Kristen Proby's Blog, page 5

First excerpt of SEDUCING LAUREN!!

I'm so excited to share this new book with you! As you know, the second book in the LOVE UNDER THE BIG SKY series, SEDUCING LAUREN releases on August 19th! It's only a month away! I love this book with all my heart, and between you and me, Ty may be my favorite hero that I've ever written.

I know. Don't tell the others.

This story is romantic and sexy, but it also deals with some pretty heavy issues. Things like domestic abuse, divorce and family strife. I'm proud of it, and I can't wait for you all to read it!

So excited in fact, that I'm going to give you a taste of it today. Here is an excerpt from SEDUCING LAUREN!

Copyright © 2014 by Kristen Proby



As I approach his house, I see his Jeep parked in the drive, the hood up, and a tight, jean-clad ass bent over the side.Okay, he’s definitely home.I tentatively wander around the other side of the Jeep and lean against the side, looking at the engine. He hasn’t noticed that I’m here yet, and I’m not even sure how he’ll react to seeing me here, but I can’t seem to stay away. His dark head is bent low, his arms buried in the engine, tinkering with something. His arms are bare as he’s pulled off his T-shirt, which is draped over the windshield. A thin sheen of sweat covers his shoulders and back, and his entire sleeve tattoo, which runs from just above his wrist all the way up to the top of his right shoulder, is on full display, making my girlie parts all tingle and come to life.Holy Jesus, Mary, and Joseph.He’s so fucking toned it’s crazy. Jeez, his muscles bunch and stretch as he pulls on the wrench in his hand.“Come on, you motherfucker,” he mutters. I have to bite my lips to keep from laughing out loud.“So, what seems to be the problem?” I finally ask when he doesn’t notice me, keeping my eyes trained on the engine when his head whips up to look at me. I slowly lift my eyes to his and grin.“I didn’t hear your car,” he murmurs with a smile.“I walked.” I shrug and look back down into the bowels of his Jeep. “What’s wrong with your car?”“You walked from your house?” he asks incredulously.“No.” I shake my head and chuckle. “From Sips. I had coffee with Cara this morning.”He stands up straight and leans his palms on the side of the Jeep, watching me. My eyes immediately fall to one drop of sweat slowly making its way down his hard chest.“You had coffee with Cara?” He smiles.“Yeah.” I shrug shyly. “I’m sorry to just stop by like this. I was out for a walk and just sort of found myself here.” I feel my cheeks heat and I back away, but he shakes his head and smiles widely.“I’m glad you came by.” He raises his brows as I continue to stare.I shake my head and raise my eyes to his, then bust out laughing.“Why are you laughing?” he asks with a wide grin.“Because I don’t think I’ve ever seen you without a shirt. I didn’t realize the tats went all the way up your arm. Who would have thought that under it all you’re just a bad boy?”His eyes flash with heat as he narrows them on my face, watching me. He pulls a rag out of his back pocket and begins wiping off his hands, but his gray eyes stay on mine. Did I offend him?“I’m not such a bad boy. Looks can be deceiving, Lauren.” He smirks as he lowers the hood on his Jeep. “But from the look of you right now, you don’t seem to mind the tats.”“I don’t mind.” I shrug nonchalantly and try to ignore the way my heart picks up speed as he slowly saunters around the hood of the vehicle.“Do you have any tats?”“Yeah.”His eyes widen in surprise and then rake over me from head to toe.“Where?”I grin, enjoying this flirtatious banter. “Here and there.”“I have ways of making people talk, you know.”“Bright lights and rubber hoses?” I ask with a raised brow.He tosses his head back and laughs, an all-out belly laugh. “I’m not a cop,” he smirks.“You might get to see them. Someday.”He closes the gap between us and kisses me gently on the forehead, not touching me anywhere else.“I hope someday comes sooner rather than later,” he whispers before pulling back and smiling softly down at me. “I would hug you, but I’m dirty.”I wave him off, as if it’s no biggie, although I don’t mind so much that he’s a bit dirty and sweaty. “What were you doing?” I gesture to the car.“Changing the oil.”“There are places you can go,” I inform him with a perfectly straight face, “where you pull into this big garage, and then you leave your car and go into this small room with five-year-old magazines and stale coffee, and the people there will change your oil for you.”“Or, smart-ass, I can do it myself in my own driveway.”“Suit yourself.” I shrug.“Did you sleep okay on the couch?” he asks, changing the subject.“Yeah, actually, I did. But I could always sleep just about anywhere.”“Hence the chaise in your office.” He chuckles.I nod and stuff my hands in my pockets. “I’m sorry that I interrupted your morning. I was just out for a walk and found myself here.”“I’m glad you did.” He scratches his stomach, and my eyes follow the movement. His abs are just delicious. For being so dark haired, he has little hair on his chest and stomach, but a light trail of hair falls from his navel and disappears into his jeans. He’s also sporting a V in the muscles on his hips that the heroes in my novels would covet.“Lo?” he asks with a wide grin.“Yeah?” I drag my eyes up to his again.“I lost you for a second.” I blink rapidly and feel heat fill my cheeks. Jesus, get a grip! You’ve seen hot men before, Lauren. “Sorry, my mind wandered.”
You can preorder now!AmazonBarnes & NobleiTunes

