J. Kenner's Blog, page 77
September 9, 2013
Most Wanted Monday – A peek at Heated by J. Kenner
UPDATE: THE COVER REVEAL IS UP!!! Click the image or click here for RT’s exclusive cover reveal!
Welcome to an all new #MostWantedMonday as we countdown to the January 7 release of Wanted, book one in the Most Wanted series of erotic romances that wilI be followed by Heated by J. Kenner in May and Ignited in September!
OMG, you guys are going to flip over the cover for Heated. This one features Tyler Sharp, and he is HOT.
Yeah, yeah, I’m teasing you…the cover reveal is coming SOON!!!! In the meantime, if you want to know more about the story in Heated and get another peek into Wanted? Read on!
Sloane Watson is an undercover cop who is more than capable of standing on her own two feet. So when notorious bad boy and swindler Tyler Sharp becomes the focus of her investigation, she’s determined to do anything it takes to get to the bottom of whatever covert schemes he’s running–even if that means posing as an exotic dancer at Destiny, the club Tyler co-owns with partners Cole August and Evan Black.
But going head-to-head with Tyler proves to be more distracting than Sloane could have imagined, and as much as she tries to resist him, he has a knack for crashing through her defenses and taking her, both physically and emotionally, to places she’s never been. She’s playing a dangerous game–and it’s not just her profession that’s on the line, but her heart.
And just to give you a taste, here’s short excerpt from Wanted that includes a quick description of Tyler:
I sighed, Cole’s scent reminding me of Uncle Jahn, a musky male scent that probably came in a bottle but seemed to me to be part and parcel of those men I adored. “I’m glad you’re here. I thought you were out of town.”
“We came back, of course.” By we, I knew he meant himself and Tyler Sharp. “We had to be here for Jahn,” Cole added. He pressed a chaste kiss to my forehead. “And for you.”
“Is Tyler hiding in the crowd somewhere?” I didn’t mention that I’d already honed in on Evan.
“He was right behind me. But he was was snagged by a limber blonde thing who looked like she wanted to wrap herself around him.”
I had to laugh. Even at a funeral, Tyler was a girl-magnet.
Cole grinned. “Yeah, well, don’t hold it against her. I get the feeling she’s been self-medicating her grief for hours.”
“I know how she feels.”
He looked hard at me, the humor all but erased from his face. “You need anything, you ask.”
I nodded, but stayed silent. The only thing I needed was to let myself go a little wild. To shake off the weight of my grief, cut loose, and get lost in an adrenalin haze. It would work—I knew damn well that was the best way to take the edge off the pain and loss I was feeling. But no matter what, I wasn’t going to go there.
Beside me, Cole called out a greeting to Tyler. I inched away from Cole and watched as the third of Jahn’s knights approached. Where Cole was burly, Tyler was lean and athletic. He had the kind of good looks that could sneak up on a person, and the kind of charm that could make people do whatever Tyler wanted, and be absolutely certain it was their own idea all along.
Want more Wanted? You can pre-order right now!
Amazon print
Amazon Kindle
Random House
Amazon UK print
Amazon UK Kindle
Barnes & Noble/Nook
more retailers coming soon!
And pre-order buttons for Heated: A Most Wanted Novel are starting to pop up!
Amazon print
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! (No pre-order button yet, but I’ll shout out when it’s up!)
And, in honor of Take Me, I’ll be starting #StarkOnSaturday again soon, too!
That’s all for now!
XXOO
J.K.
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.
September 8, 2013
Demons in the butter dish? It’s Demon Hunting Soccer Mom Sunday
Welcome to #SoccerMomSunday!When I first started writing the Demon Hunting Soccer Mom books, I was a very, very, very new mom. I can remember sitting at my humongous Salvation Army desk with my computer on one side and my now-eleven year old daughter’s bouncy seat on the other as I banged away at the synopsis and first three chapters that, a few months later, sold to a publisher and was optioned by Warner Brothers and 1492 Pictures.
Because the books were coming out once a year, by the time book three, Demons Are Forever, rolled around, my daughter had aged accordingly (though the characters, for whom time moves much less swiftly, had not). For some reason that I can’t recall, she’d started calling margarine, which we used to butter her toast, “butter cheese.”
