J. Kenner's Blog, page 80
July 30, 2013
Complete Me is on Shelves! Release Day for the Final Stark Trilogy Installment!
I’m thrilled that Complete Me is finally here!The third book in the New York Times and USA Today bestselling Stark Trilogy!
Haven’t pre-ordered yet? You can grab your copy here:
Random House
Barnes & Noble (print or Nook)
Amazon (print)
Amazon (Kindle)
Amazon UK
Books-A-Million
Kobo
iBooks
Indie Bound
Be sure to join us for the final days of the Complete Me Blog Tour!
Enter to win a signed copy of Complete Me from Shelf Awareness!
Check out this awesome contest to win Complete Me … sponsored by Shelf Awareness!
A totally cool contest … and when you tell your friends you get more entries credited to you. Cool, huh?
July 28, 2013
A steamy #StarkOnSunday excerpt from Complete Me (Stark Trilogy book 3) and a Giveaway!
Woot! #StarkOnSunday ! I’ve got a super steamy excerpt of Complete Me, book 3 of the Stark Trilogy, up at The Book Reading Gals … have a fan ready 
And, of course, there’s another chance to win Complete Me, courtesy of Bantam Books!
“We’ve done this before, remember? Our first night. You in the back of my limo, and I was miles away on my phone and so hard I thought I’d explode.”
I nod. It’s one of my most vivid memories. I was drunk and heady with lust, but I was alone and I could fool myself into believing that the extent of my arousal was my own secret.
Now, there is no hiding how turned on I am.
Read the rest at The Book Reading Gals!
P.S. - We're only days away from the release of book 3 of the Stark Trilogy!! Have you pre-ordered Complete Me yet?
P.P.S. And why not scroll down and share the post? After all, sharing is sexy!
XXOO
--J.K.
July 27, 2013
The Final #StarkOnSaturday before Complete Me comes out!!
Just a few more days to the Tuesday, July 30 release of Complete Me, book 3 of the Stark Trilogy by me (J. Kenner!) that began with with Release Me, continued with Claim Me, and will conclude with Complete Me! )
(If you’re in the Austin or Houston areas, I hope to see you at the signings on 7/30 and 7/31 respectively!) See the calendar for details!
Can’t make either? No worries! Contact The Book Spot and order a signed copy of any of my books!
And now … today’s snippet!
“I’ll call him now,” he says, then pulls his phone out of his pocket. I watch from beside him, frowning as he’s put through to Charles. I can’t imagine why Maynard would be calling—could the court have changed its mind? Is it even allowed to do that?
I study Damien’s face, but his expression gives me no clues. It’s gone completely blank and totally unreadable. A boardroom expression designed to give nothing away to competitors—or to me.
After a moment, Damien stands, and though I reach for his hand, he doesn’t reach back. Neither does he meet my eyes. He heads to the back of the plane and disappears into what I assume is the office.
I try to focus on my book, but it’s impossible, and after I’ve read the same page over at least three dozen times, Damien finally returns. He nods at the attendant, who radios the cockpit, and by the time Damien has fastened his seatbelt again we are once again readying for take-off.
“What happened?” I ask.
“Nothing to worry about.” He stills wears that bland, corporate mask and I feel my heart constrict, as if a giant fist is squeezing it tight.
“But I am worrying. Charles wouldn’t radio the tower unless it was important.”
He smiles, but it seems forced, and I see no corresponding humor in his eyes. “You’re right. He wouldn’t.”
“Then what is it?”
“There’ve been some time-sensitive developments on a couple of matters that I’ve been chipping away at.” His voice is level, his words perfectly reasonable. I, however, don’t believe a word of it.
“Don’t shut me out again, Damien.”
“I’m not,” he says firmly. “Not everything is about us.”
I tense, the sting of his words as potent as a slap. “I see.” I finger the book in my lap. “Well, never mind.”
“Nikki…” His voice is no longer cold.
I tilt my head to look at him, my own mask firmly in place. “It’s fine,” I say.
His eyes search mine, the near-black one seeming to see so deep into me that it is almost dizzying. I hold his gaze for as long as I can before I have to look away or else risk him seeing too clearly that I’m certain his words are all bullshit. What I don’t understand is why.
I turn my head, ostensibly to look out the window as the plane gathers speed, rushing forward to its inevitable climb. And as the wheels lift-off, I can’t help but think that we have reached the point of no return, Damien and I. Like this plane, we will either continue to move forward, or we will crash.