More than a MILLION copies in readers' hands!

When I pressed publish for the first time in November of 2012, I crossed my fingers and prayed with my whole heart that just a few people that I wasn't related to would buy and read my book.

That was my only goal.

I am stunned and proud to announce that not only did that dream come true, but as of today, more than ONE MILLION COPIES of my books are currently in readers' hands.

That's a lot of books, my friends.

All I can really say is thank you. From the bottom of my heart. It's an honor and a privilege to know that you spend your hard-earned money on my stories. That you love my characters as much as I do, and welcome them into your hearts like family.

I'm a reader too. I get it. The magnitude of this is not lost on me.

And so it's with grateful tears and a humble heart that I say again, thank you. Without you, I wouldn't be living this wild, amazing, stunning life.

And let me tell you, it's a wild ride.

So to thank you properly, I think we need a giveaway. Here's what's up for grabs:

A signed full set of the With Me In Seattle Series.
A signed copy of Loving Cara.
A signed Galley copy of Seducing Lauren.
A signed t-shirt from Cafe du Monde.
A $25 Amazon OR iTunes gift card (winner's choice).

One lucky winner will win the whole lot! THIS IS OPEN INTERNATIONALLY. You have until July 20, 2014 to enter.  To enter, simply comment below and tell me how you were first introduced to my books. I'd love to hear your stories!

Thank you, each of you. ONE MILLION BOOKS. Wow. That's a lot of words.

Happy Reading,
Kristen

Breathe With Me Sometimes you meet the right person at t...

Breathe With Me

Sometimes you meet the right person at the wrong time… 

Mark Williams has loved Meredith since he was seventeen. A successful man with a strong family, he’s worked hard to move on from Meredith breaking his heart all those years ago. When his path crosses with the only woman he’s ever loved again years later, Mark knows there is nothing he won’t do to keep her in his life. But when the going gets tough, will Meredith stick around or will he lose her again? 

…But true love has a way of finding its way back. 

Meredith Summers is a dancer. One of the first things she learned in following her dreams is that timing is everything. She has spent the past ten years following her dream touring with mega-stars while trying to forget the high school sweetheart she left behind. Now she’s back in Seattle, running a successful dance studio with her best friend Jax and determined to move on from her gypsy past. Until the day she sees Mark Williams and time stands still. It’s as if no time has passed at all when Meredith finds herself in Mark’s arms again. The chemistry, the bonds and the love are as strong as ever and hearing Mark whisper breathe with me in her ear is a balm to her wounded soul. But will she grab onto this second chance at love, or is the timing all wrong for them again? 

Don't miss catching up with the Montgomery and Williams clans in this latest installment of the With Me In Seattle Series from New York Times bestselling author, Kristen Proby. 

“There were days that I would have exchanged a year of my life just to touch you one more time.” –Mark Williams

Let's talk about Piracy...