Since that was just too stinking adorable, I used it in my Demon Hunting Soccer Mom books, and then, as the years passed and she started calling butter “butter” and margarine “margarine” and cheese “cheese”, forgot about it.
Now that I have the rights back to the books, I’ve been proofing them before uploading the digital versions. So there I was, reading along in Demons Are Forever and there it was–a reference to “butter cheese.” I immediately called my husband into my office, and then we had to–HAD TO–go into Eldest Daughter’s room and remind her of this, in full on parental embarrassment style.
And can I just say, that I was also prescient about the teenage years? Because though I didn’t have a teen at the time, the bits of hormonal moodiness that I wrote into Allie have definitely arrived in the Kenner household.
That’s okay, though. Just so long as the demons don’t show up, too!
And here’s the scene I was talking about. Enjoy!
“I flying, Mommy!” he squealed. “I’m Super Timmy!”
I caught him midleap. “Hey there, Super Dude. Even superheroes need breakfast. Are you hungry?”
“Toast with butter cheese,” he demanded as I pulled off his pajama bottoms and helped him into a dry Pull-Ups.
“Fine and dandy,” I said. For reasons I don’t actually remember, Timmy started calling margarine “butter cheese” about the time he learned to talk. Since it’s so damn cute, we haven’t bothered to correct him. So long as he gets it right before college, I figure we’re okay.
I got him dressed, then led him to Allie’s room. I tapped once, heard nothing, then tapped again. Vague sounds of life drifted to me through the closed door. I considered that a good sign and pounded once again.
“What?”
“Time to get up. First day back to school. Pencils. Teachers. Books.”
No response.
“Cheerleading. Boys.”
That did it. “I’m up, already.”
“Twenty minutes, Allie,” I said. “I want you downstairs in twenty.”
“I said okay!”
Want more? You can snag the whole series at a variety of retailers, with more coming very soon:
Carpe Demon: Kindle | Amazon UK | Nook | Kobo | iTunes
California Demon: Kindle | Amazon UK | Nook | iTunes
Demons Are Forever: Kindle | Amazon UK | Nook | iTunes
The Demon You Know (short story): Kindle | Amazon UK | Nook | iTunes
Deja Demon: Kindle | Amazon UK | Nook | Kobo | iTunes
Demon Ex Machina: Coming late September
Pax Demonica: Coming just in time for Halloween!
Happy reading!
XXOO
JK
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.
September 6, 2013
Linda Thomas-Sundstrom: “How to Survive a Curse . . . Or not.” One lucky commenter wins a novella!
Please welcome LindaThomas-Sundstrom to the blog!
Hello there. I’m Linda, and I’m joining you today to see what you know about shedding a curse, or avoiding one.
No, not the four-letter-swearword kind of cursing, as in “what the frig?” The real kind. Evil eye, whispered words with evil intent, being the recipient of voodoo doll pins in all the wrong places, being trapped within a stone form for 364 days a year on the roof of a cathedral. To name a few.
Curse: Also called a jinx or hex, a curse is any expressed wish that some form of misfortune will befall another entity, be it a person, a place, or an object. It can be inflicted by any supernatural powers such as spell, prayer, magic, witchcraft, God, a natural force, or a spirit.
Cursed: (Webster’s Dictionary definition): Blighted, doomed, confounded, condemned, damned.
Whoa.
I remember a movie with Cher in the starring role about a woman who feared being cursed
with the Evil Eye of a little Italian woman who didn’t like something she’d done. In a best-selling author’s funny mystery series, the lead character fears her boyfriend’s relative because of Evil Eye rumors. But those are comedic versions of something that can be a stunningly more serious. Still, do we tend to believe any of that, for real? Maybe just a little?
What if the “spell” was as serious as it gets, and involved the rest of your life?
What if you happened to be the middle-man in a battle between the forces of Light and Dark, and need to find a way out of the spell binding you?
Okay. I know those are heavy questions. *wink* But not all curses and spells are the Bewitched TV show kind. Nor are all spell-singers witches with big lack caldrons.
