Mia Kerick's Blog, page 9
December 8, 2014
“Always the Bridesmaid,” said with a HUGE GRIN!! Mia Kerick places 2nd, 3rd, and 5th in Rainbow Awards Best YA Gay & Lesbian Book
And I’m happy to be a bridesmaid. What’s not to love about it? Three of my books–seven of my winsome boys–have had a chance to shine as RUNNERS-UP in Elisa Rolle’s wonderful Rainbow Awards!!
TAKE A BOW BOYS!!!
Timmy and Ben from Not Broken, Just Bent
Bryan and Scott from The Red Sheet
Casey, Zander, and Nate from Us Three
Yes, all of these guys had bumpy roads to ride, but they made it to their Happily Ever Afters. Or, in Casey, Nate, and Zander’s case, their Happily For Now, because the first sequel to their story, Here Without You, comes out in the winter of 2015.
SO CELEBRATE WITH MY AWESOME BOYS AND ME!!!
AND HUGE CONGRATS TO ALL YA WINNERS!!!!
1. Silent by Sara Alva YAY!!
2. (tie)
a. This Is Not a Love Story by Suki Fleet
b. Not Broken, Just Bent by Mia Kerick
3. (tie)
a. The Red Sheet by Mia Kerick
b. Vivaldi in the Dark by Matthew J. Metzger
4. Freak Camp by Jessica V. Barnett
5. (tie)
a.Us Three by Mia Kerick
b.Omorphi by Cody Kennedy
c.Red Devil by Kyell Gold
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December 3, 2014
Color Of Love Blog Hop
Love Bites and Silk – Color of Love Blog Hop
The Blurb for the hop
It’s that time of the year where we celebrate our love for characters of color in romantic fiction in the Color of Love Blog Hop.
The hop is from the 4th through the 8th of December.
Grand prizes:
1st prize $50 Amazon GC + 7 ebooks
2nd prize $25 Amazon GC + 7 ebooks
3rd prize $15 Amazon GC + 7 ebooks
4th prize $10 Amazon GC + 6 ebooks
5th prize $5 Amazon GC + 6 ebooks
Rafflecopter Grand Prize
Dario Pereira from the novel Out of Hiding
Most of the drama in Out of Hiding revolves around the struggles of Philippe Bergeron. He is a broken man, a lost soul. A sensitive spirit damaged profoundly by the premature death of his mother that occurred when he was just a boy. He longs to lose himself in the background scenery of life. Whether he is on the vast Atlantic as a fisherman, or under the bright lights of New York City—his goal is to fade into whatever overpowering background that will best shadow him.
It takes a certain man to force Philippe from his life in the shadows, and this man has not had an easy life, himself. Dario Pereira spent his youth in the foster care system, where he was placed in Somerville, Massachusetts, so that he could grow up in a Brazilian American community. The intention was that he would be raised among others like himself. But Dario never fully bonded with the family with whom he was placed simply because he was physically similar. He, like Philippe, somehow, never felt he belonged. But where Philippe’s pain drove him to hide, Dario’s pain encouraged him to excel, to stand out, in particular in the realm of dance.
Out of Hiding is the multicultural love story of two men, who happen to be fighting so many inner battles, they do not seem to even take notice of each other’s race or gender. What would be so obvious to a person who’d view them on the street and think, “there’s a gay, mixed race couple” is not even a consideration to Dario and Philippe, as they fall into a deep, soul-searching love, that forces them to face the issues that are truly meaningful in life, such as depression and fear of isolation and the lack of ability to trust.
“Love is What I See” is my tagline, and I think it is very true of Dario and Philippe’s experience in Out of Hiding. Philippe had a family of his own blood, and he could not find himself there. Dario was placed with people of the same ethnicity, and he could not find himself there. Each discovers the fullness of his own humanity in a man who is of remarkably different ethnic and social background from himself, because what they can see in the other is not differences, but their own completion.