I need to speak for a moment about piracy. Before I do, I want to clarify by saying that sharing a book that you love with your friend so she can love it too is NOT piracy. That’s sharing your love of reading, and hopefully opening your friend up to a new reading experience. This is not what this post is about.All artists who publish their work struggle daily with piracy. I hire a service, Muso, that works every day to find files that have been shared without my permission and sends those distributors what we call a DMCA notice, which requires that distributor, by law, to abide by copyright law and remove the material that they don’t have permission to distribute. Usually for free.It’s painful and time consuming and a pain in the ass.But today it’s gone a step farther.I noticed yesterday that my newest release, TIED WITH ME, was “on sale” on Amazon for $3.03. The regular price is $3.99, and I did not put the book on sale. Because it’s self published, I hold all control of the price of the book. When I contacted my representative at Amazon, I was told that they were price matching with Google Play.I was stunned. I don’t offer my books on Google Play. I’d never uploaded the file for sale on Google Play.After emailing colleagues, my agent and publicist, I came to the realization that my book had been illegally uploaded onto Google Play. Someone had posed as the publisher and put my book up for sale on Google Play.WITHOUT MY PERMISSION.I would like to say that upon receiving my phone calls and emails today, Google Play has done everything in their power to make this situation right by taking the steps to have it removed from the site. However, that doesn’t eclipse the big problem. A “publisher” by the name of Gesserit Publishing, based in North Carolina, is the person who uploaded and sold my book. I’m going to make sure that they don’t get away with it.To my colleagues, all self-published authors, if you have NOT uploaded your books to Google Play, I suggest you look to see if they’re offered for sale there and file a DMCA if they are without your permission. I’m quite sure I’m not this despicable person’s only victim. To put this in perspective, imagine working 60+ hours a week and when payday rolls around, your check is given to someone else. Someone who did nothing to earn it. I’m an artist, yes, but I’m also a savvy businesswoman. I work hard. We all do. My books are reasonably priced. There is no need to steal from me or anyone else. I’m looking into legal action regarding this matter. I’m devastated that someone was able to upload and SELL my work on a major retailer, and am determined to get to the bottom of it. Gesserit Publishing, which I’m sure is an alias, will not get away with this.To the vast majority of you who read and love my books through legal and moral means, thank you. It means the world to me and to other authors to know that you invest your time and your hard-earned money into our work. I know that you’re on a budget. We all are. I appreciate you, more than you know, for choosing to spend even a small amount of your money on my work.
Kristen Proby

Writing as I see it...