I know! I’m ending this round of Stark On Saturday with a cliffhanger … but in just a few more days you’ll know what happens next! (And I just sent a REALLY steamy excerpt to The Book Reading Gals … link to that guest blog as soon as it goes live!)
Dying to know what happens? Why not pre-order Complete Me from Amazon or from Barnes and Noble! On-sale July 30!
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
More soon,
XXOO
July 26, 2013
Last chance to sign up for dinner with me (J. Kenner), Sophie Jordan, Donna Grant and Tracy Wolff (aka Tracy Deebs and Tessa Adams)!
Come have a wild time with me (J. Kenner aka Julie Kenner), Sophie Jordan, Donna Grant and Tracy Wolff (aka Tracy Deebs and Tessa Adams)!
We’re having a Dinner with the Authors event in Katy (near Houston, Texas) on July 31! Hope you can join us! Click the image to get all the details and make your reservation!!
A quotables countdown to Complete Me (Stark Trilogy, book 3)
Just a few more days until Complete Me, Stark Trilogy book 3 following the multi-week New York Times and USA Today bestsellers Release Me and Claim Me!
I’m so excited at the awesome feedback on the third book (and the series as a whole!) so far. So I thought I’d share a few snippets, quotables and general info!
Thanks especially to my Twitter friends, @redhotpolkadots and @MissChristy125 for creating and sharing these graphics!
Check it out:
This was a great ending to a great series!! With all the exciting unknowns coming at Damien and Nikki, I couldn’t put this book down. It was hot, passionate, thrilling, and enticing! The Divas give not only this book but the entire series 5 out of 5 very bubbly champagne glasses! Diva’s Daily Book Blog
The story is sexy, tense, haunting and intense as Damian’s dark secrets are close to been shown to the light. This story shows an erotic ecstasy and a heat between Damian and Nikki that cannot be extinguished by anyone.
This book is a fantastic sensual conclusion to this trilogy and has to be among my top 10. Nicci’s Book Blog
More fun snippets and review quotes tomorrow!
Why not pre-order Complete Me from Amazon or from Barnes and Noble!
On-sale July 30!
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 Bound
And, 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
Soon, soon, soon … Complete Me is coming!!!!!!
July 25, 2013
Pauline B Jones on New Orleans: When the Big Easy Isn’t that Easy
New Orleans. Steamy in more than one sense. A good place for a murder? Pauline B. Jones thinks so, and she should know.
When the Big Easy Isn’t that Easy
If you’re looking for a great place for secrets to ooze up out of, well, search no more. New
Orleans is a great place to commit (fictional) murder. And for secrets to ooze up out of. It is a city that has inspired much (fictional) mayhem (and yeah, some actual mayhem through the years). And it is surrounded by swamps, so there’s lots of ooze.
The best time of year for (fictional) murder, IMHO, is summer.
There is something about the sultry heat, the riot of out-of-control green, growing things, soaring oaks festooned with hanging moss, and the “let the good times roll” attitude, that lends itself to (fictional) mayhem. And there are so many places for bad things to happen. I started seeing (fictional) murder sites in so many places that my hubs started asking random strangers to request an autopsy for him if he died suddenly (he’s still alive and totally fine, btw).
One of my favorite potential (fictional) murder sightings was at the Zoo-To-Do, a huge charity fund raising event held yearly at, you guessed it, the zoo. We received our tickets—which were well outside our budget—courtesy of the hubs employer.
To properly set the stage, I’d like you to close your eyes and picture your typical zoo. Habitats. Pathways. Booths of souvenirs and places to eat. Families with kids, strollers maybe. School groups being herded from place to place. A zoo.
Now remove all the people. And the sun.
The humidity stays, though. This is New Orleans.
Now it’s night at the zoo. The air is thick and maybe it has cooled off a couple of degrees now that the sun is gone. But it’s still hot, real hot. People flow toward the entrance to the zoo. All of them in formal attire. That’s right. They’re wearing tuxedos and the female version of tuxedos (what do we call that?). I’m already wide-eyed. And I wish I had gills. The air is that thick. And I also wish I hadn’t worn nylons. No one can see my legs anyway.
Hubs hands over our tickets and they let us inside. It’s the zoo, but it’s not the zoo I’m used to.
There are all those “beautiful” people, moving forward in clusters of varying sizes. Probably they are talking, but you can’t hear them over the music. It’s Cajun at the moment, but it changes throughout the night into Zydeco, Jazz, blues, rock, country—you name it, they got it. We pass a place where there’s dancing. You haven’t truly lived until you’ve seen “Cotton-eyed Joe” being danced by people in formal attire.
