Harmony Kent's Blog, page 143

Finding Katie is here!

After all that writing, my latest book is finally here! Are you ready for it?

 

Finding Katie
I killed someone, you see. I killed the girl, who used to be me. 
I’m Kate … Kate Charlesworth. I’m seventeen, and self-harming. This time I cut too deep, and I’m in hospital. I hadn’t meant for it to be so bad—it just sort of happened. I needed a lot of distraction that day. 
You’ve had bad days, right? Days it hurts too much to think. Days you just wanna stay in bed. Days when the world needs to go away for a while. Right?
What do you do when you’ve hit rock bottom? When there’s nowhere left to turn? 
This one little mistake lands me back on a psych unit—the last place I wanna be. Only this time, the nurse I end up with isn’t content to stick on a band-aid and send me home. She wants me to face my demons. But to do that, I’ll have to face who I am … who I used to be … I’ll have to find Katie.

Excerpt from Chapter One:
THERE IS much power in a name. Just the one utterance can resurrect the dead. Would that I had joined those decaying ranks. Death is easy. It’s living that sucks.
-::-
The nurse is asleep in the chair. The monitor emits another brief, quiet beep. A too-warm draft from the open room door breezes over my face. Hospitals are always the same. I want out. It’s not just the temperature, but the smell as well. Can’t they get a nicer cleaning product? Oh, and don’t even get me started on the florescent lights. Even now, in the dead of night, the lights are on in the corridor. Dimmed, … but still. You’d think—being geared up for sick people—they’d make the place a bit comfier.
I shouldn’t even be here. And I definitely don’t need that silly cow in the corner. I’m being ‘specialled’ … LOL. Like, I’ve been on my own all my life and NOW they care? What gives? Stuff it. I don’t care. They’ll just patch me up and ship me home, like usual.
My arm itches. The tight bandages stop me from being able to scratch it. This is maddening. And that bloody beeping is driving me crazy. I have to get out of here. The monster that lives in me gives a growl … low, menacing. My heart speeds up and I break into a sweat.
An IV is plugged into my other arm. I grit my teeth, wince in anticipation, and yank it out. Warm blood pools on my arm and drips on the sheet, along with the cooler fluid leaking out of the tube. It stings a little bit.
There isn’t much bedding for me to throw back, only the now-damp sheet. I swing my legs over the side of the mattress and sit up. The wires attached to the sticky pads on my chest pull tight. I stop moving and hold my breath. As soon as I take the leads off, the machine will alarm. That has to be the last thing I disconnect.
The nurse shifts position in the recliner, but then she snores … for a minute I thought she’d woken up. The daft cow will get in so much trouble when they find out she was sleeping on the job. Fat Angie, I call her. She hasn’t sat with me before. Melanie told me they had to get someone from the nursing pool to cover tonight. I almost wish I could stick around to see Melanie give it to Angela in the morning.
A laugh bubbles up and I have to stifle it quick. One of the ward nurses walks past, but doesn’t look in. As quietly as I can, I grab my clothes from the bedside locker. It says everything that they’re the same ones I was admitted in. See how much my folks care? They haven’t even bothered to launder my stuff.
Dried blood has left my jeans and zip-front sweater stiff, and they stink of sweat and vomit. But I can’t leg it out of here in this open-backed gown. The wires make it slow going and tricky, but I manage it. I have to leave the t-shirt, ‘cos there’s no way I can get that on without releasing the sensor pads. Still undetected. Okay … here goes.
Fast as I can, I snatch off the wires and stumble for the door. The alarm rings out as I hit the corridor at a run. The opposite wall looms at me and I rebound off it. I scan around to get my bearings. Shit. The nurse’s station is between the doors and me. I tell you, I was born this lucky.
The hard floor is cold beneath my bare feet. Already, the bitches have stood up. The big black one has her hands on her hips. She means business. Well, I’ve come this far. The little mousey nurse stands to the left and behind the other one. I aim for her.
Squeaks and slaps echo as I lift, drop, lift, and drop my feet. The polished floor keeps sucking at my soles—hence the squeak every time I lift my foot back up.
The wheezing and pounding from behind tell me that Fat Angie has joined in the chase. Oh what good fun at the fair! I giggle as I run. Can’t help it. It’s not nice, though. It doesn’t touch me. As old Shakes said: ‘Mirth cannot move a soul in agony.’ Have I ever been happy? Not sure I know what that is, when you get right down to it. Cold Kate—that’s me.
I barrel into the small nurse. She goes down flat on her back. She makes the biggest slap/squeak of all. I’m home free! My hand is on the door handle when the big black bitch tackles me from behind. Shit.
‘Get off me, you cow!’ My yells, screams, kicks, and head-butts do nothing. She just yanks me off my feet with my arms pinned at my sides. She might look fat, but she’s all muscle—solid. Why’d she have to be on tonight of all nights? Unfair much? Fruitless as it is, I struggle and wriggle all the way back to my room.

