the coming weeks!
And until then … I hope you enjoy this week’s snippet!
As soon as he was out the door, I turned to Evan. “You are a very smooth liar.”
“Apparently not as smooth as I thought if you found me out so easily.”
“Maybe I just know you too well,” I quipped.
He looked at me for a moment, then took a single step closer. My breath hitched and my pulse began to pick up tempo, and when he reached out an arm toward me I stood perfectly still anticipating a touch that never came—it wasn’t me he was reaching for, but a bottle of wine.
Idiot, idiot, idiot. But at least I could breathe easy again.
“Too well?” he said, as he poured a glass of pinot noir and passed it to me. “Does that mean you’ve figured out all my secrets?”
Our fingers brushed as I took the wine from him, and I shivered from the spark of connection that seemed to shoot through me, all the way from my fingers to the very tips of my toes.
I saw the quick flash of awareness in his eyes, and wanted to kick myself. Because it wasn’t me that knew his secrets—it was the other way around. And damned if I didn’t feel confused and exposed and vulnerable.
“Secrets?” I repeated. I stood up straighter, determined to snatch back some measure of control. “Like the mystery behind why you’ve barely said two words to me all night? Why you’ve looked everywhere but me?”
He tilted his head as if considering my words, then he poured his own glass of wine and took a long, slow sip. “I’m looking at you now.”
Want more Wanted? You can pre-order right now!
Amazon print
Amazon Kindle
Random House
Amazon UK print
Amazon UK Kindle
Barnes & Noble/Nook
iTunes
more retailers coming soon!
And pre-order buttons for Heated: A Most Wanted Novel are starting to pop up!
Amazon print
Barnes and Noble
More retailers coming soon!
Did you miss the New York Times and USA Today bestselling Stark Trilogy? Click here to learn all about it! And for Stark fans, a Stark novella is coming! Take Me will be available December 3, and you’ll even get to meet Evan Black in the story!
And yes, you can PRE-ORDER Take Me right here:
Amazon or Barnes & Noble (other retailers coming soon) – US
And, in honor of Take Me, I’ll be starting #StarkOnSaturday again on Saturday, November 2! (And I may throw in a few bonus excerpts and outtakes on weekdays, too!)
That’s all for now!
XXOO
J.K.
October 16, 2013
Hump Day books from Kay Manis, Mary Marvella, Shelley Adina, Nicola Marsh, Kathryn Jane, Lisa Mondello, Mary Campisi, and Barbara Wallace in an Indulgence Anthology!
Please enjoy these amazing Hump Day books!
Skater Boy (X-Treme Boys Series, Book 1)
Sometimes it takes a broken person to make you whole (Debut Adult Contemporary!)
Connect with Kay Manis at her website!
They met because he had premonitions she was in danger.
See more at Mary Marvella’s website!
A Lady of Resources: A steampunk adventure novel (Magnificent Devices)
New release! Book 5 in the bestselling Magnificent Devices steampunk series.
Don’t forget to visit Shelly Adina’s website!
New contemporary romance: Second chance at first love…
See more at Nicola Marsh’s website!
Book two of the Intrepid Women Series!
See more at Kathryn Jane’s website!
Her Dakota Man (Book 1 – Dakota Hearts)
New Release from Lisa Mondello HER DAKOTA MAN, book 1 of Dakota Hearts.
A Family Affair: Spring (Truth in Lies)
A Family Affair: Spring (Truth in Lies: Book Two)
Visit Mary Campisi’s website!
The Billionaire’s Matchmaker: An Indulgence Anthology (Entangled Indulgence)
Can a feisty four-legged matchmaker help four best friends find the romance of their dreams?
For more information visit Barbara Wallace’s website!
J.K. here: Want to chat with me about the Stark Trilogy, demons, or anything at all? Leave on message or hang around for conversations at our brand new forum/message board! You'll find it all right here: KennerForum.com
P.S. - Did you hear the news? Complete Me debuted at #2 on the New York Times bestseller list and #3 on the USA Today list! More important, it's not the end! I'm writing an epilogue novella due out December 3. I'll post a pre-order link for Take Me as soon as I have one!
P.P.S - Don't forget to subscribe to my newsletter so you never miss a thing -- and so that you're in on the monthly contests we're starting! (And if you leave a snail mail address, you'll receive goodies, too! What a deal, right?)
P.P.P.S. And why not scroll down and share the post? After all, sharing is sexy!
XXOO
--J.K.