I’m writing this blog post because I’m asked on a daily basis for any advice I have for aspiring authors. Because I’m asked EVERY DAY, I decided it would just save a lot of time to write my answer here, for everyone to see.I’ll start by saying that I’m no writing teacher or guru. I don’t have all of the answers. I’ve been blessed with a successful career. A career that is still in its infancy, and I hope that it only continues to build. So anything that I say here is strictly my opinion, stated from my own experiences.First thing’s first: if you want to be a writer, you have to WRITE. A lot. Like anything else, writing is a craft that you have to work at. It’s not going to be great in the beginning. You have to LEARN, and the only way to do that is to write. Every day. Write when you don’t feel like it. When it doesn’t feel good and when it does. Because there will honestly be days when it feels like every word that comes out of you is being torn from your chest. And there will be days when the words flow like magic.Write on both of those days.Write every day.Now, I will say this: if you write with the sole intention of publishing and becoming rich, you should really quit now. I’m sorry if that sounds harsh, but it’s the truth. Writing is an art, and just like any other art form, painting, music, dance, it lives within you. Story telling isn’t easy. Finding the words to string together to make the story worth reading is even harder. I write because I don’t have a choice. I am a writer. Let me say that again. I. Am. A. Writer. It’s part of my DNA. I’ve written since before I knew how to spell all of the words. So, while becoming a published author was a goal, it’s never been what has driven my need to write. I write because there simply is no other choice. It lives in me.To become an accomplished writer, you have to write a lot of really bad stuff before you start producing the good. I have numerous novels tucked away that will never be read. There are even more that are half-finished and are so horrendous I couldn’t continue them.But I learned from each one of them.That’s the key. You write through the bad and learn how to improve. There are many ways to do that. Here are a few that I’ve done over the years:Classes. I’ve taken dozens of classes from writers and editors. And I’ve soaked in what they had to say like a sponge. I didn’t always agree with them, but I took what they had to say and applied it to my own writing.Critique groups/Writing partners. I suggest finding a couple writers that you can brainstorm with and read each other’s work to help each other grow. This has been beyond helpful through the years for me. I do recommend, however, that you choose partners who won’t blow smoke up your ass. Telling you that everything you write is the best thing they’ve ever read is not going to help you. Take the constructive criticism in the spirit in which it’s intended. In other words, when your critique partner says, “I think you can make it so much stronger if you…” don’t immediately become defensive and argue about why the way you wrote it is so much better. Listen. It’s not easy as an artist to be told that someone doesn’t like your work. Scratch that. It can feel like someone tore open your chest, ripped your still beating heart from your ribcage and shredded it. It sucks. No one likes bad reviews. But, if it’s constructive feedback, if the person giving the opinion is specific about what they didn’t like, and what would have made the story stronger for them, you can learn from it for future projects.Then again, sometimes people are just assholes. I trust that you’re smart enough to tell the difference.When you feel confident that you’ve honed your craft and you’ve bled and cried onto the page and you’re ready to share it with the world, sit down and do a ton of research. There are no short cuts. THERE ARE NO SHORT CUTS.You will begin to network with other authors and bloggers and readers, and you will BEG someone to read your masterpiece. I did. I asked bloggers, readers and fellow authors to give my book a chance. I sent it to anyone who said yes, and I got a TON of feedback.And I learned.I edited and worked some more and the end result is COME AWAY WITH ME. This book never hit a best sellers list. It did sit in the top 100 on Amazon for a few days and when it broke that 100 mark, I sat and cried like a baby.You see, my goal was just for 100 people that I didn’t know to buy the book. That was it. It’s since been downloaded more than a quarter of a million times. (Piracy sites don’t count, people.)All of the years and years of writing bad story after bad story had paid off. But I wasn’t done learning. I’m still not done. The knowledge I’ve gained in the eighteen months in this industry is staggering. There’s no way that I could write it all here for you because like I said before, there are no short cuts, and the path is different for every writer.But you know what? If only ten people had bought and read COME AWAY WITH ME, and it ended up being a stand-alone, I’d still be writing. Because the one constant for every writer is simply that: writing.
Write. Every. Day.

Welcome to Matt and Nic's story!

It's official! Tied With Me is live and ready for you to enjoy. So many of you have already purchased and read it, it makes my head spin. THANK YOU, for being excited for this book! I have been just as excited for you to read it.

In case you still need to find the specific links, they're listed below.

Enjoy!
Kristen xo




**** LIVE ****

TIED WITH ME By Kristen Proby

Amazon US

Amazon UK

Amazon AU

Amazon BR

Amazon CA

iTunes

B&N

KOBO

****Pre Order****Tied With Me (Releasing March 18th in a...

****Pre Order****Tied With Me  (Releasing March 18th in all markets)

Amazon US  click hereAmazon UK  click here  Amazon AU click here
Kobo click here

****Pre Order****Tied With Me (Releasing March 18th...

****Pre Order****Tied With Me  (Releasing March 18th in all markets)

Amazon US  click hereAmazon UK  click here  Amazon AU click here
Kobo click here

I still get it. I'm a fan-girl too.

I came across a book today by an author that I've enjoyed reading for many years, Christina Skye. She writes a variety of romantic genres, but my favorite are her contemporary romance. They're super steamy, funny and suspenseful, and I recommend them if you haven't read her books before.

But that's not the purpose of this post.

When I saw the book I was reminded of when I actually had the opportunity to meet and have dinner with this author about ten years ago.

Yes, ten years ago.

I've talked before about how my writing journey is not a new one. I've been writing romantic fiction for more than a decade, and I was rejected many, many times before I decided to self-publish and consequently sign a contract with Simon & Schuster. Ten years ago, I was almost five years into the world of writing romance when I attended a signing and reading by Christina Skye at a local Barnes & Noble in Portland, Oregon.

I was THRILLED.

I couldn't wait to have my books signed and to just let her know that I enjoyed her stories. But while I was there, I met up with some of my fellow RWA (Romance Writers of America) members who informed me that Christina would be going to dinner with them after the signing and invited me along.