More info including buy links and trailer visit: http://miakerick.com/books/adult/a-package-deal/
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Bring in The New… but how about we bring it into my newly organized home?
This year my resolution is to clean things.
Because everything is a mess in my life. Everything.
And I’m not trying to suggest that my family life is turbulent or we are financially stressed or in poor health. No, I am not talking about that kind of a mess.
I am talking about a messy mess. Yes, plain old-fashioned disarray.
I am a true master of clutter-hiding. If it were a sport, I would be an Olympian. Now, at first glance, my house is relatively neat, considering it is the dwelling place of six people and four cats. But I know the truth. Behind each closet door, inside every blanket box, in all of the kitchen cabinets, true disorder reigns.
So while some parts of Mia stand proud in regard to the apparent tidiness of my home’s main floor, my inner self is burdened with the awareness that my recipe cards are not cards at all, but instead are ripped-out scraps of notebook paper that can be found in one of 18 places, ranging from inside the large royal blue bin beside the kitchen island to beneath the bathroom sink.
It gets worse…
If I had to find a black skirt to wear to a funeral, I would need three weeks’ notice to search for it in my closet. Or in my storage room. Or in a plastic trash bag in the garage. You want to make a soufflé? Good luck finding a whisk. And locating the eggs will be a challenge, too, as the refrigerator is a total disaster.
I will confess, our family no longer sorts the silverware. It’s all right, we make a game of it—we reach in and eat our bowls of cereal with whatever utensil we happen to grab. You should really try it. It’s fun and challenging, too!
So, yes, the drawers, closets, bureaus, cabinets, and really anything in the house that can be opened and closed, need a thorough sorting through. But some other things in my life need a cleaning as well…
My computer. It takes me twenty minutes to find my most recent screen shot. I have literally thousands to look through. And my first rough draft of Beggars in Choosers (written thirteen books ago) is still in my documents.
My car. It is not part of the house, so I’m going to call it a separate challenge. Mom’s Volvo, however, suffers from the same “it can be opened and closed and therefore is used to conceal clutter” syndrome as all storage devices in my house.
My diet. Seriously, I need to stay away from all things processed and do a little more with things that grow in nature.
My language. It’s not that I swear like a rapper in my everyday life, but some of my characters sure as shit, I mean, heck, do. I want my books to be relevant and realistic to teens who read them, and teens swear, but I think I need to tone it down. Some reviews of The Red Sheet actually discussed my liberal use of profanity, and honestly, I just wrote what I thought. So it seems that my brain isn’t squeaky clean either. Maybe I’ll clean up my act in this area just a bit.
But you know what? Despite the mess we live in, my kids are awesome, my marriage is happy, my books get written, and the cats can find the litter box, although it probably needs to be emptied. Maybe this outward disorganization houses something very streamlined—a family life that actually works, a professional life that ain’t too shabby, and (be prepared for cheesy) a lot of love.
I really love my kids, my hubby, my cats… and if I could find my red Sharpie marker in this freakin’ mess I’d write “I LOVE YOU GUYS” on a napkin and hang it on the refrigerator for all to see.
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October 13, 2014
Happy Book Birthday!! Random Acts by Mia Kerick has been born…
RANDOM ACTS IS BORN!! Visit my blog for chance to win a T-shirt!!!
Come celebrate with Mia the birth of Bradley and Caleb…
Today is October 13th—I sincerely hope a LUCKY 13 for Bradley, Caleb, and Mia—the birthday of my newest adult release, RANDOM ACTS!!
And with this emergence of a new storyline, comes the birth of two new characters.
Bradley Zelder: Yes, admittedly inspired by Bradley Cooper and a sort of character that he often plays. The bad boy, and very naughty, but with a good heart. That is my Bradley. He finds himself in too many women’s beds, physically rather satisfied, but desperate to escape the emotional aspects of relationships.