©2015 Harmony Kent All Rights Reserved

Pre-order here! Amazon UK and Amazon US
Release date TOMORROW! for Kindle and Paperback!
by

Celebrating Women on RRBC Recruitment Day

Hi everyone!
Thanks for stopping by
Today, I would like to talk about a lady who has inspired me greatly in my life, and who I believe set me on the track I am on at this point in my life. Her name is Sharon Salzberg, and she is the author of A HEART AS WIDE AS THE WORLD. It is this book of loving-kindness that inspired me to take ordination as a Buddhist nun back at the turn of the century. And from this, so many things in my life have unfolded. Sharon is a meditation teacher and author, and it is this gentle and generous lady who gave me my first introduction to Buddhism. Her website is here if you are interested in finding out more about her and her work.The practices of mindfulness and loving-kindness are the foundations of her life and work.
Although I am no longer living a Buddhist monastic life, the lessons in kindness, compassion, and integrity have stayed with me. Once I returned to lay life, after about 13 years living in a temple, I turned to writing. Not long after I published my first two books, I discovered another great lady, Nonnie Jules, founder of Rave Reviews Book Club, who followed the same ethos as I did: to support and promote my fellow authors, and to use my web and social media platforms to do it. I love the club’s ethos of ‘Pay it forward’ and, of course, I joined right up. I have to thank Bette A Stevens for my introduction to this greatly supportive book club.
So, it seems I have had a number of women in my life who have been a good and helpful influence. Who has influenced you most in your life?
As far as being an author goes, it is Nonnie and the Rave Reviews Book Club that have been the most helpful to me, and that have helped to boost my online presence and book sales. The one thing I love most about the club, is that it understands the value of honest reviews for us authors, and so we don’t merely read and discuss books–we review them as well. Not only that, but RRBC has lots of promotional programs for its members–authors and readers alike.
The platform is one of mutual respect, support, and promotion. And is one of the best book clubs around that I have come across. So, do yourself a favour and join today!
Please vote for my post or another member’s post in the recruiting day contest here: http://wp.me/P49Fi9-GG Thank you.
by

Finding Katie is here!

After all that writing, my latest book is finally here! Are you ready for it?

 

Finding Katie
I killed someone, you see. I killed the girl, who used to be me. 
I’m Kate … Kate Charlesworth. I’m seventeen, and self-harming. This time I cut too deep, and I’m in hospital. I hadn’t meant for it to be so bad—it just sort of happened. I needed a lot of distraction that day. 
You’ve had bad days, right? Days it hurts too much to think. Days you just wanna stay in bed. Days when the world needs to go away for a while. Right?
What do you do when you’ve hit rock bottom? When there’s nowhere left to turn? 
This one little mistake lands me back on a psych unit—the last place I wanna be. Only this time, the nurse I end up with isn’t content to stick on a band-aid and send me home. She wants me to face my demons. But to do that, I’ll have to face who I am … who I used to be … I’ll have to find Katie.