Some spells can linger forever, I suppose . . . if you can’t find a way out.
Bummer. Right?
So, can there be a way out? A way to avoid a curse, or at least manipulate one?
Rules of reversing or eliminating a curse is called a “removal” or “breaking,” and usually requires elaborate rituals or prayers (so says Wikipedia). Yes, you could duck quickly when a spell comes your way, if you knew it was coming. You might wear a rubber suit, so that spell bounces off without sticking. Or you could enlist the help of a curse-breaking professional.
Another movie comes to mind here. The title was “Bell, Book, and Candle” starring Kim
Novak and James Stewart. Great movie about a witch putting a love spell on a guy, that the guy eventually finds out about. He then does whatever it takes to shed the spell – in a specific ritual for love spells that includes drinking a vat of terrible smelling stuff.
But what if removing the spell could be manipulated, but not broken, in a loophole that allowed the spell to be passed along to someone else? And that other person was someone you loved?
I had to think hard about all of this when writing my new novella “Trapped In Stone,” out this month. The genre is urban fantasy, with a hefty dose of romantic emotion weaved in.
The idea for this hit me when I climbed to the top of Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris, to the Gallery of Chimeras on the rooftop… and saw all those really spooky stone gargoyles and chimeras that overlook the city. I just knew there was more to those stone creatures than met the eye, and I was right. Inside one of the chimeras, trapped in stone, was a man waiting for the one night per year he would be set free, in order to find a replacement for himself on that gallery. He had manipulated the curse on that rooftop by taking the place of a woman trapped there before him. He had volunteered to set that woman free, and now has to curse someone else in order to free himself.
But can he commit some other poor soul to this kind of purgatory? Invite them to share this stone state of limbo, surrounded by other creatures that also will be freed on that same night with the purpose of stopping him from manipulating the curse further?
If the forces of Dark and Light are involved, drinking something nasty to remove the curse would be a joke. And this is no joke for Tristan, or the woman he once set free who remains by his side, waiting for the one night when he returns, so that she can again feel his flesh against hers.
Spells. Curses. Hexes. Gargoyles. Drama. High above Paris, the city of lights and love.
It has been one wild ride to the surprising finish.
I hope you’ll read “Trapped In Stone” and find out if such a curse can be broken, in the end, and if true love can prevail over danger and sacrifice. That info might come in handy some day, especially if you climb the stairs to that very real and disturbing gallery.
And well. I’m here to chat today about magic, books, or whatever. Need a love spell? A recipe for calming family feuds? Age-old advice for getting rid of a sore throat that I found in Wales?
Connecting is what this writing gig is all about, so please leave a comment or a wave. I have my magic wand ready… (LOL) and am giving away a novella from my backlist to one lucky commenter.
Glad to be here. Cheers for now –
Linda
Get Linda Thomas Sundstrom’s Trapped in Stone today!
Linda Thomas-Sundstrom is an award-winning author of paranormal romance and urban fantasy for Kensington Brava, Dorchester, Amazon Montlake, and Harlequin Nocturne. Linda lives in the West, is a teacher by day and a writer by night, and swears she has “paranormal” in her genes. Her new novella is “Trapped in Stone,” available September 1. “Hot Holiday” follows in November. Visit Linda at her website or chat on Facebook.
Thank you, Linda for guest blogging today!
Be sure to answer Linda’s question: what kind of spell would you cast if you could? Linda is giving away a novella to one lucky commenter!
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--and it's still on the USA Today list! Color me excited!
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.
September 4, 2013
Hump Day books from Celia Juliano, Gabe Berman, Sherrill Bodine & Patricia Rosemoor, Katy Madison, Cate Rowan, Chris Marie Green, Shelby Rebecca, and Any Jarecki!
Don’t miss these great Hump Day titles?
Always (Everyday Angels Book 1)
New sexy contemporary romance novella in a series you’ll love!
Find out more at Celia Juliano’s website!
If you have a loved one who has suffered from cancer or other illness, this once-in-a-lifetime book will help illuminate the darkness you feel in your heart.
Find out more at Gabe Berman’s website!