Holy crap! Like I was gonna pass that up! And then came the gigantic butterflies and shaky hands and tangled tongue. I was so nervous! But so, so excited.

The best part? While we all sat around at one of the ladies' homes and had pizza prepared by her chef husband and chatted it up about books we like and why we like them, Christine was right in the mix with us, telling us about HER favorite books and what she loves in a book boyfriend. We asked so many questions about agents and contracts and publishers, and please remember, this was before the self-publishing revolution and at this time in my life, a major contract with a publishing house was way out of my realm of possibilities.

I soaked up her words. I listened avidly as she shared her experiences, and when the evening came to an end, I hugged her and thanked her profusely for giving us a few hours of her time.

(I wonder where my photo of her and I together went?)

In the madness that is this new life of mine, I guess I forgot what that feels like. Readers seem so nervous when they approach me at signings, or when I offer breakfast out with my street team the morning after an event in most of the cities I visit, and that always seems to funny to me. I'm just me, that silly young girl with the dream of being a writer. I can't imagine why it's so interesting or exciting to pick my brain over beignets in New Orleans, but the reader in me remembers.

It was the same way when my mom and I traveled to Spokane, WA to see Nora Roberts. We sat and listened to her speak and then stood in line for roughly two hours and waited our turn to have Carolina Moon signed by her in 2000. When we finally made it to the front of the line, we were both a little shell-shocked, but my mom said, "We traveled all the way from Montana to meet you."

Nora's jaw dropped and she looked back and forth between us for several seconds and then she smiled widely and said, "Thank you, so much." We chatted about how long we'd been reading her books, what we adore about them, and thanked her for the many, many hours of reading enjoyment she'd given us over the years.

Next year, I plan to take my mom to Boonsboro, MD to stay in Nora's inn and attend a signing in her bookstore. (Shh, don't tell her. It's a surprise.)

But I remember being that reader, waiting in line for hours to meet a writer that I admire. Whose books I'd devoured, some over and over again.

So please, readers of mine, don't think for a second that I don't appreciate you. I am you. And I love you.

xo
Kristen

An all new TIED WITH ME excerpt!

Hello, everyone! We are just one month away from the release of TIED WITH ME on March 18th! I can't wait for you all to read Matt and Nic's story! Here is a little excerpt to get you excited:

***All Copyright laws apply to this work, owned by Kristen Proby.

“Hey, Nic, can you come here, please?” Leo asks. My eyes narrow as he crooks his finger at Nic, and she grins and walks over to join the rocker and Meg.“What’s up?”“Can you play this?” Meg asks, holding the paper out to her.“Uh, this is a bunch of squiggles.” Nic laughs.“Welcome to my world,” Sam calls out and grins.“Here, I’ll show you how it’s supposed to sound. We need to hear it with the guitar.” Leo sits at the piano and gestures for Nic to join him and begins to play.“Why don’t you just play it?” Nic asks nervously. “Because I need to write.” He grins and shows her how the melody should sound, then sits and listens as Nic picks it up, playing beautifully.She never stops surprising me.“She’s good,” Will murmurs.“I had no idea,” I reply softly.“So talk while she’s preoccupied.”I glance at my brother, who’s watching me closely, and then turn my gaze back to the powerhouse of a woman on that piano bench.“What?” I ask.“I’ve never, never, seen you with a woman,” Will replies softly.“That’s an exaggeration, drama queen.”“High school doesn’t count.”I shrug. I knew this was coming, and it’ll come again Saturday when I take her with me to Nat’s party.“I like her.”“Jesus, you’re stubborn,” Will growls and shoves his hand through his hair. Nic continues to play the piano, surprising Leo when she changes some notes, telling him that it sounds better like this. Leo scowls, listens, and then grins. “You’re right.” Meg nods. “It’s smoother.”“She’s amazing,” I whisper to Will. “She’s smart and kind. Sexy as fuck.”“She is pretty hot,” Will agrees with a nod and then laughs when I glare at him. “Dude, I’m perfectly happy with my own hot woman.” His face sobers. “But does she know…”
“She knows,” I confirm. “And we’re good.”