Caleb Jorde: Inspired by a person I know in real life that cannot be named. (Mysterious, huh?) Classy and perfect and proper and righteous. But inside Caleb is constantly trying to escape his profound fear of random events that he knows can take away his stability.
My idea for the storyline came from the concept of seeing an apparently proud and strong man brought low by random events he cannot control or avoid. To compliment that idea, I thought, let’s see what happens when the obviously broken and damaged person in the relationship must be the one to save the man who seems to have it all. Random Acts is a story of the turning of tables. Of saving each other. Of a cyclical pattern of loving behavior that is required by two very different men in order to deal with the random positive and negative events life throws at them.
Random events—accidents, acts of kindness, acts of violence—are what Bradley and Caleb must face and adapt to in my new release from Dreamspinner Press, Random Acts.
Have you ever been subject to a random act of kindness that you would like to share? Leave a comment on my blog about a random event or just say hello and you will be entered into a drawing to win a Random Acts T-shirt!!
Enjoy the book!!
Buy Links:
Mia
PS Don’t forget to follow Random Acts blog tour
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October 12, 2014
Happy Book Brithday, Random Acts by Mia Kerick has been born…
RANDOM ACTS IS BORN!! Visit my blog for chance to win a T-shirt!!!
Come celebrate with Mia the birth of Bradley and Caleb…
Today is October 13th—I sincerely hope a LUCKY 13 for me—and the birthday of my newest adult release, RANDOM ACTS!!
And with this emergence of a new storyline, comes the birth of two new characters.
Bradley Zelder: Yes, admittedly inspired by Bradley Cooper and a sort of character that he often plays. The bad boy, and naughty, but with a good heart. That is my Bradley. He finds himself in too many women’s beds, physically satisfied, but desperate to escape the emotional aspects of relationships.
Caleb Jorde: Inspired by a person I know in real life that cannot be named. (Mysterious, huh?) Classy and perfect and proper and righteous. But inside Caleb is constantly trying to escape his profound fear of random events that he knows can take away his stability.
My idea for the storyline came from the concept of seeing an apparently proud and strong man brought low by random events he cannot control or avoid. To compliment that idea, I thought, let’s see what happens when the obviously broken and damaged person in the relationship must be the one to save the man who seems to have it all. Random Acts is a story of the turning of tables. Of saving each other. Of a cyclical pattern of loving behavior that is required by two very different men in order to deal with the random positive and negative events life throws at them.
Random events—accidents, acts of kindness, acts of violence—are what Bradley and Caleb must face and adapt to in my new release from Dreamspinner Press, Random Acts.
Have you ever been subject to a random act of kindness that you would like to share? Leave a comment on my blog about a random event or just say hello and you will be entered into a drawing to win a Random Acts T-shirt!!
Enjoy the book!!
Buy Links:
Mia
PS Don’t forget to follow Random Acts blog tour
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October 5, 2014
The RAINBOW AWARDS HAVE BEEN VERY, VERY GOOD TO MIA!! (thank you, Elisa Reviews!!)
I get my share of positive feedback as an author. I get reviews, Facebook comments, emails, and blog comments that tell me how much readers have enjoyed my books and how my stories have made a difference in their lives. And this communication is an author’s lifeline–it lets me know that I am reaching people…and touching their lives. THANK YOU for that.
BUT THERE IS SOMETHING ABOUT AN AWARD…
It brings out the kids in us I thing. So shiny…so special…and, you know, we won them!!
Now, I am far from alone in winning a Rainbow Award. But still, it has been a humongous thrill!!
RIGHT NOW, THREE of my YOUNG ADULT BOOKS are FINALISTS in RAINBOW AWARDS!!
Three cheers for…
THE RED SHEET!!
US THREE!!
NOT BROKEN, JUST BENT!!
I am also pleased that five of my books received Honorable Mentions. UH HUH!!! WOOT!!!