Written in the Stars (Entangled Ignite)
One lifetime was not enough…
See more at Patricia Rosemoor’s website!
A new Romantic Comedy about marriage, medals, and misunderstandings!
Don’t forget to visit Katy Madison’s website!
Kismet’s Kiss: A Fantasy Romance (Alaia Chronicles)
Two-time Romance Writers of America Golden Heart® Finalist
And don’t forget to visit Cate Rowan’s website!
The She Code (New Adult Single Girl)
A New Adult Single Girl novel with sketches and comic panels!
See more at Chris Marie Green’s website!
New Contemporary Romance set in West Virginia!
Visit Shelby Rebecca’s website for more information!
Widowed with two teenagaed kids and a business to run, Rebecca would rather mow through five-hundred poodle cuts than think about dating.
And there is much more to see at Amy Jarecki’s website!
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--and it's still on the USA Today list! Color me excited!
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.
September 3, 2013
Christy Hayes on Choosing Real Careers for Your Fictional Characters
Please welcome Christy Hayes to the blog!
Have you ever wondered how authors write with authority about so many occupations when they’re…writers? If you’ve ever read Nora Roberts (I’m a huge fan), you’re probably as amazed as I am that she knows so much about dog training, security systems, fire fighting, animal conservation, and hundreds of other professions.
My Golden Rule Outfitters series features characters that are a fly fisherman, a rafting guide, and the owner of a ski shop. I’ve fished, rafted, and skied, but to say I know enough to write a book would be stretching the truth. When I sat down to start the series, I got online and ordered some books.
My research for Book 1, Mending the Line, started with The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Fly Fishing by Michael D. Shook. Once I’d read the first few chapters, I hit the river for a one-on-one lesson with my fly fishing husband. I’ve never taken instruction well from the man I promised to love, honor, and cherish, so after I wrestled the rod from his hands, I realized success would require more than the hour I was willing to commit. Even though I didn’t catch a fish, I understood the skills and patience required for the job and that was enough to get my fingers moving on the keyboard.
For book 2, Guiding the Fall, I ordered The Complete Whitewater Rafter by Jeff Bennett. I’ll confess I only skimmed this book because my family and I had rafted enough times for me to fudge my way through the lingo. We even fell into the water on one trip, so I know first hand how the cold water can steal your breath! I’d also written a story a few years before about a rafting guide, so I felt qualified enough to write about rafting.
Book 3, Taming the Moguls, takes place at the very beginning of Colorado’s ski season and my characters are too busy fighting a proposed commercial development and handling their romantic entanglements to worry about the ski shop. My husband and I have both torn our ACL’s while skiing, so we’re familiar with the process of fitting skies and the equipment that’s available for sale in a ski shop.
One thing I’ve learned about writing various professions is that I enjoy picking careers I want to understand. I’ve written about architects, green builders, ranchers, photographers, piano teachers, museum workers and lawyers—all professions that somewhat interest me. I don’t need to know how to perform the jobs I write about, but I need to know enough to make it sound like I do. Research is key and when researching a topic I’m interested in, research can be fun.
My next series features college students with diverse majors and I’ve had fun researching degrees, some of which I never knew existed. I love my job because I get to learn about and sometimes experience a variety of professions. If you were writing about a fictional character and could decide their career, what would you pick?
Christy Hayes is the author of ten romance and romantic women’s fiction titles. She lives outside Atlanta, Georgia, with her husband, two children and two dogs. You can connect with Christy at her website, on twitter, her Facebook page, and her blog, Women Unplugged.
A big thanks to Christy for guest blogging! So what careers would you pick for a fictional character? Let us know in the comments section!
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--and it's still on the USA Today list! Color me excited!
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.
September 2, 2013
A new snippet from Wanted by J. Kenner for #MostWantedMonday
Welcome to an all new #MostWantedMonday 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!
(Some of you may have noticed that book two has had a title change; I love Heated and think it fits the series & book much better than the original title!)
And speaking of Heated, the cover reveal is coming up! Mark your calendars for an exclusive reveal with RT Bookclub on September 9 — and then the cover goes wide on September 12. (And yeah, the cover is all kinds of awesome!)