Excerpt from Chapter One:
THERE IS much power in a name. Just the one utterance can resurrect the dead. Would that I had joined those decaying ranks. Death is easy. It’s living that sucks.
-::-
The nurse is asleep in the chair. The monitor emits another brief, quiet beep. A too-warm draft from the open room door breezes over my face. Hospitals are always the same. I want out. It’s not just the temperature, but the smell as well. Can’t they get a nicer cleaning product? Oh, and don’t even get me started on the florescent lights. Even now, in the dead of night, the lights are on in the corridor. Dimmed, … but still. You’d think—being geared up for sick people—they’d make the place a bit comfier.
I shouldn’t even be here. And I definitely don’t need that silly cow in the corner. I’m being ‘specialled’ … LOL. Like, I’ve been on my own all my life and NOW they care? What gives? Stuff it. I don’t care. They’ll just patch me up and ship me home, like usual.
My arm itches. The tight bandages stop me from being able to scratch it. This is maddening. And that bloody beeping is driving me crazy. I have to get out of here. The monster that lives in me gives a growl … low, menacing. My heart speeds up and I break into a sweat.
An IV is plugged into my other arm. I grit my teeth, wince in anticipation, and yank it out. Warm blood pools on my arm and drips on the sheet, along with the cooler fluid leaking out of the tube. It stings a little bit.
There isn’t much bedding for me to throw back, only the now-damp sheet. I swing my legs over the side of the mattress and sit up. The wires attached to the sticky pads on my chest pull tight. I stop moving and hold my breath. As soon as I take the leads off, the machine will alarm. That has to be the last thing I disconnect.
The nurse shifts position in the recliner, but then she snores … for a minute I thought she’d woken up. The daft cow will get in so much trouble when they find out she was sleeping on the job. Fat Angie, I call her. She hasn’t sat with me before. Melanie told me they had to get someone from the nursing pool to cover tonight. I almost wish I could stick around to see Melanie give it to Angela in the morning.
A laugh bubbles up and I have to stifle it quick. One of the ward nurses walks past, but doesn’t look in. As quietly as I can, I grab my clothes from the bedside locker. It says everything that they’re the same ones I was admitted in. See how much my folks care? They haven’t even bothered to launder my stuff.
Dried blood has left my jeans and zip-front sweater stiff, and they stink of sweat and vomit. But I can’t leg it out of here in this open-backed gown. The wires make it slow going and tricky, but I manage it. I have to leave the t-shirt, ‘cos there’s no way I can get that on without releasing the sensor pads. Still undetected. Okay … here goes.
Fast as I can, I snatch off the wires and stumble for the door. The alarm rings out as I hit the corridor at a run. The opposite wall looms at me and I rebound off it. I scan around to get my bearings. Shit. The nurse’s station is between the doors and me. I tell you, I was born this lucky.
The hard floor is cold beneath my bare feet. Already, the bitches have stood up. The big black one has her hands on her hips. She means business. Well, I’ve come this far. The little mousey nurse stands to the left and behind the other one. I aim for her.
Squeaks and slaps echo as I lift, drop, lift, and drop my feet. The polished floor keeps sucking at my soles—hence the squeak every time I lift my foot back up.
The wheezing and pounding from behind tell me that Fat Angie has joined in the chase. Oh what good fun at the fair! I giggle as I run. Can’t help it. It’s not nice, though. It doesn’t touch me. As old Shakes said: ‘Mirth cannot move a soul in agony.’ Have I ever been happy? Not sure I know what that is, when you get right down to it. Cold Kate—that’s me.
I barrel into the small nurse. She goes down flat on her back. She makes the biggest slap/squeak of all. I’m home free! My hand is on the door handle when the big black bitch tackles me from behind. Shit.
‘Get off me, you cow!’ My yells, screams, kicks, and head-butts do nothing. She just yanks me off my feet with my arms pinned at my sides. She might look fat, but she’s all muscle—solid. Why’d she have to be on tonight of all nights? Unfair much? Fruitless as it is, I struggle and wriggle all the way back to my room.

©2015 Harmony Kent All Rights Reserved

Pre-order here! Amazon UK and Amazon US
Release date 3rd April 2015 for Kindle and Paperback!
by

Proud to host Lisa Mauro!

 

 

I’d like to thank today’s host and 4Wills Publishing for organizing this amazing opportunity. I hope you all enjoy the tour!

 

The foundation of The Place We Went to Yesterday began with a chance meeting. It was my first semester of college and I was sitting in an early Sunday morning Creative Writing class. Writing had always been a solitary and private thing for me. I rarely, if ever, shared my work with others. But this class forced me to do just that. And in that class, I met a person that forever changed my life.