Not Broken, Just Bent
Intervention
Out of Hiding
The Red Sheet
Us Three
AND FIVE OF MY BOOKS ARE STILL IN THE COVER AWARD COMPETITION *****SO PLEASE VOTE!! *****
The Red Sheet- Paul Richmond
Intervention-Ronaldo Guitierez
Us Three- Dan Skinner
Out of Hiding- Paul Richmond
A Package Deal- Terry J Cyr
This experience has been THRILLING and it makes me feel officially like an author. It lets me know that judges like my book, and where it is more important to me that YOU like my books- this feels good!!
So thank you for sharing the joy and reading my books and enjoying my covers!!
LOVE to YOU from,
Mia
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September 22, 2014
A BUSY MIND– Let me unload some of my stuff on you :)
Days just pass by so quickly. I have so much to do, and to think about doing, and so much to write about, that I wake up and next thing I know, it is time for bed.
FIRST OFF….
I am very proud of my review of And the Children Shall Lead, Michael Bowler’s fourth book in the Children of the Knight series. Here is my Facebook Post and my official 5 STAR REVIEW:
“Love is What I See in And The Children Shall Lead”
I am primarily a romance writer. In fact, the tag line on my author’s blog is “Love is what I see.” And of all that I see in Michael Bowler’s Children of the Knight series, the depth of love between the characters is my personal favorite aspect. Profound love—that of friends and brothers and sons and romantic partners—infiltrates this contemporary and mystical adventure series, that I once likened to an action-filled motion picture. And this constant presence of the characters’ selfless devotion to others is why the fourth novel of the series, And the Children Shall Lead, touches me so deeply and will stay with me for years to come.
“I love you so much that when you are with me the world disappears and all I can see is you.” I remember the days of my own youth when loving someone was all encompassing and overwhelmingly powerful. Michael Bowler also knows this depth of youthful love, and he expresses it with the brilliant simplicity of one teenage boy speaking to another—not using dexterity of wit to drive his point home, but rather the guileless candor of youthful declarations (closely followed by a teasing nudge and an off-the-cuff remark, “that’s cuz you’re a dumbass”, which lightens the moment and makes it so very real).
The bonds of love that Bowler creates are selfless and undying, as well as utterly compelling, bursting forth from the restrictive tension of living with a constant presence of danger. Intuitively, Bowler’s teen boy characters know that public ownership of the unconventional love they share, one that defies all labels, is a necessary step in the healthy growth of their relationship. This inner knowledge of each other’s needs leads to what I consider to be the most moving (and yet again somehow humorous, thanks to Bowler’s skillful writing) moment of And the Children Shall Lead, where the teens bravely and publicly express that they are a couple, and that their love is not a choice, but is a calling. Furthermore, they insist they are not “gay”, but are instead two parts of the same boy. Please note that this honest and poignant message society so desperately needs to hear is delivered to the world in a truly unconventional setting, but you will have to see that for yourself.
The depiction of teenagers who experience a fulfilling love relationship that does not involve sexual intimacy, is both heartening and hopeful, and maybe even freeing for many of the teens who read And the Children Shall Lead. In addition, Bowler’s expression that “real boys” can love each other and still, in fact, be “real boys” is one that needs to be relayed. In these ways the romantic love relationship around which the book centers is positive and appropriate for all ages, while still gripping the reader in its intensity. And I will add that despite the lack of physical intimacy, the romance between these boys is one of the most satisfying I, as a reader, have encountered in literature.
In And the Children Shall Lead, the positive love relationships, including bonds of friendship and the devotion of adopted family, are the characters’ fundamental sources of strength by which they mature and grow into their best adult selves. In particular, the love that I see in And the Children Shall Lead provides Lance with the strength to overcome devastating childhood fears, to face a hostile public, to lead a youthful team in the direst of circumstances. The fortification provided by his solid love relationships allows Lance to press on—even when he and the ones he loves most in the world are being threatened by a sinister and unknown evil.