Where the people are, the lights are brilliant, so bright they make the spots where the lights aren’t completely impenetrable. You can’t even see the outlines of bushes unless you get real close to the dark. But you don’t want to. It’s dark. And not all the critters are in enclosed habitats.
I see canopies, enclosures filled with people, tables and chairs, for sitting but most people are standing and talking, or least their mouths are still moving. I may have heard two words the whole night. I later learn there are “private” portable toilets in the corners. You read that right: portable toilets and formal attire. Imagine trying to use an outhouse in a formal. Now try to scrub that image out of your brain.
There are stations, tables scattered around, weighted with food provided by some of the city’s most famous restaurants. Each one has one of their specialties to try. No one goes hungry, though, because there are a lot of tables, a lot of samples. All of them to- die-for good. Perfect for a last meal.
You’re munching on something and the music stops without warning. And in that tiny moment of almost silence, you hear the roars of the various animals. Because you’re in their space and they don’t sound happy about it. You realize there might be eyes, watching eyes, in those deep, dark spaces where the light doesn’t reach. Lions and tigers and bear eyes. Alligators. And possibly some pissed off peacocks.
Now tell me you wouldn’t think, “Wow, this is a great place to commit a murder.”
Or course, I probably shouldn’t have said it out loud.
Yeah.
We moved from New Orleans ten years ago, two years before Katrina, but when I got ready to start a new, romantic suspense series, I guess it was inevitable I’d (fictionally) return to New Orleans for some (fictional) mayhem. It was amazingly easy to slip back into that New Orleans state of mind, to recall how suited it is for (fictional) mayhem. Because the Big Easy isn’t always that easy.
Do you know what it means to miss New Orleans? Ever plotted (fictional) murder at an inappropriate time or place?
Pauline just released her 13th novel, Relatively Risky. She’s not superstitious about it, well, maybe a little. She’s been committing (fictional) mayhem for a long time. At least this way she avoids the strip search and jail time. When she’s not writing romantic suspense, she’s sending her characters on adventures to other planets. And to alternate realities. It’s pretty fun. You can find Pauline here:
Blog: http://www.paulinebjones.com/BlogWP/
Website: http://www.paulinebjones.com/
And there:
Twitter: https://twitter.com/paulinebjones
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorPaulineBairdJones
Here’s a blurb of Relatively Risky:
A quirky artist must unravel her parent’s secret past before the mob erases her future. But will the protection of a handsome homicide detective be her only hope of surviving the Big Easy?
Nell Whitby is starting over in New Orleans, getting a publisher for her children’s book, sketching tourists in the French Quarter, and leaving the tragic death of her parents behind. When a handsome detective asks her for a date, her fresh start seems perfect…until a dangerous family secret bubbles up from the past and puts her life in jeopardy.
The oldest of thirteen children, detective Alex Baker has two goals in life: solve murders and avoid anyone under the age of ten. That is, until the day the quirky children’s book author foils a carjacking, becomes a target for the mob, and makes his libido sit up and reconsider the whole no-kids thing. If he doesn’t protect her, she’ll be the next body to turn up in his homicide investigation.
As bullets start to fly, Nell can’t resist her sexy bodyguard or ignore her past, and Alex must protect the irresistible kid-magnet who has them both in the crosshairs.
Thanks to Pauline B. Jones for guest blogging! Pauline asked if you’ve ever plotted a (fictional) murder at an inappropriate place or time. Interesting question. For that matter, have you ever been someplace and thought, “This would be a great place for a murder…”? Let us know in the comments!
P.S. - We're only days away from the release of book 3 of the Stark Trilogy!! Have you pre-ordered Complete Me yet?
P.P.S. And why not scroll down and share the post? After all, sharing is sexy!
XXOO
--J.K.
July 24, 2013
Hump Day Books from Hattie Mae, Kristine Mason, Barbara Freethy, Debra Holland, Lindsey Brookes, Linda Barlow, Katherine Garbera, Angela Falkowska, and a bonus Summit Authors boxed set!
Eight great Hump Day books plus a bonus Favorite Romance Themes (Bodyguards) Boxed Set (including a book from special guest author me–Julie Kenner!)
Under the Sassafras (A Bon Amie Novel)
The first book in Hattie Mae’s Bon Amie series!
Learn more at Hattie Mae’s website!
Shadow of Danger (Book 1 CORE Shadow Trilogy)
Book #1 in the CORE Shadow Trilogy!