I could tell she was uneasy about sharing her work and so I was immediately drawn to her. We traded our assignments, glanced over the pages and quickly determined that we would be friends for life. We shared pieces of our soul in that class and that is where this story began to take shape.

Ella – Spanish for “she” – is a timid teenager. Born into poverty, she is abused, manipulated and neglected by her family. Her parents become aware of a rumor that she is gay and after barely escaping from them, she is moved into foster care. When she realizes that foster care isn’t much better than her home life was, she opts to move into a group home.

It is there that she meets Lara – a spunky, fellow Latina – who teaches her the ropes of navigating the home. Lara introduces Ella to New York City’s High Line Park. It becomes a place of refuge for Ella and provides her with an entirely new perspective of not just the city, but her life. After a fight breaks out in the home, Lara is removed and Ella is left to fend for herself.

Realizing that education is the key to breaking the poverty cycle, she dives headfirst into pursuing her dreams. The Place We Went to Yesterday is a story of second chances and the transformative power we each hold within us.

Everything about that first Creative Writing class changed my life. It taught me how to take constructive criticism but more importantly, it showed me that I didn’t have to just be an observer in life. I could take those observations and use them to implement positive changes.

Our friendship is over a decade old at this point and I talk to “Ella” more days than not. She still continues to inspire me. And hopefully, you.

Author Bio:

Lisa Mauro is a novelist, blogger, and pharmaceutical consultant.  She is the Secretary of the Board of The Women Fiction Writers Association.  The Place We Went to Yesterday is her first novel, published by Heartless Press.  She lives in Boston, MA with her better half, Brian, and an obnoxiously cute kitten, Harper.

Author Links:

Blog/Website: www.lisa-mauro.com

Twitter Handle: @sw33tvoodoo

Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/abnormalapathy

Amazon Buy Link: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00P55K7U8/

4WillsPublishing Links:

Goodreads Event Page: https://www.goodreads.com/event/show/956833-the-place-we-went-to-yesterday-blog-tour

Rafflecopter Giveaway: http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/4af5be7f13/

 

This tour sponsored by 4WillsPublishing.wordpress.com.

by

Supporting Authors: Proud to welcome Ella Emerson!

 

MEET THE CHARACTERS OF THE VANILLA BET by Ella Emerson

 

Trace Weston: Trace has never really dated girls before but the more time he spends with Vanessa the more he can see being with her for longer than the bet. Maybe he would just like to keep her altogether and never let her go. Born and raised in Palm Beach, he won’t let anyone tell him how to live his life….except maybe his father.

 

Vanessa Summers: Vanessa finds herself falling for Trace hard, but with everything happening will she be able to let him in. This is a rollercoaster of a ride for her, but lucky for her she has a HOT and SEXY man to watch after her. But, what do you think will happen when she finds out it is all a bet!!!

 

Maxine: Vanessa’s trusty best friend and roommate. She is always around to watch over Vanessa and ensure she is safe. Loud, glamorous, and incredibly loyal she is destined to help with Vanessa’s road to discovery.

 

Darren: Maxine has her hooks into this one and she doesn’t ever want to let go. Mysterious phone calls, and late night texts, what is his story? Could he be a part of the mayhem?

 

Jordan: Jordan is Vanessa’s best friend and he obviously likes her. Now that she is dating Trace could he be so upset that he wasn’t picked? Why does he always seem to be around when everything goes south? Is he obsessed to the point of breaking?

 

Seth: Seth is Trace’s best friend and roommate. He is also the one who bet Trace to have a relationship with Vanessa. Then we find out that he had asked Vanessa out just a few months prior. Could he still be upset with her for turning him down? Why would anyone want their best friend to date the woman they want? Does he have a hidden agenda?

 

Craig: Craig is a friend of Trace’s and just an all around jerk. He isn’t very well liked and who knows what he is capable of? Could he want to ruin Trace’s life out of jealousy?

 

Eric: Eric is Vanessa’s ex boyfriend, and the main reason she left Ohio to move to Florida. He wasn’t the nicest of boyfriends and had even roughed her up a bit. Could he be back for vengeance?

 

FIND OUT WHO IS BEHIND THE MYSTERY? THE VANILLA BET released MARCH 1, 2015

 

 

THE VANILLA BET

Synopsis:

Trace Weston lives in the beautiful Palm Beaches. A college student who would rather party his life away than accept his father’s company. He loses a bet at a college party and has to have a “vanilla” relationship with a girl he has never met.