And The Children Shall Lead is as wild a ride as its series predecessors. Included are plenty of action, mystery, adventure, and even some US History, but I tune in most to the romance, because, as I said love is what I see. I highly recommend And the Children Shall Lead to all romance readers, as well as to those who enjoy witnessing the thrill of the chase, human rights activism at work, and skillfully devised, witty slang-packed repartee amid courtly formality.
Best of Luck to my good friend MICHAEL BOWLER on BOOK NUMBER FOUR.
Remember, if you want MOVING YA ROMANCE, LOOK NO FURTHER!!
You may or may not be aware that I am writing another YA LGBT Contemporary work of fiction.
LOVE SPELL tells the story of a gender nonconforming high school senior with a very strange name and a passion for another boy that drives him to…well, I will let you find out for yourself.
LOVE SPELL is at 33,000 words. I anticipate that it will be a novella, and will ultimately get to 40-45,000 words.
VERY EXCITED ABOUT THIS ONE–funny and touching, together.
I’ve been making an effort to accept myself, and in particular, the body I have enjoyed living in for the past fifty years. Here are some women whose full-figured style inspires me, an “it’s better in blue jeans” kind of girl.
ROCK THOSE BLUE JEANS LADIES!!!
Guess what?? THE RED SHEET IS ON SALE THIS FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 26, 2014 at ALL Romance Ebooks. $1.99
Yes, I said $1.99–it’s almost like stealing!!
And HOW COULD I FORGET? RANDOM ACTS is releasing on LUCKY OCTOBER 13, 2014
You can pre-order at Dreamspinner Press NOW, or pick it up at Amazon, or B&N, or All Romance Ebooks, or wherever you find your awesome LGBT ROMANCE!!
THANKS as always for your love and support. I am your fan!!
Mia (looking dazed in this one, but as I said I am very busy which sometimes leads to this expression)
Don’t forget to comment!!
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September 21, 2014
A HUGE HEARTFELT THANK YOU
I would like to offer a huge thank you to all of you who support me as a person and as an author.
Beckey made me this awesome image to share with you, which I did, on Facebook, but I also want to thank you here.
Love you and value you,
Mia
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September 8, 2014
Cover Revealed for my next book…Random Acts. October 13 Dreamspinner Press
***Hi everybody! I am so excited because the time has almost come for my next adult release, Random Acts. It will be published by Dreamspinner Press on October 13th – hopefully, a lucky day for me.
Coming Soon From Mia Kerick, Random Acts #CoverReveal @MiaKerick
Releasing on October 13, 2014
Publisher Dreamspinner Press
*****Here’s the blurb and the beautiful cover by Reese Dante.
Bradley Zelder can’t find his way in life. After struggling for nearly a decade, he has yet to complete his college degree. Working as a school custodian, living in blue-collar Landsbury, MA, his love life is as empty as the rest of his existence. But on his way home after another disastrous date, his truck breaks down in upscale Oceanside. When he thinks life can’t get any worse, a man who is the epitome of Boston elite and everything Bradley finds attractive and intimidating helps him move his truck to the side of the road. Ashamed of his lot in life, Bradley almost lets the opportunity slip away, but he comes to his senses in time and tracks Caleb down.
From a random act of kindness, romance begins to grow, filling all the dark corners of Bradley’s empty life—until a random act of violence threatens to take it all away. Bradley must step up and be the man Caleb believes him to be. Caleb rescued him from a life without hope. Can Bradley rescue him in return?
228 pages
eBook – 978-1-63216-365-3 6.99
Paperback – 978-1-63216-364-6 14.99
**** My assistant Super Beckey made some teasers, I really love these…Check this one out.
DON”T MISS MY AWESOME COVER REVEAL VIDEO TRAILER!!!