Here’s today’s snippet (and as always, remember that anything’s subject to change until the book goes to press)! Enjoy!
For the first time all day, I craved my uncle’s presence beside me. I’d been doing so good—missing him, yes, but not crossing the line into self pity. I’d been surviving, and the fact that I was coping had made me proud.
I wasn’t coping anymore. Without warning, I’d become itchy and antsy and all sorts of fucked up. I wanted to step out of the triangle, but I couldn’t seem to move. Everything seemed weird and unfamiliar, and I wasn’t sure if it was grief or me or something unseen that had settled between us.
All I knew is that Uncle Jahn had always been my way in. He’d always understood me. He’d always been there to rescue me.
But he wasn’t there right then—and to my total mortification, the tears began to flow.
“Angie,” Evan murmured. “Oh, baby, it’s okay.”
I have no idea how it happened, but suddenly my face was pressed to his chest and he was holding me and his hand was stroking my back and his voice was soothing me, telling me that I should let it out. That it would be okay. That I would be okay.
I clung to him, soaking up the solace that he was offering. His body was hard and firm and strong, and I didn’t want to let go. I wanted to draw in his strength, and claim it as my very own.
But then my nose started to run, and I pulled back, afraid of mucking up the his gazillion dollar tux. “Thanks,” I said, or at least I tried to. I don’t think the word actually left my mouth, because when I looked up at him, it wasn’t friendly concern that I saw. No, it was heat. It was desire.
And it was wild enough to burn a hole right through me.
I gasped, and the sound seemed to flip a switch in him. Then—as quickly as it appeared—that fire was gone, and I was left feeling cold and bereft and desperately confused.
“She needs you,” Evan said, passing me off to Kevin, who took me into his arms even as a shadow crossed his face.
“Aren’t you supposed to go say something to the crowd?” Cole asked, his voice reminding me that he and Tyler were standing just inches away, their penetrating eyes taking in everything.
“I am,” Evan said, his expression now bland and his tone businesslike, as if that could erase those last few seconds. But it was too late, and everything had changed. I’d seen it. Seen? Hell, what I’d seen in his face had just about knocked me over.
But he was walking away from me now, and as I watched him go—as I stood there clinging tight to Kevin’s hand—I knew that if I wanted him, I was going to have to go after him.
Because where Evan Black and I were concerned, he would always walk away.
And in a moment of sudden clarity, I goddamn knew the reason why.
Want more Wanted? You can pre-order right now!
Amazon print
Amazon Kindle
Random House
Amazon UK print
Amazon UK Kindle
more retailers coming soon!
And pre-order buttons for Heated: A Most Wanted Novel are starting to pop up!
Amazon print
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! (No pre-order button yet, but I’ll shout out when it’s up!)
And, in honor of Take Me, I’ll be starting #StarkOnSaturday again soon, too!
That’s all for now!
XXOO
J.K.
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--and it's still on the USA Today list! Color me excited!
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.
September 1, 2013
Demons, catacombs and danger – oh my! It’s #SoccerMomSunday
Fans of my demon-hunting soccer mom series know that Kate Connor hunted demons before retiring to suburbia, but we don’t see too much of what happened in the past in the books.
In the most recent book to be re-released, Deja Demon: The Days and Nights of a Demon-Hunting Soccer Mom, readers get thrust into the past–and into one of the most horrific battles that Kate and Eric ever fought.
Toto, I don’t think we’re in suburbia anymore …
The demon spread his arms wide, as if inviting me close for a hug. I managed to hurl a wad of spit right at the demon’s feet.
“So sullen,” the demon said, again in Cami’s voice. “Katie, I thought we were friends. Best buddies.”
She moved away, finally reaching the urn. She released her hold on the wound in her neck, and allowed Cami’s blood to spill into the vessel. Then she slipped the shard into the last link of the fifth chain. Once it was secured, she gave the chain a tug and it slowly descended until the stone was no longer visible.
“Five stones to raise me,” Cami said, her eyes turning black.