 

Vanessa Summers, moved to Florida to attend college for her love of the arts. She also left behind a dark past that haunts her every day. She meets Trace and is instantly taken with his irresistible charm. Will she be able to keep her secrets hidden? Will Trace be able to help her find the answers to what she is searching for? Will they be able to find who and what is trying to keep them apart?

 

This book is not suitable for persons under the age of 18. STRONG LANGUAGE, SEXUAL MATERIAL, and INTENSE VIOLENCE.

 

AMAZON BUY LINKS:

US: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00T3QWQZE

UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00T3QWQZE

 

GOODREADS:

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/23350486-the-vanilla-bet

 

AUTHOR LINKS:

www.authorella.com

www.facebook.com/ellaemerson325

www.twitter.com/AuthorElla

Amazon: amazon.com/author/ellaemerson

Find me on GoodReads: https://www.goodreads.com/EllaEmerson

Come and Follow me on Bloglovin: http://www.bloglovin.com/ellaemerson

This tour sponsored by 4WillsPublishing.wordpress.com.

 

by

Supporting Authors: Proud to welcome J L McFadden!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I am delighted to host J L McFadden today, on his 4Wills Publishing blog tour!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In a rubble-riddled room, doors ripped from their hinges, glass busted out of the window, and paintings and glass from the windows scattered throughout the room as long stiletto heels ground down onto the pieces of rubble. Long athletic legs wrapped into leather pants that hug and revealed every fiber that flexed, as though it was painted on, running into a magically perfect shaped rear-end that tempted John as he stood in the doorframe watching Adela bending over, trying to salvage anything she could in what was Victally’s room. The sight of Adela, in what is normally Gala’s type of clothing, was making the temptation more and more unbearable to resist.
Damn! If my bond is with Gala, then why am I so drawn to Adela?
While still doubled over, picking up a book, Adela stated with a sultry voice, “One of these days, I am going to make you deliver on all of those promised ideas, running through your head when you watch me.” She had a playful sound to her voice with her smile, telling that fulfilling his dreams was not out of the question.
“Adela, I am sorry, I was just…”
“John, you and I know what is going through your head.”
Oh God, can she read my mind?
“Johnny Boy, am I reading your mind or the situation?” 

 

Author Bio: 

J.L McFadden was born in  Pennsylvania and spent his life bouncing around the States until beginning to travel the world. Starting out he was a well-known musician in upstate New York that had a heavy playing schedule. Later he went back to his home state to work in the Lumber mills of the mountains. In California working in sales, management and even directed a small moving company until deciding to see the world. His travels around the world have allotted him to not only join an International Aikikai Aikido Federation, but have trained with Sanseis from Belgium, Ukraine, Russia and other European countries. He accounts his journeys and meeting of new people to his broad character types in his books.

 

 

Book Blurb: 

While still doubled over, picking up a book, Adela stated with a sultry voice, “One of these days, I am going to make you deliver on all of those promised ideas, running through your head when you watch me.” She had a playful sound to her voice with her smile, telling that fulfilling his dreams was not out of the question.

 

Purchase on Amazon … UK and US!

 

This tour sponsored by 4WillsPublishing.wordpress.com.

Thanks for stopping by! Please show our guest some love and leave a comment  
by

#amwriting: Finding Katie

I haven’t kept Katie company in a while, as I’ve been busy with poems, and my other “project”, which I’m not telling about just yet
Woot, woot! 5,500 words written today! The word count is now at 57, 816 … that’s up from 51,437 on my last post, and most of that is from today! Okay, so without further ado, here is today’s sneak peek … 
“I pause at the base of the stairs and look up toward the second landing. It seems awfully high and far. I gulp, take a breath, and put my foot on the first riser.”

©2015 Harmony Kent

See you all soon! … And don’t miss awesome guest post from 4Wills Publishing and J L McFadden tomorrow!

 

 

by

Supporting Authors: Monster Goose

I am delighted to introduce The Herz family … Father and two sons … Henry, Josh, and Harrison!