****ENTER MY COVER REVEAL RAFFLE!!! WOO HOO!!! Gotta love Starbucks- it’ll be like Mia Kerick is buying you a cup of coffee!! (and a backlist book)
A backlist titled book by Mia Kerick
$5 Starbucks Gift Card
***My assistant is setting up a blog tour for the release– if you are interested in signing up you can find the sign up form here:
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1YgmyesASBCYVz161pRbNFjOYhrkJfyfuhlaPhy_Ihx8/viewform?usp=send_form
Love to hear your comments about Random Acts- are you interested?? Let me know!!
And remember- sexy is a mind state not a waist size-
MIA!!!
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August 29, 2014
In The Pages of a Good Book, One Year Anniversary Friendship Blog Hop
How fine is the line between love and friendship?
Hi. I’m author Mia Kerick, and I have published 8 books (as of the fall of 2014 it will be nine, and I have more signed for 2015), but who’s counting? LOL. I write contemporary gay romance, both YA and adult, and the concept of friendship plays into many of my novels. In fact, it is very often the place where love in my stories begins.
In Beggars and Choosers, my first adult novel, Brett and Cory start out as friends, and remain so for much of the story. Each of these young men believe that their friendship is imbalanced. Cory feel that he relies too heavily on Brett for the necessities of life, and Brett feels he relies too much on Cory for providing him a simple reason to live. The deep regard that these two men experience for one another provides a strong basis for their relationship, yet at the same time makes them incredibly nervous to jeopardize their friendship by officially moving it into the realm of romance. And with Brett and Cory, the intimacy, when they finally allow themselves to push through all of their reservations and experience it, is incredibly intense. They know each other exceedingly well, better than anyone in the world knows the other, in all ways except this one. The expectations are high for their first moments of sexual closeness, the need to please the other overwhelming—providing almost an almost religious experience when they come together.
Another of my novels, Not Broken, Just Bent, a YA gay romance novel, also starts with the long term friendship of Timmy and Ben. Having met at eight years old in a playground behind a trailer park, Ben took Timmy home for dinner and he just kept on coming home with him. Best friends for nearly the next ten years, they find themselves attracted to one another in their high school years. These two boys have never held back a thing from one another, and with their sexual attraction, at least, they do not hold back. However, as the intimacy progresses, and the public denial of that intimacy becomes the rule, their communication suffers. When this love story ends, as many romantic relationships do, Timmy and Ben suffer profoundly, as they have so long depended upon each other for stability and friendship.
A fascinating aspect of friendship between men and women is dealt with in my adult novel, A Package Deal. In fact, the longstanding and deep friendship of two of the three main characters, Tristan and Savannah, led many of my usual readers to incorrectly believe that this novel was not a M/M romance novel, but a M/F/M romance novel of three people. I will leave you to read A Package Deal to find out the details, but in regard to Robby, he receives the best package deal he could ever hope for in the form of these two best friends who come to him in love and friendship, and provide him with a family. The novel examines the strong bond of friendship; a bond that is as permanent and meaningful as that of love.
My YA novel Us Three is another novel in which friendship, this time of three teenage boys, is propelled into love. It is a hard book to read in some ways, as the plot revolves around the severe bullying of 16-year-old Casey. In Us Three, three boys of very different social status in their high school must join together to complete a French group project. As they work together, each sees life through the others’ eyes, and at first, a slow respect for people for whom they originally had no use, develops. From that respect comes understanding, and soon friendship evolves. The friendship then turns into love. The relationship these boys build actually provides them with the purpose and strength necessary to survive life’s ordeals.
Have I ever fallen in love with a friend? Since I met most men I dated when I was specifically looking for men to date, often in clubs and bars, I would say no. However, I have been married for 22 years to one man and the strongest bond, the one that allows us to keep going on the tough days and push through the challenges, is the friendship we have developed.
Friendship—in my novels is a springboard to love, and in my life, friendship and love are a package deal.
Rafflecopters there are three rafters….
One is for the Kindle
One is for Just Authors a Rafflecopter giveaway
One is for an assortment of other goodies from gift cards to ebooks…
Hop around to the others that are in this hop from August 29 to August 31:
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