See more at Kristine Mason’s website!
Falling For A Stranger (Callaways #3)
Latest Book in the Callaway Family Series Available Now!
Find out more at Barbara Freethy’s website!
Mail-Order Brides of the West: Trudy (A Montana Sky Series Novel)
Brand new book from Debra Holland, New York Times bestselling author of the Montana Sky Series!
To see more visit Debra Holland’s website!
Looking for a fun, sexy cowboy read?
See more at Lindsey Brookes’ website!
Back in print again — new revised edition of Linda Barlow’s classic historical romance Fires of Destiny.
For more please visit Linda Barlow’s website!
His Instant Heir (Baby Business)
First book in the Baby Business trilogy from USA Today bestselling author Katherine Garbera!
For more information visit Katherine Garbera’s website!
New Novel! “Hellishly funny!”
For more please visit Angela Falkowska’s website!
I’m psyched to be part of the The Summit Authors Present: Favorite Romance Themes™ (Bodyguard Boxed Set) along with Julianne MacLean, Kathryn Shay, Shelly Thacker, and Patricia Ryan!
Learn more at The Summit Authors’ Favorite Romance Themes Webpage!
If you would like to submit a book to the Hump Day feature, click here!
P.S. - We're only days away from the release of book 3 of the Stark Trilogy!! Have you pre-ordered Complete Me yet?
P.P.S. And why not scroll down and share the post? After all, sharing is sexy!
XXOO
--J.K.
July 22, 2013
T.M. Simmons on Ghost Hunting for Research and Writing
Please welcome T. M. Simmons to the blog! I think you’ll find her methods for researching a book both unique and fascinating!
Ghost Hunting for Research and Writing
Most people beat-feet in the opposite direction if they spy a ghost. Not me. I’ve actually been known to prowl graveyards in the dark, with only a flashlight for protection. Actually, I also use the flashlight to communicate with the ghosts. You can see me doing that with some other paranormal investigators at the url in my bio, which is after this blog.
The first time I went “ghost hunting,” I wasn’t really afraid. The culprit who started me on this new life journey was my aunt, Belle Brown. Aunt Belle is more like a sister to me. We got kicked out of different bars together, but that’s a long-ago story and I didn’t record it. Anyway, I just assumed I’d watch Aunt Belle chat with unseen people, since her ability was well-known in our family. Was I ever wrong.
She and I went to the haunted Myrtles Plantation in St. Francisville, Louisiana, on our first trip.
Aunt Belle is only four years older, but she believes she’s boss. Before we even got to St. Francisville, she said, “Since you’re the writer of our duo, write down what all we experience.”
It didn’t take much urging on her part. Within a few minutes of our arrival, I was jotting down notes of the paranormal energy I began experiencing. I didn’t want to forget even one of our encounters.
At the time, I was still writing historical romance, and I also absorbed scads of history. What I soaked up on that first trip had a bearing on my writing veering into paranormal romance. I even set a book, Witch Angel, in St. Francisville.
I’m one of those people who, when they find enjoyment in a new experience, dive into it wholeheartedly. Realizing I had psychic gifts, I searched out local classes where I could learn and enhance my abilities. Over the years, I studied under a local psychic and a Native American Spiritualist. I went to Circles and absorbed just about everything I had time to read about my new interest. Of course, I also continued to chase after ghosts as often as I got the chance.
This knowledge and practice soon had an impact on my writing. I noticed I could lose myself even more easily in that world in my mind, and I understood it resulted from getting in touch with that sixth sense. Some of what I learned and continue to practice is:
Meditation: As part of communicating with ghosts, I meditate often. Meditation releases stress and allows me to focus less on the physical body, more on the subconscious. I’m a firm believer that it helps release our creativity from restraints. It can also lead to an answer to a manuscript block. Many times before I go to sleep, I meditate on some plot point that just won’t gel. The next morning, the solution I woke up and groggily wrote on a piece of paper on my beside table is usually waiting for me.
Talking to Ghosts: Writers talk to their characters telepathically. It helps us develop them into real people for our readers. Over the years, I’ve learned to trust what the character tells me. I might not know exactly why a certain item or twist popped into the manuscript, but it wasn’t long before I realized it was there for a reason — one which would become clear later. I remember a gold locket that showed up in a beaver pond in one book….