This trio came up with a great children’s picture book, and it was a nice break from my usual routine when I was asked to read it and give an honest review …

Monster Goose

Henry, Josh, and Harrison Herz

Illustrations by Abigail Larson

 This review is based on a pre-publication e-galley.

 This is a delightful collection of rhymes based on the traditional, but with a modern and somewhat macabre twist. Each set of double pages holds one short rhyme—written by the Herz trio—and excellent illustrations by Abigail Larson. This is a vibrant and colourful book, and is designed so that parents can read through this with young children. It is also great for the slightly older ones to read for themselves, and enjoy the fantastic pictures. I love the adaptations—for instance, instead of Mary having a “little lamb”, she goes to school with a “hippogriff”; Wee Willie Winkie becomes Wee Willie Werewolf, looking for tardy children to eat! Henry and his sons, Josh and Harrison, obviously have an acute sense of humour, and have shared this with youngsters everywhere in this funny collection of old favourites made new. I award a hearty five out of five stars for this book.

You will find my reviews in these places:

Amazon UK

Amazon US

Goodreads

by

#amwriting – Finding Katie

Hi folks!
I have another instalment of Finding Katie for you … Are you ready? …
“The last bit gets my attention. The silence shifts, and holds the question. Mel catches it.”
WIP is now at 51,437 words
I’m also making good progress with my secret project

©2015 Harmony Kent

by

Pay It Forward …

Post Copied from The Marquee Project, with Gratitude
This is the true spirit of support and generosity …
Rave Reviews Book Club –
 #onthemarquee

Posted on1 Day Ago by Bethany Turner

Today is the last day of Pay It Forward week, and I thought it fitting to end the week by placing Rave Reviews Book Club on the marquee.

If you have had many personal converations with me, or you follow my daily personal blog, The Year of Blogging Faithfully, you know that self-promotion is a struggle for me. I just don’t like doing it. I am a fairly confident person, extremely proud of my work, and I know that self-promotion is absolutely necessary for an indie author. And yet I hate it. I love promoting my friends. I love being someone else’s advocate. I love shining the spotlight on someone I believe in. I just love that! But that doesn’t sell books – at least not mine.That doesn’t bring awareness to my work.

Or does it?

Self-promotion is necessary. I know that. If only I could find a group of some kind – a book club, perhaps? – which allows authors to promote their own books, but even more importantly encourages you to support other authors. If only there were a book club like that which created opportunities to become advocates for others by letting you host them on your blog, or by shining the spotlight on them, or by offering contests and incentives which reward authors for supporting other authors…

Of course by now, everyone has hopefully realized that my tongue is planted firmly in my cheek, because such a group already exists.

Rave Reviews Book Club is more than 600 members strong, and growing all the time. I am in constant amazement at the talent which exists within RRBC.  There are bestselling authors, award-winning authors, top-rated bloggers, poets, novelists, biographers… The talent is overwhelming, but the kindness and generosity are why I’m paying it forward. When one of those talented authors wins an award, congratulations abound. When someone hits #1 on a best seller list, members of RRBC make sure the whole world knows.

This week I have tried to pay it forward to authors whose support has been incredibly impactful in my life. There are more, and I wish I could thank everyone in this way. I’ll be working on that as we move forward, but for now I want to give a special shout out to the Governing Board Members of Rave Reviews Book Club. Do me a favor…help me support them today. Click on their names and you will be taken to either their individual site or their author page on Amazon. Pick at least one book by one of these supportive individuals and download a book today. After you read their work, write a review. Follow them on Twitter. Or just drop by their websites or blogs or Facebook pages or Twitter feeds and thank them for their support, which is second to none. They spend so much time giving to others. Today, let’s give to them.

President

NONNIE JULES

Vice President/Mentor Program Dir.

BRUCE A. BORDERS

Secretary/Blog Tour Host Coordinator

MARLENA HAND

Administrative Assistant 2

LIZ GAVIN

Administrative Asst. 1/TST Manager

HARMONY KENT

Membership/Incentives Director

JOHN FIORAVANTI

Reviews Coordinator

BEEM WEEKS

Social Media Director

NICHOLAS C. ROSSIS

“Spotlight” Coordinator

MICHELLE ABBOTT

Site Monitor/TST

JAN HAWKE

by