“Six to bind me. The blood of three vestal virgins, flowing but not alive, to protect me.” Her smile was white, and I flashed on a memory of Cami, laughing in flannel pajamas as she stood at the sink next to mine and dutifully brushed her teeth every night. I blinked back an unwelcome rush of tears and reminded myself to focus. Somehow, I’d stop this demon. And I’d do it for Cami.
“You know your Roman history, don’t you, Katie? You, who’ve grown up in this ancient city? There are no vestals left, of course, but I have found a worthy substitute. For what were the vestals but secret-keepers? And what females now, within the seven hills of Rome, still keep such weighty and clandestine confidences?”
I knew the answer, of course. As a Demon Hunter, my very life was a secret. As for the rest—
“And you are, of course, pure. Like my host and the young Greta? Your male cohorts I assume are pure as well, but since history requires a female . . .” The demon trailed off, then approached me. Cami’s body was slowing down, becoming paler. I tried not to think about that. On the one hand, the departure of the demon would be good news for me. At least until one of those demons beyond the gates rushed in, overpowered Eric, and slit my throat.
The demon leaned closer, bathing me in its rancid breath. “So tell me—just between us girls—are you still capable of serving Vesta? Or would you have been buried alive for betraying your vows?” I didn’t answer, but I didn’t have to. I was only fifteen years old and Catholic.
Raised not only in the Church but in the Vatican itself, my only father figure a priest. The answer was obvious, and the demon knew it.
“And Katie makes three,” the Cami-demon said. “Now where is the stone?”
“Gone,” I said, silently thankful we’d dropped the damn thing. Not such a bad move after all. “You should have told your thugs not to attack us.”
For an instant, I saw a flash of the true demon inside—red eyes and bulging skin, as if thick spines were about to burst forth. Then she gave a shake of her head, and everything settled into place, her smile so friendly and her eyes so bright that my heart skipped a little. This was Cami. Except, of course, it wasn’t.
Want more? You can snag the whole series at a variety of retailers, with more coming very soon:
Carpe Demon: Kindle, Amazon UK, Nook, Kobo
California Demon: Kindle, Amazon UK, Nook
Demons Are Forever: Kindle, Amazon UK, Nook
The Demon You Know (short story): Kindle, Amazon UK, Nook
Deja Demon: Kindle, Amazon UK, Nook, Kobo
Happy reading!
XXOO
JK
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--and it's still on the USA Today list! Color me excited!
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.
August 31, 2013
Carpe Demon is up on #iTunes #iBook “what would happen if #Buffy got married and kept her past a secret”
Yippee! Carpe Demon: Adventures of a Demon-Hunting Soccer Mom is up on iTunes! I love this book! (And I love this quote: “Shows you what would happen if Buffy got married and kept her past a secret. It’s a hoot.” – New York Times bestselling author Charlaine Harris)
I’d been hesitating to load directly to iTunes and the iBook store because it was New and Uncharted Territory for me, but last week we bit the bullet and it’s up! My very first direct to iTunes title.
Woot!
(Picture me buffing my nails over my chest!)
Hope those of you who use iBooks will give it a peek!
My name is Kate Connor and I used to be a Demon Hunter.
I’ve often thought that would be a great pickup line at parties, but with a teenager, a toddler, and a husband, I’m hardly burning up the party circuit. And, of course, the whole demon-hunting thing is one great big gargantuan secret. No one knows. Not my kids, not my husband, and certainly not folks at these imaginary parties where I’m regaling sumptuous hunks with tales from my demon-slaying, vampire-hunting, zombie-killing days.
Back in the day, I was pretty cool. Now I’m a glorified chauffeur for drill-team practice and Gymboree playdates. Less sex appeal, maybe, but I gotta admit I love it. I wouldn’t trade my family for anything. And after fourteen years of doing the mommy thing, my demon-hunting skills aren’t exactly sharp.
All of which explains why I didn’t immediately locate and terminate the demon wandering the pet-food aisle of the San Diablo Wal-Mart. Instead, when I caught a whiff of that telltale stench, I naturally assumed it emanated exclusively from the bottom of a particularly cranky two-year-old. My two-year-old, to be exact.
Snag your copy at any of these retailers!