Although once in a while I do actually hear a ghost’s voice, 99% of my conversations with them are telepathic. I have to pay close attention, because likely as not, that voice in my head is faint, just as that character’s voice is. Distinct ghost voices are extremely rare; most of what I hear audibly is caught in what are called EVPs (electronic voice phenomena), which are digital sound recordings. A person doesn’t actually hear most EVPs as they happen. The digital recorder picks up spoken words understandable during playback
Seeing & Feeling Ghosts: Another thing I experience as a paranormal investigator is seeing actual apparitions. Most are infrequent, usually extremely brief sightings, perhaps only a split second or two. Others can last for five or ten seconds…or longer when I concentrate. When I began experiencing apparitions, one of the first things someone else would ask was: “What did the ghost look like?”
When I take time to reflect, it’s amazing what my writer’s mind can capture in that brief period. Describing a ghost to someone else in order to try to make them also see it is similar to getting our characters down on paper well enough to be visible to our readers. Like with writing, I’ve learned to sit down as soon as possible and make notes. Doing this with ghosts has enhanced my recall ability, since it’s infrequent and I don’t want to forget even a tiny bit of the experience. Even in a brief sightings, I can usually remember the height and build of the entity, hair color, facial features, clothing and period style, as well other features. I also often sense the apparition’s personality and attitude from his or her body language.
Once a group of other paranormal investigators and I were in the majestic but deteriorated Baker Hotel in Mineral Wells, Texas.
I had wandered off alone in the basement, ending up in what used to be the men’s locker and shower room. All of a sudden, I stood stunned as a naked man stepped out of a long-unused shower stall across the room from me. My camera hung forgotten around my neck as I stared at him: six muscular feet of gorgeous male, blond hair, blue eyes, and a towel draped around his neck. Dribbles of water still rolled here and there down his tanned body. He saw me looking at him, gave me a lazy wink, then…disappeared. But not from my memory or from communication. With the heightened abilities I was gaining through my study of the paranormal and meditation, my Muse and I chatted with that ghost off and on for months, while I wrote his story in my paranormal mystery, Dead Man Haunt.
I have a ghost here in my office: Martha. Many times, when I write something I feel is rather good, she comes out and gives me a hug of agreement. Rather than scare me, this feeling gives me confidence.
After many years of experience in the paranormal, as well as learning protection measures against some of the nasty entities I encountered, I formed my own group of paranormal investigators, Supernatural Researchers of Texas (SRT):
My crew members are all creative types — writers, a digital design artist, musicians — and all have branched out into more than one artistic area. They talked me into teaching what I call my Psychic Development Class, which we hold every two weeks. At first, I shared fundamental ways to begin to develop their psychic senses. Now we’ve begun studying video classwork of other spiritualist mediums, something that I also enjoy. We’ve found opening various aspects of our sixth sense also enhances our other abilities, some pertaining to writing, and not just for the journals we keep about our meditations. Other aspects assist in the craft side of our endeavors. Each and every one of us use what we learn in the class to help us in our chosen artistic path.
Ghost hunting isn’t just something I do to scare myself silly … or sillier. It helps keep my senses honed and my writing sharp.
T. M. Simmons has been chasing ghosts for many years. She writes about her experiences in her diaries, Ghost Hunting Diary I through V, and working on VI. She also fictionalizes them in her Dead Man Mysteries and short stories. All are e-books available on Amazon, BN, Smashwords, Kobo, Apple, Sony and other e-book sites.
For more information about her and her books, check out her web sites at http://www.iseeghosts.com or http://www.tranamaesimmons.com. Her blog is at http://www.iseedeadfolks.blogspot.com, where she posts weekly updates on her writing and paranormal experiences.
You can also follow her on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/tranam.simmons or on Twitter at @TMSimmonsauthor.
The talking to ghosts video is at http://tiny.cc/ba9ls
Thanks to T. M. Simmons for guest blogging!
Have you ever had an experience with a ghost? Was it comforting or bone-chilling? Somewhere in between? Leave a comment below!
P.S. - We're only days away from the release of book 3 of the Stark Trilogy!! Have you pre-ordered Complete Me yet?
P.P.S. And why not scroll down and share the post? After all, sharing is sexy!
XXOO
--J.K.
Complete Me Blog Hop — win the Stark Trilogy!
Thanks to boozebookzandbadboyz.com for this great graphic!
Check it out … and be sure to follow all the links and enter to win one of the super-fantabulous prizes (like an entire set of the Stark Trilogy or copies of Complete Me or gift cards an advance read of Claimed by Stacey Kennedy!
Click through the image to get to the links to the other hoppers! _blank”>