August 30, 2013
Mindy Klasky: From Lawyer to Romance Writer
Please welcome Mindy Klasky to the blog! Mindy is giving away an electronic copy of her book Single Witch’s Survival Guide to a lucky person (chosen at random) from the comments section!
In the great movie “The Paper Chase”, formidable law school professor Charles W. Kingsfield says, “You come in here with a skull full of mush and you leave thinking like a lawyer.” In my case, I came into law school with a school full of wanna-be-lawyer mush, and I left thinking like a writer.
It wasn’t my fault. My class on the Federal Rules of Evidence was one of the most boring academic endeavors I’d ever undertaken. (And I wrote college papers on Moby Dick and Henry James’s The American, so I know boring…) No, Evidence class was so boring that I resorted to scribbling poems in the margins of my notebook. Those poems took shape over the course of the semester, and before I knew it, I had written a prophecy in rhymed iambic hexameter – the perfect basis for a fantasy novel.
I wrote the rest of that fantasy novel during my first few years working as an associate at a major Washington, D.C. law firm. I edited it one summer, while I litigated an antitrust case in Kansas City, Missouri. I tracked down an agent, hoped for an editor, and went on to write another novel, all while I learned my craft as a lawyer.
Sure enough, though, my legal career leaked into my writing. My first published novel, The Glasswrights’ Apprentice, culminates in a sort of trial scene. (Alas, you’ll never read the iambic hexameter prophecy novel – it was great training, but not great writing.) My category romance, The Mogul’s Maybe Marriage, has a legal obligation for the hero to marry at the core of its corporate-stock-control subplot. One key plot point in my As You Wish Series (about a genie who grants wishes to women working in the professional theater) turns on an obscure contract.
In fact, that contract conceit worked well enough that I used a substantial variation in my
most recent novel, Single Witch’s Survival Guide. The first volume in my Jane Madison Academy series, Single Witch involves a school for witches. Within days of the institution’s founding, the students and teachers at the Jane Madison Academy find themselves bound by an impossible contract – complete with obscure WHEREAS clauses, overly vague DEFINITIONS, and possibly-unconscionable legal obligations. The fun of the book turns on the witches finding their way through the legal mumbo-jumbo on their way to building a true community of magic.
In the end, I think Professor Kingsfield was right. I do think like a lawyer. But when those thoughts range from traditional fantasy to category romance to light women’s fiction, I’ll accept that burden.
What about you? Are you influenced by your education and/or professional training when you choose books to read or write?
Mindy Klasky learned to read when her parents shoved a book in her hands and told her she could travel anywhere in the world through stories. She never forgot that advice.
Mindy’s travels took her through multiple careers – from litigator to librarian to full-time writer. Mindy’s travels have also taken her through various literary genres for readers of all ages – from traditional fantasy to paranormal chick-lit to category romance, from middle-grade to young adult to adult.
In her spare time, Mindy knits, quilts, and tries to tame her endless to-be-read shelf. Her husband and cats do their best to fill the left-over minutes.
Connect withe Mindy on her website or on Facebook!
A big thanks to Mindy for blogging with us today! Don’t forget to answer MIndy’s question: “Are you influenced by your education and/or professional training when you choose books to read or write?” A free copy of Single Witch’s Survival Guide to one lucky commenter!
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--and it's still on the USA Today list! Color me excited!
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.
August 28, 2013
Hump Day books by Julia London, C. J. Scott, Cathy Perkins, Cassy Campbell, Lana Williams, and three Summit Authors Romance Themes boxed sets!
Check out these fantastic Hump Day books!
A wonderful new contemporary from my writer pal, Julia London.
Find out more at Julia London’s website!
New Release!
Visit C. J. Scott’s website!
New Low Price!
Find out more at Cathy Perkin’s website!
A Despair of Demons (Travelers, Book 1)
First book in Travelers series!
And much more at Cassy Campbell’s website!
Believe In Me (The Vengeance Trilogy)
New Release in Historical Romance!
Much more at Lana William’s website!
More at The Summit Author’s website!
More at The Summit Author’s website!
More at The Summit Author’s website!
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--and it's still on the USA Today list! Color me excited!
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.
